Fly Fishing 101

Fly fishing is an ancient angling method in whichocean environment. In order to put your line way
artificial flies are tied onto a hook to imitatebeyond the shadow of the space you are
naturally occurring food. These artificial flies areoccupying you need to cast your line very far
made out of materials such as fur and feather.away. In a case like this, longer casts will be
Rods are generally light while the lines are heavyneeded. Saltwater fly fishing rods are generally
in weight, providing the proper weight andlonger than their freshwater brothers. Shorter
momentum for casting. Because of the ease ofcasts are in turn made with shorter rods. These
learning, fly fishing has become an enjoyable pastrods are useful for fishing in freshwater bodies of
time for many people of all ages.water such as: streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.
Fly fishing is most renowned as a method forThe type of cast used when fishing varies
catching salmon and trout, but is also known foraccording to the conditions you are fishing in. The
catching pike, panfish, bass and carp as well. Flymost common cast is the forward cast, where
fishing can also be used to catch marine speciesthe angler whisks the fly into the air, back over
such as: snook, bonefish, striped bass and redfish.the shoulder until the line is nearly straight, then
There are also reports of fly fishermanforward, using primarily the forearm. The
expectantly catching species such as bream, ruddobjective of this motion is to "load" the rod tip
and chub while intending to catch trout. For thewith stored energy, then transmit that energy to
fisherman who is hoping to catch a variety ofthe line, resulting in the fly line being cast for an
tasty species, fly fishing may be the best method.appreciable distance. Casting without landing the fly
If you are new to the sport of fly fishing, youon the water is known as 'false casting', and may
may want to study up on the best ways tobe used to pay out line, to dry a soaked fly, or
enjoy this exciting activity. Luckily there are manyto reposition a cast. Other casts are the roll cast,
websites, television shows, and books all gearedthe single- or double-haul, the tuck cast, and the
to help obtain helpful fly fishing tips. Of course oneside- or curve-cast.
of the easiest ways to gather information is toDropping the fly onto the water and its
find a fly fishing partner who has some season flysubsequent movement on or beneath the surface
fishing experience. Many find having a mentor tois one of fly fishing's most difficult aspects
be helpful as well. It's extremely helpful to tagaccording to experts. In short, the angler is
along on a fishing trip with an experienced flyattempting to cast in such a delicate way that the
fisherman. This way it is easy to notice andline lands smoothly on the water and the fly
absorb some of the methods they employ on aappears as natural as possible - a difficult task for
regular basis. Unfortunately this is not an optionmany. At a certain point, if a fish does not strike,
for everyone so again, check your local videodepending upon the action of the fly in the wind
stores or world wide web for more information.or current, the angler picks up the line to make
When starting your fly fishing event expertsanother presentation - all the while keeping trying
agree you must first determine the environmentto keep their moves very delicate. When fly
you will be fishing in. This is important to do evenfishing it is extremely important to remember
before you begin to gather your equipment.patience and fluid line movement.
Some people prefer salt water fly fishing overOn the other hand of being patient is getting that
the other options, such as fresh water. There areso desired catch. If a fish strikes, the angler pulls
a plethora of places all over the United Statesin their fly fishing line while raising the rod tip. This
where you can go fly fishing in streams and"sets" the hook in the tasty fishs mouth. The fish
rivers, which are freshwater flowingis played either by hand, where the angler
environments. There is also the option of flycontinues to hold the fly line in one hand to control
fishing in ponds and lakes, which still providethe tension applied to the fish, or by reeling up the
flowing water movements and environments.slack in the line and then using the hand to act as
The next thing to think about before setting outa controlling drag on the reel. Some fly reels have
on your fly fishing extravaganza is the properan adjustable, mechanical drag system to control
equipment that will be needed for success.line tension during a fish's run which comes in very
Without the proper equipment you will be unablehandy to inexperienced and seasoned fly
to properly cast those flies. The proper equipmentfisherman.
consists of four parts: a fly fishing pole, line, reel,Of course, no amount of reading online can really
and of course - the fly. Experts also agree it isteach you what you need to know for a fly
important to pack extra supplies because oftenfishing extravaganza. In fact many experts agree
times a fisherman will break one or more of thethat nothing can replace professional, qualified
components needed to fly fish.instruction. Since this method is often pricey many
The next hurdle to cross is casting. Castingfeel they benefit from chartered fishing trips
methods often vary and change depending on thegeared toward beginners or by learning from
environment in which you are fishing. For instance,example of seasoned fly fisherman. Luckily many
saltwater fly fishing often forces the angler toagree that if you find an experienced fly
cast further than in freshwater by sheerfisherman, more than likely they'll love to take
necessity alone. Another example is fishing in anyou under their wing - or fishing pole in this case.