Fly Fishing Hook, Line and Sinker

There are many pieces of equipment you will need in your fly fishing arsenal, and more ways to use them than you would imagine. In the next few blogs we’ll be taking a look at the most common – or should I say “ubiquitous,” in case the word “common” suggests lowlifes! But actually the phrase “hook, line and sinker” does have a connection with some things less than worthy. Conmen are said to make their prey fall for their tall tales “hook, line and sinker,” for example. On the other hand, for the more romantically inclined it’s also a description of falling for someone for the first time: love at first sight.

From the lowly bent pin and wooden pole, ala Tom Sawyer, to the modern day carbon rod and three pronged hook, the evolution of the basic bits of fishing kit is long and complex. We’ve come a long way, for example, from using as a float the humble wine bottle cork to today’s floating quill. Hooks, too, come in a bewildering range of shapes and sizes, even some that have to be sharpened by hand as people had to do in the past.

What’s the difference, for instance, between an egg, pyramid and split shot sinker?  Or an Aberdeen and a Sproat hook? And where do quill floats originate from?

Intrigued? We hope so. Check out later blogs: we aim to draw you even deeper into the world of fly fishing – hook, line and indeed sinker!