There are many reasons a person will find their way to the subject of fly tying. There are probably more reasons than there are different types of flies.

Some individuals are trying to save money. Others aren’t satisfied with the pattern or the presentation offered by commercial flies, they don’t seem to work well. Flies match the natural meals of insects local to the specific area.

There are all kinds of specialized equipment and materials one can buy, as well as courses and books offered by experts for learning to tie flies. Like most things though, it can also be done alone using simple and less expensive tools.

Fly Tying Gear Needed:

vice scissors needle-nosed pliers sharp needle or pin fish hooks line fly material (synthetic or natural)

The hooks, line, and material are purchased based on the size and temperament of the species being fished, as well as which insects are natural to the fishing area. The type of fly being made makes a difference too.

Always keep in mind that although following rules and logic can produce wonderful results, experimentation and going against what others say can do the same also.

Places that sell just regular fishing tackle might provide what’s needed, but for hooks and materials the best places to look are at the local fly tackle shop or online.

Once all equipment and materials are acquired, it’s time to actually start thinking about making the fly. Again, things get can fairly complex, but these are the basics.

The first step in the process is to secure the fish hook in the vice. Only cover the bend in the hook so the hook’s shaft is exposed. This is where the material goes. Now secure the line to the hook. Wrap the line backward over itself, starting at the bottom of the hook’s eye. Then the rest of the shaft can be wrapped until the line is back at the bottom of hook’s eye. This secures the line to the hook and provides a base to start adding material to. After the line base is added to the hook, it’s time to make it look like a fly. Add tail material and wrap again until secure. Then wrap a third of the hook’s shaft, closest to the hook’s eye until there’s the shape of a slender insect body. Also add the material to simulate the wings and/or legs and ensure it’s firmly attached as well. Now that it looks like a proper fly, tie the line off and remove any excess that might be hanging.

Now it’s simply a matter of attaching the fly to the line of the fly rod and see what happens. Over time it will become more apparent what works and what doesn’t. A firm knowledge base will be gained that will help the avid fly fisherman move on to more advanced techniques.

Whatever the reason, anyone can get into fly tying. If a person is serious about fly fishing, their skill level is irrelevant. Eventually that person will want to tie their own flies.



By: Gordon Casada

About the Author:

. asked:


I want to buy some fresh water fishing gear like rods, lines, worms, flies, etc, but not sure where the best place to get em would be. I don’t want to pay too much but at the same time I don’t want something that will snap in a couple of uses. I was thinking about walmart, but I have a thing against walmart =_=

I live in tampa fl.

expertvillage asked:

Fly reels, dry flies, mayflies and caddis flies are some of the various flies that can easily be stored in a fly fishing ***** pack.Learn more in this free video series. Expert: Jim Dowd Contact: www.zoaroutdoor.com Bio: Jim Dowd runs the fishing program at Zoar Outdoor, is a Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructor, Life Member of Trout Unlimited, and co-author of The Deerfield River Guide. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

Fly Fishing is an ancient method of fishing that is effective for catching salmonids such as trout and salmon. Fly-fishing for trout is usually best in ponds, small streams, rivers and lakes. Fly-fishing is unique because unlike other fishing methods, artificial flies made by tying feathers, fur, foam, yarn or other similar materials are tied onto a hook as bait. You can learn how to tie these flies by researching the subject online or by talking with people who have done it before.

One of the most passionate sports among anglers, there are two forms of fly-fishing – dry fly fishing and wet fly fishing. Of the two, dry fly fishing is regarded as the more familiar and classic form. In this technique, the angler casts the fly upstream. As the fly passes overhead, fish will hopefully rise up and bite the fly. Wet fly fishing is further divided into nymph fishing, lures fishing and true wet fly-fishing, and all are fished beneath the surface of the water.

Some of the widely accepted fly-fishing techniques are wet fly retrieved near the surface, deep drift, nymphs (lightly or heavy), wet fly swung and dry fly swung. Commonly used fly-fishing equipment includes fly-fishing tackle, rods and fly-fishing reels. Fly-fishing is popular in the western states and provinces. Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, British Columbia, Alberta, and California are famous for fly-fishing. In recent years, the popularity of fly-fishing has dramatically increased. Of all the fishing sports, it is regarded as the most tantalizing among anglers worldwide.

By: Steve Valentino

About the Author:

Fly fishing is a sport that many people enjoy doing. It takes years to perfect but only minutes to love. One of the tricky parts of fly fishing is knowing which type of fly to use for a particular situation or type of fish.

Types of flies in fly fishing are also known as patterns. What exactly is being fished for and under what conditions determines the type of fly that is used. There are many different patterns that are used in fly fishing. They can be broken down into five main categories: wet fly, dry fly, streamer fly, nymph, and terrestrial.

Wet Fly

As the name implies, wet flies are a type of fly that resembles insects that are under the water. This includes dead insects and insects that are coming up and emerging from the water. This type of fly can also be made to look like bigger water creatures such as leeches or crawfish.

Dry Fly

Just as with the wet fly, the dry fly’s name also gives away what it is imitating. Therefore a dry fly is meant to look like an insect that stays on top of the water. While fishing with a dry fly it is usually necessary to dry the fly several times.

Streamer

A streamer is a type of wet fly but it is meant to look like an injured baitfish. Streamers are larger than the other types of flies. They are used to catch larger fish that are predatory.

Nymph

A nymph fly is another type of wet fly. It is supposed to look like an insect that is coming out of it’s cocoon or it’s larval state. A majority of fish like to eat insects in this state.

Terrestrial

Terrestrial flies can be used as wet or dry flies. They are made to look like larger insects that mistakenly jump into the water and drown. These types of flies can either be made to look like an insect trying desperately to free itself from the water or as an insect that has already died and is simply sinking into the water without movement.

In fly fishing there are many different types of flies. While each type of fly has it’s own type of fish it is supposed to catch, many anglers will use any type of fly that they think will work on the fish at a certain time. The main types of flies are wet flies, dry flies, streamer, nymph, and terrestrial.

By: Marilyn Roberts

About the Author:

Did you know that the modern form of fly fishing dates back to two thousand years ago? Back then, they didn’t care much about fly rods or using a particular brand of fly reels, because these things never existed. As per a “one size fits all” strategy, ancient fishermen had to get by with a little less. However, innovative minds, technological advancements and a proper set up of the fishing industry have brought tons of changes.

If someone asked you to define fly fishing, you’d probably do so in the context of sports. Yes, indeed it’s true that this type of fishing has acquired the shape of a proper athletic sport. Meanwhile, some anglers tend to fish because they need a proper livelihood. Hence, the definition of this fishing category would alter from person to person, as per his or her standards and experiences.

The general fly fishing terminology sub divides into two main categories:

Dry fly fishing
Wet fly fishing

Know that both these categories use the same standard of fly rods and fly reels. Dry fly fishing is best suited to circumstances that are constituent upon moving water or live streams. You can also dry fish in ravines or shallow water, where there’s a pool type formation and a lot of small fish to hold on to. This form of fishing requires dry flies as an added ingredient.

Wet fly fishing is extensively based on the usage of wet nymphs, lures and underwater antics. In case of long weeds and areas where it’s hard to reach down to catch, this form of fishing is best suited. In the early ages, when fly fishing was evolving as a sport and a profession, this concept prevailed for a long time. Needless to say, right until now fishing gear developers have been keeping this fundamental concept as the basis of gear development.

You can be an avid fly fisher if you know your tools,. fishing is a tough game and its output depends on a lot of factors. For instance, if I were to take the weather aspect, I’d say that winters are very complicated for fly fishing enthusiast. They need to buy fly reels with thicker diameter, in order to let it withstand the atrocities of ice formation around the line. Secondly, if the person’s height is 5’5”, he or she should go for fly rods with 8 Ft. length on the minimum.

Other factors, such as the rod movement, also matter a lot. A 2 o’clock rod position means that you’re holding it up above the ground level, with a decent sense of control to your side. Similarly, you need to take into account the reel type and casting methodology as well. To find answers to all these questions, you need to practice and read instructional guides, as this is the only way of harboring your skill and knowledge of fly fishing.

By: Lucien Soffer

About the Author:

Fly fishing is a sport that many people enjoy doing. It takes years to perfect but only minutes to love. One of the tricky parts of fly fishing is knowing which type of fly to use for a particular situation or type of fish.

Types of flies in fly fishing are also known as patterns. What exactly is being fished for and under what conditions determines the type of fly that is used. There are many different patterns that are used in fly fishing. They can be broken down into five main categories: wet fly, dry fly, streamer fly, nymph, and terrestrial.

Wet Fly

As the name implies, wet flies are a type of fly that resembles insects that are under the water. This includes dead insects and insects that are coming up and emerging from the water. This type of fly can also be made to look like bigger water creatures such as leeches or crawfish.

Dry Fly

Just as with the wet fly, the dry fly’s name also gives away what it is imitating. Therefore a dry fly is meant to look like an insect that stays on top of the water. While fishing with a dry fly it is usually necessary to dry the fly several times.

Streamer

A streamer is a type of wet fly but it is meant to look like an injured baitfish. Streamers are larger than the other types of flies. They are used to catch larger fish that are predatory.

Nymph

A nymph fly is another type of wet fly. It is supposed to look like an insect that is coming out of it’s cocoon or it’s larval state. A majority of fish like to eat insects in this state.

Terrestrial

Terrestrial flies can be used as wet or dry flies. They are made to look like larger insects that mistakenly jump into the water and drown. These types of flies can either be made to look like an insect trying desperately to free itself from the water or as an insect that has already died and is simply sinking into the water without movement.

In fly fishing there are many different types of flies. While each type of fly has it’s own type of fish it is supposed to catch, many anglers will use any type of fly that they think will work on the fish at a certain time. The main types of flies are wet flies, dry flies, streamer, nymph, and terrestrial.

By: Marilyn Roberts

About the Author:

For many fly-fisherman, fly-tying is a serious hobby. Not only is fly-tying economical, it is enjoyable. Nothing beats the thrill of mastering a new fly pattern, or creating specialized flies for ones’ unique fishing situations. Also, one cannot underestimate the sense of adventure that accompanies the fly-fisher on the prowl for the perfect materials, whether browsing the local fly shop, ransacking a craft store, or even salvaging road kill.

Given that tying your own flies provides so much satisfaction, why buy flies online?

Obtain local fly patterns

The first reason is that as your fly fishing experience grows, your desire to test new and foreign waters increases. As a result, your need for localized patterns becomes more important. Sure, you want to do the research and tie your own variations of the Club Sandwich before you hit the Snake River for the first time, but there’s something to be said about fishing the tried and true local patterns on your initial outings to foreign waters. With that idea established, you can either buy these flies from a local shop or purchase them online. I recommend doing both.

Say you live in New Jersey and you’re planning your first trip to Colorado. You and your buddies plan to hit a few a rivers within 10 days. Before you go, do research on the internet – find out what’s hatching on these rivers when you plan to visit them, and what patterns work best. Then, based on your research, purchase enough flies online to cover you while fishing these waters. Now you have a safety net – you won’t have to worry about not having enough flies for the rivers you’ll fish at the end of your trip.

Next, research local shops on the internet – find out who the proprietors are and when they are open for business. Now this idea might seem obvious to many of you, but make it a point to stop at these shops before you fish. When you arrive, ask them about recent fishing activity and what flies they would recommend. Tell them about your trip, let them know you found their site on the internet, and ask for their advice. Tell them what flies you already have and ask about what else you may need. If your budget allows, purchase as many of the flies they recommend.

Save time while supplementing your current collection

There comes a time in which your energy is better focused on fishing than tying flies. A typical North American fly-fisher and fly-tyer spends the “off” months tying flies for the season ahead. Many fisherman focus the bulk of their tying efforts on the winter months to prepare for spring, summer, and fall fishing. If you are one of those anglers who feel like they never have enough flies, purchasing your “basic” flies online can leave you time to focus on the more specialized, region-specific flies that you might not find on the web. For example, why not buy your attractor flies such as Adams or Stimulators, so that you can concentrate on the special mayfly flies that you know will require special attention to detail? The same idea applies to those “hard-to-tie” flies – if you dislike tying size 24 Tricos, why not buy those items online so you have more time to crank out the flies you prefer to tie?

Also, consider how much your time is worth. Think about your fly-tying time as if you were a professional fly-tyer. How much is an hour of your fly-tying time worth? If it takes you two hours to tie twelve size 26 BWO emergers, you might be better off spending $10 on a dozen of the same fly so that you can use those two hours to tie 18 Rusty Spinners.

Variety

No matter what you want to purchase, nothing beats the internet for window shopping. I have seen the same fly pattern tied three different ways on three different sites. This variety allows you to find the best pattern that matches your intended fishing location. For example, if you plan to fish faster moving water, your parachute patterns might need a bit more hackle, or even a brighter post. On the other hand, if you plan to fish tailwaters, your mayfly patterns might need to sit lower on the water. By the same token, if you intend to fish mostly in the spring, your mayfly patterns might need to be a lighter color than if you intend to fish in the fall.

By browsing different sites for the same patterns, you will be able to compare patterns and ascertain the right fly for you. The best way to do this is to open two or three browser windows at a time on your computer. Then go to different sites in each browser and compare the patterns you are interested in.

Save money

Quite simply, buying flies online can save you money. Not only can you find discounts for large orders, the actual cost of individual flies can be lower than if you purchased flies from some of the larger fly fishing retailers. The best online merchants often charge as little as 65 cents (sometimes, even 50 cents for fly patterns). One disadvantage is that you don’t get to inspect the flies before you purchase them, unlike in a store. I recommend buying a few different patterns your first time so that you can determine not only the quality of the flies, but the consistency of the quality across different patterns. For example, a good initial purchase might include a stonefly nymph, a caddis pattern, a mayfly emerger, a mayfly dun, and an attractor pattern. This way you could check the various elements of typical flies such as tails, dubbing, hackle, deer-hair, and hook strength.

Types of web sites
There are hundreds of web sites that sell flies online. These sites fall into two categories: companies that only sell flies, and fly shop owners who run web sites for their businesses.

Businesses whose sole purpose is to sell flies online usually have a greater amount of flies available. One advantage these sites offer is that they are more likely to offer discounts on larger purchases. Also, their web sites tend to be more user-friendly (though not always). Many of these sites typically include advanced functionality that make selecting and purchasing flies easier on the user. The best of these sites allow you to set up personal accounts or use “shopping carts” to store your selections before purchasing. In this manner, the purchase experience is more convenient. Shopping carts tend to be “persistent” – in that a visitor may select items to the cart one day and return to the site at later time to find that the shopping cart still contains the previous selections. This allows you to select items you are interested in, leave the site and do more research, then alter or add to your selections later.

Fly shop web sites, on the other hand, typically present the user with flies specifically relevant to the area that the fly shop services. You have a better chance of purchasing flies that are most effective to the area you want to fish if you purchase them from local fly shops. Furthermore, you are supporting the local economy of the area in which you desire to fish. Many fly shop web sites also include online hatch charts which can inform you of flies you most likely need.

The authors experience

In the spring, and summer I do a lot of fishing on the Delaware River in the Catskills Mountains of New York. Throughout the winter I will tie a decent amount of the flies I actually need. As spring approaches, I have found that supplementing my collection with web-bought flies ensures that I am ready to meet the various hatches encountered in the spring. Any Delaware River fly fisherman will tell you that hatch-matching is a critical part of success on this river. In my limited experience, I have encountered days in which four or five different hatches took place. On top of that, the hatches change from week to week. I have ensured a decent modicum of success by checking local hatch charts ahead of time and then purchasing a dozen flies from week to week.

Hopefully, these tips will help you increase the amount of flies you own, and enhance your fly-fishing experience.

Article courtesy of Steve Clark of TotalFlyFishing.com at www.totalflyfishing.com.

By: Stephen Clark

About the Author:

Deciding to fish with trout fishing flies can be a big turning point in your trout angling endeavors. Trout fishing flies are a staple of the hobby, but are little understood by the average beginner. To make matters worse, there are so many options that most people end up overwhelmed. When that happens, it’s much easier to stick with a minnow or earthworm.

To help wrap our brains around the world of trout fishing flies, it’s important to realize that there are really three main groups. For, starters, there are what’s known as dry flies. Dry flies are widely used in all sorts of settings. You’ve probably heard such names as dries cripples, may flies, spinners, and caddies.

After the dry flies, the second main group is comprised of what we call wet flies. This class of trout fishing flies tends to be a bit larger than the mainline synthetic flies. Finally, there is also the nymph category of trout fishing flies. These are typically attached to a heavy hook. You also usually use some weight to keep in lower in the water. Popular versions of this include caddis nymphs, may fly nymphs, and stone fly nymphs.

Having covered the three major categories, note that there are a number of variables within each of the classes for you to consider. Specifically, each of your trout flies will offer an array of sizes, colors, styles, and so on. You can choose different combinations depending on your setting and your goals.

Choosing the size of your trout fishing flies usually will be determined by the waters you are fishing. A larger fly is a good idea if you are in cool or dark water. Oppositely, you’ll likely choose a small fly if you are in real clear water. As for color, orange flies do well in dark water. This is the same if the water is muddy. Yellow and black seem to be consistent winners early in the season.

After a lot of experimentation, it doesn’t seem that the size of the hook really matters as much. By contrast, other hook variables do seem to make a difference. See, single hooks are not as effective in deep water. The double and triple hooks up your odds considerably. However, some people think they can hurt the fish.

Next we’ll consider the style of the hook used in your flies. Single hooks certainly allow for much more realistic looking flies. Note that there are seasonal variances too. Early in the season, I bet you’ll find that good things happen when you implement a willie gunn tube, allys shrimp, and tosh 2-3″. By contrast, in summer, you’ll want to use a stoats tail on a single or ally’s shrimp 1″- 1.5″. Last, when it’s later in the fishing season, look to using comets and allys.

Okay, at this point we’ve considered trout fishing flies from a variety of angles, including the impact of season, water condition, and so on. As you might imagine, the actual type of trout you’re angling for can also influence your selection. See, a rainbow trout, for instance, seems to like flies much more than brown trout. Brownies, it seems, really like nymphs on top of the water, at least earlier in the year. So, as you can see, there really is a lot to deciding what trout fishing flies you will use. However, by keeping in mind some of these basic guidelines, you’ll find that it’s a lot easier to not only manage your options, but also make wise decisions.

By: Jim Wooten

About the Author:

Fly Fishing Equipment

Fly rods

Fly fishing rods come in different sizes and with varying degrees of flexibility. It is very important that the fly fishing line used on a rod is correctly matched to the rod. If the line is too thick and heavy for a lighter rod, the casting action will be negatively affected or worse yet the rod could suffer permanent damage due to the stress. Rods are marked in sizes, from the lightest #0 or #1 to the stronger and much heavier #16 which is used predominantly for game fishing at sea.

There is a small margin of variance which can be considered when matching a line to your rod. It is usually safe to use a line rated for a rod either one size heavier or lighter than your own. In other words, if you have a 7wt fly fishing rod, it is safe to use a 6wt or 8wt line.

There is a difference between fresh water fly fishing rods and their saltwater counterparts. Saltwater rods generally need to handle stronger fish and need to cast heavier flies over longer distances; this means that the rods need to be heavier and stronger with a thicker line. Fighting **** reel seats and anti-corrosion fittings are necessary to ensure a longer life for these rods in a salty environment.

Fly fishing reels

These reels are sometimes referred to as casting reels. In fly fishing casting the line is pulled from the reel by hand as the other hand casts. The reel then comes into play when pulling the line back in with the rotation of the reel. As fly fishing has become more popular in conditions which place more demand upon the fly fisherman and his equipment, the technological enhancement of equipment has had to keep pace. These days there are specially produced reels for saltwater fly fishing and for those who are after larger fish.

Increased speeds in retrieving line as well as a reduction in friction are characteristics of newer reels. Another innovation is the use of disc drags which allow for smoother action and the use of much lighter tippets.

Fly fishing flies

Flies are extremely light and are attached to a piece of line known as a leader, which narrows from where it is attached to the line towards the fly end, called the tippet. The leader can vary in length between three to twelve feet. Sizes of flies vary greatly, size #2 being a larger fly and #22 being a rather small fly.

More about Fly Fishing Equipment

By: Angela Drummond

About the Author: