Fly fishing – a sport of significant skill – continues to grow in popularity as the fundamentals of it are passed on from generation to generation and from fisherman to fisherman. As a new generation takes to the water, they learn as the anglers before them, that proper fly fishing equipment ranks as high in importance as technical skill and artful flair. Superior equipment can take the experience of fly fishing and elevate it to the next level – making not only a more successful event – but a more enjoyable one as well.

First and foremost, aside from quality rods, reels, and lines, the most important piece of fly fishing equipment is the fly itself – the very thing for which the sport is named. While some skilled and experienced anglers prefer to make their own flies – constructing artificial flies from a variety of materials – others prefer to purchase their flies. Fly varieties are extensive and each one is designed to attract a particular type of fish. So purchasing flies depends solely on the fish you are targeting during your fly fishing experience.

There are many anglers who will tell you that their tackle box is their most prized piece of fly fishing equipment. After the purchase of some meticulously chosen flies, it is important – and necessary – to keep them organized and always on hand in order to ensure a successful experience.

But when it comes to fly fishing equipment, it is imperative to not forget the fisherman. Proper fly fishing apparel is just as important as any other piece of equipment. Let us not forget that fly fishermen stand often waist high in water; proper gear – such as wading boots, fingerless and full gloves, and waterproof pants and jackets – can protect the skin and keep wearers dry and comfortable throughout their day.

Fly fishing is a learned skill and art form that those who practice it take very seriously indeed. It stands to reason, therefore, that fly fishing equipment is incredibly important to such enthusiasts. And once you understand the sport it is not difficult to see why. The proper fly fishing equipment can literally mean the difference between an uncomfortable and unsuccessful experience -and one that yields enjoyment and success.

Although most flies represent water insects, a terrestrial fly is made to imitate a land insect that has fallen into the water. The two most common terrestrials that are imitated for fly fishing are the ant and the grasshopper.

Although there are hundreds of  types of flies used for fly fishing, most of them fall into five specific categories, or types.  These types are dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, streamers and buck tails, and terrestrials. The main purpose of the fly is to imitate an insect that the fish wants to eat.

A dry fly imitates a natural insect that is floating on the top of the water. Fish are very sensitive to any motion of their water and how currents move the insects they want for food. In fly fishing, if a dry fly is moving even slightly against the current, the fish will have nothing to do with it. The fly  may look like something the fish recognizes but it is not acting the same an insect would. The fish recognizes it as something foreign in the water and leaves it alone.

In fly fishing, a wet fly is imitating a drowned, or drowning,  natural insect and is fished below the water surface.  No one is sure if the wet fly is seen as a drowning adult insect or a nymph from the perspective of the fish. Most fly fishermen today seem to believe that it is seen as a nymph. Because of this less and less wet flies are being sold. Wet fly fishing is the oldest form of fly fishing. It dates  back to descriptions of the early Macedonian people.

A nymph is the stage between an egg and the adult in the life cycle of an insect. In fly fishing, flies that resemble nymphs are growing popularity. The nymph fly is just below the surface of the water. When a fish bulges the water without breaking the surface, he is nymphing. This means that the fish is eating the natural nymphs just as they are emerging from their shell. This is what a nymph fly imitates.

Streamers and buck tail flies do not imitate any part of the insect’s life cycle. These types of fly fishing flies are much larger and represent small bait  fish such as sculpin minnows. The main difference between theses two types of flies is that streamers are tied with feathers, and bucktails are tied completely with hair. Fly fishing that uses these two types of flies generally requires more rod and line manipulation. The movements are supposed to duplicate the motions of the little fish. 

Besides these basic five categories of flies, there are many other kinds of flies that are used for fly fishing. Some of them are a combination of one or more of the basic categories and some do not fit into any group. The most important thing to remember is that it doesn’t matter how the fly looks to you, the fisherman. It matters how the fly looks to the fish.



By: Kolawole Olambiwonnu

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