Fly fishing has been around for centuries. In fact, even the Ancient Romans practiced something akin to modern day fly fishing. Even so, the art of fly fishing as we know it gained popularity more heavily in the British Isles during the 17th Century. Anglers sought to catch fish in rivers and streams using an artificial lure that resembled one of the different types of "flies" and other insects on which the fish feed in their natural habitat. The motivation behind the birth of the practice, then, was that the artificial bait used to catch the fish did not weigh enough for a fisherman to present or "cast" it out to a fish. Instead, the line had to weigh enough to carry the fly out across the water to the fish. This technique in turn resulted in the considerably challenging yet beautiful art of casting a fly using a fly rod.
Thanks for reading,
Daniel
Founder,
Deep South Angler