What is Fly Fishing: The Art of Making the Perfect Catch

Fly fishing is basically where anglers catch fish by using a bait resembling a fly to tempt the fish. The bait positions itself near the water surface giving the impression to the fish that a bug or insect has landed on the water surface. 

To get a better idea of what this type of fishing is, it’s useful to compare it with the traditional types of bait fishing in order to highlight the distinguishing factors better.

Let’s explore!

All You Need to Know About Fly Fishing

Before you can go fly fishing with your waders, it’s essential to understand exactly what it is and what makes it different from other kinds of popular bait fishing tactics.

Before we get hooked to the main catch of things, here’s a brief overview of what exactly entails when an angler says he’s going fishing. 

A Quick Explanation 

In order to get an idea about how to do fly fishing, it’s relevant to know exactly what it is.

Fly fishing is an art in itself with the way it needs a perfect blend of skill and circumstances to be successful. Before you go fishing with your kayak equipped with stabilizers, it’s important that you know exactly what type of fish you want to catch, as well as know the exact place you want to fish. 

Traditional fishing entails making use of a hook, some weights, a lightweight fishing line, and a float. The combination of hook, bait, and weight allows a successful cast that goes over a longer stretch of distance. The bait would then simply tempt the fish enough to take a bite, giving you the perfect opportunity to catch it.

Fly fishing isn’t the same. It’s crucial that you get a ‘fly’ weight that’s light enough to suspend near the water surface. Since the fly itself is generally weightless, the vital thing about successful fishing is introducing it to the water gently enough to not terrify nearby fish. 

So… what is fly fishing? Due to its low weight, fishing is a sport that requires great precision and skill to execute perfectly. 

Fishing Equipment Needed for Fly Fishing

In order to understand exactly what is fly fishing, you need to gauge the equipment needed to carry it out.

This is because there are several things you specifically need to have in order to enjoy a successful fishing trip.

Fly Fishing Line

Traditionally speaking, fishing is done in the usual manner and usually features weight-specific equipment that’s needed for every successful catch. When it comes to fishing, the line itself provides sufficient weight to cast (and eventually catch) successfully. 

The fly fishing rod is a stretch that consists of a fly, a leader and tippet, fly line, and backing.

The backing is an extra bit of line intended to give your overall line a little more length, allowing it to extend further into the water, while the leader and tippet are the parts that help ensure the invisibility of the fly to the nearby fish. 

Fly Fishing Reel and Rod

These rods are noted for the fact that they have extreme flexibility and are made of graphite.

Usually, these rods measure an astounding length of nine feet, making them longer than the average fishing rod. This length is helpful as it ensures that the fly reaches a greater distance, thus appearing less suspicious to the fish.

Moreover, the reel stands apart from traditional ones due to it being an open-reel instead of a closed one. Additionally, in order to grasp the reel, the angler’s hand has to be positioned on the front, unlike the traditional tendency of holding the reel from behind. 

How to Cast While Fly Fishing

As mentioned before, casting differs from fly fishing as it deals primarily with the idea of striving not to scare away the fish. The fish must think that the ‘fly’ is some kind of prey that it wants to catch. 

There are many casting techniques that might even differ from fisherperson to fisherperson, but the most commonly used technique is where the angler tosses a line that is a little longer than the fishing rod first backward and then forwards into the water.

Dry Fly Fishing

Many anglers around often wonder about what is dry fly fishing, and if it’s different from regular fishing.

A dry fly is the dry version of the artificial lure (the ‘fly’). In fact, every lure in fishing is technically a dry fly before getting into the water body. 

Dry fly fishing is when the artificial ‘fly’ lure remains above the water surface due to its lightweight, and the sheer skill of the caster. This makes it resemble tempting prey for the fish that can’t generally be found underwater, making them a real treat. 

When the fish are unsuspecting, they come closer to the surface in an attempt to take a bite, without realizing that they are about to be caught. 

Keep in mind that since a dry fly tends to sink due to water absorption, it’s a great idea to take along drying agents such as a desiccant. You can also apply a floating gel to the fly to ensure its buoyancy. 

Conclusion

With fly fishing, one has the opportunity to understand the feeding proclivities of the aquatic, particularly the fish in a specific body of water.

By using the lightweight ‘fly’ one tries to imitate the natural cycle in an attempt to hunt for fish. This technique is thus super exciting and informative, perfect for your next fishing trip! 

Have fun!