What do you Really Need?

Gear is vital to a fly angler. It is what we depend on out there, it’s what helps put fish in the net, and let’s face it getting that new piece of gear you’ve been wanting for years is always fun. But how much do we really need? How much do we need to spend? And can we have too much gear? I think these questions can all be answered differently for everyone, your goals, methods, and what you find fun can all change these answers. There is a lot of complexity here and I think it is something that steers many would be fly anglers to pursue other methods of fishing, and that is a shame. The truth is fly fishing is rewarding because of its challenges and complexities and, when understood, it provides the single greatest experience in all of sport (of course I acknowledge my bias here). 

I want to simplify the picture a little bit. You don’t need the 100% optimized rod and reel combo and the most efficient tackle set up of all time to catch fish.I fished with value gear I bought from Walmart for the first 10 years of my fishing life. And guess what? I caught fish with that gear. Now does the gear I use today work a little better for the situations I encounter? Absolutely it does. Do I routinely spend top dollar on some of the best equipment money can buy? Yes I do. But I have been fishing for 14 years, I know I love this sport and so I am willing to spend top dollar for top gear because I know I will use it. If you are just starting out don’t get bogged down in all the stuff you will hear about optimizing your gear, thats step 10 and you are on step 1. Buy the cheap stuff. You can get a whole rig, fly rod, reel, and line for $50, then pick up a variety box of flies for $10, grab some leaders and 4x tippet for another $10, and just get on the water. Don’t overcomplicate it, don’t over think just hit the water and keep your mind on learning. Or take a guide trip, they will set you up with the gear you need, and even teach you everything you need to now. The truth is fly fishing has never been easier to learn than right now.

So what is important starting out? It’s simply really, the single most important thing you can do to maximize your time on the water when starting out is to perfect your casting. This is now more accessible than ever, just look up “How to fly cast” on YouTube and you will have an endless variety of great videos to teach you. My dad taught me by plopping me outside with a rod and bucket, he told me once I could land the fly in the bucket he would take me to a river. Now I am a huge fan of learning and practicing away from the water, find a wide open spot. Maybe this is at a park or out in the back yard. My dad used a bucket but honestly a hula hoop works even better. Put it on the ground and try making casts to the target. This takes a lot or pressure off, you aren’t standing in a river, you didn’t drive for an hour, there isn’t the slightest chance a trout will strike, you can focus entirely on your cast. I do this even to this day. I routinely take my rod out and just practice my cast, here I can dial in my casting so I know when I get to the water my presentations will be perfect.

Tying knots is also absolutely critical to any angler. After all if you can’t tie knots you won’t be able to tie on leader, tippet, or flies and I don’t care how good your cast is you can’t catch trout with just a fly line. This is another topic that can get VERY overdone. It seems like there are an infinite amount of knots anglers use and each has a different purpose. However, I really think there are two basic knots that will get the job done for 99% of scenarios, at least starting out. The clinch knot, for tying on flies or adding a dropper to a point fly, and the double surgeons knot for joining line. Thats it, it’s that simple. Both are easy to tie, versatile, and strong. Practice these knots, get good at them and you will be set up for most situations.

My point is that so many people get wrapped up in the perfect gear and yet never stop to build their fundamentals. Some of these individuals then don’t catch fish despite spending thousands of dollars on the best equipment, they get frustrated and leave the sport entirely. There is a learning curve to fly fishing, thats just the truth, and no amount of money spent is going to make you a better fly angler. It’s not about what you use it’s about how you use it. So don’t let gear hold you back, buy what you can afford and get out on the water, have some fun and fish hard. There are so many resources out there right now for the new fly angler, YouTube, movies, blogs, and social media all host a treasure trove of information about starting out so just get started. Do your research, practice the fundamentals, and go catch some fish!

Have fun friends, see you out there.