Friday 20 January 2012

History Of Fly Fishing

English: fly fishing rod Česky: muškařský prutImage via WikipediaFly fishing has been around in various forms for many years. Early historical records indicate that Macedonian fishermen were using artificial flies to catch fish as early as the second century. The Roman Claudius Aelianus described the Macedonian anglers as using six-foot rods with six-foot line. Aelianus detailed how the Macedonian fishermen would craft artificial flies from a hook with red wool and insect wings tied on. These Macedonian fishermen were apparently quite successful with their technique. There is also some evidence that fishing with artificial flies may even predate the second-century Macedonian techniques.

Unfortunately, little else was written about ancient fly fishing methods. It was 1496 before any major work was published describing fly fishing.

It is thought that modern fly fishing probably developed in England and Scotland. Fly fishing techniques similar to modern techniques began to be developed in England in the 19th century. Around this time fly fishing clubs were also formed in England to accommodate a growing interest in the sport. Part of the interest in fly fishing in southern England was because of the prevalence of shallow, weedy rivers. Fly fishing proved to be well-adapted to this type of water course.

Fly fishing quickly became something of an elitist sport in England. Fly fishing purists insisted on fishing with dry flies only and looked down on wet fly fishing as being inferior. Wet fly fishing continued to be developed around the same time, however. The US and Scandinavia also saw fly fishing popularity increase during the 19th century. However, anglers in the US and Scandinavia did not share the English view concerning the superiority of dry fly fishing. US and Scandinavian anglers fished both dry and wet flies.

Fly fishing materials have continued to develop over the years. Significant advances have been made in fly fishing equipment, including rods, line and flies.

Early fly fishing rods were made from a tropical wood known as greenheart. Bamboo replaced greenheart as fly fishing popularity spread. Bamboo rods were further refined as American rod builders developed advanced rod building techniques that involved cutting the bamboo into strips before gluing the bamboo back together around a solid core. Following World War II fiberglass became a popular material for fly rod construction. The fiberglass rods were more affordable than their bamboo predecessors since bamboo rods may take as much as 100 hours to build. Modern fly fishing rods are usually made from a graphite compound. Modern rods are less expensive than earlier rods and perform exceptionally well.

Artificial flies were originally made from natural materials like feathers and fur. Most modern flies are made from synthetic materials.

Fly line has also been improved quite a bit. Fly fishing line used to be made of horse hair. Horse hair line was replaced by silk line. The silk line was an improvement over horse hair but  the line still had to be removed from the reel periodically to allow it to dry.

US interest in fly fishing peaked in the 1920s with Maine, Vermont and Wisconsin being the most popular areas for fly fishing. Interest increased again in the 1950s with the development of affordable, fiberglass fly fishing rods, synthetic fly line and monofilament leaders. These developments served to make fly fishing a more affordable sport for many people.

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Sunday 8 January 2012

Sage Fly Fishing Gear

The Sage company has been producing quality fly fishing gear for many years.  They offer quality, top of the line fly fishing rods, reels, and lines to the beginning and experienced fly fisher.  They take pride in the quality of their equipment producing rods and reels that many fly fishermen use exclusively.

They design and test their hand built gear with one thought in mind:  maximum fishability.  That term was coined by the company to represent the type of performance that will help you cast better, fish more effectively, and have more fun while fly fishing.

Their company offers the fly fisherman all sorts of advice and tips on how to select the right rod for you and what is important to look for in your fly fishing equipment.  Sage rods and reels have long been the choice of many fly fishermen all over the world.

When you are just beginning to get interested in fly fishing, it’s easy to get frustrated at the amount of information you need to know.  However, those same frustrations are also felt by experienced fly fishers that provides them with the challenge and excitement that makes the sport so compelling.

As we’ve said, Sage rods are hand built which makes them quality products.  They manufacture nine different series of rods in a variety of models and sizes for every fishing situation.  They have medium to ultra fast action rods to suit many types of fly fishers.

Their website, which can be found at www.sageflyfish.com also boasts many new product lines and accessories that all fly fishermen can use.  They carry hats, t-shirts, rod and reel cases, fly lines, and much, much more. 

Their new Z-Axis series of rods has breakthrough technology that is significantly stronger, lighter, and easier to cast.  That makes this new line of rods great for beginners, and also experienced fly fishermen.  They implement their exclusive Generation 5 technology that makes their rods unique and high end.

When you buy a Sage fly fishing rod, you are getting a quality piece of fishing gear.  But that quality doesn’t come cheap.  Rods range in price from $400 to $700, but they do come with a guarantee.  Plus, if anything happens to your rod, they offer a rod repair service.

Many sporting goods stores and specialty fishing shops carry Sage fly fishing rods as do many online retailers.  You can go to their website and click on the “Buy” link to find a retailer near you that carries their equipment.

Sage fly fishing equipment is well known in the fly fishing world as a trusted manufacturer of valuable fly fishing gear.  Check them out for the best in the sport!

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