| Term |
Description |
|
Abdomen
|
The rear, segmented, part of an insect's body |
|
Action
|
In terms of fly rods, action describes the stiffness of the rod and how this characteristic affects the speed of the cast. A fast action rod will be relatively stiff with more flexibility at the tip, a slower action rod will be more flexible over the length of the rod. |
|
Adipose Fin
|
The small fin between the dorsal and tail fin. |
|
Adult
|
Generally referring to the winged stage of an aquatic insect when it has emerged from it's water-bound larvae (nymph) stage. |
|
AFTM
|
The Association of Fishing Tackle Makers (UK based) |
|
AFTMA
|
The American Fishing Tackle Manufactures Association. Its activities include setting technical standards for fishing tackle. |
|
Albright Knot
|
A knot used in fishing and is a good knot for tying backing to the fly line. |
|
Alevin
|
Salmon or trout fry (newly hatched) |
|
Alexandra
|
Traditional streamer trout fly |
|
Algae
|
Aquatic, plant-like, organisms that can use sunlight and nutrients to produce energy. They are simple organisms that contain chlorophyll but without roots, stems, and leaves. |
|
Amber Nymph
|
A fly pattern originated by Howard Bell |
|
American Shad
|
Small baitfish Alosa Sapidissima |
|
Amphidromous fish
|
Fish that migrate between fresh and saltwater (for reasons other than spawning) |
|
Anadromous fish
|
Fish like Salmon that migrate between salt and freshwater to spawn. Fish that migrate form fresh to salt to spawn are known as catadromous. |
|
Anal Fin
|
Fin behind the anus of a fish. |
|
Angler
|
From the word 'angle' describing the bend in the hook - someone who fishes with a hook. |
|
Annelid
|
An aquatic worm |
|
Antenna
|
(Plural = antannae) The paired, long appendages attached to the head of insects. |
|
Anti-Reverse
|
Describes the movement of a fly reel that does not spin the outer part of the spool (where the handle is) when the line is being pulled out. |
|
Antron
|
Antron is a synthetic yarn material made of long sparkly fibers used for many aspects of fly tying including wrapped bodies, spent wings, and trailing shucks. Is also used for dubbing material. |
|
Arbor
|
Describes the diameter and width of the middle part of the reel that holds the backing and fly line. |
|
Arbor Knot
|
A knot used to tie the backing to the fly reel arbor. |
|
Arctic Char
|
Salvelinus Alpinus: There are various species of char, but the arctic char have a dramatic colour scheme as they reach spawning time. They become bright orange in the flanks and fins (with vivid white edges), and dark olive to black on their backs. A common fly fishing target. |
|
Arctic Fox
|
A fox that lives in the arctic region and provides hair for certain fly patterns. |
|
Articular
|
The rear bone of the lower jaw of a fish. |
|
Atlantic Salmon
|
Salmo Salar: Ranging from Russia, the UK, and North America, the Atlantic Salmon run into their spawning rivers after heavy rain and become a target for fly fishermen and bears alike. |
|
Attractor
|
A fly that is not necessarily imitative of a fish or insect but us used to stimulate a strike. Many Salmon flies fall into this category. |
|
B.s.
|
The abbreviation for breaking strain. |
|
Backcast
|
The part of the cast that extends behind the caster. |
|
Backing
|
The line that is attached betweent the spool and the fly line. Often made of braided dacron. It takes up the space on the spool before the fly line and is important for fish that will 'run' a long distance, such as in saltwater angling. |
|
Badger
|
A feather of a specially bred or chosen chicken that has colors which change from brown--black to black at the center of the quill to ginger or white on the outer edges. |
|
Badger Hackle
|
A hackle having a black center and white outer fibers, sometimes tipped with black. |
|
Baetis
|
This is a widely distributed genus of mayflies, in USA and Europe ,typically found in sizes 16 to 22 |
|
Bag limit
|
The maximum permissible number or weight of fish that can be taken from particular water legally. Local regulations vary from state to state so check before fishing. |
|
Bailiff
|
An agent of the land owner who regulates the fishing rights and fishing regulations in relation to a stretch of water. They can in some cases arrest poachers, seize their tackle equipment and catch. They can also prosecute them and take them to court. |
|
Baiting Needle
|
A long needle used for mounting dead fish and other large baits onto terminal tackle. |
|
Balanced
|
A term used to describe the proper combination of rod, reel fly line, leader and fly. A "balanced" outfit is the most effective fly-fishing system. |
|
Bamboo
|
The original rod building material - classic fly rods are still constructed with bamboo. |
|
Barb
|
The backward facing nick on the point of a hook. It is intended to keep the hook from backing out of a fish's mouth after it has been hooked. Often crimped down for catch-and-release fishing to make hook removal easier (see barbless). |
|
Barbless
|
Hooks without the backward facing projection cut into a hook near the point, or the barb is crimped down. They are easier to get out of the fish and do not cause as much injury. Ideal for catch and release fishing. |
|
Barrel Knot
|
Another term for blood knot |
|
Basin
|
A depression in the Earth's surface; the drainage basin of a river system. |
|
Bass Bag
|
A canvas or waterproof bag for carrying your catch home in. |
|
Bass Bug
|
Surface flies usually made of spun and clipped deer hair designed to make a lot of noise on the surface to attract surface feeding Bass. |
|
Bass Bug Taper
|
A weight forward floating fly line designed to push wind-resistant bass bugs over during the cast. |
|
Bead Head
|
A Bead Head fly uses a metal bead to simulate the thorax on a nymph or wet fly and to add weight to the fly. Typically gold or silver is used, but any color can be used. Often a bright color such as red can stimulate a fish into biting. Floating plastic beads are also used in floating or emerging patterns. |
|
Beat
|
An area of waterside bank on either a river or stillwater lake or a area where the fish cruses, around and around |
|
Belly
|
A tapered fly line has several components, with a fairly sharply tapered tip (at the fly end). The middle portion of the line is called the belly. |
|
Belly Boat
|
Originally using a tractor or truck inner tube, this is a one-person craft with a seat across the bottom on which the fly fisher sits. Feet are in the water and scuba fins are used to move the tube around. This type of fishing boat is very popular with warmwater fly fishers and with individuals who fish high mountain lakes.. |
|
Benthic
|
Anything living at or near the bottom of a lake or the sea |
|
Bimini Twist
|
A series of knots and twists in a leader which acts as a springy shock absorber in the line. A very strong knot used often in saltwater fly fishing |
|
Biot
|
The short thick barbs from the leading edge of the first flight feather typically from a goose or a duck Used to simulate tails, legs, antennae and other parts |
|
Bi-visible
|
A fly with both light and dark colored hackles to give good visibility in both light and shaded water. Often made of only hackle around the hook shank. |
|
Blank
|
A hollow rod that has no guides, ferrules or reel seat: Fiberglass and graphic fly rods (which also usually contain fiberglass) are produced by wrapping sheets of graphite and fiberglass around a carefully tapered steel rod (called a mandrel). The resulting rod is a 'blank'. |
|
Blood Knot
|
A common knot used to connect two pieces of monofilament with similar diameters - Also called a Barrel Knot |
|
Blue Dun Hackle
|
A slate-blue or gray hackle. |
|
Bobbin
|
A tool for holding a spool of thread while fly tying which allows the thread to be dispensed with a controlled tension. A fly tying tool and term borrowed from seamstresses. |
|
Bobbin Holder
|
An arm that proceeds from the tying vise that holds the bobbin out from the fly as you do something else like pick up some more material. |
|
Bodkin
|
A tool best described as a needle with a handle. It can be easily made from a piece of wooden dowling and a needle. It is used in fly tying used to deposit cement or lacquer to a fly. |
|
Body
|
The main part of the fly, that covers the shank |
|
Bonefish Flies
|
These are inverted hook patterns like the Crazy Charlie |
|
Bootfoot Waders
|
Waders with build in, waterproof boots. |
|
Brackish Water
|
Slightly salty water, as in the tidal part of rivers. |
|
Braided Loop Connector
|
A way of putting an in-line loop at the end of your fly line so as to use the loop on the leader to do a loop-to-loop connection between the leader and the fly line. The braided loop connector works like the so-called Chinese finger torture. |
|
Breaking Strength
|
A measure, usually in pounds or kilograms, of how much force is needed to break a line. |
|
Breakoff
|
The event of a hooked fish breaking your tippet or leader. Usually a break off results from an unusually strong or big fish, an undersized tippet or leader, or a poorly tied knot. |
|
Brown Trout
|
Salmo Trutta: A fish indigenous to Europ, now found in lakes and rivers all over the world. These trout vary in colouration from silver, olive, brown, and golden yellow, depending on where they are found. These fish are a major target for the fly fisherman. |
|
Bucktail
|
The tail of a deer, often Eastern Whitetail, used to tie streamer and saltwater flies such as the Lefty's Decievers. |
|
Bulk Shot
|
A number of split shot grouped together on a line concentrating weight at a particular point. |
|
Bullet Head Tool
|
A tying tool with a plate with several holes which can be pushed over the eye of a hook to arrange material in a bullet pattern. The material is first tied in facing forwards beyond the eye symmetrically around the shank, and then pushed backwards by the tool to form the distinctive bullet shape. Simialr results can be achieved by using your fingers. |
|
Butt
|
On Atlantic full dress flies it is usually Ostrich herl near the end of the fly. |
|
Butt pad
|
A leather or rubber pad strapped around the waist, into which the end (butt) of a rod is placed so greater leverage can be exerted when fighting large powerful fish. Also known as a rod socket. |
|
Butt Section
|
The thicker end of a tapered leader that is tied to the fly line. |
|
Buzzer
|
Common term used to describe Chronomid flies, midges and gnats that hover over the surface of all water. |
|
Caddis
|
A very important aquatic insect imitated by fly fishermen; found world wide in all freshwater habitats; adult resembles a moth when in flight; at rest the wings are folded in a tent shape down the back (down wing); the most important aquatic state of the caddis is the pupa, which is its emerging stage. Also the American term for the sedge fly. |
|
Caeca
|
Freshwater fish that move to the lower river or sea to spawn |
|
Caenis
|
The broadwing fly, a tiny, pale green insect which hatches in large numbers on summer evenings besides rivers and lakes. |
|
Callibaetis
|
Callibaetis is a widely distributed genus of mayfly that is commonly found in lakes - often called the "Speckled Wing Dun" because of the speckled markings on the leading edge of the adult's wings. Callibaetis are usually found in sizes 16 & 18. |
|
Cane Rod
|
A rod made of cane (see Bamboo) |
|
Cape
|
The neck of poultry or game birds from where hackle feathers are obtained for fly tying. |
|
Cast
|
The act of imparting energy to a fly rod in such a way that the fly line and leader project a fly to a target some distance away. |
|
Casting Arc
|
Casting Arc - the path that the fly rod follows during a complete cast, usually related to the face of a clock |
|
Casting Plane
|
The angle(s) above or below horizontal the rod tip actually follows during the casting sequence. If you ever want to understand wind casting, this is extremely important to success or failure. |
|
Catch and Release
|
A practice to conserve fish populations by unhooking and returning a caught fish to the water in which it was caught. This is a highly successful practice in many areas. |
|
Caudal Fin
|
An anatomical term meaning "the back". The caudal fin is the tail fin or tail of a fish. |
|
Caudalpeduncle
|
The relatively slender part of a fish's body between the last dorsal and anal fins and the base of the tail fin (the caudal fin). It is also known as the "wrist" of the fish. |
|
CDC
|
"Cul de Canard" : literally translated means "butt of the duck". Used both to refer to the feathers from the area around the oil gland of a duck and also to the flies tied with these feathers. The feathers from this area are very wispy and impregnated with natural oils making them extremely waterproof. |
|
Chalk Stream
|
A small stream that has risen from a spring in a chalk hillside |
|
Char
|
A species of fish that is related to trout, that prefers cold water and is found many places in the world, including both east and west United States. Examples of char are brook trout, lake trout, arctic char and Dolly Varden. |
|
Chenille
|
A yarn-like material for wrapping bodies which is in the form of a pipe cleaner (with thread in place of the stiff wire). Can be found in many colors and materials, and is a critical component of the Wooly Worm and Wooly Buggers patterns. |
|
Chinook Salmon
|
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha: The King Salmon is the larges of all the Pacific salmon species weighing in over 100lbs. Fly fishermen can catch specimens up to 50lbs or so. |
|
Chironomid
|
The members of the Diptera family of insects commonly known as Midges. In the pupae stage they typically appear to be small aquatic worms. |
|
Click Drag
|
A mechanical system on many inexpensive fly reels used to slow down or resist the pulling efforts of a fish, so as to slow the fish down and tire it to the point where it can be landed. Basically a clicking sound is created by a triangular steel ratchet snaps over the teeth of the gear in the reel spool. The term singing reels refers to the high frequency clicking associated with a big fish pulling out line. |
|
Clinch Knot
|
A knot universally used knot for attaching a hook, lure, swivel, or the tippet to the eye of the fly. It has the advantage of being very easy to tie and not using much line. A modified version of this, the Improved Cinch Knot, is probably the most used knot for this purpose. |
|
Clouser Minnow
|
A very popular salwater fly with weighted eyes to make it sink and swim 'hook up'. See our Clouser's Deep Minnow in the traditional baitfish section. |
|
Coarse Fish
|
Any freshwater fish of angling interest other than trout salmon, char, grayling, and whitefish. |
|
Cock Hackles
|
The neck feathers of a cockerel |
|
Coho Salmon
|
Oncorhynchus Kisutch: Silver Salmon are in the waters of North America and are a prized sports fish. |
|
Collar
|
A ring of feathers or hair placed immediately behind the head of the fly. |
|
Comparadun
|
A series of no-hackle dry flies developed by Caucci & Nastasi in 1970's using a hair wing tied in a 180° flair. They are very effective patterns in slow moving clear water where an imitative (as opposed to impressionistic) pattern is needed |
|
Cone Head
|
A fly with a cone of metal at the head of the fly to cause it to sink quickly. |
|
Co-Polymers
|
Mixtures of various nylons and plastics along with anti-UV chemicals that have resulted in the exceptionally high breaking strength of modern tippet material. Copolymers are not as abrasion resistant as regular nylon monofilament |
|
Corixa
|
The name used to describe the lesser water-boatman beetle and the artificial fly that imitates it.. |
|
Cover
|
An area of water that provides 'cover' or shelter to a fish. Fallen logs and overhanging banks are sorts of cover. |
|
Crazy Charlie
|
Probably the most popular inverted hook fly and bonefish fly. See our Crazy Charlies under Saltwater Shrimp flies. |
|
Cree Hackle
|
A barred black, red and ginger hackle, sometimes with cream or white flecks. |
|
Crystal Flash
|
A synthetic stringy material used in many streamer patterns to add flash and color. Marketed by Tiewell of Australia. |
|
Cul-du-Canard
|
Short whispy feathers taken from near the preen gland of a duck. Typically there are few of these feathers found per duck. These feathers add a significant amount of float to a fly due to the fact that they are soaked with natural preen oil. Use of floatant on these feathers will negate their floating qualities, actually causing the fly to lose flotation. |
|
Curve Cast
|
A casting technique that allows an angler to cast a fly around an obstacle. It is also used to minimize the influence of water current or wind on the fly or the fly line. |
|
Cutthroat
|
Oncorhynchus Clarki: Closely related to the rainbow trout, the cutthroat has a distinctive red mark under it's throat. It is generally a olive colour with golden flanks and black spots along its back. |
|
Damping
|
Reducing excess vibrations in the rod blank when unloading the rod during a cast. This causes fewer waves in your fly line resulting in more power & distance for less effort |
|
Damselfly
|
An important stillwater aquatic insect most commonly imitated in the nymphal form; usually hatches in early to mid-summer. Adult looks like a dragonfly, but folds its wings along its back when at rest. |
|
Dangle
|
When a fly has swung around in the current and is directly downstream of the rod it is said to be 'on the dangle'. |
|
Dapping
|
A relatively ancient technique of presenting a fly on the surface of the water where the fly is connected to a short piece of line on a long rod. The fly is then touched on the surface of the water, immediately over an place where a fish might lie. |
|
Dapping
|
The art of playing an artificial fly in such a way as to make it look as though it has just fallen on to the water from the branches of bankside trees or other natural obstacles. |
|
Dead Drift
|
A perfect float (the fly is traveling at the same pace as the current); used in both dry fly and nymph fishing. |
|
Deer Hair
|
Body hair from deer which is used in many fly patterns to supply body and floatation. Our Bass Bugs and Dahlberg Divers are typical spun deer hair patterns. |
|
Delivery
|
The action of casting the fly to a fish or into a promising-looking area of water. |
|
Deoxygenation
|
The Reduction in the dissolved oxygen content of a water, caused by hot weather or the introduction of pollutants such as sewage. Excessive deoxygenation is fatal to fish. |
|
Detached Body Flies
|
Artificial Fly Bodies tied not around the hook shank but attached only at the head of the fly as found in Daddy long legs (Crane) Dry flies . |
|
Detritus
|
Accumulated silt and organic debris on the bed of a river or still water |
|
Dibble
|
The art of attracting fish by skimming and bouncing a wet-fly leader or bushy dry fly across the surface of the water. |
|
Dink
|
A very small fish; also known as a "guppy" or "fry guy." |
|
Disk Drag
|
A mechanical system on more expensive fly reels whereby resistance is created to the line as a fish pulls it out. This resistance is intended to slow the fish and tire it. The resistance proper is created by applying pressure between two disks. Different from the click drag, the disk drag is smoother and less likely to create a sudden force that will break the line. |
|
Disturbance Pattern
|
A wet- or dry-fly pattern that creates a fish-attracting disturbance when retrieved or worked across the current |
|
Dorsal Fin
|
The fin on the back of a fish, sometimes divided into two or three partly or entirely separate sections. Drainage A drainage basin or a drainage system; the process of draining. |
|
Double Haul
|
The term for the cast where the caster quickly pulls and releases the line on both the back cast and the forward cast. It is used to create greater line speed, enabling the caster to reach farther or cut through wind. |
|
Double Taper
|
a standard fly line design in which both ends of the line are tapered, while the greater portion or "belly" of the line is level; excellent line for short to moderate length casts, and for roll casting; not as well suited for distance casts; commonly available in floating, or sinking styles. When one end of a DT fly line wears out, you can take it off the reel, turn it around and use the other end. |
|
Downstream
|
The direction the current of a river or stream is moving. |
|
Drag
|
The term used to describe an unnatural motion of the fly caused by the effect of the current on line and leader. Drag is usually detrimental, though at times useful (such as imitating the actions of the adult caddis). Drag is also the resistance applied to the reel spool to prevent it from turning faster than the line leaving the spool (used in playing larger fish). |
|
Drag Free
|
When the line moves with the water current and does not 'drag' the fly against the current, but rather gives a 'Dead Drift'. The ideal for most dry fly fishing situations. |
|
Dragonfly
|
important stillwater aquatic insect most commonly imitated in the nymphal form; usually hatches in early to mid-summer. Unlike the Damselfly, the Dragonfly adult holds its wings straight out (like an airplane) when at rest. Commonly called the mudeye in Australia. |
|
Drainage Basin
|
The catchment area of a river system. |
|
Drogue
|
A cone-shaped bag, usually made of canvas, which can be trailed behind a drifting boat to slow it. |
|
Dropper
|
A practice of fishing two or three flies at the same time along a length of leader, often one on the surface and a second (and sometimes third) underwater. This increases the chances of getting a successful fly in front of a fish. |
|
Dry Fly
|
A fly fished upon the surface of the water; usually constructed of non-water-absorbent materials; most commonly used to imitate the adult stage of aquatic insects. |
|
Dry Fly Floatant
|
A chemical preparation that is applied to a dry fly (before using the fly) to waterproof it; may be a paste, liquid, or aerosol. |
|
Dubbing
|
Material (usually strands or fibrous, including fur, yarn, wool, or synthetic fibers) that is applied to the hooks shank, can be with the aid of a sticky wax or as a rope type with the use of a dubbing spinning tool. Often employed to make the bodies of flies. |
|
Dubbing Teaser
|
A needle like tool with a rough point designed to grab dubbing and 'tease' it out - a bit like a dentists root-canal tool. |
|
Dubbing Loop Twister
|
A tool designed to hold a loop of thread apart so you can insert some dubbing and twist the thread to form a 'rope' of dubbing and thread. Useful to build up thick 'buggy' bodies. |
|
Dubbing Needle
|
A fine needle used to pick fibers out of the dubbed body and many other uses in fly tying. |
|
Dubbing Rake
|
A tool used to tease out dubbing on a fly to give it an enlarged appearance. |
|
Dun
|
The first stage in the adult mayfly's life cycle; usually of short duration (1 to 24 hours); this is the stage most often imitated by the dry fly; It also describes a darkish gray-blue color that is very desirable in some fly tying materials |
|
Duncan's Loop
|
A monofilament knot used most often to tie a tippet to the eye of a hook. Also called a uni-knot. |
|
Eddy
|
A section of water that is less disturbed than the surrounding water, found for example on the edge of a current or where two streams converge |
|
Elk Hair
|
Hair from an elk which is utilised in many fly patterns to supply body and floatation. |
|
Emerger
|
In terms of aquatic insects it is the name used to describe that time frame when the nymph reaches the surface and the adult hatches out; the emerging nymph may well be the single most important nymph phase for the fly fishers to imitate. See our examples of emergers under Freshwater-Mayflies-Emergers. |
|
Entomology
|
The scientific study of insects. |
|
Estaz
|
Trade name for a chenille which uses colored fine plastic strips for the barbules. Can be found at many craft shops and yarn stores. |
|
Ethafoam
|
A synthetic material useful for making floating flies like a suspender buzzer or nymph |
|
Euryhaline
|
Fish, such as most species of salmon and trout, that can live in both freshwater and saltwater. |
