Fly fishing is many things to many people. For some, it is a zen like
way to interact with nature. For others, it is test of skill in the act
of competing with tricky little fish. For yet others, it is a ballet of
artistic movements and techniques to obtain the perfect cast for the
perfect fly placement that produces the perfect catch. For most, it is
just good, clean fun. Whatever your preference, fly fishing has a
definite language you will need to learn.
Traditionally, fly fishing takes place on flowing water such as a river
or stream. There are variations for lake or ocean destinations, but
they represent a minority. Given this fact, following is an explanation
of some of the terms associated with traditional fly fishing.
A "riffle" is an area with fast moving water broken up over some solid
structure, most often rocks. A rifle can be an excellent location to
cast for a number of reasons. The riffle tends to be an area where
insects congregate. Where there are insects, there are fish. In
particular, try to cast to areas just downstream of blockages as your
catch should be residing in such locations.
A "pool" is an area where fast flowing water enters a deeper pool of
water. Often found just after riffles, a pool offers little in the way
of prospecting in the interior. It does, however, offer excellent
prospects in the areas where water flows in. More than a few species of
fish feed at such locations as the water flowing into the pool brings
food and nutrients with it.
"Dead water" refers to an area where there is little or no current.
This tends to occur in odd geographic areas, large rivers or areas with
flow problems. Dead water is rarely a good place to fish, so avoid it
like the plague.
Although not a term per se, vegetation that grows out into the water
and shady shoreline locations are often excellent places to fish. These
locations offer the combination of shade and nutrients, which are
popular with fish. When referring to shade, it is important to
understand that fish are not generally worried about sunburns. Instead,
they are worried about dive bombing birds such as Osprey. A fish that
cruises along the top of a pool of water in direct sunlight tends to
have a very short life span.
Obviously, the above represents a small sampling of terminology related
to rivers and moving areas. Nonetheless, you will at least know why so
many anglers talk about riffles.
About the Author
Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of fly fishing journals.
