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Fly fishing is an old pastime that comes from the art of fishing itself. Lightweight lures that imitate flies encourage fish to come to or near the surface of water and take a good bite of the bait. Fishing flies themselves have a long history and can be as diverse as the fish they are meant to catch.

Fishing flies have been dated throughout history and are written about as early as 200 A. D. In the fifteenth century, they made a brief appearance in one of the first books to talk about fishing as a sport. Along with instructions on how to make a rod, set a line and bait a hook, there were also chapters written about how to make a fly and when to use a certain type of fly throughout the different seasons of the year.

Fishing flies used to be called artificial flies. Of course, now they are more commonly just called flies. This is because real flies are rarely used and the \’flies\’ used in fly fishing are always artificial in make. Once upon a time bugs such as Mayflies were used to bait fish. Now, craft supplies including feathers and fur can be used in different degrees and methods to \’tie\’ a fishing fly.

Before choosing a fishing fly, it\’s important to know where one is going to be fishing, and what the target type of fish is. Fish eat in different ways and eat different types of prey or food. Some fish don\’t eat bugs at all but choose vegetation as their diet. Knowing if the fish in question is a jumper that will leap out of the water to get a fly or is a lurker waiting beneath overhanging trees makes all the difference when choosing the right fishing flies.

Fishing flies can imitate what prey a species of fish is used to. Some are meant to look like crustaceans more than flies, and will imitate things such as underwater shrimp. Some fishing flies will work hard to act like actual flies, and can be \’nymphs\’, which look like immature fly larvae, or \’emergers\’, which try to look like flies moving from larvae stage to adulthood.

Choosing fishing flies depends on where a person is going to fish, and what sort of fish can be expected there. For example, river fish might have a different set of prey or food needs than lake fish. Many fish spawn in rivers and choose the river to die in after spawning. Thus, some flies are called \’flesh\’ flies, as they imitate the rotting flesh of salmon that other fish feed on, for example. Some flies are going to imitate spawn or eggs themselves, which are a food source for some varieties of fish. In some parts of Europe this practice is frowned upon and called unsportsmanlike.

Dry flies are meant to stay on the surface of the water. The materials they are made from will help them stay buoyant. Fly fishermen will tap the fly on the surface of the water repeatedly, in and around the same spot, encouraging fish to take notice and to eventually strike and bite the fly and hook. Other fishing flies are meant to sink beneath the surface. They will be made of heavier materials that react a certain way as they become wet and drag through the water. Some people say that it is less about imitating fish prey than it is about colour. So it\’s no surprise that some fishing flies can be very colourful and look nothing like any known insect or bug that a fish might eat. They work and the fish bite just the same.

Fish flies can be ever so diverse. Whether they are designed to imitate a fish\’s prey or just to catch a fish\’s eye and cause it to strike by using glaring colours and patterns, artificial flies are exciting to use. They require a skill in creation and crafting that is only matched by the skill of the fishermen using them. Fishing with flies is a great hobby that is often isolated and full of peace. Making fishing flies can be peaceful, as well.

For everyone looking for the perfect fishing fly, there is a place you can go! Find an assortment of fishing flies that will help you increase the number of fish you catch fast and easy!

Tags: angling, Fishing, fishing flies, Fly Fishing, hobbies, Lures, sporting goods, sports, Trout Fishing