The Art of Fly Fishing

When many people think of fishing the envision going down to a local stream or lake and soaking a few worms. However there is a more exciting and often more productive method of fishing referred to as fly fishing. Fly fishing is much more of an art when opposed to spin casting. When fly fishing you are much closer to the underwater fauna, as you are often in the water with the fish. Aside from that you also pick which fish you will go after by locating him and floating a fly right under his nose in hope that your fly is enticing enough to draw a strike from the fish, and ultimately to land him.

There are six main elements of fly fishing; a fly rod (usually around 9 feet long), a fly reel (a round shaped real with a 1:1 relative ratio), a fly line (around 90 feet long), fly lining backing (fills up the reel and is spare line in case the fish takes a long run), a tippet to tie to the front end of the fly line so it does not scare the fish (around 9 feet of clear line), and a few flies (lures made from winding furs, feathers, glitter and various other things around a hook). Picking the "right fly" in itself can be made into an art. In fact interested enthusiasts often choose to tie their own flies in order to obtain the "perfect fly". Aside from that, like almost any aspect of fishing, fly tying is a hobby.

As I stated before fly fishing differs greatly from lure fishing. One of the biggest differences, and adjustments to fishing style, is that it is not the sinker of the lure that provides the fisherman with the weight to cast, but rather that the fly line itself provides the angler with the weight necessary to cast. The easiest cast on a fly line to learn to cast on is a weight forward line. This means that most of the weight in the line is in the first ten or twenty five feet. This cast allows the fisherman to make short and accurate casts. This method has been proven very effective in clear water streams where you sight a desired fish to catch.

Once you have obtained all the necessary equipment you need to locate a good fishing hole. (Even if you are with an experienced angler who has a favorite fishing hole it is a good idea to know how to read the river, because with time the rivers change, and if you are relying on a favorite fishing spot to always be there you may be in for a big surprise with the change of the seasons.) You have to remember that you are attempting to imitate food for a feeding fish. In order to do this you have to do two things, choose a fly, and choose a fishing spot. When choosing a fly look around in your environment to see which bugs the fish are feeding on. If you have trouble locating insects shake a bush or a branch and note what flies out. Next you should observe your environment in order to see where the fish are feeding. If you are fishing in slow or still water it may be easy to see surfacing fish, however in faster water the ripples often make it difficult to see where the fish are seeking refuge. A good rule of thumb is to find a spot where the fish will be forced to excerpt as little energy as possible. This often means finding a rock and floating a fly right by it, or finding an eddy where the current is detoured and slowed. Now you are ready to fish!

The first thing that you have to do when casting a fly rod is to get a nice firm grip on the handle. Hold the rod with fingers wrapped around the handle and thumb facing forward, like you would grip a golf club. Run about ten to fifteen feet of line out of the reel and let it fall to your feet. Make sure there is nothing for the line to get caught on or around. Now flick the line out through the rod with small flicks of your wrist so the ten or fifteen feet of line is laying out in front of you. Now raise the rod and swing it back to about one o'clock, using your forearm and not your wrist. In about two seconds you should feel the line tighten behind you and the tip of your rod should bend back slightly. When you feel such resistance, push the rod forward and give a small flick of the wrist so that the rod ends up at about ten o'clock. The line should speed out in front of you and lay flat on the ground. (Be careful not to hook yourself or others nearby.) You will soon find yourself performing trick casts around trees and mangroves. Remember the right way to fly fish is what ever way works. Fly fishing is as a practice of modification. Most importantly remember to have fun, if you are not catching anything don't get frustrated, grab a book or a bite to eat and enjoy life and the outdoors!