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Fly Fishing, A Brief History And Inroduction
By Angus MacLeod

Fly fishing was first recorded in the Middle Ages and must have been common in England by the fifteenth century as a nun named Juliana Berners wrote about fly fishing and the various fly patterns that were available.

Fly fishing must have been around much before that (Ancient Egyptian art, about 2,000BC, clearly depicts fishing rods and fishing hooks). However it is generally assumed by historians that early fly fishing would have been for food or profit rather than sport. The great innovators in history, the Romans, are known to have used artificial flies to catch fish with several instances recorded. It is possible that some of this early fly fishing was done as sport as the Romans were great lovers of such things.

Fly fishing is a very distinctive method of catching fish with the use of artificial flies, attached to a fly line and cast into the water using a fly fishing rod. There are various methods of using the fly but all are attempting to fool the fish into thinking it is food. Dry flies are allowed to float on the very surface of the water in an atttempt to fool the fish into thinking it is an insect that has just landed or is emerging from the water. Wet flies are are allowed to submerge and attempt to look like very small fish or insects. When you look at some of the flies used in fly fishing it is difficult to see how the fish is fooled but many rely upon their movement as much, if not more than, their appearance.

Fly fishing developed in the very north of England and Scotland. It could be said that Queen Victoria of Great Britain did much for the sport of fly fishing. Her trips to Scotland created a trend for such vacations and day trips. The Scottish estates became popular destinations for the Victorian aristocracy eager to go hunting for a stag or fishing for a salmon or brown trout.

In the nineteenth century the fishing equipment used was rather basic and specialised. Most equipment was hand made in small cottages, were the craftsman created handmade fly line of horse hair, fly fishing rods and fly reels, many of which are highly sought after today. They also made elaborate flies using hair, feathers, fur and other dark and brightly colored materials. Some fly designs became so popular they are still, on occassion, used today. These cottage industries were the start of the huge retail industry we see today and the equipment used the forerunner to today's highly engineered and technical rods and reels.

It was during the 19th Century that the first fishing clubs started to appear. As the tourist industry grew, and the railway network spread, it became possible to reach areas that had previously been unavailable to most. Unfortunately travel was expensive so groups of people joined together to share the costs of their fishing trips. These groups shared their knowledge and experiences and eventually formed into clubs, some of which still exist, virtually unchanged. The development of the fly fishing club enabled the development of fly fishing competitions. The first national trout fly fishing competiton in Scotland was in July 1880 and was held at Loch Leven. This developed into the Scottish National Fly-Fishing Championship and has played a major role in the development of the sport.

The sport is now an important part of the Scottish tourist industry and it is now popular worldwide. In most recent times the sport has become far less rigid than it once was. There is greater flexibilty in styles and techniques, with an apparent emphasis upon speed. Happily salmon fishing has become available to the average person (rather than being the preserve of the rich). Areas previously unavailable to the public have been opened up with the advent of associations which own or lease their own beat. Although the sport is not as popular as it was in the 1920's this development has lead to an increased interest in the sport and revitalised the industry.

The articles below are to help you understand the various aspects of the sport. We hope that you find them interesting and you consider taking up the sport soon. If you are already an avid angler you may wish to call back here soon as we hope to be adding more detailed information for the more experienced.

Fly Fishing Facts, Tips & Tactics
Color is known to play a part in the life of a trout but hink about their environment, it is usually very drab with few variations of color even their food appears drab. You should always consider this when designing flies, tying flies or buying flies.

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

Article Source: Free Articles Directory

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