Tips for Buying Fly Fishing Gear

Fly fishing is a technical and challenging way to fish. If you are looking to get into fly fishing, the selection of gear and supplies required can be daunting. There many different rods, reels, and even fly fishing line that can be used. Then you’ll need to get some waiters to be able to stand in deep cold water without slipping around. A vest and a backpack are helpful for holding things you’ll need. Oh and then there are thousands of different fly fishing flies to choose from. You’ll need to learn which ones are best to mimic certain flies during their hatches. Getting a cases to carry your rod and reel and your flies and other tackle is important to keep them sorted and avoid damage.

There are many different places to shop at brick and mortar stores and online stores. Start with knowing where you’ll be fishing. Read up and learn about the seasons of that lake, river, or stream including the peak time of year for each fly hatch. Then make notes on what fish species you can catch there. This process will make it easier to select the size and type of rod needed and then everything else will get narrowed down and shopping will be easier.

  1. As described above, establish what kind of fly fishing you want to do (where, when, and what you will be catching). There are several different types of rods, reels and lines for different types of fishing.
  2. Go to a big brand sports and outdoor store if you have one nearby. Some of the big chains are Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, and Academy Sports. These stores will have all the gear you need. They will also have plenty of employees to point you in the right direction and help you select the right gear and equipment.
  3. Find a local bait and tackle shop. These establishments might have higher prices than the big chains, but the knowledge the owners possess will help you make sure you are buying the proper gear and equipment. Smaller fly fishing specific shops will know the local streams and fill in the knowledge gap to improve the chances of success.
  4. Shop online. There are hundreds of sites online that sell fishing gear. You may even find a good deal on what you need on eBay or Amazon. With this option you won’t get any expert advice on what you are buying. Do your research or you’ll reel in few fish with your new gear.
  5. Talk to someone you know that is an avid fly fishermen. Someone with experience will know exactly what gear and equipment you need. You never know, they might have some old gear and equipment that you could buy cheap!

Tips for buying fly-fishing gear:

  • Shop around. There may be some bargains to find if you do just a little bit of looking around.
  • Do your research. You never want to buy anything that you do not know anything about.

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