(VIDEO) Fly vs Gear — The Real Differences Between Fly Fishing and Gear Fishing

by Domenick Swentosky | Apr 2, 2026 | 1 comment

** NOTE** Video Appears Below.

Fly fishing or gear fishing? What are the strengths and weaknesses of both systems? This video is about what is possible and what is impossible. It is not about what is better. This is an attempt to put a real world perspective on some misunderstandings and common claims.

When I say gear fishing, I mean spinning gear or a baitcaster. And when I say fly fishing, that’s honestly not so clear, because it’s an ongoing debate. What is fly fishing? I don’t care. More plainly, that’s not what this video is about, but by breaking down the actual differences between the systems, we have a better understanding of what fly fishing is.

I’ve used both of these tools my whole life. And that’s what they are — they’re just tools. Of course, I use the fly rod a lot more than a gear rod, but that’s mostly because I fish for trout. Why that matters is also covered in this video.

Distance and Weight

These are the differentiators. A gear approach carries much more distance and greater weight. A fly rod presents lighter weights with greater ease, but the range is more limited.

A gear system requires a minimum amount of weight to use the system, while a fly rod can present weightless offerings.

One of the biggest obstacles to making this comparison is the difference in units of measure. While the gear world relates to weight most commonly in ounces and fractions of an ounce, the fly world choose grains, grams or sometimes nothing. Fly anglers often have no idea what weight they are actually fishing.

TIMELINE

0:00 Intro
0:20 Groundwork – Fly vs Gear
1:36 Distance 3:45 Weight
4:32 What and How Trout Eat
5:41 Where is the Weight?
6:43 How Much Does the Fly Line Weigh?
7:42 The Weight Chart
9:48 Tajima
10:00 A Summary
10:57 Dry Fly On a Spinning Rod?
12:12 Size 14 Pheasant Tail Tests
13:30 #10 Stonefly on Tests
15:32 Mono Rig Casting Demo
16:34 Wait . . . What is Fly Fishing?
17:14 Size 16 France Fly Test
18:10 Some Thoughts On This
18:45 Inline Spinner Tests
20:48 Rapala Tests
23:26 Half Pint Tests
25:42 Heavy Streamer Tests
27:58 Streamers on a Spinning Rod
28:30 The Point

And here’s the video . . .

(Please select 4K or 1080p for best video quality)

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Fish hard, friends.

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Enjoy the day.
Domenick Swentosky
T R O U T B I T T E N
domenick@troutbitten.com

Thank you all, for a wonderful 2025 season! Book now to join me in 2026.

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Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

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1 Comment

Pecos on April 4, 2026 at 7:32 pm
So to weigh things to understand them, which was the major emphasis here, what brand of weigh scale do you recommend, and to what accuracy does it weigh things ??
Reply

(VIDEO) Fly vs Gear — The Real Differences Between Fly Fishing and Gear Fishing

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