January 21, 2020
Indicators, packs, and waders, oh my! So you’re new to fly fishing and you want to get geared up correctly. Where do you start? How much do you spend? On what items do you want to spend the most and what can you skimp on until later? These, are great questions as are so many others. I want to start by saying that this blog and author are not affiliated with any fly shops or any retail anything. I just love fly fishing. That brings me to another point that might anger some. While there are many fly shops and retail stores that will tell you which gear is right for you even if they don’t sell it, to many retailers, the right gear is the gear they have on the shelves. This is true for big box stores and tiny shops. This isn’t a “bad thing,” after all, they exist as a business. I totally get it. I must admit that I’ve experienced this mentality a whole lot less at local fly shops. They’re more excited to get you going the right way even if it’s not from them because they’re smart enough to recognize that they are building a relationship with you that will hopefully last for quite some time. That’s the right move for them. With that out of the way, let’s assume that you have nothing. Maybe you were handed a gift certificate for a local big box store or fly shop. Maybe you want to get on the water with your buddies. Or maybe, the river is calling you and you don’t know why. Where do you start? After all, there are literally dozens of companies that make hundreds if not thousands of products ranging from really cheap (all implications of that word), to the most elite and expensive thing that you think the thread has to be spun with gold. At it basic form, to go fly fishing, you need the following (we’ll break down each one of these): --Fly Rod -Fly Reel -Fly Line -Waders -Wading Boots -Fishing Pack -Net -Leaders -Tippet -Weights -Indicators -Floatant -Nippers -Forceps -Hat -Polarized Sunglasses -Flies Don’t be intimidated. This list may seem pretty long, but lucky for you, many of these items can be had for a song and/or you won’t have to buy them again for quite some time. Some of the items on this list could also be considered “optional” but you’re REALLY going to want them, sooooooo . . . Alright, lets start breaking these apart: Fly Rod I’d say this this is your most important purchase, but I don’t think that’s true. I actually think that other items might be more important. When hunting for a fly rod, this is where I’ve seen the employees (again, mainly in the big box stores), push something because it’s what they have on the shelf or it’s what they fished with 30 years ago. A lot has changed. For most western, northwestern, and northeastern rivers, a medium to medium-fast 9’ 5 weight graphite/carbon rod is what you’re going to want. This rod is 9’ in length and the weight refers to the weight or heft of the line that the rod can throw. It’s also generally accepted in the fly fishing community that certain weight rods are better for certain types of fish. The weights range from 1 to 15. For trout, the most common are 4-6 weights and 6-8 for larger species or warm water fish like bass. You then get up into the double digits with salt water or Amazon-type fish. The length of the rod refers to your ability to get through brush, fish in tight areas, mend, nymph, and so much more. Longer rods have some better attributes while shorter rods have others. 9’ is kind of the sweet spot. I’ll discuss rod length more in depth in a future post. So, if you’re mainly going to be fishing for trout, go for a 9’ 5wt. If you’re going for bass or other warm water species (or just larger fish in general), go for an 9’ 8wt. Here is the thing about weight and length, EVERYONE and their grandma has a different opinion. Some guys swear buy 7wts for western trout rivers. I, respectfully, think they’re insane. Others will only fish a 3wt because they can really “feel the fish.” Again, insane. The point is that if you ask 10 different people, many will give you different opinion, but at least a plurality will give you the opinion I just did. As for “speed,” this is where you might start to glaze over when the salesman is talking to about weights, lengths, speeds, graphite vs. fiberglass, etc. Speed is interesting. There is how fast (or slow) the rod will react to being cast and then how fast (or slow) it will recover (come back to neutral). The other part of this is is how deep the rod flexes towards the handle. Here’s the biggest thing with this, as a beginner, you don’t want a “fast” rod. They’re great and can be extremely responsive and accurate. They problem is that fast rods leave very little room for error. I tried a few fast rods when I got started and couldn’t stand them; really I just sucked at casting and mending and the rod just made sure that I knew it. As for brands, see if you can find one that has a warranty and is from a reputable company. St. Croix is great for this as well as Three Forks Outfitters (TFO), Redington, and many others. You’ll want to go pick up these rods and shake them. So many people make fun of others when they do this saying, “What do they hope to learn by wiggling a rod in a store? Ha!” The thing they’re missing is that the person “wiggling” a rod in the store is deciding if this is a rod they want to pick up day after day. There really is something to this. Does the rod feel good in your hand? Does it feel alive? Or does it feel numb, heavy, or dead? When you go hunting for your starter rod, buy one that honestly feels good in your hand. You’ll know it when you pick it up. One could even say that the rod chooses you . . . Wands and Harry Potter anyone? Last point here. You don’t need to spend a ton of money on a beginning rod. Get one, as I mentioned above, from a reputable company that feels good in your hand. You’re going to end up buying several rods over your fly fishing career. I have a huge collection in my garage . . . I have a problem . . . at least I admit it. You can often find rod outfits that have a reel, line, and even a leader for a good price; often on sale. Speaking of on sale, I’m a big fan of Sierra Trading Post (Sierra.com). They sell name brand discontinued items at around 50% off. I’ve bought a lot of stuff from them and they’re great on returns too. Expect to spend $100 to $200 on a complete fly rod setup (combo) with a reel and line or maybe just the rod itself depending on what brand and quality you choose. Redington Crosswater Fly Rod and Reel Combo Orvis Encounter Fly Rod and Reel Combo Fly Reel Go cheap-ish. That’s all you need to know. Next! Okay, I’ll give you a little more. You don’t need to buy a $700 Abel reel. They’re amazing, but that’s WAY overkill to get started and you won’t appreciate the nuances of a milled U.S. made reel as you’re fumbling with your management loop while trying to reel in your first fish. I also wouldn’t go for an eBay special, either. You still want a decent drag and a reel that spins freely. I’m a fan of Cabela’s brand reels, some of the basic metal Redington’s, Waterworks Lamson Remix (Liquid), and many others. Personally, my favorite reels are Ross which are made here in Colorado, but they’re pretty expensive. Amazing, but expensive and not worth it to get started. Ross, if you’re listening, you need to bring back your entry level reels and rods for that matter . . . If you buy a reel by itself, not in a combo, expect to spend between $50 and $100 for a decent reel. A quick tip, when you’re picking on out, make sure the drag starts and stops extremely smoothly. This will protect tiny tippet and you won’t break off as many fish. Fly Line Okay, you can get lost in this one for days and no fly line company does a great job of really explaining what the differences are between their fly lines. As you’re getting started (Trout, Bass, whatever), just look for a line that has that specific description. If they have that specific description, they are true weighted lines (meaning that they aren’t heavier for use on faster rods), and that’s a good place to start. There are seemingly endless choices ranging from $25 to $130. Here’s my thought. Buy a decent line (mid priced) from a name brand (Scientific Angler, Rio, Airflo), and you’ll be happy. My favorite “beginner” line is Scientific Angler AirCel. It floats high on the water, isn’t super bright (I’m pretty sure bright colors scare the fish), and it’s only $25 to boot. Match your line to your rod; WF5W means that the line is Weight Forward for a 5 Weight. There’s usually an F or S following with stand for floating or sinking. You’ll want floating to start. Also, stay away from all the crazy tapers (the progression of the thickness of the line. i.e. where the bulk of the weight is located in the line), it’s just not worth it and you won’t feel the difference for a while. Or, your will, and you won’t like it. Reasonable price: $25 to $50 – don’t spend more than that to start . Scientific Angler AirCel Waders This is where you’re going to want to put a good chunk of your money. It may seem like something that you can skimp on, but you’ll immediately regret it. This is absolutely the case of “you get what you pay for.” Yes, they keep you dry, but you also want waders to be durable, repairable, washable, comfortable, breathable, and probably probably several other “ables” which I can’t think of in my coffee-less afternoon. Don’t buy neoprene waders or waders with boots attached. Seems like a good idea, but it’s a rookie mistake (I know . . . I made it . . . Twice . . . I’m a slow learner). Neoprene is hot and doesn’t breathe AT ALL! It’s also hard to move around in. Any wader with attached boots will rub your shins raw, you can’t change them out, and the worst part is that they are really loose fitting to that you can slide your foot it. You’d immediate regret your decision. So, for waders, you’re going to spend around $250 give or take. Find something with Gortex in it if you can and also with neoprene formed booties. Simms is the only U.S. made wader currently. Redington and Hodgman supposedly make some nice ones at an entry level. Also, go for the full chest wader (covering your chest) and not the pants. Check out the Simms Tributory and Freestone and http://www.simmsfishing.com You may also want to look at the Redington Escape waders at http://www.redington.com Wading Boots Really, we’re going to talk about shoes that are designed to get wet? Yup. Here’s the deal, there are a ton of companies; just find one that fits your foot. Wear your waders with thick socks when you try them on. Don’t trust the salesman to “Just go one size up” from your regular shoes. That’s B.S. and different from manufacturer to manufacturer. I hear that over and over again from fly fishing salesman and, although it’s a safe bet that they will fit, there is a good chance the boots will be too big and you’ll slide around which can be dangerous. You’ll want your boots, with waders and heavy socks, to fit snugly even at the toe. This way, when you wear thinner socks, you don’t end up with too much room. The bottoms line with boots is find something that fits both your feet and your budget. You’ll probably want a boot that either has cleats or the ability to add cleats. Cleats with felt is really the best, but felt is illegal in some states and you have to watch out for invasive water species like Zebra Muscles; just make sure your boots dry out completely before going to the next watershed. This is why I’m a big fan of Korkers. The boots cost the same, but you can switch out your soles as often as you want. Wading in river with slimy melon sized rocks like the Roaring Fork, use felt with studs. On a float trip in a dory boat, use the rubber soles. Going to hike a bit before you get to the water, wear the rubber with cleats or rubber and then switch them when you get to the water. Seriously check out Korkers; I made the switch (as did most of my family), and we all love our boots. Boots range between $70 and $700 (yeah, that’s nuts). For $100, give or take, you can find yourself a pair of Korkers which is the entry level for most other brands anyway . http://www.korkers.com Fishing Packs Ohhhhhhhh boy, this is a big one. There are SOOOOOO many different variations of packs that choosing one can drive you to drink. With that said, there are five basic packs; chest, vest, waste, sling, and backpack. Each one of these has there own advantages and disadvantages. I’m not going to go over each one of these in detail; I’ll save that for a future post. What I would say is this, choose a name brand (the attachments and thought put into the packs is just so much better). Think Fishpond, Umpqua, Simms, etc. You’ll want to make sure that whatever you buy has places for the following: nippers, net, forceps, fly boxes, water, snack, tippet, and anything else you’d like to take with you on the water. With that said, don’t go crazy and buy the biggest one you can find; you’ll fill each size no matter how big or small you buy and lugging around all that weight throughout the day sucks. Ask yourself, where do you want to carry your stuff. If you want your stuff readily accessible all the time and you don’t want to have to move packs around your body all day, a chest pack or vest will be the easiest. If you want to be able to put everything out of the way, a waste pack or a sling pack might be the best. Don’t want anything around your neck or chest, you’ll have to go with a waste pack. Currently, my favorite pack (I literally have all the different types mentioned above in my garage), is the Fishpond Switchback (https://fishpondusa.com/switchback-wading-belt-system.) It has a nice small pack that forces you to carry only the necessities, and it slides around on the outside of the belt which means your not moving your whole wading belt/pack around every time you need something. Your net stays in place at the small of your back. You can also attach all sorts of other things like other packs, water holders, staffs, etc. The shoulder strap also holds all kinds of little things like nippers and forceps. Plus, it’s only $100. I did purchase the San Juan pack to go opposite the pack already on the belt for me to carry my water, snack, and small camera. For packs, once you decide where you want to hold your gear (front, back, or waste), you’ll look at spending a minimum of $50 all the way up to several hundred dollars. I’d spend no more that $75 to $100 on a pack to get started. There’s a good chance you’re going to end up wanting something different every 3-6 months for a year or two until you start to hone in on what feels good to you. Net I’ve heard some guys say, “You don’t need a net. There are no fish in the river that big. Just beach ‘em.” This doesn’t make sense and it’s just not healthy for the fish. I’ll talk about healthy handling of a fish at a later date. Just please, don’t “beach” your fish. That’s where you drag your fish up onto the rocky shore instead of netting a fishing or getting it to the hand in the water. Yeah, it’s easier to take a photo, but it’s bad for the fish. I’m quickly derailing . . . Nets . . . Let’s talk nets. Find one that’s deep so the fish doesn’t flop out and, if you can, find one that is “fish safe” meaning that it’s rubber net instead of a fabric one. That’s all. The Fishpond nets are revered as the best, but, man, they’re insanely expensive. With that said, I have one, absolutely love it, and wouldn’t trade it for any other net on the market . . . unless it’s a new Fishpond net. You can find a rubber, fish-safe, net for $30 that’ll work okay for a while. Also, if you’re going to carry the net on your back, look for a magnetic net release with a leash; these are $12 on Amazon. ************************************************************************ Okay, I don’t want this to be too long. I’m going to pick up with leaders on the next post. Look for Part 2! With this info, I just want you to know that you don’t have to go crazy. The items we’ll talk about in Part 2, are quite a bit cheaper to get into your pack. You’ll be able to have a really nice setup without breaking the bank and/or having to re-shop for everything all over again after your first day on the water. For now, get yourself a decent setup, a rod that feels good in your hands, a quality set of waders, and get ready to get on the water.