| This type of fishing is talked about a lot, by not | | | | manufacturers of artificial fly fishing equipment |
| many people are capable to practice it. The | | | | and this is enough to know for the beginning. |
| reason is not about money in most cases. The | | | | The elasticity of the stick, the thickness of the |
| fishing equipment price is not prohibitive for this | | | | blank and his length are different, so for a |
| kind of tools. Usually, those interested in fly fishing | | | | successful launch we need to have a |
| don't have the necessary information about | | | | well-determined weight. The classes rank from 2 |
| techniques and purchasing equipment, and feel | | | | to 12. Both rods and lines are labeled with the |
| unsecured in the "jungle" of fishing gear, feeling | | | | number of the class they belong to, so it is very |
| confused by too many different opinions from | | | | easy to pair them right. At least that was the |
| the so-called experts. | | | | intention. Because the reality is quite different not |
| The fishing method itself is not much more | | | | because of the standard, but of the fishermen. |
| complicated than the float fishing. The rod and the | | | | Depending on the conditions of the vegetation |
| line are a little more demanding when choosing | | | | around the river,lake,sea or ocean, and depending |
| them (they require some prior practical | | | | on the length of the fly launch and the weather, |
| knowledge), the choice of the flies requires much | | | | the choice of the class will be done. But this |
| more theoretical and practical knowledge of | | | | choice should be in correlation with the desired |
| biology, and the launch of the line requires a skill | | | | fish. The bigger the fish, the higher the class that |
| that is of an intermediate level and is accessible to | | | | should be chosen. There are however several |
| anyone. A properly chosen equipment depends on | | | | exceptions and it is difficult to establish general |
| the target fish and with several hours of basic | | | | rules that will be valid most of the time. Ultimately |
| launch training you can pass to the fishing itself. | | | | it depends on the fishing philosophy of the |
| That doesn't mean that you will catch any fish. | | | | fisherman. But generally speaking, on narrow |
| Catching fish depends on the rest of the | | | | creeks and small rivers, with up to 2 kg fish and |
| knowledge acquired about the target fish, | | | | small flies, you will require a 2 to 4 class rod. On |
| information like what do they feed with, where | | | | larger rivers and on lakes, with 2+kg fishes and |
| can you find them, when are they active, being | | | | relatively large flies, the rods need to part of the |
| totally indispensable. | | | | 5 to 7 class. |
| The rod and the special line for fly fishing must be | | | | For fish that can reach weights exceeding 10 kg, |
| in a perfect balance to ease the execution of the | | | | flies can also be "enormous" (from 10-15 cm up), |
| launch. If the line is to thin, it will be hard to launch, | | | | so the rod and the line should be capable to launch |
| while a heavier one will be more difficult to handle. | | | | these flies. This class will be between 8 and 12 |
| You will feel the rod like a thin stick that bends in | | | | and the right lengths are about 10', while for the |
| all directions and to which you have no control on. | | | | two handed rods (there are such rods), their |
| For this reason a classification system was | | | | length should start around 11' and go to 16' |
| created. It is a standardized system known as | | | | normally, but there are special equipments that |
| the AFTM system (American Fishing Tackle | | | | pass this length. Pay attention! This ordering |
| Manufacturer Association). How fair is it and how | | | | attempt is not a generally valid classification. My |
| useful is it is a separate issue and there is no use | | | | intention is only to give an example and some |
| to fill your memory with details from the very | | | | useful indications for the beginner, so he will have |
| beginning. It is a standard accepted by all | | | | a direction to follow. |