By Bob Ives
If you want to do the job right, you have to have the right tools.
That’s not to say that saltwater fly fishing is a job, but it could seem
like a real chore if you don’t have the right saltwater fly fishing
gear. Not only will it make the angling more pleasurable, but it could
save you from the frustration of losing a trophy game fish.
Saltwater fly fishing gear is much different than normal fishing gear,
such as bass rods, spinning reels, bait casters, etc. Although you can
get some added features on them, most fly fishing reels are not very
fancy, and fly fishing rods are pretty basic.
Fly line is less basic in that you have so many options with it. Where
it starts to get real tricky is when it comes to saltwater flies. The
variables with these are unending; colors, style, types of material,
size and so on.Saltwater Fly Fishing Rods
You will probably want to use a heavier fly fishing rod for saltwater
than you would for freshwater. Freshwater fish and flies are usually
smaller and don’t require the strength that a saltwater rod would.
If you are just getting started in saltwater fly fishing, you might want
to start with a medium length rod. This will give you a little less to
handle while you are learning. However, as you grow in the sport, you
may want to get a longer rod – even up to 9 feet. This will allow for
further casts and better management of a hooked fish. Expect to spend no
less than $100 for a saltwater fly rod, but a real good one can run you
up to $500 or more.
Saltwater Fly Fishing Reels
After the fly rod, the fly reel is going to be the most important
investment you make in your saltwater gear. You can get these in single
action or multiplier reels. Multiplier reels cost more and have more
moving parts. It’s probably best to avoid them for saltwater because
more parts can mean more problems.
Single action reels come in anti-reverse and direct drive, with the
latter being the most recommended for saltwater fly fishing. Just be
careful with these because when fly line is released, the handle spins
backwards and could catch a finger and cause injury. Make sure that the
reel you choose has a good drag system; one that is nice and smooth and
will allow more play when fighting a fish.
If you are planning on fishing for big game fish such as marlin or
mackerel, you will want to get a large fly reel. The larger the reel,
the more line it will hold, and these big saltwater fish will run on you
and strip lots of line, so you need a reel that can hold plenty.
Even though saltwater fly reels are made to ward off corrosion, you
still must clean them after every use. You can rinse them with warm
water and mild detergent and even scrub them if need be. It’s good to
put some lubricating oil on them from time to time.
Saltwater Fly Fishing Line
There are two types of saltwater fly lines: those that float and
those that sink. Floating is easier for new fly fishermen to learn to
cast with and is good for fly fishing with poppers for top water
fishing. The sinking line is good for getting down deeper in the water.
These come in varying levels of sinking; intermediate, sinking and fast
sinking. This makes for a good way to search for fish in different
depths of water.
If you want to be able to change line size quickly, you can go with an
interchangeable tip fly line which is like a snap on system to add line
to the line already on the reel. Fly line comes in colors ranging from
clear to glow in the dark colors. Use fly line with stainless steel
hooks from size #8 to #10 for smaller near shore saltwater species and
size #3/0 to #5/0 for bigger offshore saltwater game fish. |
