Several hundred of the state’s lakes open to trout fishing April 30, an event that gets a lot of people thinking about fishing.
If you’ve been thinking this is the year that you’d like to try fly fishing, the start of the lake season is a good time. The state pumps thousands of hatchery trout
into the lakes that are generally pretty easy to catch.
And if you’re out on the lake in a boat or a float tube, you’re a lot less likely to get your line all tangled up in a tree or a bush — an event that makes many new fly fishers give up trying to learn the sport.
Here’s a beginner’s primer on some of the equipment you’ll need to get started:
Rods
The fly rod is the most important thing for a beginner if for no other reason than you’ll be carrying it around all day. It needs to be light. It needs to be sensitive enough at the tip to feel when a fish has taken your fly. And it needs to be strong enough to fight the fish.
Rods come in different lengths and weights. The weight refers not to the actually weight of the rod, but to the line that matches it.
No fly fisher wants just one rod. But to start, look for a nine-foot rod matched with a 5-weight line. That’s a good weight for trout.
The other thing to consider is the action of the rod, which refers to how flexible it is. A fast or medium-fast action is a good choice for beginners because it casts the line fairly quickly.
Good fly rods start at around $100 to $150 and go to $700 and more. Most good rods have a lifetime quarantee that covers breakage for any reason. In trout fishing, the rod is more important than the reel, so if you’re tight on money, spend it on the rod.
Reels
Reels store your line. Good ones also have what’s called a drag system that can provide varying tension on the line to tire the fish as he pulls line off.
The more expensive reels are made with aircraft aluminum or a composite material and are remarkably strong and light. They also a very smooth and reliable drag.
You don’t need an expensive reel to handle a 12-inch trout. But if you can afford one, buy it because you’ll need it for bigger fish. Again, if you’re tight on money, cupping the reel spool in the palm of you hand and using your hand as a brake pad makes a fine drag system.
Plan on spending a minimum of $50 to $100 for a decent reel. Reels with a good drag system are closer to $200.
Line
What makes fly fishing different from regular fishing is the line. In regular fishing, you fling a heavily weighted lure tied to monofilament line into the water.
A fly line holds the weight and is used to cast an unweighted or lightly weighted fly. Most fly lines are coated with vinyl and are tapered, carrying most of the weight upfront.
Lines are designed either to float on the surface along with a dry fly or to sink toward the bottom at varying speeds. Some floating lines have a sinking tip that puts the front of the line down about five feet or so and keeps the rest of it on the surface.
Picking the right line can be confusing and expensive. Most lines cost $50 to $60 each.
To start, consider buying just a 5-weight floating line to match your rod. You can use it to fish a fly on the surface or let the fly sink down with a long leader to where the trout are feeding. You also should buy what’s called a polyleader ($10), a 10-foot section of sinking line that you attach to your floating line to create your own a sinking tip. You’ll want one because you catch more fish in lakes with sinking lines.
Tapered leader
In addition to a rod, a reel, and a fly line, you’ll also need a tapered leader that attaches to your line with an interlocking loop. For trout, pick one that’s nine feet long and has a 4X or 5X tippet, which is the strength of the end of the tapered monofilament.
When you cut your fly off, you will eventually shorten your leader considerably, so also buy a spool of tippet material, again either 4X or 5X. You add sections of it to relengthen your leader.
Flies
Volumes are written every year on flies. A good one to start with is a black or olive woolley bugger, which resembles a lot of different things that fish eat. Drop by a fly fishing shop for advice depending on where you intend to fish. A trout fly usually costs $1.50 to $2
That’s all you need to start fly fishing. Consider taking a casting or fishing class at a fly shop or a community college before you start. It’s well worth the money.
Other things to consider:
Float tubes.
Float tubes, or personal floatation devices, are individual boats that you sit in wearing waders to keep dry and use swim fins to kick around in. Cost $150 and up. They really help locate and catch fish.
Waders
Waders keep you warm and dry either when using a float tube or if you’re wading a river while fishing. Another expensive item, they can be made of neoprene, which helps you keep warm, or of a high tech fabric that is breathable. My favorites are a pair of Dan Bailey’s that are breathable and cost $225.
Wading boots.
You can buy boot-foot waders, but they’re not all the comfortable or safe and you don’t want to walk along a rocky river bottom in them all day. Boots typically should be a size bigger than your street shoes to fit comfortably over the waders. Usually around $100 up.
Vests.
Fly fishing vests are good to carry all your stuff — flies, leaders, extra lines or reels, etc. You can also throw in lunch, a rain coat, and some toilet paper. Starting at $50 and going quite a ways up depending on the number of pockets and other features.
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