Derik Li

Fishing with a fly instead of other types of lures and bait is an ancient form of angling. It was developed with trout and salmon in mind. The fly is fashioned to resemble the natural food of the target fish. Some flies are made to look like creatures that might inspire a fish to attack. The fly fishing rods and lures are lightweight. The weight that allows the fly to be thrown by the rod is in the line. Instead of a heavy lure pulling the line as happens in casting, the heavier line controls the distance of the cast. The nearly weightless fly is allowed to land on the water surface in natural way that mimics flying insects. Flies can be dry or wet, the dry ones are meant to float on the surface while the wet ones are meant to drop beneath the surface to lure fish closer to the bottom. While the basic fly fishing techniques can take a long time to master, the theories behind them are easy enough to understand quickly.

Casting And Flies

The fly fishing techniques that give the fisher control are the casting techniques. The false casting technique involves moving the rod back and forth overhead to lengthen and control the line. The fisher’s intent is to drop the fly in a specific place in the water. By whisking the rod to and fro, usually between the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions, the fisher is able to lengthen the line to achieve the distance while positioning the cast and, if necessary dry a wet fly. When the cast is finally released, the fly should land naturally in the correct spot. An experienced fisher can make this technique look easy, but a good deal of practice goes into it.

Once the fly is positioned on or under the water’s surface, the fisher uses the fly fishing techniques involved in moving the fly. This can involve the technique of tending the line. Usually the line is wrapped around a couple of fingers on the free hand to move the fly in a more detailed way. Often, the lure is withdrawn from the place where it was cast and repositioned. Once a fish strikes, the hook is set by pulling the line back and lifting the tip of the rod. A fish can be played using the fly fishing techniques associated with the slack line in the free hand or by eliminating the slack and using the reel.

One of the fly fishing techniques that can determine success or failure is the selection of the flies. Besides resembling flying insects, flies can be made to look like other fish, mice, frogs, worms, grasshoppers or any other natural attraction for the targeted fish. All fly fishing techniques are based on knowledge and research. The successful angler is the one who best understands the fish, the flies, the water and the rod.