Talk:Fly fishing/Archive 2

Semi-protected edit request on 25 March 2014
Unsnagging a cast is a particularly difficult skill when mastering the art of fly fishing and one best learnt early on. There are several methods but the most comprehensive is demonstrated in this effective video tutorial.

Ruggerbeez play (talk) 23:40, 25 March 2014 (UTC)
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format. Sam Sailor Sing 07:15, 26 March 2014 (UTC)

Edit Request, 11th July 2014
While browsing Wikipedia I came across this page and spotted the following interesting entry under Further reading:


 * Hartley, J.R. (1983). Fly Fishing. Big Yellow Books

I really don't think this book exists! The character of J. R. Hartley was created for an advert for the Yellow Pages back in 1983, and while - due to popular recognition of the name - "J. R. Hartley" was later used as a pseudonym to sell books, this was not done until the 90s. Also, the book publisher "Big Yellow Books" appears to just be an allusion to the Yellow Pages.

I should note that the edit that introduced this line occurred on 12 June 2009‎ by an IP address that has made no other contributions previously or since.

Maybe I am missing something, and this is an intended joke! It's certainly survived a very long time without being reverted. If it is indeed vandalism, please could someone see to removing this line from the references?

31.55.115.151 (talk) 12:27, 11 July 2014 (UTC) cfmdobbie
 * Yes check.svg Done Good catch (pun intended), and impressive that you found the addition in the history. Thanks for the help :-) Sam Sing! 13:14, 11 July 2014 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 20 November 2014
I feel this article is a good citation for verification of the section on the Reach Cast: http://www.chrisdore.com/reachcasting.htm Can someone with edit privileges add it?

BrianBless&#39;d (talk) 05:14, 20 November 2014 (UTC)
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format. — &#123;&#123;U&#124;Technical 13&#125;&#125; (e • t • c) 17:20, 23 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Link suggested is clearly a commercial link promoting a specific casting instructor, not a reliable peer-reviewed source in the subject. --Mike Cline (talk) 18:42, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

How-to request
Julianna Bernes in her 1496 book Treatysse she uses the Middle English word dubbe  for artificial fly; positive verification it is so— https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED12757/track?counter=1&search_id=4017898  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.26.239.100 (talk) 23:19, 12 July 2020 (UTC)

Add this to Reference under [1] since a [citation needed] - https://archive.org/details/fishingfromearli00radc/page/n10/mode/2up Radcliff is with an e. Also, in that file you'll find that in the early part of the the first millennium there were lake trout in Lake Como that were 100lbs. And a funny addition, Pliny the Younger fished from his bedroom window in that lake.

i think someone should talk about how to put together a fly rod. I have 3 types of string and no idea how much of each I should do. Does anyone know?

-¿- They Google: how to build a fly rod  — btw: there ARE three types of line to use on a fly rod silly.

The easy answer is to go to fly shop and they can explain it or help you set everything up. The next solution is the local library. There are many good books on basics of fly-fishing. Or you can pick one up at the fly shop. If you like the sport, try to find a local club. They often have classes that new fly fishers.

There are three types type of "string". The fly line is thicker and heaver than normal fishing line. This is the weight that you cast and this line pulls the light fly along. Fly lines are tapered and can come in many different tapers for different situations. Make sure the put the correct end on the reel first. Most fly lines have a tag that say which end goes on the reel first.

One important item with fly line is to get the right line for your rod. There are industry standards for the weight of the line and rods. So, a 5 weight line should work on a 5 weight rod. The smaller the number, the lighter the line. One weight is VERY light (small trout and pan fish and 12 is very heavy (big saltwater fish).

Next is the leader. This goes from the fly line to the fly. It is tapered, thicker at the fly line end, thinner at the fly end. Leaders are usually made of nylon monofilament or the same material as "regular" fishing line. They idea is the taper helps to transfer the energy of the line down to fly so the line and leader lay out in a straight line and the fly land lightly on the water.

The final piece of line is backing. This goes on the reel first (maybe I should have started with the backing). This is thinner than the fly line so you put some extra line one the reel. When you catch the big one and he takes all you fly line, you have some extra line. Bigger fish will “Take you into your backing”, meaning that the fish made a long run and took all your fly line and some back before you start reeling him in.

I hope this helped. Fly-fishing has a lot of unique ideas and equipment. It takes longer to learn the basic, but it is a lot of fun.


 * This is all really useful advice. Would it be possible for someone to edit the main article with information on the line / rod numbering and its significance?


 * Wikipedia is NOT a how-to manual, so I doubt this would be appropriate. However someone might like to look out some suitable external sites to link to. Chiswick Chap (talk) 08:55, 20 November 2014 (UTC)

Semi-Protected Edit Request
This passage in "Playing trout" is confusing: It is important to use heavier tippet material if it won't spook the fish. The reason why this is important is an exhausted fish can easily die if released too soon.

I think what is meant is that "It is important to use heavier tippet material if it won't spook the fish, so that the fish can be brought in quickly to avoid exhausting it. It is also important to gently hold a tired fish in the water until it has recovered enough to fight the current.  Both of these practices can reduce mortality." David (talk) 19:38, 21 December 2014 (UTC)David

Sources for article expansion
or at least historical context. Long and well-written articles principally focused on fly fishing at —  Llywelyn II   09:47, 6 June 2015 (UTC)

Difference from other techniques
So the difference between fly fishing, spin fishing and bait fishing is only about the equipment? It seems so from this article and several others I've looked at. If that's indeed the case, are there some terms for distinguishing between the technique/behaviour when one casts the line, sits & waits, and the one when one keeps swinging the rod above the water? (Needless to say I've never done any fishing myself, and in fact I've hardly ever seen the former technique/behaviour outside of films, that's why I'm asking.) --Droigheann (talk) 11:48, 14 August 2016 (UTC)
 * I'm not sure the sentence in the article explains it as well as it could, or if the sentence is even particularly clear. All three techniques you mention employ line fishing from a pole.  There's also dip-and-jerk (which utilizes very long poles such as a cane pole; like flyfishing the reel - if any -  isn't used as part of the mechanics.)  But the equipment dictates the technique used to employ it, and the strategy and tactics used differ by the type of fishing.  It could equally be said that the technique and strategy employed places specifications and limits on the equipment and the tactics of their use.  I believe there is some terminology which is unique to fly fishing (all types of fishing casting roll on but only fly fishing rolls off,) and at least some of the technique of baitcast/spincast fishing are also unique.  I've never heard of pitching or flipping a fly line - not enough weight in the terminal tackle to make that productive; one can pitch/flip spincast but it is not recommended as baitcast has the needed precision.  Perhaps in the days to come I'll get out some of my references and have a go at article improvement from a terminology standpoint.   Laughing Vulcan  22:58, 14 August 2016 (UTC)
 * Thanks, good point about the equipment and technique being interrelated. So if I understand you correctly, flyfishing is the one where you swing the rod above the water? --Droigheann (talk) 23:43, 15 August 2016 (UTC)
 * Fly fishing is the one that employs one technique where the rod is swung back-and-forth multiple times rhythmically before the hook lure (the "fly", which may be known as other names like midge or nymph,) is allowed to touch the water (the swinging doesn't take much actual motion of the rod.) There are several photos in the article which show the whipping of the line.  The techniques and strategy is limited by the weight of the fly, often less than 1/64th of an ounce (under 500 mg.)  The fisher usually stands in the water of a stream or other body of water.  Generally you have only the fly at the end of a tapered line, and as in the article it has such a tiny mass such that you can't just cast it to your target - there isn't enough mass to hurl it more than three or four feet on a first whip.  A preselected amount of line is stripped off the reel and allowed to float on the water surface, this amount will be played out a little bit on each back-and-forth.  You have to use a sort of whipping motion to allow more and more line out with each cast until you finally land the hook where you think a fish will take it.  Again very generally, you're looking for the fish to take the fly either immediately on contact with the water or just above it, or allowing it to sink to a pre-estimated depth.  (Some 'flies' are actually meant to imitate larvae rising from or descending to the bottom, some are meant to look like newly emerged insects.)  The hard part is that all of the above have exceptions - the angler can work from shore with a 'heavier' midge and whip it only a few feet on a single roll with less than six feet of stripped line....  Yet fly fishing is very appreciably its own unique discipline.  It doesn't help that I suck at it, and mostly do spincasting from shore, myself.  Laughing Vulcan  00:48, 16 August 2016 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request...
With respect to the statement, "[n]ymph fishing may be more productive, but dry fly anglers soon become addicted to the surface strike". Witnessing a surface strike cannot inspire addiction or dependence. This is a misuse of the term 'addicted'. I suggest, " Nymph fishing may be more productive, but many dry fly anglers enjoy the excitement of a surface strike". Nice Skunk (talk) 13:29, 27 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Point made. Support change. Buster Seven   Talk  13:53, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

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Semi-protected edit request on 19 November 2017
I would suggest adding a description of Match the Hatch in the artificial fly section.

Match the Hatch is a common fly fishing phrase, where Match is the artificial fly and Hatch is the insect being imitated by the artificial fly. In general, the more successful the Matching of the Hatch the more successful the fishing. Nugrad (talk) 22:59, 19 November 2017 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. &mdash; KuyaBriBri Talk 15:15, 21 November 2017 (UTC)

Blocked for five Years
Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. 91.10.59.46 (talk) 16:36, 3 June 2018 (UTC)

''What is the meaning of this... We are trying to help make this page on Fly Fishing better, and I don't think that saying 'Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit." is helping that. If you just want to socialize, then go elsewhere... Wikipedia is not a social page. If you want to help, please do. If you don't, please don't. Cheers, 91.10.59.46 User:Shadowblade08 (talk) 21:13, 20 September 2020 (UTC)

Dr. Bell
I'm concerned with the addition of the material regarding Dr. Bell. It seems to be original research, in that the edits are by, who runs a site dedicated to Dr. Bell; the site seems very well researched, but I think the article ends up giving undue weight to this particular figure. Perhaps first we should see if Dr Bell needs an article on his own? --jpgordon&#x1d122;&#x1d106; &#x1D110;&#x1d107; 15:29, 3 September 2018 (UTC)

Good Research, we will have to look into it. User:Shadowblade08 (talk) 21:15, 20 September 2020 (UTC)

(Edit-- please ignore the last comment--I find that it has no use, and in general should not have been published in the first place. User:Shadowblade08 (talk) 21:16, 20 September 2020 (UTC))

Semi-protected edit request:
In the "Expansion", section:

"Movies such as Robert Redford's film A River Runs Through It, starring Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt, cable fishing shows, and the emergence of a competitive fly casting circuit have added to the sport's visibility."

Listing the actors for the film is excessive and starts to feel like an advertisement. Please remove that "starring Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt" clause. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 73.78.202.153 (talk) 20:32, 3 July 2019 (UTC)


 * I've made the change. Thanks for the suggestion. MichaelMaggs (talk) 21:38, 3 July 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 12 July 2020
In her book "Treatysse..." from 1496, Dame Berners uses the Middle English word dubbe to reference the 'artificial fly'. 76.26.239.100 (talk) 23:28, 12 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate.  JTP (talk • contribs) 02:24, 13 July 2020 (UTC)

Flats fishing
I have just created the article Flats_fishing which could use knowledge editors to help improve. I was considering adding a wiki link from here but wasn't exactly sure how or if to work it in, since fly is only one method used in flats fishing. DrGvago (talk) 08:29, 17 February 2021 (UTC)

Walton 'quote'
I disagree with the statement that Walton called flyfishing "the contemplative man's recreation'. Walton did not (really) write about flyfishing, his (original) text is best described as treating coarse fishing, for many different species, among which trout was actually a minor part. The later addition by Charles Cotton first targeted fly fishing specifically. Furthermore, 'the contemplative man's recreation' is in fact the subtitle of the entire book 'the compleat angler', the full title being 'The Compleat Angler or the contemplative man's recreation'...

Henk Verhaar — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:981:B30A:1:9CC9:12AC:BFE5:FD88 (talk) 18:22, 27 March 2021 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion
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Semi-protected edit request on 8 August 2022
In the lead not all fly fishing uses specialized weighted line anymore. There should be a distinction for dry fly vs euro style nymph fishing that uses different line types Mfantax1 (talk) 23:50, 8 August 2022 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Icabobin (talk) 13:57, 9 August 2022 (UTC)


 * I think your contention that Euro Nymphing fly lines are not weighted is wrong. Indeed they are specialized lines that are configured differently than a more traditional weight forward or double taper fly line.  Additionally, Euro Nymphing is just one of many fly fishing styles and thus does not deserve any special treatment in the lead.  Just a quick reference to the variety of Euro Nymphing fly lines. Mike Cline (talk) 14:31, 10 August 2022 (UTC)
 * Hey Mike,
 * I think what confuses people on this topic is that some euro lines are "specially constructed " and tapered. But they are tapered for opposite reasons of a dry line.
 * They are tapered to reduce weight and diameter of the line, thus allowing the Fly line to better slice through a deeper water column and keeping the angler in greater contact with the fly. This is a costly improvement on using mono or fluoro lines to improve contact with fly but was not the first linen used or is it the most common deployed for the 'average" angler.
 * tenkara would also fall into the same overall situation here. More modern tenkara fishermen may used specialized lines.  but the essence of the system is fly on thin diameter lines.
 * I know this whole addition may be nitpicking a little, but if it it is a generic fly-fishing intro it should reflect fly systems commonly used through the whole world and not just USA and Northern europe. Mfantax1 (talk) 11:26, 11 August 2022 (UTC)
 * sorry forgot to post and example of tenkara setups to back my point up.
 * https://www.tenkaratimes.com/tenkara-tutorial/tenkara-basics Mfantax1 (talk) 11:47, 11 August 2022 (UTC)
 * http://www.tenkaratimes.com/tenkara-tutorial/tenkara-basics Mfantax1 (talk) 11:48, 11 August 2022 (UTC)


 * , I might suggest that you contribute to WP by adding relevant info on Euro Nymph lines to the Fly line article. Once that’s done, we can see how best to incorporate/summarize relevant aspects in the Fly Fishing article. Mike Cline (talk) 21:03, 11 August 2022 (UTC)