Fishing Field Fork
My Gear: What’s In My Bag
Field Tested & Current for the 2026 Season | Last Updated: June 2026"
Welcome to my personal gear guide. I don’t believe in pristine kit just to look good on social media; the equipment on this page is the exact gear I pack into the camper van or straped to the motorbike across the UK. Every single item here has been used a lot, thoroughly tested, and proven to work when on an adventure. I bought it all with my own money, and if it's made it onto this list, it means I completely trust it when I'm out on the water or living by the campfire."
The Fishing Setup: My Go-To Fly Rods & Kits
Airflo Delta Classic 2 Trout Fly Rod 9ft6 Rating 6/7
Why it’s in my pack: This is the ultimate working-man’s powerhouse for big waters. While a short #4/5 weight is great for creeping up on tiny Welsh trout streams, this 9ft 6in beast is what I grab when I’m tackling large windswept lochs, reservoirs, or casting from a drifting boat.
With a #6/7 AFTM rating, this legendary UK blank packs some serious muscle. It punches massive lines directly into a brutal headwind, effortlessly handles heavy sinking lines, and has more than enough backbone to tame hard-fighting reservoir rainbows or wild sea trout.At 9ft 6in, it gives you that vital bit of extra leverage and reach over the bankside reeds, allowing you to control your drift beautifully and hang your flies perfectly at the very end of a retrieve. For a rod that punches way above its price tag, it is tough, reliable, and utterly tireless on the water.
Where to find it: You can track these down at John Norris, Airflo, Fallows and Angling Active. They usually sit around the £80 to £100 mark, making it hands-down one of the best value, hard-working rods on the British market.
Orvis Clearwater Trout Fly Rod 9ft AFTM Rating 5
While the Airflo is my big-water powerhouse for battling brutal headwinds, this #5 weight Orvis Clearwater is my absolute weapon of choice for finesse and versatility. It is an incredibly smooth, medium-fast action rod that gives you delicate presentation on smaller rivers and wild trout streams, without losing the backbone needed to punch a line when the breeze picks up. It’s light in the hand and remarkably accurate.
Where to find it: You can pick these up from major premium dealers like Farlows, Glasgow Angling Centre, John Norris, Sportfish, or directly from Orvis. It comes with their legendary 25-year guarantee, making it one of the best long-term investments any hard-working angler can make. Priced around £269
Fly Lines: What’s On My Reels?
Sunray Kevlar NoKnot Back Cast Floating Line (#7)
Why it’s in my pack: This line is an absolute game-changer for big water and heavy wind. Unlike traditional fly lines that use a stretchy braided nylon core, Sunray built this with a Kevlar core. This means it has zero stretch.
The "Back Cast" taper design is incredibly clever. It puts the weight exactly where you need it to load the rod quickly with minimal false casting, making it the perfect partner for a powerful #7 weight rod when you're punching into a stiff breeze on a lake or reservoir. Plus, the integrated "NoKnot" system means your leader transitions flawlessly into the fly line without bulky knots catching in the rod guides. It's high-tech, incredibly durable, and cuts through the air like a knife with huge distances and soft presentation.
Where to find it: You can buy this directly from Sunray Fly Fish online. It’s a premium British brand that designs gear specifically to solve the headaches of traditional angling kits. Price around £67.98 they do alot offers so keep checking.
Ive use all of Sunrays fly lines over the years from fast sinking to slow sinking.The basic Proline in red is also worth looking at if you want a cheaper long distance floating line.
Other fly fishing lines worth considering are the Rio Elite Range, Scientific Angers Range, Hydros Orvis, Airflo DI3 range and Maxcatch UK direct. From Sportfish, John Norris, Glasgow Angling, Orvis and Airflo.
Fly Reels: What's Backing My Lines?
Orvis Battenkill Large Arbor III Gold Fly Reel
Why it's in my pack: A top-tier rod is absolutely useless without a reliable reel to match, and this Orvis Battenkill Large Arbor III is a proper bit of kit. Because this is the size III model built for 6/7 weight lines, it pairs up flawlessly with my heavier rods for tackling big, open waters and reservoir work. The large arbor design is brilliant on the bank—it retrieves line incredibly fast and stops heavy fly lines from coiling up like a slinky. It features a rock-solid, ultra-smooth disc drag system that easily handles the sudden, hard runs of hard-fighting trout without any stuttering. Machined from high-grade alloy, it balances the heavy setup beautifully and can take the inevitable knocks and drops against slippery river rocks while continuing to spin flawlessly. This model was produced in the year 2000 and i am still using it today vintage Orvis.
Where to find it: While this specific gold generation is a highly sought-after classic now, you can find the modern equivalents at premium UK shops like, Farlows, Sportfish or directly through Orvis UK.
Airflo V2 Fly Fishing Reel
Why it's in my pack: First launched around 2015/2016 and officially discontinued around 2021/2022 to make way for the V3, the legendary Airflo V2 remains a benchmark for bulletproof reliability on the British bankside. The fact that this reel is still a permanent fixture in my kit setup for the 2026 season tells you everything you need to know about its build quality—it is an absolute tank.
Machined from aerospace-grade aluminium, it features a striking V-cut spool design that drastically increases your backing capacity, making it the ideal choice for running heavy-density sinking lines on big stillwaters and reservoirs. The real selling point is the ultra-smooth, fully sealed waterproof drag cartridge. It keeps grit, sand, and saltwater completely locked out, providing rock-solid stopping power to halt hard-running trout even after years of hard wear and abuse.
Where to find it: Because it is a discontinued classic, you can regularly snap these up for a bargain on the UK used market via eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or the Fly Fishing Forum classifieds.
Airflo V3 Fly Fishing Reel
The Modern Alternative: While the classic V2 remains my personal weapon of choice, the reality is that finding one brand new on British soil is near impossible these days. If you are looking for a brand-new, current-generation reel with the same dependable pedigree, the Airflo V3 is the logical next step and a superb option for your kit bag.
Introduced to replace the older model, the V3 takes the rugged reliability of the V2 and wraps it in a sleeker, lighter design. It shifts to a skeletonised Super-Large Arbour (SLA) spool, which gives you incredibly fast line retrieval and helps stop your fly line from coiling into annoying pig-tails on the bank. It also features an upgraded, micro-adjustable sealed drag system. It is silky smooth when you need to protect light tippets against wild, erratic trout, but still packs plenty of stopping power when a big reservoir rainbow decides to head for the horizon.
If you want a modern, high-spec workhorse straight out of the box, the V3 is a stellar alternative.
Where to find it: As Airflo’s current flagship mid-tier reel, you can find the V3 readily available across premier UK stockists like Angling Active, Garry Evans, Glasgow Angling Centre or online via Airflo Fishing. Price around £160
