Essential Gear (Starter Kit)
- • Rods: 9′ 5‑wt (all‑around trout); 9′ 6–7‑wt if bass‑first.
- • Reels: Large‑arbor, smooth disc drag; filled with 20 lb backing.
- • Lines: WF floating line (match rod weight).
- • Leaders/Tippet: 9–12′ 4X–5X leaders; 4X–6X tippet spools.
- • Flies: Adams & Parachute Adams (12–18), Elk Hair Caddis (12–16), Pheasant Tail (12–18), Hare's Ear (12–16), Woolly Bugger (6–10, olive/black).
- • Tools: Nippers, forceps, floatant + desiccant, indicators, split shot, polarized glasses, hat.
- • Carry: Small fly box, rubber‑bag net, waders/boots as needed, water + sunscreen.
Rod & Reel Selection (Quick Fit)
- • Rods: Medium‑fast action = forgiving timing + handles light wind.
- • Reels: Balance the outfit (neutral in hand); match line weight to rod.
- • Setup: Backing → fly line → leader → tippet ring (optional) → tippet → fly.
Casting & Line Control (Day‑1 Basics)
- • Overhead: Short, straight power stroke; crisp stops (~10 & 2 o'clock); pause to let the backcast straighten.
- • Roll Cast: Sweep low‑to‑high; stop high to unroll.
- • Mending: Upstream mend after the fly lands to remove belly; start with 20–30′ targets—accuracy > distance.
Water Reading (Where to Aim)
- • Riffle heads, inside seams, current breaks (rocks/wood), shade lines.
- • Stillwater: Drop‑offs, weed edges, points, wind‑blown shores.
Safety & Fish Care
- • Barbless hooks, polarized glasses, hat.
- • Wade smart: shuffle feet, consider a staff; unclip waist belt in heavy current.
- • Heat/cold: hydrate; UPF layers; carry a dry top in cold months.
- • Keep fish wet; quick photos; face fish into gentle current for revival.