1. Trout
Summary
- • Rods: 3–5wt, medium-fast action.
- • Lines: Weight-forward floating; Euro nymph-specific lines; occasional sink-tips.
- • Patterns: CDC emergers, extended-body mayflies, Euro nymphs with tungsten beads.
- • Accessories: Long tapered leaders, tippet rings, sighters.
- • Customization: Micro-adjust leader formulas for stealth; color-coded sighters for visibility.
Rationale
Trout demand precision and subtlety. On pressured northeastern rivers like the Delaware or Farmington, a 9ft 4wt with a medium-fast action offers the versatility to present delicate dries yet still throw weighted nymph rigs. Euro nymphing setups have become indispensable, requiring level-line systems with sighters and micro leaders for contact sensitivity. Pattern choice leans toward hyper-realistic — extended-body mayflies for Hendrickson and March Brown hatches, CDC emergers for picky risers, and tungsten bead nymphs to cut through fast currents. Customization is where advanced anglers gain their edge: tying the same pattern in multiple bead weights, or micro-adjusting leader formulas (11ft 6X vs. 13ft 7X) to match water clarity. Small tweaks separate "a few fish" from "banner days."
2. Steelhead
Summary
- • Rods: 7–8wt switch or Spey rods (11–13ft).
- • Lines: Skagit heads with sink-tips; Scandi for low-water summer.
- • Patterns: Intruders, Egg Sucking Leeches, sparse hair-wing flies.
- • Accessories: Loop-to-loop sink-tip kits, large-arbor reels with 200yd backing.
- • Customization: Intruder flies tied with varying weight eyes; color shifts by water clarity.
Rationale
Steelhead reward anglers who balance power with finesse. A two-handed 12'6" 7wt switch rod is versatile enough for Great Lakes tributaries while still manageable on mid-sized rivers. Skagit heads dominate winter fishing, paired with interchangeable sink-tips (T-8 through T-14) to swing heavy Intruders across broad tailouts. In contrast, summer fish often respond to sparse Scandi-style hair-wings swung near the surface. Effective patterns shift with conditions: chartreuse or pink Egg Sucking Leeches in stained flows, versus black-and-blue Intruders for cold, clear water. Customization matters: swapping brass eyes for dumbbell lead, or trimming flash in pressured rivers. Backing capacity is critical — 200 yards minimum — since a hot fish can peel line at an alarming rate.
3. Atlantic Salmon
Summary
- • Rods: 8–9wt two-handers (13–15ft).
- • Lines: Floating Scandi lines in summer; sinking tips in high spring flows.
- • Patterns: Green Highlander, Ally's Shrimp, Sunray Shadow.
- • Accessories: Double-taper leaders (12–15ft).
- • Customization: Fly size downscales dramatically in clear, warm water; tube versions allow quick hook swaps.
Rationale
Atlantic salmon fishing blends heritage and precision. In spring, swollen rivers call for heavy sinking tips and larger tube flies swung broadside. By midsummer, low, clear conditions demand floating Scandi lines with diminutive doubles in size 12–14. Classic patterns — the Green Highlander, Ally's Shrimp, and Sunray Shadow — are staples, but how they're tied matters as much as what they imitate. Many advanced anglers favor tube flies for the ability to quickly change hooks and adjust weighting without replacing the whole pattern. Leader choice is equally important: long, double-taper leaders soften turnover in delicate presentations, while 12lb tippets resist abrasion during long downstream runs.
4. Smallmouth Bass
Summary
- • Rods: 6–8wt, fast action.
- • Lines: Warm-water floating and intermediate sink lines.
- • Patterns: Clouser Minnows, crayfish patterns, articulated streamers, poppers.
- • Accessories: Wire tippet (if pike overlap), stripping guards.
- • Customization: Tie streamers with rattles for stained rivers.
Rationale
Smallmouth thrive in rivers where reading current seams and structure is as important as fly choice. A fast-action 7wt provides the backbone to deliver heavy, wind-resistant patterns. Clouser Minnows remain a gold standard, but crayfish imitations and articulated streamers produce bigger fish by targeting ambush predators near ledges. During summer, nothing beats surface poppers chugged across a glassy pool. Customization makes the difference in tough conditions: streamers tied with rattles increase takes in murky post-rain flows, while smaller crayfish in olive or rust fool pressured fish in gin-clear water. Wire tippet becomes essential when pike inhabit the same water, protecting against bite-offs without compromising presentation.
5. Largemouth Bass
Summary
- • Rods: 7–9wt, powerful backbone.
- • Lines: Floating with aggressive tapers; sinking for deep weed edges.
- • Patterns: Deer-hair frogs, large streamers, subsurface craws.
- • Accessories: Weed guards, heavy fluorocarbon leaders.
- • Customization: Oversized frog patterns with articulated legs for big strikes.
Rationale
Largemouth fly fishing emphasizes bulk and accuracy over delicacy. Heavy rods paired with aggressive-taper floating lines are necessary to punch wind-resistant deer-hair frogs into lily pads. Big streamers fished along weed edges trigger strikes from staging bass, while subsurface crawfish patterns excel near timber. Customization revolves around durability and motion: frog patterns tied with double-articulated legs swim more realistically, while weed guards keep flies fishing clean in heavy cover. Leaders of 20–25lb fluorocarbon provide abrasion resistance and turnover strength, critical when pulling bass from thick vegetation.
6. Northern Pike & Musky
Summary
- • Rods: 9–10wt, extra-fast action.
- • Lines: Sink-tips and intermediate shooting heads.
- • Patterns: 8–12" bucktail streamers, double-articulated deceivers, bunny leeches.
- • Accessories: 30–40lb wire leaders, bite guards.
- • Customization: Add oversized dumbbell eyes for depth; UV flash for low-light.
Rationale
Predators like pike and musky require gear that can throw flies resembling small baitfish or ducklings. A 10wt rod with an intermediate line allows long casts with 10–12 inch articulated streamers. Wire leaders are non-negotiable, as even one strike will sever mono. Flies tied with natural bucktail maintain profile without waterlogging, while synthetics shed water better for repeated casting. Customization is often visual: high-UV flash in dawn and dusk windows, or dumbbell eyes to crash flies into deeper troughs. The challenge is endurance: casting massive flies repeatedly demands a powerful setup and efficient mechanics.
7. Carp
Summary
- • Rods: 7–8wt, medium-fast.
- • Lines: Floating weight-forward, long leaders.
- • Patterns: Backstabber, hybrid nymphs, crayfish imitations.
- • Accessories: Polarized glasses, long fluorocarbon leaders.
- • Customization: Weight flies differently to match depth and carp feeding mood.
Rationale
Carp are often called "freshwater bonefish" for good reason: they demand stealth, sight-fishing precision, and subtle presentations. A medium-fast 8wt with long fluorocarbon leaders lets flies land softly. Productive patterns imitate crayfish and nymphs but are often modified with lead wraps or bead heads to match depth and current speed. Success depends on reading body language — tailing fish require a fly dropped delicately in their feeding lane, while cruising carp often spook from aggressive presentations. Customization lies in weight control: tying the same pattern in multiple sink rates ensures coverage of both shallow flats and deeper channels.
8. Bonefish
Summary
- • Rods: 7–8wt, saltwater-grade.
- • Lines: Tropical floating lines with stiff cores.
- • Patterns: Gotchas, Crazy Charlies, spawning shrimp.
- • Accessories: Saltwater leaders (9–12ft), stripping basket.
- • Customization: Vary bead chain vs. lead eyes for depth control.
Rationale
Bonefish require stealth and accuracy in tropical flats. A saltwater 8wt rod with a tropical floating line delivers flies into 20-knot trade winds without collapsing. Gotchas and Crazy Charlies remain standards, but spawning shrimp are increasingly vital in pressured fisheries. Customization centers on weighting: bead-chain eyes for ankle-deep flats, lead eyes for knee-deep troughs. Leaders taper to 12–16lb fluorocarbon for abrasion resistance over coral. Polarized glasses are essential for spotting gray shadows cruising across white sand. Success depends less on fly choice than on precise, quiet presentations.
9. Tarpon
Summary
- • Rods: 10–12wt, saltwater-grade.
- • Lines: Tropical floating and intermediate lines.
- • Patterns: Cockroach, Black Death, Tarpon Toad.
- • Accessories: 40–60lb fluorocarbon shock tippets, large-arbor reels.
- • Customization: Change fly size and color by light and fish mood.
Rationale
Tarpon demand some of the heaviest fly tackle in the sport. A 12wt rod paired with a tropical intermediate line allows quick turnover of bulky patterns in high winds. Flies like the Tarpon Toad and Cockroach are tied in multiple sizes and colors to match conditions: black-and-purple for overcast days, tan-and-white for bright sun. Shock tippets of 40–60lb fluorocarbon are mandatory to withstand abrasive jaws. Success depends on presentation: feeding fish require a slow strip into their "window," while laid-up tarpon often demand near-dead drifts. Customization is as much about attitude as gear — calm, deliberate presentations are the hallmark of a seasoned tarpon angler.
10. Striped Bass
Summary
- • Rods: 9–10wt, fast action.
- • Lines: Intermediate sinking, shooting heads.
- • Patterns: Deceivers, Surf Candies, eel patterns.
- • Accessories: 20–30lb fluorocarbon leaders, integrated stripping basket.
- • Customization: Tie longer eel patterns (10–12") for night tides.
Rationale
Stripers are opportunistic but size-selective predators, especially in the Northeast. A 9wt with an intermediate sinking line casts large Deceivers and eel patterns into rips and surf zones. Night fishing demands long-profile flies — black eel patterns 10–12 inches long are favored in Montauk and Cape Cod. During daylight, Surf Candies imitate sand eels in schools. Customization lies in scaling patterns: bigger flies for migratory cows, smaller for resident schoolies. A stripping basket prevents line tangles in surf, and 25lb fluorocarbon leaders balance invisibility with abrasion resistance against rocks.