History Of Fly Fishing

There is not much information written about the history of fly fishing. All the books that have been written on this subject have been recently published. What is fly fishing? Fly fishing is a specialized method that is used to catch fish with an artificial fly. Normally, the angler will use a fly line and a fly rod to help lure the fish into the trap. Continue reading to learn more about the origins and history of fly fishing.

Aelian is one of the first persons to write information about the history of fly fishing that is relevant today. Who is Aelian? Claudius Aelian was a Roman teacher and author. He was born around 170 A.D. at Praeneste. His name is commonly written as “Aelian.” During his lifetime, he frequently observed, studied, and wrote about animals. For example, in his work, “On the Nature of Animals” he writes about men catching fish in Macedonia using an artificial hook. Volume seventeen of this work explains in detail his observations.

In his book, “A Concise History of Fly Fishing” Glen Law writes about the history of fly fishing and takes the reader from 1400 B.C. to points of innovation in America. This is a good book to read. Law’s work is very impressive and engaging. From the fifteenth century up to this day, there has been much advancement in fly fishing. For example, anglers cast the line rather that use the lure. Today, fishermen use bait that look like any thing that a fish might eat. If you go fly fishing to day, you can decide to go fresh water fishing or salt water fly fishing. the 1500's and 1700's it did not matter as much to the angler. Clearly, there is not much information written about the history of fly fishing, but we do know that man has been enjoying the sport for 100's of years.