An Introduction to Fly Fishing Tackle

Non-fishers often think they know all about fly-fishing. After all, doesn't it just involve tying a lead weight with some feathers stuck to it onto some fishing line and throwing it into the water? When they come to take up the sport themselves, they can often end up bewildered by the range of equipment on offer. This article aims to take some of the mystery out of fly fishing tackle.

Hook, Line and Sinker: The Elements of Fly Fishing Tackle

Fly fishing tackle is the collective name given to a number of different pieces of equipment. These are as follows:-

Fly rods: lightweight, flexible rods specially designed to hold a fly. Sea fishing rods are heavier to allow the landing of huge ocean fish such as swordfish, shark and marlin, whereas the carbon fiber rods used in coarse fishing are designed to allow the precise positioning of (usually live) bait.

Fly reels: the reels used in fly fishing tackle tend to be fairly simple in construction, though recently, more complex models designed for larger fish have come onto the market. Most fly reels can be converted for either left or right handed operation.

Fly lines: these consist of a strong but lightweight core wrapped in a PVC sheath. The core can be either monofilament, made of a single nylon strand, or braided for exceptional toughness. Braided cores are better for catching toothy fish, which can sometimes sever a monofilament core.

Terminal fly fishing tackle, designed to connect the fly to the line. They consist of two parts; a leader and a tippet. The leader can either be tapered or level, the latter being shorter to allow heavier flies to be attached.

A fly fishing tackle box to hold your artificial flies.

These are the essential elements of fly fishing tackle, but there are also a number of accessories available.

Fly Fishing Tackle Accessories

Among the range of accessories available to fly fishers are: waterproofing liquids to prevent flies becoming waterlogged; magnifying glasses to aid in the tying on of flies; thermometers designed to take the temperature of the water; fly patches made of foam or wool to hold flies while they dry; and organizing devices such as lanyards, which are designed to arrange the different parts of the fly fishing tackle for easy access.

There are also various types of fly fishing apparel on the market, including waders, fishing gloves, special polarizing sunglasses which help improve underwater vision, and personal flotation devices, which are required by law in some states.