The following is a beginner’s guide to fly fishing that I thought I would put together because I get so many questions on how to get started fly fishing?
I will explain the basics of what you need to get started in fly fishing and then show you a few tricks and techniques that work quite well for the beginner fly fisherman.
Beginners Guide To Fly Fishing – The Equipment
When you first start fly fishing, you will want to purchase some equipment. There are fly fishing kits you can get on Amazon that provide you with everything you need to get started, or you can purchase individual pieces of equipment. I will explain both and show you what’s out there so you can get started fly fishing as fast as possible.
Fly Fishing Rod/Reel
The first piece of equipment you want to start looking for is a fly fishing rod and reel. There are many to choose from. They can get expensive but if you are serious about learning how to fly fish you might as well get a good fly fishing rod and reel which will make it easier to learn with, and you will find fly fishing more enjoyable.
Redington Vice Fly Fishing Outfit
You will want a rod that is easy to cast, lightweight but strong enough to catch a variety of fish. With that in mind, I would recommend getting the Redington Vice Fly Fishing Outfit. This is a rod and reel combo made by Redington a trusted name in the sport of fly fishing.
The rod is easy to set up with a dot system to help you. It has a sturdy Cordura rod tube with built-in rod dividers. It also has excellent accuracy and control because of multi-fiber carbon blanks. The reel seat is made out of anodized aluminum which will last a long time no matter what type of water you are fishing in be it freshwater or saltwater.
The Redington Vice rod/reel combo comes with RIO Mainstream Fly Line, iD Reel, and a rod/reel case. This combo also comes in six different sizes and are priced accordingly from $239.99 up to $299.99. This is a perfect rod/reel combo to purchase for a beginner.
Wild Water Rod/Reel Combo
Another rod/reel combo I would recommend that’s about half the price of the Redington is the Wild Water ⅚ 9’ rod fly fishing complete starter kit. This starter kit comes with a nine-foot ⅚ weighted four-piece rod. The large reel is preinstalled with fishing line. It also comes with a rod case, rod sock, backing and leader, fly box, flies, and an instruction book. Also included are a spare leader, zinger, and nipper/knot tying tool.
The Wild Water combo kit pretty much has everything you need right out of the package to get started in fly fishing and for half the price of the one, I mentioned earlier.
Flies
The next thing you will need if you’re just starting in fly fishing is the fly. There are as many artificial flies on the market as there are real flies in the world. So I narrowed down a list of 10 for you so that you can get the flies that work the best. That way you can start fly fishing on the right foot.
- Crayfish Fly
- Pheasant Tail Nymph
- Bunny Leech
- Soft Hackle
- San Juan Worm
- Muddler Minnow
- Parachute Adams
- Elk Hair Caddis
- Woolly Bugger
- Gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear
I know the names are weird, but that is the ten best flies that you can get for whatever type of fish you are trying to catch when fly fishing.
Fly Fishing Beginners Guide – Tips and Techniques
Now that you know what you need in equipment and lures to fly fish with I will show you some tips and techniques to go with it.
The first and probably most important tip I can give someone just starting in fly fishing is you’re going to need patience. It takes time and experience to get the right rhythm down that you will need to effectively fly fish.
Watch Real Flies
When you are fishing watch how the real flies land? How do they buzz around the water? You are the guide to the artificial fly, and you will want to present it as close to the real thing as possible. You will never get it perfect but if you get it close you will start catching those fish.
Wrist control
Wrist control is crucial when you are casting. You don’t want to cock your wrist too far back. When the line slaps the water too hard, or your rod brushes the ground when your casting then you know you are moving your wrist too far back and you will want to adjust your technique.
Arc Your Rod and Hold The Tip High
When you hook a fish, you will want to keep a good curve and the tip up high on your rod even if the fish runs with the fly. Doing this ensures the fish will stay hooked and you will go home a happy angler with supper to boot!
You have to be able to read the water. When you see foam or bubbles in a line on top of the water, there is a good chance fish are feeding right below it. This is because dead flies will collect in the foam and thus the fish will be after those dead flies.
If the fish are not biting, try using a hook size smaller fly. I have heard when the fish are pressured they are wary of larger flies.
The last tip is to cast your fly onto a lily pad. Bass are notorious for waiting patiently right under a lily pad for its prey to fall off into the water. Then they strike with a vengeance. So let your fly sit on the lily pad for a while and then drop it down into the water.
In The End
I hope this little fly fishing beginners guide helps you start fly fishing on the right foot. Go out there and start fly fishing today. I know you will love it. Thanks for reading and Happy Fishing.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section below.
I have never gone fishing in my life and always thought that I would never have to but recently my son has got interested in fly fishing and seeing as he is only 9 years old I suppose I will have to go with him. Lol
I wouldn’t know where to start really so this I why I’m here to learn fly fishing and what equipment we will need. The information you have here is perfect and I can see it can be quite expensive but do you know if there would be any fishing clubs in the uk that would provide fishing equipment to start off with just incase my son wanted to quite after I bought all the gear?
Matthew, I found a link to a list of fishing clubs in the UK. Go to: https://www.3ws.co.uk/fishingc… Hope this helps you out and happy fishing with your son!
Great info here, I’ve never done any fly fishing but always wanted to try. It definitely can be intimidating to the beginner, or at least it appears that way. Thanks for consolidating all the info into one location. As a rookie I wouldn’t have known the types of reel/rod combos to look for or the best flies to look for…that starter kit sound perfect to include everything I would need to get going. I also appreciate the tips you provided to better ones technique…with lots of practice of course. Thanks for the great info!
Your welcome Amber. Good luck with fly fishing it is a lot of fun but there is a learning curve to it. Use the tips in the article and you should do great! Happy Fishing!
This article got me so intrigued. I just love learning new things and this got my curiosity and I love that. Where did the name “fly-fishing” come from? Do you do this as a hobby? As I won’t mind tips if I’m to take this as a fun adventure. What will you suggest I do?
The name fly fishing comes from the bait that you use which is called a fly. Yes, I fly fish as a hobby as well as many other types of fishing. I’m glad you enjoyed the article and Happy Fishing!
I really fishing it’s one of my hobbies. However, I stay in the city because of work but I go home monthly to enjoy the creeks. When fishing it’s very essential to have good reels unless you just make catches which you don’t get to reel in. Thanks for writing this, I’ll be sure to follow your space as this is one of my hobbies.
Thank you. Fly fishing is a very enjoyable sport!
Thanks for these tips as I wanted to go into fly fishing but lack some basic needs, this is just the article for me. I would also like to know how to set these gears up as a beginner, such can be difficult if they are not handled before, and yes, the flies’ names are weird. This is a great info and I hope to read from your site sooner.
Thank you for this very informative post. I’ve never tried fly fishing because it seems a lot harder than plopping your bait into the water. Your post has given me the courage to give it a try. I’m going to bookmark it and use it as a guide when I finally go out. Thanks for the information.
You are welcome, Nate! Good luck in trying your hand at fly fishing. I’m glad this fly fishing beginners guide helped you. After you go out your first time come back and post an update so we know how it went.
Hi Cory, thank you for your post. I am not a fishing kind of person myself but my uncle is, he literally loves everything about fishing, including eating the fishes once he is done. I read your post and had no idea there was so much info one could learn in regards to fishing. What I am going to do is print the post and give it to uncle Gino, for once I’ve got something that can really make him happy and he won’t feel any more like I don’t pay attention. Thank you
Great idea Barbara. I’m sure your Uncle Gino will appreciate that. Take care and Happy Fishing!
Wow, this is quite a chunk of information on fly fishing. I came along your site because I was researching the subject since my partner and I have decided soon the snow here is gone that we are out there going fishing.
However, my partner wants to go fly fishing which I have never done before. I just started out with fishing a couple of years ago, also using real worms.
However, I really didn’t understand the difference between both when I asked my partner. His explanation was a bit confusing to me. Your article makes it more understandable to me, also how to hold the fishing rod or even to buy the right equipment for fly fishing.
I will share your site with my partner and I thank you for all the great information.
I’m glad the fly fishing beginners guide helped clear things up in your confusion. Have fun fishing with your partner!
Hi Cory, thanks so much for putting together this, guidelines on how to start fly fishing and also all the necessary equipment needed to be a successful fly fisherman, as learner like myself about fly fishing, u have just added more knowledge to what I know before now and also u have added to my experience as well, really good job out there cory
Thank you glad I could increase your knowledge about fly fishing.
your post is awesome. But particularly I love your videos. Growing up in a river area was a wonderful opportunity for me and my friends to go fishing. We do it in a very crude way in those days. The information you shared here shows that you are pro in this business. The next time I will go home I will try improve on our people’s way of fishing
I’m glad you enjoyed the article, Paschal. The main thing is to have fun fly fishing. I hope my tips will help you and your friends catch more fish. Happy Fishing!
Great article for Fly fishing beginners. I’ve been fishing since I was a child. Most of all, I like fishing on live bait. Here in Latvia mostly fishing pike and perch. Once two years, I have company and we go to Norwegian fiords. It is a totally different fishing. We are fishing mostly cod and halibut. I always wanted to try for fly fishing but I’m a little afraid to start. Fishing accessories are relatively expensive and I don’t want to spend money on anything. How long does it take for an experienced angler like me to learn fly fishing? Thanks
It all depends on how often you practice fly fishing. The more you do it, the more you will learn and the better you will get at it.