Do-It-Yourself Building your own Fly Rod Every so often somebody handy at creating things wonders “hey can I build a rod myself?” normal response has been, "Get a bunch of books." Here are a few additional observations, some gained from the rich experience that only comes from making mistakes, which can be far more instructive than doing things right the first time. Doing something right and you only learn one way to do the job; do it wrong and you learn two ways AND why the right way is the right way.

How To Choose the Right Fly Line Weight But with a longer leader, the more difficult it is to cast and there is a reduction in accuracy. Thus, a 9-foot leader is more accurate and easier to turn over than a 15-footer. Considering this, plus the fact that the splashdown of the line is what is frightening the trout, there is a simple solution. Use a fly line one size lighter than the rod manufacturer recommends. Jim Green, who has designed fly rods for years and is a superb angler, mentioned to me more than three decades ago that he almost always used a line one size lighter when fishing dry flies where the trout were spooky or the water was calm. I tried it and have routinely followed his advice. So, for example, if you are using a six weight rod, you can drop down to a five weight line with no problem. In fact, in very delicate fishing conditions, I often drop down two sizes in line weights. There is a reason.

Fly Line Color There are quite a few colors of fly lines available. Some floating fly lines are bright yellow, others are fluorescent green, and still others are a pumpkin orange. So, with all the fly line colors available, which one should you choose. For sinking lines, it is generally best to choose a line that is darker in color, such as brown. While this point is open to argument and debate, most anglers seem to conclude that when sub-surface fishing, fish may be less apt to see a darker color fly line than a bright one.

Crankbaits - How To Choose A Crankbait - Picking A Crankbait
Crankbaits are great baits to use this time of year, but how do you choose the right size, color and type to use. You should carry a good....