Fishing. Take a rod and a line and throw it in some water. Splash it around a bit and wait until something tugs. If only it were that easy. The truth is, fishing as a sport is not as easy as most people think and is a lot more complicated than just throwing your line is some water. For starters there are several types of fishing depending on what kind of fish you want to catch.
In this article we're going to focus on fly fishing and it's origin.
Fly fishing goes all the way back to around 200 AD. The first reference to it was written by Aelian who was born around 170 AD. Early in his life he knew nothing of the sea. In his early writing "On The Nature Of Animals" he writes about a certain way of catching fish supposedly invented by the Macedonians. A particular fish that runs through the Astraeus River in Macedonia happens to feed on flies that are peculiar to that region. These flies are not found anywhere else. The natives of the land called this species of fly Hippouros. These flies seek their food over the river and are never very far away from the fish in the river below. Because of this it is relatively easy for the fish to jump out of the water, catching the flies in their mouths and eating them.
It is from seeing this that the Macedonian's got the idea to use these flies to catch the fish. However, because it is unclean for their people to touch this species of fly they had to develop a way to catch the fish without actually handling the flies. So what they did was fasten red wool around a hook. They then fixed onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock's wattles. The rod they used was six feet long and the line was also the same length. They then threw the line in the direction of the flies. The fish seeing this line which is disguised to look like the fly think they are going to have a nice meal and instead are caught by the fisherman's trap. Fly fishing was developed.
It should be pointed out that according to accounts of what the fly looked like and what the actual "bait" looked like it would seem that the Macedonians didn't try to imitate the fly exactly, as the fly color was yellow and the bait color was red. Some speculation is that the fly changed color when near water but this was never proven.
For those interested, the story above was taken from Radcliffe's "Fishing From The Earliest Times," which was published in 1921. This version of the story is the one most often printed with no credit given to the original author. Radcliffe himself states that he adapted this translation from "Lambert's Angling Literature in England" first published in 1881. Prior to this there was a Latin translation which was printed in 1558. This printing however wasn't discovered until 1834.
In a later article we'll cover modern day fly fishing.
By Michael Russell
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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Fishing
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Fly Fishing Videos
Enjoy these Fly Fishing Videos!
Introduction to Saltwater Fly Fishing
Fly Fishing strikes
Fly Fishing Tying Demonstration - EZ Sparkle Sand Eel Fly
Introduction to Saltwater Fly Fishing
Fly Fishing strikes
Fly Fishing Tying Demonstration - EZ Sparkle Sand Eel Fly
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The Basics Of Fly Fishing: Getting It Right
The Basics Of Fly Fishing: Getting It Right
You take the time to get into just the right location in that great stream that your friend told you about. You have been waiting for so long to enjoy this time, alone, fishing to your heart’s content. There are many amazing moments in life but fly fishing is one of your favorite. You’ll get into the waders, getting into just that right location so that you can cast.
The tip of your rod should be in the four o' clock position with 20 feet (6 meters) of line extended beyond your rod's tip. Trap the line between the rod handle and your index finger. To begin the back cast, bend your elbow, raise your forearm and move the rod tip from four o'clock to eleven thirty and lift the line from the water. Pause for a moment at this point to allow the line to extend behind you before casting the rod forward. Allow the rod to follow through as the line extends to its full length in front of you. Then continue to work the line in this manner. A fish strikes. The fight is on and you successfully land the fish. This is fly casting.
Fly fishing is an old method of angling. It was primarily developed to catch trout and salmon. Today, it is still used to fish these species, but is also used to catch bass, carp, pike and a wide range of saltwater fish. The difference between casting and fly fishing is that in casting you use the weight of your bait, sinker and bobber to propel your cast. In fly fishing, the weight of the line propels your line forward and puts your fly into position. The fly cannot do this, as it is essentially weightless. The goal in fly fishing is to present the fly gently and to always be in control of it.
When you fly fish, you need special fishing equipment that includes a fly rod and reel, a special fly fishing line and artificial or live flies. These are tied onto your hook with feathers, fur, thread or other materials in colors and sizes that represent natural prey. The key to successful fly fishing is balance. The rod, reel and line, as well as the tippet all have to match in order to have a positive fly fishing experience.
Rod, Reels and Lines
Fly fishing rods are lightweight and long. The line provides the casting weight and is heavy. It can be of differing density, depending on whether you want the fly to sink or float. Line is matched to your rod by weight. Look near the fly rod butt to find out what line weight must be used. Graphite rods are best because they can produce any action that you wish to use. If you are a beginner, buy a basic and moderately priced rod, or borrow one from a family member or friend.
Flies and Leaders
Flies weigh very little. The fly is usually attached to the line by a leader that is two to three meters in length (6 to 9 feet). The leader often tapers to a fine end. This is called a tippet. Tippet size range from 8X, which is the smallest, to 0X, which is the largest. Tippets are set in units of .001 inches. To match the tippet to the fly, you must subtract from eleven and multiply by .001.
For example to find the diameter of a 4X tippet, you would subtract four from eleven. That equals seven. Now, multiply by .001. This size would be .007. What if you have a # 18 fly? How would you calculate tippet size? You would put eighteen over four and calculate. The answer would be 4.5. Since there is no 4.5 X tippet, you would move to the next largest size, which would be 5.
Types of Fly Fishing
There are two types of fly fishing - dry and wet. Wet flies are fished beneath the water surface and are divided into several types, including live wet flies, lures and nymphs. Dry flies float on the water surface and are coated with a substance called, 'floatant' to make this possible.
If you are interested in fly fishing and can't decide which equipment you need to have a positive fishing experience, ask an experienced angler for help. This can be a family member, friend, someone from the local angler's club or a staff member of the local fly fishing shop. Fly fishing is not as hard to learn as it appears to be. Have fun and enjoy that big catch.
The best way to enjoy your catch is to take the time to enjoy the many wonders that the fishing experience offers. No matter what that first adventure turns out to be, you can make it amazing by spending some time learning the skills from an experienced fisherman.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author: Niall Pesci is a keen fisherman who is always looking at new tools to help him catch more fish. Visit Fish Finder Review for more information and great deals to help you find a fish finder or other GPS and Sonar marine navigation systems. http://www.fish-finder-review.com
This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Fish-Finder-Review.com
You take the time to get into just the right location in that great stream that your friend told you about. You have been waiting for so long to enjoy this time, alone, fishing to your heart’s content. There are many amazing moments in life but fly fishing is one of your favorite. You’ll get into the waders, getting into just that right location so that you can cast.
The tip of your rod should be in the four o' clock position with 20 feet (6 meters) of line extended beyond your rod's tip. Trap the line between the rod handle and your index finger. To begin the back cast, bend your elbow, raise your forearm and move the rod tip from four o'clock to eleven thirty and lift the line from the water. Pause for a moment at this point to allow the line to extend behind you before casting the rod forward. Allow the rod to follow through as the line extends to its full length in front of you. Then continue to work the line in this manner. A fish strikes. The fight is on and you successfully land the fish. This is fly casting.
Fly fishing is an old method of angling. It was primarily developed to catch trout and salmon. Today, it is still used to fish these species, but is also used to catch bass, carp, pike and a wide range of saltwater fish. The difference between casting and fly fishing is that in casting you use the weight of your bait, sinker and bobber to propel your cast. In fly fishing, the weight of the line propels your line forward and puts your fly into position. The fly cannot do this, as it is essentially weightless. The goal in fly fishing is to present the fly gently and to always be in control of it.
When you fly fish, you need special fishing equipment that includes a fly rod and reel, a special fly fishing line and artificial or live flies. These are tied onto your hook with feathers, fur, thread or other materials in colors and sizes that represent natural prey. The key to successful fly fishing is balance. The rod, reel and line, as well as the tippet all have to match in order to have a positive fly fishing experience.
Rod, Reels and Lines
Fly fishing rods are lightweight and long. The line provides the casting weight and is heavy. It can be of differing density, depending on whether you want the fly to sink or float. Line is matched to your rod by weight. Look near the fly rod butt to find out what line weight must be used. Graphite rods are best because they can produce any action that you wish to use. If you are a beginner, buy a basic and moderately priced rod, or borrow one from a family member or friend.
Flies and Leaders
Flies weigh very little. The fly is usually attached to the line by a leader that is two to three meters in length (6 to 9 feet). The leader often tapers to a fine end. This is called a tippet. Tippet size range from 8X, which is the smallest, to 0X, which is the largest. Tippets are set in units of .001 inches. To match the tippet to the fly, you must subtract from eleven and multiply by .001.
For example to find the diameter of a 4X tippet, you would subtract four from eleven. That equals seven. Now, multiply by .001. This size would be .007. What if you have a # 18 fly? How would you calculate tippet size? You would put eighteen over four and calculate. The answer would be 4.5. Since there is no 4.5 X tippet, you would move to the next largest size, which would be 5.
Types of Fly Fishing
There are two types of fly fishing - dry and wet. Wet flies are fished beneath the water surface and are divided into several types, including live wet flies, lures and nymphs. Dry flies float on the water surface and are coated with a substance called, 'floatant' to make this possible.
If you are interested in fly fishing and can't decide which equipment you need to have a positive fishing experience, ask an experienced angler for help. This can be a family member, friend, someone from the local angler's club or a staff member of the local fly fishing shop. Fly fishing is not as hard to learn as it appears to be. Have fun and enjoy that big catch.
The best way to enjoy your catch is to take the time to enjoy the many wonders that the fishing experience offers. No matter what that first adventure turns out to be, you can make it amazing by spending some time learning the skills from an experienced fisherman.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Author: Niall Pesci is a keen fisherman who is always looking at new tools to help him catch more fish. Visit Fish Finder Review for more information and great deals to help you find a fish finder or other GPS and Sonar marine navigation systems. http://www.fish-finder-review.com
This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Fish-Finder-Review.com
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Fly Fishing with Midges
Midges are probably the most overlooked food source of trout fly fishing. It is understandable I suppose, they have no season, no cloud like hatches, no recognizable features. In short, they have no charisma, yet they are the blue collar trout food. Steady, reliable, and workmanlike, providing up to 22% of trout's annual diet, they play a vital role in the health of a river's or lake's trout population. And yet they are often ignored by trout fly fishers.
Part of the reason for this omission is their size; midges are tiny, not always but usually. And many fly fishers have an inherent fear of going small. Light tippets snap easily, fishing in the breeze is difficult; longs cast are frustrating, even tying the tiny thing on the tippet is difficult especially in the winter when midges are usually the only game in town. Well for the last difficulty think EZ-TY Junior, it will eliminate much frustration threading those light tippets. For the strongest tippet that is the easiest to cast in 6x or 7x try Frog Hair, it can literally mean the difference between a fish and a broken tippet, plus nothing casts better and lays a fly down nicer. This wasn't meant to be a shameless plug for products but if it keeps you fishing longer than I feel the products are worth a mention.
The midge pupa is probably the most important stage of the midge. Midges hung up in the surface film, Suspended Midge, provide easy pickings for trout. As do emerging midges, try Chirnomid Pupa. It is not uncommon to see frenzied trout feeding on something we can't see; this is the time to try these. Tailwaters often provide excellent winter time hatches of midges due to their relative constant temperatures. Midges tend to emerge in pools tailouts, eddys or other slack water areas.
The larva stage is often overlooked, and that is a shame. The BH Zebra Midge and the Disco Midge have earned their place in my vest as constant producers. While the midge larva is a slim meal at best they are prevalent, and they are mobile in this larva stage. Dead drifting a midge is often a great searching technique that produces fish time and again. Any time fishing is slow going small is often the answer, and is the first thing I try in the winter. Rig a small split shot a foot or so above the fly to get it down in the fish's cone of vision.
In lakes you must provide the retrieve or action yourself. Easily the most common mistake to make is fishing these too fast. In fact I don't know if it is possible to fish it too slow. A twitch and then a rest is all you need. Sometimes it can try the patience but the reward is big lake fish on tiny flies.
The careful observer can view the mating process, often time the males will cluster the female, creating a life raft of delicacies for the lucky trout. This process is best imitated with the Griffith Gnat or the CDC Griffith Gnat.
The adult midge pattern covers not only midges but also tiny mayflies, anytime surface action is in progress and you can't see the hatch the midges are probably the catalyst, although tiny Baetis hatches are often confused with midges. It really does not matter as the adult midge pattern will cover both quite nicely.
It takes loads of patience and a delicate hand but landing a monster trout during one of these tiny hatches is a reward that is hard to duplicate. And for winter dry fly fishing nothing is equal to the midge.
Midges are probably the most overlooked food source of trout fly fishing. It is understandable I suppose, they have no season, no cloud like hatches, no recognizable featuresIn short, they have no charisma, yet they are the blue collar trout food.Steady, reliable, and workmanlike, providing up to 22% of trout's annual diet, they play a vital role in the health of a river's or lake's trout populationAnd yet they are often ignored by trout fly fishers.
Part of the reason for this omission is their size; midges are tiny, not always but usuallyAnd many fly fishers have an inherent fear of going small.Light tippets snap easily, fishing in the breeze is difficult; longs cast are frustrating, even tying the tiny thing on the tippet is difficult especially in the winter when midges are usually the only game in townWell for the last difficulty think EZ-TY Junior, it will eliminate much frustration threading those light tippetsFor the strongest tippet that is the easiest to cast in 6x or 7x try Frog Hair, it can literally mean the difference between a fish and a broken tippet, plus nothing casts better and lays a fly down nicer.This wasn't meant to be a shameless plug for products but if it keeps you fishing longer than I feel the products are worth a mention.
The midge pupa is probably the most important stage of the midge.Midges hung up in the surface film, Suspended Midge, provide easy pickings for trout. As do emerging midges, try Chirnomid Pupa. It is not uncommon to see frenzied trout feeding on something we can't see; this is the time to try these. Tailwaters often provide excellent winter time hatches of midges due to their relative constant temperatures. Midges tend to emerge in pools or other slack water areas.
The larva stage is often overlooked, and that is a shame. The BH Zebra Midge and the Disco Midge have earned their place in my vest as constant producers. While the midge larva is a slim meal at best they are prevalent, and they are mobile in this larva stage. Dead drifting a midge is often a great searching technique that produces fish time and again.Any time fishing is slow going small is often the answer, and is the first thing I try in the winter. Rig a small split shot a foot or so above the fly to get it down in the fish's cone of vision.
In lakes you must provide the retrieve or action yourself. Easily the most common mistake to make is fishing these too fast. In fact I don't know if it is possible to fish it too slow. A twitch and then a rest is all you need. Sometimes it can try the patience but the reward is big lake fish on tiny flies.
The careful observer can view the mating process, often time the males will cluster the female, creating a life raft of delicacies for the lucky trout. This process is best imitated with the Griffith Gnat or the CDC Griffith Gnat. adult midge pattern covers not only midges but also tiny mayflies, anytime surface action is in progress and you can't see the hatch the midges are probably the catalyst, although tiny Baetis hatches are often confused with midges. It really does not matter as the adult midge pattern will cover both quite nicely.
It takes loads of patience and a delicate hand but landing a monster trout during one of these tiny hatches is a reward that is hard to duplicate. And for winter dry fly fishing nothing is equal to the midge.
by Cameron Larsen
About the Author
Cameron Larsen is owner of Big Y Fly Co, at www.bigyflyco.com.
Part of the reason for this omission is their size; midges are tiny, not always but usually. And many fly fishers have an inherent fear of going small. Light tippets snap easily, fishing in the breeze is difficult; longs cast are frustrating, even tying the tiny thing on the tippet is difficult especially in the winter when midges are usually the only game in town. Well for the last difficulty think EZ-TY Junior, it will eliminate much frustration threading those light tippets. For the strongest tippet that is the easiest to cast in 6x or 7x try Frog Hair, it can literally mean the difference between a fish and a broken tippet, plus nothing casts better and lays a fly down nicer. This wasn't meant to be a shameless plug for products but if it keeps you fishing longer than I feel the products are worth a mention.
The midge pupa is probably the most important stage of the midge. Midges hung up in the surface film, Suspended Midge, provide easy pickings for trout. As do emerging midges, try Chirnomid Pupa. It is not uncommon to see frenzied trout feeding on something we can't see; this is the time to try these. Tailwaters often provide excellent winter time hatches of midges due to their relative constant temperatures. Midges tend to emerge in pools tailouts, eddys or other slack water areas.
The larva stage is often overlooked, and that is a shame. The BH Zebra Midge and the Disco Midge have earned their place in my vest as constant producers. While the midge larva is a slim meal at best they are prevalent, and they are mobile in this larva stage. Dead drifting a midge is often a great searching technique that produces fish time and again. Any time fishing is slow going small is often the answer, and is the first thing I try in the winter. Rig a small split shot a foot or so above the fly to get it down in the fish's cone of vision.
In lakes you must provide the retrieve or action yourself. Easily the most common mistake to make is fishing these too fast. In fact I don't know if it is possible to fish it too slow. A twitch and then a rest is all you need. Sometimes it can try the patience but the reward is big lake fish on tiny flies.
The careful observer can view the mating process, often time the males will cluster the female, creating a life raft of delicacies for the lucky trout. This process is best imitated with the Griffith Gnat or the CDC Griffith Gnat.
The adult midge pattern covers not only midges but also tiny mayflies, anytime surface action is in progress and you can't see the hatch the midges are probably the catalyst, although tiny Baetis hatches are often confused with midges. It really does not matter as the adult midge pattern will cover both quite nicely.
It takes loads of patience and a delicate hand but landing a monster trout during one of these tiny hatches is a reward that is hard to duplicate. And for winter dry fly fishing nothing is equal to the midge.
Midges are probably the most overlooked food source of trout fly fishing. It is understandable I suppose, they have no season, no cloud like hatches, no recognizable featuresIn short, they have no charisma, yet they are the blue collar trout food.Steady, reliable, and workmanlike, providing up to 22% of trout's annual diet, they play a vital role in the health of a river's or lake's trout populationAnd yet they are often ignored by trout fly fishers.
Part of the reason for this omission is their size; midges are tiny, not always but usuallyAnd many fly fishers have an inherent fear of going small.Light tippets snap easily, fishing in the breeze is difficult; longs cast are frustrating, even tying the tiny thing on the tippet is difficult especially in the winter when midges are usually the only game in townWell for the last difficulty think EZ-TY Junior, it will eliminate much frustration threading those light tippetsFor the strongest tippet that is the easiest to cast in 6x or 7x try Frog Hair, it can literally mean the difference between a fish and a broken tippet, plus nothing casts better and lays a fly down nicer.This wasn't meant to be a shameless plug for products but if it keeps you fishing longer than I feel the products are worth a mention.
The midge pupa is probably the most important stage of the midge.Midges hung up in the surface film, Suspended Midge, provide easy pickings for trout. As do emerging midges, try Chirnomid Pupa. It is not uncommon to see frenzied trout feeding on something we can't see; this is the time to try these. Tailwaters often provide excellent winter time hatches of midges due to their relative constant temperatures. Midges tend to emerge in pools or other slack water areas.
The larva stage is often overlooked, and that is a shame. The BH Zebra Midge and the Disco Midge have earned their place in my vest as constant producers. While the midge larva is a slim meal at best they are prevalent, and they are mobile in this larva stage. Dead drifting a midge is often a great searching technique that produces fish time and again.Any time fishing is slow going small is often the answer, and is the first thing I try in the winter. Rig a small split shot a foot or so above the fly to get it down in the fish's cone of vision.
In lakes you must provide the retrieve or action yourself. Easily the most common mistake to make is fishing these too fast. In fact I don't know if it is possible to fish it too slow. A twitch and then a rest is all you need. Sometimes it can try the patience but the reward is big lake fish on tiny flies.
The careful observer can view the mating process, often time the males will cluster the female, creating a life raft of delicacies for the lucky trout. This process is best imitated with the Griffith Gnat or the CDC Griffith Gnat. adult midge pattern covers not only midges but also tiny mayflies, anytime surface action is in progress and you can't see the hatch the midges are probably the catalyst, although tiny Baetis hatches are often confused with midges. It really does not matter as the adult midge pattern will cover both quite nicely.
It takes loads of patience and a delicate hand but landing a monster trout during one of these tiny hatches is a reward that is hard to duplicate. And for winter dry fly fishing nothing is equal to the midge.
by Cameron Larsen
About the Author
Cameron Larsen is owner of Big Y Fly Co, at www.bigyflyco.com.
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