School of FlyFishing
Glossary of Terms

Word/Phrase Definition Subject Location
action describes the flex a fly rod makes under the load of the fly line Fly Rods
adjustable drag a drag setting that is able to be manually adjusted by turning a knob on the reel frame Fly Reels
albright knot knot used to tie vastly different sizes or types of leader/line materials together; e.g., to tie wire to line or leader Knots
anodized refers the process by which metallic reels are coated with a protective oxide to deter corrosion Fly Reels
anti-reverse drive type of reel in which the reel handle remains stationery as line is drawn off the spinning reel spool; engages only when line is being retrieved onto the reel spool Fly Reels
arbor knot the knot used to tie backing to the fly reel     Knots
back cast that stage of a flycasting stroke that is on a backward plane to the rear of the caster Casting
backing a thin, braided material, usually 20-30 lbs. test braided "dacron" or "micron", that is put first on a fly reel using the "Arbor Knot" to "back" the fly line to which it is attached Fly Lines
bandana a piece of cotton, roughly 20"x24", that is worn around the neck to assist in comfort control; Equipment
belly boat slang for float tube Equipment
big game refers to that style of reel designed for use with large fresh or saltwater fish that are also referred to as "big game fish" Fly Reels
blank (rod blank) name given to fishing rods without any components affixed; a "naked' ("blank") rod Fly Rods
blood knot a knot used to connect/tie together sections of leader; usually with different diameters of material as a means to taper the leader from butt to tippet (alternate: "surgeon knot")     Knots
boot foot waders that style of waders that has the "boot" as part of the wader Equipment
bugs slang for flies used by fly fishers Flies
butt cap the fly rod component that fits over the end of the reel seat Fly Rods
butt end that end of any line (backing, fly line, leader, etc.) that is attached first to any connecting part (as opposed to "tag end", "tip" or "tippet") Fly Rods
butt section the section of a rod that holds the reel & is held in the casting hand (as opposed to the "tip section") Fly Rods
cartridge reel type of reel that uses interchangeable plastic spools enabling use of multiple lines with one reel Fly Reels
cast reels reels that are manufactured by "casting" the parts from a mold & then connecting together to make the whole reel Fly Reels
casting loop the shape that the fly line forms in the air as a result of the casting stroke Casting
casting stroke the complete cycle of casting the fly line using the backcast and forward cast Casting
chest waders one piece waders that come up to the chest and are held up by suspenders Equipment
class term used to identify various sink rates for sinking fly lines; e.g., "class II", "class IV", etc. Fly Lines
click & pawl drag style of spool restraint that uses 1 or 2 spring-loaded "pawls" ratcheting against teeth on the spool Fly Reels
click mechanism device used in click & pawl, as well as some disc drag systems, that results in an audible clicking sound as the spool rotates Fly Reels
clinch knot the primary knot used to tie the leader to the fly      Knots
clippers device used to cut leaders, lines, etc.; usually attached to a retractable reel on a vest Equipment
compensated describes a sinking fly line that has at least two different line densities (sink rates) to assist it to sink in a straight/uniform line Sinking rates
core refers to the interior substance of a fly line; "line core" Components
counter weight feature of reels that adds a weight to the exterior spool to enhance balance Fly Reels
dampen a fly rod's rate of recovery from a cast Fly Rods
damping coefficient term to describe the ability of a rod material to stop vibrating by absorbing the energy generated by a cast Fly Rods
DEET short for diethyl-meta-toluamide, the chemical most effective in the repellents used as protection against insects Equipment
density weight measurement term (in grams) used to classify fly lines Fly Lines
direct drive type of reel that has the handle connected directly to the spool, which revolves as the spool does in both directions Fly Reels
disc drag style of spool restraint in reels that uses an adjustable clutch to effect drag Fly Reels
ditty bag the fly fisher's "handbag"; i.e., auxiliary "duffel" type bag for miscellaneous items carried while fly fishing Equipment
double click reel that has two pawls Fly Reels
double haul a fly casting technique (using two hauls) that creates increased line speed that results in longer casts Casting
double taper type of fly line that has a taper at both ends Fly line taper
drag the undesirable effect caused by the flow of water current pulling on the fly line that results in the fly "dragging" behind in an unnatural manner Casting
drag braking pressure applied to the revolving reel spool by a mechanical device built in to the reel Fly Reels
drag coefficient term used to describe the start-up friction a fish has to overcome before the reel's drag system allows the spool to feed out line Fly Reels
dropper knot a knot used to provide a loop off of the leader or fly line to which can be attached an additional fly or weight Knots
duncan loop knot a knot used to provide a small, open loop in the leader tippet at the point where it is tied to the fly; to enhance the freedom of movement of the fly Knots
exposed rim style of fly reel that has the outside of its spool as the outer frame, which as it rotates during line out is able to be "palmed" for drag effect Fly Reels
false cast a completed casting stroke that does not result in the fly line being released by the caster; an "interim" casting cycle that takes place only in the air Casting
ferrule the rigid connector point where rod pieces are joined together Fly Rods
fishermanwise refers to fish that have been conditioned to fishermen and are therefore harder to catch Leaders
flex used to describe rod action Fly Rods
float tube inflatable device used by single fly fisher to floatfish in lakes; also called "belly boat" Equipment
floatant any substance applied to a fly, fly line or leader to promote its ability to float Equipment
floating lines fly lines which float on top of or just in the water's surface film Fly line use
fly boxes boxes used to hold flies; from sizes to fit vest pockets, to "tackle box" size for large/big water flies Equipment
fly dressing category of substances used to "dress" flies to enhance flotation (also called floatant); or to make them sink; also included are fly line dressings for similar purposes Equipment
fly fish the method of fishing that uses imitations of insects ("flies")  
fly reel the fishing reel used by fly fishers Fly Reels
fly rod fishing rod used by fly fishers Fly Rods
forceps also called "hemostat"; a slender, pointed pliers-like device with multi-purpose use for fly fishers Equipment
forward cast that stage of a flycasting stroke that is on a forward plane in front of the caster Casting
gravel guards a device worn over the boot tops with stocking foot waders to keep out sand, gravel, etc.; also called "gaiters", or "gravel cuffs" Equipment
grip the component that serves as the handle of the rod Fly Rods
guide(s) metal circular devices affixed to rods through which line moves in a straight line Fly Rods
hackle the part of a fly made from feather(s) that is wound around the hook to make it float an/or to make it look lifelike Flies
handshake loop another name for interlocking loop Knots
hang up the condition of the fly, fly line and leader being unable to be cast due to being stuck on some object Leaders
hat usually a broad-rimmed cover used to protect and shade the fly fisher's head and face Equipment
haul the practice of movement of the fly line with the line hand to increase its speed during the casting stroke; (single haul; double haul) Casting
head(s) a separate section of fly line, generally 30' long, that connects to the running line with a connecting loop; e.g., shooting heads, Fly Lines
high speed retrieve synonym for multiplying reel Fly Reels
hinge describes the effect of the imbalance caused when the connection of materials are too different in diameter or strength to support a cast Leaders
hip waders two piece waders (one for each leg) that come up to the waist/hips Equipment
hook eye the front end of a hook through which the leader is tied Flies
hook hone or hook sharpener; small, portable device carried by fly fishers to sharpen hooks Equipment
hookkeeper device on fly rods to secure a fly when attached to a leader Fly Rods
improved clinch knot an alternate way to tie the "clinch knot" for tying the fly to the leader tippet     Knots
interlocking loops the connection formed by union of two lines each with a loop in the end; functional for connecting leaders, tippets, lines, etc. (also called "handshake loop") Knots
knotless refers to a tapered leader that contains no knots between sections Leaders
knotted refers to a tapered leader constructed of individual sections of various diameters connected together by knots Leaders
lanyard a device to which an item is "tethered" so that it is close by when needed; e.g., glasses; Equipment
leader the tapered section of monofilament between fly line and fly Leaders
leader wallet compartmentalized "wallet", usually carried in the vest, used to store a variety of leaders for different uses; Equipment
leadershy(ness) condition in fish that makes them "spooked" by leaders Leaders
let down the last stage of the casting cycle; a steady lowering of the rod tip to the fishing plane Casting
line control the act of maintaining a "tight" fly line throughout the casting cycle Casting
line guard the solid horizontal "bar(s)" between the two sides of a fly reel over which the fly line passes Fly Reels
line hand the hand of the caster that controls the fly line (as opposed to the "rod hand"); (for right handed casters, the left hand) Casting
line speed refers to the velocity of the fly line in the air as it is being cast Casting
line taper fly line design feature that changes the diameter at various points along the line as a means to effect casting characteristics Fly Lines
line weight term to classify fly lines by the weight of the first 30 feet Fly Lines
line-in refers to use the process of bringing the line in/onto the reel Fly Reels
line-out refers to the process of taking line off/out of the reel Fly Reels
load (loading) refers to the process of "cocking" a fly rod with the fly line by the application of the casting stroke Fly Rods
machined reels one piece reels that are "stamped" out of a single piece of metal, often referred to as "bar stock" Fly Reels
memory the undesirable property of fly lines, leaders or materials to "remember" their stored condition of being coiled or wound Leaders
mend the practice of changing the position of the fly line on the water to minimize the effects of drag Casting
midsection that portion of a leader between the butt and tippet Leaders
modulus measure of rod strength & stiffness rod materials
multiplying reel style of reel that has a spool which turns more than one revolution for each turn of the reel handle Fly Reels
nail a nail or other object used in tying the "Nail Knot" Knots
nail knot knot used to tie the leader butt (or butt section) to the fly line tip     Knots
nail-less knot a knot used to tie the fly line backing to the butt-end of the fly line (substitute for the "Nail Knot")     Knots
needle knot knot used to attach the leader to the fly line (alternate for the "Nail" or "Nail-less" Knots Knots
net a small (16x24"), lightweight net often carried while fly fishing to assist in catching fish Equipment
palming the practice of using one's hand to apply pressure to the exposed ("palming") rim of a fly reel to increase drag Fly Reels
pawl a metal device inside a fly reel that serves to provide drag; normally associated with a "click & pawl" mechanism Fly Reels
perfection loop knot knot used to create a small, permanent loop; usually in leaders Knots
pick up the first stage in the casting cycle; a steady lifting of the rod to "pick up" fly line off the water Casting
polarized glasses eyewear that has specialized lenses which reduces the glare from water; "polarized" means the lenses have been specially made to protect eyes from ultraviolet rays (UV) Equipment
power stroke(s) term used to describe that portion of the casting cycle where maximum energy is applied to the fly rod by the caster; there are 2 power strokes in the cast: one to the rear (backcast) and one to the front (forward cast.) Casting
reel bag small bag in which to keep fly reel(s) when not in use Equipment
reel foot the flanged metal "bottom" of a fly reel that is attached to the reel seat on the rod Fly Reels
reel frame the housing part of a reel to which the reel spool is attached; the frame is stationery, the spool rotates Fly Reels
reel seat the part of the fly rod that holds ("seats") the fly reel to the rod Fly Reels
reel spool the rotating portion of a fly reel that holds the fly line Fly Reels
removable spool style of reel that has spool(s) which can be taken off the reel frame Fly Reels
repellent insect avoidance fluid; usually part of a fly fisher's necessities Equipment
retractable reel spring-controlled device, usually pinned or hooked to the vest, to which tools are attached for easy access; also called "zingers" Equipment
retrieve ratio the ratio between the amount of line retrieved upon each complete revolution of the reel spool/handle Fly Reels
reversible retrieve feature allowing the spool to be changed to allow the "reversing" of the retrieve: i.e., from right to left hand or vice versa Fly Reels
rod blank see blank  
rod case hard, tubular storage/carrying device in which fly rods are kept when not in use Equipment
rod grip the "handle" of a fly rod, usually made of cork, held onto while fly fishing Fly Rods
rod hand the hand of the caster that controls the fly rod (as opposed to the "line hand"); (for right handed casters, the right hand) Casting
roily term describes dirty or turbid water that is usually higher than normal  
roll cast a type of fly cast that employs a shortened casting stroke performed in a rolling over motion Casting
running line that portion of the fly line between the backing and the first 60' or so that is actually cast upon the water Fly Lines
sharpener used to sharpen hooks; also known as "hook hone" Equipment
shock tippet a specialized leader tippet constructed of heavy monofilament, wire, etc. designed to absorb "toothy" and/or very large fish to prevent break off Leaders
shooting head a separate segment of fly line, usually about 30' in length, that is attached to the running line Fly Lines
shooting line in casting, refers to the technique of adding distance to a flycast by increasing line speed; also used to describe a type of line material used for such purpose Fly Lines
single click reel that has one pawl Fly Reels
single haul a fly casting technique (using one haul) that creates increased line speed that results in a longer cast Casting
sinking lines fly lines which sink below the water's surface Sinking lines
sinking tip fly lines which have a front portion ("tip") which sinks followed by the rest of the line which floats Sinking lines
slack line refers to a line that is not perfectly straight, that has some "slack" in it; in a designed cast, leaves "S" curves in the fly line on the water to provide protection against drag Casting
slip-on leader butt a manufactured accessory, usually of braided material, that slips over the tip of the fly line to provide a knotless connection to a leader butt section to which leaders may be attached by knots or interlocking loops Knots
snake guide(s) spiral-shaped metal guides; predominant one used on fly rods Fly Rods
spey rod a full flexing rod designed to be used in a casting technique common in Europe referred to a "spey" casting  
spool capacity the amount of line (fly line & backing) a reel's spool may contain; usually gauged by using a weight forward line & 20# backing Fly Reels
spool diameter the diameter of the reel spool Fly Reels
spool release lever or button activated to disengage the reel spool so that it may be removed Fly Reels
spool width the diameter of the opening between the two sides of a spool Fly Reels
still water slang for lakes or ponds, etc.; as opposed to "running water" of streams or rivers  
stocking foot waders that style of waders that has no "boot" as part of the wader, requiring a separate pair of boots to go over the foot portion of the wader Equipment
stripping guide round, circular metal guide; first up from the grip on fly rod butt sections; also called "ring guide" Fly Rods
stuff our collective term for all the items of equipment, clothing or tackle that fly fishers use Equipment
sunscreen lotion or creme used by fly fishers to protect skin against harmful effects of sun's rays Equipment
surgeon knot knot used to tie together leader materials, usually of different diameters; substitute for the "Blood Knot" Knots
suspenders elasticized, adjustable, harness-like device worn over the shoulders to keep chest waders up Equipment
tackle for this course, refers collectively to fly rods, fly reels, fly lines and leaders;   
tag end the loose, short, or "end-of-the-end" of a line (as opposed to the long end or "running" opposing line that is attached or leading elsewhere)  
taper refers to the principle or process of the transition of materials (rods, fly lines, leaders) from thicker to thinner, or heavier to lighter, in a manner that allows a smooth transfer of energy between components Fly Lines
tip the end of a component: e.g., fly rod tip; fly line tip; etc.; also to describe rod sections: tip vs. butt Fly Rods
tip guide closed round or pear-shaped metal guide on the tip of rods Fly Rods
tip section the uppermost/top section of a rod; (as opposed to the "butt section") Fly Rods
tippet term for the tip/end section of the leader that is tied to a fly Leaders
tippet material line material of varying diameters, usually nylon monofilament, used to make and/or repair leaders; described by an "X" classification system that defines its diameter and correlating breaking strength Leaders
tippet spools individual spools of monofilament of different diameter used to tie/repair/replace leader tippets Equipment
try-line refers to two (or more) 36" long sections of different color & diameter limp or braided nylon students provide that are used with the School's Knots Course to practice tying knots; diameter can be 1/8th"-3/8th" or less Knots
turn over refers to the proper result of a flycast that turns the leader and attached fly over the fly line at the end of a cast Leaders
vest clothing, usually sleeveless, worn while fishing, with multiple pockets in which items needed for fly fishing are kept Equipment
wade the act of walking in a stream or river; wading  
wade wet means to wade without wearing waders  
waders waterproof outerwear worn while wading in water (as in "hip waders"; or "chest waders"; also see "boot foot waders", "stocking foot waders") Equipment
wading belt elasticized belt worn around chest waders to assist in keeping waders up and for added safety Equipment
wading boots a pair of boots made for wearing with "stocking foot waders" and wading in water Equipment
wading cleats an accessory that fits over waders or wading boots to provide added traction and safety while wading Equipment
wading staff long, "walking stick" type device used when wading to provide stability and safety Equipment
weight term used to refer to classification of both fly rods & fly lines Fly Lines
weight forward type of fly line that has the taper toward the front of the line Fly line taper
wide arbor describes a reel featuring an arbor/center that is wider or oversized Fly Reels
wind knot a knot in a fly line or leader resulting from improper technique caused by casting in wind Casting
zinger slang for a retractable device Equipment

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