hen heading out on my 21 Parker Sport Cabin to target any of the many species that are available for the saltwater fly fisher I like to be prepared with at least four or five rods that are rigged and ready to go. I look at my rigged rods in the same way that a carpenter looks at the tools on his work bench. For instance, if he needs to do a precision cut then a fine toothed blade would be in order, but if he is just ripping wood than a blade with less teeth would fit the bill. In either case the type of job that needs to be done will dictate the tool that is best suited to get it done.

It is no different when you are fly fishing when you consider the tools of the trade that are available to you. That is why there are so many types of rod weights, reels, lines, and flies that you can purchase.

Many fly fishers that are just starting out in the sport are at a disadvantage because they may only have one rod, reel, and line type to cover a multitude of different situations and conditions. This is understandable however as money is usually an issue for anyone who is making an investment in this sport. To invest thousands of dollars in equipment at the get-go would not be wise when you are beginning because what happens if you decide you don’t like the sport and lose interest. That leaves you with a lot money that potentially just went down the drain if you can’t resell your equipment.

But if you are going to stay with the sport than an investment into different rods, reels, lines, and flies is an absolute necessity. The fly fisher when beginning should evaluate the type of fly fishing that he or she will be doing most and then get the appropriate gear to cover it. For the beginner we usually can break down our fly fishing into two broad categories, surf or boat.

For the surf the workhorse outfit for the NJ coast to start with would be a 10 weight rod, a standard or large arbor reel, and an intermediate line. For the boat the same rod type and reel will work but a 300-350 grain line would be more appropriate. A nine weight rod would also work for either application but I like my clients to suit up with the heavier rod to better be prepared to tackle a big fish that can strike at anytime.

After you acquire these basics adding additional lines to your arsenal would best serve to increase your versatility. From the surf you can add a 300 grain sinking line which could be used when fishing in fast currents to better get your line down or when casting into a headwind. From the boat a 400-450 grain line or a Rio DC Type 8 sinking head with intermediate sinking running line would be good. These heavier lines will allow you to get deep if fish are holding down deep or keep you in the game at a moderate depth if there is a fast drift.

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