Fly Fishing Knots
Fly Fishing Knots – tie the right one to help you reel in the big one!
Enjoy the thrill of this ancient angling technique. The sport is thought to have started in Scotland and northern England. Ernest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises
, really brought some attention to the sport using fly fishing knots. A River Runs Through It, by Robert Redford, competitive fly casting, and cable fishing shows have really helped the sport. Some of the places that are great to go are Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons, and Yosemite National Park.
Trout and Salmon are the most popular types of fish that are sought after with your fly fishing knots. Other types of fish caught include panfish, pike, bass, grayling and carp. Trout are known to face upstream so they can catch their food as it travels downstream. Because of this, it's good to fish "into the current" with your fly fishing knots. Trout tend mostly to feed underwater. Especially when fishing deeper waters such as rivers or lakes, putting a fly down to the trout may be more successful than fishing on the surface.
This sport is enjoyed on both fresh and salt water. For freshwater, you have your choice of coldwater (if you are after salmon, trout, or steelhead), coolwater (to get your fill of perch, pike, or walleye) and warmwater (if your taste is chub, bass, or catfish).
Artificial flies are very different is weight, size, and color. Artificial flies are made by tying feathers, hair, fur, and other materials onto a hook with some fly fishing knots.
The line, normally covered in plastic is fairly heavy which helps it get the fly to the target. Casting is much different than other types. Here, you actually cast your line instead of your lure. Many of us are used to letting the lure pull the weight of the line from the reel when we cast out fly fishing knots. The fly is to light for this to work, so it must follow the flow of the line as it is cast. Most people use the forward cast. This is where you flick the fly into the air, and move it back over your shoulder. Once the line straightens out, then swing it forward using your forearm. You want the line to land softly on the water so that the fly seems natural.
Chest high boots or waders can come in handy for to wading into the water. If you are in deep water, you may want a PFD, or a vest. When you are in the lake, you may need a canoe, pontoon boat or a float tube so you can get deeper into the water. You may need heavier tackle if you are planning to go saltwater flyfishing with you fly fishing knots.
Some of the items you should consider in your tackle box include:
- Fly rods; different weights and lengths.
- Fly reels; A good variety.
- Fly lines; Several different types
- Accessories; tools, clothing, and gadgets.
A few fly fishing knots are basically standard for this sport. Some of the fly fishing knots used are the clinch knot to connect the fly to the leader, the arbor knot to connect the backing to the spool, the albright knot to attach the fly line to the backing.
A loop can be used at the end of the fly line to connect it to the leader. Some leaders are sold with a pre-tied loop connection.
Clinch Knot:
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Step 1: Take about 6 to 8 inches of the end of the line and thread it through the eye of hook.
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Step 2: Hold fly in left hand, then with wind the end with the right hand five times - keep a small loop by the hook eye open.
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| Step 3: Bring the loose end back around through loop next to the hook.
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Step 4: Lubricate and tighten the fly fishing knots by pulling the open end and the fly opposite from one another.
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Arbor Knot
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Step 1: Take the end of the line around the reel twice. Tie an overhand knot in end and tighten.
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Step 2: Tie a second overhand knot around main line.
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Step 3: Tighten the overhand knot tight.
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Step 4: Pull on the main line until the overhand knots are tight reel.
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Albright Knot
Step 1: Make a loop around the main line. One turn around the fly line is a start.
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Step 2: Bring the end around the main line and through the loop. Do this from 10 to 12 times and ring the end through the same side you stated on.
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Step 3: Slide the coils toward the end of the loop, stop about 1/8" from the end.
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Step 4: Tighten by pulling on the loose end of the line while holding both strands of fly line.
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Step 5: Trim the ends and your ready.
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