There are four basic pieces of fly fishing equipment you must have before you get out there to fish. These are the fly rod, the fly reel, the fishing line, and baits.
Fly Fishing Rod and Reel
The fly rod and fly reel are the first items to consider. These two dictate the kind of fly fishing accessories you will purchase. They should be matching in terms of weight and length in order to perform properly.
If you are a beginner, you may prefer to buy a fly fishing combo. Buying the best fly fishing combo for beginners ensures that you get great value for your money.
Fly Fishing Line
For fly fishing, the line acts as the weight. The fly attached to the end of the line is normally of negligible weight. Choose a line of decent quality, thickness, and weight to enable you to make a long cast.
Fly backing is a thin line at the beginning of the spool used when big fish are able to strip out all the weighted fly line. Both the fly line and fly backing are brightly colored to make them easily visible on the water.
The leader acts as a transition from the thick fly line to the thin tippet. Its main function is to prevent the heavier fly line from slapping onto the water as this scares the fish. The leader measures about 10 feet.
The tippet is the nearly invisible line that attaches the fly to the leader. The reason behind this is to present the fly to the fish without the line being seen. It should be strong enough to withstand the weight of the fish.
Fly Fishing Bait
Fly fishing baits or flies are three main types:
The most popular is the dry flies. These resemble flying insects that land and float on the water.
The second one is the nymphs. These are designed to look like aquatic creatures, often larvae, which float at or just below the surface.
The third type, streamers, also resemble aquatic creatures but are larger than nymphs.
You can buy fishing baits and flies conveniently from local fishing shops. The sellers will always tell you what works best in that area, depending on the target fish.
Fly Fishing Hooks
Flies come with either barbed or barbless hooks. I recommend using barbless hooks because the barbed hooks cause the fish unnecessary pain.
Fly Fishing Assecories
Some fly fishing accessories that you may find useful include polarized sunglasses (to remove the glare common on the surface of the water on a sunny day), a lucky hat, line snippers, forceps for handling flies, and spools of different diameter.
Another important accessory is the fly-fishing landing net. This helps you grab the fish and protects it.
You may also want to invest in the best fly fishing sling pack for holding your gear, so you can comfortably move around your fishing spot. Consider purchasing fishing waders so that you can get into deeper water where you can catch even more fish.