What You Need to Start: Fly Fishing Equipment

Fluorocarbon, monofilament, leaders, flies, floatant, reels, a variety of rods, a net, fly boxes, sunglasses, a hat, and a pack to put everything inside. Lots of people believe that you need all of the items above to simply catch a fish, but the equipment necessary is quite minimal.

When I first started fly fishing, I was exposed to so many products and methods that I did not know what I needed in order to get off the ground. I was overwhelmed, and I found myself doing lots of online research and asking lots of questions about everything.

Taking this time to learn about all of the basics was beneficial because I learned a lot about all of the products that are in the market and their many uses, what performs better in different scenarios, and so on.

So, after my first couple of visits to fly shops in MT I had a fly box with a decent assortment of flies along with some leaders and a spool of tippet. I had not yet purchased a fly rod yet, because I felt like this more of an investment than just another fly.

A couple of weeks and hours of research later, I owned my first fly rod. It was everything I needed at the time, and for the price performed exceptionally. It was a 9 foot 5wt Sage Approach, and to this day is still one of my favorite rods to fish.

My Dad purchased that rod for me, and to this day am so thankful for his generosity. I knew that this would be something that we could do together for the rest of our lives, and he was just excited about the rod as I was

So, if you are just starting to get into fly fishing, want to go out for just the day, or simply curious on how much money you have to spend, here are some of my suggestions for equipment.

Rods

This is arguably the most difficult decision to make when you first start fly fishing, because it is a big investment and there are so many to choose from. So how do you know which one is right for you?

I first think about the type fishing that I will be doing. The 5wt was a perfect rod to begin with because it can handle a variety of water and can cast dry flies to small streamer patterns. There are many brands out there that offer superb entry level kits, and if you are just tapping into the sport I would recommend one of these. These kits include a rod, reel, fly line, and more, and are a great option for a high quality package that is at the lower end of the price spectrum.

Many of these packages come with a rod, reel, fly line, and maybe even a fly box. The first time I casted one of these rods, I was shocked by the quality of the rod for the price. You can find many of these kits for under $200, which is a great deal considering a couple of rods alone are pushing the $1000 mark today.

Reels

If you decide on a kit like the one I mentioned above, then you will mostly likely not have to deal with choosing a reel. If not, then you will have to pick out the items separately. I have very little preference when it comes to selecting a reel. I like something that is light, can hold backing and fly line, and has a well-built drag system.

When fishing for trout, I rarely find myself using the reel when battling a fish. Frankly, a fly reel is just a fancy line holder, and a nice color eases the mind at time of purchase. It is important though when fishing for large trout or other freshwater and saltwater species to have a well-built drag system. This can make or break your day of fishing on the water, so when selecting a reel be selective and ask questions.

Lines, Leaders, and Accessories

This realm of fly fishing can take you down a rabbit hole. With new products like micro trash containers, necklaces to hold all of your little do-dads, and more, it is easy to see something that you may need. I have done that many times, and never have used that item it until I cleaned out my fly fishing pack a month or two later.

With lines and leaders, my advice would be to keep it simple. With a variety of products and dimensions, find something that corresponds to what you are fishing to. For trout, a great setup would be a floating fly line, with a couple packages of leaders ranging from 3x-6x.

Accessories is a category that you can take it wherever you would like. Keeping with the minimalist theme, I love to carry only what I need. Throughout every season I will carry some dry fly floatant, which is a hydrophobic substance that helps you fly float on the surface of the water.

Besides floatant I will carry a net, some nippers (nail clippers will do the trick), sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, and a pair of wading boots. Ideally you have a little hip, shoulder, or backpack to put everything in, but shoving it in your pockets works too. Besides, having an organized pack is less important than catching fish.

This may seem like quite a few items that can put a hole in your wallet, but once you have the basics covered you are set. You can add and subtract equipment when you deem necessary, but with the basics you can do just about anything.

Over the years I have found what works for me, and what doesn’t. It is easy to get overwhelmed by all of the new trinkets that you see online and in shops, and my advice would be to start small. Some of those new products are extremely innovative and useful, but I have yet to add one to my system that I would use regularly.

You really only need a couple of things to get started, and from there you can add or subtract items to your liking. I have found that when I first started I had a lot of gear, and have been slowly reducing the amount of equipment that I carry on a day-to-day basis.

So start small, only get what you need to begin with, and go from there. Besides, it really is just a couple of feathers tied onto a piece of metal anyways, and in the end it is just fishing.