Action: An elusive, but important characteristic of fly rods. Rods range between fast and slow actions. Most made currently are ultra-fast, fast, medium-fast medium or slow. Fast action rods are generally stiffer overall, generating higher line speeds and longer casts, especially into the wind. Slow action rods appear to flex their entire length, giving the sense of a more compliant feel. Very recently, there has been an obvious shift toward slower rods. Bamboo rods (old and new) and fiberglass rods (also old and new) are growing in popularity and the new (2022) Sage R8 is designed so anglers can “feel” the rod working. Slower action rods can be easier to cast.
Albright knot: A common knot used for tying the backing to fly line.
Anadromous; A term to describe fish that travel from the sea upriver to spawn in fresh water such as salmon. Fish that migrate from freshwater to the sea for spawning at Catadromous.
Angler: One who seeks to catch fish with a hook (and “angle”), usually fixed to the end of a line.
Anti-Reverse: A feature of some fly reels where the spool handle does not turn as line is pulled out from the reel. More popular in the past than in the present, it is a standard feature of almost all spinning and baitcasting reels.
Attractor: A stye or variety of fly that is effective in eliciting strikes, but has few apparent characteristics of a natural food item. Often an attractor is flashy and larger than life.
Arbor: The center part of a fly reel upon which fly line and backing are wound.
Arbor knot: A knot used for tying backing to the arbor of the fly reel.
Back Cast: The casting of line in a direction opposite to the direction the fly is intended to go. The backward counterpart of the forward cast which acts to create a bending action of the fly rod (Loading the rod), setting up the conditions to generate the forward cast and present the fly. The bending of the rod stores energy that is released when the rod is stopped firmly, sending the fly line back 180º so the forward cast can load the rod, storing energy for the forward cast.
Backing: The first segment of line on a reel, usually a braided Dacron or gel line, used to build up the diameter of the arbor (allowing for quicker retrieval of the line because of the increased diameter of the arbor) and, primarily, to offer backup line so a strong fish can make longer runs without emptying the reel. Since most fly lines are 80-110 feet long, it is helpful to have up to 250-300 yards of backing when fishing for large fish. Smaller reels used for smaller fish seldom need more than 50-100 yards. When selecting an outfit for fishing, make sure the reel used has sufficient room for more than enough backing to handle the runs made by the fish you hope to catch.
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.
Barbless: Barbless hooks are either manufactured without or the angler has crushed or filed down the barb. This feature makes it easier to remove a hook and minimizes the handling and potential damage to a fish you want to release. This is becoming more popular and is even required on some waters.
Barrel Knot: See Blood Knot.
Beadhead: Usually a fly with a bead immediately behind the hook eye. Beads coming in many colors and materials, from nickel brass to ceramic. Some beads help a fly sink, but others are floaters.
Belly: The portion of the fly line carrying most of the weight so the line can be cast.
Belly Boat: Originally little more than a tractor or truck inner tube, this is a one-person craft with a seat across the bottom on which the angler sits. Many are U-shaped for easier access in and out of the “boat.” Feet dangle in the water and scuba fins are used to propel the “boat.” This type of fishing is very popular with warmwater fly fishers and with individuals who fish high mountain lakes. Also called a kick boat or float tube.
Bimini Twist: A knot used in saltwater fly fishing (as well as conventional fishing) for large fish It features a double line loop, making it among the strongest knots that can be tied.
Blank: Fiberglass and graphite rods (which also have fiberglass) are produced by wrapping sheets of graphite and fiberglass around a carefully tapered rod (called a mandrel). The hollow rod that results from this process is called a blank. It has no guides, tip top, reel seat or handles at this point. It is blank.
Blood Knot: A knot best known for its strength in tying monofilament lines of different diameters and materials together. It is rather difficult to tie on the water and commercially-made blood knot tyers are available to make the job a bit easier. A blood knot is also used to make fly leaders of several different diameter monofilament segments. Also knows as a Barrel Knot.
Bobbin: A fly tying tool and term borrowed from seamstresses. A bobbin holds the tying thread.
Bodkin: A bodkin is best described as a needle with a handle. It can be made easily from a piece of wooden dowel and a needle. It is used in fly tying to straighten line wraps and to deposit cement or lacquer to a fly. It can be used to clean out hook eyes that have been covered with glue or paint.
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 lock.
Breakoff: A term of defeat and excitement for a fly angler describing the event of a hooked fish breaking your tippet or leader. Usually a breakoff results from an unusually strong fish or the impatience of the angler trying to land the fish while it is still “green” (too strong to be landed) or an equipment failure.
Bucktail: A streamer fly tied to imitate a fish. The fly usually features a long segment of hair, laid back from the eye to beyond the bend of the hook. The hair is often from a deer’s tail, hence its name- buck tail!
Butt Section: The thicker end of a tapered leader that is tied to the fly line and to which increasingly thinner sections of leader are attached or extruded during manufacture.
Caddisfly: A common aquatic insect found in many streams and rivers. They are a favorite food of trout and other fish. They have a number of distinctive stages, including an underwater pupa and an above water surface adult. Caddis have tent-shaped wings that are laid down over the back. In both lakes and river they fly down upon or into the water to deposit their eggs. The Elk Hair Caddis is an extremely popular and effective fly in a variety of sizes.
Catadromous: See Anadromous.
Catch and Release: A practice originating in the late 1930s to conserve fish populations by unhooking and returning a caught fish quickly into the water. This is a highly successful practice in many warm water, cold water and saltwater settings. Some trout streams are designed catch-and-release only and an increasing number of fish have a season during which they can be kept, meaning anglers must practice catch-and-release if and when they catch one of the protected species during the catch-and-release season but can keep them when it changes to catch’n’keep..
Caudal Fin: Caudal is an anatomical term meaning “the back.” The caudal fin is the trail fin or tail of a fish.
Char: A species of fish that is related to trout, that prefers cold water and is found in many places in the world, including both the eastern and western United States. Examples of char are brook trout, lake trout, artic char and Dolly Varden.
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 down and tire it to the point it can be landed. Basically, a clicking sound is created by a triangular steel ratchet 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 our line.
Clinch Knot: A very popular knot for tying the tippet to the fly. It has the advantage of being very easy to tie and not using much line. See also Improved Clinch Knot.
Collar: A ring of feathers or hair placed immediately behind the head of a fly.
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.
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 a place where a fish might lie.
Dead Drift: A term applied to the way that artificial flies must drift with the current to appear natural. This requires the fly line, leader and tippet move with the fly instead of causing and unnatural drag of a “V” in the water that will cause many fish to refuse the fly.
Disk Drag: A mechanical system on more expensive fly reels whereby resistance is created to the line as the fish pulls it out. This resistance is intended to slow the fish and tire it. The resistance is created by applying pressure between two discs. Different from the click drag, the disk drag is smoother and less likely to create a sudden jerk that will break the line.
Double Haul: One of the unique features of fly casting in that the distance of the cast is improved significantly by the action of the line hand (the hand holding the line). A haul (or single haul) is a pull on the fly line by the non-casting hand to increase line speed and bend the rod more which will increase the distance the fly travels before falling to the water. The haul is associated with that pull on the back cast as the line is picked up off the water and cast backwards to load the rod. The double haul is a second pull on the fly line by the non-casting hand during the forward cast. The timing of the haul and double haul is essential for success. Also, see Haul.
Double Taper: Double taper or DT refers to a fly line that is reduced in diameter on both ends with the large majority of the fly line being a uniform larger diameter. 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. Once the major line used for trout fishing, it still is used for trout since its uniform diameter makes it ideal for mending. Also, see Mend.
Drag: The term has two meanings in fly fishing: (1) A pulling of a floating or submerged fly (and fly line) by current(s) causing a fly on our underneath the surface to move unnaturally (faster or slower than the current). When slower than the current, it can create a “V” in the water that is unnatural, often causing fish to refuse to strike it. (2) A mechanical system that is part of a fly reel to resist and slow the speed at which line is pulled off the reel by a hooked fish. This increases the chances of getting a successful fly in front of a willing fish and hooked fish.
Dropper: The practice of fishing two (or more) flies at the same time, often one on the surface flies at the same time and one beneath the surface. This increases the chances of getting a sccessfuofly in front of a fish
Dry fly: A fly constructed of water resistant, lightweight and buoyant materials so as to imitate an insect that is emerging from living on the bottom of the stream or alights on the surface to lay eggs or falls to the surface after mating and dying.
Dubbing: Fly tying material (usually strands or fibrous, including fur, yarn, wool or synthetic fibers) that are wrapped onto a thread (commonly using wax to help hold the dubbing) and wrapped around the shank of the hook to imitate the abdomen and/or thorax of an artificial fly.
Duncan’s Loop: A knot used most often to tie a tippet to the eye of a hook. Also called a Uni Knot.
Dun: This word has two related uses in fly fishing: (1) A grayish or grayish blue (dull) color often seen in the wings of Mayfly adults. (2) An aquatic insect in a life-stage just as it has emerged from the water and sheds its “husk” and can fly.
Emerger: A term for an aquating insect at the stage when it swims to the surface or just below the surface to hatch or change from a nymph or pupa to a winged adult.
False Cast: Casting the fly line forward and backward in the air in order to lengthen the amount of line that extends out from the rod, to dry the fly and line or to modify the path of an upcoming cast. In a false cast, ordinarily the fly should not be allowed to drop onto the water. False casts are used as well to increase line speed for a long cast. Ordinarily, false casting should be limited to one or two casts since they can increase the likelihood of scaring the fish who notice the line in the air or because the angler tries too hard to “make” the cast and overpowers the line and rod.
Ferrule: A collar that is found at the point where sections of a fly rods are joined. The end of one section (male section) fits inside the end of the other (female section). Bamboo rods had to have metal ferrules, creating dead spots in the bend of the rod. Modern ferrules have little effect upon the bend of the rod. The female section of a ferrule requires extra support in the way of wraps and epoxy, causing 4-piece or more rods to cost a bit more than 2-piece rods. But 4-piece rods are easier for traveling anglers with little sacrifice in performance.
Ferrule Wax: Unscented wax is used to rub on the male section of ferrules. The purpose is two-fold: (1) The wax helps keep the rod sections from separating during enthusiastic casting. (2) At the same time, it makes it easier to separate the sections when breaking the rod down from transport and/or storage.
Fingerling: A young fish that has developed scales and fins. It is the third stage of development from egg to fry to fingerling.
Float Tube- see Belly Boat or Kick Boat.
Fly: An imitation of a fish food item, traditionally very light and made of hair, feathers and thread tied to a hook. Modern flies have many synthetic materials and some have lead eyes or wire wrapped around the shank of the hook to help them sink.
Fly Fishing: A technique for fishing where the weight of the line is used to cast a very light-weight fly that would not be heavy enough to cast with conventional spinning or baitcasting gear.
Fly Line: A line for fly fishing, originally silk (or other material) but currently made of a plastic coating over a braided line core. Fly lines are commonly 1.5-2 mm in diameter. The plastic coating gives the line weight and is commonly distributed unevenly to make the line easier to cast. A weight forward line (WF), example, has a greater plastic thickness near the forward (or fly) end of the line. Fly lines are not particularly long, generally 80-110 feet. See Taper, Weight Forward, Double Taper. Fly lines are rated in different “weights” from 1-16, referring to the weight in grains of the first 30 feet of fly line. The scale is relative. It does not refer to the breaking strength of the line but represents a formula of the weight in grains of the first 30 feet. The higher the number, the greater the weight. Rods are built to be able to cast certain weight lines with the weight of 30 (+ or -) of line out the tip of the rod. Usually, fly rods can cast lines one line weight heavier and one weight lighter than its rated weight classificagioj, o
Fly Reel: A special fishing reel with fairly simple mechanics (compared to spinning or bait casting reels) designed to hold large diameter fly line and appropriate Backing(from 25 yards in small reels for small streams to over 300 yards for large saltwater reels). A fly reel is relatively light and attaches below the handle on a fly rod. More sophisticated (and expensive) fly reels have a drag system that creates resistance to the rapid pulling off of life by a fish. See Drag, Click Drag, Disk Drag.
Fly Rod: The special fishing rod constructed so as to cast a fly line. Fly rods are generally longer and thinner than spinning or bait casting rods. The special design involves careful attention to the way the fly rod bends because that bending action (see Loading) determines how well it can cast a fly line. Fly rods were originally tree limbs then split cane bamboo. In the last 60 years, other materials, especially fiberglass and fiberglass with embedded graphite fibers are used. Fly rods are rated in their stiffness (see Action) to match fly lines of different weights (a number 6 weight fly rod is designed to cast the best with the weight of 6-weight line. See Fly Line.
Freestone Stream: A creek or river that gets most of its water from rainfall or snow/glacier melt. Freestone streams are most common in mountainous regions. The name “freestone” refers to the fact that typical freestones have a bottom of stones and gravel.
Fry: The first stage of a fish after hatching from an egg. It has developed the shape of a fish and can feed itself. When it develops scales and fins it is called a Fingerling.
Forceps: Special medical pliers with ratchet-locking action that are useful in removing a hook from a fish. These slim-nosed pliers are readily available in a number of lengths and sizes. Some incorporate scissors or pads to make a hook barbless or a pin to clean out a hook eye closed by paint or glue. Some are straight but others have curved jaws on the front. Always make sure the ones you get have handles large enough for your fingers to fit comfortably.
Furnace: The coloration of feathers from a specially-bred chicken that are dark brown-black along the center changing to light brown on the edges.
Gaiters: Commonly a neoprene anklet or legging put over the of wading shoes to keep gravel from getting into the shoe and abraiding the stocking foot of waders. These are called gravel guards, too.
Ghillie: A fishing guide in the British Isles, especially in Scotland and Wales as well as Ireland where the term originated from the Celts. See Guide.
Graphite: A common material which is formed into fibers and placed in the fiberglass of a fly rod, making the rod relatively stiff with little increase in weight as compared to fiberglass alone.
Grilse: A young Atlantic salmon that has spent only 1 year in the ocean.
Grip: The cork handle of a fly rod, generally made of cork rings shaped in several different ways, including the cigar grip, full-wells grip, half-wells grip and superfine grip.
Grizzly: The coloration pattern from a specially bred chicken with a barred back and white “V” pattern. Very popular for many flies because it creates the illusion of motion.
Guide: The word has two meanings. (1) Metal rings, usually bent pieces of wire, along the length of the fly rod to ease the release of line during casting and to distribute the stress of a fish along the entire length of the rod. The first one or two guides are called “stripping guides” and are fairly large in diameter. The remaining guiding are often “snake guides” (bent wire). The guide at the tip of the rod is called a “tip top.” (2) A Ghillie or fishing guide whom you hire to take you fishing. See Ghillie.
Hackle: Feathers from the neck or back of a specially bred chicken that are wrapped around the hook or otherwise attached to a fly to imitate parts of an insect, such as legs or segments of the body. Hackle tips are used also for the wings on certain flies.
Hackle Gauge: A ruler-like device to make sure the length of the hackle used is appropriate for the size of the hook. Particularly, hackle feathers (barbules) on a classic dry fly should be the same length as the hook gap.
Hackle Pliers: Pliers used to hold feathers while they are being wound around a hook. Generally, hackle pliers are spring loaded and often have a rubber disk to hold the slippery feathers.
Hairbug: A fly constructed thought a special technique called hair spinning whereby buoyant (hollow) winter-coat, slippery deer hair is made to flare to form a solid shaped. This hair can be further trimmed to shapes like frog bodies or fish heads. Hairbugs are commonly used for warmwater fish, but a mouse imitation is excellent for big brown trout for certain waters.
Hair Stacker: A cylinder with one end blocked that is used to get tips of animal hair lined up for wings, tails and other parts of a fly. A spent rifle cartridge is suitable for small bunches of hair.
Hatch: Generally refers to a stage of aquatic insect change when there is a transformation from a swimming to a fly stage and from an underwater to a surface state. Insects in the early part of this transition are also referred to as emergers. See Emergers. See also Match the Hatch.
Haul: A pull on the fly line with the non-casting hand to increase the line speed, bend the rod more and get greater distance on a cast. This is done effectively during line pickup as part of the back cast. An action associated with fly casting whereby the line speed is increased and the rod bent further. See Double Haul.
Hook Size: To a degree, hooks are standardized based upon the gap (or gape) which is defined as the distance between the hook shank and the hook point. Smaller numbers refer to larger hooks, consistent with the origin of hooks made from steel wire stock. Hooks for fly fishing range from a very small #24 (gap for 2 mm) or larger to very large #2/0 (hook gap of 10 mm). Hooks #1-24 are smaller the higher the number. Hooks #1/0 to 10/0 or larger get larger the higher the number.
Improved Clinch Knot: A popular knot to tie a monofilament tippet to the eye of a hook. Also called a Trilene knot, after substantial publicity by the folks at Berkley. If the tippet runs through the the hook eye twice and the loop twice it is even stronger.
Intermediate Line: A type of line that sinks slowly. It is used for fishing in shallow areas or in the surf to get below the surface and below the influence of waves upon the line and hence the fly.
Keeper: This word has two meanings: (1)A loop of thin wire tied onto the shaft of a fly rod (near the handle) to which the fly can be attached while still connected to the tippet and line. This allows the fly fisher freedom to walk and climb without concern about hooking trees, grass or the angler. (2) A fish that is larger than the minimum size allowed or within the slot of size allowed.
Kick Boat: A personalized, one-person fishing boat, usually with a seat between two pontoons at a level that allows the angler’s feet to be in the water. It is propelled by swim fins, oars or even a small electric motor.
Kype: A male spawning trout or salmon develops a hook-like protrusions of the mandible. The kype is particularly striking in salmon. It makes eating difficult but is used primarily to make the male look more menacing, thus promoting easier mating for the fish with a large kype.
Leader: A single piece of tapered monofilament or fluorocarbon or multiple segments of monofilament or fluorocarbon steeped down from large where it is attached to the fly line to small where it is attached to the tippet. The butt end is usually fairly large (say 0.023 inches diameter), and stiff traditionally (though the stiffness can be counterproductive) with the tippet end around 3X or 4 X (0.008-0.007 inches). The section near the fly is ordinarily called the tippet. See Tippet.
Lie: Aside from the routine reports of anglers about the fish they caught, a lie pertains to areas in a river or lake or stream where fish hang out, commonly well-located because they are out of the main current (but close to it), have cover from predators, and/or provide a good source of insects and other food.
Line Dressing: An old term carried over from the days of silk fly lines referring to the oily substances applied to clean and increase buoyancy of line. Modern fly lines generally only need to be cleaned with warm water and soap (no detergent), though special line cleaners are available.
Line Weight: The weight in grains of the first 30 feet of fly line, used as a way to standardize fly lines in matching them to fly rods with differing stiffness (Action). Line weighting is not a linear numbering system but a relative system to which the higher the number the heavier the line. In terms of actual weight, the first 30 feet of a #6 weight line is approximately 160 grains while the first 30 feet of a #3 weight line is 100 grains.
Loading: A term used to describe the effect of the weight of the line and the momentum of the cast upon the rod. A loaded rod is bent (or loaded) more with a greater casting force when a heavier line and a haul or double haul is/are used. The sudden stop on the back cast and forward cast allows the rod to unload and use the stored energy to propel the cast backwards or forward. This is the essence of fly casting.
Loop to Loop: A way to connect a fly line and a leader by making a loop at the rod end of the leaders (see Perfection Loop Knot) and a loop attached to the end of the fly line by the manufacturer. Loop to loop connections are sometimes made from a leader to a tippet and from the fly line to the backing.
Marabou: Fluffy and soft down or underfeathers from most birds used for fly tying. Marabou comes from chickens, turkeys or other domestic birds.
Matching the Hatch: An attempt by a fly angler to select an artificial fly that imitates the color, size, shape and behavior of natural insects that fish are feeding on at a particular time. Often, when a hatch is happening, fish become very selective and refuse flies that are not identical to the most abundant insects.
Mayfly: An aquatic inset found throughout the world, in both still waters and rivers with current. It is most easily identified by its sail-like upright wings and long, graceful tails. Many classic trout flies imitate mayflies. Mayflies vary in size from 3 mm Tricos to the 30 mm Hexagenia.
Mend: Throwing a curve into your fly line as it floats down the stream to avoid having the various currents in the water pull on it and cause unnatural movement of your fly (unnatural drift or line drag). Fish, especially trout, are very sensitive to and turned off by movement of a fly that moves at a different rate or in a different direction than the current. The currents in the river vary so the mend can be either upstream or downstream, depending.
Midge: A very small, non-biting, two-winged insect related to deer flies, mosquitos and craneflies. Along with mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies, a major source of food for trout, especially during the winter months.
Monofilament: A single filament or strand of nylon, primarily used for tippet material in fly fishing or, if tapered or “built” using various sizes of monofilament, for leaders. Monofilament has been the mainstay of conventional fishing, though it is giving way to braided lines that are significantly thinner.
Nail Knot: A knot tied with a small nail as a prop and often used to attach the fly line to the backing land even the leader to the fly line. Also called a Tube Knot.
Nymph: An underwater stage of an aquatic insect. It is an important food source for all varieties of warmwater and coldwater fish and can provide up to 90% of their food consumption.
Palmered: A term used to describe feathers wound perpendicular to the shank of the hook and apparently based upon the appearance of pilgrims bearing palms.
Parachute Style Fly: A dry fly with the dry fly hackle wrapped horizontally under the hook or at the base of the wings providing a type of outrigger flotation. A parachute fly is usually tied with a white post sticking up through the hackle. It is added for visibility and not flotation.
Parr: A young trout, salmon or char, usually in the so-called fingerling stage.
Perfection Loop: This knot is often used to create a loop from a piece of monofilament, frequently at the butt end of a leader for a loop-to-loop connection to the fly line.
Polarized Sun Glasses: Sunglasses with polarized lenses that block incident light (glare) and thus allow anglers to see beneath the surface glare of the water. Polarized lenses come in a variety of colors, each aimed at restricting certain parts of the color spectrum.
Pool: A reach or segment of a river or stream with greater depth and slower current, making it safer from predator birds and animals and where swimming against the current is easier.
Popper: A topwater lure made of painted balsa wood, deer hair or foam with a flat or concave face that causes it to make a popping sound when retrieved in a jerky manner. It is commonly popular for warmwater panfish, bass and some saltwater species.
Presentation: A term referring to the placing of a fly to the feeding region (zone) of a fish. While appearing to be pretentious term, it reflects the precision and elegance of casting a fly in a manner that closely imitates a natural insect.
Pupa: An intermediate stage of certain insects, generally the stage between the larva and adult form of caddis flies or midges. Also refers to the fly imitation of these insects.
Reach Cast: A cast used for adding extra slack in the line, or when fishing downstream, in order to provide a more natural float.
Reel Seat: The section of a fly rod below the grip where the fly reel is attached. Reel seats are often constructed of attractive wood with metal hoods, one of which can be moved up the rod to attach the reel to the rod securely. Saltwater reel seats are made of materials that resist corrosion.
Redd: The hollowed out nest is a stream bed where a female fish deposits her eggs, a behavior typical of most salmonids.
Retrieve: The method of stripping the fly line that gives the fly action. Also, a term used in describing fly reels as to whether one uses the right or left hand to wind line back on the reel. Left had retrieve is traditional for right handed anglers and many reels are shipped with this configuration. But many saltwater fly anglers switch their reels so they can reel in the line with their dominant hand when a large fish moves quickly toward the angler and line must be reeled quickly to avoid slack.
Rise: The action of a fish as it comes to the surface of the water to feed. Different kinds of rises (splashy, dimpled, bulging, etc.) suggest the fish is feeding on different stages of insects in different levels of the water column.
Roll Cast: This is a casting technique that is used when a backcast is not possible. The line is made to loop in front of the angler and if properly executed, it “rolls” out to present the fly.
Run: This term has two meanings: (1) A section of stream where relatively shallow water goes over a rough or gravel bottom and then into a pool. (2) The pulling out of line a hooked fish makes when trying to escape.
Running Line: A thin line made of monofilament, Dacron braid or thin fly line that connects on one end to a shooting head and on the other to the backing and thus to the reel.
Scud: A small freshwater shrimp-like crustacean that is present in most trout waters and serves as a food source for trout.
Sea-Run: A term describing brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout that hatch in fresh water, migrate to the sea to mature and return to fresh water to spawn. Rainbow trout in Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes are the best known sea-run trout. They are called steelhead for the chrome-like color they get from living in the ocean.
Setting the Hook: To make sure the hook penetrates the fish’s mouth, an angler must apply an upward motion of the fly rod or some sort of quick tension on the fly line. When fishing with artificial lures and flies, fish often do not hook themselves because very soon after they “mouth” the fly, they are aware that is does not feel, taste or smell like it should. They will spit it out. This puts a premium on setting the hook at the right time. Raising the rod tip (a rod set) is primarily used in fresh water while a strip set (pointing the rod tip toward the fish and make several hard strips to drive the hook into the hard mouth ) is favored for many saltwater fish.
Shooting Head: Part of a special fly line used for long distance casting. The shooting head is a heavy section of line attached to a thin running line (made of monofilament, Dacron or thin fly line). The Shooting Line has almost all of the weight of a normal line, but obviously it is almost totally concentrated in the first 30 feet of line. Shooting heads are used for making long casts in fishing saltwater, warmwater and for steelhead.
Shooting Line: The process of extending the length of your fly cast by releasing an extra length of line (usually held in your non-casting hand) during the forward presentation part of the cast. This technique allows a fly angler to false cast a shorter segment of line and then only time of the final forward cast to bring a longer segment of line into play by allowing it to shoot forward through the line guides.
Single Action: The typical fly reel wherein a single turn of the handle causes one turn of the reel spool. This is distinguished from the multiplier reel where a single turn of the handle causes multiple turns of the spool and makes it faster to retrieve line. Almost all high quality fly reels are single action, whereas most conventional reels (spinning and baitcasting) are multipliers.
Sink Tip: A fly line that has both a floating segment (60% or more) and a sinking section on the leader/fly end. This style of line is used for underwater presentation of flies in fast water or even in some still water situations.
Spawn: The behavior of fish where females deposit eggs (also called spawn) on various surfaces (varying with species) and the male produces necessary milt (sperm) to fertilize the eggs which will hatch into Fry.
Spey: A particular casting technique using special two-handed rods and a modified roll cast. It is named after the Spey River in Scotland where it was developed.
Split Cane Rods: Fly rods constructed of six pieces of split bamboo cane, which are triangularly shaped, tapered and glued together Split cane rods appeared to have originated in the U.S. in the middle of the 19th Century. While used by an increasing number of modern anglers, graphite/fiberglass rods offer less expensive and easier-to-care-for options.
Spinner: The last stage of a mayfly, based upon the fact that the wings are spread horizontally as it falls to the water surface after dying following mating. The spinner is of significance because the spinner is an easy target for feeding fish.
Spinner Fall: When mayflies of a particular sub-species go into the spinner stage over a relatively short period of time, sometimes creating a feeding frenzy during what is call a spinner fall.
Spring Creek: A creek or stream that gets its water from a ground flow or spring rather than from glacier/snow melt or surface run-off. Spring creeks are generally at a temperature of the average rainfall temperature over the course of the year (the source of most ground water) and hence usually do not warm up significantly in the summer nor freeze in the winter.
S-Cast: An “S” pattern of the fly line on the water created by side-to-side movement of the fly rod during the forward cast This cast is used to put slack in the fly line and hence to reduce the influence of the current on the fly line and thus to minimize drag.
Stonefly: An aquatic insect found throughout North America that generally requires higher water quality than most fish, including trout. It varies in size, but in the large sub-species can reach 2 inches. Its life stages vary from those of mayflies and caddis flies inasmuch as it crawls out of the water onto a rock, splits its outer covering and becomes a flying insect with wings that lay down on its back.
Streamer: A fly classically made long soft feather or animal hair (like bucktail) to imitate a bait fish, leech or other non-insect. Modern streamers are made of many synthetic materials, including metallic film and even epoxy.
Strike: The action of a fish trying to eat a fly. The term also refers to the movement of the rod when the angler tries to set the hook.
Stripping Guide: The line guide nearest the reel on a fly rod, usually more substantial and larger in diameter than the snake guides along the rod to the tip. Its size accounts for two of its primary tasks. First, on a forward cast, it helps tame the large loops of fly force including knocking down the loops of fast moving line coming off the ground. Second, it will handle the pressure of line being stripped back in either with a fish on or in preparation for the next back cast and subsequent forward cast. Some rods have two stripping guides, with the larger of the two being at the rear.
Steelhead: A variety of rainbow trout that spawns and lives part of its life in freshwater streams and the majority of its life in the ocean. While native to the Pacific Ocean, steelhead have been successfully introduced into many large lakes and now are found in some tributaries of all of North America’s Great Lakes.
Stripping: Bringing in a fly line with a series of short or varied pulls by the line hand so as to simulate a living insect or bait fish. This action can involve movement of the rod tip.
Surgeon’s Knot: A common and strong knot for tying tippet material to the leader or one segment of leader material to another. A surgeon’s knot is stronger than a blood knot, especially for connecting materials of unlike size and material. The Blood knot has the advantage of being smoother and less likely to catch algae or cause tangles. But the Surgeon’s Knot is far easier to tie.
Tail Out: The lower end of a pool where it becomes shallow again.
Tailing: This term refers to the behavior of fish in shallow water where it is possible to see the caudal fins as the fish feed. Tailing fish are an exciting discovery and generally signals the possibility of getting strikes by the proper presentation of the right fly, since the fish is focused on feeding.
Tailwater: The downstream section of a river or stream found below a large, human-made dam. The most famous and productive tailwaters are from bottom-discharge dams because the water is relatively cold and has a fairly contant temperature that encourages insect growth and trout below.
Tenkara: An ancient fishing technique in Japan that is gaining in popularity. Similar to old cane-pole fishing, the Tenkara has no reel and the line is tied to the tip of the rod. One can cast or dapple the fly.
Terrestrial Insect: As the name implies, these are land-dwelling (or tree-plant dwelling) insects that breathe air, including grasshoppers, crickets, ants, beetles and leaf worms. For the most part they fall or are blown into the water.
Tinsel: A thin silver, gold or brass-colored ribbon used in adding shine to flies, often as ribbing for fly bodies or to add sparkle to the sides of a fly, particularly a minnow-shaped fly.
Tippet: The terminal segment of monofilament or fluorocarbon tied on the end of the leader and connected to the fly. When fishing for fish with sharp teeth, many will use wire or heavy mono as the final segment of line and the tippet is the lightest part of the leader. It is the foundation for record catches (see X Diameter).
Tip Section: The top section of a fly rod, smallest in diameter and furthest from the rod grip and rod butt.
Tip-Top: A guide for the fly line with a small cylinder attached that fits over the end of the blank.
Triangle Taper: A special taper profile to a fly line designed by Lee Wulff with 40 feet of continuous taper, with thin running line. Particularly useful for roll casts.
Tube Knot: See Nail Knot.
Uni Knot: See Duncan’s Loop.
Variant: A dry fly variety wound hackles that are much larger than normally recommended. It is tied generally as the conventional pattern.
Vise: A tool used by fly tyers to hold the hook secure as threads, feathers and fur are attached as the fly tyer is constructing the fly. Usually the most expensive and the most important piece of equipment the fly tyer can buy.
Wader Belt: An adjustable belt clinched near the top of chest waders to keep out water, particularly recommended as a precaution to the waders filling up with water in the event of a fall.
Waders: Footed trousers that are constructed of latex, neoprene, Gortex or other waterproof material so as to keep anglers dry while wading in streams, rivers, lakes and the ocean. Waders come in stocking foot or booted form. Stocking foot waders with separate wading shoes provide the best fit for protecting your feet and ankles while wading. Waders come in three lengths: hip waders, waste-high waders and chest waders. Neoprene waders help trap body heat for cold water wading.
Wading Shoes or Boots: Hiking-like boots worn with stocking foot waders, generally having felt soles or sticky rubber soles and even studs to help with slick rocks. They provide more support and a better fit than the boots with boot foot waders.
Wading Staff: A walking stick especially adapted to provide stability to a wading fly angler when moving through fast or deep water. Some wading sticks are foldable and can be kept in a fishing vest pocket until needed.
Weedguard: A piece of stiff monofilament or light wire attached from the top of the hook and extending from the hook eye to the hook point. If properly attached, a weedguard reduces the likelihood of a fly picking up weeds, yet it does not deter the hooking of a fish. Weedguards are especially popular for underwater warmwater flies or when fishing in marsh.
Weight Forward (WF): A type of line with most of its weight in the first 30 feet of line to assist in loading the rod and making accurate casts. The larger remaining section of this type of line is called the line belly. There is a short taper in the front of the line to allow connection to the leader. Many modern lines have a loop in the fly end to facilitate loop-to-loop connection with the leader. Weight forward line is the most popular style of fly line and comes in a number of tapers in which the weight in the first 30 feet of line in distributed in such a way as to enhance casting the flies usually associated with certain popular fish targeted by fly anglers.
Wet Fly: A type of fly that is presented to the fish below the surface of the water (where trout eat 90% of their food). Wet flies usually have insect-like wings sloping backward. Wet flies are not as popular as they once were and have been largely superseded by nymphs.
Whip Finisher: A tool used in tying flies that helps the fly tyer lay down a smooth and compact head for the fly and buries the end of the thread under a series of wraps.
Winding: Wraps of thread that are used to attach the stripping guides and snake guides on the fly rod blank as it is being made. The thread holds the guides in place until the epoxy can be applied to attach the guides permanently.
Wind Knots: In the process of casting, especially for beginners, loops and knots can form, particularly in the leader and tippet. The formation of such knots is usually blamed on casting in the wind, hence the name. Lefty Kreh has noted that they are really “Bad Casting Knots” caused by poor form in making the forward cast, usually not keeping the rod tip on the same plane, stopping the rod tip too quickly and/or not dipping it ever so slightly to get out of the way of the fly line and/or a variety of other correctable flaws in casting.
X Diameter: This is a short-hand system designed to indicate the diameter of leader and tippet material, with 0X (zero-X) representing the largest diameter (0.011 inches) and 8X (0.003 inches) representing a small diameter and very light tippet. Commonly used values are 1X (0.010), 2X (0.009), 3X (0.008), 4X (0007), 5X (0.006), 6X (0.005), 7X (0.004). The strength of these monofilament diameters varies with the kind of material used. The choice of tippet size is determined in part by the size of the hook of the fly being used. The tippet needs to be thin enough to go through the hook eye readily.
