| While you may not find them displayed at art | | | | and fur materials. However, there are cases such |
| galleries, fishing flies and the tying of them, is a | | | | as when fishing on dark river beds, when fishing |
| true art form as old as fly fishing itself. The best | | | | flies constructed of brightly colored synthetics are |
| fishing flies aren't only interesting to look at, their | | | | a better choice. When setting out on a fishing trip |
| combination of colors, patterns, and textiles work | | | | it's best to have lots of different types and colors |
| better to attract fish then some of the more | | | | of fishing flies to try. |
| mass produced tackle. In this article we'll take a | | | | Thread, Yarn, and Wire: |
| look at some of the elements that make these | | | | Thread, chenille, braid, yarn, wire, and other |
| fishing lures so effective. | | | | spooled materials are most often used to |
| Hackle: | | | | recreate the thin, tight, body of the insect. Some |
| Hackle, or the neck feathers from a rooster, is | | | | types used are flat waxed nylon thread, |
| one of the primary elements of a fishing fly. The | | | | gossamer silk thread, sparkle yarn, and mohair |
| hackle is what gives fishing flies their organic look | | | | and all of these come in natural and bright colors. |
| and feel and also their intricate color patterns. | | | | No matter how natural the color of the hackle of |
| Though many people seem to think fish aren't all | | | | hair, oftentimes a little spark of color in the thread |
| that bright, they sure know enough to steer clear | | | | and yarn is what catches the fish's attention. |
| of putting anything in their mouths that doesn't | | | | Eyes: |
| look natural or like it absolutely belongs in the | | | | Not all fishing fly gear have eyes, but eyes are |
| water. | | | | sometimes necessary with certain types of gear, |
| The patterns and movement of the hackle are | | | | especially those that look like other fish or small |
| difficult to match with synthetic materials. When | | | | mammals. Eye styles can range from the |
| tying your own lures or buying fishing flies online | | | | "googley" type doll eyes that kids use in projects |
| or at the tackle shop, keep a look out for lures | | | | to silver or bronze beads, to reflective stickers. |
| with Whiting Farms feathers-or at least fishing | | | | There's no one correct style or material for |
| flies with organic hackle versus those made with | | | | catching every type of fish. For this reason, it's |
| synthetic materials. | | | | important to make sure that you take lots of |
| Hair and Fur: | | | | different types and colors of fishing flies with you |
| An alternative to the hackle fly is hair and fur | | | | when you try out a new spot. Even in the same |
| fishing flies. They types of hair and fur most used | | | | river, different fish within the same species will |
| for fishing flies are deer, beaver, opossum, otter, | | | | react to different things. Half the fun of fly fishing |
| fox, and badger. As with hackle, there are | | | | is experimenting with new styles and techniques |
| synthetic hair and fur fishing flies, but most fish | | | | and finding what works. |
| seem to respond more favorably to natural hair | | | | |