| Fly fishing is an interesting sport with a | | | | artificial fly would be most successful. |
| growing number of people participating. When | | | | Different artificial flies are successful on |
| people start out fly fishing they usually | | | | different water at different times. |
| just buy all of the gear that they need, | | | | |
| including their artificial flies. Once people | | | | Artificial flies were originally made using |
| get hooked on fly fishing though they often | | | | natural materials like feathers, fur, wool |
| start thinking about making their own | | | | and similar materials. Most artificial flies |
| artificial flies as a way to stay involved | | | | are now made using synthetic materials. |
| with the sport during the off-season months. | | | | Another recent development in artificial fly |
| While some artificial flies can be tricky to | | | | design has been the use of the barbless hook. |
| make others are actually well within the | | | | Many fly fishers practice "catch and release" |
| abilities of the average fly fisher. Even | | | | and extracting a barbed hook from a fish |
| children can learn to tie artificial flies | | | | after landing it can be quite difficult. |
| and this is an excellent way to get them | | | | While barbless hooks make it somewhat more |
| involved in the sport. | | | | challenging to keep the fish on the hook they |
| | | | are easier to extract - from the fish or the |
| The earliest description of tying artificial | | | | angler! |
| flies dates back to the 2nd century. | | | | |
| Macedonian anglers, fishing on the Astraeus | | | | Artificial flies are now made in thousands of |
| River, had devised a method of fly fishing | | | | designs and styles. The number of choices can |
| using artificial flies. These Macedonian fly | | | | be quite overwhelming to new fly fishers. All |
| fishermen started with a hook and then tied | | | | artificial flies have certain basic |
| red-dyed wool around the hook. They would | | | | characteristics though and, despite newer |
| then tie small feathers onto the red wool to | | | | materials and more choices, the basics of |
| complete the artificial fly. Apparently these | | | | artificial fly manufacturing has not changed |
| fishermen were quite successful with their | | | | much in two thousand years of fly fishing. |
| primitive artificial flies. | | | | All artificial flies start with a hook. The |
| | | | hook is then disguised to resemble an actual |
| 18th century American fly fishermen took the | | | | insect that the target fish eat or to attract |
| design of artificial flies to a new level | | | | the target fish with color, motion, etc. |
| while studying the trout streams of the New | | | | |
| York Catskill Mountains. These fishermen | | | | The materials that the hook is decorated with |
| discovered that their success with fly | | | | have changed over the years but some of the |
| fishing could be greatly improved by | | | | classic designs have not. Wool, fur and |
| designing artificial flies that mimicked the | | | | feathers were once common choices for |
| native insects around the stream. These | | | | artificial flies. Newer materials include |
| artificial flies successfully fooled the | | | | plastic, mylar, foam and metals. These |
| trout into thinking that a real insect had | | | | materials are either tied or glued onto the |
| landed on the water. This knowledge gave rise | | | | hook in special patterns to attract fish. |
| to studying insect hatches to determine which | | | | |