Beginner Guide to Saltwater Fly Fishing Gear
Saltwater Fly Rod – Sage Xi2 Fly Rod
Saltwater fly fishing gear is heavier than freshwater fly fishing gear for two main reasons. Firstly, saltwater fish species are generally larger than freshwater fish species, and you will need stronger rods, reels and lines to catch these fish species. Secondly, saltwater fly fishing requires longer casting with larger flies, and normally there is some wind to deal with. You cannot cast very far in windy conditions with a light fly rod using a light fly line. This guide covers the essential saltwater fly fishing gear for saltwater fly fishing, which is the saltwater fly rod, fly reel and fly line.
Saltwater Fly Rod
Your most important item of saltwater fly fishing gear is the saltwater fly rod. A 3 weight to 7 weight fly rod is normally used for freshwater fly fishing. The lightest fly rod normally used for saltwater fly fishing is a 7 weight fly rod, and saltwater fly rods go up to a 16 weight fly rod. Your saltwater fly rod weight must be selected according to the saltwater species of fish that you want to catch. To catch sailfish such as Marlin you might use a 13-weight rod, but then use a 8-weight rod to catch Bonefish. For saltwater fly fishing, look to buy a saltwater fly rod, specifically designed for saltwater fly fishing.
Good saltwater fly rods are normally quite stiff, and generally have a fast action. A fast action rod allows you to cast further in windy conditions and makes it easier to land larger saltwater fish species. Fly rods for saltwater fly fishing should have guides that won’t rust – stainless steel guides are normally used. The guides should also be strong enough to handle the additional punishment of saltwater fly fishing. A good saltwater fly rod will have a padded fighting butt which will provide more comfort when fishing for extended periods of time. One of the best saltwater fly rods currently available is the Sage Xi2 saltwater fly rod.
Saltwater Fly Reel
A saltwater fly reel is an essential item of saltwater fly fishing gear, and is more important for saltwater fly fishing than for freshwater fly fishing. A saltwater fly reel needs to be better quality than a freshwater fly reel. In order to prevent your saltwater fly reel from rusting, use a fly reel containing components that are saltwater resistant. It is also important that the saltwater fly reel has a very good drag system and sufficient line capacity for your backing, fly line, and your leader. As saltwater fish species normally run further with your line once caught, 100 to 300 yards of backing is normal.
Saltwater Fly Line
The saltwater fly line most commonly used for saltwater fly fishing is a floating line, which is used to catch fish near the water’s surface. A fly line that sinks slowly, called an intermediate line is sometimes used. A sinking line or a sink-tip line can also be used to catch fish at deeper levels. In order to be able to cast further in windy conditions, a weight forward fly line is normally preferred for saltwater fly fishing. The fly line weight used normally matches the fly rod weight, but sometimes a slightly heavier line weight is used, especially in windy conditions.
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