Fly Fishing Rod Grip

We’ve spoken already about the best stance for fly fishing. Now let’s look at gripping the rod. Grip is the word normally used to describe the way you hold a fly rod.
The word implies a tight hold, but if you hold your rod tightly you’ll never make a smooth cast. Your body simply won’t allow a tight hold and smooth movement at the same time.

Also, by holding the rod too tightly you will start to get muscle fatigue and pain in your arms. What we recommend, therefore is that you hold the rod with your thumb on top and slightly to the left of centre so that the crook of thumb and index finger is in line with the top of the rod. Your grip needs to feel comfortable. Not only that but the diameter of the rod handle must suit the size of your hand. Some cork grips are too large in diameter, especially for women. Ideally the handle should be thin enough to allow your hand to encircle it without holding it hard.

Another method is to place your thumb directly on top of the rod. This is useful if you need additional downward pressure to drive the line forwards (especially useful for roll casting, for example). Another excellent grip is to have the index finger on top of the rod or, for the right handed caster, slightly curled round to the right. You can use this grip for accuracy over a short distance, though it’s not for everyone in the world of fly fishing.