Beginner

Finally, summer sun and productive fishing during the nicest season of the year. We grind out the winter months staying busy at the fly tying bench in preparation for summer fly fishing. Well, it’s here. Maybe you’ve taken care of updating your gear for wet wading season and summer trout, or maybe you’re scrambling last minute to find the best gear for what remains of the fishiest time of the year. In either case, we’ve compiled a list of the most important summer fly fishing gear, regardless of target species, to bring some useful products to light that you may not have considered.

Fly reels for Salmon is a broad category because of the diversity of Salmon species that populate the US, Canada, Eurasia, and beyond. King Salmon require a much different fly reel than Pink Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Atlantic Salmon, etc. Commonalities exist across all Salmon species, however: they’re powerful, strong, and loads of fun to catch on a fly rod. Read on to find out which fly reel is the optimal Salmon-targeting tool.

Streamer fishing has gained momentous popularity in the recent past, although not without controversy. Is a streamer a fly? Some purists say no, ‘those big bugs don’t count, dry or die’. It’s a valid assertion. Despite the pushback, however, streamer fishing is here to stay. Patterns created by pioneers like Kelly Galloup, Mike Schultz, and Blane Chocklett including the Sex Dungeon, Game Changer, and Swinging D have chiseled a culture that’s big, loud, and nasty. In a good way.

Maybe you were lucky enough to grow up on a trout stream in Montana. Maybe you learned to fly fish for Stripers on the coast of New England. Or maybe you’re like the rest of us and honed your skills under Dad’s tutelage on a local pond where fish were easy to fool and novice fly anglers built confidence to last a lifetime. Targeting panfish on the fly encourages excitement and pure stress-free fun for novice and expert anglers alike. Read more to learn which fly rod is best for panfish.

Redfish are thrilling to catch on a fly and often tail their way into shallow water to be sight fished by patient anglers. They’re fish that feed with the tide, so care and attention should be paid to tidal patterns and fish behavior during the range of tidal oscillation. Effort should also be expressed in choosing a fly rod for these heavy-shouldered predators. Most Redfish enthusiasts will hand you an 8wt and send you on your way. There are times, however, when a 7wt or a 9wt is a better tool for the job. How do you choose? Read on to find out.

Wild Brook Trout in the Northeast, native Cutthroat out West, blue lining, ditch poking, backpacking – can you find the common thread? Small stream fishing is a phenomenal way to get away from the crowds, find wild fish, and enjoy solitude in the wilderness. Your hair should be standing up if you’re an adventurer who calls a fly rod your partner in crime.

Musky, similar to Pike, are large critters with big teeth. Many anglers fish one fly rod for both species. The fish are similar – both long, large, aggressive and wildly predatory, which makes targeting them on a fly rod loads of fun. Musky, however, are moodier, rarer, and often more difficult to catch than Pike, especially the larger fish. Musky also tend to eat larger flies that move a lot of water so fly choice and technique differ a bit. Read on to find out which fly rod is best for targeting these stubborn predators.

Choosing your first fly rod can be tough. If you’re new to the sport, you probably aren’t familiar with brands, features, actions, or rod technology. These things are important, but don’t let the fly fishing terminology intimidate you. There are a few simple things that should guide your first fly rod purchase. Here are a few insights.

Targeting Carp with a fly rod has become increasingly popular in recent fly fishing history. These fish are spooky, tough to fool and are worthy opponents on a fly rod. Part of the allure to Carp fishing is that they can often be seen in shallow water ‘tailing’ or feeding, similar to Bonefish. Sight fishing is thrilling in any setting, but spotting Carp feeding on a mud flat and watching them react to a fly has converted many non-believers. If you haven’t pursued Carp with a fly rod, you should give it a try. Read on to find out how to choose the right fly rod.

Needless to say, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach doesn’t work when choosing a fly rod for Stripers. Trust me, you don’t want to fight a 1lb fish and a 30lb fish on the same fly rod. That being said, fish size isn’t the only consideration when choosing a fly rod for Stripers. We’re here to offer some advice and to highlight useful recommendations.