Introduction
Basic Tools
Spending Plan
Fly Tying for Beginners book - Supplies List as Excel or CSV
A fly (in its most generic sense) is an artificial imitation of the game-fish natural diet. Some flies are tied in a manner to trigger aggressiveness in a fish to provoke it to strike, but most are meant to replicate a food source native to the body of water being fished.
All flies are either wet or dry. That is to say that they are intended to either float or sink. Wet flies are tied with heavier, sometimes water absorbent material to help them descend the water column. Dry flies are tied with coarse, stiff or hollow materials to help them to suspend on the surface film (or surface tension) of the water.
Generally speaking, dry flies imitate an insect that has fallen or been blown into the water or hatched from beneath the surface. Wet flies usually simulate an insect that is hatching (and rising), a bait-fish or an insect that is drowning.
What you need to know before buying or tying flies
1.) What type of game-fish are you hoping to catch?
Trout are notoriously picky eaters. Your flies need to be tied properly and presented gently. If you are new to fly tying, I strongly recommend purchasing some trout flies to use if your own are failing to stimulate action.
Bass on the other hand are notoriously aggressive feeders and can be provoked into striking a fly strictly based on quick and noisy presentation.
2.) What do they eat in your area?
Again, with trout, you must match your flies to the natural diet of the particular body of water. Sure there are some great generic patterns (Royal Wulff comes to mind), but for best results look on the ground, in the water and in the air for clues to what might work.
3.) What time of year do they find this food?
It’s all well and good if say a Mayfly works during and after a hatch, but what about the rest of the year? It’s likely that you can find success fishing a fly that is not normally present during the time of year you are fishing, but it’s probably not optimal. In the winter months a streamer might work a lot better (for example).
4.) How does the food naturally behave?
Nymphs shouldn’t usually sink straight to the bottom, most nymphs are tied to imitate a hatching fly, and should be below the surface and somewhat suspended (less weight). On the other hand a streamer or deep minnow should drop fairly fast (more weight) to get to the intended depth quicker.
