Choosing a Fly Reel The Drag System on a Fly Reel There are two different types of drag systems on a fly reel that trout fishermen need concern themselves with. The drag of a fly reel is what provides the tension on the line. In other words, it is what regulates how easy or difficult it is for a fish to strip line off the fly reel. If all you ever catch are tiny trout or small pan fish, the type of drag on a fly reel is immaterial as it is unlikely a fish will ever pull out line from the fly reel. On the other hand, if you get a good-sized trout or bass on your line, the story changes completely. Once a big fish starts pulling out line from your fly reel, the fly reel suddenly becomes the most important piece of equipment that you have.

Fly Line Color However, for top water or floating lines, the color of the line is generally immaterial as far as the fish goes. Whatever the color of the fly line, when looking up, a fish is bound to see it except for at night (when a dark line may prove beneficial). A fish looking up towards the surface of the water will see the fly line regardless of the color since the line itself is lit up from the light of the sky - and thus casting a shadow over the fish. Since this is generally accepted (although arguments do rage on about this), it is generally best to choose a fly line color that is easy for YOU to see. Brightly colored fly lines are much easier for the angler to see, and seeing the fly line is crucial for successful fly fishing - especially when fly fishing with nymphs. This is especially true in low light conditions, where actually seeing your fly is almost impossible, and the angler must instead rely on the actions of the fly line.

Trout Fishing Ahh, yes. Trico time, the time of year accomplished fly fisherman throw down their rods in disgust. Take up the golf clubs, repaint the house, design the ninth wonder of the world. Anything but test their patience and skill against the dreaded Tricos and the super selective trout that feed on them. Called the ‘White Winged Devils' in the gentlest of circles, these tiny micro hatches can infuriate the most skilled of the fly fishing angler. Huge lunker trout hunker down in feeding lanes slurping up every Trico spinner except the pattern you are offering to them. And after several hundred tedious passes, after you have lightened your tippet, after you have changed your position after you have done everything but jump in the water and grab the fish with your bare hands, you give up in disgust, and wait for something larger and more tangible to come off the water. A nice Salmonfly hatch would be the ticket. But, alas there are ways to improve your catch rate during these prolific hatches.

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