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Most people think of tournaments and conventional fishing gear when they think of Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. Sure, Largemouth Bass are fun to catch on a crankbait or a topwater frog... But they're also really thrilling to catch on a fly rod. We've already covered how to choose a fly rod for Bass, but what about the right fly reel for the job? A fly reel can be the difference between landing a trophy Bass or losing one. Read on to find out which fly reel is the best.

Most of you probably know Trident Fly Fishing is located in the picturesque state of Maine. Lobster, sailing, summer houses, beautiful coastline, tourism, and the largest forest coverage of any state in the US. 'Vacation Land', as it's aptly referred to, weaves grand wilderness and close-knit coastal communities into a state quilt that's pretty dynamic. And, as you may have also heard, Maine has fish. Lots of them. Once you've decided you'd rather put footprints on a riverbank than hoist sails on a mast, Maine's 35,000 square miles can seem overwhelming. Where's the best place to don a pair of waders and chase down weary salmonids? Like any type of fishing, it depends on the season, conditions, geography and more. Here are some recommendations to point you in the right direction.

The holy grail of saltwater fishing, the Permit, drives anglers crazy. Seriously people go insane for this fish. Permit are temperamentally snooty and senselessly selective. There are other species that are similarly difficult to catch but none as frustratingly conceited as the Permit. People spend thousands of dollars and go on more than a few trips to catch one Permit on the fly. Choosing the right fly rod helps. Read on to see which rod is best.

The Loop 7X is heptagonal. Yeah, the blank has 7 sides. Wait, what? We've never seen anything like it. Who cares, why's a 7-sided blank special? How about improved energy transfer, the fastest tip recovery in the industry, blazing accuracy, and in-your-face power. Seriously, this rod is THE MOST ACCURATE fly rod we've ever cast. Has Loop changed the game? Indeed, forever. Don't cast a 7X rod, you'll never go back. Read on for the full review.

Sage has released a rod designed to cast large flies and fight big fish. The PAYLOAD features a rugged design and extra large componentry to handle heavy lines and wrangle the largest freshwater and saltwater species. If you're looking for a rod designed for Pike, Musky, and other predatory fish, especially in the mid-price range, the Payload is one of the best at its price range. Read on to find out why.

Sage has announced the release of another new rod: The TROUT LL. This new rod series from Sage utilizes blank taper optimization, specialized lengths, and Konnetic HD Technology to cater to anglers who prefer small flies, light tippets, and short-range presentations. The rod represents a delicate touch and smooth, easy feedback and feel for a heightened trout experience at close range. Like the Igniter and the PAYLOAD rod series' from Sage, the TROUT LL is a highly specialized rod. This rod is sure to be a dry fly angler's kryptonite. 

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. Read on to find out which fly rod works best.

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.