Handy Fly Fishing Equipment – More Stuff To Make Your Life Easier

Yes, we realize that we’re getting kind of excessive with the gear, especially to those who like to keep it simple, but really, if you have your bags packed and your fly fishing gear all in a row, you’ll only have to buy this stuff once.  It’s a great strategy! Preparation is the key to executing a great fly fishing trip, as just about any experienced angler will tell you!

Gloves

Even if it’s not particularly cold out, it’s probably a good idea to at least have a pair of gloves on hand if you don’t have a set of pliers.  Why’s that?  Well, let us rehash that little equation for you, with a little bit more oomph:

Teeth (OR spines) + skin = Ouch! + the chance of infection

Some fish have a nasty bite.  Some, like catfish, have vicious barbs that can cause a lot of pain and anguish on your part.  Gloves are definitely handy ways to save your hands when handling the animals you’ve caught – and when handling your hooks, since sticking yourself with metal that’s been in the mouth of a fish (or in not-quite-clean water) can be a recipe for disaster.

Floatant

For all of your dry flies, you're probably going to want to use a floatant to keep them from getting waterlogged.  Floatants can be spray-based or powder-based.  Many are made from silicone.  You can also put floatant on your lines, so that they don't become soaked through and sink below the level you want them to -- a great way to maintain silk or silk-like lines!

Backpack

To store the majority of your stuff in, a backpack would be perfect.  This is basically a no-brainer.  You'll want a large bag, preferably of the hiking sort, so that you can tuck your waders inside.  Mesh on the outside can be used to hold smaller things, like a new pack of flies or spare leads or even those pliers we mentioned earlier.  What’s more, you can definitely store everything you need for your first aid kit in your backpack…which can definitely be a lifesaver if you find yourself out on the water and you’re in trouble!

Finally, of course, there are always handy pieces of miscellaneous fly fishing equipment you can bring along – like polarized sunglasses to fight the glare of light against the water.  Polarized lenses can also be handy in helping you to spot particular types of fish, or the kinds of prey animals that are in the water, so that you can select your lures for the day.  It’s a smart idea to bring a raincoat for when fishing on misty days, and, last but certainly not least, save your skin and wear sunblock!