Saltwater Flyfishing is one of those hobbies that most of us are raised into. Getting started on your own can seem like an overwhelming task, but it doesn’t have to be.
Actually choosing your saltwater flyfishing gear really isn’t all that difficult. That is if you know where to start looking.
If you don’t want to get into all the nitty gritty the Orvis Encounter Fly Rod Combo is the perfect outfit for a beginner. The 8 weight 9′ rod is the perfect stiffness to really punch flies through the wind and it’s not overly expensive.
Choosing Saltwater Flyfishing Gear
When going to the store there’s really one main thing you need to remember. You have to pair your rod and reel for the type of fishing you’re actually doing.
West cost surf fisherman probably shouldn’t use the same setup as an East Coast striper fisherman. Those big stripers are going to tear up your nimble perch rod.
If you know exactly what you’re planning to catch tell the guys at your local outfit and they should be able to point you in the right direction. This guide is designed more for your average saltwater fly fisherman that just wants a good place to start.
Choosing Your Rod
You want to choose a rod that’s hearty and strong enough to punch a fly into stiff wind. Choose a 7 or 8 weight rod if you’re just getting into flyfishing.
An advanced fisherman that knows what he’s getting into might want to go with
If you’re already into freshwater fly fishing you could get away with a heavy trout rod, but the saltwater will tear it up fast. You’re better off to just buy gear designed for the rough salt and sandy conditions. Saltwater fishing is just generally tougher on gear so it needs to be able to take a beating.
Fly Rod Length
The standard 9 foot fly rod is going to work best in most fishing situations. It gives you enough length to keep your line off the water while allowing you to effectively backcast in shallower water.
Some beach fly fisherman prefer a longer rod in the 10-11 foot range. It all depends on how the structure looks behind you. If there’s a high wall behind you the added length will give you a little more room on your backcast.
When fishing deep water from a boat you’ll want a shorter 8-8.5 feet rod. A short rod with a stiff butt will allow you to apply more pressure when working deep water.
Check Your Guides
Fly rods are built with light thin-wire guides most often referred to as “snake guides”. Since the reel doesn’t come into play when casting, snake guides are designed to let the line fly unobstructed.
The last guide on your rod is called the stripping guide and it should be a little sturdier. Heavy duty saltwater rods tend to have a second stripping guide to further stabilize the line.
When inspecting your rod make sure all the guides are properly aligned and they don’t have any sharp edges. You want the guides to remain as smooth as possible and make sure they don’t get any gunk buildup.
Saltwater Reel
There’s no sweeter sound than the mechanical hum of a high quality fly reel. That subtle song made by the drag as you land a big fish. There’s a lot more to modern fly reels than the relics of the past. It has to be in perfect harmony with the fly rod to help you land that big fish.
Fly reels come in two basic designs: direct-drive and antireverse. There are loads of different styles and variations, but they all share the same common traits.
Direct-drive reels are by far the most commonly used saltwater fly reel around today. Direct-drive basically means the spool does exactly what the handle tells it to do.
These reels allow you to feel the fish while he’s in the water. With a little practice you can adjust the drag, but you’ll probably scrape your knuckles a few times in the process.
Anti-reverse reels
Being able to easily change the drag is both a good and bad thing. You can stiffen up the drag late in the fight to really punch things home. The downside is when there’s an unexpected run you’ll probably lose the fish.
Fly Lines
With your spinning or
What you’re actually casting into the wind is the line. Just think about how lightweight flies actually are. Choosing between different flies really only makes it slightly more or less difficult to properly cast the line.
Most presentations are going to call for floating line, but in your pursuit of different species sometimes you’ll need a few others. These are the four most common styles of line.
Floating Line
The vast majority of fishing applications are going to call for a high quality floating line. Most of the time I’ll use a good weight-forward floating line matched to my fly rod.
It doesn’t matter if you’re fishing freshwater or saltwater most applications are going to call for floating live. Most fly anglers aren’t fishing areas deeper than 6 feet or so or they’re targeting fish high up in the water column. With a 7-12 foot
Floating line is by far the easiest to cast and also casts more accurately. Plus it acts as its own strike indicator. Just watch right as the line dips below the surface for subtle ticks indicating a bite.
When you’re first starting out don’t get lost in all the marketing gimmick. “Saltwater tapers”, “Bonefish Tapers” etc. don’t really matter until you get into some of the advanced techniques.
Intermediate Line
As the name implies intermediate line is slightly heavier than
Intermediate lines don’t float but they don’t rapidly sink either. When you cast them out onto the water they sink very slowly, which makes them perfect for going after fish just below the surface. Keeps you in the strike zone longer.
Most of the time intermediate line is lightly colored, either clear or light blue. Light color schemes blend into the surroundings and are mostly used by saltwater fisherman chasing easily spooked species(Striped Bass).
When choosing your rod and corresponding line make sure you think about the type of fishing you plan to do. Remember that a heavier intermediate line like an 8 will sink a lot faster than lighter 5 weight line.
Full-Sink Line
Full-Sink line is designed for those anglers that like to push the limits of their flies. Though it’s definitely not fun to cast full sink line will get your fly down 20+ feet into the water.
There’s really no versatility in full sink line. You only really use it when going after that school of tuna 20 feet below the surface. If you insist on using a fly in deep water full-sink line is the only way to go.
Sink Tip Line
Sink tip lines offer the ease of casting a floating line, but they have a short section at the end that sinks(normally 5-12 feet). Most of the time you’ll use a sink tip line when fishing 5-10 feet of water. It can also work in shallower water if you remember that it sinks quickly.
Use a sink-tip line when you want to work those tight pockets that you can’t otherwise get into. You can get into the zone quickly when you only have a few seconds to make your presentation.