One of the things that makes fly fishing fun and educational is that to catch more fish, the fly angler must study the environment or place (lake, pond, river, sea, etc.) that he or she intends to fish at. This is because knowing the various types of insects, baitfish, things these fish feed on etc. that are found in these places helps with the understanding of the fish’s diet. With that information, flies (baits) can be tied (made) to look similar to the fish’s diet. One term that one must know is “match the hatch” which simply means to copy or use what looks like food that the fishes in a certain pocket of water eats.
Flies are simply baits handmade using natural and / or artificial materials, tied onto a hook to imitate insects, shrimps, crabs, fish, eggs, etc. that are found in and around the water that the fly angler fishes at. You may ask this, “why go through all the trouble to tie a fly when one can simply just catch the said insects and use them as bait?” Well, it certainly is more satisfying catching fish on something that is created by yourself to imitate the fish’s prey, be it an insect, a type of baitfish or even a fruit from overhanging trees which hug a river bank or lake edge. For a fly fisherman, the greatest satisfaction lies in his own fly creation, casting to the fish, hooking it, landing it and appreciating it’s beauty before releasing back into the wild. This is the highest form of sports fishing. It is also an art and not just simply fishing. Tying a fly does not require an exact replica of the fish’s prey but it is only to create an impression of it. More importantly is to present a fly which is similar in size and colour to its prey, be it a wet or dry fly.
In this article let’s touch base on some of the types of flies that are used for fishing. This will at least give you an idea of what flies to use when you attempt your first fly fishing endeavour at your favourite fishing hole.