All worksheets / Fly Fishing
Edition 2026Active Merit Badge
Fly Fishing
Official Requirements & Fillable Workbook · 2026 Edition
Fly Fishing blends precision casting, aquatic entomology, fly tying artistry, and river conservation. You will learn cold-water safety and hook extraction, balance a fly rod-line-leader outfit, tie 5 essential rigging knots (arbor, nail, loop-to-loop, surgeon's, improved clinch), tie and fish with artificial flies (dry, wet, nymph, streamer, popper, saltwater), demonstrate 30-foot overhead and roll casts, match the hatch, practice Leave No Trace catch-and-release ethics, review local game regulations, catch a wild fish on a fly, and clean and cook a fish.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Fly Gear Anatomy & Leader Rigging
- Artificial Fly Tying & Aquatic Hatches
- Roll & Overhead Casting Techniques
- Stream Reading, Safety & Conservation
8Printable Pages
11Requirements
2024Reqs Revised
What is on the worksheet: Fly Fishing Requirements
Every requirement for the Fly Fishing merit badge, word for word as published, with room to write under each one on the printed worksheet.
1Fly Fishing Hazards, First Aid, and Hook Removal
Do the following:
- a Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in fly-fishing activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards. Name and explain five safety practices you should always follow while fly-fishing.
- b Discuss the prevention of and treatment for the following health concerns that could occur while fly-fishing: cuts and scratches, puncture wounds, insect bites, hypothermia, dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and sunburn.
- c Explain how to remove a hook that has lodged in someone's arm.
2Balanced Fly Fishing Outfit and Line Types
Demonstrate how to match a fly rod, line, and leader to achieve a balanced system. Discuss several types of fly lines, and explain how and when each would be used. Review with your counselor how to care for this equipment.
3Fly Fishing Rigging Knots
Demonstrate how to tie proper knots to prepare a fly rod for fishing:
- a Tie backing to the arbor of a fly reel spool using an arbor knot.
- b Tie backing to the fly line using a nail (tube) knot.
- c Attach a leader to the fly line using a nail (tube) knot or a loop-to-loop connection.
- d Add a tippet to a leader using a surgeon's knot or a loop-to-loop connection.
- e Tie a fly onto the terminal end of the leader using an improved clinch knot.
4Fly Types, Imitations, and Fly Tying
Explain how and when each of the following types of flies is used: dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, streamers, bass bugs, poppers, and saltwater flies. Tell what each one imitates. Tie at least two types of the flies mentioned in this requirement.
5Casting Demonstration (30 Feet)
Demonstrate the ability to cast a fly 30 feet consistently and accurately using both overhead and roll cast techniques.
6Matching the Hatch
Go to a suitable fishing location and observe what fish may be eating both above and beneath the water's surface. Explain the importance of matching the hatch.
7Leave No Trace and Catch-and-Release
Do the following:
- a Explain the importance of practicing Leave No Trace Seven Principles and the Outdoor Code. Discuss the positive effects of the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and the Outdoor Code on fly-fishing resources.
- b Discuss the meaning and importance of catch and release. Describe how to properly release a fish safely to the water.
8Game Fishing Regulations
Obtain and review a copy of the regulations affecting game fishing where you live or where you plan to fish. Explain why they were adopted and what is accomplished by following them.
9Angler Sportsmanship and Ethics
Explain what good outdoor sportsmanlike behavior is and how it relates to anglers. Tell how the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and the Outdoor Code relate to a fishing sports enthusiast, including the aspects of littering, trespassing, courteous behavior, and obeying fishing regulations.
10Catch a Fish on a Fly
Catch one fish on a fly and identify it.
11Clean and Cook a Fish
If regulations and health concerns permit, clean and cook a fish you have caught. If you are unable to catch a fish for eating, acquire a fish, clean the fish you acquired, and cook the fish you acquired. Note: It is not required that you eat the fish.
Two dates, two different things
Requirements Revision vs. Worksheet Date
Scouting America last revised the Fly Fishing requirements in 2024. That is the badge, not this sheet — an older year does not mean the worksheet is out of date.
Verbatim Fidelity & Verification
This worksheet was checked against https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/fly-fishing/ in Aug 2026 and reproduces the requirements word for word. Both dates are printed on the sheet, so a copy in a binder can always be placed in time.
Requirement text is © Scouting America, reproduced verbatim. The worksheet layout and design are original to this project.
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