Fly fishing

Fly fishing is an ancient and distinct angling method, developed primarily for salmonids (trout and salmon, mostly) and now extended to other species such as pike, bass, and carp, as well as a wide range of marine species. Artificial flies are constructed — "tied" onto a hook with thread, fur, feathers and other materials — in sizes and colours to match naturally occurring food or simply to excite a fish. Fly rods are relatively light and long while the lines are relatively heavy, providing the casting weight. Lines may be tapered and of differing densities to float or sink and are matched to the rod according to weight. The fly itself can weigh very little and is normally attached to the line by a 2-3 meter leader which may taper to a very fine line at the tip end, also called the tippet. In fact, the main practical difference between fly fishing and casting is that in casting, you are using the weight of the lure to "throw" it out (much like throwing a baseball). In fly fishing, the "fly" is virtually weightless and you are using the weight of the line to place the fly where you want it to be. In fact, a fly line can be "cast" without any fly or lure on it at all, a feat impossible with a typical casting rod and reel. The point is that a fly can be presented gently and under the control of the angler instead of plopping down with a big splash. Stealth is often critical in fly fishing.

Related Topics:
Angling - Salmonids - Trout - Salmon - Pike - Bass - Carp - Marine - Artificial flies - "tied"

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There are two basic forms of fly fishing, dry or wet. Dry flies are coated with a floatant and sit on the surface of the water. They are mostly cast upsteam in moving water when fishing for trout. Wet flies are divided into other types such as nymphs, lures and true wet flies and they are all fished beneath the surface of the water.

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Records of fishing with a fly go back to Ancient Greece when it was common to catch fish on a hook dressed with red yarn. Modern fly fishing originated in Scotland and was greatly refined in southern England on the River Test and the other 'chalk streams' concentrated in Hampshire, Surrey, Dorset and Berkshire (see Southern England Chalk Formation for the geological specifics). The seminal work in the sport is The Compleat Angler written in the mid-1600's by Izaak Walton, largely about those classic English waters.

Related Topics:
Scotland - River Test - Hampshire - Surrey - Dorset - Berkshire - Southern England Chalk Formation - Izaak Walton

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In the late 19th century, anglers, such as Ray Bergman, in the Catskill Mountains of New York began using the fly to fish the region?s many trout-rich streams such as the Beaverkill and Willowemoc Creek. Many of them also wrote about the practice and invented new flies, drawing yet more anglers to the region, which is still considered the birthplace of American dry-fly fishing. The Junction Pool in Roscoe, where the Willowemoc flows into the Beaver Kill, is the center of an almost ritual pilgrimage every April 1, when the season begins.

Related Topics:
19th century - Ray Bergman - Catskill Mountains - New York - Roscoe

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Participation in flyfishing peaked in the early 1920's in the eastern states of Maine and Vermont and in the midwest in the spring creeks of Wisconsin. Ernest Hemmingway helped to popularize fly fishing, along with deep-sea fishing, through his works of fiction, including The Sun Also Rises. In recent years, interest in flyfishing has surged as baby boomers discover the tranquil nature of the sport. Movies such as A River Runs Through It starring Brad Pitt, cable fishing shows, and the emergence of a competitive fly casting circuit have also added to the sport's recent resurgence.

Related Topics:
Ernest Hemmingway - The Sun Also Rises - Baby boomers - A River Runs Through It - Brad Pitt

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