ARTICLE 1

Fly fishing is a method of fishing in which fly casting is used. It is so called fly fishing because artificial flies, which are usually created with hook and thread tied with fur, hair, feathers and other materials, are used to send the fly on target.

Compared to other fishing methods where the cast is delivered by the bait’s weight, fly fishing depends on the rhythm imparted to the rod and line.

A fly is actually a term used by the fishing sports world to mean a lure or bait for the fish. There are five types of flies:

The Dry Fly

A dry fly gives the impression of light insects floating on the water although some dry flies are used to imitate larger animals like snake, mouse, or frogs to attract certain species of fish.

The Wet Fly

A wet fly is used to mimic insects under the surface of the water. The wet fly a technique is very relaxing and effective way to fish. It is also one of the easiest techniques for beginning fly fishers to learn.

Streamer

A streamer is a fish lure similar to Wet Fly except that instead of imitating small insects under the water, streamer is used to imitate injured fish for bait such as menhaden or minnow.

Terrestrial

A terrestrial fly mimics insects like beetle, grasshoppers, crickets and ants or any ground insect that has fallen into the water. Terrestrials, in strict terms, refer to insects that may have aquatic relatives but none of them have intentionally spend any period of their life cycle in water. Terrestrials are favorite baits for trouts.

Nymph

A nymph is another wet fly tied to a hook and give the fish the impression of insect larva. Some insects that can be imitate by nymphs are caddis fly larva, mayfly nymphs and diptera.

For many fly fishers nymph fishing is the most challenging because the bait is so small and can test the ability of the angler.

Fly fishing is a world-wide sport that dated back in the second century as recorded by Roman Claudius Aelianus. Fly fishing in England further developed the sport with the establishment of fly fishing clubs and publishing of books about new and different techniques.

There are slight differences though with fly fishing from country to country. For instance, in Scandinavia, some fly fishing methods were not rigidly defined resulting in modifications.

In the United States, some of the most popular places to go fly fishing are in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, California, and Alaska where the greatest number of fishermen are located while the prime locations in Canada include the Canadian Maritime provinces and Newfoundland and Labrador, Island Lake river and God's Lake River in northern Manitoba for Brook Trout, the upper Great Lakes region, New England. Austria, Italy, Yugoslavia, Germany, Switzerland, England and the Scandinavian countries are the most visited countries in Europe for fly fishing enthusiasts.

Around the world, some of the places which are favorites for fly fishers are the active geothermal area around Lake Taupo on the North Island of New Zealand, the countries of Mongolia and Russia.

Several fly fishing clubs are formed around the world. Member of the club meet to go fishing together, learn and develop new techniques, implement outreach programs, and set up flying fishing schools.