Bait casting, spinning, and spin casting are fishing methods in which the weight of the lure is used to pull the line off the spool (reel) to catch fish. Fly-fishing, on the other hand, relies on the weight of the line to cast an almost weightless lure called a fly. Fly-fishing is a sport that can be very exciting as you anticipate a fish taking your lure. Fly-fishing is the most difficult method of fishing to learn but is the most accurate because it allows you to place your fly precisely where you want it.
Fly-fishing rods are usually 7 to 9 feet in length and are classified according to weight. Weights are usually from 1 to 15. Fly-fishing rods are matched to fly lines of the same weight. Weights under 6 are used for smaller fish such as the trout or the panfish. Weights above 6 are used for fish about the weight of a bass or salmon. Weights above 13 are used for larger saltwater varieties of fish such as tarpon.
In bait casting, spinning, or spin casting, reels are made to cast as well as reel the line back in. In fly-fishing the reel does not cast but is instead storage for the line to keep it from getting tangled. A single action reel consists of a spool with a crank handle. This type is best for all-around use. A multiplying reel has a gear that allows the angler to retrieve line faster than with the single action reel. The automatic reel has a spring that winds up as soon as line is pulled out. A lever is pushed to cause the line to be reeled back automatically.
Fly-fishing line is extremely heavy and thick compared to the line that is used in bait casting and spinning. In bait casting and spinning the line is thin, light, and invisible in water. In fly-fishing the line is made of a tube of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with a braided nylon core. The polyvinyl chloride is smooth and bendable.
Because fly-fishing line is so thick and visible to fish in the water a mono filament leader is used at the tip of the fly line. A leader is a shorter amount of mono filament line that is used to connect the lure to the heavy line.
Fly-fishing line can be used to sink or float. Different types of line are used for different effects on a lure. Level line is the same thickness from one end to the other. Tapered line also comes in different types and makes casting easier. Double taper is thicker and heavier in the middle and the ends are thinned equally. This type of line is good for dry fly-fishing because it tends to drop the fly gently on the water surface. A weight forward taper line is thicker and heavier at one end only with the rest of the line being thinner and lighter. This type of line is good for situations in which you must make a long-distance cast.
Fly-fishing line is about 80 to 90 feet in length and is connected to braided line called backing that is attached to the spool of the reel. Backing fills up the narrow spool and keeps the fly line from kinking or twisting. It also provides additional line if needed.
There are thousands and thousands of different fly patterns on the market today. Some flies are made to imitate a specific type of insect and some are made to attract fish whether it looks real or not.
You can buy your flies in the marketplace or you can learn to make your own. Making your own flies has many benefits. Fly tying is a relaxing past time and will keep your fly box supplied at all times. If you tie your own flies you will always have the pattern that works best for you.
