Getting started
Kit, knots, licences and close seasons.
Fly Fishing for Beginners
The rod, the line, four knots, a starter fly box and the first water to try — everything to know before day one, and the cast to practise at home first.
9 ft #5 and a floating line. Four knots. A small stocked water first. Practise the cast at home.
Fly Rods, Lines and Leaders Explained
What the numbers mean, how to match rod to line to leader, what tippet to use, and three sensible starter outfits for the water you will actually fish.
9 ft #5 all-rounder, #6 for stillwater. The rod and line number must match. Tippet: hook size ÷ 3.
Fly Fishing Knots for Beginners
The four knots that cover a first season — arbor, loop to loop, surgeon's and improved clinch — step by step, with a diagram for every stage.
Arbor to the reel. Loop to loop for line and leader. Surgeon's for tippet. Improved clinch for the fly.
Fishing Licences and Close Seasons
Who needs a rod licence, why you need the owner's permission as well, and how close seasons work for trout, salmon and coarse fish across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Licence, permission and season are three separate things. Check all three for the water you fish.