Dry fly fishing: 3

You may recall that we stated previously that the most iconic and easily-recognised fly in fly fishing is the mayfly dun, with its highly visible upright wing, tapered body, and long set of three tails. Caddis flies, stoneflies, damselflies, midges, and terrestrials can also be tied and fished as dry flies, however.  Each insect type has its own particular design characteristics, common materials, and style of presentation.

Although it is possible to cast a dry fly with any rod, anglers who mainly fish dry flies prefer a specialised dry fly rod. This kind of rod offers superior accuracy, a subtle presentation and line control for a drag free drift.  A fly rod with a line weight of four and a length of 8'6" to 9' is your best choice for dry fly fishing.

A second, equally important, consideration is the fly line taper. Once again, virtually any fly line taper can cast a dry fly, but for a better experience, a dry fly fly line is best.  With a more subtle taper, this fly fishing line will smoothly deliver each cast accurately and with a delicate presentation.