Safety

When fly fishing, you should always have head and eye protection. On a practical side peaked hats cut down the brightness from the sun and polarised glasses remove surface glare from the water enabling you to see your quarry better

Rods come in various lengths, weights and actions and it is entirely up to the fisherman what he or she prefers. A general guide is the longer the rod the more suitable for large waters, whereas shorter rods are more ideal for river and small water fishing. Weight varies on rods, the lighter the weight, such as a 4 weight, the more delicate the presentation of fly but the down side is the sacrifice on distance. The action dictates where the rod bends, from a tip action to a full action where the entire rod bends, again this is down to preference.

Reels come in many guises and on the whole it is down to taste as to which you buy. Keep an eye out for these features though. A strong braking or "drag" system is important for the playing of fish, and a large arboured reel is a wise purchase as it helps reduce the "memory" of the fly line. Ideally you should also buy a reel that balances with the rod as an unbalanced rod can make casting both tiring and untidy.