It is usually about mid-way through the afternoon on a day’s fishing outing that you will know whether you have a properly balanced rod, reel and line. And if your arm is tired, if you feel ill-at-ease casting, or if you just can’t feel right every time you put those flies on the water – it is then you will wish you had paid more attention to the fishing tackle dealers advice. Nothing is worse than an ill-balanced rod, reel and line. Also keep in mind the type of groundbaits you are to use.
These three things –rod, reel and line –should feel as though they are part of your arm. Casting out flies should be a very easy rhythmic motion, once you have mastered the technique. The rod-makers art over the years, both in split cane and fibre, has improved steadily so that it is quite possible now to buy a rod that weighs only four ounces and can be used all day without strain.
A too heavy reel, of course, can negate all the advantages of a light rod, so can a line that is too heavy. For these reasons, time spent with the tackle dealer getting the balance right is seldom wasted. Trying out a rod briefly in the shop itself is not a good enough test. You should ask to try it out in his back-yard if he has one, or in some other open space where you can use the rod. Reel and line time after time until you are quite sure it is the right tackle for you.
A balanced’ tackle means what it says –when rod, reel, line and leader are all working in harmony when fly fishing. It is really the choice of the rod which governs the selection of the rest of the tackle; this is why it is recommended that the greatest care possible should be taken before buying one. Whatever else you might want to save money on, don’t let it be the rod.
The AFTM ratings marked on rods and on the packages containing any line you buy are your sure guide to balanced equipment. Although today’s carbon-fibre rods are remarkably tolerant of mismatched lines with rods, there is a limit to their endurance. A line must be of the correct weight to flex the rod. If the line is too light it will cause you to cast clumsily. If it is too heavy it overloads the rod, and casting can be awful. It has been known for a rod to break with a line which is too heavy.
There is usually a temptation, too, to buy thigh-length waders too quickly, without paying attention to how they feel after hours on a river. The fact that they are leak-proof is probably the most obvious asset –hardly worth checking for in waders from a reputable maker. What is important is how they fit. Try them on fasten. Stamp your feet and make sure they don’t chafe because they are half size too big; make sure they don’t pinch because they are a fraction too small. If in doubt, buy them elsewhere . Uncomfortable waders which either nip your toes or flop about your heels can ruin your days, fishing. Remember, you may want to wear two pairs of socks to keep out the cold; allow for that when you try them on.