These essential fly fishing gifts are what you need to instantly create a new fly fisherman.
It is often said that fly fishing is more of an art form than anything else. The pastime is seen as the pinnacle of the sport fishing scene, and because of that many people shy away from it.
Well, I am hear to tell you to have no fear. These essential fly fishing gifts are enough to convince anyone to become a fly fisherman.
1. Rod and Reel Combo
Lets face it, you can’t get someone into fly fishing without hooking them up with a rod and reel. Fly rod and reel combos are out there in mass numbers and it is hard to weed out the good from the bad. My advice for this is simple…get a cheap one! That way on the off chance they hate it, you are not out 500 bucks.
Most of the main fly rod manufacturers offer some type of rod and reel combo. Temple Fork Outfitters, Redington, Sage, Orvis, and even Cabelas offer great starter kits that are fantastic for beginners and novice angles alike. The fact is, as technology has increased these starter rod kits have become just as good as the high end rods were 15-20 years ago.
2. Teach Them to Cast a Single Haul and Double Haul
Handing a beginner a fly rod and then walking away will most likely frustrate them more than anything. Teaching them a proper casting stoke is a must. There are plenty of Youtube Videos and books that can be bought to help learn the plethora of different casts possible with a fly rod.
One of the best fly casting instructors of all time goes by the name of, Jon Cave. Cave’s book Performance Fly Casing is a great read and contains wonderful illustrations on how to learn some of the most useful casts in sport. This would be a great gift to pair up with that starter rod and reel combo.
3. Get Them Geared Up!
As most fly fishermen know, the rod and reel outfit is just the tip of the iceberg. Clothing, gear, fly boxes, tools, books, and fishing videos are just a few of the categories that beginners will find themselves researching as they get into the sport. If you can help it, don’t let a newbie dive in all by themselves. Help walk them through it.
One of the most useful pieces of gear aside from the rod and reel is the fly box.
These little glory boxes come in all different shapes and sizes. Tacky, Cliff, Simms, Orvis, Cabelas, Bass Pro, and just about every other fly fishing manufacture has some time of fly box that they offer. Find one you like and go with it.
The Bugger Beast by Cliff Outdoors (featured below) is one of most popular, larger fly boxes amongst anglers. Fill this thing up with quality flies and it makes a great gift for any fly angler.
Keep in mind, most people like to use specific boxes for certain fly patterns. Trout flies, saltwater flies, bass flies, bonefish flies, crab flies all have their respectable boxes.
If you really want to get them hooked on the sport, then walk them though the works at a slow pace. And if you really want to get them hooked no the sport, teach them how to tie their own flies.
That brings us to our next essential gift.
4. Fly Tying Kit and a Ton of Materials
If you really want to get someone hooked on fly fishing, then teach them how to tie their own flies. There are more resources on fly tying now than ever before and it is a great way to combine loads of creativity into pursuing the fish of a lifetime.
While at first any old vise will do, as the angler grows with the sport and fly tying, a new vise will need to be purchased. Renzetti, Regal, and Dyna King are the top vise manufacturers on the market today. Their basic models are great options for every range of fly tying.
HD saltwater fly tying tutorials are available for free at www.backwaterflyfishing.com.
5. Put Them on a Fish for Crying Out Loud!!!
While a rod and reel combo, casting booklets, flies and fly boxes are certainly enough to get someone interested in fly fishing, nothing beats hooking a fish for the first time, and the second times, and the third time….you get what I’m saying?
Hooking a fish on a fly rod is what will make a beginner angler come back for more. I don’t care how you do get it done, but you better make sure you take them out and show them how epic the sport really is.
If you think there is even a small chance you will skip this step, then don’t even bother doing the first four steps I mentioned above. After all, this was a list of “ESSENTIAL” steps.
Did you enjoy this post? CLICK HERE to view more articles by Jesse Males. You can also follow him on Facebook Backwater Fly Fishing, Twitter @Backwater_Fly, and Instagram backwaterflyfishing.
NEXT: BIG BASTARD BAITFISH FLY: HD TYING TUTORIAL
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