Spring marks the time of the year when dry fly fishing purists begin to rejoice. Summer floats may not be far off but there’s plenty of good dry fly fishing to be had before runoff takes full effect. Baetis and caddis are becoming more active and deserve some attention over the next few weeks as temperatures rise. Below are 5 pieces of dry fly fishing gear that will enhance your time on the water pursuing trout.
G Loomis NRX+ LP
Precision and line control are a must when presenting dry flies to discerning trout. The G Loomis NRX+ LP is a medium action rod designed to flex deep into the blank and capable forming tight loops in the short-medium casting range. While it’s designed for dry fly fishing specialists, the G Loomis NRX+ LP is also able to throw larger flies when called up. This rod is available in line weights 3-6 and is beautifully handcrafted in Woodland, Washington with a custom aluminium reel seat with amboyna hardwood insert. This trout rod will serve any serious dry fly angler for years to come.
Loon Aquel Gel Floatant
Not all fly floatants are made equal. Loon Aquel premium gel floatant is my go to for dry fly fishing year round. Some floatants that I’ve used can separate with time and solidify during colder months. Loon Aquel is easy to apply regardless of the temperature, environmentally friendly, and is a great all around floatant for dry fly fishing. While there are some more specialized floatants on the market for CDC and other tying materials, Loon Aquel remains my go-to for everything from small dries to large hoppers.
Airflo Superflo Tactical Taper
Having a fly line designed for delicate presentations can be the difference between spooking or landing a fish. The Airflo Superflo Tactical Taper is a weight-forward floating line designed for delicately presenting smaller flies. This line features a long front taper that helps delicately turn over dries while still providing maximum control in technical situations.
The Airflo Superflo Tactical Taper is available in line weights 2-6 and pairs well with all rods of all actions. I have been fishing this line on my 3WT Scott F Series glass rod and it’s an absolute pleasure to cast on small streams for spooky fish.
Airflo Polyleader+ Trout Floating Leader
Presentation. Dry fly fishing is all about delivering your fly close to your target in a delicate and natural manner. Airflo’s Polyleader+ Trout line of floating polyleaders have unique taper profiles designed to help with superior energy transfer resulting in more accurate casts. These leaders are coated in a super supple polyurethane coating for improved turnover and durability. The Polyleader “Plus” leaders also come with a factory installed tippet ring which helps to further extend the life of the leader. Adding 3-8’ of your desired tippet to the Airflo Polyleader+ Trout will have you delivering dry flies to tight pockets with ease.
The Airflo Polyleader+ Trout are available in 6 ½’ and 8 ½’ options and I have found the shorter version to be particularly useful in small stream scenarios where the casting room is limited. Like all Airflo polyleaders, the floating Airflo Polyleader+ Trout leaders have color coded welded loops for easy identification. Be sure to try both lengths in different scenarios and you won’t be disappointed.
Flylords Sunshirt
It’s important to stay protected from the sun while you’re out on the water. If you’ve been looking for a hooded sunshirt to protect you on warm spring and summer outings, look no further than the Flylords Sunshirt.
This shirt features SPF30 protection without any external chemical treatments. Made with our friends at Recover, each garment is 100% recycled out of plastic bottles. This shirt is the perfect companion for spring and summer dry fly fishing.
No More Nymphing
If you’re like me and ready to set your nymph rods aside to take advantage of spring’s best dry fly fishing, the gear above will suit you well. Presentation is key and while there’s no substitute for proper dry fly fishing techniques and methods, this gear will certainly help you along the way.
Article by Evan Garda, he is on the Content Team here at Fly Lords. He can be found chasing trout throughout the west with his trusty fly rod. Check out his adventures at @evangarda.
