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Report 1 (of 6): High Fly-er
- UK
Introduction
Angling is one of the most popular
forms of recreation in the world. It not only allows
people to spend time outdoors, but also provides a
source of fresh fish, which can be a nutritious supplement
to the diet. The basic tools are a rod, a reel, fishing
line, and hooks and lures, which `make it an inexpensive
activity. Fishing can be done in fresh water or salt
water. Freshwater fishing takes place in lakes, ponds,
rivers, and streams and includes game fish such as
trout and bass. Saltwater fishing occurs in oceans,
estuaries, and tidal rivers and includes game fish
such as snapper, bonefish, striped bass, tuna and
marlin. One of the most popular methods of fishing
in both salt and fresh water is fly-fishing.
Fly-fishing is the oldest form of
sport fishing known to man. It differs from traditional
bait fishing because it uses a fake 'fly' to attract
fish that feed on insects. A 'fly' is an artificial
lure that is typically made from fur, feathers, and
synthetic materials attached to a hook. Flies are
intended to mimic the natural prey of fish and making
them is often considered a highly skilled art. It
can sometimes take several days to produce a finished
article. There are thousands of different varieties
of fly and they can be made in the comfort of your
own home, for pleasure or for profit.
Mandy Shelvey-Veness does not live
or work near a river or lake, but from her home in
London she produces flies to order for many types
of fishing. She has tied flies for taimen (a big landlocked
salmon-like fish, which is found in Mongolia); salmon
(both Atlantic and Pacific); trout and sea trout (for
many destinations worldwide); and many other species,
both saltwater and fresh. Some of the flies are not
made for fishing with, but to be framed and displayed.
Fly-fishing
Fly-fishing is perhaps the most difficult
of angling methods and yet one that anybody can learn
with a bit of practice. Traditionally, people used
fly-fishing to catch salmon and trout but now people
fly-fish for any fresh or saltwater fish. As with
any other type of fishing, good fly-fishers have a
real understanding of the habits and lifestyle of
the fish to be caught, including where it is found,
what it eats, how it feeds and what kind of environment
it prefers.
Fly-fishers use a much longer and
lighter rod than those used for bait and spin fishing.
(Spin fishing involves a different kind of artificial
lure, which spins.) Fly-fishing rods can be up to
3 metres (10 feet) long in freshwater fishing and
4 metres (14 feet) long for saltwater fishing. To
cast a fly the angler whisks the fly rod forward and
back using only the forearm. During this movement
the angler releases more line. The movement continues
until a considerable amount of line is airborne. The
angler then casts the line to a specific spot with
a sharp but smooth snap of the wrist.
Casts are made to likely fishing spots
such as pools and pockets in streams. The fly is allowed
to touch the water and will either float or sink depending
on the type of fly. Presenting the fly onto the water
is one of fly-fishing's most difficult aspects, as
ensuring the line lands smoothly on the water's surface
- so that the fly appears as natural as possible -
is crucial. After several moments the angler withdraws
the fly by pulling a small portion of line, then lifting
the tip of the rod. The angler then makes another
presentation.
Equipment
The essentials for fly-fishing include
a fly rod, fly line and reel.
Fly rod
Rods are made in many different lengths
and each one will be designed for a specific weight
of fly line. This information will be marked on the
rod just above the handle as an AFTM or Association
of Fishing Tackle Manufacturers number. Sometimes
there will be more than one number, which means that
the rod can be used with a lighter or heavier line.
AFTM ratings start at zero for the lightest rod -
suitable for small streams and fish, up to 15 for
a deep-sea rod for catching tuna and marlin. Generally,
the heavier the rod, the easier it is to cast.
The amount the rod flexes is referred
to as the 'action' of the rod. Slow action rods bend
more and straighten more slowly. They are fun to cast
and easy to learn on and are perhaps the best choice
for beginners. Fast action rods flex less and straighten
more quickly. These rods cast further with less effort
but require more skill to control.
Fly line
Fly lines are designed to either float
or sink and the choice of which to use depends on
whether you are river fishing or stillwater fishing.
Floating lines are particularly suited for dry or
nymph fishing; sinking lines are used for wet fishing;
intermediate lines can be used for all techniques.
A tackle shop should be able to tell you which type
of line to choose.
Reel
The reel can be an inexpensive one.
The reel is only needed to hold the line conveniently.
Before you put your line on the reel, you must put
on some line called 'backing'. This fills up the reel
and extends the length of the fly line if a large
fish is caught and decides to head for the sea or
the far shore of a lake or reservoir!
Fly boxes
Fly boxes are needed to keep the flies
in, ideally one for dry flies and one for nymphs and
wet flies. Fly-fishers often favour boxes with foam
linings where the flies can be hooked.
Other equipment
- A landing net is used to bring
the fish ashore and should have a reasonable length
of handle.
- A pair of polarised sunglasses,
both to help protect eyes from damage by a fly when
casting in windy conditions and to make it easier
to see fish in the water.
- A pair of small scissors to trim
the ends of nylon.
- A bag or waistcoat with lots of
pockets, to hold everything in.
Fly Tying
Thousands of commercially manufactured
flies are available from most fly-fishing shops, yet
many fly-fishing enthusiasts prefer to making their
own by tying their own flies. Fly tying can be undertaken
by anyone with the right equipment. Materials are tied
to a hook in an attempt to imitate the size, shape,
and colour of the insects the fish feeds on, such as
mayflies or stoneflies, beetles or grasshoppers. They
come in a variety of types:
- Dry flies - which float
and imitate adult aquatic insects;
- Wet flies - which lie below
the surface and imitate immature aquatic insects;
- Nymphs - which resemble
the larval stage of aquatic insects; and
- Streamers and Bucktails
- which imitate small fish.
Tools
All you really need to begin fly tying
is a vice, a pair of scissors, a bobbin holder and
possibly hackle pliers. Other tools are extras and
can be added later as needed. There are many different
variations of all the tools mentioned and it is possible
to tie a fly without any of them, including the vice.
Alternatively, if choosing all this
equipment sounds too complicated, many shops sell
fly tying kits for beginners, which include all the
necessary equipment to get started.
Vice
The vice holds a hook securely between
its jaws to allow a fly tier to wrap thread, tie in
feather and fur, or any other material needed to make
a fly. Fly tying vices are available in a wide variety
of models, sizes and options. It is vital that a vice
has high quality jaws that will hold the hook securely.
Other options such as a base or clamp will depend upon
individual preferences and where the tying will be done.
A vice with a clamp allows you to secure the vice to
the edge of any table type of surface. A good vice should
also have a fully rotating head, so that it is unnecessary
to remove and turn the hook, and a long stem to give
plenty of room for rotating the bobbin around the hook.
Scissors
A small pair of sharp scissors is useful
for fly tying. The best have good steel that retains
its edge and blades that taper to a very fine point.
A first pair should be about 10 cm (4 inches) in length
and have large finger holes, as some people keep the
scissors on their fingers throughout tying. Straight
and curved blades are available and the choice depends
merely on personal preference.
Hackle pliers
Hackle pliers are another important
tool for the fly tier. Designed to hold feathers, tinsel
and other material used to create flies, they should
grip well. They are made to remain closed without pressure
and to open when pressed.
Bobbin
A bobbin is a tool used for keeping
tension on the thread. This is needed because a fly
tier will wrap several turns of thread around the material
and hook and then be required to stop and prepare other
material for tying onto the hook. A good bobbin is easy
to use and the tube through which the thread runs should
be of high quality metal or ceramic to ensure the thread
does not fray.
Tying a Fly
It would be impossible to go through
all the necessary steps for tying a fly, even a simple
fly. However, the basic steps involve the starting
thread, attaching the eyes (if needed), adding some
weight, adding the wings and tail and the 'whip' finish.
To see how some of the above activities are achieved
(using animations), please click on the links below:
Fly Tying Basics
Fly proportions
Each tied fly should be in proportion
to the hook, depending on the type of fly being produced.
For standard dry flies, the proportions should be
as follows:
Hook Proportions
A = Hook Shank Length
B = Hook Gap = Hook Size |
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Standard Dry Fly Proportions
C = Tail Length = Hook Shank Length (A)
D = Wing Length = (A)
E = Hackle Length = 1.5 to 2 x Hook Gap (B)
F = Body Length = 2/3 to 3/4 (A) |
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Websites
www.f-deans.freeserve.co.uk/basic.htm
Provides a step-by-step guide to fly tying.
www.fishandfly.co.uk/beginners.html
Provides many articles on fly-fishing for beginners.
www.iflyshop.com/flyfishing-beginners.htm
Provides links to websites for beginners.
Further Reading
The following books can be bought
from Amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/:
Fly Fishing
Flyfishing for Dummies
Peter Kaminsky
£12.20, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 1998, ISBN: 076455073X
Complete Book of Fly Fishing
A.J. McClane (Foreword), Tom McNally
£11.07, 1997, ISBN: 0070456380
Fly Fishing Made Easy: A Manual
for Beginners with Tips for the Experienced (Made
Easy)
Michael Rutter, David Card
£9.96, Globe Pequot Press, 2001, ISBN: 076270750X
Fly Fishing for Beginners: What
to Buy, How to Cast, Where to Catch Fish
Chris Hansen
£12.18, C & T Publishing, Inc., 2002, ISBN: 1589230671
Fly Tying
Basic Manual of Fly-tying: Fundamentals
of Imitation
Paul N. Fling, Donald Puterbaugh
£10.39, 1993, ISBN: 0806986549
The Right Fly: An Angler's Guide
to Identifying and Matching Natural Insects
Stephen J. Simpson, George McGavin
£8.79, 2002, ISBN: 071531517X
Basic Fly Tying
Rounds J.
£9.40, 2002, ISBN: 0811724735
101 Innovative Fly-tying Tips:
How to Tie Flies Quickly, Easily and Professionally
Charles R. Meck
£13.84, The Lyons Press, 2002, ISBN: 1585747513
This document is an output from
a project funded by the UK Department for International
Development (DFID) and the European Commission (EC)
for the benefit of developing countries. The views
expressed are not necessarily those of DFID or the
EC.
Acknowledgements
ITDG wishes to thank Derek Porter
(http://www.tie1on.net/) for allowing
us to use his images and links.
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