|
|
Aboard - On a boat. (1) The act of dragging a fly across the current and giving it an unnatural drift. (2) When fish are biting - Getting a nibble (3) An elusive, but important characteristic of fly rods. Rods are said to have fast or slow action. Fast action rods are generally stiffer overall, but bend more at the tip, generating higher line speeds longer casts, especially into the wind. Slow action rods, appear to flex their entire length, giving the sense of a more compliant feel.
The Adams is a great multipurpose dry fly and it is commonly used as a searching fly. By simply changing its size, the Adams can imitate a variety of mayfly duns. Although it is very rare, occasionally trout will sip adult midges floating on the surface. A small adams effectively imitates adult midges.
Adult
The
final phase of an insect's life cycle, most often occurring above
water for aquatic insects.
Affluent (Stream)
A stream or river that flows into a larger one; a Tributary. Albright knot A common knot used for tying the backing to fly line. Alevin A newly hatched salmon or trout Algae Simple plant organisms. Alphabet lures Wide-body crankbaits that were originally fashioned from wood. Modern examples include Bomber Model A and the Cotton Cordell Big O.
Anal Fin Fin located on the bottom and near the back of the fish. ANCHOR A heavy metal object that keeps boats from drifting. Anchor buoy Usually a red plastic ball of at least 24 inches in diameter, with a large ring attached. Hook the ring on the anchor rope and heave the buoy overboard. Drive the boat upwind or upcurrent. Presto! The anchor is pulled up quickly to the buoy using horsepower instead of human power.
Antron
A synthetic yarn material made of long sparkly fibers used for
many aspects of fly tying including wrapped bodies, spent wings, and
trailing shucks. Is also used for dubbing material. Arbor The center part of a fly reel where line and backing (first) is wound. The size of the spool of a fly reel. "Large arbor" reels have large-diameter spools, which helps prevent a fly line from curling.
Arbor knot A knot used for tying backing to the arbor of the fly reel. Aroma - A very special smell that is easy to notice.
Artificial Reef Any material sunk offshore for the express purpose of attracting fish. Old boats, concrete culverts, metal pipe, the list is endless. Most states now require a permit before dumping because non-practical material was being used, objects that rusted quickly, polluted or were a hazard to shrimpnets.
Attractor patterns often provoke a fish's tendency to strike. [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]
Back leads A small device used to force your line down to the bottom. It is a small lead weight that is tethered to a stick pushed into your bank. The lead has a small open clip at the top on which you push over your line. The weight is then dropped down under the water, pulling the line down with it. When a fish strikes, the line pulls up and out of the open clip.
The first segment of line on a reel, usually braided and used to build up the arbor and to offer additional distance for a strong fish to pull out line. An unusually strong fish will take you "into your backing".
Backing down Driving the boat backwards (in reverse) while pursuing a fish. Backing Line Nylon or dacron line tied between the fly line and the reel to act as additional line if a longer length than the flyline is required to play a fish.
Baetis A small grey mayfly. see Mayfly
Bail Metal, semi-circular arm on an open-face spinning reel that engages the line after a cast.
any substance used to attract fish. Traditionally, nightcrawlers, insects, and smaller fish have been used for this purpose. Fishermen have also begun using plastic bait (lure) and, more recently, electronic lures, to attract fish. Because of the risk of transmitting whirling disease, trout and salmon should not be used as bait. Bait Bucket - A bucket used to hold bait. Most common style of reel used in bass fishing, typically round or oval shaped and somewhat open construction. Also known as level wind reels. Fishing with a revolving-spool reel and baitcasting rod; reel mounted on topside of rod. The spool turns during casting, unlike the spool of a spinning or spincasting reel.
Balao Pronounced "bally-hoo," this is the popular offshore bait used for trolling, most often for billfish. The bait of choice for sailfish for many years. A pricey bait when used for other saltwater species.
Ball bearings Small metal balls added to the mechanical mechanism of high-quality reels to make the retrieve smoother. Normally the more ball bearings a reel has the higher quality.
Ballyhoo -
A small shiny fish used for bait. Balsa Type of wood several lures are manufactured from. This wood is very light, yet highly buoyant. Gives the lure great action. Examples include Bagley's Balsa B, and Rapala Minnows.
Bar Long ridge in a body of water.
1.
A raised burr on a hook to keep fish from getting off. Barbel A slender tactile process or fleshy projection located around the head.
Barbless Hook See above
Barrel knot A
knot used to tie two pieces of tippet
together -- also known as a blood
knot.
Bateau - A small flat-bottomed boat, squared off on each end.
Bay
An inlet of the sea or ocean, usually smaller than a gulf. Beacon - A signal light used to help guide boats and airplanes. Beads Glass, or plastic beads added to a Carolina Rig to enhance the noise, and protect the knot. Bead Head A Bead Head fly uses a metal bead to simulate the thorax on a nymph or wet fly and to add weight to the fly. Typically gold or silver is used, but any color can be used. Often a bright color such as red can stimulate a fish into biting. Usually but not always a fly with a bead immediately behind the hook eye. Beads come in many materials, from brass to nickel brass to ceramic. Some beads help a fly sink, but others are floaters.
Bell sinkers Sinkers shaped like a bell, which are normally used on a Carolina Rig. Also known as casting sinkers.
Belly The middle section of a fly line. A tapered fly line has several components, with a fairly sharply tapered tip (at the fly end). The middle portion of the line is called the belly. Belly strip A strip of belly meat from a baitfish. Cut and trimmed in a streamlined fashion, it can be trolled behind the boat, where it flutters in a fashion enticing to gamefish. Benthic Bottom-dwelling. Billfish Any of several species of pelagic fish, including sailfish, spearfish, blue, black or white marlin, and swordfish.
A
fish with long jaws. Bimini Twist A specific series of knots and twists in a leader which acts as a springy shock absorber in the line, usually used when fishing for large salt water fish. It has a loop and a double line section making it especially strong. Biot The short thick barbs from the leading edge of the first flight feather typically from a goose or a duck. Used to simulate tails, legs, antennae and other parts. Can be found dyed in many different colors. Birdnest A tangle that can occurr using a level wind,a newbies nightmare
Also called Spaghetti When you cast with a Baitcaster Reel and you don't put your thumb on the line before the lure hits the water, all your line will get tangled and make a huge mess that looks just like a bird's nest. Getting a birdnest is just part of fishing with a Baitcaster, everybody gets them.
Biting
- Time when fish are being caught on hooks.
Blade Bait
A weighted, fish-shaped blade made with a swinging hook
Black Bass Term used to describe several types of bass; the most common being smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass.
best known for its strength in tying monofilaments of different diameter and material together. It is rather difficult to tie on the water and commercially-made blood knot tiers are available to make the job easier. A blood knot is often used to make a fly leader of several different diameter monofilament segments.
also
known as a barrel knot.
Bloodworm - A worm with red juice inside that is used for bait.
Bluefish Boat - A small vessel that is moved by oars, sails or engine. Boathouse - A building to keep boats
Bobber Stop stops the line from sliding through the bobber at the depth you set them. Bobbin A tool for holding a spool of thread while fly tying which allows the thread to be dispensed with a controlled tension. Bonk To kill a fish. Boondoggle Drifting your boat at or about the same speed as the current so one cast runs the entire length of the run. Boot Opposite of chromer. An old salmon or Steelhead. Well past edible, although often seen in the hands of a beek, claiming "this ones for the smoker".
Bottom Rig - The hooks, weights and things fastened together for bottom fishing. Bow - The forward (front) part of a boat.
Bow Rail
- The front railing on a boat. Brackish Water that is mostly fresh, with some salt. The far ends of tidal creeks are mostly brackish, supporting sometimes fresh and saltwater fish. Braided channel Usually found on freestone rivers, braided channels are ever-changing smaller channels that together constitute the course of the entire river. Braided fishing lines are tough, strong and limp. They excel in some fishing situations and are the best choice for others. Braids should be used for their good qualities when appropriate.
Power
Pro is a popular braid that works well in a wide varitey of fishing applications.
Spidewire was one of the first braids and is still one of the most popular. It holds up well and workd for a lot of different kinds of fishing. Dacron braid was used for many years as the main line in big game fishing. Now it is used mostly for backing on fly reels. It can be used as a main line still. Brass Materials used to manufacture several products in the marine industry since it resists corrosion. Also refers to sinkers made of brass, which are harder and noisier that typical lead sinkers. Brats Hatchery raised Steelhead Breakline A line of abrupt change in depth, bottom type, or water clarity in the feature of otherwise uniform structure. Brood stock Adult fish used to propagate the subsequent generation of hatchery fish.
Brook trout are native to Southeastern Canada and the United States north of Georgia. Brook trout feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects, occasionally supplementing this diet with crayfish. Large brook trout may eat small fish.
Brushline
The inside or the outside edge of a stretch of brush. Buccal Pertaining to the cheeks or the cavity of the mouth. Buck Male fish Bucketmouth - Largemouth Bass (see bass)- A black bass, body green-shaded with a broad, continuous dark stripe along each side, belly white to yellowish, dorsal fin almost completely separated between spiny and soft portion and lower jaw extends past the gold-colored eye. Also called bigmouth bass, green trout, green bass
Bullet Same as a chromer - A bright, fresh fish Bullet Head Tool A tool with a plate with several holes which can be pushed over the eye of a hook to arrange material in a bullet pattern. The material is first tied in facing forwards beyond the eye symmetrically around the shank, and then pushed backwards by the tool to form the distinctive bullet shape. Bullet Sinker A cone shaped piece of lead, zinc or steel of varying weights that slides up and down the line. Bump-troll Keeping a trolled bait mostly in one spot, by pointing the boat into the current/wind and "bumping" the engines in and out of gear, to hold position. Buoy - A floating marker Buoyancy The tendency of a body to float or rise when submerged in a fluid. Butt seat A seat that is shaped in a sort of half moon design, which anglers often use to lean against while fishing. Also known as "Bike" seats. This small bottom cushion is popular among fishermen who fish long hours.
Bycatch Non-targeted sea life caught by commercial fishermen. Tuna longlines have a bycatch of turtles or mahi-mahi, for instance. Shrimp nets have a bycatch of at least a hundred species of fish and crab, discarded overboard. [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]
Canal A man made waterway used for navigation. Camoflage - A way to hide things and make them hard to see. Cane Pole - A fishing pole made from a bamboo shoot. Canoe - A long boat pointed at both ends that is easy to paddle. Cape The skin off a rooster chicken's neck, which yields several hundred good fly-tying feathers from a quality cape.
Captive
brood stock Fish raised and spawned in captivity. Carnivorous Feeding on animal tissues.
Cartilaginous fish A major group of fish including sharks and rays.
Casting Arc The distance the rod is passed through from the beginning of the backcast to the end of the forward cast. The longer the cast, the longer the arc should be, since it helps you in making the cast Casting Plane The angle(s) above or below horizontal the rod tip actually follows during the casting sequence. Casting Spoon A spoon-shaped metal or hard plastic lure that wobbles to attract fish.
They can be fitted with a fixed (solid) hook or swinging hook, that has a single, double or treble points. Cast net A circular net thrown by hand. The outer perimeter is lined with lead weights. Great for catching shrimp and baitfish. Catadromous Refers to fish that migrate from fresh water to salt water to spawn or reproduce such as the American eel. Catch-and-release Term that refers to releasing the fish you catch so that they can live to fight another day, and thus insuring a productive fishery. The ethic of returning fish to the water unharmed.
This
is probably the most important thing when fishing.
Catfish - A kind of fish with whiskers.
Centipede Four-inch straight plastic worm used for Carolina rigs.
cfs
Abbreviation for "cubic feet per second," the term is a
means of measuring the flow of a stream. A small stream might carry
40 cfs and offer good trout fishing, while a large river like the
Colorado might reach 30,000 cfs in the Grand Canyon during flood stage. Channel The bed of a stream or river. Channel Marker- Used to mark the safe edges of a channel.
Charter Boat - A boat you pay to go out on. Chenille A yarn-like material for wrapping bodies which is in the form of a pipe cleaner (with thread in place of the stiff wire). Can be found in many colors and materials, and is a critical component of the Wooly Worm and Wooly Buggers patterns. Chine The "running edge" of a boat. The chine is the edge made by the joining of the bottom and the sides of a boat. Chironomid Scientific name for the members of the Diptera family of insects commonly known as Midges. In the pupae stage they typically appear to be small aquatic worms. Choked: Busted of a fish or did somethin dumb to lose your fish Chromer: A bright, fresh fish - Also known as a Bullet Chugger Topwater lure that "chugs" when retrieved, similar but smaller than a popper. Example, Storm Chug Bug.
Chum bag A mesh bag left hanging overboard, filled with chum. Trollers sometimes drag the bag alongside the boat. Smaller bags can be trolled deep while attached to downrigger balls. CHUMMING A fishing technique by which bait or scent is released into the water to attract fish to take a lure or baited hook. Chum consists of live, dead, ground-up or prepared baits and scents and is used in fresh and saltwater.
Chunk
Plastic
or pork trailer commonly used on jigs. Cigar minnows A yellow-tailed member of the scad family, sold most often as frozen bait in five-pound boxes, caught along the Florida Panhandle. Widely regarded for their firm texture and appeal to offshore fish. Cigar minnows can also be caught on tiny fly hooks, called Sabiki Rigs. Cinch Knot (also known as Clinch Knot) A knot used to tie the tippet to the eye of the fly. A modified version of this, the Improved Cinch Knot, is probably the most used knot for this purpose.
See
how to tie a cinch knot Circle hook A circular hook up to 16/0 size, very safe to handle. The fish hooks itself with this one, and the harder they pull, the more firmly the hook imbeds itself. Ideal for releasing fish, since the circle hook is seldom swallowed.
This functionally-shaped fishhook results in more fish being hooked. Fishermen are learning that the Circle Sea is catching 60% more fish than conventional J shaped hooks, including a 95% lip hook rate so the fish cannot escape. The Circle Sea hook is scientifically proven to reduce fish mortality. Hook set is not required. This hook has greater holding power, more hookups, fewer drop-offs and it holds bait better. Ideal for all freshwater and saltwater fish species. The trick is to let the fish take the bait, resist the temptation set the hook yourself, let the fish take it, eventually the rod will double and the fish will set them self. If you try and set the hook, the hook will not work properly and you will actually pull the hook right out of the fishes mouth. If you get too excited and set the hook you would pull the bait right out of the fishes mouth. You must resist as the reel screams out line...and the fish would hook itself. Cisco Any of several whitefishes found primarily in the Great Lakes region. Clacker A metal device added to certain brand buzzbait in order to make additional noise. Clevis The swivel device to which a spinner blade is attached and which allows the blade to rotate. Click drag A mechanical system on many inexpensive fly reels used to slow down or resist the pulling efforts of a fish, so as to slow the fish down and tire it to the point where it can be landed. Basically a clicking sound is created by a triangular steel ratchet snaps over the teeth of the gear in the reel spool. The term singing reels refers to the high frequency clicking associated with a big fish pulling out line. Clicker cork A thin Styrofoam cork, 3 inches long, mounted on an 8-inch wire. Yanking on it produces a clicking sound that imitates shrimp snapping their tails underwater. These corks are great for suspending a plastic shrimptail jig above a grass bottom, and below troublesome floating grass.
Clinch
knot
One of 4-5 very useful knots. Very simple to tie, yet very strong. also
known as CINCH KNOT
Click
here for detailed information on Clouser minnow A streamer pattern that imitates baitfish, popular for many different species of fish, named after originator Bob Clouser. Clown A color typically used mostly in hard jerkbait like Rogues. Consists of chrome body, with chartreuse back, and red head or face.
Coastal
pelagic An
offshore fish that migrates along the coastline, but isn't a true,
ocean-going pelagic. Examples are kingfish, Spanish mackerel, cobia. Coffee Grinder: Spin cast reel Colorado Blade design used in spinnerbaits. Gives out a strong vibration. Blades are circular shaped. Commercial Fishing Fishing to sell the catch of fish for the market. Commercial Fishing Boat Used for fishing to earn a living. Cork - Keeps a hook from sinking. Bobbles when a fish nibbles.
Cove
A small sheltered inlet or bay. Cover Cover consists of weeds, trees, branches, tulles, buck brush, stick-ups, rocks and man-made objects like docks, tires, etc
|