User talk:Mike Cline/Articles Under Contemplation/Fly fishing for trout

Fly fishing for trout

Fly fishing for trout is a popular global sport where ever indigenous or introduced trout are found. Trout anglers fly fish for trout in rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, ponds, other stillwaters and various inshore saltwater environments. Much of the history of fly fishing, the development of its equipment, its presentation techniques and artificial flies came from fly fishing experiences for trout in the British Isles, Europe and North America in the 17th through early 20th century. The most commonly sought after trout species are rainbow, brown, brook, cutthroat, dolly varden, lake trout and arctic grayling. Many trout waters in the United States and the British Isles are designated as fly fishing only. Although many fly anglers take trout for the table, catch and release trout fishing is very popular as well as mandated in many waters. However in many European waters, catch and release fishing is banned.^[1]

History

Frontpiece from The Speckled Trout

Like all fly fishing, fly fishing for trout's history is rooted in the writings of Aelian, Juliana Berners and Izaak Walton. However, by the early 17th century, angling authors in England began to codify techniques and advice aimed at fly anglers seeking trout. By the early 20th century most fly fishing techniques used for trout today had been written about and practiced to some extent by American and British fly anglers. The history of fly fishing for trout is a complex evolution of the angler's understanding of trout behavior and prey, the adaption of new materials and technologies to fly fishing tackle and artificial flies, as well as the introduction of trout species into suitable waters worldwide.

Trout fly fishing tackle

Fly fishing for trout does not require specialized fly fishing equipment. Flyrods, flyline, and leaders may be of any size and style appropriate for the size of the trout being sought, the water type and conditions and the fly presentation techniques being employed. Flyrods used for trout typically range from three weight (3 wgt) to nine weight (9 wgt) rods, 7 to 9.6 feet long. Split cane (Bamboo), fiberglass and graphite flyrods are used, although graphite flyrods predominate. Any flyreel suitable for the rod and flyline being used may be used for fly fishing for trout. Most flylines used for trout are either floating, sinking, sink-tip, or density compensated sink-tips with a weight forward taper. Some floating flylines are still available in double-taper lines. Leaders for trout fishing range from 12 foot long tapers for delicate dry fly presentation to short, 4 foot level leaders for casting heavy flies on sinking lines. Leaders are commonly made from monofiliment (extruded nylon), fluorocarbon (extruded polyvinylidene fluoride), or thread in the case of a furled (woven) leader. Leaders may be a single tapered length of material without joints, furled, or multiple sections of different sized material knotted together to create a tapered leader.

See Fly fishing equipment for more information on fly fishing tackle.

Trout fly fishing techniques

Because trout prey on all manner of aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans, worms as well as baitfish, spawn, flesh and small mammals, artificial flies have been developed to represent such prey. Along with those flies, a variety of common presentation techniques have been developed to present those artificial flies to feeding trout. When an angler identifies water likely to hold trout, the angler uses one of the following techniques to present the artificial fly to the trout^[2], ^[3].

Dry fly fishing

An Orange Stimulator--A typical dry fly

Dry fly fishing is a technique in which the angler presents a floating artificial fly to feeding trout or to a location on the water being fished likely to attract the strike of a trout. Dry fly fishing is designed to attract strikes from trout feeding on prey on the surface of the water being fished. In moving water, aquatic insects emerge from the depths and terrestrial insects and such fall onto the water's surface and then drift with the current. The dry fly angler may or may not impart movement to the dry fly during this drift depending on the prey being imitated. For example, mayfly adults do not move around on the water's surface when emerging, while larger terrestrial insects such as crickets or grasshoppers move around alot when floating/drifting on the water's surface. There are a variety of dry fly presentation techniques, both upstream and downstream, although dry fly fishing is generally considered an upstream technique.^[4], ^[5], ^[6], ^[7], ^[8]

See Artificial fly for an illustrative selection of typical dry flies.

Dry fly fishing tackle

Dry fly fishing is done with fly lines and flies that float. Flyrod and line weights used by the dry fly angler vary depending on the size of the water being fished, the wind conditions and the flies used. Typical flyrods for dry fly angling are three weight (3 wgt) to seven weight (7 wgt) rods, 7' to 9.6' long. Leaders are generally 9' to 12' long. Many dry fly anglers treat their floating flies with some from of floatant to resist waterlogging and retain their ability to float.

Nymph fly fishing

Nymph fly fishing is a technique in which the angler presents a sunken artificial fly (typically imitating a nymphal form of an aquatic insect) to a location in the water being fished likely to attract the strike of a trout. There are a number of different nymph fly fishing presentation techniques, all of which are designed to present the nymph fly pattern being fished in the most natural manner to trout. Artificial flies that resemble spawn or flesh are typically fished similar to nymph fly fishing. Since strikes on underwater nymphs can sometimes be difficult to detect, nymph fly fishing is one fly fishing technique that may employ an additional piece of tackle called a strike indicator. Strike indicators are bouyant pieces of yarn, foam or other material such as cork affixed to the leader some distance above the nymph fly. When a trout takes the nymph, the strike indicator signals the take to the angler. Strike indicators act like fishing floats on the leader. Artificial flies used for nymph fly fishing may be weighted with lead wire, brass or tungsten beads to cause the fly to sink faster.^[9]

See Artificial fly for an illustrative selection of typical nymph flies.

Nymph fly fishing tackle

The same fly fishing tackle used for dry fly fishing may be used for nymph fly fishing. The angler may choose to use sink-tip or sinking lines to present the nymph deeper, or add weights to the leader. Nymph fly anglers routinely add strike indicators to their leader in both moving and stillwater to help detect takes from the trout.

Streamer fly fishing

Muddler Minnow--A typical streamer fly

Streamer fly fishing is a technique in which the angler presents a artificial fly typically resembling a baitfish, leech or large nymph to feeding trout or to a location in the water being fished likely to attract the strike of a trout. Streamer fly fishing generally implies very active movement of the fly in the water imparted by the angler, but streamers may also be dead drifted without movement imparted by the angler. Streamers may be fished upstream or downstream in moving water, but are most typically are fished across the stream allowing the streamer fly to swing through likely holding spots for trout^[10], ^[11].

See Artificial fly for an illustrative selection of typical streamer flies.

Streamer fly fishing tackle

Streamer flies may be fished with any type of flyline, but are typically fished with a sink-tip, sinking or density-compensated sink-tip lines to get the fly deeper in the water column. Streamer flies are typically bulkier and heavier (when wet) than dry flies or nymphs. By comparision to dry, nymph or wet fly fishing, streamer fly anglers generally make longer casts to cover more water with the streamer fly. This generally requires the use of heavier weight fly rods and lines to cast the heavier flies greater distances.

Wet fly fishing

Wet fly fishing techniques date from the 17th century and pre-dated dry fly and nymph fishing techniques. Wet fly fishing involves fishing winged wet flies, wingless wet flies (flymphs) and soft-hackle flies on a swing through likely trout water or to feeding trout.^[12], ^[13], ^[14].

Combination techniques

Fly anglers may also combine techniques to improve their probability of catching trout. For example, the often called hopper-dropper technique combines a floating grasshopper or other dry fly pattern with a dropper nymph pattern suspended 12-24 inches below the dry fly. Presentation is similar to the dry fly technique, but the trout may choose to strike either the surface fly or the underwater nymph. Another popular combination is to trail a nymph or wet fly behind a streamer fly.

Stillwater fly fishing

Fly fishing for trout in stillwaters (lakes, ponds, pits, etc.) involves essentially the same techniques as above. Depending on the location of the trout, the fly angler presents artificial dry flies, nymphs and streamers to the fish using floating, sink tip or sinking lines as appropriate. The selection of flies and techniques is dependent on the location of the stillwater and the trout species present. Many anglers use float tubes, canoes, kayaks and boats to fish stillwaters while remote mountain lakes may be fished from the shoreline^[15], ^[16], ^[17].

A large stream, part of the headwaters of the Rogue River (Oregon)

A small stream, part of the headwaters of the Rogue River (Oregon)

Advocacy Groups

The following groups play a major role in advocating for trout and trout fly fisherman.

Notes

^ Switzerland bans catch and release fishing
^ Fox, Charles K. (1963). This Wonderful World of Trout. Carlisle, PA: Foxcrest. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Brooks, Joe (1972). Trout Fishing. New York: Harper & Row. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ La Branche, George M. L. (1914). The Dry Fly and Fast Water. New York: Charles Scribner's and Sons.
^ Marinaro, Vincent C. (1950). A Modern Dry Fly Code. New York: G. P. Putnam Sons. ISBN 1558214135. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Wright, Leonard M. Jr. (1972). Fishing the Dry Fly As A Living Insect-An Unorthodox Method. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. ISBN 0525217401.
^ Fox, Charles K. (1976). Rising Trout. New York: Hawthorn Books. ISBN 0801563941. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Lee, Art (1982). Fishing Dry Flies for Trout on Rivers and Streams. Atheneum Publishers Inc. ISBN 0689109598. {{cite book}}: Text "New York" ignored (help)
^ Quick, James (1960). Fishing The Nymph. New York: Ronald Press.
^ Bates, Joseph D. (1966). Streamer Fly Tying & Fishing. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books.
^ Merwin, John (2001). Streamer Fly Fishing - A Practical Guide to the Best Patterns and Methods of Fishing the Streamer in Rivers, Lakes and Salt Water. New York: Lyons Press. ISBN 1585740411.
^ Hidy, Vernon S. (1960). Sports Illustrated Book of Wet-Fly Fishing. Time Inc.
^ Hughes, Dave (1995). Wet Flies: Tying and Fishing Soft-Hackles, Winged and Wingless Wets, and Fuzzy Nymphs. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811718689. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ Hughes, Dave (2002). Taking Trout. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. pp. 74–81. ISBN 0811729060.
^ Goddard, John (1969). Trout Flies of Stillwater. London: Adams and Charles Black.
^ Cordes, Ron (1984). Lake Fishing With A Fly. Portland, OR: Frank Amato Publications. ISBN 0936608269. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ Headley, Stan (2005). The Loch Fisher's Bible. London: Robert Hale. ISBN 0709071256. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

Add topic

[1] Switzerland bans catch and release fishing

[2] Fox, Charles K. (1963). This Wonderful World of Trout. Carlisle, PA: Foxcrest. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[3] Brooks, Joe (1972). Trout Fishing. New York: Harper & Row. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[4] La Branche, George M. L. (1914). The Dry Fly and Fast Water. New York: Charles Scribner's and Sons.

[5] Marinaro, Vincent C. (1950). A Modern Dry Fly Code. New York: G. P. Putnam Sons. ISBN 1558214135. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[6] Wright, Leonard M. Jr. (1972). Fishing the Dry Fly As A Living Insect-An Unorthodox Method. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. ISBN 0525217401.

[7] Fox, Charles K. (1976). Rising Trout. New York: Hawthorn Books. ISBN 0801563941. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[8] Lee, Art (1982). Fishing Dry Flies for Trout on Rivers and Streams. Atheneum Publishers Inc. ISBN 0689109598. {{cite book}}: Text "New York" ignored (help)

[9] Quick, James (1960). Fishing The Nymph. New York: Ronald Press.

[10] Bates, Joseph D. (1966). Streamer Fly Tying & Fishing. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books.

[11] Merwin, John (2001). Streamer Fly Fishing - A Practical Guide to the Best Patterns and Methods of Fishing the Streamer in Rivers, Lakes and Salt Water. New York: Lyons Press. ISBN 1585740411.

[12] Hidy, Vernon S. (1960). Sports Illustrated Book of Wet-Fly Fishing. Time Inc.

[13] Hughes, Dave (1995). Wet Flies: Tying and Fishing Soft-Hackles, Winged and Wingless Wets, and Fuzzy Nymphs. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811718689. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[14] Hughes, Dave (2002). Taking Trout. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. pp. 74–81. ISBN 0811729060.

[15] Goddard, John (1969). Trout Flies of Stillwater. London: Adams and Charles Black.

[16] Cordes, Ron (1984). Lake Fishing With A Fly. Portland, OR: Frank Amato Publications. ISBN 0936608269. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

[17] Headley, Stan (2005). The Loch Fisher's Bible. London: Robert Hale. ISBN 0709071256. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

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