If you have never tried the sport of fly fishing then the Bitterroot Valley is a great place to get started—to get your feet wet (pun intended). And while the Bitterroot Valley does have several fly shops, and these places are all ready to outfit you with recommended fly patterns and other tackle needs, it will still be important for you to know how the gear works and how the tackle gets attached/connected before you go. When you do go fishing, you won’t want to spend all your time on the stream trying to figure out the basics.
The Basic Setup
There are a few different types of lines that are used in fly fishing. First, you have the fly line, which (in most cases) is a smooth, thick, colored, slick-coated line. The fly line gets attached to a leader, which is a clear line usually made of monofilament. The leader is tapered, with its thickest end attached to the end of the fly line. The thin end of the leader gets attached either to a leader material (Called tippet in the fly shop, this material is not tapered and is sold in various breaking strengths) or to the fly.
The Knots
Get to know these three basic knots: loop-to-loop connection, double-surgeon’s knot, and improved clinch knot. These knots do have knot counterparts that are slightly stronger but usually more difficult to tie. Loop-to-loop connections are the simplest of the three; usually, this knot/connection is used to attach the looped end of the fly line to the looped end of a tapered leader. The surgeon’s knot is used to attach to different pieces of leader material. And the improved clinch knot is used to attach the fly to the leader; in the event that you are using a two-fly rig, you will also use a clinch knot to tie the leader material to the bend of the hook of the first fly.
Have a safe and enjoyable summer on the waters of the Bitterroot Valley!
