Tackle Advice for Newcomers When I first started out fishing way back in the 60s, money was a little bit tight. I had to save up my paper round and milk round money so that I could afford a second-hand bike for getting around on, a split cane rod, reel and a floating line plus some flies.
Children and small women will probably find it easier to learn with fly rods of 7.5 – 8.5 feet and line weight weights of 5-6. Normal built people can usually manage rods up to 9.5 feet with a 7-weight line quite comfortably. Rods over 10 feet (especially with heavier line weights) What a beast of a rod that was, after a day’s require more strength and can be tiring to casting with it you knew that you had been use. fishing. Your arm ached but you never complained especially if you had managed When you do decide to take up the fine art to catch a wee wild brown trout or two. of fly fishing for the first time it can be a daunting experience not knowing what to Today’s rod manufacturers produce an purchase. Hopefully the following excellent variety of rods that are a lot information will be helpful in some way. lighter and easier to cast with. whether it is a 7ft or a 10ft 6in rod. When you do take up fly fishing, try to get some lessons from a reputable fully The rods come in various line weights from qualified AAPGAI fly fishing instructor, that an AFTM 4/5 right up to an AFTM 14/15 way you won’t pick up any bad habits that weight for salmon fishing. will cause you to cast badly thereby catch less fish. Some casting coaching is good as The 8ft-10ft 6in rods are ideal for fishing it helps to iron out any small faults that you stillwater and reservoir fishing and the may have picked up in the short time that smaller rods up to 8ft are ideal for river you have started fly fishing. fishing, unless you’re on larger rivers then the you’ll need the larger rod to easily The fishing instructor will have a good idea cover the water. of the type of rod, reel and line that will be best suited to your casting technique Rods over the 10ft 6in mark are generally because not everyone casts the same way double-handed salmon rods, which require due to many varying factors, like body a double handed Spey cast or roll cast to build, (male or female), left or rightensure that your fly reaches their handed, the way that you cast and so on. destination. However, on the following pages is a basic The distance you can cast with a given line idea of the rods, fly reels and fly-lines that weight depends upon your ability to might give you an idea of what to expect generate maximum line speed within a when purchasing your first fly fishing fairly abbreviated arc of rod movement. outfit. Modern carbon fly rods are very light, so it’s the length not rod weight that determines what the angler can manage.
