The evolution of fly fishing.......

The standard size fly rod for trout for the Greatest Generation before and after World War 2 was a 7 weight .

In my generation, the Baby Boomers, the 6 weight fiberglass was the trout size fly rod.

With the onset of Graphite the 5 weight was the standard size for trout.


Today, 9 foot #5 weight in 4 pieces is the top selling fly rod, period.


Lengths in cane / split bamboo fly rods for trout sizes was 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 foot in 7 weight.

Today the top selling cane rods are 7 1/2 foot #4 line in 2 piece.


In fiberglass it was about the same, 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 in 6 weight.

With Graphite they were finally able to make a 9 foot fly rod in trout sizes like a 5 weight.

In the later generations of Graphite they were able to actually build trout rods in 10 foot lengths.


Fly lines have improved with specialty lines for many different situations.

Some think this is too confusing but people in big fly shops with a travel agency deal with them daily.


Fly reels have improved but that has not been all that important for trout.


Waders have really improved with the onset of breathables.

When they first talked about them we couldn't stop laughing.

This has made raincoats so much better too.

Simms with Gore-Tex has dominated this market place.


.

Hi Bill- I just wrote about this in the current CA Fly Fisher magazine. I think some of the most important toys (tools) in the recent evolution of fly fishing are the small things. Tippet and leader construction over the past 20 years is nothing short of miraculous if sometimes ridiculous. I used to tie all of my leaders, but today's pretapered leaders are unbeatable. Amazing turn over and delicacy yet strong enough to lassoo a mule. That said, tippets in .5x increments and spools costing $50.00??? C'mon. Hooks are another modern miracle. Even 89 cent flies at Walmart are tied on hooks that blow away anything only dreamed of 20 years ago. If genetic hackle could be improved any more, I'm not sure that I would know what to ask for except down to earth prices. You mention breathable waders, but just as important are the designs. Radial cut fabric with heat welded seams, zippers, triple darts on the knees, crotch gussets, and form fitting neoprene feet as comfortable as slippers. Most people don't notice these incremental advances that make a day on the water so much more sleazy and nice.

Thanks Ralph......

Really good stuff....

We have such wonderful equipment now.......even the cheapest fly rods are so good.

Yes, hooks and leaders are so much better now.

.

What about the technology, like this here interweb that we are reading this on? The updates, stream flows, videos available. How do I tie that fly? What am doing wrong on my snake roll? What’s the best deal on a bonefish trip? What is the latest threat to a great fishery? It’s amazing what is available now, instantly, in the comfort of your own home. I’d like to see a little less “here’s where they are biting” and maybe a video or two on stream etiquette, but that’s just me.

To me, this is where the biggest change in the sport has come in the 40+ years that I’ve been standing in a river waving a stick.

Somewhere I have an old book about fly fishing that talks about instruction and equipment. I don't remember what year it was from, but it talks about the best modern fishing boots and waders. The boots were Converse, and the waders they recommended were Abercrombie and Fitch. Evidently those companies took different directions sometime after the book was published...

My first wading shoes were high top tennis shoes with indoor-outdoor carpet glued to the soles, I used an 8 foot fiberglass rod (still have it), Pflueger reel, double taper fly line, and tied my own leaders. No matter the technical advancements, I fished more often and caught more fish back then.

I remember my Dad was not sold on neoprenes and instructed me that Seal-Dri Latex waders were the only way to go. Even after they became scarce.

Although a very simple piece of equipment, the strike indicator has made a significant impact on flyfishing. I began flyfishing in the early 70's. As a novice angler in the mid-70's, I can distinctly remember sitting on the bank of Silver Creek and asking myself how to get my nymphs down deep. It was obvious to me my flies were not getting down to the level of the fish but I didn't know how to accomplish this. A few years later when I had begun using strike indicators, my question was answered. Using a strike indicator I could control the depth of the fly and with good mends, I could get a natural drift. From the exact same spot where I had had the original question, over the next several years I was able to land two 22-inch browns, a 20-inch brown and a 19-inch rainbow. I credit all of these fish to my use of strike indicators.