What is fly fishing? For most people, fishing is just fishing. Throw some bait on a line, toss it in the water and wait for a nibble, but for fly fishing enthusiasts, it's so much more. An ancient angling method, fly fishing is a method that was initially developed primarily for catching trout and salmon. Currently, however, it is also used to catch pike, carp, bass and other species.
Fly fishing uses an artificial fly as bait, which is tied to a hook with the use of thread, feathers, fur and other similar materials. The idea is to create an illusion that will match a natural vision of food to attract the fish. Fly rods, which are used for fly fishing, are light in weight, but long in their design. The lines, themselves, are somewhat heavy in order to provide the casting weight. The lines may be made to either float or sink and are typically matched to the fly rod according to the weight. The fly itself will be very lightweight and is attached to the line.
So, what is the difference between fly fishing and regular fishing? Realistically, it is more than just the bait, right? Right. The main difference in fly fishing and regular casting is that with casting, you use the weight of the bait to throw out the line, while fly fishing uses a weightless bait and a weighted line that directs the actual placement.
Fly fishing is commonly done in two different forms, which consists of either dry or wet. Dry flies are coated to sit atop the water's surface, while wet flies are placed beneath the water's surface in an attempt to lure fish.
Fly fishing rods and accessories can be commonly found at any bait shop, retail store's fishing department or online specialty store. There are a number of online fly fishing experts that are happy to sell their recommended products. The internet may, in fact, hold the greatest selection of fly fishing gear as customers are granted access to a world of businesses and a haven of products to feed their fly fishing appetite.
The art of fly fishing is best enjoyed in the company of friends. A quiet afternoon on the water, enjoying nature and competing for the greatest catch is all apart of the fun related to fly fishing. There are many areas that are accommodating to fly fishing, including the western United States and parts of Canada.
No one really knows when fly fishing first began. It is believed that it existed long ago in ancient times. One of the earliest written references to fly fishing was made by Claudius Aelianus. In 200 AD he wrote of people that were fishing in a river with a hand made fly. He described how they attached red wool and feathers to a hook. The rods they used and the sting attached were each about six feet long. These people were the ancient Macedonians. Throughout history from Aelianus to the present people have been writing about fly fishing, and many thousands of others have been enjoying the sport.
The Princess of Soapwell, English, was an avid fly fisherman. Her name was Dame Juliana Berners and she was a master at her sport. At the time Columbus was searching for the New World, Dame Juliana was publishing an extensive treatise on the art of fly fishing. In her treatise she described the twelve styles of fly and included extensive instructions on how to tie them. She patterns were put into categories by the month that they were used most often.
She also described the rod that was used for fly fishing during that time. It measured about 18 feet long and was very flexible, The rods were made of several different types of wood which added to their flexibility. Their lines were short, by today's standards, and were made of hand braided horse hair. The general rule of the time was that the line should not be longer then the fishing rod. The line was tied to the tip of the pole.
Many fly fishermen of today have used her patterns for the fly. They say they are just as effective today as they were more than five hundred years ago. Several of the more popular patterns include the Black Gnat, the Wooly Worm, the Stonefly and the Whirling Dun.
In the mid 1600's Isaak Walton published his book "Compleat Angler." Throughout history from then on, Izaak Walton has been considered the patron saint on angling, and of fly fishing in particular. In truth, it was actually his friend, Charles Cotton, that had contributed the portion of the book that pertained to fly fishing. The flies and rods described in this book were very similar to those described by Dame Juliana. However, the lines described were slightly different. They were still made of horsehair but were about six feet longer then those of the 1400's. The main difference was that some of the lines were tapered. It is believed that this was the first time tapered lines were described in writing.
In the early 1800's, fishing line makers began mixing silk in with the horsehair. By the time of the Civil War the first all silk lines were made. They were coated with an oily coating which made them water resistant. Horsehair lines were almost never used after that. Occasionally they were found in England up to World War II.
The first nylon line was made in 1948 and from that point forward synthetic materials have been used by most people for fly fishing. In 1952, a technology was created that made an automatically tapered line withe extreme precision.
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