Beginning to Fly Fish?...
Fly fishing, like most things in life, is what you choose to make it. From a couple of relaxing weekends a year to a passion that will last a lifetime...it is all up to you.
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I do not want to spoil your expectations so early in the discussion but fly fishing is not something you can simply decide to go do tomorrow morning and expect a purely pleasant experience. First of all, fly fishing is unlike other kinds of fishing as you will discover in the following pages. The one thing all fishing methods that use a fishing rod have in common is the need to get a "bait" or some kind of fish food in relatively close proximity to the fish you want to catch. Herein lies your challenge...casting a fly rod. If you continue reading, you will quickly see what I am talking about here.
Fly casting is not physically difficult or demanding and does not require any special skill to get started. All you need is a fly rod, reel and fly line that are well "matched" and a basic understanding of the simple physics involved. Both of these things are explained in detail in the following pages.
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Fly fishing can and probably will involve numerous other more detailed things as you progress and learn. Things like "reading the water", understanding which fly to use and when to use it and learning some of the characteristics of the species of fish you want to chase with a fly rod such as preferred food source(s) and where they are likely to "hang out". If trout is your preferred target, you will also need to learn some basic aquatic entomology.
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Fly fishing can, and will, be very rewarding once you have a decent grasp of the basics. Although using the term "paying your dues" implies some sort of punishment, there is no punishment here, just learning a few basics and some practice before you grab a fly rod and head out to the local river or lake.
Before we get into the nitty gritty stuff, it is important to know and understand the differences between fly fishing and all other the other types of fishing you are probably already familiar with. So, onward...click here
Fly Fishing Terminology...
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Like most other professions, hobbies and sports, fly fishing has its own jargon. Here is a handy "lingo" reference from the good folks at Redington...click here