Skills books › Fly Fishing in South Africa

Choosing your first fly rod, reel and line

Match the rod, line and reel by their weight number. A 5-weight rod needs a 5-weight line on a reel made for it. A line that is too light or too heavy for the rod makes casting hard, whatever your skill. For most South African trout and yellowfish, a 5-weight outfit about 9 feet long is the best place to start.

The parts of an outfit

1. The reel holds the line and, for bigger fish, gives smooth resistance when a fish pulls.
2. The backing is thin, strong line under the fly line, in case a big fish runs far.
3. The fly line is thick and heavy, about 27 to 30 metres long. Its weight is what you cast.
4. The leader is a clear, tapered nylon line about 2.5 to 3 metres long, so that the fly lands gently.
5. The tippet is the thinnest part at the end, which you replace as it gets shorter.
6. The fly.
7. The rod.

Which line weight?

The weight number is written on the rod above the handle and on the line's box.

• 2 to 4 weight: small mountain streams, small trout and short casts.
• 5 weight: the all-round choice for trout in dams and rivers and for smallmouth yellowfish.
• 6 to 7 weight: bigger dams, wind, bigger flies, larger trout, largemouth yellowfish and bass.
• 8 weight and heavier: big fish, saltwater and heavy wind.

A heavier line casts bigger flies further and into wind, but lands harder on the water.

Rods

• Length: fly rods are still sold in feet. A 9-foot rod (about 2.7 m) is the all-round choice. Shorter rods suit small, bushy streams.
• Action: a fast rod bends mostly near the tip and needs good timing. A medium or medium-fast rod is easier for a beginner to feel.
• Pieces: most rods come in four pieces for travel.

Check that the guides are smooth. A cracked guide shreds line.

Lines

• Floating: the first line to own. It fishes dry flies, and nymphs and wet flies just below the surface, and it is the easiest to cast.
• Intermediate: sinks slowly. It is good on dams in wind or bright light.
• Sinking: fishes flies deep in dams and big rivers.

A weight-forward taper is the easiest all-round line to cast. Keep lines away from sunscreen, insect repellent and petrol, which damage the coating.

Reels, leaders and tippet

For trout and yellowfish, a simple reel with a smooth drag is enough. Add 50 to 100 metres of backing. A tapered leader of about 9 feet suits most fishing.

Tippet is marked with an X size. The bigger the number, the thinner the tippet.

• 3X: bigger flies, streamers and bass.
• 4X: most trout and yellowfish fishing.
• 5X: smaller flies and clear water.
• 6X: very small flies and wary fish.

Tippet that is too thick puts fish off. Tippet that is too thin breaks, which leaves a hook in a fish.

A budget starter outfit

• a 9-foot, 5-weight, medium-fast rod in four pieces;
• a matching reel with backing and a weight-forward floating line;
• a few 9-foot tapered leaders, and spools of 4X and 5X tippet;
• a small box of flies.

Many tackle shops sell matched outfits at a fair price, which removes the guesswork. Buy from a shop where someone fishes and can show you how to put it together.

Care

Rinse the reel and line after dusty or saltwater days. Store rods dry in their tubes, never in a hot car. Replace leaders and tippet that are nicked or old.

This guide is based on Chapter 3 of Fly Fishing in South Africa.