Are you planning to learn fly fishing? Wonderful! Fly fishing is a fantastic and fun hobby and sport to do, especially with your family or friends. It will help you get personal and close with the peace and serenity of nature yet giving you the best sporting challenge of outsmarting fish.
Fly fishing can be overwhelming at first, but you should not worry. This beginner’s guide is meant to give you all the essential tools and knowledge to start learning this fishing technique anywhere in Australia.
Fly Fishing for Beginners
Learning this fishing technique can be challenging at first, considering the differences in gear and casting methods. Fly fishing casting can be tricky, but it will take a little more practice to be perfect.
Many new Australian fly fishers get overwhelmed by the basics and choose to stop, which is unfortunate. First, fly fishing is not a sport that a person can jump into, and within a day, they come home with loads of trout. You will need a few trips to understand your gear, learn how to cast and sport the right zone.
The best way to learn fly fishing is by using a professional guide or following in the footsteps of an experienced fly fisher. It is expensive, but it is an investment worth your money.
Fly fishing is all about becoming one with nature and experience. Therefore, take your time with minimal pressure on yourself and have fun learning Australian fly fishing.
Essential Equipment in Fly Fishing
Before you start learning how to be a fly fisher, you need to get all the essential fly fishing equipment. Below are some of the gear that is a must-have for fly fishing to be a success.
- A decent fly reel
- A good fast action fly rod
- Some flies for your local environment
- A nice fly fishing line
- Spearguns and Neptonics
- Good solid fishing shoes
Fly fishing line should consist of:
- A tippet
- Backing
- Fly line
- A leader
Most beginners don’t want to invest a lot of money in a new hobby, which is understandable. However, cheap fly fishing equipment will break easily or won’t perform well, making you frustrated with the activity. Studying fly fishing books and learning the best technique is important. Putting that into practice on cheap gear is not as easy, and often times will set you back. Good gear has a lifetime warranty and will last forever. So select wisely!
Basic Fly Fishing Cast
The main aim of fly fishing is to cast flies to catch fish. You need to be careful when casting to trick the fish into taking your fly. Easy right? Well, to get there, you need to learn how to cast the fly rod.
Overhead Cast
There are several ways of casting the rod. Your casting method selection depends primarily on:
- Target distance
- Location
- Distance
- The methods you are best at
For beginners, the best method is overhead cast. Fish is caught only when the line is inside the water. The rod needs to bend to transfer the rod’s energy to flies. At maximum flex, the rod is said to be loaded.
The rod should come to a complete stop to make the transfer of energy complete. This is the easiest casting method that beginners can learn before jumping to more advanced casting methods.