Fly fishing is a niche area for the overall sport of fishing. Unlike niches in other sports, it is very unique when compared to the more popular angling.

The mere name of fly fishing suggests something very different. No, it doesn’t have anything to do with elevating yourself. Instead, the “fly” in the name refers to the thing used to tempt the fish to strike. While hooks and bait are important in all forms of fishing, the nature of flies for fly fishing has taken on a life of its own. For beginners, it can be downright intimidating, so here is a quick primer.

A fly is a combination of a hook and bait. In this case, the bait is usually an artificial mish mash that is designed to look delicious to the particular fish being targeted. To you and me, it often just looks like a ball of fur and color, but who are we to argue with the fish? In reality, the idea with the fly is to mimic the favorite bait of the fish in question, which is often a bug of some sort.

There are many ways to categorize flies. I prefer to go with simplest first. The first categorization is the dry fly versus the wet fly. What is the difference between them? The wet fly is intended to sink under the water once you have cast it into the water. The dry fly is intended to sit on the top of the water, much like particular bugs do. While this may sound like a fairly simple and logical explanation, it often becomes problematic in the real world. With the continuing evolution of flies, some dry flies actually are intended to end up under the waterline. That being said, let’s not confuse things too much!

Now things get messy. Long ago, the actual names for particular flies were logical and made common sense. A steelhead fly was obviously to be used for catching steelhead fish. Many flies still carry the name of their intended bait, but a vast new line of flies does not. Fortunately, many of this new group carry at least some portion of the fly or bug they are supposed to imitate. Such names include nymphs, mayflies and caddis to mention a few. As to the rest of them, the names appear to come from the Star Wars version of fly fishing and your guess is as good as mine.

So, how do you select your flies? The best method has been around for over a hundred years – ask! The best fly depends on the fish you are going after and the conditions during that time of the year. The only way to get this information is to talk with people familiar with the area or by chatting up the locals at the closest fishing equipment store. The chaps issuing fishing licenses can also be very helpful.