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The Sage Xi2 Saltwater Fly Rod

Fly fishing gear for saltwater fly fishing is normally heavier than fly fishing gear used for freshwater fly fishing – there are two reasons for this. Firstly, saltwater fish species are generally larger than freshwater fish species, and you will need stronger rods, reels and lines to catch these fish species. Secondly, saltwater fly fishing requires longer casting with larger flies, and normally there is some wind to deal with. You cannot cast very far in windy conditions with a light fly rod using a light fly line. This guide covers the essential saltwater fly fishing gear for saltwater fly fishing, which is the saltwater fly rod, fly reel and fly line.

Saltwater Fly Rod

Your most important item of saltwater fly fishing gear is the saltwater fly rod. Normally for freshwater fly fishing, a 3 weight to a 7 weight fly rod is used. A 7-weight fly rod is normally the lightest fly rod used for saltwater fly fishing, and the heaviest fly rod used for saltwater fly fishing is a 16-weight fly fishing rod. The saltwater fish species that you are trying to catch determine the weight of your saltwater fly rod. To catch Bonefish you might use a 8-weight rod, but to catch sailfish such as Marlin you could use a 13-weight rod. For saltwater fly fishing, look to buy a specialized saltwater fly rod, specifically designed for saltwater fly fishing.

A good saltwater fly rod will have a fast action, and will generally be quite stiff. A fast action rod allows you to cast further in windy conditions and makes it easier to land larger saltwater fish species. The guides for a saltwater fly rod should be made of stainless steel or another metal that won’t rust. The guides should also be strong enough to handle the additional punishment of saltwater fly fishing. A good saltwater fly rod will have a padded fighting butt which will provide more comfort when fishing for extended periods of time. Currently, one of the top all-round saltwater fly rods currently available is the outstanding Sage Xi2 saltwater fly rod.

Saltwater Fly Reel

A saltwater fly reel is an essential item of saltwater fly fishing gear, and is more important for saltwater fly fishing than for freshwater fly fishing. A saltwater fly reel needs to be better quality than a freshwater fly reel. In order to prevent your saltwater fly reel from rusting, use a fly reel containing components that are saltwater resistant. It is also important that the saltwater fly reel has a very good drag system and sufficient line capacity for your backing, fly line, and your leader. As saltwater fish species normally run further with your line once caught, 100 to 300 yards of backing is normal.

Saltwater Fly Line

The saltwater fly line most commonly used for saltwater fly fishing is a floating line, which is used to catch fish near the water’s surface. A fly line that sinks slowly, called an intermediate line is sometimes used. A sinking line or a sink-tip line can also be used to catch fish at deeper levels. The preferred taper for a saltwater fly line is a weight forward line – this allows you to cast further in the windy conditions encountered at sea. The fly line weight used normally matches the fly rod weight, but sometimes a slightly heavier line weight is used, especially in windy conditions.

For more information about saltwater fly fishing gear, take a look at the Feedage.com news feed for Fly Fishing Elite.

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Tags: fly fishing, saltwater fly fishing gear