When most people think of fly fishing, they think of the movie A River Runs Through It. They picture standing on the banks of a beautiful river (or possibly standing in the middle of it) and whipping a fishing pole back and forth as an amazingly long line flings back and forth with the whip of the pole. To be sure, to watch fly fisherpeople (or anglers as the people who fly fish are called) can be very relaxing. Imagine how soothing and peaceful it must be to actually be out there doing the fishing. Of course that isn't to say that there aren't a few fly fishing secrets to help you have a successful fishing trip.

To the non-trained eye, fly fishing doesn't look like that big of a deal, but there is a gentle and subtle art to it. Like with most things, fly fishing relies on gear, technique and skill to result in a successful catch. Of course, the fly fishing secrets vary depending on where you are going fly fishing and what you hope to catch.

The first thing you will want to think about is your gear. If you are fishing for trout (which is the fish of choice for most anglers), you will want to use the lightest fly rod possible. This fly rod should have a fly reel with, at the most, four pound test monofilament in its reel. If the line is any heavier, the trout will see it and recognize that it is not a natural part of their world.

The best bait that you can use is a still living worm. That probably isn't what you want to hear after spending all sorts of money on different types of line, lure and fancy kinds of bait. Still, simple and natural is always best. The best way to use live worms is to attach them to a set of gang hooks that have been pre-tied.

Believe it or not, what you are wearing can also have an impact on the success of your fly fishing trip. Because the trout have such fantastic eyesight, you will want to do everything you can to blend into the background of the fishing location you have chosen. Bland colors that match the naturally occurring colors are the best bet. You don't have to spend a bunch of money on camouflage, but you also don't want to wear bright red pants in a dark green river.

These are just a few simple fly fishing secrets to keep in mind as you set out on your fly fishing expedition.

The act of fly fishing is at least two millennia old, and while it didn't become popular until the nineteenth century, the last couple hundred years has been wrought with fly fishing developments. As the gear has improved, the angler's basic trials and errors have resulted in some wonderful fly fishing secrets. A simple search on the internet will yield far more than the few we've shared with you here.

Copyright (c) 2008 Steven Magill