The Thrill of Fly Fishing

Fly fishing is quite an historical sport, having roots that date from centuries ago. Fly fishing requires anglers to be accurate and have a good deal of finesse, that is, if they’d like to have a fish fry tonight for dinner. The sport isn’t limited to smaller fish from creeks or shallow lakes either, though most anglers do aim to do some salmon and trout fishing with their flies and rod.

The best that historians can tell, the first record of fly fishing was in the second century AD in Mesopotamia.  Flies were tied using rooster feathers and were cast using a six foot pole with line that was about as long.  Modern day fly fishing setups are actually somewhat similar, although they have definitely progressed.

The fly fishing rods are longer and lighter than fishing rods generally used for spare time fishing. The line of a fly fishing rod is weighted to help with casting. The reel doesn’t spool line out, and anglers need to whip the portion of line back and forth to eventually release the lure. The principle is to allow the fly to land in front of a fish, encouraging the fish to strike.

There are a large variety of different flies, but most of them are very small and lightweight.  They can float, sink, or be designed to suspend a few inches beneath the surface.  More so than most types of fishing lures, flies are made to resemble the food the fish actually feed on.  The main types of flies, although there are many subgroups, are dry flies and emergers, nymphs, streamers, wet flies, saltwater flies, bass and panfish flies, and salmon and steelhead flies.  These basic types of flies can be modified for different fishing situations and color patterns and combinations are nearly endless.

One of the most popular uses of fly fishing gear is trout fishing.  Although you do not need a fly fishing setup to go trout fishing, many accomplished anglers eventually go down this road.  Fly fishing for trout works well because the tiny flies resemble the trout’s actual food source.  Trout fishing guides recommend that you look at what kinds of insects are active where you are fishing and use flies that resemble them.  The local insect population will help you determine not only the type and color of fly to use, but also whether to use a fly that will float or sink.

Fly fishing has a reputation for being very expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.  Like many other activities, there is gear that is designed with the beginner in mind.  This type of fly fishing gear will be affordable, but definitely something that can be upgraded later.  With some research, you should be able to find some fly fishing gear that can fit any budget.