Basstrike Fishing Blog

Fly fishing is a exciting and challenging outdoor sport. For someone who new to fly fishing, it may seem a little complicated. To gain acceptance by others anglers or fishers, you should follow the following tips:

Learn how to cast. This is the first thing you must know how to do if you really want to be a fly fishing angler. Practice casting and incorporating the various methods that you have observed.

Assemble your equipment. You should put your fly rods together to keep them from blowing up. Begin with the tip section of the fly rod. If it’s the type with more than two pieces, the procedures remain the same. You should also create a mismatch between the rod’s tip and butt by a one-quarter turn. Twist these pieces gently and tighten them till the guides align together when the rod is seated. These two pieces on the fly rod have a snug fit but avoid forcing them to join each other.

Know the terminologies. It’s awkward to call yourself an angler, yet you don’t know the terminologies used in the field. For instance, the butt is the term for the bottom section of a fly rod. Guides are the round metal part on a fly rod that sticks out. Stripping guides are the bottommost guides on a fly rod. Others are called snake guides except for the top guides that are called tip top. The reel is the part that fits on the fly rod at the reel seat, and it’s located under the fly rod. There is a metal that slides across the second foot of the reel and this metal holds the reel on the butt of the fly rod. The metal can be from the base of the reel seat known as up-locking or from the top of the reel seat known as down-locking. One more thing, a ring is used in securing the two pieces, and it’s known as the locking ring.

Find the right grip to use. If you’re left-handed, it’s recommended to use your left hand to grip the crank of the reel. Though the hand you use doesn’t matter when casting, you should be using your strongest hand if you want to play and land a fish. If you don’t use your strongest hand, you may be switching hands while catching a fish. So, it’s important to use your best hand while fly fishing.

Have a good knowledge of your reel. You should learn how to take your reel apart, replace cassettes or spools quickly and easily. Ensure that the inside of the spools and their spares are fixed properly. Find the location of the drag adjustment and learn how it works.

String up your fly rod well. Once you attach the reel and pull the fly line off. Fold the line over, with the reel’s handle facing up and the butt on the ground, walk along the fly rod and run the line through the guides. You must ensure that the line run through all the guides. Know that the metal loop close to the butt is not a guide—it’s used for hooking the fly when it’s in use.

Learn how to tie some basic knots. You can start with learning how to tie surgeons knot and clinch. Normally, reels and lines are sold with a catalog of knots. If you’re asked how to tie a certain knot, don’t hesitate to say, “No, kindly show me how to do it,” and say this with a great smile.

Dress appropriately. You need to put on appropriate wears if you’re a serious fly fisher or anglers. For instance, you should be wearing bright colors or white hats while on a fly fishing adventure. Don’t forget that fish have a sharp vision and they can easily spook. The colors of your wears should be of earth and muted tones which will appear natural to the fishes. It’s totally practical and fashionable to layer colors. Moreover, weather conditions usually change over a fishing period. So if you are comfortable, your flying fishing will be more fun and successful. Some manufacturers make shirts with mesh, either in the underarm section or under a shirt’s back yoke. This kind of shirts is great for summer or warm periods. You can wear a turtleneck under such shirt and with a fleece jacket. Wearing fishing vests is not wrong, but it’s unnecessary to do so. You may look sexy or feel cool on skimpy and muscle t-shirts, but experienced fly fishers would take you as unserious because you're wearing the wrong clothes.

Be always organized. You should always organize yourself and your fishing tools before and after fishing. Your gloves, jackets, hats and wades should be arranged in the same place. Keep all clothing in a place where they can be reached easily. Your fly rods and gears should be unfolded carefully before use and folded properly after use. If possible, have a personalized system that you can follow whenever you’re out for fly fishing.