Fly anglers don’t actually need many accessories. Here’s the gear that matters

THE MAYBES

These items are helpful, depending on where you’re fishing, how long you expect to be on the water, and whether you tend to change techniques during the day.

WEIGHT Tiny splitshot, putty-type mouldable weights or a couple of sinking leaders will get your fly down to the fish.

LEADER ORGANIZER Among the few gadgets I use are frame or lanyard arrangements to keep my spools of mono handy, and all in one place.

PACK OR BAG If your pockets can’t accommodate your gear, a comfortable option is a waist, shoulder or sling pack, which can also carry a raincoat and water bottle. Purpose-built fly bags are wonderful, but regular ones work just fine.

WADING STAFF If you’re at all unsteady on your pins, a staff helps you traverse slippery, uneven rock, and probe the streambed. After 30 years of pretty regularly stumbling into holes, I got a light, collapsible staff, something I should have done much sooner. Just don’t tell anyone it’s a standard hiking pole, and not a branded fly-fishing one.

THE FRILLS

These items are so strongly identified with fly angling, it’s easy to assume they’re must-haves. I consider myself a pretty serious fly fisherman, however, and did without them for decades.

CHEST WADERS I got my first set of stocking-foot chest waders and wading boots in 2021. Before that, I occasionally borrowed waders, but most of the time I got by easily with a $50 set of hip boots. If you mostly fish smaller rivers, there’s a good chance you can do the same. At the very least, don’t drop a grand on wading gear until you’re experienced enough to know what you need.

LANDING NET I like landing my catch, but not enough to lug around a net all day—then fumble the fish anyway while trying to get the net out.

VEST Setting aside fashion concerns, vests are ill-suited to carry anything bigger than a fly box. They can also hamper casting, especially if your upper body is already bulky. Plus, the tabs and rings tend to grab your fly line. I like gear behind my back, where it’s handy, but out of the way. Sizing is also a problem. A vest that comfortably fits over a shirt will be too small when you put on a fleece or raincoat, and vice versa.

PREMIUM RODS & REELS Today’s affordable fly rods and reels perform more than well enough for 90 per cent of the fly fishing you’re likely to encounter in this country. (Here I’m talking about gear from legit fly brands, not sketchy Amazon-only sellers.) And moving up a step or two, the mid-tier tackle I mostly use these days gives away nothing to gear that costs three times as much. It’s just not as pretty. If you’re prepared to spend money to become a better fly angler, use it take some casting lessons and go fishing. Experience always trumps tackle.