HOOKS.AN.BEADS, FlyFishing : FLY FISHING EQUIPMENT

Things change over the years along with the tackle you use. Over the last 24 years and several fly rods later, not to mention all the nets I have gone through. I have learned it’s a preference on what type of gear you buy / use. I have use a lot of rods and found that one rod feels better than the next, as far as weight and action goes. But I found that what feels good to one person may not feel good to the next person. I also feel what you pay for is what you get.

I had bought several cheap rods over the years; my first rod was a cheap $36 dollar rod. I had it for years. it worked OK, did its job but I was not satisfied. Wanted to buy something else. I had even stepped up and bought a more expensive one. It was a sage brand rod. That rod Worked for a while. Still I was not happy. then moved on to Scott’s fly rods, the rod was a little better, but I was still not satisfied.

Every fly fisherman has a favorite rod. I still needed to find mine.

Several years later I was picking up some fishing supplies at a local fly shop in north salt lake I think it is called high country flyfishers and I just happen to pick up for the first time ever A Thomas and Thomas fly rod the Horizon 905 9’ 5 weight a Fast Action. I looked at it and the clerk asked if I had any question about the rod and if I would like to try it out. I gave him a weird look, he said he would fix it up and we could go outside and let me try the rod. I took him up on that. and after fly casting it a crossed the parking lot, I knew then, that was the rod! 29 years later this is still my Number 1 rod to fish with. My boys have taken over the others.

Let’s start out with the rods.

Yes there are the expensive rods and then you have your inexpensive rods. The inexpensive rods I'm talking are the south-bend, Cortland, Okuma Tempest. To the finer, more expensive rods, Like G-Loomis, Scott, Orvis or my favorite Thomas and Thomas fly rods.

Every rod will have a weight, length and an action.

weight:

Each rod is sized to the fish being sought, the wind and water conditions and also to a particular weight of fly line: Fly rod manufactures weight the rod as to what weight of line the rod can handle. Heavy line means heavy rod.

Thus, the rule here is:
Fly Line Weight = Fly Rod Weight = Fly Reel Weight

fly line weight 1-3 : Use this weight if you plan on fishing for tiny fish, such as tiny trout or pan fish.

fly line weight 4 : A fly line weight for all small fish species such as pan fish, as well as small.

fly line weight 5: Another good all-around fly line weight. Works OK for medium at mid size trout, and OK for average sized bass

fly line weight 6 : A heavier version of 5. Not much fun to use for small fish. But idea for all trout fishing. Works well for bass too and even small salmon.

fly line weight 7: Use this line weight for all bass fishing if you want no worries. Also works well for monster trout fishing. Hopeless overkill for average trout and pan fish. This line weight is also popular for steel head and small to medium sized salmon.

fly line weight 8 and above: These line weights are used for ever larger and stronger fish, particular saltwater species.

length: The typical size trout rod are in between 8'.6" to 9'.6'', and line weight 4 to 6.

Action: The term in a fly rod is the stiffness, speed of "recovery of the rod. The faster action rod will tend to react quicker then the slower action rod will have a whipping motion and slower recover time. Along with all the poles I have had, there to

come all the reels. Yes I have gone through at least a half/dozen reels. I started out with the old Pflueger Medalist. south bend, royal coachman. (I still have the medalist and the royal coachman)Don’t get me wrong they all did their jobs. The thing I did not like about each of these reels is the drag and the fact that they did not like 5 lbs to 2 lbs tippet. The line would twist and twist sometimes ending up in a twisted knot. It did not matter what I did. I could not get the line from not twisting. Then I found the Ross reel Evolution #2series. (pictured on the right) I like its drag system which is precise and sensitive - capable of protecting the lightest tippets even when battling world-class fish.

With the rod and reel combo I have, I feel I'm in control. I try to use the gear that I know that works and know that it’s reliable for me. Every man has his favorite rod and reel... I found mine!!

For my fly line I have used a number of them like, Cortland, scientific anglers, and Rio fly line, Cortland

was the only fly line that I used for many years Cortland 333 DT (double tapered ) floating and then I went to the 444sl DT floating and then I tried scientific anglers, no differences in the too fly lines. Then I tried the Rio Avid trout WF (weight forward) floating fly line. I see and felt the difference in the way it cast and the way it floated on top of the water the weight forward let me cast easier into the wind. I also noticed that my landings at the end of each cast were more laid down instead of a slap on the water. Again this is a personal choice. What might work for me, might not work for the next person.

The next thing is Tapered Leader. There is several out there to choose form. RIO Fluoroflex, UMPQUA TROUT ,Scientific Anglers , Cortland Precision Fluorocarbon. I have used everyone that I have listed here but, I tend to revert back to the UMPQUA TROUT. It seems to me every time I use anything else in the wintertime or cold weather it breaks. The Rio seems to stand up better than the others. And it seems not to twist on me when flipping a dry on the water. So there for I use it all the time. Again just a personal preference.

Tippet
Again some of these names have been mentioned before UMPQUA, FROG HAIR, Scientific Anglers, Rio.

These all have a range from 10x to 0x for trout tippet.

I use a 6x in the spring and summer and when dry flying, Nymphing and fall and winter I will use 5 x

I like to use a small # tippet when I'm fishing the top. It tends to help the fly act naturally. I have used most of these tippets, and still use the RIO power flex more than the others.

Flies:

I used to tie all my fly’s but I only tie a certain few of the fly’s I use, because you can’t buy them anywhere they are the fly’s I have designed and there is no other fly on the market and no one else Knows about them. But I buy most of the others and just when I need a few extras.