If you are like many folks, fly fishing sounds fun but just seems a little too mysterious. When you see people fishing on TV or YouTube they look like experts. I was just like you several years ago because I thought it sounded cool, but I didn't even know where to start. Now that I learned to use a fly fishing outfit I really love it, so this article is dedicated to you – to learn how fun it can be for yourself.
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What Is So Different About Fly Fishing?
If you have used a regular fishing pole before then you probably know how to cast your bait out into the water. Most of us use either a spinning reel or a spin-casting reel with mono-filament line and a bait on the end. The weight of the bait on the end with sinker, bobber or lure is what gives you a way to cast it out there.
But fly fishing equipment works differently. We use very small baits on the end for fishing these small Ozark streams or lakes, so there is no weight to help you cast. With a fly fishing rig it's the weight of the floating fly line that gives you a way to cast your bait out into the water.
When you see fly fisher persons whipping the line back and forth over their head, they are working ever longer lengths of line out from the rod until they get it out where they want. I'll admit, it's a skill that has to be learned, but it's easier than you might think. The best way to learn is to get a fly fishing outfit and get out there. I'll do my part to help by giving you several tutorial videos and articles.
It All Starts With The Fly Fishing Pole
Picking out the right rod is the most fun and personal chore when putting together your fly fishing outfit. Here in the Ozarks we fish small streams and around lake edges. Many times there is brush or limbs closeby which will limit your casting ability.
I like a rod that's about 8-9 feet long and is a little stiff down toward the handle, then more limber out toward the tip. This allows good line control and works well in a variety of conditions. One thing you'll find about casting a fly line is that a little wind makes a lot of difference. A rod with just a little stiffness at the base will give you some good control.
Another consideration is just plain looks. Pick out a fly pole that really turns you on and you will use it a lot more. I have an Eagle Claw Sweetheart that is bright yellow and has an action I just love. I picked it out by just going to a sporting goods store and trying them out until I found “the one”. If you're going to invest in a fly rod, get one you love.
The Best Fly Fishing Reel
In the sporting goods shows on TV you may see anglers reeling in the fly line just like you would with a spinning reel. But that is not how it works when fishing small creeks for bass, panfish and trout. While casting you will end up with a small loop of line laying in front of you on the ground – coming out of the fly reel and before it goes up into the first rod eye.
When you catch a fish you just grab the line with your off hand and hold it while you work the fish. Instead of reeling him in with the reel you just keep taking up line with your hand and let the line pile up at your feet. Most of the time you'll only catch fish not more than 20′ away, so you can just enjoy the fight.
So for small fish in streams all you need the reel for is to store your line neatly. There is no need to spend a lot of money on a fancy fly reel for this type of fishing. The problem I ran into, however is that all the fly reels downtown where I live were either cheap and flimsy, or too expensive for my needs.
So I went on a quest to find a good fly reel for a great price – and found what I have in my store, Ozark Gold. This is a compact reel that is well built to last for years. It has the settings and controls you need and looks great on any fly rod. And, it's priced really great, check it out in our store.
How To Find The Right Fly Line
After you have picked out the perfect fly rod and ordered your reel, it's time to think about fly line. Back in the old times before plastic, they used silk fly line. But thankfully we have some great synthetics now, and the best choice for our use is floating fly line. This line will work great for stream or lake fishing and will float on top of the water, making it easy to see.
After I had my fly fishing outfit for several years it was time to change out the fly line. After shopping around downtown I was amazed to see how expensive it was. In fact, I could buy a cheap fly fishing outfit for not much more than they wanted for a 100′ roll of floating fly line.
I just don't like feeling like I'm being taken on a deal, so I went on a quest to find a good fly line for a decent price – and I did it! I'm stocking this fly line in my store in several different weights. If you want to know what line to use just look at your rod, it should show the best line size printed right on it. Most rods for the type of fishing we do will use size 6.
Next Is Tapered Leader
Tapered leader creates a taper from the butt section down to as thin as possible tippet section. This allows the energy from the fly line to transfer as efficiently as possible through the leader and tippet to the fly at the end.
Pre-built knotless tapered leaders are modern wonders in the world of fly fishing. They are made out of monofilament line just like you use on your spinning reel. This will allow you to attach your preferred tippet size material to the end or even just fish right out of the package without using an tippet at all.
If you don't use a tapered leader, but just tie a regular leader to your floating fly line, you'll find everything on the end just piling up when it hits the water. A good tapered leader makes your cast work smoothly and gives a good transition from the thicker fly line to the tippet, which will be really lightweight.
Tapered leader doesn't cost much at all, but again I had trouble finding the best sizes at our stores downtown. There are no trout streams really close to my town, so the stores just don't stock much for us to pick from. I have the choices you need stocked in our store and a chart to help you pick the right size.
With my setup I'm using an 8′ rod, Ozark Gold reel, #6 floating fly line and 5X tapered leader. This combination is just perfect for fishing small streams and lakes. It works for beginners because it's easy to cast and doesn't cost much. And you'll still love fishing with this combination when you hone your skills and become a big time pro fly fisher person.
Tippet Goes On The End
Tippet is just the lightweight line that goes on last, and it's what you tie on your bait. One of the perks of fly fishing is your ability to cast light tackle that won't scare away spooky fish. I like to use 2# line for the clear Ozark streams. Any monofilament line will work for tippet – you don't need anything special. I just keep a small spool in my tackle bucket to use on fly rod or spinning rod.
What's The Best Bait?
Fly fishing on Ozark streams is great because you can use really small baits that look like the bugs that fish eat anyway. Lot's of folks like to use fishing flys that look like bugs in the area where they fish.
But you can also use small hooks with live bait, small poppers and grubs. I have even seen a guy catching trout at Roaring River State Park with a hook that had copper wire wrapped around it. Just pick out a nice assortment that looks good to you and try out everything – that's most of the fun.
I've been a fly fisherman for several years now, but I'm no professional. That's my point, you don't have to be. You'll be surprised when people see you working a fly rod and how they will assume you've done it all your life. My advice is – order your fly fishing outfit and try it out this year.