Online Specialists - The Essential Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Site

Online Fishing Flies and Tackle Specialists Since 2006

It was passion for fly fishing and specialist knowledge that took The Essential Fly online 17 years ago. It has grown strongly and has a custom warehouse and we design our own specialist fly patterns using top quality hooks and materials. With thousands of customers world-wide The Essential Fly is a brand to trust. Check the reviews from other customers, we have thousands of reviews. We stock a massive range of fly fishing gear in our warehouse and can order directly from manufacturers any gear from top tackle brands like Vision, Wychwood, Redington and Greys and tying materials from brands like Veniard, Marc Petitjean, Hemmingway and many more.

With specialist advice from our in-house fly fishing team please phone if you need help and assistance.

Guide To Fly Fishing For Beginners

We love fishing for different species of trout ranging worldwide from cutthroat or brookies to uk trout fishing either in a chalkstream, stocked reservoir or stillwater fishing for rainbow trout, brownies or blues. Different species and destinations demand different tackle and fishing flies and you will find all you need from us here at The Essential Fly. On a small brook you may be using a 3 weight trout rod with size 18 flies on a 1lb tapered leader, however on a large reservoirs you may be casting an 8 weight fly rod with ghost tip fly line or boat fishing using a competition drogue to stop your drift. So you want to learn the incredible sport of fly fishing?  Wonderful!  Trout fishing is a fun and amazing sport and hobby.  It gets you up close and personal with the serenity and peace of nature, yet provides the sporting challenge of out smarting the fish.

We have a great beginners guide to fly fishing you can read with much more details to help get you started with fly fishing covering:

So lets get going, what is in this guide?

1. An introduction to fly fishing
2. Introduction to the basic fishing tackle
3. Your fly rod and fly reel
4. Introduction to fly backing, fly line, tippet and leaders
5. Fishing flies, floatant and sinkant
6. Other typical fishing accessories
7. Fly fishing tackle setup
8. The basics casting a fly
9. Some final tips

When you first look at any sport or hobby it can be daunting with new terminology. In fly fishing we use terms like weight forward, line weight, rod action for example but don’t worry, we can break that down and learn as we develop. You would not expect to be facing a Formula One car the day you pass your driving test and fly fishing is the same, we build up gradually and like every hobby practice and develop our skills.

Often looking at fly fishing people get overwhelmed and decide not to get into the sport which is unfortunate, it is amazing being at one with nature and catching fish. Do not expect to get your fly fishing gear and bring home lots of fish from a reservoir the next day! You need to develop the skills with your gear, learn how it operates how to cast and how to read the water to see where the fish are hiding then finally learn what fly is needed and how to present it. When it comes together you will get the greatest buzz ever!

As a premier UK fly fishing shop you will be surprised that buying kit is not the first and most important thing to do. Indeed our recommendation is to go fly fishing with an experienced fly fisherman or even better go with a professional fly fishing guide for a day. Although an investment your guide will probably loan you the gear you need and help you learn quickly and when you go fishing they will advise you how to catch fish. Take your time, learning fly fishing will become part of the experience of a life time. Fly fishing often takes part on pristine waters as trout, salmon grayling like high quality and usually well aerated water which is often in fantastic countryside.

Fly fishing seems quite overwhelming at first, but don't worry, we are here to help and give you the basic knowledge and tools to get out there are start fly fishing!

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