Fly Fishing

Bob Bastian asked:


Salt water fly fishing has grown in popularity over the past half century as many fisherman experience the thrill and excitement of the sport. Some choose to don their waders and fish from the shoreline, some prefer to use a small boat as they explore shallow fishing areas, and still others opt for the adventure of deep sea fly fishing. Nearly three quarters of the earth is covered with salt water, giving those who enjoy salt water fly fishing an unlimited number of places to fish.

Understanding the flow of the tides is essential for any salt water fly fisherman. Tides affect the water’s temperature and its clarity two of the factors that have an effect on the movement of the fish in the area. If you are fly fishing near an inland bay or a lagoon, the tides will play a major role in choosing the best area f to fish. For example, if the body of water is tide-drained through a narrow creek, fish will be feeding on the smaller fish that have been swept through it. The best place to fish is down side of the mouth of the creek.

On both the Atlantic and Pacific coats the tide rises and falls twice within a twenty-four-hour period. In the Gulf of Mexico, there are some places where the tide rises only once a day. There are thousands of miles of coastline in the United States which offer an almost unlimited number of locations for fly fishing.

Most salt water fly fishing is done in relatively shallow waters, or very close to the shore. This is called inshore fishing, and includes fly fishing done from the shore or from a small boat in shallow waters. Many varieties of fish can be taken while inshore fishing including striped bass, channel bass, bluefish, bonefish, flounder, bonito, barracuda, rockfish, cobia, halibut, jack crevalle, jewfish, ladyfish, mackerel, pollack, pompano, shark, snapper, snook, rooster fish, tarpon, and weakfish.

Deep water fly fishing can be extremely exciting and challenging to a salt water fly fisherman. This type of fishing is done in water more than twelve feet deep from a boat that can range in size from a ten foot skiff to a 50 foot oceangoing vessel. Deep water fly fishing is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to fish.

Deep water fish sought by fly fishermen are roughly divided into to categories, roamers and homebodies. Roamers are mostly pelagic and move great distances in a short time. Some of the varieties of roamers that can be caught while fly fishing include albacore, dolphin, marlin, wahoo, sailfish, yellowtail, and tuna. Homebodies sometimes appear in schools, but it is not unusual to find a solitary one. Homebodies include African pompano, Great barracuda, rockfish, grouper, amerjack, and snapper. These are only a few of the many vanities that are available to fly fishermen that fish the deep ocean waters.

Whether you decide to fish inshore or deep sea, slat water fly fishing will provide an exciting, challenging and memorable experience.



Krystal

MIKE SELVON asked:


Fly fishing is a very old form of fishing and requires finesse and accuracy to catch fish, although fly fishing in no way limits you to catching small fish. It is possible to catch nearly any type of fish by fly fishing, but the majority of anglers use flies for salmon and trout fishing.

The best that historians can tell, the first record 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.

Fly fishing rods are typically longer than a normal fishing rod and very light. The line is heavier than you might expect, and the weight aids in casting. For the most part, the reel is a line holder and does not spool line out when you cast, as with many other rod and reel combinations.

When fly fishing, the angler releases a portion of line and essentially whips it back and forth, trying to place the fly in front of a fish to entice it 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 their 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.

The sport of trout fishing and fly fishing in general has a reputation of being hard on the wallet, but many sports stores offer fishing gear for beginners at a reasonable price. While beginner gear will eventually need to be exchanged as the level of skill of the angler increases, choosing low cost equipment to start means the fisherman can save for upgrades.



Alyson

tyrell asked:


The promblem is i have no idea where to start the planning or where to go to gather info, anybody know anything?

Sara

Steve W Sharpe asked:


The term “fly fishing gear” can be used to refer to a lot of parts of your fly fishing supplies. In this article, we’ll discuss various piece of fly fishing gear that are important to have on hand. You already know you need a rod and reel, but there’s so much more involved in your fly fishing gear.

Of course, you’ll need to have a variety of flies to use as bait for the fish. Flies are meant to mimic the look and movement of a fish’s natural food source. Some fish prefer different flies, and when you use what they are used to eating, your chances are better of landing a bite. Keep several different types of flies close at hand so you can choose the right fly for the specific fish you are angling for.

You will also need to have several different weights of lines so you can switch them out if you find yourself in waters with larger fish. Of course, your fly rod has a lot to do with what line to use, but if you have an 8 nwt rod and are finding some 10 pound fish, go ahead and switch to a 10 nwt line to increase your chances of winning a fight with that prize-winning trout.

Part of your fly fishing gear includes what you wear while fishing. You’ll need to have a good pair of waders so you can keep dry while going after your fish. Pick a pair of waders that will meet your fishing situation. Chest high waders are usually a good choice because they allow you to wade in all depths of water.

You will also need a fishing vest with lots of pockets that will hold your flies, line, and other pieces of gear. The pockets should fasten with Velcro so that you have easy access to what you need. You don’t want to be on the water and realize you need a different fly only to miss out on a passing school of fish because you were fumbling with your pockets.

A good pair of fishing pliers is almost a necessity. Many rivers and streams are exclusively catch and release water. That means that once you catch the fish, you need to let it go. This helps propagate the population and promote healthy fishing at all times. You will want an easy way to get the hook out of the fish’s mouth without causing harm to its body. Fishing pliers are designed to do just that.

Finally, your fly fishing gear should include a waterproof camera. If you are lucky enough to land a whopper, you’ll want to document it as part of your prize!

When you are amassing your fly fishing gear, things can eventually get out of hand. Many fly fishermen have an abundance of gear with the possibility that they might need something specific in a certain situation. That’s just fine, but the essentials that are listed above are a start!



Gregory

alkric asked:


I’ve been fishing on a normal rod with line and sinkers and what not. I just wanted to read the experiences of people who’ve been fishing on this type of set up compared to those of fly fishing. I was pondering on the issue of starting up fly fishing myself.

Julia

David Kensington asked:


Fly fishing is a specific type of fishing and therefore requires a specific type of tackle. But to those who are new to fishing may ask “what is it?” and what is the difference between them? The general idea of the difference is that different fish can be caught because of the different tools used. The most common associated fish caught with fly fishing tackles is trout and salmon, however pike, bass and carp are being caught as well. This article will help you understand what fly fishing is and the different attributes involved.

The basic apparatus in fly fishing is the fly rod, fly line and artificial fly line and fly reel. Each part of the tackle is vital in its own way in catching fish. The fly rod is used to cast the fly line. Depending on the type of fish caught and the environment being fished the lengths will vary between 7 to 10 feet. Normally the fly rod will be made from fibreglass and graphite and in some cases bamboo. By using different materials, the rods are lighter, heavier, stiff or bendy. Again fly rods are made from materials that suit the intended purpose.

The fly line part of the fly fishing tackle is a plastic coated line that can be found in many different floating and sinking styles in a variety of thicknesses. They range from colour to colour in many cases are bright in order to attract the prey intended to be caught.

A major part to fly fishing tackle is the artificial flies. They are made by tying hair, feathers, fur and other natural and synthetic materials onto a hook. In the past natural flies were used however, in today’s fishing tackle synthetics are proven to be much more popular. Depending on the type of fishing being caught and the environment in which you fish different flies are needed. Artificial flies range from bright vibrant colours in order to stand out, or darker colours to match the environment.

The fly reel is an important attribute when one looks at fly fishing tackle. The reel is used to hold the fly fishing line. The reel is the fundamental attribute when one considers fly fishing. Depending on the fish caught depends entirely on the reel used. For bigger fish the reel becomes more of a necessity where gears and thicker line is needed. Whist for smaller fish a manual reel can be used.

So far you can now see the apparatus needed to carry out and as you can see if will add up to a small investment. This is why shopping online for your fly fishing tackle will financially better. I have found many websites that offer a wider selection at a lower price when compared to high street stores.

From this short article it is clear to see that fly fishing tackle consists of a fly rod, fly line and artificial flies and finally a fly reel. They are all designed and work in cohesion to catch certain fish you will not be able to with a normal rod, which is why fly fishing has that edge you cannot get in normal fishing circumstances.



Tristen

brynhild84 asked:


In a book I was reading, which is set in Scotland, they were poking out the eyes of the flys they were using

Regan

Butterfly Moon asked:


My hubby loves to fly fish and wants to plan an over seas trip somewhere to fish. I want to be able to relax an enjoy the sites. Any good thoughts on where we can both get what we want?

Alfredo

Steven Magill asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Steven Magill

When most people think of fly fishing, they think of the movie A River Runs Through It. They picture standing on the banks of a beautiful river (or possibly standing in the middle of it) and whipping a fishing pole back and forth as an amazingly long line flings back and forth with the whip of the pole. To be sure, to watch fly fisherpeople (or anglers as the people who fly fish are called) can be very relaxing. Imagine how soothing and peaceful it must be to actually be out there doing the fishing. Of course that isn’t to say that there aren’t a few fly fishing secrets to help you have a successful fishing trip.

To the non-trained eye, fly fishing doesn’t look like that big of a deal, but there is a gentle and subtle art to it. Like with most things, fly fishing relies on gear, technique and skill to result in a successful catch. Of course, the fly fishing secrets vary depending on where you are going fly fishing and what you hope to catch.

The first thing you will want to think about is your gear. If you are fishing for trout (which is the fish of choice for most anglers), you will want to use the lightest fly rod possible. This fly rod should have a fly reel with, at the most, four pound test monofilament in its reel. If the line is any heavier, the trout will see it and recognize that it is not a natural part of their world.

The best bait that you can use is a still living worm. That probably isn’t what you want to hear after spending all sorts of money on different types of line, lure and fancy kinds of bait. Still, simple and natural is always best. The best way to use live worms is to attach them to a set of gang hooks that have been pre-tied.

Believe it or not, what you are wearing can also have an impact on the success of your fly fishing trip. Because the trout have such fantastic eyesight, you will want to do everything you can to blend into the background of the fishing location you have chosen. Bland colors that match the naturally occurring colors are the best bet. You don’t have to spend a bunch of money on camouflage, but you also don’t want to wear bright red pants in a dark green river.

These are just a few simple fly fishing secrets to keep in mind as you set out on your fly fishing expedition.

The act of fly fishing is at least two millennia old, and while it didn’t become popular until the nineteenth century, the last couple hundred years has been wrought with fly fishing developments. As the gear has improved, the angler’s basic trials and errors have resulted in some wonderful fly fishing secrets. A simple search on the internet will yield far more than the few we’ve shared with you here.



Dakota

runninghottie1500 asked:


I’m a 17 year old girl and I want to learn how to fly fish. How much should I spend on equipment (a pole, string, leads, flies, etc.) Would it be better to buy one of those inexpensive, complete kits that come with everything needed to start?

Dominic