Fly Fishing Accessories For You

In addition to the clothing and your balanced outfitSwiss Army knife are important for the fly
there are many accessories that you should havefisherman to have within easy reach.
for fly fishing. Some of these accessories mayInsect repellent is essential when fly fishing. The
seem strange, but when wading, it is necessarymain ingredient in many insect repellents is DEET,
to have all of your gear and tools with you.which is an industrial solvent and can damage the
You already have your fly fishing vest with plentyvarnish on your fly rod, eat away the finish on
of large pockets, because that is part of a flyyour fly line, weaken your leaders and destroy
fisherman's basic wardrobe. You might want toyour rain gear. If you do use an insect repellent
put a patch of sheepskin on the front of the vastwith DEET be very careful of what it touches and
where you can keep alternative flies handy. Youtry to limit its use. There are many products
should also have a spring-loaded retractable spooltoday that do not contain that solvent.
that attaches to your vest to hold a pair of nailHaving a good pair of polarized sunglasses will help
clippers. They come in very handy for trimmingyou to see the fish and protect your eyes from
knots. You might want to attach a patch ofthe damaging rays of the sun. It's also important
rubber for straightening leaders. Ideally, the vestto have a small pocket flashlight with a flexible
should have a large back pocket to carry light rainneck. This can be very useful for many things
gear. Some vests also have a ring at the back ofincluding changing flies at dusk or dawn. Other
the collar, where you can attach the net to keepuseful items include a thermometer, a small
it out of the way.container of split shot, a good knife with several
The choice of your fly boxes is very important.blades, and a small first aid emergency kit.
One should have large compartments where youMany fishermen like to take a collapsible wading
can store dry flies without crushing their hackles.staff with them while fly fishing. It helps them to
You should also have one or two smaller boxeskeep their footing if they are wading in a heavy
with foam linings and metal clips. These are forcurrent or on a slippery, rocky bottom. A small
holding your wet flies, nymphs, and streamers.cotton mesh net with a short handle comes in
Having a couple of small vials to hold your dry ofhandy for netting your fish. If you intend to keep
flies after catching a fish also comes in veryyour catch a small canvas or woven willow
handy.basket for holding your fish will work well.
A spare spool for your reel, already loaded withThere are many other accessories available for
backing and line, is a good idea to have with you.fly fishing today. Many of the choices depend on
Also a few spools of monofilament leadereach fisherman's personal preferences.
material, a leader wallet, a sharpening stone, and a