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101 Fly Fishing Tips for Beginners
Page 9
Tip #23: Knotless Tapered Leads
For freshwater fishing it’s best to use a knotless tapered lead
instead of a knotted tapered lead. This is because you will
experience less tangles when you’re casting and the leader won’t
get caught on debris that can be found in the water or on any
free standing structures.
Tip #24: Learn to Read the Water
Fish will behave differently depending on certain water
conditions that change depending on what season it is. This
includes the temperature of the water, what the weather is like,
and the volume of the water. If you want to become a successful
fly fisher you’ll have to learn how to read the waters where
you’re fishing.
Some of the things that you’ll discover as you learn to read the
water are (1) during non-feeding periods, fish can still be
encouraged to strike if they are in a deep pocket of water, and
(2) when fish are feeding they are usually found in the
shoreline of runs of pools and in moderate water pockets.
Water chemistry plays a big part in the health of fish, the
location where they are found, and how successful you are at
catching the big one. One of the most important aspects of
water chemistry is pH. In scientific terms pH can be defined
as: the negative log molar concentration of hydronium ions in
the water. In simple language pH is the measure of the acidity
or basicity in the water.
pH is typically measured on a scale of 1 to 14. A pH of 7 is
considered to be neutral. pH totals of less than 7 are acidic
while a measure of over 7 is considered basic.
Most fish are able to tolerate a wide range of pH in the waters
where they live. This is because they have the ability to
regulate their internal levels of pH. This is accomplished by
the fish constantly adjusting the ratio of bases and acids
within their systems. They make these adjustments by expelling
any excess acids in the urine and also by controlling their
breathing.
The faster a fish breathes the faster carbon dioxide leaves the
blood, thus raising the level of pH in the blood. However, most
fish are eventually tired out by this constant regulating of
their system. If the fish lives for too long in an environment
that is too acidic or too basic it will become unable to manage
its own system chemistry. When this happens the fish will stop
feeding and eventually die.
Tip #25: Keep an Eye Out for Structures
When you’re looking around for a place to cast your line it’s
important that you look around for structures both on and in the
water. This can be a large boulder or stone, a log that is
submerged, or the tail end of a pool. These are great places to
find fish since they don’t want to work very hard when it comes
to looking for a meal. Fish will congregate near structures,
where they will set up feeding stations.
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