Sometimes it can be quite daunting starting out with any new hobby as you often don’t know where to start. But when it comes to fly fishing there are many aspects to consider. You’ve seen the programmes on TV, watched the other anglers at the river/lake and fancy giving it a go! But what fly fishing kit do you need? What fly fishing clothing do you need? And the flies? There are so very many to choose from! Then factor in famous fly fishing ‘bravado’ (which can be a little nerve-racking to some) because every fly angler is an expert and only their flies are the best! Put this lot together and you’ve a recipe for a potentially over-whelming situation for a beginner. So what do you do? Fortunately there are plenty of avenues open to you. The first one being the fact that despite the bravado mentioned earlier, there is a wealth of incredibly kind and generous fly anglers out there who are desperate to share their hobby with a beginner and will do so with gusto. So tap your fly fishing friends or relatives for some tips. To avoid getting into any self taught bad habits, it is [...]
Fly Fishing Tackle
Tips On Fly Leaders – More Important Than Your Fly Rod Yet Often Overlooked
Fly Leaders are the most important piece of tackle there is yet is is not thought about enough! So when Umpqua Feather Merchants launched one of the hottest fly fishing tippets we have ever seen we have been desperate for stock. We took our Red Hot Tapered leaders, played with them and loved the results. This is by far the most innovative Fly Tippet or tapered leader we have ever seen. My eyesight used to be fantastic in my youth, however as my hair gets more and more grey my eyes get weaker at the same time and all too frequently I find I lose the fly as it floats down the river or I miss bites due to missing gentle and subtle takes. Since fishing with the Red Hot Tapered Leader I have found I miss less fish and see more bites due to its innovative colouring of the butt section on this stunning tapered leader. However, this made us think how under-rated the most important piece of tackle a fly fisherman uses is! Typically we all take tapered leaders and leader material for granted however next to the fly it is more important than even our fly rod, [...]
Salmon – an understanding of different types of salmon for our fly fishing knowledge
What is a Salmon? The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is an anadromous migratory fish found in the temperate and arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Unlike the Pacific salmon that have complex and varied life histories that vary widely within and between species, the Atlantic Salmon have very similar life histories and are capable of surviving spawning and re-migrate to return again. Pacific salmon migrate from freshwater to the sea at different ages. Pink and Chum Salmon migrate at any time from one week to a month, Chinooks from 12 to 16 months, Coho Salmon from 12 to 24 months and Sockeye from 12 to 36 months. What does anadromous mean? The Atlantic salmon is referred to as being anadromous because of its habit of migrating from the sea into fresh waters to spawn. This is the exact opposite of the common eel which leaves fresh waters to spawn in the Sargasso Sea, and is therefore called catadromous. Is there just one species of salmon? When we speak of “salmon” we are referring to either Atlantic salmon or Pacific salmon. There is only one species of Atlantic salmon: Salmo salar. There are six species of Pacific salmon: pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), [...]
Magnetic Net Release
Once you’ve used a magnetic net release you’ll wonder how you ever managed without one! We are very proud of our own brand of fly fishing aid net release as its so strong and reliable. Magnetic net holders carry the wooden and metal nets safely. The magnet can be attached to D ring very conveniently. They come with a 80cm long elastic string.The added benefit of a self seeking magnet means you can easily manage your net on your back yourself without fumbling around! For the techie folk amongst you, our Magnetic Net Holders are CNC machine cut from marine grade aluminum. The strength of the magnetic net release is 7.7lb, these are made with superbly strong magnetic capabilities. So how do you use it? Attach to your fly fishing jacket or vest “D” ring with spring loaded clip. Attach to standard net frames and released with a firm tug. Self seeking magnets ensure easy net release.
Tip – an easy way to learn or practice your casting technique!
Tip – an easy way to learn or practice your casting technique! On a sunny day, practice your fly casting in the bright sun. Stand in such a way that you can see your own shadow (ie the sun is to the side of you). Then start casting and watch your shadow. Whilst this may not be an ideal way, it means you can study your casting on your own if you don’t have a teacher/buddy to help. Of course, if you really want to check your casting thoroughly set up a video camera!
Fly Fishing Tip – How to use a wading staff
A wading staff is a very important part of a fly anglers equipment. Safety is of course very important! But when you are in fast moving water, as well as safety, a wading staff gives you an extra piece of confidence and reassurance. Just pass the loop over your wrist so that if you need to use that hand in a hurry you are not going to lose your staff! Importantly however is to remember never to lift your wading staff up until you have both feet firmly planted. A wading staff gives you a third leg and you should always be sure that 2 of those 3 legs are solidly planted at all times. If you can, use a wading staff in the upstream hand to give you maximum benefit and support!
Fly Fishing Sunglasses – HD Video Recorder & Camera Sunglasses
Essential Fly Fishing Video / Camera Polaroid Sunglasses Review Sun glasses are essential for fishermen, both for keeping out the sun, helping focus on a fly, seeing the trout / salmon below the water rise and take our fly and most importantly to protect eyes from flying hooks!I remember watching one of my wife’s TV programmes about hospitals and seeing a fisherman get a arsley bomb (lead wight) embedded in his eye and have always taken real care, after all it is more of a dangerous hobby that we realise at times. Fly fishing sunglasses are the most essential gear for fishermen, they should be purchased before we even purchase a rod and line for protection. Ok I must confess, fishing and computers are a passion. Both loved, drive me to distraction, frustrate and excite me so when I first saw these fly fishing sunglasses with a difference – fly fishing polaroid video sunglasses I really got excited. Polaroid lenses, with a HD video camera 1280 x 720, audio recording and digital camera build into the fly fishing sunglasses frame, lightweight these fly fishing sunglasses are suitable for men and women.When I first saw the camera on these I was [...]
HD Video 1280 x 720 and 12 mega pixel camera POLAROID FISHING SUNGLASSES
Essential Fly Fishing Video / Camera Polaroid Sunglasses (1280 x 720 pixel video 4gb video 12 mega pixel camera) Polaroid sun glasses are essential for fishermen, both for keeping out the sun, helping focus on a fly, seeing the trout / salmon take and most importantly to protect eyes from flying hooks! These fishing sunglasses are something different. These lightweight comfortable fishing glasses incorporate a HD video recorder recording 720P HD video in 16:9 video format and 1280 x 720 pixel camera for still photo’s. So when your mates cannot be there or when you hook into that special fish simply click the button by your ear and start the video recording. At 30 frames per second recording you can show exactly how you caught that fish! Simply plug directly into the USB port of your PC when you get home or remove the Micro SD card and put that into your computer then replay the fight with that magical fish again! With 3 modes of operation these stunning pair of video fishing glasses can take a series of 3 pictures each 12mega pixel 4000x 3000 pixel photo’s in snapshot mode or can be swapped to audio mode where it [...]
Tapered Leaders
So what is a tapered leader? It is a specially designed leader with a long and heavy butt for turnover power and a supple front taper for delicate presentation. A tapered leader is just tat a leader that tapers to a fine point! The thickness at the front of the leader varies according to the tippet diameter giving different strengths of line, with delicate 7X tapered leaders having tippets as small as 1.8lb and 0x with larger tippets of 10.5lb. These tapered leaders are an excellent choice for fishing with small and mid-sized flies on spooky fish and ideal for even underhand casting. Product Tippet Diameter (mm) Butt Diameter (mm) Tippet Test (KG) Tippet Test (LB) 0X 0.279 0.64 4.8 10.5 1X 0.254 0.58 4.1 9 2X 0.229 0.56 3.5 7.7 3X 0.203 0.53 3.1 6.8 4X 0.178 0.53 2.4 5.2 5X 0.152 0.5 1.8 3.9 6X 0.127 0.43 1.2 2.6 7X 0.102 0.43 0.85 1.8 Typical Fly Usage For Leader Sizes To calculate tapered leader size a time used formula is to divide the fly size by 3, this gives you and approximate tipper size. For example for a size 16 fly 16/3 = 5.33 so recommended leader diameter [...]
Superb Alternatives To CF Fly Boxes
Fantastic New Waterproof Fly Box Alternative to CF35878 Fly Box Holds 672 flies! We worked with our manufacturers to produce an alternative box to the CF Design Fly Boxes at a sensible price and this stunning fly box is the result. Similar to the large CF35878 which normally retails at around £35. As usual with The Essential Fly top quality products at prices that are unbeatable! Dimensions (Approx) 190mm x 105mm x 45mm Each compartment is approx 22mm high fitting the biggest hackles on dries, lures or streamers Lightweight fly case Weight: 210g. Large capacity slit foam case for small flies Designed for flies ranging from large streamers and lures, salmon flies to small dries. 7 pocket slit foam in lid, flip panel and base. Stores up to 672 flies Superb Fly Box Holds 672 Flies, From Streamers and Salmon Flies to Small Dry Flies Fantastic Essential Fly Double Sided Fly Box Alternative to CF1506F Superb, holds 408 flies on 4 faces Dimensions (Approx) 130mm x 85mm x 35mm Each compartment is approx 20mm high fitting the biggest hackles on dries, lures or streamers Lightweight fly case Large capacity slit foam case for small flies Designed for flies size 14, 16 [...]
