Fly Fishing Glossary

[A]

Abdomen

posterior section of an insect’s body; located just behind the thorax; typically segmented and large in size relative to other body parts.

Action

a term used to describe the flexing characteristics of a particular rod, generally broken into three categories: fast, medium, and slow. Fast-action rods tend to be stiff, require high line speeds to load, and can perform well against the wind and with larger flies; medium-action rods flex further into the body of the rod, require less force to load, and are typically used in freshwater fishing; slow-action rods flex nearly to the butt, load at short distances, and are most often used for dry-fly fishing.

Adipose Fin

a small, rayless fin located between the dorsal and caudal fins of salmonids. The adipose fin of hatchery-raised salmon, steelhead, and trout is often removed to distinguish hatchery fish from wild fish.

Adult

the winged stage of aquatic insects; reproductive stage.

Anadromous Fish

migratory fish, such as salmon and steelhead, that live the majority of their lives in salt water before migrating to fresh water in order to spawn.

Anodizing

a process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts; often utilized in the construction of aluminum reels and parts intended for saltwater use.

Arbor

the center part of the spool, where fly line and backing are tied, wound, and connected to the reel.

Arbor Knot

knot used in fly fishing to attach backing to the spool of a fly reel.

Attractor

an impressionistic fly pattern, such as a Royal Wulff, tied with certain fish-enticing characteristics, meant to elicit a strike rather than to realistically imitate an insect.

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[B]

Backcast

that portion of any fly cast that extends behind the caster (as in false casting).

Backing

usually braided Dacron, used to take up space on the spool before the fly line is attached (see spool and nail knot); on salmon, steelhead, and saltwater reels, also becomes important in fighting fish.

Baetis

widely distributed genus of mayflies typically found in sizes 16 to 22.

Bamboo

oldest rod building material still in use; the classic fly rod material.

Barb

the backward-facing projection cut into a hook near the point to reduce the chances of hooked fish escaping.

Barrel Knot

same as blood knot (see blood knot).

Bass Bug

name used to describe a large number of surface bass flies usually tied with hollow hair (such as deer hair).

Bass Bug Taper

a special weight-forward floating fly line with a short front taper so that the generally wind-resistant bass bugs can turn over (see weight forward and turn over).

Beadhead

term used to describe a fly tied with a bead near the eye of the hook, simulating a head, such as a Beadhead Pheasant Tail. Beads can be brass, nickel, tungsten, or ceramic, and typically add weight to the fly in order to help it sink; however, some beads increase buoyancy.

Belly

middle component of a tapered fly line; located past the tip and front taper, but before the rear taper and running line (see running line, front taper, rear taper, and head).

Bimini Twist

a strong, shock-absorbing alteration to a leader using a series of twists and knots, used almost exclusively in saltwater fly fishing for large game such as tarpon.

Biot

a short thick barb from the leading edge of a first-flight feather, typically from a goose or a duck, that is used to simulate tails, legs, or antennae.

Blank

the long, slender, tapered cylinder-typically constructed of graphite, fiberglass, or bamboo-to which other components are attached during the manufacturing of a fly rod; simply the “rod” part of a fly rod.

Blood Knot

the most widely used knot for tying two pieces of monofilament with similar diameters together; the best knot for construction of a knotted tapered leader; also called the barrel knot.

Bobbin

a fly-tying tool used for holding thread.

Bodkin

fly-tying tool used to deposit cement or lacquer to a fly, usually consisting of a thin, pointed metal rod attached to a handle.

Breaking Strength

amount of effort required to break a single strand of unknotted monofilament or braided line, usually stated in pounds (example: 6 lb. test).

Bucktail

(1) the hair found on the tail of the Eastern whitetail deer, used in the tying of many types of flies; can be dyed any color, or used natural
(2) a type of minnow-simulating fly, usually constructed of bucktail.

Butt Section

the thick end of a tapered leader, the section usually attached to the fly line via a loop-to-loop connection or a nail knot.

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[C]

Caddis

one of the three most important aquatic insects imitated by fly fishers; found around the world in all freshwater habitats; adult resembles a moth when in flight; at rest the wings are folded in a tent shape down the back; the most important aquatic state of the caddis is the pupa, which is its emerging stage (also see larva, pupa and emerger).

Callibaetis

widely distributed genus of mayfly that is commonly found in lakes; often called the “Speckled Wing Dun” because of the speckled markings on the leading edge of the adult’s wings. Callibaetis are usually found in sizes 16 and 18.

Cape

part of a bird skin used for tying flies.

Casting Arc

the path that the fly rod follows during a complete cast, usually related to the face of a clock.

Caudal Fin

the tail fin of a fish. 

CDC

stands for “Cul de Canard” which literally translates to “butt of the duck.” Used both to refer to the feathers from the area around the oil gland of a duck and also to the flies tied with these feathers. The feathers from this area are very wispy and impregnated with natural oils making them extremely waterproof.

Char

genus of fish related to trout that prefer cold water and are found many places in the world, identified by a dark body with lighter-colored spots and white-tipped pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins; examples of char are brook trout, lake trout, arctic char, Dolly Varden, and bull trout.

Chenille

a fuzzy rope-like material used for creating the bodies of artificial flies, often utilized in patterns such as the Woolly Bugger.

Chironomid

scientific name for the family of insects commonly known as midges; in the pupae stage they typically appear to be small aquatic worms.

Click Drag

a traditional system on many fly reels used to slow down or resist the pulling efforts of a fish, created by a steel ratchet snapping over the teeth of a gear in the reel spool.

Clinch Knot

universally used knot for attaching a hook, lure, swivel, or fly to the leader or line; a slight variation results in the improved clinch knot, which is an even stronger knot for the above uses.

Collar

a fly-tying term for a ring of feathers or hair placed immediately behind the head of the fly.

Comparadun

series of no-hackle dry flies developed by Caucci and Nastasi in the 1970s using a hair wing tied in a 180° flair. They are very effective patterns in slow-moving clear water where an imitative (as opposed to impressionistic) pattern is needed.

Co-Polymers

mixtures of various nylons and plastics along with anti-UV chemicals that have resulted in the exceptionally high breaking strength of modern tippet material. Orvis Super Strong is a co-polymer tippet material. It allows us to use very fine tippets with breaking strengths two-to-four times as strong as regular nylon monofilament. However, co-polymers are not as abrasion resistant as regular nylon monofilament.

Czech Nymphing

a style of fishing multiple nymphs that trades a standard tapered leader for pieces of small-diameter fluorocarbon in order to get the flies to the bottom quickly; tight-line style of nymphing that evolved in Europe and generally covers water considered unsuited for traditional techniques; ideal for use with 10-foot fly rods.

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[D]

Dacron

braided nylon line used for backing.

Damping

reducing excess vibrations in the rod blank when unloading the rod during a cast. This causes fewer waves in your fly line resulting in more power and distance for less effort.

Damselfly

an important stillwater aquatic insect most commonly imitated in the nymphal form; usually hatches in early to mid-summer. Adult looks like a dragonfly, but folds its wings along its back when at rest.

Dead Drift

a perfect float (the fly is traveling at the same pace as the current); used in both nymph and dry-fly fishing (see mending line and “S” cast).

Deer Hair

most commonly used of the hollow hairs for fly tying; used for the Humpy and the Muddler Minnow styles of flies.

Delivery

term used to describe the action of casting a fly to a fish or into a promising-looking area of water; synonymous with presentation.

Disc Drag

a mechanical system within a fly reel that creates resistance as the line is pulled off the spool, created by the application of pressure between two or more discs, often made of cork or carbon.

Dorsal Fin

the fin on the back of a fish, often divided into two or three separate sections.

Double Haul

a cast during which the caster quickly pulls and releases the line on both the back cast and the forward cast, used to create greater line speed, enabling the caster to reach farther or cut through wind.

Double Taper (DT)

a standard fly line design in which both ends of the line are tapered, while the greater portion or “belly” of the line is level; excellent line for short or moderate length casts, and for roll casting; not as well suited for distance casts; commonly available in floating or sinking styles.

Drag

(1) term used to describe an unnatural motion of the fly caused by the effect of the current on line and leader. Drag is usually detrimental, though at times useful (such as imitating the actions of the adult caddis).
(2) Resistance applied to the reel spool to prevent it from turning faster than the line leaving the spool (used in playing larger fish).

Drag Free

see dead drift.

Dragonfly

important stillwater aquatic insect most commonly imitated in the nymphal form; usually hatches in early to mid-summer. Unlike the Damselfly, the Dragonfly adult holds its wings straight out (like an airplane) when at rest.

Drop-off

steep drop in the bottom of a stream, lake, or beach; often a major attraction for fish as it offers access to shallow water for feeding with the safety of deep water for escape if threatened.

Dropper

anything added to the main leader or to the fly at the end of the leader, most often a second fly or a weight such as split shot. The most common practice is to tie a piece of tippet (from four to 18 inches long) with a clinch knot onto the bend of the hook of a fly already attached to a leader, adding a second fly to the extra piece of tippet. The term “dry-dropper rig” usually refers to an arrangement where a nymph is attached to a high-floating dry fly in this manner.

Dry Fly

any fly fished upon the surface of the water; usually constructed of non-water-absorbent materials; most commonly used to imitate the adult stage of aquatic insects.

Dry-Fly Floatant

chemical preparation that is applied to a dry fly (before using the fly) to waterproof it; may be a paste, liquid, or aerosol.

Dubbing

material used in fly tying, typically used to create the body of a fly.

Dun

(1) first stage in the adult mayfly’s life cycle; usually of short duration (1 to 24 hours); this is the stage most often imitated by the dry fly;
(2) a darkish gray-blue color that is very desirable in some fly-tying materials.

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[E]

Eddy

a section of water in a stream found on the edge of a current that is less disturbed than the surrounding water, providing a place for fish to hold and for insects to emerge.

Elk Hair

hair from the body of an elk that is used in many fly patterns to supply bulk for a body or to provide added flotation.

Emerger

pertaining to aquatic insects, the name used to describe that time frame when the nymph reaches the surface and the adult hatches out; the emerging nymph may well be the single most important nymph phase for the fly fishers to imitate.

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[F]

False Cast

standard fly-fishing cast; used to lengthen and shorten line, to change direction, and to dry off the fly; frequently overused. In false casting, the line is kept moving backwards and forwards without being allowed to touch the surface of the water or the ground (see casting arc, back cast, and forward cast).

Ferrule

the point where sections of a fly rod are joined; the end of one section fits inside the end of another in an overlapping fashion at the ferrule.

Fingerling

an immature fish.

Flashback

any type of nymph fly pattern that has a flashy or reflective material tied in at the wing case.

Flat

an area of water with a relatively stable depth, often over a sand or grass bottom; common area for fish such as bonefish, stripers, and redfish to forage for food.

Float Tube

a one-person watercraft, typically oval or U-shaped with a seat across the bottom; popular with warmwater anglers and with individuals who fish alpine lakes.

Floating Fly Line (F)

a fly line where the entire line floats; best all round fly line (see double taper, level, shooting head, weight forward).

Fluorocarbon

tippet or leader material with a low refractive index, making it nearly invisible underwater; known for its tensile and knot strength as well as its UV- and abrasion resistance; best used for saltwater fly fishing or freshwater nymph rigs.

Fly Casting

standard method of presenting a fly to a target using a fly rod and fly line; involves many different casts (see back cast, forward cast, false cast, roll cast, “S” cast, and shooting line).

Fly Line

key ingredient to fly fishing; made of a tapered plastic coating over a braided Dacron or nylon core; available in several tapers and in floating, sinking, and sink-tip styles (see double taper, shooting head, weight forward, sink-tip, and floating fly line).

Fly Reel

fishing reel used in fly fishing to hold the fly line. There are three basic types: single action, multiplier, and automatic. Single action means that one turn of the handle equals one turn of the spool. Multiplying reels use a gear system to increase this ratio. Automatic fly reels are becoming less common; they operate by a manually wound spring which is activated by a lever.

Fly Rod

a type of fishing rod especially designed to cast a fly line; fly rods differ from other types of rods in that the reel attaches at the butt of the rod with the rod handle always above the reel; fly rods usually have more line guides than other types of rods of the same length; fly rod lengths vary, with common lengths being between 7 and 9 feet; materials used in fly rod construction are bamboo, fiberglass, and graphite.

Forceps

hand-operated medical instrument widely used in fly fishing to remove flies from the jaws of a hooked fish; feature pliers-like jaws with locking clips so that once they are clamped to the hook, they stay there until released.

Forward Cast

the front portion of the false cast or pick-up and lay-down, and a mirror image of the back cast.

Forward Taper

see weight forward.

Foul Hook

to hook a fish anywhere but in its mouth.

Freestone

type of river or stream with a significant gradient resulting in medium to fast-moving water; may be spring-fed, but most flows result from snow melt, run-off, or tributaries; fast-moving water inhibits vegetation growth; less fertile than spring creeks, but often full of opportunistic fish.

Front Taper

the transition between the tip and the belly of a fly line.

Fry

the first stage of a fish after hatching from an egg.

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[G]

Gel-Spun Polyethylene

A synthetic fiber that is extremely thin, supple, slippery, abrasion resistant, and strong; often used as a braided fly line backing where large amounts of backing are needed and space on the reel is limited.

Graphite

the most popular rod-building material in use today; offers the best weight, strength, and flex ratio of any rod building material currently available.

Gravel Guards

a standalone neoprene sock or attachment on a wader to pull over the top of wading boots to prevent gravel from collecting inside the boots.

Grip

the handle of a fly rod, generally made of cork rings sanded in several different configurations, including a cigar grip, full-wells grip, half-wells grip, and superfine grip.

Grilse

an immature Atlantic salmon that returns to freshwater having spent a year or less at sea.

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[H]

Hackle

a feather, usually from the neck area of a chicken; can be any color (dyed or natural); hackle quality, such as the stiffness of the individual fibers and amount of web, determines the type of fly tied with the hackle; many hackles are grown specifically for fly tying.

Hackle Pliers

fly-tying tool for wrapping hackle feathers around the hook.

Hair Stacker

fly-tying tool; a small tube that is used to gather and trim a clump of hair, usually deer hair.

Hatch

a large number of the same species of insects emerging around the same time.

Haul

a pull on the fly line with the non-casting hand to increase line speed and achieve greater distance.

Head

the tip, front taper, belly, and rear taper of a fly line considered together as one section; generally the first 30 to 40 feet of a fly line on the casting end.

Headwaters

upstream section of the river before the main tributaries join it; this section is typically much smaller in width and flow than the main section of the river.

Hollow Hair

hair from some animals is mostly hollow, thus holding air and making these hairs float; ideal for tying dry flies and bass bugs; antelope, deer, and elk all have hollow hair.

Hook

the object upon which the fly is tied; can be any size from tiny to huge; made from steel wire, and either bronzed, cadmium coated, or stainless; hook designs are variable; style used depends upon the type of fly being tied.

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[I]

Imitative Flies

flies tied to more closely match specific insects (for instance a BWO Comparadun); imitative flies are most effective in slow-moving, clear water, with finicky trout in fertile streams with large populations of aquatic insects.

Impressionistic Flies

flies tied to loosely suggest a variety of insects or insect families; for instance, a Hare’s Ear nymph in sizes 12-16 can be used as both a mayfly and a caddisfly imitation and in larger sizes as a stonefly imitation; impressionistic flies are usually most effective in medium to fast water, in streams with sparser populations of aquatic insects.

Indicator

floating object placed on the leader or end of the fly line to “indicate” the take of the fly by a fish or to indicate the path of the drift of the fly; used when nymph fishing with a slack line; very effective.

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[K]

Knotless Tapered Leader

a fly-fishing leader entirely constructed from a single piece of monofilament. Extrusion or acid immersion is most commonly used to taper the leader.

Knotted Leader

fly-fishing leader constructed by knotting sections of different diameter leader material to each other to make a tapered leader. Most commonly used knots to construct such a leader are blood (or barrel) knot and surgeon’s knot (see blood knot, surgeon’s knot, leader, tapered leader, leader material).

Kype

a male spawning trout or salmon develops a hook-like protrusion on the mandible; particularly striking in salmon and brown trout.

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[L]

Larva

the immature, aquatic, growing stage of the caddis and some other insects; many species of caddis larva build a protective covering of fine gravel or debris to protect them in this stage; a bottom-dwelling non-swimming stage of the insect.

Lateral Line

horizontal line along the sides of fish - clearly marked by coloration in some, nearly invisible in others - that works as a sensory organ, composed of a series of canals that detect pressure variations and vibrations in the water.

Leader

the section of monofilament or fluorocarbon line between the fly line and the fly; usually tapered to deliver the fly softly and away from the fly line (see knotted leader, knotless tapered leader, turn over, and monofilament).

Line Tip

the front part of a fly line where the leader is attached; located before the front taper, but still considered part of the head.

Line Weight

the weight (measured in grains) of the first 30 feet of a fly line, used as a way to standardize fly lines in matching them to fly rods of differing stiffness.

Loading the Rod

phrase used to describe the bend put in the rod by the weight of the line as it travels through the air during the cast.

Loop-to-Loop

quick and easy connection system typically used to attach a fly line to a leader by making a loop at the end of the leader (perfection loop knot), pulling the fly-line loop through the leader loop, then pulling the entire leader back through the loop attached to the end of the fly line.

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[M]

Mayfly

world wide, the most commonly imitated aquatic insect; most dry-fly and nymph patterns imitate this insect; nymph stage of the mayfly lasts approximately one year; adult stages last one to three days; adults have one pair of upright wings, making it look like a small sailboat; commonly found in cold or cool freshwater environments.

Marabou

soft underfeathers found on most birds; fly-tying marabou generally comes from chickens, turkeys or other domestic fowl.

Mending Line

method used after the line is on the water to achieve a drag-free float, typically consisting of a flip, or series of flips, with the rod tip which puts a horseshoe-shaped bow in the line; this slows down the speed with which the line travels if mended upstream, and speeds up the line if mended downstream.

Midge

a term properly applied to the small Dipterans that trout feed on; often called gnats; similar to mosquitoes in appearance; midges have two wings that lie in a flat “V” shape over the back when at rest; term sometimes loosely applied (and incorrectly so) when referring to small mayflies.

Monofilament

a clear, supple nylon filament used in all types of fishing that is available in many breaking strengths (see breaking strength) and diameters.

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[N]

Nail Knot

method used to attach a leader or butt section of monofilament to the fly line, and of attaching the backing to the fly line; most commonly tied using a small diameter tube rather than a nail.

Narrow Loop

term that describes what the fly line should look like as it travels through the air; a narrow loop can best be described as the letter “U” turned on its side; it is formed by using a narrow casting arc.

Needle Nail Knot

same as the nail knot except that the leader or backing is run up through the center of the fly line for 3/16 to 3/8 inch, then out through the side of the fly line before the nail knot is tied; this allows the backing or the leader to come out the center of the fly line rather than along the side of it as in the nail knot.

Nymph

immature form of insects; as fly fishers, we are concerned only with the nymphs of aquatic insects.

Nymphing

word describing fish feeding on nymphs or the act of fly fishing with nymphs.

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[O]

Open Loop

term used to describe what the fly line looks like as it travels through the air during a poor cast; caused by a very wide casting arc.

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[P]

Palming

a term referring to the use of the palm of the hand against the spool edge of a rimless fly reel as a means of applying drag against the release of line in fighting a fish.

Parachute

type of dry fly where the hackle is wound horizontally around the base of the wing like a parachute instead of vertically around the hook of the fly. This drops the body of the fly down into the surface film of the water. It is usually most effective in medium to slow moving waters.

Pectoral fins

the pair of fins just behind the head of a fish.

Pelvic fins

the pair of fins on the lower body of a fish; also called ventral fins.

Pick-Up and Lay Down

a fly fishing cast using only a single backcast. The line is lifted from the water and a back cast made, followed by a forward cast which is allowed to straighten and fall to the water, completing the cast; good wet fly cast; also useful in bass bugging; most efficient cast to use, when possible, because the fly spends more time in the water (also see presentation).

Popping Bug

a bass bug made from a hard material. Usually cork or balsa wood, as these are high floating materials that can be made into a variety of shapes.

Presentation

the act of putting the fly on the water and offering it to the fish; the variety of presentations is infinite, and changes with each fishing situation. The object is to present the fly in a manner similar to the natural insect or food form that you are imitating.

Pupa

in insects, the transition stage between the larva and the adult; to fly-fishers, caddis pupa are the most important of these insects.

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[R]

Reach Cast

a cast used for adding extra slack in the line, or when fishing downstream, in order to provide a more natural float.

Rear Taper

the transition between the belly and the running line sections of a fly line.

Redd

a clearing in the sand or gravel of a riverbed created by breeding trout or salmon for use as a spawning area.

Reel Seat

mechanism that holds the reel to the rod, usually using locking metal rings or sliding bands.

Retrieve

bringing the fly back towards the caster after the cast is made; can be done in a variety of ways; important points of retrieving are to keep the rod tip low and pointed straight down the line.

Riffle

a small rapid in a river or stream.

Riparian

a term that describes anything of, inhabiting, or situated on a riverbank.

Rise

the action of a fish as it comes to the surface of the water to feed.

Rod Flex

synonymous with action; the manner in which the rod bends during the cast during the acceleration phase of the cast; Tip-Flex rods bend primarily through the tip section, Mid-Flex rods bend down into the middle section, and Full-Flex rods bend throughout the entire rod during the cast; Orvis has put together a Flex Index rating system so fly fishers can tell at a glance what type of flex to expect from a particular rod.

Roll Cast

one of the three most basic fly casts; allows a cast to be made without a back cast; essential for use with sinking lines, to bring the line to the surface so it may be picked up and cast in a normal manner.

Run

(1) the pulling out of line a hooked fish makes while trying to escape;
(2) a section of stream where relatively shallow water goes over a rough or gravel bottom and then into a pool.

Running Line

(1) the long, thin part of a fly line that connects to the backing at the reel end
(2) a thin line attached to the back of a shooting taper (shooting head) line; may be 20 to 30 pound monofilament, braided nylon, narrow floating or sinking line, or other material; usually around 100 feet in length, it allows the fly fisher to quickly change the type of line being used by interchanging only the head section; used frequently in saltwater situations, especially for striped bass.

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[S]

“S” Cast

cast used to put deliberate and controlled slack into a cast; used in getting a drag free float and in conjunction with mending line (see drag, dead drift, and mending line).

Saltwater Taper

a weight forward fly line that is similar to a bass bug taper (see weight forward and bass bug taper).

Scud

a small freshwater crustacean similar in appearance to shrimp; found in large numbers in fertile tailwater streams.

Setting the Hook

the act of pulling the hook into the flesh of the fish’s mouth.

Shooting Taper (ST) or Shooting Head

a short, single-tapered fly line, 30-40 feet long; shooting heads are designed for longest casts with minimum effort; shooting heads allow quick change of line types (floating, sinking, sink-tip, etc.) by quickly interchanging head sections; shooting heads are most commonly used with salmon, steelhead, saltwater, and shad fishing, though they can be used in all types of fly fishing.

Sink Rate

the speed at which a sinking fly line sinks; there are at least 6 different sink rates for fly lines, from very slow to extremely fast.

Sink-Tip Fly Line (F/S)

a floating fly line where the tip portion sinks; available in 4 foot, 10 foot, 12 foot, 15 foot, 20 foot, 24 foot, and 30 foot sinking tips; the 10 foot sink-tips are most commonly used and are practical in many applications; sink-tip lines are useful in all types of fly fishing, but especially in wet fly or streamer fishing.

Sinking Fly Line (S)

a fly line in which the entire length of the line sinks beneath the surface of the water.

Spawn

the reproductive behavior of fish; varies by species.

Spey Cast

a particular casting technique using elongated two-handed rods and a modified roll cast; named after a river in Scotland where the method was developed.

Spinner

the egg-laying stage of the mayfly.

Spool

the part of the fly reel that revolves and which holds the backing and the fly line; may be purchased separately.

Standing Line

the part of the line that is joined to another piece of line when tying the tag ends together; two standing lines are joined by tying their tag ends into a knot.

Steelhead

a migratory rainbow trout that reaches great size after spending most of its life in the ocean; also found in the Great Lakes.

Stonefly

very important aquatic insect; nymph lives for one to three years, depending on species; most species hatch out by crawling to the shoreline and emerging from its nymphal case above the surface, thus adults are available to trout only along shoreline and around midstream obstructions; adult has two pair of wings which are folded flat along its back when at rest; stoneflies require a rocky bottomed stream with very good water quality.

Streamer

fly tied to imitate the various species of baitfish upon which game fish feed; usually tied using feathers for the wing, but can be tied with hair and/or feathers; tied in all sizes (see bucktail).

Stripping line

Retrieving the line by pulling it in through your fingers as opposed to winding it in on the reel. Term sometimes used to refer to running line (not a common usage).

Surgeon’s Knot

excellent knot used to tie two lengths of monofilament together; the lines may be of dissimilar diameters.

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[T]

Tag (Tag End)

the end of the line that is used to tie a knot.

Tailwater

the downstream section of a river or stream found below a large man-made dam.

Tapered Leader

a leader made of monofilament and used for fly fishing; the back or butt section of the leader is of a diameter nearly as large as the fly line, then becomes progressively smaller in diameter as you approach the tip end (see knotless tapered leader, knotted leader, and tippet).

Terrestrial

land-based insects, such as ants or grasshoppers, that are often food for fish.

Thorax

normally associated with nymphs, however can be a part of the fly, usually the area behind the head, mainly constructed with dubbing.

Tight Loop

see narrow loop.

Tip Section

the top section of a fly rod, smallest in diameter and furthest from the rod grip.

Tippet

the end section of a tapered leader; the smallest diameter section of a tapered leader; the fly is tied onto the tippet.

Turn Over

words that describe how the fly line and leader straighten out at the completion of the cast.

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[U]

Unloading the Rod

unbending the rod. Transferring the casting energy from the rod back into the fly line.

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[V]

Vest

a fly fisher’s wearable tackle box; numerous styles available; particularly important in wading situations.

Vise

fly-tying tool used for holding the hook while materials are attached.

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[W]

Waders

high topped waterproof boots; two main types used in fishing: boot foot and stocking foot; boot foot have boots built in, just pull on and go; stocking foot requires the use of a pair of wading shoes and provides better support and traction.

Wading Shoes

shoes built specifically to be worn over stocking foot waders; can be made of leather, nylon or other synthetic materials.

Warm Water

lakes, ponds, or slow-moving bodies of fresh water that generally maintain a temperature considered too high to support salmonids; popular warmwater species include bass, panfish, and carp.

Weight Forward (WF)

an easy casting fly line because it carries most of its weight in the forward section of the line; instead of a level middle section, like a double taper, it quickly tapers down to a fine diameter running line which shoots through the guides with less resistance for added distance; the most versatile fly line.

Wet Fly

(1) any fly fished below the surface of the water; nymphs and streamers are wet flies;
(2) a traditional style of fly tied with soft, swept back hackle, and a backward sweeping wing; the forerunner of the nymph and streamer.

Wet Fly Swing

typical presentation method for fishing a wet fly, consisting of a cast down and across the stream followed by swimming the fly across the current; used to imitate swimming mayflies, emerging caddis, and small fish.

Wind Knot

an overhand knot put in the leader by poor casting, greatly reducing the breaking strength of the leader

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[X]

X

measurement used to designate diameter of leader and tippet material used in conjunction with a numeral, as in 4X; To determine the actual diameter of 4X or any “X” number, subtract the numeral from the number 11 (eleven); the result is the diameter in thousandths of an inch; for example, the diameter of 4X material is .007".

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