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Understanding the Basics of Fly Fishing
By Angus MacLeod

Fly fishing is a unique and earliest method of angling that is known for catching salmon and trout. However, this method is also employed for various kinds of gamefish and seawater marine species, including bass, pike, carp and panfish, bonefish, tarpon, redfish, striped bass and many more.

In fly fishing method, you catch fishes by using any kind of artificial flies that you cast with a fly rod and line. This “fly line” should be heavy enough to hurl the fly onto the target. It doesn't matter whether you buy a weightless line or not. Fly lines are made with heavier material compared to standard fishing lines. They are available in lighter versions for the line to float, or in heavier versions for it to sink.

You can create artificial flies by tying fur, hair, feathers or other materials to the hook using a thread. During the old days, fly fishing used flies that were tied with natural threads or materials. Today, threads commonly used are synthetic materials. These flies are then tied while the materials are arranged in colors or sizes to match the local insects in the water to attract your target fish species.

The Secrets behind Fly Fishing

Compared to other methods of fishing that uses weight to cast lures or bait, the method of fly fishing relies largely on rhythm passed on to the rod and line. You need to hold the rod in your strong hand while the fly line with the other. In general, the better line control and rhythm you provide, the more accurate your cast is going to be. Most of the time, a poor cast occurs because the fly line is or is becoming entangled.

When fly fishing, you could fish using surfaced or sub-surfaced flies. The most commonly used type of surface is the “dry fly”. In dry-fly fishing, the flies used resemble insects that tend to land on the water's surface, such as a dragonfly or a grasshopper. The flies float only on the surface of the water. Sub-surface flies resemble different kinds of prey, such as wet flies, emergers, nymphs and streamers, which are placed below the water's surface.

Compared to other methods of fishing, fly fishing requires you to learn the different types of flies, basic tying of knots, the two essential types of casts and the most effective fly fishing techniques. Because of this, you should get as much information about fly fishing before actually fishing on lakes and other fishing spots.

Interesting Fish Facts & Fishing Tips
A fish uses it's scales as a store for essential minerals such as calcium. When the fish is unable to obtain these from it's diet these minerals can be absorbed back into the body.

Author Details:
Angus MacLeod, copywriter for various websites with his main interests being golf, fishing and fly fishing, especially when in fishing in Scotland.

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See also: Bass Fishing, Fly Fishing & Fishing Tackle