Art of Fly Fishing

Fly fishing is a distinct angling procedure, and especially popular as a method mainly for angling salmon and trout. However, fly fishing is used today for other varieties of fish such as the bass, pike, carp and panfish. It is likewise employed for catching marine fish, like the tarpon, striped bass and redfish. Most fly fisherman, especially those who have been experts at it, consider fly fishing as an art form, as it is not learned overnight but actually takes years to perfect.

In fly fishing, the angler utilizes a rod that is much lighter and longer than the ones used for spin fishing. Such rods can be around 2 meters long when used in freshwater and around 4 meters long when fishing for steelhead, or even salmon. The average length of rod utilized for both fresh and seawater is 2.7 meters, while it weighs around 4 ounces.

Where is the art in fly fishing? You will find it in the casting of the fly. There must be precision and rhythm in your movement as well as proper timing, to be able to perfectly lay your line. There are many types of casts, the most common of which is the forward cast. In this cast, the fisherman whisks his fly up high into the air and backwards over his shoulder, up to the point when the line is almost straight, then to the front with the use of his forearm. The purpose of this casting motion is to bend the tip of the rod with the stored energy, then send the energy to the line. The end result is the fly and being perfectly cast to a desired distance. When you cast without making the fly touch the water, it is what we call false casting, and is usually employed to reposition your cast, or dry a wet fly. Other casting methods are the tuck cast, curve cast, roll cast, single haul cast and double haul cast.

Upon touching the water, the fly either floats or sinks; this all depends on your fly and fishing style. This particular situation of the fly going to the water is the fly fishing’s most complicated part, as the fisherman is trying to make the casting as perfect as possible by landing the line smoothly on the surface of the water, and making the fly appear natural. If a fish bites, the fisherman pulls the line by raising up the tip of the rod. This action effectively hooks the fish's mouth. The fisherman then continues to firmly hold the line with his hand as a control over the tension applied toward to the fish. He can also retrieve the slack on the line by using the drag of the reel. This action intends to slow down the run of the fish.

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