Essential Accessories To Buy For Fly Fishing

For many fly fishing enthusiasts, gearing up for their pastime of choice can be just as thrilling as standing thigh-deep in a quiet river and hoping to land the big one. When it comes to outfitting yourself for your next fishing trip, you should be thinking beyond hip waders and a fishing vest. There are a number of different accessories that can make your time on the water easier — and it's impossible to deny that you'll feel like a professional with these items on your body, too. Here are some valuable accessories to make sure that you pick up during your next fly fishing shopping trip.

Fly Patch

When you decide to change flies, the last thing you want to do is place a wet fly in its airtight storage container, as it could rot and get damaged. You'll need to allow the fly to air dry, and the best way to do so is with the help of a fly patch. These fly patches are commonly made from natural or synthetic fur and have a leather backing. You pin one or more of these patches to your vest, and then you can bury each wet fly's hook in the fur, where it will stay to dry until you're ready to put it away. The thickness of the fur prevents you from getting poked by the hook.

Retractable Nipper

Retractable nipper tools have all sorts of creative names, but this essential accessory is essentially a pair of small clippers — fairly reminiscent of nail clippers — that are attached to a retractable cord with a circular housing. You clip or pin the housing to the front of your vest and, when you need to snip a piece of line or perform another similar task, you can pull the nippers away from your body, make the snip and then let them retract back into place. This is ideal because the cord will prevent you from mistakenly dropping the tool in the water.

Fly Floatant

Dry flies need to sit on top of the water to be effective, and they rely on regular applications of fly floatant — a solution that is brushed on — to keep from getting waterlogged. Instead of having to perform this task between fishing trips, buy a bottle of fly floatant that has a sheath that can be clipped to your fishing vest. This way, you'll be able to apply the solution, let it dry and then use the fly.

Check out a company like Latitudes Outfitting Company to find these fly fishing accessories.