fishing4.jpgThere is some evidence that the story of fly fishing starts in the ancient world, but it was in the cold and rocky streams of Scotland and Northern England that modern fly fishing began.

Still, every story has to have a beginning. This tale most likely dates back thousands of years. Mankind began to fish for the same reasons they began to hunt. It was a matter of survival. Fish was food and for most of history, the pursuit of it was not so much sport as the need to eat. It stands to reason that any form of fishing that would be successful would have been discovered and tried out. There is an early reference in the travel writings of a Roman named Claudius Aelianus dating to the 2nd Century, AD that speaks of Macedonian fisherman using flies to catch meals from the Astraeus River.

It was in the rocky, swift waters of the rivers and streams of Scotland and Northern England that the sport of fly fishing really blossomed. In 1496, as part of a larger work, there was “The Treatyse on Fysshynge with an Angle” that gave a fairly detailed description of it including information on line, poles, and the matching of various types of flies to various species of fish. From this, we can draw the conclusion that the practice had been going on for years in this area.

In Southern England, British fly fishing clubs began to appear in the 18th Century. It is thought they were a result of the weed choked rivers of the area. Although brimming with game fish, these rivers were not suited for any time of bait or lure that went below the surface. It was the need of a lure that floated on the surface and line that did so also, that led to the popularity of this new version of the sport. The use of wet flies below the surface also became a part of the process during this period, but the traditionalists looked on this practice with horror.

Fly fishing came to the New World with the British settlers and the rivers of New England and the fast running streams of the wilderness were ideally suited for it. There was an association between fly fishing and sportsman from the very beginning. It was the fishing sport of gentlemen. The common man was a bit more practical and preferred live bait, nets, or even wading into the water and clubbing the fish on the head.

The development of fishing reels and lures, plus the rising popularity of bass fishing led to a decline in in the sport during the 20th Century. The traditions were kept alive by a small number of dedicated fishermen who viewed the designing and tying of flies as being as interesting as the actual fishing. In recent years, there has been a great revival in interest in this challenging method of fishing. The sales of the unique gear is increasing rapidly and clubs, like the early clubs of Britain, are again being formed to bring back this thrilling sport.

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