Fly Fishing

Fly fishing is a method of fishing that involves essentially casting out the line itself, rather than casting the bait, which in this case is artificial flies. It can be practiced in saltwater or freshwater and can be used to catch a variety of fish, including most commonly bass, salmon and trout. Fly fishing gear is different from ordinary gear in that it requires a special type of fiber in the line (one that is lightweight but gathers resistance when spun through the air) and a longer rod than is typically used. The artificial flies used at the end of the line are hand-tied and they differ from normal bait in that they don’t sink, but rather float on the water or directly below the surface. It is important when fly fishing to make it appear as if the flies landed naturally on the water’s surface, giving reason to the practice of casting the line rather than the bait. Most artificial flies are too light to be properly cast anyway. Fly fishing gear is generally more delicate than other fishing gear, especially the bait, which are handcrafted to resemble grasshoppers, ants, beetles, dragonflies or other insects. As in most types of fishing, there are a wide variety of casts available to help you avoid casting into a tree around you.

Fly fishing involves transferring the weight and speed of your arm and back movements into the fly fishing gear, which then propels the line into a series of waves, known as loops, that circle over the fisherman’s head. An effective cast is one that is both quick and delicate, resembling the movements of an actual insect landing on the water. Hauling is a technique used in fishing to speed up the line as it leaves the spool, which involves a precisely monitored speeding of the movements of the hand that is holding the line and then an abrupt but controlled stop. Other techniques involve the forward or curved cast, the tuck cast, the single or double haul, or the roll cast. Sometimes false casting is conducted, in which the fisherman casts the line but never lands it. This can be done to dry out the lure, to reposition themselves or to pull out the line to its full length in order to respool (known as paying out the line). Spey casting is a special technique of fly fishing that requires a special Spey rod that is a very heavy rod that requires two hands to be held properly. This type of casting is ideal for very large rivers or lakes or for surf fly fishing in saltwater climates. This type of casting generally requires larger bait that can be more accurately seen in water that is typically more vivacious than traditional fishing waters.