Fly Fishing: A Beginner's Guide

Basic Tips On What You Need To Begin Fly Fishing

This beginner’s guide to fly fishing digs into the basics. We keep things simple, focusing on the gear you need to get started and some tips on how to cast, where to find fish, and how to catch them on a fly rod.

Fly fishing may seem intimidating to anyone who’s just starting out. But with some basic knowledge and the right tools, you’ll be landing fish before you know it.

• What Is Fly Fishing?
• What Do Beginners Need For Fly Fishing?
• Anatomy Of A Fly Rod
• Tools & Accessories
• Clothing
• How To Cast
• Where To Go
• Informative Links & FAQ

What Is Fly Fishing?

Fly fishing is a method that uses artificial flies to catch fish.

The most basic types of flies are dry flies, wet flies, streamers, and nymphs:

Dry flies are what most people picture when they think of “fly fishing.” Dry flies float on the surface and usually imitate emerging or falling insects. In dry fly fishing, the basic presentation is to cast upstream of fish and float the fly downstream in a natural "dead drift" with the current (not the fly line) controlling the fly.

In contrast to dry flies, wet flies are fished below the surface to imitate emerging insects and slow-moving aquatic life. Fly anglers usually cast wet flies across the stream and let them swing down and across the current in an arc.

Streamers are larger, sub-surface flies that imitate swimming aquatic life, such as baitfish, crayfish, or leeches. In streamer fishing, the basic presentation is to strip or twitch the fly line to swim the streamer through the water column in a way that will trigger a predatory strike.

Nymphs are small, weighted flies that mimic immature insects (and tiny crustaceans) that spend most of their lives underwater. In nymphing, the basic presentation is to cast at an upstream angle and dead drift flies downstream while maintaining a tight line to see or feel a subtle strike.

You’ll catch the most fish when you present flies that imitate whatever fish are eating at a given time. It’s important to “match the hatch,” especially when you’re fishing dry flies. There are literally hundreds of fly patterns today that are tied with natural and synthetic materials. That includes flies for many species of freshwater or saltwater fish.

• Trout
• Largemouth and smallmouth bass
• Panfish
• Pike and musky
• Carp
• Salmon and steelhead
• Redfish
• Bonefish
• Striped bass

Most flies weigh next to nothing. Even weighted flies weigh significantly less than conventional lures and live bait rigs (with a few exceptions). That makes the mechanics of fly fishing different from spin fishing or baitcasting. In conventional bait and tackle fishing, you use thin and practically weightless lines to cast weighted lures or live bait. In fly fishing, you use thicker, weighted lines to generate enough energy to propel a practically weightless fly. That means fly fishing requires specialized gear and tackle.

What Do Beginners Need For Fly Fishing?

Forget the dad jokes about fishing with dynamite. To get started with fly fishing, you’re going to need the following gear:

• Fly rod
• Fly reel
• Flies
• Fly line
• Leaders
• Tippets
• Essential tools & accessories
• Waders & wading boots

Anatomy Of A Fly Rod

Your most important purchase is your fly rod. As a general recommendation, you should buy the best fly rod you can afford. It’s easier to learn fly fishing with a quality rod. A better rod makes it easier to cast, detect strikes, and fight fish.

Fly Rod

Your first order of business is choosing the right weight, length, and action. That choice depends on the size and species of the fish and the type of water you’ll be fishing.

Fly Rod Weight

Fly rod weights range from 0-weights to 14-weights. The weight indicates the size of the fishing line a rod is designed to cast—the higher the weight, the heavier the line.

Here are some rough guidelines for choosing the correct fly rod weight:

• 1–4wt: sunfish and small trout, small streams
• 4–6wt: trout, smaller bass, larger streams and rivers
• 6–8wt: bass, carp, pike, light steelhead
• 8–10wt: steelhead, salmon, redfish, light saltwater
• 10–14wt: musky, big game, saltwater

Most beginners start with a mid-weight rod (4–6wt) because they’re the most versatile. The exceptions would be if you’re targeting only small fish in small bodies of water (1–3wt), large freshwater predators (8–10wt), or saltwater fish (8–14wt). Saltwater anglers often start with versatile 8wt or 9wt rods.

Length

Fly rods vary in length. The longer the rod, the easier it will be to get more distance on your cast, mend your line, and fight fish. However, shorter rods have an advantage on smaller streams, where they help anglers navigate overhanging brush and cast more precisely in close quarters.

Action

Fly rods also differ in their action. Loosely defined, a rod’s action refers to its stiffness, flex, and the speed with which it recovers from a cast. You may need to choose from a pool of fast, medium, or slow action rods, so here are the ideas to remember:

• Fast: Fast-action rods flex near the tip, run stiff through most of the rod, and snap back quickly at the end of the cast. This provides plenty of power for fighting fish, casting long distances, and punching flies through the wind. However, fast action rods are harder for beginners to cast and not the best choice for tiny flies and more delicate presentations.
• Medium: Medium-action rods flex a little further down the rod, balancing a flexible tip with a sturdier butt section for fighting bigger fish. They’re a versatile choice for anglers who’ll be fishing a range of flies with just one rod: dry flies, nymphs, streamers, etc. However, specific conditions or more specialized presentations may call for faster or softer action.
• Slow: Slow-action rods flex throughout most of the rod, which is great for short casts to present dry flies delicately to selective fish. Slow-action rods are not as powerful and not made for long-distance casts; however, they can be insanely fun to fish and often work best for dry flies and small streams.

Best Fly Rod for Beginners

As a beginner, you’re better off (in most cases) with a more versatile rod than a specialized one. For trout, the most common fly rod is a 9ft 5wt. (That’s also a good, all-purpose rod for freshwater lakes, creeks, and rivers.) The most popular saltwater rod is a 9ft 8wt—a versatile option for redfish, speckled trout, smaller stripers, and bonefish.

Over time, you’ll likely add more specialized rods to your arsenal. In Utah, for example, Backcountry Gearheads may add a 6ft 3wt for tiny streams in the Unitas while Pennsylvania anglers may pick up a 10ft 3wt for Euro-nymphing spring creek trout and a 9ft 8wt for Susquehanna muskies. In this video, a Backcountry Gearhead walks you through choosing the right fly rod:

Fly Reels

The right fly reel balances the fly rod, performs smoothly, and—most importantly—helps you land the lunker of your dreams.

Weight/Size

Like rods, reels are rated by weight or size. When looking for a new fly reel, you should match the reel size to your rod. For example, if you’re fishing a 5-weight trout rod, you’ll want to pair it with a 5wt reel (or a 5/6 reel—which is built for either 5wt or 6wt fly line). You also want the weight of the reel to balance well with the weight of the rod.

Drag

The drag provides the braking power to stop a big fish from pulling all the line off the fly reel while also preventing light tippets from snapping. There are two main systems on the market: disc drag and click and pawl. Disc drag is a popular choice because it provides the smoothest and most efficient drag system, ideal for stopping large game fish or playing a large trout on a light tippet. The older, less expensive style is click-and-pawl, which offers less adjustability and stopping power than a disc drag system.

Line Setup

Fly Lines

In fly fishing, your line system links together four different types of line that get progressively thinner to cast flies and present them to fish in a more natural way. The arbor of the fly reel connects to the backing, which connects to your fly line, which connects to your leader, which connects to your tippet:

• Backing is a thick and long segment of line (often 20–30lb test) that's tied to the arbor of the fly reel on one end and the fly rod on the other end. You’ll rarely see or use the backing. It’s mostly a backup system that provides extra length in case a running fish pulls out all of your fly line.
• Fly Line is thicker line that provides the mass to cast a nearly weightless fly. The weight of your fly line and weight of your fly rod should match—that is, a 4wt fly rod is designed to cast a 4wt fly line. Most beginners start with a floating fly line, but we also recommend sinking and sink-tip fly lines if you want to present flies deeper in the water column.
• Leaders are 6–12ft sections of tapered line that form a bridge from the fly line down to the thin tippets. The most common leader size is 9ft.
• Tippets are thin and nearly invisible sections of line that attach the fly to the leader. Your tippet size is determined by fly size (the line diameter needs to be small enough to thread through the eyelet of the fly) and by species and fishing conditions. Like fly size, tippet size is counterintuitive—the bigger the number, the lighter and smaller diameter the tippet. 4x–6x tippets are great for trout fishing and 3x–4x are great for bass fishing.

Flies

Your goal as a fly angler is to present fish with the fly that best imitates the food source that they’re keying on when you’re fishing. It’s important to carry an assortment of dry flies, nymphs, and streamers with you since fishing conditions change week by week, if not hour by hour.

Sometimes, the size of your fly can be the difference between catching and not catching fish. Flies are sized by numbers—the higher the number, the smaller the fly. That is, a size 22 fly is much smaller than a size 12 fly. It’s pretty typical to carry your go-to flies in several sizes. That lets you adjust up or down a size to mimic whatever the fish want.

Fly Fishing Tools & Accessories

So far, we’ve covered the basics that are absolutely necessary for catching fish on a fly rod. However, a few fly fishing tools and accessories also come close to being necessities:

• Polarized sunglasses help reduce glare from the water, which dramatically increases your effectiveness as an angler.
• Floatant restores the water repellency and buoyancy of water-logged flies, so they float properly.
• Hemostats are small-but-handy tools that remove hooks from fish, grab tiny lines, pinch split shot, and perform other miscellaneous tasks.
• Nippers are your best friend and constant companion, clipping leaders and tippets more precisely and quickly than a knife or toenail clippers.
• Fly box. You’ll want a small fly box or two to fit into your pockets or dedicated fly fishing storage system.
• Nets help you land fish—especially bigger fish—faster and safer. Catch and release anglers usually choose a rubber net that won’t scrape off a fish’s scales or protective slime coat.

Fishing Packs

A fishing pack, such as a fly fishing vest, chest pack, backpack, or sling pack carries everything you need for the water.

• Fly fishing vests are a great choice to organize and access your gear on the water. Their close-to-body fit doesn’t get in the way of casting, and their front pockets provide quick access to flies, tools, tippets, etc.
• Chest packs conveniently store your gear out of the way of your arms but within reach.
• Backpacks carry more gear and make it easier to trek in and out of your favorite waters. However, they’re not as convenient on the water because your gear is not immediately accessible when it’s behind your back.
• Sling packs are popular because you can sling your gear behind your back when you’re fishing, keeping it out of your way, and sling it to the front when you need to access your gear and tackle.

Fly Fishing Clothing

These tools and accessories may not be essential, but they certainly make your fishing trips easier and more comfortable.

Waders

Waders come in handy if you’re fishing cold waters because their waterproof construction will keep you dry and warm.

• Bootfoot waders feature heavy-duty rubber wading boots that are attached to the waterproof legs. This one-piece construction keeps sand and debris out of your boots, generally wears warmer in winter, and spares beginners from having to choose both waders and wading boots.
• Stockingfoot waders feature waterproof construction in the legs with built-in neoprene socks that fit inside wading boots to keep your feet warm.

Most fly anglers choose stockingfoot waders because they’re lighter, more comfortable and packable, easier to get on and pull off than bootfoot waders, and allow you to switch boots. You also need to choose the correct height of waders. Waders can be dangerous if they fill up with water. That’s why it’s crucial to choose waders that are taller than the water level you fish. Your basic options for waders are chest waders, hip waders, and wading pants:

• Chest waders (or bib-style waders) are generally the safest, most versatile option because they allow you to fish thigh or waist deep water safely. At the same time, chest waders run warmer, so they’re not the best choice if you’re wading shallower water.
• Hip waders rise waist high, which is relatively safe for wading water up to your mid-thigh. They’ll be cooler than chest waders.
• Similarly, wading pants can be worn with a belt or suspenders to protect you in shallower water. They’re the lightest option, but also the most limiting with respect to water depth. You’ll need to stay in shallower water to wade safely in wading pants.

The best brands for fly fishing waders provide detailed size charts to help you select your best size. If your body doesn’t fit the size chart perfectly, it’s best to pick your largest girth measurement—whether that’s your chest, waist, or hips—or size up if you’re in between sizes.

Wading Boots

Wading boots provide safe footing on river bottoms and also help you hike to and from your fishing spots. Wading boots feature three different soles to improve your hiking and wading experience:

• Rubber soles offer good performance and durability as you’re hiking and feature good grip on the river bottom. However, they may be a little slicker on wet rocks than felt-soled wading boots.
• Felt soles offer the best traction on slippery rocks and river bottoms. However, they wear down fast and are banned in certain waters due to concerns that they carry invasive species and parasites from one body of water to another. They also ice up easily, which makes them slick in wintry conditions.
  
• Studded soles have screw-in ports for adding metal cleats or studs to wading boots for additional traction. Studs have a tendency to wear out or fall out, but they can add safety and confidence for wading on slippery surfaces. Remember to avoid rubber rafts when wearing studded boots!

Fitting Tips: Fitting wading boots is like fitting hiking boots—your wading boot size is generally a half-size to full-size larger than your street shoe size. When in doubt (or in between sizes), you should size up to the next full size.

How To Dress For Fly Fishing

You can certainly buy specialized fly fishing clothing. However, you can often get by with your existing hiking or camping clothes, too. Either way, you should follow a few basic principles to dress appropriately for fly fishing:

• Sun protection. In warm and sunny weather, sun hoodies limit sun exposure and keep bugs away.
• Colors. To avoid spooking fish, focus on earth tones that will blend into the environment you fish, such as green or camouflage colors for riverbanks or light blue or gray tops for sky (from the fish’s vantage point).
• Non-cotton layers. You should avoid cotton and other fabrics that absorb water and dry slowly—that means no blue jeans and cotton sweatshirts. Instead, wear quick-drying synthetic fabrics (e.g. polyester) or merino wool blends that will wick moisture, breathe, and insulate.
• Caps. They can prevent hooks from burying in your head in addition to providing sun protection. Tip: choose a cap that’s dark under the bill to reduce glare and improve your vision into the water.
• Buffs. Great for even more sun protection and for keeping bugs out of your airways.
• Baselayers. You may or may not need to layer underneath your waders—that depends on the weather, water temperature, the quality of the waders, and personal preferences. If you do layer, you want to avoid cotton (blue jeans, sweats) and stick to materials that insulate when wet and dry quickly, such as merino wool or polyester-based synthetics.
• Weather protection. In cold or wet weather, a synthetic or merino wool blend baselayer layers well with a waterproof rain jacket and/or insulating mid-layer, such as a synthetic fleece or synthetic puffy coat. (Down is not a good choice for aquatic or marine environments.)

In fly fishing, it’s the weight of the fly line—and the energy return of the rod tip straightening out—that powers your cast. The physics of the fly cast therefore requires a rhythmic motion that transfers the momentum of the fly rod to the fly line to the fly. The basic fly cast is the simple overhead cast. This involves (1) a back cast and (2) a forward cast where you accelerate and stop the rod tip on a level plane above you.

Here are the steps for the basic fly cast:

1. Grip the fly rod. Grab the cork rod handle in front of your fly reel, placing your thumb (easiest) or pointer finger on top of the rod. Keep your grip relaxed.
2. Strip out line. Pull a few feet of line off the reel and flick it out through the guides until you have 10–30 feet of fly line in the water in front of you. (Less line is easier when starting out.)
3. Drop the rod tip. Lower the rod tip, so that it points down at the water.
4. Start the back cast. Sweep the rod tip up and back in a smooth, accelerating motion.
5. Stop the rod. As soon as it passes the vertical position, stop the rod abruptly. The stopping point is when your hand is near your ear (as if you were talking on the phone) with the rod angled around the 11:00 or 10:00 position behind you.
6. Pause. This is crucial: wait and watch your fly line as it unfurls behind you in the air. This “loads” the fly rod (bends the rod tip back) to generate the energy for the forward cast. Most new anglers struggle with the pause on the backcast—be patient and try saying "god save the queen" to help with timing.
7. Accelerate the fly rod forward. Just before your fly line completely straightens out behind you, drive the rod tip forward with a smooth accelerating motion, keeping the rod tip on a level plane. This motion is similar to the abrupt flick of the wrist that you’d use to flick paint from a brush onto a wall.
8. Stop the rod abruptly above you. As soon as your rod hand passes in front of your face (at 1:00–2:00), come to another complete stop to roll out the loop of fly line in front of you.
9. Slowly drop your rod. When the fly is about to land on the water to present it to a fish, slowly drop your rod.

It’s smart to practice the overhead cast in an open area before trying it out on the water. Remember to look behind you before casting—unlike spin fishing or baitcasting, the overhead cast requires room for your back cast. For example, if you’re casting 30 feet in front of you, you’ll need 30 feet of clearance behind you, too.

Where To Go Fly Fishing

The best fishing spots vary by the time of year and by the species of fish. For example, fish may be shallow during the spawn and in deeper water other times of the year. Likewise, largemouth bass, musky, and panfish generally favor slack water while smallmouth bass and trout generally favor moving water when available.

It’s not realistic to point to universal spots that always produce fish. However, at different times of year, certain locations tend to hold more fish than others:

• Current breaks: In moving water, most species primarily relate to current. Aggressive fish that swim well may move into fast water to feed. However, that takes a lot of energy, so more fish feed in current seams, runs, or pockets of mild current where they can hold position without wasting energy while the current washes food right to them. Current breaks are also known as seam lines.
• Rocks: Many fish relate to rock structure or rocky shorelines (especially smallmouth bass) while several species of fish, including trout, often hold in current breaks just above or below boulders in moving water.
• Depth changes: Many species of fish relate to drop offs, channels, and other depth changes. It’s often productive to fish sharp transitions between deeper and shallower water.
• Cover: Most fish species seek cover, either for protection or ambush points. In different types of water, this may be weed beds (bass, pike), downed trees or logjams (trout, bass, panfish), shade, or overhanging banks. It’s almost always a good idea to fish in, or adjacent to cover.
• Shoreline: Many fish often feed close to shore, especially in high water or faster current where the shoreline often offers breaks in the current and ambush points to traps minnows, baitfish, frogs, and terrestrials.

Final Thoughts

Fly fishing can be an effective—and addictive—way to fish. It’s hard to beat the experience of watching a trout slurping your dry fly off the surface, luring a steelhead or salmon off its nest with an egg-sucking leach pattern, picking off panfish after panfish on tiny poppers, or triggering an aggressive bass, bonefish, striper, or musky with an annoying streamer pattern.

With mastery of the basics—and practice, practice, practice—you can enjoy the beauty and excitement of fly fishing.

Check out our latest fly fishing short film, Shy On The Fly:

Informative Links

• Read Tying Together Your Next Fly Rod Outfit
• Listen to our fly fishing athlete Shyanne Orvis on the Backcountry Podcast
• Shop all fly fishing gear
• Shop Orvis
• Shop Grundens

FAQ

Q: Is fly fishing harder than regular fishing?

A: Fly fishing may be a little bit harder than fishing with a spinning or baitcasting rod, but all kinds of fishing have their learning curves. For many, the hardest part about learning how to fly fish is learning insects and hatches, knots, and casts.

Q: Can I teach myself how to fly fish?

A: You can teach yourself to fly fish, but it’s easier and more fun to learn alongside a more experienced fly angler. You’re less likely to develop bad habits and more likely to catch fish right away, which will encourage you to keep working at it to get better.

Q: How do I get started with fly fishing?

A: Doing some baseline research is a great place to start, but we also strongly recommend finding a mentor. Learning from someone who's developed years of experience is a great way to speed up the process of learning the ropes!