| Fly fishing has been around in various forms for many | | | | dry and wet flies. |
| years. Early historical records indicate that Macedonian | | | | This materials have continued to develop over the |
| fishermen were using artificial flies to catch fish as | | | | years. Significant advances have been made in this |
| early as the second century. The Roman Claudius | | | | equipment, including rods, line and flies. |
| Aelianus described the Macedonian anglers as using | | | | Early fly fishing rods were made from a tropical wood |
| six-foot rods with six-foot line. Aelianus detailed how | | | | known as greenheart. Bamboo replaced greenheart |
| the Macedonian fishermen would craft artificial flies | | | | as fly fishing popularity spread. Bamboo rods were |
| from a hook with red wool and insect wings tied on. | | | | further refined as American rod builders developed |
| These Macedonian fishermen were apparently quite | | | | advanced rod building techniques that involved cutting |
| successful with their technique. There is also some | | | | the bamboo into strips before gluing the bamboo back |
| evidence that fishing with artificial flies may even | | | | together around a solid core. Following World War II |
| predate the second-century Macedonian techniques. | | | | fiberglass became a popular material for fly rod |
| Unfortunately, little else was written about ancient fly | | | | construction. The fiberglass rods were more |
| fishing methods. It was 1496 before any major work | | | | affordable than their bamboo predecessors since |
| was published describing fly fishing. | | | | bamboo rods may take as much as 100 hours to build. |
| It is thought that modern fly fishing probably developed | | | | Modern rods are usually made from a graphite |
| in England and Scotland. This techniques similar to | | | | compound. Modern rods are less expensive than |
| modern techniques began to be developed in England | | | | earlier rods and perform exceptionally well. |
| in the 19th century. Around this time fly fishing clubs | | | | Artificial flies were originally made from natural |
| were also formed in England to accommodate a | | | | materials like feathers and fur. Most modern flies are |
| growing interest in the sport. Part of the interest in this | | | | made from synthetic materials. |
| fishing in southern England was because of the | | | | Fly line has also been improved quite a bit. Fly line used |
| prevalence of shallow, weedy rivers. It proved to be | | | | to be made of horse hair. Horse hair line was replaced |
| well-adapted to this type of water course. | | | | by silk line. The silk line was an improvement over |
| It quickly became something of an elitist sport in | | | | horse hair but the line still had to be removed from the |
| England. It purists insisted on fishing with dry flies only | | | | reel periodically to allow it to dry. |
| and looked down on wet fishing as being inferior. Wet | | | | US interest in fly fishing peaked in the 1920s with |
| fishing continued to be developed around the same | | | | Maine, Vermont and Wisconsin being the most popular |
| time, however. The US and Scandinavia also saw fly | | | | areas for fishing. Interest increased again in the 1950s |
| fishing popularity increase during the 19th century. | | | | with the development of affordable, fiberglass fishing |
| However, anglers in the US and Scandinavia did not | | | | rods, synthetic fly line and monofilament leaders. These |
| share the English view concerning the superiority of | | | | developments served to make it a more affordable |
| dry fishing. US and Scandinavian anglers fished both | | | | sport for many people. |