Hackle
|
A feather,
usually from the neck area of a chicken; can be any color (dyed or natural); hackle
quality, such as the stiffness of the individual fibers and amount of web, determines the
type of fly tied with the hackle; many hackles are grown specifically for fly tying. |
Hen Hackle
|
Hackle
feathers from a hen chicken characterized by soft, wide feathers. Since these feathers
readily soak up water, they are usually used on nymphs and streamers. |
Herl
|
Feathers used
for tying with long individual barbules each having short dense fibers. Typically from
Peacock and Ostrich. |
Hollow Hair
|
Hair from
some animals is mostly hollow, thus holding air and making these hairs float. Ideal for
tying dry flies and bass bugs. Antelope, deer, and elk all have hollow hair. |
Hook
|
The object
upon which the fly is tied; can be any size from tiny to huge; made from steel wire, and
either bronzed, cadmium coated, or stainless. Hook designs are variable; style used
depends upon the type of fly being tied. |
Indicator
|
A floating
object placed on the leader or end of the fly line to "indicate" the take of the
fly by a fish or to indicate the path of the drift of the fly; used when nymph fishing
with a slack line; very effective. |
Jungle Cock
|
A type of
hackle with prominent singular white dot patterns often used to suggest eyes. |
Knotless
Tapered Leader
|
A fly fishing
leader entirely constructed from a single piece of monofilament. Extrusion, or acid
immersion are most commonly used to taper the leader. |
Lace
|
Hollow fine
plastic tubing wrapped around a hook shank to supply a segmented body. |
Larva
|
The immature,
aquatic, growing stage of the caddis and some other insects. Many species of caddis larva
build a protective covering of fine gravel or debris to protect them in this stage. The
larva is a bottom dwelling non-swimming stage of the insect. |
Leader
|
The section
of monofilament line between the fly line and the fly. It is usually tapered, so that it
will deliver the fly softly and away from the fly line (see knotted leader, knotless
tapered leader, turn over, and monofilament). |
Leader
Material
|
Clear nylon
or other type of monofilament. Two types are commonly used. One is the stiff or hard type,
used mainly for the butt section and saltwater leaders; the second type is soft or supple
monofilament, used mostly for tippets on all line weights, and for complete leaders on
light weight fly lines (see leader, monofilament, tippet). |
Level Line
(L)
|
An untapered
fly line, usually floating. It is difficult to cast, a poor line for delicacy or distance,
and a poor choice for an all round line. |
Loading the
Rod
|
A phrase used
to describe the bend put in the rod by the weight of the line as it travels through the
air during the cast. |
Loop
Connection
|
A method of
setting up a flyline/leader rig using loops tied in each section which can be interlocked
for easy changing. |
Mayfly
|
Term used to
describe a common aquatic insect which has a life cycle containing four stages; pupae,
larva, dun and spinner. Many, if not most fly patterns are used to imitate this type of
insect in its various stages of development. Various species can be found in both moving
and still waters, being a staple food in the diet of trout and other fish species.
Typically used to refer to the family Ephemerella. |
Mending Line
|
A method used
after the line is on the water to achieve a drag free float. It constitutes a flip, or
series of flips with the rod tip, which puts a horseshoe shaped bow in the line. This
slows down the speed with which the line travels if mended upstream, and speeds up the
line if mended downstream. For example: if a cast is across the flow of the stream and the
fastest part of the current is on your side, the mends would typically be made upstream to
slow the line down so it keeps pace with the fly traveling in the slower current across
from you. |
Midge
|
A term
properly applied to the small Dipterans that trout feed on. Many people call them gnats.
Adult's appearance is similar to mosquitoes. Midges have two wings that lie in a flat
"V" shape over the back when at rest. They are also known as "the fly
fisher's curse" because of their small size and trout's affinity to feeding upon
them. The term "midge" is sometimes loosely applied (and incorrectly so) when
referring to small mayflies. |
Monofilament
|
Monofilament
- a clear, supple nylon filament used in all types of fishing that is available in many
breaking strengths (see breaking strength) and diameters. |
Nail Knot
|
A method used
to attach a leader or butt section of monofilament to the fly line, and of attaching the
backing to the fly line; most commonly tied using a small diameter tube rather than a
nail. |
Nail Knot
Tool
|
A tool used
to simplify the process of tying Nail Knots. |
Narrow Loop
|
A term that
describes what the fly line should look like as it travels through the air; a narrow loop
can best be described as the letter "U" turned on its side; it is formed by
using a narrow casting arc. |
Neck
|
Feathers from
the neck of the chicken which are shorter and tend to have a wider selection of sizes on a
single skin. |
Needle Nail
Knot
|
Needle Nail
Knot - same as the nail knot except that the leader or backing is run up through the
center of the fly line for 3/16 to 3/8 inch, then out through the side of the fly line
before the nail knot is tied; this allows the backing or the leader to come out the center
of the fly line rather than along the side of it as in the nail knot. |
Nymph
|
A general
term used to describe the subsurface forms of aquatic insects prior to emergence. Also
used as the name of flies imitating these insect forms. |
Nymphing
|
A word
describing fish feeding on nymphs; nymphing right at the surface can be difficult to tell
from fish feeding on adults, careful observation should tell. |
Open Loop
|
A term used
to describe what the fly line looks like as it travels through the air during a poor cast;
caused by a very wide casting arc. |
Palmer
|
A method for
wrapping a hackle feather over a section of the fly's body. |
Peacock
Sword
|
A feather
from a peacock with bushy herl-like barbules, commonly used for tails. |
Pick-up
& Lay Down
|
A fly fishing
cast using only a single backcast. The line is lifted from the water and a back cast made,
followed by a forward cast which is allowed to straighten and fall to the water,
completing the cast; good wet fly cast; also useful in bass bugging; most efficient cast
to use, when possible, because the fly spends more time in the water (also see
presentation). |
Point Fly
|
The lead fly
in a two fly rig. Usually a section of tippet is tied to the eye or the bend of the hook
to connect to the dropper fly. |
Poly Yarn
|
A synthetic
yarn made from polyproylene. Used in fly tying, often for parachute posts and wings on dry
flies. |
Popping Bug
|
Popping Bug a
bass bug made from a hard material. Usually cork or balsa wood, as these are high floating
materials that can be made into a variety of shapes. |
Presentation
|
The act of
putting the fly on the water and offering it to the fish; the variety of presentations is
infinite, and changes with each fishing situation. The object is to present the fly in a
manner similar to the natural insect or food form that you are imitating. |
Pupa
|
The
transition stage between the larva and the adult insect: to fly-fishers, caddis pupa are
the most important of these insects. |