Fly Fishing In the Desert Southwest

By Cecilia Valenzuela

Fly fishing in the desert southwest is more than just
something to do in the summer. This sport is a way of life
for some, who make this their career.

In the area considered to be the southwestern region of the
United States, you will find many avenues to try your luck
at a sport that has been around for many years.

Whether you are taking a vacation or would just like to go
out for a day fishing in one of the many desert locations,
your options are plentiful.

Fly fishing in the desert southwest is very popular and you
couldn't have picked a better region to try your skills at
an ancient sport and way of life, for many.

If you are new to the sport and wondering what you will
need for equipment, the answer is quite simple. In
essence, fly fishing is a sport wherein fisherman and
fisher women catch their prize through the use of
artificial flies that are cast out in the water in
combination of a fly rod and a fly line.

The flies are made with materials such as fur, hair, and
feathers and are then tied together, subsequently attached
to a hook with a thread.

Fly fishing can best be described as casting a line rather
than a lure, as with the other form of fishing that most
people can relate to.

Fly rods come in different shapes and sizes but the parts
of the rod are all the same.

There are three types type of string that can be used.
The smaller the number of the string, the lighter the line
will be.

Referred to as the fly line, this type is thicker and also
heavier than your normal fishing line. It is heavier
because you need something that will pull the fly along the
water.

Make sure that you know for sure that you are putting the
correct end on the fly-rod reel first. Fortunately, most
fly lines will have a tag of some sort, indicating which
end goes on the reel first.

You can always ask the sporting goods store to assist you.
They will likely be more than happy to assist you with the
assembly.

The main part of the rod, the central shaft, is commonly
known as the rod blank. This is the section where other
parts of the rod connect. Many of the rods are made out of
graphite, but other materials have been used.

You may also find people referring to the Rod blank as the
tip. You will see that there is a heavy section of the
fly-rod, commonly known as the butt. Generally, blanks are
made of graphite but there are still other materials that
can be used.

Located at the butt of the fly-rod is the reel seat. The
rings found on the seat are designed to lock the reel and
the foot in place.

Here are some tips when assembling your reel.

Step 1:

Assemble the fly-rod. Next, attach the reel. (This applies
if the the reel and the fly-rod were packaged separately.)

Step 2:

You will notice that there are sections that exist on the
rod.

Once again, this heavier section with the grip is referred
to as the butt section. The ferrule is the connection
between the male and female pieces of the rod.

Step 3:

Place the tip end into the butt end. (If you have multiple
pieces, you can start assembling at the tip end of the
fly-rod.) Align the guides. These are the metal eyelets
that the line will go through later on. Ideally, you want
to twist the tip end of the fly fishing Arizona rod and
then twist it into place.

Begin with the sections offset at an approximate 45-degree
angle.

For three-piece rods, connect the top two pieces together.
Assemble the same way as a two-piece rod.

For four-piece fly-rods, assemble both the top two as well
as the bottom two sections and then put them all together.

Be careful when assembling your rod. Do not push or pull
the pieces of your rod together by the delicate guides.

Step 4:

Make sure the connection between each section tightly fits
together. You will want to be able to take it apart
without extra effort. Do this carefully to prevent
breaking it.

Step 5:

This just might be the most important step. Unless you are
ambidextrous, you will want to make sure that you place the
reel on your dominant side.

For reference, the reel seat is the part where the reel is
attached to the rod. The foot is the area where the bar of
the reel runs across the reel.

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