Fly fishing in the UK is growing in popularity, and as such there is the need for beginner fly fishing to understand the equipment, and what will best suit their needs. This page will give you some basic tips on the fly fishing rod.

When choosing a fly fishing tackle, the rod is rather important, and there are various things that need to be considered.

Firstly we can look at the material used to make the rod. You can choose between fiberglass and graphite. While fiberglass is more durable and hard wearing than graphite, the light weight graphite rod can allow for more precision casting.

The flexibility of a fly fishing rod is referred to as “action” and rods are classified as slow action, medium action or fast action. Slow action rods are the most flexible, this makes them harder for beginners to use, but they give better precision casting at short distances. These rods are used for smaller fish.

Medium action rods are the easiest to learn on, and can be used in most fly fishing locations, for both long and short casting distances. This makes them good all round rods and great for fly fishing beginners.

Fast action rods, on the other hand, are the stiffest rods, bending only at the end. These rods are good for casting far in search of bigger fish. The difficulty of casting accurately with these rods is compensated by the distance that can be gained, however, beginners most often find these rods very difficult to control.

Next you should look at the length of the rod. The length plays a role in determining the “action” of a rod, with less action on a shorter rod, and more on a longer rod. A fly fishing rod under eight feet in length is considered a short rod, best suited to fishing situations where trees or other objects have a restrict your casting action.

Medium length rods measure between eight and nine feet, and are suitable to most conditions. The medium length rod can cast further than the short rod, and can also take the weight of bigger fish. Naturally the medium rod is the best bet for beginners, and will allow for more versatile conditions even as the individual's fly fishing technique develops.

Large rods are longer than nine feet and are useful for catching bigger game fish with the capability of casting long distances.