EACH PAGE HERE IS AN EXTRACT FROM THE EBOOK.
Fly fishing rods are designed to fulfil particular requirements depending on the
type of fishing you are doing, so it's really important to ensure that you buy the
right equipment from the outset. It's a waste of time, effort and money equipping
yourself with a small stream rod if you intend going after the monsters that may
lurk in the depths of a big lake or reservoir. That may seem like an obvious statement
- but it's not quite as easy to get the right equipment as you might expect. It's
all about length, strength and flexibility and knowing how these qualities meld together
to give you just the right tool for the job. This chapter will give you an insight
into these secrets.
A fly fishing rod needs to do several jobs. Firstly it must cast the line, which
requires strength and spring so that it can act like a catapult to shoot the line
great distance when needed - or very accurately and gently when that's the order
of the day. Secondly it must retrieve the line, which requires sensitivity so you
can feel the line as it is recovered and know when a fish takes the fly. Thirdly
it must fight the fish, which requires the ability to cushion the leader and soak
up the shocks as the fish runs and jumps. Finally it must be transportable, which
means that it must be capable of being manufactured in sections which come together
to act as a whole when assembled.
To satisfy these requirements in one rod is very difficult, so rods are made which
place more emphasis on one particular quality, often at the expense of the others.
A rod with great casting qualities will tend to be stiffer and will be less forgiving
when fighting a fish, so it needs to be used with a heavier leader - which may be
more easily detected by the fish. A very flexible rod can be used to cast slowly
and accurately, will soak up the energetic activity of a small fighting fish but
will not cast the line very far and will be unable to handle a large fish. A travelling
rod that can be broken down into five or more pieces to fit in your suitcase will
have to sacrifice qualities of flexibility or sensitivity. Compromise is often the
key.