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Selecting Fly Fishing equipment for Tubing
Fly Rods
- Many other sites deal with the history of rods and reels. What we want to discuss here is what type of rod you will require for float tube fly-fishing. When casting from a float tube you will find yourself very low to the water and this can present some challenges for the beginner. I prefer to use a 9 foot or 9 foot 6 inch rod. The extra length will aid in keeping the fly fine off the water when false casting.
- Fly rods all have a rating system. For example, you may want to purchase a five-weight rod (#5). So what does "weight" mean? The weight of a fly rod is the weight of the line that it will load with, when 30 feet of line is cast. Thirty feet is the average casting distance of most fly anglers. A #4/5 will cast 2 separate line weights, either a 4-weight line or a 5-weight line. So you may be wondering why would anyone want a two weight, a five weight and an eight-weight rod? It all depends on what size of flies you are casting. If you are casting very small flies like #14 - #24 flies then you could use a two-weight rod. If you were using large Pike flies then you would want and eight or a nine-weight rod. Although you could (in theory) cast a #22 fly with a nine-weight rod, you could not cast a size 2 pike fly with a two-weight rod. So, the smaller the number, the less backbone the rod has.
- I personally like to fish with light equipment. It increases your touch to the fly, and makes even the smallest fish feel powerful. Starting off with a slightly heavier rod will help you cast a bit easier on the windy days however, so you may want to take that into account when selecting a rod weight. The most popular rod weights are #5 or #6 as they are the most versatile.
- Here is something to remember when you are about to put down your hard earned cash on the counter to purchase a fly rod. Ten years ago, a $1,000 fly rod had the same materials as a $100 rod has now. On the other side of that coin, the more you spend on your rod the less effort it will require to cast the line the same distance.
Fly Line
- Floating or Sinking : Fly lines are either floating (dry) or sinking (wet). These lines have a core of either braided nylon, braided monofilament or a single strand of monofilament. The core is then covered with PVC. It's within this PVC that determines weather the line is floating or sinking. For sinking line, the more dense (or heavier) the line is the faster it will sink. Density compensating additives are added within the PVC and the amount of additives reflects how fast the line will sink. This really comes into play when fishing deeper waters (30 feet or more). With floating line, hollow glass microspheres are added. The more of these hollow additives, the higher the line will float.
- Sinking-tips: Fly lines also come in a combination float/sink line known as sinking-tips. The body of the line floats whereas the tip sinks. An alternative to a sink tip line is to buy a floating line then attach a section of sinking tip using a loop-to-loop connection. Both sinking lines and sink-tip lines require a little more skill to cast.
I would recommend that you have 2 lines to start with. One wet line and one dry line. Both should be weight forward. On Stillwater you will find the wind is your enemy and casting a weight forward line will assist you greatly on days when it's blowing.
- Weight forward: Weight forward lines (WF) are by far the most popular lines and with good reason. The weight of a fly line is measured in the first 30 feet. Unlike the double tapers that gradually distribute this weight, the weight forward line concentrates the weight more towards the end of the line. It then tapers down to a thin running line that allows easier long distance casts. The more forward the weight is placed, the more "shooting" power it has but at the expense of a delicate presentation. The double tapered line (DT) does have a more delicate presentation and when you find your line has began to deteriorate, you can turn the line around and re-spool it to get more use out of it.
Leaders
- It's awfully difficult getting the thick fly line through the small eye of the fly so you will need a terminal piece of line called a leader. This is a tapered piece of monofilament line that gradually dissipates the energy from the fly line before it reaches the fly. Lengths and tippet size (the last few inches of the leader) will vary depending on fly size and fishing conditions.
- Lengths: Common lengths are seven and a half foot, nine foot, and 12 foot leaders. These leaders are tapered down to a few thousandths of an inch. A general guideline is to select a leader at least the length of the rod. If the water is clear and the fish spooky add length. If it is windy or you are having casting problems, shorten it.
Tippet : Tippet sizes are referred to by "X" designations ranging from 0X (largest) to 8X (smallest) and are expressed in units of .001 inches. An easy way to calculate their correlation is to subtract the X number from 11 and multiply by .001".
- Example: find the diameter of 4X
Solution: (11-4)*.001 = .007" - Matching the tippet to the fly: A rule of thumb is to divide the fly size by three and four.
- (Example) What tippet size should you use for a #18 fly?
- Solution:
- 18/4 = 4.5 (There is no 4.5X, so round up to next larger number which is 5X.)
- 18/3 = 6
- Therefore 5X or 6X tippet is recommended for a #18 fly.
Reels
- Reels are sold by the size of line and rod weight they are designed for. Are you beginning to notice the key word in fly-fishing is balance? The rod, the line, and the reel all have to match. Any given model will state a weight range that it is suitable for (example: 2/3wt, 4/5 wt, or 7/8 wt).
- Using Your Reel: Line is "stripped out" from the reel and let to lay by your feet or in our case the float tube apron. Within several false casts the line is taken up and becomes air borne. The line is then retrieved by holding the line loosely against the handle with your fingers of your rod-hand while pulling the line back in through these fingers with your other hand.
- Once you have successfully hooked a fish, it's time to play the fish. Allow the line to slide through your fingers, while maintaining tension on the fish. If the fish is large, this usually doesn't take long to connect to your reel. Make sure the drag is set very light as most fish break off right away, or on there first run.
- If you are fishing for larger game fish like Steelhead, Salmon or Pike, then the drag system on your reel is very important. Some of these fish will run at least 200 yards plus in a few seconds. The feedback you receive on your rod is the reward for using light gear.
Wading Gear
- Waders: Neoprene chest-highs
- Boot-foot vs. Stocking- foot
- With boot-foot waders, the boot is attached to the uppers. These waders are easier to get on and off than the stocking foot and less expensive. The boot-foot waders do not fit as well as a laced boot. Some will come with felt liners others will require you wear extra pairs of socks to fill out the boot. The loose fitting boot does not provide ankle support and can cause blisters when kicking your tube for hours on end. Generally available only in men's sizes, there are a few manufacturers who offer women's and children's sizes.
- With stocking waders, the shoes or boots are sold separate and do not come with the waders. This makes the total cost a little higher. There are many types of boots/shoes to choose from, select ones that are comfortable and fit the flippers or fins you have purchased. Look to make sure the boot/shoe covers your waders where the flippers meet. Your Float tube boots/shoes can double as a pair for river wading boots but I don't recommend this if you choose to purchase neoprene boots.
Fishing Vest
- The portable tackle box: N ot as important to a float tube fisherman because of the large storage pockets on your tube, look for a shorter vest or you'll find the bottom pockets will be submerged in the water. Vests are offered in two lengths - standard and the "shorty" which sits higher above the waistline to keep it out and above the water level.
Floatation Devices
- PFD's: There are several to choose from including those that are CO2 cartridge activated. Not a bad idea for additional safety. In the case of an emergency you simply pull the ripcord and they inflate. For your own personal protection, a PFD is an absolute must in your float tube. Freezing water, distance, and heavy equipment attached to you = disaster. You can also choose from wader suspenders or a harness. Some can be worn with a vest and others have a couple of pockets of their own in lieu of a vest. There are some fishing vests with CO2 floatation devices built into them but if you don't like the price tag you can always choose a kayak life jacket which is a little shorter than others to keep it from riding up into you neck and face.
Miscellaneous Equipment
Forceps: T hese are very handy for extracting hooks.
- Fly Boxes: Select one that is compact and fits well into a pocket of your tube. The ones with coil clips or ripple foam hold the fly upright and prevent the feathers from being crushed.
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