Fly Fishing Guide

Some say, ‘fly fishing is a pleasure, if one gets the knots under control’. There are different components of a fly fishing equipment like the backing line, reel, fly line, braided leader, permanent mono loop and tippet, which need to be connected tying appropriate knots for optimum results.

To tie the back line with the reel, the ‘slip’ knot is used by looping the backing line around the arbour with one over hand knot around the lower line and another at the end of the backing, pulled down on the arbour.

For tying the fly to the tippet, both ‘improved clinch’ and ‘trilene’ knots are used. Among the two, ‘trilene’ is the more robust one, which is made by slipping the end of the tippet through the eye of the hook twice, with more than five wraps of the line around itself and again slipping the end of the tippet through the loop adjacent to the hook’s eye before pulling it tight.

To join two leads together, the ‘Surgeon’s loop’ is used by forming a loop with the leader ends and passing the same through the loop couple of times more, before dripping it wet and tightening the loop. The same is also used for ‘hand-tied leader’ and joining the leader to the tippet.

The ‘nail’ and the ‘albright’ knots are used for tying fly line to backing line. Among the two, the ‘albright’ knot is simpler, which is put by forming a loop with the fly line and passing the end of the ladder in it before wrapping the same around itself for more than five times and re-passing the end of the ladder through the loop and making it wet before tightening.

Apart from the above major knots, the ‘perfection loop’ is used for looping in the leader or dropper and the ‘double turle’ knot for joining fly to leader.

Thus, by knotting carefully, fly fishing can be a real pleasure.

For the fly fishers, Bass is the most common to come across in both standing and moving waters.

fly fishing for bass

It is said, ‘if you have never come across a Bass, you are not fishing much’.

The small mouth Bass are inhabitants of deep water and generally move to shallow water in the evenings. The Bass always remains under cover and swiftly comes out of it’s hiding to seize food. It is better to approach the Bass while feeding on the surface, especially the smaller ones.

For a large Bass one needs to be patience incarnate. Because of the size of the fish, one needs a lot of strength with a short leader of not more than four to six feet and heavy tippets of at least eight pounds. While waiting for a large Bass, one needs to wait endlessly with virtually no movement and casting a fly into pockets and letting it sit. The suspense of the fly looks like suspended food to the big Bass. Once the Bass catches hold, it is essential that the retrieval must be fast, since the big fish would always head towards its shelter. With the frantic movements of the Bass it is better to lean back and raise the rod tip. Stripping in line with the line hand is also essential. In any case, the fish’s head must be turned as soon as possible to prevent it from finding its shelter. If one is sure about the sharpness of the hook, then it is better to penetrate the hook deep into the jaws of the fish in the process of retrieval. Once the fish is under control, it needs to be guided to open water, away from its shelter.

Thus it requires specific skills to get hold of a Bass, without which, there might be hundreds in the water, but none in one’s basket.

Fly fishing is one of the most popular sports that so many people love to indulge in for its uniqueness as well as novelty. In the earlier days, fly fishing was used to fish for salmon and trout, those enormously popular fishes and tasty too. Nowadays, fly fishing is used to fish a host of fish, with the basic idea being having lots of fun in the sun while fishing. Fly fishing, as the name amply indicates, is fishing using artificial flies, which can be fashioned out of natural as well as synthetic materials.

When it comes to fly fishing, people most wade into the water while angling, using special fishing rods with the artificial flies at the ends of the rod. There are special fly fishing vests that are designed with the express purpose of enabling people to enjoy their fly fishing moments while ensuring that the stiff that they carry in the water may be preserved safe and dry.

The regular type of fly fishing vests are made of standard fabric and contain many pockets that can contain materials like fishing license and other stuff that one may carry while fly fishing. There are other types of vests that are chest type where the vest has pockets higher up near the chest so that when the stream is in spate or the water level if high, the materials may be dry. Waist type fly fishing vests are apt for people who fish with less stuff on their person. Yet other vests could be made of netted material, which help one remain cool and fresh even in the warm weather in summer, so that the fishing experience may be comfortable.

Fly fishing vests come in various shapes, pocket sizes and styles as well as a host of price ranges. One can select these at sport shops or fishing stores, and nowadays even online.

Saltwater fly fishing usually uses heavy tackle (due to larger fish) and also uses wet flies, which resemble baitfish, although you can also use poppers much like the ones used for fresh water bass fishing. Most people, when saltwater fly fishing are looking to catch bonefish, tuna, mahi-mahi, sailfish, tarpon, striped bass, salmon and marlin. When you’re saltwater fly fishing you use a technique called chumming to attract fish to your fly, this usually is done using small baitfish.

For saltwater fly fishing you will need some alternative equipment to your usual freshwater fly fishing kit, the reason for this is that a lot of freshwater fly fishing techniques such as ‘palming’ will not work with the larger, far more powerful saltwater species of fish. Therefore you have to purchase a saltwater fly fishing reel, which is far more heavy duty with a stronger drag system. They are much larger, heavier, and corrosion-resistant (due to the saltwater), and cost upwards of $500. When purchasing a saltwater fly fishing reel ensure it is corrosion proof, remember that ‘you get what you pay for!’

Saltwater fishing can either be done by fishing from the shore, or you can fish from a boat, usually larger fish can be caught when fishing from a boat in comparison to fishing from the shore. It is common practice for fresh water fly fishermen to have to learn a new technique in order to catch salt-water fish with a fly rod. Salt water fish are far harder for a fly fisherman to catch than your usual trout, they’re much larger and therefore a lot stronger. A trout fisherman would need to use at least an 8 weight fly rod, and hone there technique to be able to cast the line at least 30-90 feet if they want to be able to access the areas that the fish frequent.

Hooks, like the reel, must be very sturdy and also corrosion resistant to be able to deal with the conditions that saltwater fly fishing present. Most saltwater hooks are made of stainless steel, but the strongest hooks are made of high-carbon steel, but they’re less corrosion resistant. Hooks vary in size from size 8-10 for smaller fish, to size 2-4 for larger fish caught from fly fishing on a boat.

By any stretch of the imagination fly fishing for trout is easily one of the most exciting and

fly fishing for trout

pleasurable sports around in the world, allowing you to have an exhilarating encounter with nature.  The thought of being stood trying to outwit years of evolution developed by fish, allows a person to feel the true power of nature, and is highly satisfying.

When fishing for trout there are some factors to take into account. When using a lure you will trigger a trout to become aggressive due to its territorial instinct, as a defense method it will attempt to nip the tail of the intruder, which in this case is the lure.

Other natural causes can also affect trout fishing, many fisherman find that fishing for trout on an overcast day, with a light wind is preferable over a perfectly sunny day. The light wind causes the water to ripple, disrupting the trout’s vision above the surface, which favors the angler. The rain has a similar affect, which a lot of fly fishermen prefer. All these tactics increase your chances of being able to catch.

Another tactic a lot of experienced fishermen use to catch trout is tracking the wind direction, the reason is that the wind carries air born food like insects and flies to the lee shore (shore with the wind blowing towards it) of the pond or river and so trout congregate in this area as there is a larger source of food than anywhere else in the water system.

Trout are very sensitive fish, and so it is essential that you remember to remain conspicuous when fly fishing. Try to wear clothes that will blend in with your surrounding, and also try to get tackle that will also blend in with your surroundings. Trout are also able to hear low frequency noises and so try to avoid making an unnecessary noise to avoid scaring away the trout.

All these factors will help you to be more successful when you next go surfing for trout, firstly remember to blend into the environment, and not to make too much noise and scare the trout away, if you succeed with this then you can use all the other techniques to become a successful trout fisherman.

There have been century long battles and arguments over whether the quality and price of fishing

fly fishing gear

kit has any influence on your success when fly fishing. Many-experienced fishermen believe that their success is due to their sophisticated kit, so what equipment do you need for fly fishing?

There are 3 essential pieces of kit you need to start fly fishing, the first is a sturdy fly rod, these are usually thin and flexible and made of modern composite materials such as fiberglass, carbon/graphite or carbon/boron composites and are specifically designed to cast an artificial fly. Generally the size of the rod you need is dependant upon the size of the fish you’re seeking to catch. Along with your fishing rod you will need a fishing reel and a fly line. Fly line is heavy in order for the fisherman to cast the lightweight artificial fly as far as possible; it is often coated in plastic and thicker than usual coarse fishing line.

A fishing net is an essential piece of equipment, without one it is unlikely you’ll be able to lift your fish out of the water. There is a massive range of fishing nets, and, much like fly rods; the size of them is dependent upon the size of the fish you plan on catching.

The last essential piece of kit needed for fly fishing, and the most important is the artificial fly used as the ‘bait’. Flies are categorized in 2 different groups, either imitative flies or attractive flies. Imitative flies are designed to resemble natural food that fish are usually attracted to such as insects. Attractive flies are brightly coloured and out of the ordinary compared to the fish’s usual prey, which instinctively causes the fish to strike out of curiosity. Flies can be further categorized into Dry flies (on the surface), Emergers (partly submerged), and Wet flies (below the surface). A dry fly represents insects such as ants, common flies, and dragonflies, Emergers represent aquatic larvae and nymphs and Wet flies are representative of minnows, or leeches or any other small aquatic fish. The final decision rests with you as to what colour you’d like, size etc, many people have their own preferences but that doesn’t mean they’re always right or successful!

Along with your fly rod, fly line, reel and artificial flies you can get more accessories and equipment to add to the enjoyment of your fishing trip. Other equipment you may be interested in includes a fly fishing bag for carrying all of your gear in or a keep net.

All of this equipment should be readily available from any local fishing/angling shop.

Fly fishing has a unique technique, and many find it a very hard technique to master without help and training from an experienced fly fisherman.

As with the equipment, there are various ways in which you can fly fish. There are a variety of different casts that can be used when fly fishing dependent on a number of factors. The most common cast when fly fishing is the ‘forward cast’, this works by the angler flicking the artificial fly into the air, back over his/her shoulder until the line is nearly straight, then casting forward, primarily using the forearm. The reason this is the most common method of casting is because the fly rod experiences a large ‘load’ on its tip which is stored energy, this is then transferred to the fishing line when you cast, causing the fly to be cast a much greater distance.

Casting without allowing the artificial fly to land on the water is known as false casting, and is used to either dry a wet fly, or to re-cast. Other casts that are often used include the roll cast, the single-haul, double-haul, the tuck cast, and the side-cast or curve-cast.

Being able to get the fly to land on the water and make the most natural movements is one of the hardest parts of fly fishing; the fisherman is attempting to get the artificial fly to land as naturally as possible on the water, and also trying to get the line to land lightly on the water so it doesn’t cause a large disturbance. After sufficient time if a fish does not strike then, depending upon the wind or current, the fisherman tries to recast the fly to make it more presentable to fish.

On the other hand if a fish does strike, the fisherman increases tension in the line using the reel, while raising the rod tip. This ensures the hook is firmly in the fish’s mouth. The fish is then ‘played’ by reeling up any slack in the line and then using the hand to act as a drag on the reel. Make sure you don’t pull in the fish too quickly or too hard as this could cause the fish to get off the line.

When fishing the fisherman may want to keep the line lightly pressed against the rod handle with a finger of the casting arm. The free arm is used to pull line from the reel or to retrieve line from the water. If a fish strikes the fisherman can pinch the line with the index finger against the rod handle and lift the rod tip ensuring the hook is firmly caught in the fishes mouth.

Fly fishing can be done in fresh water or salt water. Freshwater fishing is often divided into coldwater, cool water and warm water fishing. The techniques for freshwater fly fishing also differ in lakes, streams and rivers.

Below are a few tips to help you improve your fly fishing technique and hopefully your success, some of these may seem like obvious things, but often it’s the basic principles that people get wrong!

The Fly

- choosing the right fly is important but presenting it to the fish in an appealing and natural fashion is far more significant. You have to take into consideration where the fish will be, a fish’s activities and behaviour vary depending on the time of year, time of day and weather, and you must try and learn or have a knowledge of the fish’s behaviour in order to have greater success caching them.

The Cast

– All beginners think that the faster and further they cast the better the chance of them catching a big fish. But the truth is with a well honed technique, good timing and tactics will all help you improve the quality of your fly fishing, and over time you will be able to develop your cast to be like all the professionals.

The Retrieve

–Being able to mimic the actions of a fly from 5 meters away only being able to use a composite rod, and heavy fishing line are far from easy. Learning the specific characteristics of each artificial fly is essential and being able to adapt to the conditions in order to catch the most stubborn of fish is a true art form that if learned, will lead to far more fish being caught.

The Fish

– Try and think like the fish you’re trying to catch. By understanding the behaviour, characteristics, habit and attitude of the fish you’re trying to catch, you can adapt your fishing technique and location to try and catch more fish. Many fish that you catch when fly fishing can be very timid, and so learning their behaviour will help you to understand where they are, and how best to catch them.

Nature

– Learn to understand how fish use and live within there environment, find out when they’re breeding, and also learn to adapt yourself to different water conditions and weather factors that could affect the fish.

When you next go fly fishing take these tips into account and see if your fishing improves, maybe you will find these tips help to make your experience more enjoyable, or maybe you find that you’re thinking about all these factors a lot more, and because of that you’re catching more.

Fly fishing is a sport that has caught the fancy of serious and adept anglers around the world. The idea of using artificial flies to attract the fish and catch it is indeed so novel and scintillating that it captures ones imagination and keeps one absorbed. It is quite important to learn some techniques of how fly fishing is done as to be successful at it and come back for more. Any activity that lends to some type of reward is incentive enough to be indulged in, and fly fishing is certainly no exception.

In normal fishing, the bait is rather heavy which means that once the rod is placed in the water, the pull of gravity ensures that the bait goes down and attracts the fish. This is not possible in fly fishing as the fly at the end of the rod is quite light and will just float on its own. So it is the technique that counts for success. The correct technique in fly fishing is to cast the line in such a sharp impulse such that the product of the mass as well as the speed would propel the bait downwards and send it hurtling towards the fish at high speed. The technique is such that the casting of the line helps in the formation of loops, which are the waves that flow through the water as a result of the impact.

Experienced anglers also use a special technique, which is called stripping. This technique involves pulling the rod fast while holding the line, which causes the stretched line to acquire speed enabling the angler the flexibility of casting some extra line to catch the fish more effectively. There are other techniques that are more specialized like single and double haul, roll cast, side or curve and the tuck cast. These techniques also vary with whether it is fresh water or salt water angling that is being done.

Fly fishing is definitely one of the most incredible ways to spend the weekend. You can bring in your friends and family and simply have a great time. The spectacular scenery along with the calmness of the water, these two factors add up to the awesome feeling of reeling in the day’s catch. Getting to know the basics of fly fishing in general starts with simple steps.

Basically, if you desire to learn the basics, you should consider the essentials. It is critical that you learn your way through it. The importance of being ready before heading out is essential. Always be sure to have the needed proper equipment. If you fail to bring all the required equipment, then fly fishing would be frustrating and you will get discouraged to continue to learn. Another critical factor to give top consideration to is the weather. Make sure you are ready whichever way possible. You have to be able to determine whether you expect rain or not. This would greatly affect the effectiveness of luring the fish. Another thing to consider is the water current. You must be able to determine the direction that the fish are going. Being able to analyze this shall give you a greater chance in catching more and love fly fishing. The current greatly affects the opportunity to lure a fish to bite. When the current is too rough, then the chance to lure a fish to a bite would be harder than the usual.

Learning the fly fishing basics also involves knowing what kind of fish to look for in order to relate the gear that you will need. Your gear should go hand in hand with the size of fish that you desire to catch. Basically, fly fishing is more enjoyable when catching the big ones like Marlins or Sharks. Consulting an expert with regards to gear selection is advisable because it really varies due to the varying types of fish.

The fly fishing basics are enjoyable to learn if you have a fishing buddy or fishing buddies that can teach them to you. Though there are many tutorials available that can help you learn the basics but the best option to study it with a buddy and experience everything first-hand. Fly fishing could definitely be a sport that you would get hooked to once you learn the basics. Always keep in mind that everyday is a learning experience.