Welcome to FlyFishing Portal
Fishing Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Fishing. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
Fly Fishing Knots
from:When you are fly fishing, tying the right knots can make a world of difference in your success or failure. It’s important to not only select the right knot for the situation but also to tie it properly. Poorly tied knots will mean lost fish and frustration for you, so knowing about the right knots and how to tie them can be a huge part of the fly fishing experience.
Before you tighten a knot, moisten it with saliva or with water you are fishing on. This will help the knot slide and seat properly. Lubrication also decreases excessive heat which can weaken the monofilament. Heat is generated by friction created when the knots are drawn up tight. Moistening the knot will reduce this heat and allow you to have good, strong knots.
Tighten knots with a steady, continuous pull. This is called seating the knot. Make sure the knot is tight and secure. To check this, pull on the line and leader to be sure it holds. It’s better to test its strength before you cast rather than to have it break once you get a hook.
There are plenty of books available that give step-by-step instructions on how to properly tie specific knots. You can also find many tutorials online that can show you how to tie specific knots.
You will need to know how to secure your line to the reel. This is called “Backing to the fly reel” and there is a specific knot as to how to achieve that. When you are backing to the fly line, you should use either an Albright Knot or a Nail Knot. The Nail Knot is also good for using when tying the fly line to the leader.
When securing the leader to the tippet, good knot choices include the Surgeon’s Knot or the Barrel Knot. Securing the tippet to the fly can be achieved easily with a Clinch Knot or a Duncan’s Loop.
It has been said that the weakest part of a fly fisherman’s equipment is his knots. A fighting fish will test every link in between the angler and itself. If one of these link is lacking, the line will break and the fish will be lost. Unless you’re really eager to share a “the one that got away” story, learning to tie knots can be the most important part of your fly fishing experience.
Some fly fishing knots are simple to do – others are a little more complicated. Practice tying knots before you get on the water. Become proficient at it and be sure you can do it in low light in case you have a broken line. There is no one knot best for any specific situation – the choice is personal. But when you are fly fishing, you need to depend on your knots and it’s worth taking the time to learn properly.
Fishing News
New Zealand to ban foreign-flagged fishing boats - Reuters
 AsiaOne | New Zealand to ban foreign-flagged fishing boats Reuters WELLINGTON May 22 (Reuters) - New Zealand is to ban the use of foreign-flagged fishing boats in its waters to improve working conditions for crews and monitoring of catches, the government said on Tuesday. New Zealand has the fifth-largest exclusive ... New Zealand targets problems aboard fishing boats |
6 people missing in Gulf of Mexico after fishing boat reported taking on water ... - Washington Post
 Daily Mail | 6 people missing in Gulf of Mexico after fishing boat reported taking on water ... Washington Post GALVESTON, Texas — An extensive daylong search by the US Coast Guard turned up no sign of six people who had radioed that their fishing boat was sinking in the Gulf of Mexico off Galveston. Darkness prompted a halt Monday evening to the extensive, ... 6 missing after fishing boat sinks in Gulf of Mexico Coast Guard searching off Texas after fishing boat distress call Fishing boat sinks near Galveston, Texas; 6 people reported missing |
Fish for Free in Pennsylvania on Memorial Day - Allentown Morning Call
Fish for Free in Pennsylvania on Memorial Day Allentown Morning Call John Arway, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, isn't just some government agency executive. He loves to fish. On Saturday, he spent all day, and a bit into the night, fishing for crappies with his 4-year-old grandson. CA DFG's Free Fishing Days set for July 7 and Sept. 8 |
Fish for Free in Lake Erie region this Memorial Day - GoErie.com
 WKYC-TV | Fish for Free in Lake Erie region this Memorial Day GoErie.com Memorial Day is Fish for Free Day. No fishing license is required on any Pennsylvania lake or stream. "I'd like to see more people get out to fish, especially more kids," Cross said. "They're missing the boat." They're also missing some of the nation's ... Water bill needs to protect streams |
Shad catches picking up in Lower Columbia, and many other fish biting elsewhere - The Seattle Times
 KPIC | Shad catches picking up in Lower Columbia, and many other fish biting elsewhere The Seattle Times Elochoman River from mouth to West Fork and Grays River from mouth to South Fork and West Fork from mouth to hatchery intake/footbridge - Under permanent rules, open to fishing for hatchery chinook and hatchery steelhead beginning the first Saturday in ... Free Fishing Weekend Coming Up Extended fishing report for May 21st John Day Reopens to Chinook Fishing After 36 Years |