MyOAN!

A

Aberdeen a hook shape characterized by a round bend and a wide gap.

Abdomen the bottom section of an insect below the head and thorax

Action the flexibility properties of a rod; also, the movement of a lure due to its built-in properties (lip of a crankbait).

Adaptation of a species its environment to meet its basic needs of food, comfort and reproduction

Adipose Fin the fatty fin located between the dorsal and tail fins of some species.

Aggregation a group of gamefish or preyfish holding in an area, but not necessarily moving together in a school.

Alkalinity Measure of the amount of acid neutralizing bases.

Alevin a freshly hatched salmon or trout.

Algae any of a number of groups of simple plants that contain chlorophyll but lack true roots, stems, and leaves. They live in water or moist ground, and include diatoms, seaweeds, and spirogra.

Alley is an opening between patches of weeds and the shoreline that are parallel.

Amphidromous fish that migrate between fresh and salt water for purposes other than spawning.

Anadromous describes saltwater fish, such as shad and salmon, that migrate to freshwater rivers to spawn.

Anal Fin the fin located on the underside of a fish's body just ahead of the tail.

Andra Spectrum an extra-fine synthetic dubbing material used for small dry fly and nymph bodies. It is an excellent substitute for beaver-belly underfur. It is available in a wide variety of colors, including fluorescent colors.

Angler One who fishes (derived from the Sanskrit word "anka," meaning bend, referring to a curved fishhook.)

Angling a general synonym for "fishing"; it originally meant fishing with a hook over any other equipment.

Anti-Reverse Lock the mechanism on a reel that prevents the crank handle from turning backwards.

Aorta the main artery carrying blood from the heart.

Appetite Moods the three basic attitudes of fish toward feeding. (See positive, neutral, and negative feeding moods.)

Aquatic Insect an insect that spends at least a portion of its life underwater.

Arbor the axle or spindle on which a fly reel's spool revolves.

Articular rear bone of the lower jaw of a fish.

Artificial Bait plugs, spoons, flies, and other bait that simulate actual creatures that fish feed on. a natural or artificial scent that is designed to mask human and offessive odors to fish.
Artifical Lure manufactured lures made form a variety of materials to attract stikes by simulating natural bait or by appealing to a fish's aggressive or curious instincts.

Attractant h and is considered to attract fish to a lure.

Attractor a fly or other artificial bait that is not designed to resemble a specific insect or other live bait, but simply to suggest one that would appeal to a fish.

Auger a drill used to cut holes in the ice to get access to the fish under the ice.

Automatic Reel a fly reel with a spring mechanism that retrieves the line without manual winding.

B

Backing extra line on a fly reel between the fly line and the spool. Backing provides underlying bulk that speeds rewinding the fly line, as well as providing additional line, if needed, to play a fish.

Backlash a tangle of line on a reel caused by the spool's rotating faster than the line is being rewound. Also called "overrun" or "bird's nest."

Backreeling using your hand on the handle of the reel of a spinning reel to wind backwards instead of using the reels built in gear drag. Used by those that fear reel drag causes line breakage.

Backtrolling a system of boat control involving moving a boat slowly in reverse while using lure or bait presentations (casting or trolling).

Backwaters normally, a shallow-water area off a river.

Badger a feather or hair color pattern in which there is a black base and white or light cream ends.

Bag the mesh sack portion of a landing net.

Bag Limit maximum number or weight of fish that can be taken from a particular body of water. Check with local authorities in your area for current regulations.

Bail Pickup the revolving arm on a spinning reel that picks up the line during the rewinding process.

Bait anything that a fish will eat including store bought marshmallows.

Baitcasting tackle that involves a baitcasting, or "level-wind," reel.

Baitfish various species of fish, such as minnows, sought as food by larger fish and used as bait by anglers.

Baiting Needle long needle used to mount dead fish and other large baits onto terminal tackle.

Balance Beam hand held scales that helps fishing pros determine the smallest of two bass.

Balance Tackle concept of the rod, line, reel and terminal tackle should complement each other in such a way that they create an optimal system. E.g. twenty pound line doesn't belong on a rod designed to handle only four pound line. Balanced tackle allows you to catch and land more fish.

Banks right bank of the river is on your right when you are facing downstream, and the left bank is on your left.

Bar is a long ridge in a body of water. Commonly referred to as a shoal.

Barb a reverse projection at the end of a hook to prevent the hook from sliding out of a fish's mouth. Also, an individual fiber of feather.

Barbless Hook a hook without a barb. Used on some regulated streams, rivers and impoundments around the world.

Basic Nature a species' inherent makeup or tendencies which determine its niche or place in an environment.

Basic Needs are the three basic survival requirements of any species of fish - food, comfort and reproduction.

Basin depression in the Earth's surface; the drainage system of a river system; large depression that contains and ocean and the rivers that drain into it (Pacific basin)

Basin Zone a lake zone. The area lying below the deep-water zone, beginning where hard bottom ends and soft bottom begins. This zone includes the deepest water area.

Bass Boat a boat typically made from fiberglass or aluminum with a high-performance engine, bow-mounted trolling motor, live well, rod storage, and electronic fish finding equipment.

Bass Bugs are flies that are tied from various animal furs to imitate, frogs, mice, and minnows used on a fly rod.

Bay is a major indentation in the shoreline of a lake or reservior.

Bead-Chain Eyes these are made from a chain of small, hollow metal beads joined together with wire links. Two of the beads joined by a link are used for a pair of eyes. Bead chains are available in most hardware stores, in many fly-tying supply stores, and from catalogs.

Bead Wire this is a fine-gauge, stiff wire used to join wooden, glass, or metal beads together for jewelry or decorative design. This is available in most arts and crafts shops.

Bedisthe nursery that fish create in shallow water from fanning their tails on a loose gravel or sandy bottom to hatch and raise their eggs.

Beat is a specific pieces of shoreline assigned to you to fish during a European style fishing match that you must not leave or stray from.

Bell Sinker a pear shaped sinker with a brass eye on the top.

Belly the thickest section of a fly line.

Bend the curved portion of a hook.

Big game the largest game fish, such as tuna, sailfish, and sharks.

Billfish species of fish, such as swordfish, sailfish, and marlins, that are characterized by the "swords" that extend from their snouts.

Biology the study of all living things.

Biomass the total mass of all the living organisms in a given area or in a given body of water (aqatic biomass).

Biot the short leading edge of a goose quill, used in fly-tying.

Bivvy sleeping bag/tent that can be placed on a lawnchair or cot.

Biting the feeding action of a hungry fish. (See Striking)

Blank a bare rod, before guides and other accessories have been attached.

Blank-through handles A feature on modern fishing rods on which the rod blank, or shaft, extends all the way down through the handle. This provides for more sensitivity when holding the rod, because vibrations caused by a fish hitting a bait are more easily felt by the angler.

BlowDown refers to a place on the bank where a tree has been blown into the water by natural means or cut to fall into the water creating a fish habitat.

Blown the process flies use to plant maggot eggs on dead animals

Bluebird Day clear, sunny and windy day after a cold front which makes fishing tough.

Blue-water describes fishing the deepest areas of ocean (as distinguished from Offshore and Inshore fishing).

Bluff sheer rock structure associated with deep water.

Boat Control Boat use to aid bait or lure presentation. (See backtrolling, controlled drifting, front trolling, speedtrolling)

Bobber (see float)

Bobbin the fly-tying tool that holds a spool of thread.

Bodkin a needle used in fly-tying as a general purpose tool for picking out fur, feathers and applying glue. Commonly referred to as a "needle on a stick".

Boil swirel of water created when a fish has gone after a lure but missed.

Boilies ball of bait made from a variety of ingredients with egg as its primary component which holds the balls as it is boiled. The bait is primarily used for carp fishing world wide.

Boot-Foot a wader with an attached boot (stocking-foot waders).

Bottom Bumper a lure or rig which strikes the bottom

Bottom Configuration a locational factor; the relative make-up (shape, size, depth, islands, etc.) of an area of the bottom.

Bottom Content bottom types in a body of water (rock, sand, gravel, silt, muck, submerged cribs, brush and/or trees, etc.)

Bowfishing fishing with a bow and arrow. It is permitted on many American waters, and the quarry is usually fish such as carp that are competing with more highly prized species such as bass. The arrow is tied to the end of the line, and the reel is mounted on the bow.

Brackish describes water having a lower saline content than normal seawater, usually found where a freshwater stream or river meets the ocean.

Brackish Water water that is slightly salty. (see also Salinity)

Break is any change in an otherwise regular terrain or bottom.

Breaking Strain maximum load or weight that a line, swivel, or other piece of tackle can sustain without breaking.

Breakline is a point in a body of water where there is a definite increase in depth as is a sudden or gradual weedline, brushline; edge of a channel or hole or where two bodies of water meet and differ in temperature, oxygen, and/or turbidity.

Breakline, Secondary a second or auxiliary point of change. For example, a second definite increase in depth after the first drop-off.

Brushline the inside or outside edge of a line of brush.

Brush Pile is a typically man made structure from old Christmas trees that are weighted and sunk in a placed to attract fish.

Bucktail a lure or streamer fly having a tail made of long strands of deer hair.

Bulk Shot number of split shot grouped together on a line to concentrate the weight at a particular point.

Bump a fish's investigatory prodding of the bait, often before striking.

Buss Fuse Lead Wire a lead fuse wire produced by Buss Fuse Company and often used by fly tiers to weight flies. One-half, one, two, three, and four amp sizes are most practical for this purpose. One half-amp size is ideal for hook sizes 16 to 20; one-amp for sizes 10 to 14; two-amp for sizes 4 to 8; three-amp for sizes 2/0 to 2; and four-amp for sizes 5/0 to 3/0.

Butt the rear portion of a rod.

Butt Cap the protective device, usually made of metal, plastic, or cork, found at the butt end of a fly rod.

Butt Leader a section of 25-35lbs stiff mono fishing line usually 8-15 inches in length and is useful in assisting leaders to turn over better while casting

Butt Pad leather or ruber pad, strapped around the wrist, into which a butt of a rod is placed so a lever is created to put greater leverage when fighting larger fish. Also known as a rod socket.

Buzzbait a lure having a propeller that churns the surface during the retrieval in order to attract fish.

C

Cabbage refers to the any number of pondweeds that attract game fish.

Caddis an insect of the order Trichoptera, characterized by swept-back wings; also, an insect that goes through a complete metamophisis much like a butterfly.

Calendar, In-Fisherman a calendar based on ten identifiable periods of activity for various species of gamefish. These ten periods constitute a fish cycle.

Calendar Period any of the ten periods of fish activity in the In-Fisherman Calendar.

Canal is a man made waterway used for navigation.

Cane an entire stalk of bamboo.

Cape (fly-tying) the portion of a bird's feathers from the neck to the base of the back.

Carlisle a hook shape characterized by a long shank.

Carolina Rig deep water rig that includes a heavy sinker above a barrel swivel with a leader about three feet long attached. The hook is tied on the end of the leader.

Carrying Capacity Maximum density of organisms that a body of water can sustain.

Cast to throw a line and its bait onto the water.

Caster maggot that is changing into the chrysalis form of the fly.

Catadromous describes fish that migrate from freshwater to salt water to spawn.

Catapult British term for slingshot. Different when used for fishing it has a bait basket so you can place chum where you need it to get the bite.

Catchability Measure of the willingness of fish to bite lures or bait.

Catch-And-Release the philosophy and practice of returning all fish back into the body of water from which they were taken.

Catskill Dry Fly the traditional dry fly pattern, marked by upright wings, hackle collar, slim body, and long tail.

Caudal Fin the fish's tail.

Caudalpeduncle the relatively slender part of a fish's body between the last dorsal and anal fins and the base of the tail fin (the caudal fin). It is also known as the "wrist" of the fish.

CFS cubic feet per second, a measurement of water flow.

Channel is the bed of a stream or river.

Charter Boatto hire a boat, or a boat that is available to hire for one day or up to a month or more.

Chenille a popular fly-tying material, made from short soft fibers twisted into a cord (French for "caterpillar").

Chum (Chumming) to attract fish by dumping or scattering food in the water.

Clean Bottom the bottom (usually hard bottom) of a body of water that is free of debris, etc.

Cleithrum a bone at the rear of the skull of a fish. It is the main bone supporting the pectoral fin (see also Pectoral fin, Supracleithrum).

,Clevis the swivel device to which a spinner blade is attached and which allows the blade to rotate.

Climate average weather conditions for a region.

Cline Vertical or horizontal section of a body of water where water characteristics change abruptly.

Coarse Fish British term that refers to any freshwater fish that is not a trout, grayling or salmon.

Coarse Fishing any freshwater fish of angling interest other than gamefish and panfish.

Cock the male of the salmon and several other species of fish.

Cold Front develops when cold air displaces warm air at the ground. It usually means the fishing will slow down in a given area.

Cold Water Period a period of the fish cycle which occurs twice, in early spring between the Winter and Prespawn Periods, and in late fall between the Turnover and Winter Periods. Usually applied to the fall season.

Collar the area of an artificial fly directly behind the head.

Color of the water Clarity of the water--clear, dingy, muddy, etc.

Comfort zone The area offering conditions in which a fish feels comfortable and seeks out. These may include water temperature, water clarity, light level, and other conditions.

Community Group of interacting organisms within an area.

CompetitiveSpeciesasocial condition involving the relationship of species within a body of water, particularly for available food and spawning areas.

Confined Open Water an area of open water in direct association to a structural element, as opposed to an expansive area which is far away from it.

Controlled Drift a system of boat control using an outboard, electric trolling motor or oars to keep a boat drifting along a specific course.

Controller floating device attached to the line that helps in line placement when fishing (not meant to be used as a float).

Controls How anglers vary the depth and speed of lures or baits.

Conventional a saltwater fishing term for baitcasting, used to describe a "conventional rod" or "conventional reel."

Coontail an aquatic plant from the hornwort family that is typically found in hard water. The plant id characterized by stiff, forked leaves.

Cosmic Clock the sun's effect on water and local weather factors, such as barometric pressure, wind, cloud cover, seasonal change, etc.

Countdown method A method to determine the retrieve depth of a sinking lure and achieve depth consistency during repeated casts and retrieves.

Cove a flooded creek arm or indentation along a shoreline of a lake or river.

Cover any object in the water that fish can relate to.

Crank another word for a reel's "handle".

Crankbait a plug designed to dive below the surface as it is retrieved.

Cree a cock hackle feather barred with three colors. The colors are usually white to light grey, tan to reddish brown, and dark grey to black.

Creek Channel reference on a lake where the creek on the bank continues underwater the bank is patterned by your depth finder.

Creel a wicker basket or canvas container in which "keeper" fish are stored.

Creel limit The number of fish an angler can keep as set by local or state regulations.

Crimpto squeeze down a hook's barb or split-shot sinker.

Cross-His-Eyes Slang for using a powerful hook set when a fish strikes the lure.

Crustacean a hard-shelled, aquatic invertebrate with pinchers. Commonly referred to as a Crayfish or Crawdad.

CSE- Single Strand Floss a Danville product introduced and initially distributed by Creative Sports Enterprises. It is a heavy-duty, flat-floss tying thread.

Cul De Canard the oily waterproof feathers on the rear of a duck, used in fly-tying.

Cull process of releasing the smallest fish after catching a limit.

Cup the concave bend of a spinner blade; the deeper the "cup," the more vibration the rotating blade will produce.

Current is water moving in one direction, which may be interrupted or redirected over or around objects in the water.

Current break The location or area where current is altered or blocked by some structure or topography in a stream or river bottom. Also, the zone where current is bordered by calm water.

Cut a small reservoir bay without an active inflowing creek.

Cut Bait cut up portion of a fish that is used to attrack fish by their sense of smell on a hook or resting on the bottom.

D

Dacron a popular polyester synthetic used for fishing line.

Dam a man-made barrier to water flow.

Dampen (of a rod) to recover its original position after being flexed during a cast.

Danville Single Strand Floss same as CSE Single Strand Floss.

Dapping using and extra long rod with a line made of floss and letting the wind make the fly dip and bob lightly on the surface of the water.

Dark-Bottom Bay Shallow, protected bay with a layer of dark organic material on the bottom that warms quickly in spring.

Dave'sBug Float a silicone-based waterproofing paste and scent masking agent.

Dead Drift fly fishing technique in which the fly (dry or wet) travels at the same speed as the current.

Deadbait dead fish or other creatures used as bait for predators.

Deceiver fly invented by Lefty Kreh that imitates a minnow or bait fish primarily in saltwater environments.

Deep-water Zone a lake zone. Hard bottom lying below the first major deop-off and below the open water zone. It ends where soft bottom begins.

Defeo style a method of legging or bearding a fly in which a single feather is stripped of fibers so that an equal number of fibers remain on the left and right sides of the stem. The stem is tied in so that the fibers slope down and beneath the fly's body.

Demersal Fish fish that live in deep water or on the sea floor.

Dentary the front bone of the lower jaw of a fish.

Deoxygenation Reduction in the dissolved oxygen content of a water, caused by hot weather or the introduction of pollutants such as sewage. Excessive deoxygenation of fatal to fish.

Depth Finder an electronic device on a boat that measures and displays the distance fro the boat to the bottom of the water. Some units will indicate fish by bars or dots on the screen as well.

Depth Control puts the lure at the level where the fish are.

Detritus accumulated silt and organic debris on the bed of a river or stillwater.

Dilly Wax a soft, tacky, dubbing wax and fly float.

Dineer (Nylon Tow Floss) Dineer pertains to the size of the fibers, nylon tow refers to a particular material used for tying flies, especially steelhead attractor and egg patterns.

Dink undersized, non-keeper, short fish.

Disc Drag mechanism that produces resistance on a reel spool by means of a brake like friction disc.

Disgorger remove hooks from a fish's mouth in a humane manner.

Dissolved Oxygen oxygen chemically bound into water by forces such as wind and plants. It is utilized by fish.

Disturbance Pattern wet or dry fly pattern that creates a fish attracting disturbance when retreived or worked across the current.

Diurnal Occurring within a 24-hour daily period.

Doodling deep water finesse method that has you vertically shaking a small lure on light line.

Dorsal Fin one or more fins located on the back of a fish or on its highest part.

Double Haul (fly-fishing) to haul on the line twice, first during the back cast and again during the forward cast.

Double-Tappered a fly line that is tapered the last three feet at both ends

Downfishing Level of fishing pressure that reduces fishing quality and abundance of large fish.

Down Locking Reel Seat place a the butt end of a fly rod that holds the fly reel into position. Not recommended for most fishing since the reel seat has a tendency to loosen while fishing and drop off the rod.

Downrigger a cable-and-weight device that maintains bait at a certain depth and then releases the line when a fish strikes.

Drag (1) The action of a fly drifting on or through the water than the current in which it is drifting.

Drag (2) to slow the speed with which line leaves the reel by increasing friction on the line. Also, a mechanism on a reel (also called the "drag knob") that regulates such resistance.

Drag-Free Drift (of a fly) carried entirely by the current, with non resistance from the line.

Drainage a drainage basin or a drainage system; the process of draining.

Drainage Basin the catchment area of a river system.

Drainage System a system for draining a river and its tributaries

Dress to clean line of dirt and other debris; also, to tie a fly.

Drop-off is the point at which there is a definite increase in depth.

Dropper a second fly attached to a leader, either two nymphs or two dry flies but often a dry fly and a nymph with the dry used as a strike indicator.

Dry Fly a fly that is fished floating on the surface.

Dry-fly Saddle a hackle feather from the back of a rooster. The feather is relatively webless and very stiff. This feather is most suitable for tying larger (size 4 to 10) dry-fly collars, ribs, and tails.

Dubbing (fly-tying) fur or fur-like material used to replicate an insect's body.

Dun (fly-fishing) one of various shades of gray used in fly tying Also used to refer to a full grown adult insect.

E

Ecology the study of the relationship between organisms and their environment.

Ecosystem a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms and their environment.

Eddy patch of water that is less disturbed than the surrounding water, found typically on the edge of a current or where two streams converge.

Edge transition point where two environments meet (e.g. shallow to deep, fast to slow, etc.)
Egg Sinker Egg-shaped sinker with a hole from end to end.


Electrofishing passing an electric current through the water to stun the fish, so that they can be collected unharmed for tagging or scientific examination or for relocation to another water.

Electrophoresis a chemical-testing process that can determine the genetic make-up of fish.

Epilimnion the warmer layer of water above the thermocline.

Erosion the process by which the surface of the earth is continually worn away by erosion from river, streams, wind, waves, and glaciers.

Esophagus the gullet of a fish.

Estuary Area where a river meets saltwater and has characteristics of freshwater and marine environments.

Euro-Style Similar to fishing tackle designed in Europe, especially floats, rods, and rigs.

Euryhaline Fish fish, such as most species of salmon and trout, that can live in both freshwater and saltwater.

Eutrophic a classification of geologically "old" bodies of water with weed-choked, oxygen-poor water which can only support fish such as bullheads and carp.

Eye the loop at the end of the shank of a hook, to which the line or leader is tied.

F

False Cast (fly-fishing) a cast in which the fly does not touch the water. False-casting is used to gain line speed, extend the amount of line, change direction of the line or dry a soaked dry fly.

Fan Cast is effective since you make a series of cast systematically to cover a given area completely.

Farm Pond Small man-made body of water.

Fast Action (of a rod) having an action in which most of the bend is in the tip end

Feathering slowing down the speed of the line while casting by placing a finger lightly on the spool

Fecundity Number of eggs produced by a female in a season.

Feeder Creek Tributary to a stream.

Feeding Spot the largeblack mark on fresh maggots

Feeding Strategy Behaviors used for capture of prey.

Ferrule the plug or the socket at the end of a section of a multi-section rode, by which the rod's sections are joined.

Fertility Degree of productivity of plants and animals.

Fiberglass rod material made of flexible glass filaments embedded in resin.

Fighting Chair a swivel chair bolted to the deck of a boat, from which a big-game angler can fight marlin and other large, powerful fish that can take a long time to subdue. The angler is strapped in by a harness, and either the harness or the chair is equipped with a butt pad or rod socket.

Filter Feeder a fish that feeds by filtering plankton from the water.

Fighting Butt an extension to a rod butt designed to provide greater leverage in fighting a large fish; the angler usually presses the butt against his stomach.

Fingerling a young fish that measures just a few inches long (the next stage after Fry).

Finesse Bait downsized bait or lures that are used to trick finicky fish into striking.

Fish Attractor manmade brush pile, stakebed, mat or crib designed to provide cover and attract fish.

Fish Contact locating fish, usually by catching them. Includes visual observation.

Fish Culture Production of fish in hatcheries.

Fish Cycle all ten Calendar Periods

Fished Down Fish populaton adversely affected by fishing pressure.

Fishery Group of fish that support fishing.

Fishery Biologist Person who studies interaction of fishermen and fisheries.

Fishfinder A general term for a sonar unit that displays fish as well as bottom contours on paper or a video screen. Also called a depth finder or chart recorder.

Fishing Lure Any inanimate object that imitates something that fish eat and has hooks in order to catch a fish.

Fish Ladder a series of interconnected pools created up the side of a river obstruction, such as a dam, to allow salmon and other fish to pass upstream.

"Fish On!" (as in "a fish is on the line") a shout that indicates the shouter has hooked a fish.

Fisherman Peron catching fish by an;y means, usually by angling.

Fishing Pressure the number of anglers using a body of water, and/or how sophisticated their approach is.

Five-minute epoxy a two-part epoxy cement that usually begins to set or harden within five minutes of mixing. It is available in most variety, grocery and hardware stores.

Flasher Lights on a circular dial that reveals depth of the water and where the fish are oriented between the surface and bottom.

Flat is a shallow body of water that has little if any change in depth.

Flats a shallow coastal sandy-bottom expanse, most usually in semitropical waters and a prime area for bonefishing.

Flight group of boats that leave at an assigned time during a tournament to achieve a staggered start and return at the end of the tournament to the weigh-in in their flight

Flipping to cast a rod in an underhand manner that presents the lure quietly and accurately in heavy cover.

Flippin' Stick Heavy-action fishing rod, 7 to 8 feet long, originally designed for bass fishing.

Float a carved piece of wood usually made of balsa, used as a strike indicator

Float Stop Adjustable rubber bead or thread, set on line above float to determine fishing depth.

Float Tube a one-person buoyant chair-like apparatus for lake or pond fishing, in which an angler sits and propels himself by means of flippers on his feet.

Floatant a chemical or another substance used to keep a fly buoyant.

Fluorescent Emits radiation when exposed to sunlight.

Fly an artificial imitation of an insect of another living bait.

Flymph describes the aquatic insect emergence stage between nymph and adult. The term was first used by James Leisenring and Vernon S. Hidy in the book The Art of Tying the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph.

Flyrite a synthetic fiber tying material used for dubbing and wings.

Flyrite Poly II fine-fibered synthetic dubbing and winging material available in sheets.

Food Chain of organisms that feed on one another from the smallest to the biggest where the links in the chain obtains energy from the one preceding it when eats.

Food-Producing Area portions of a body of water with the charactristics necessary to stimulate food-chain production; usually the littoral or shoreline-connected (shallow) areas, because they receive sunlight which fuels plant photosynthesis, which in turn stimulates each successive step in the food chain.

Foot one of two projections on the base of a fly reel that attaches to the rod seat.

Forage Something to be eaten; the act of eating.

Foul-Hook to hook or snag a fish anywhere but in its mouth.

Front weather condition that passes and effects the activity level of fish.

Freeze-Out-Lake Shallow northern lake subject to fish kills in late winter due to oxygen depletion.

Freeze-Up Short period when ice first covers the surface of a body of water.

Fresh-Run Fish refers to a migratory fish, like a salmon that has just left the sea and is traveling up a stream or river to spawn.

Freshwater water of most rivers, lakes and ponds, containing little of no dissolved salts.

Front Trolling a system of boat control with the boat moving forward.

Fry a newly-hatched fish.

Furnace a color pattern on hackle or hair in which there is a dark brown or black base and dark golden to dark brown edges or ends.

Furniture seats, supports, chairs etc. that you set up on the bank for catching fish in a pegged match or for fun.

G

Gaff a hook mounted on a long handle, used to land large fish.

Gamefish any fish valued for its sporting qualities.

Gap (of a hook) the span as measured directly between the shank and the point (sometimes "gape").

Gear Ratio Measure of a reel's retrieve speed; the number of times the spool revolves for each complete turn of the handle.

Genetics The study of mechanisms of heredity.

Geology the science dealing with the earth's physical history.

Ghillie a Scottish word for a guide or gamekeeper. also gillie.

Gill a pair of breathing-apparatus organs located behind a fish's head.

Gill Arch the structure behind the gill covers of a bony fish (or within the gill slits of a cartilaginous fish) that supports the gill filaments and gill rakers.

Gill Filaments the parts of a fish's gills that obsorb oxygen from the water.

Gill Rakers toothlike projections on the gill arches. They can be used to trap food items, such as plankton, carried in the water flowing through the gills.

Gink another word for Floatant. Typically used as a dressing for dry flies to keep them floating on the surface.

Glacial Deposit materials such as gravel, sand, clay, etc. carried and deposited by a glacier.

Gonads the reproductive organs that are responbsible for the production of sperm or eggs. (See Testes, Ovaries).

Gozzers soft maggots that are highly prized by match or course fishermen.

Gradient Degree of slope in a stream or riverbed.

Grain unit of weight used in the classification of fly lines.

"Grand Slam" a saltwater fly-fishing term for catching a bonefish, a permit, and a tarpon in the same day.

Greenheart a tropical American tree, Ocotea Rodiac; its wood was once used for making fishing rods.

Grilse a young Atlantic mature but undersized male salmon on it first spawning migration run, usually after one and a half to two years in the sea.

Grip the handle of a rod, usually made of cork or synthetic foam.

Grizzly a color pattern of distinctive bands or bars of black and whte or light grey.

Ground Bait is a mixture of bait, bait parts, and other attractant compounds on a base whose primary purpose is to give the bait body and weight.

Ground Baiting throwing a large quanity of bait into pre-selected pools to attract fish.

Grub plastic or rubber lure with a straight or curvey tail that is riggedto a lead head.

Guardhairs the long, stiff outer hairs found on most animals.

Guide one of the metal ring devices along the length of a rod through which line is threaded. Also, someone hired to escort a fisherman to likely places to fish and render advice with regard to bait, tackle, etc.

H

Habitat place in nature where a fish lives.

Hackle Gauge tool that is used to measure hackle in relation to hook size. This tool reduces wasted hackle and provides the correct size of hackle in proportion to the fiinal appearance of the fly.

Hair Jig lead head jig dressed with deer, fox or other animal hair.

Hair Packer is used when tying hair bugs and flies that need to be densely packed together.

Hair Stacker designed with a flaired tube and a removeable end cap used for stacking animal hair for tying a variety of flies for fly fishing.

Half-Hitch Tool small metal rod that tapers down on the ends to a small hole. The hole goes over the hook's eye and the half hitch slides down the taper onto the shank.

Handline simple tackle rig often used by children consisting of line winder, float, weights and hooks that is wound on a wooden or plastic frame.

Handle the part of the reel that is cranked to retrieve line.

Hard Bottom is a bottom of a body of water that has sand, clay, rock or gravel as its main content that produces a firm-bottom.

Harvest Remove fish with intent to eat.

Hatch the simultaneous emergence of a particular species of insect out of body of water.

Haul to tug on a fly line during a cast to accelerate line speed.

Helicoptering method of dropping a single bladed spinnerbait that allows the blade to revolve slowly on its decent to the bottom.

Hemostat surgical pliers used to remove hooks from fish.

Hen the female of several species of fish.
Herb Howard Danville Special an extra-strong prewaxed, 6/0 to 7/0 nylon tying thread.

Herb Howard Flymaster same thread as Herb Howard Danville Special.

High-Protein Forage high-fat content, soft-rayed forage species such as ciscoes and whitefish.

Hip Waders waders that cover the angler from the waist down. also "hippers."

Hobby (or Swiss) Straw a polypropylene or rayon raffialike straw that is sold in ribbon lengths. It is available in most arts and crafts shops and in some fly-tying supply stores.

Hog (often pronounced "hawg") a colloquial term for a large fish, usually a bass.

Hold (of a fish) to remain in one place, usually in moving water.

Holdall piece of luggage similar to a golf bag that accommodates an umbrella, landing net, throwing sticks and bank sticks for the traditional bank fishing setup.

Hole Deep section of a stream or river.

Holding Station is the position of an inactive fish spends much of its time regardless of depth.

Home Range (Area): Defined area occupied by an animal for most activities over an extended time period.

Hooka curved or bent piece of metal with a sharp point that you tie to the end of your line to catch fish.

Hook bend the curved portion of a hook.

Hook eye The small circle or loop in a hook where the line is tied.

Hook gap the distance between the hook point and the shank.

Hook Jig a hook with its eye and a short section of the shank bent at a ninety-degree-angle downward, over which is molded a lead or plastic head.

Hook Set rapidly moving the fishing rod in an upward and backward motion to get the hook driven into the fish's mouth.

Hook shank the portion of a hook between the hook eye and the bend.

Hook up reference made when you have a fish that has hooked itself on the end of your line

Hopper generic term used to refer to all types of flies that resemble a grasshopper.

Hole Shot when a bass boat rapidly goes to cruising speed from a stationary position.

Hopper Mania term used on the Yellowstone River when the trout key in on grasshoppers as the fly of choice for the day.

Hot Spot (see swim) area that seems to have fish all the time due to structure and available food

Hump underwater island in a body of water that usually attracts fish.

Hybrid the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents.

Hydrilla lake vegetation that grows rapidly in lakes along shallow banks and provides ambush points for bass and other predator fish.

Hypoed Lake a body of water stocked with a species of fish to bolster the natural fishery.

Hypolimnion the colder layer of water below the thermocline.

I

Ice Fishing a specialized form of angling, developed in North America, for fishing through holes cut in the ice of frozen-over waters. The species sought include crappies, walleye, northern pike, pickerel, and perch, and the principal techniques are jigging and tilt (or tip-up) fishing. Jigging involves working a natural bait with a short stick, which has a specially shaped handle around which the line is wound. In tilt fishing, the bait is fished static from a rig incorporating an arm or flag that tilts up to signal a bite.

Ice-Out Short period during which ice on a body of water completely melts.

Ichthyology the scientific study of fish and their habits.

IGFA (International Game & Fish Association) maintains lists of world class line records and also sets the technicals standards for the fishing tackle industry.

Imago an insect's adult stage of life, especially when it is in its mating stage. See also Spinner.

Imitator a fly or other artificial bait designed to resemble a specific species of insect or other live bait.

Impoundment an artificial or natural body of water where it is collected and stored for use.

Infilling the process by which higher surrounding terrain tends to fill in lower terrain.

Inside Edge (of weeds) a line of weeds between the shoreline and the weedline, or the shallow edge of a particular weed type. (See outside edge of weeds.)

Introperculum in bony fish, the front lower bone of the gill cover.

Inline spinner is designed where a blade revolves around a straight wire with components on it to resemble a minnow or insect.

Inshore describes saltwater fishing close to land (as distinguished from Offshore and Blue-Water Fishing).

Invertebrate a creature that has no backbone, for instance an insect or a worm.

J

Jerkbait plugs that move with no built-in action of their own; any action comes from the fisherman's maneuvering the rod and line.

Jetty A line of large rocks extending from a riverbank toward the channel, for the purpose of directing current and steering the course of the river.

Jig a lure composed of a metal head to which feathers, a plastic skirt, or another attractor is attached. Also, to fish by jerking bait up and down in a vertical plane.

Jig-and-Pig rubber skirted jig with a pork chunk trailer that creates the appearence of a live crayfish.

Jigger Poling old time technique of using a long pole (25ft) and a short, heavy test (25lbs) line about 12-18" long with a modified spinnerbait or large crankbait. Trolling along the end of weed beds and smacking the surface of the water with the lure in the openings in the weeds.

Jigging jerking a jig or other bait up and down in the water column.

Jigworm Plastic worm rigged on an open-hook jighead.

K

Keel a hook design characterized by a bent shank, designed to work with its shank down and its point up.

Keeper a fish worth saving, especially one that is not released back into the water. Also, a small metal loop mounted above the grip of a rod to hold the hook when not in use.

Keeper Ring a small ring just above the handle of a fishing rod, to which the lure or hook can be attached when not in use.

Keepnet made of micro-mesh and are 13 to 30 inches in diameter. There length varies from 10-18 feet long which ofers enough room for most fish to swim and be able to survive.

Kelt a salmon or trout that has spawned.

Kill Switch device installed in all modern boats that has the driver teathered that automatically shuts down the boat's motor if the driver is accidently thrown from his seat.

Kirby a hook having its point angled to the right of the shank.

Kneel-N-Reel fishing technique of kneeling on the boat floor and plunging the rod deep into the water to achieve greater depth with a crankbait.

Kodel a family of synthetic fiber materials.

Krill tiny, shrimplike crustaceans, of the family Euphausiidae, that form an essential part of the marine food chain.

Kype a hook-like growth at the end of the jaw of male salmon during spawning.

L

Lacustrine a term that describes anything or, relating to, or living in lakes.

Ladder See Fish Ladder.

Laggie's Glos Cote a thin, clear, acrylic fly-tying cement that is fast-penetrating and flexible.

Lieaquiet or sheltered spot in the water where a fish can rest, hide from predators, or wait for food to come by.

Lake Confined area where water accumulates naturally.

Lake Classifications broad categories of lake types: oligotrophic (young) mesotrophic (middle-aged), eutropic (old).

Lake-Modification Forces forces such as ice, wave and wind erosion, etc., which can change the characteristics of a body of water.

Lake Type bodies of water with characteristics similar enough to be viewed from an angling standpoint in much the same manner. (See lake classifications.)

Lake Zones four designated In-Fisherman water zones: shallow water, open water, deep water and basin zones.

Land tocapture a fish after it has been played on the line.

Larva is the second stage of development in a caddis life cycle that is identified in the stream by its wormlike appearance.

Lateral Line a series of tiny pores running the length of a fish's side that sense sound vibrations.

Latex a natural rubber available in sheets from which sections are often cut for use in wrapping bodies or making nymph wingcases or legs.

LCD generic term used by fishermen referring to a modern screen display depth finder (Liquid Crystal Display).

Leader a length of monofilament, wire, or another material that connects a hook to a line.

Ledge Sharp contour break in a river or reservoir.

Left Bank See Banks.

Leger line or device which connects to the weight.

Legering British term used for a variety of bottom fishing techniques.

Length limit A specified length range of fish limits. (Most length limits are "minimum" limits, though "maximum" or "slot" limits are sometimes imposed on certain species.)

Level Wind a device on some baitcasting reels that moves back and forth across the spool to distribute the line evenly during the rewind. lie (of a fish) to rest with little or no movement.

Light penetration The amount of light and the distance it penetrates a given body of water, normally determined by sky condition and water clarity.

Limerick a hook type having a much sharper angle from bend to point than from shank to bend.

Limit the maximum number of caught fish that may be legally kept, usually on a daily basis by state or local regulations. Also is the predetermined number of fish you can catch and cull for a fishing tournament.

Limnology the study of ponds, lakes, and other freshwater bodies with regard to their physical and biological characteristics.

Line the cord mounted on a reel to which a hook and other terminal tackle are attached.

Line Pickup Pin the device on a spin-casting reel that rewinds the line.

Link is the loop to weight distance in a Paternoster Rig.

Lip the plastic or metal projection on a crankbait that produces its diving action.

Lipping method of landing a fish by gripping its mouth.

Littoral of or pertaining to the shore of an ocean or other coastal water.

Littoral Zone shallow-water zone of ocean or other coastal water.

Livebait worms, minnows, and other living creatures used for bait (Artificial Bait).

Live-well a tank or similar receptacle on a boat in which fish can be stored alive.

Loading the process by which a rod takes on the weight of a lure or fly line to a rod during the back cast, thus giving the rod the potential energy ready to propel the lure or line (see Unloading).

Local Weather Factors prevailing weather conditions affecting the day-to-day locational patterns of a fish species.

Location Where fish position themselves in a body of water.

Locational Pattern where, why and how a species positions itself to take advantage of its surroundings.

Long-Cast Reels Spinning reels with extra-tall spools that allow line to spiral off easily and with little friction, increasing the casting distance. This has proven to be such a successful design that some manufacturers are incorporating long-cast spools into all their spinning reel models.

"Long-Distance-Release"(LDR) a rueful euphemism for losing a fish before it can be landed.

Loose-Action Plug a lure with wide, distinct, side-to-side movements.

Low-water Fly a sparsely dressed fly on a small hook, used mostly for salmon fishing in shallow water.

Lunker anespecially large fish, most usually applied to bass, pickerel, and muskies.

Lure a general term for any kind of artificial bait that immitates a fishes natural food source.

M

Management Manipulation of biological system to produce a fishery goal.

Mandrel the bar around which fiberglass or graphite is wrapped to form a rod blank.

Marabou blood feather the very small, soft or stemless side and underfeathers from a chicken, turkey, or similar fowl.

Mark area of the sea typically that is good fishing. Found and recorded typically by using GPS or navigational charts.

Marker Bouy a plastic bouy, usaually in a fluorescent color, that is tossed in the water to identify a fish holding area or a school of fish.

Marl deposits of sand, clay, and silt with a high concentration of shells (calcium carbonate).

Marrow Spoon a long, slender spoon that can be passed down the gullet of a dead fish to remove its stomach contents. It is used mainly by trout anglers to find out what the fish are actually feeding on at a given time.

Match The Hatch to select a fly or lure that closely resembles the species of insect, bait fish or forage that a fish is feeding on at the given time you are on the water.

Material Clip or Holder usually a spring or a clip that is attached to the tyers vise. It holds materials out of the way.

Mayfly an insect of the order Ephemeroptera, characterized by large upright front wings; also, dry flies or nymphs that imitate such insects.

Maxillary the rear bone of the upper jaw of a fish.

McKenzie Boat banana shaped boat that can seat two anglers that can stand to fish and a person to row. Very agile and stable on a body of water.

Mend to adjust the position of a fly line on the water in relation to the fly's position and the current's speed(s), in order to allow the fly to float drag-free.

Mesotrophic lake classification describing middle-aged bodies of water between oligotrophic (young) and eutrophic (old) classifications.

Metalimnion Term for thermocline.

Microweb a synthetic, "veined" wing material made in very thin sheets for fly-tying.

Midge a member of the insect family Chironomiidae, or a term for any small fly (size 20 or smaller).

Migration any course a fish takes as they move from one area to another. Usually seasonal.

Milt the semen of a male fish; a term for the semen-filled testes and sperm ducts of a male fish, also known as soft roe.

Minnowbait Long, thin, minnow-shaped wood or plastic lure; a wobbling bait.

Modified Release a kind of marine fishing tournament in which only fish below a stipulated sized are released.

Modulus the stiffness of a graphite rod as expressed per square inch.

Monkey Climbers plastic or metal cylinders which travel up and down a rod planted between two rod rests. The main line is placed on the climber to be adjusted to be halfway between the top and bottom of the indicator rod. Fish strike will cause the indicator to move showing a feeding fish on your bait.

Monocord a flat, nylon medium-strong floss thread made by the Danville Thread Company.

Monofilament a single strand of nylon line used as lines and leaders.

Mooching a technique used primarily for steelhead in the Pacific Northwest, in which live bait is allowed to drift carried by the tidal flow.

Moraine a mass of rocks, sand, etc., deposited by a glacier.

Mottled Blotchy coloration.

Movement the locational shift of fish from one area to another on a daily or even hourly basis. Also can refer to fish changing from a neutral to a positive feeding mood, with fish shifting only a few feet from a resting to an advantageous feeding position. A directional movement is usually made at a fast rate of speed and from one specific area to another. A random movement is slow, milling activity within a specific area.

Mucilin a popular English waterproofing parafin wax paste or liquid compound for flies, leaders, and lines.

Muddler a wet fly having a clipped deer-hair head, designed to resemble the sculpin baitfish.

Mudline The zone where muddy water borders clear or dingy water, with the two appearing distinctly different in color.

Multiplying Reel a reel having a spool that turns more than once for each revolution of the crank handle, thus producing a faster line retrieval than on a comparable single-action reel.

Mylar strips a strong, ultra-thin, plastic film cut into strips for fly wings or body material.

Mylar thread a nylon thread wrapped with Mylar plastic and used for tying thread, ribbing, or body material.

N

Nares Nostrils of fish or other aquatic vertebrates.

Native Naturally present in an area.

Natural an artificial fly that replicates a real insect.

Natural bait Bait that occurs in nature or is made from organic substances.

Neap Tides tides that occur midway between spring tides. They are characteristic of smaller rises and falls than those at other times of the month.

Negative Feeding Mood an appetite mood. If the biting attitude of fish is negative. Fish are said to be inactive.

Neoprene synthetic rubber used to make waders.

Net Bag large bag used to store your keepnet

Neutral Feeding Mood an appetite mood when fish which are not actively feeding could be tempted by a refined presentaton. See striking.

Niche a particular role which an organism assumes within an eco-system, based on that species' characteristics and depending on competing species.

Nictitating Membrane a thin membrane that can be drawn across the eyeball to protect and clean it. Found on many fish species, including some sharks.

Nursery Area areas where fish species are reared to the fingerling stage.

Nymph the underwater stage of an insect's life before it is hatched.

O

Offshore Fishingdescribing saltwater fishing beyond inshore areas, but closer to land than blue-water areas. Usually out of sight of land.

Olfaction Sense of smell.

Oligotrophic lake classification used to describe young bodies of water characterized by deep, clear, cold, weedless water which can support fish such as lake trout and whitefish.

Omnivore Organism that eats a wide variety of items.

Ooh baby - Ooh baby southern expression used when you have a fish on and to let those around you know that you really can catch one every now-and-then.

Open-water Zone a lake zone. The upper water layer from the outside edge of the first major drop-off down to the deep-water zone.

Operculum in bony fish, the uppermost and largest of the gill cover bones.

Opportunistic Feeding strategy in which items are eaten according to availablility.

Orlon a soft synthetic fiber, Orlon knitting yarn is particularly good for dubbing.

Orlon sparkle knitting yarn an Orlon knitting yarn with clear Gantron nylon fibers blended in to add sparkle. This is available in material, knitting shops, and craft stores.

Osmosis the process by which a fish takes in or excretes water through its skin in order to maintain the correct balance of salts and fluids within its body tissues.

Otoliths oval, stonelike structures within the ears of a fish or other vertebrate, which help it to maintain its balance; they are also known as ear stones.

Overharvest A level of fish harvest from a body of water that substantially reduces abundance of catchable fish, particularly large fish.

Overwintering Area Area where fish hold during winter, particularly in cold climates.

Outside Edge (of weeds): the weedline. The outside edge of a line of weeds.

Outrigger an apparatus used in trolling that positions one or more rods away from the wake of a boat.

Outrigger Flotation wings, body fibers, or tails extending to the side of a dry fly to assist in support and flotation on the surface film.

Ovathe eggs of a fish or other creature. The mass of eggs within the ovarian membranes of a female fish is termed hard roe.

Ovaries the reproductaive glands (gonads) of a female fish, which are responsible for the production of eggs.

Oviducts the ducts between the ovaries and vent in most female fish, along which the ripe eggs pass during spawning.

Oviparous Fish fish that lay eggs from which the young later hatch. All skates, some sharks and rays, and most bony fish are oviparous.

Ovoviviparous Fish fish whose eggs are fertilized and hatched within the female's body. The eggs are enclosed in separate membranes and the embryos within them receive no nourishment from the mother. Most sharks and rays are ovoviviparous.

Oxbow a lake formed by a change in the course of a river channel.

P

PackRod arodthat can be disassembled into sections short enough to be stowed in a backpack.

Palm to retard the amount of line a fish pulls off a fly reel by pressure from the fisherman's hand against the edge of the reel spool.

Palmered (fly-tying) a hackle feather that is wrapped around the length of a hook's shank.

Palming Ring the uncovered edge of a fly reel spool.

Panfish individually or collectively, any of several species of fish (perch, sunfish, crappie) that are small enough to be fried in a pan.

Parabolic Action (of a rod) an action that extends the entire length of the rod.

Parachute (fly-tying) a fly tied with its hackle wrapped parallel to the hook shank.

Parachute Hackle dry-fly hackle that is wrapped horiziontally over or under the hook shank on a base of wings or feather stems to achieve a parachute effect on the fly's descent to the water and to provide outrigger flotation.

Parr a young salmon or trout up to the age of two years, identifiable by dark bars on the fish's sides (called "parr marks").

Party Boat A large sea-going craft that is designed to allow a large number of anglers to fish simultaneously. Also called a head boat or open boat.

Paternoster Rig is a rig borrowed from ocean fishing and adapted to freshwater applications. A weight (bell sinker in US) is tied onto the end of the line and a loop is placed four to 12 inches from the weight. A leader and hook attached to the loop. Variations include using a swivel instead of the loop.

Pattern consistently reoccurring situation or presentation that can be replicated to get fish to bite.

Pawl a pivoting projection that engages with the teeth of a sprocket, part of the drag system of some reels.

Pectoral Fin the fin located just behind a fish's head.

Peg considered your fishing space either assigned to you or selected by draw in coarse fishing.

Pelagaic Fish fish that live at the surface, in the upper waters, of the open ocean.

Pelvic Fins The pair of fins on the lower body of a fish; also called ventral fins.

pH the pH number of a liquid, such as water, indicates its acidity or alkalinity. Pure water has a pH of 7; water with a pH of less than 7 is acidic, and water with a pH of more than 7 is alkaline. Acid rain typically has a pH of less than 5.

Pharyngeal Teeth teeth at the back of the throat, found in many fish species such as the members of the carp family. These teeth crush food as it is swallowed.

Phosphorescent Ability to glow in the dark after exposure to a light source.

Photoperiod Interval during a day when sunlight is present.

Photosynthesis the process by which chlorophyll cells in green plants use the sun's energy to manufacture a simple sugar from water and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is a by-product of this process.

Phytoplankton Tiny plants suspended in water.

PFD a "personal flotation device," or life jacket.

Pillar one of the crossbars on a reel that support the sides of the reel.

Piscivorous of or pertaining to species of fish that eat other fish such as pike, muskie and barracutta. Most fish with teeth eat other fish.

Pisciculture the breeding and rearing of fish, for example in hatcheries and fish farms.

Pit flooded, manmade water that is a by-product of excavation.

Pitch Sound determined by the frequency of sound waves.

Pitching to cast a lure to a specific target with an effortless, low trajectory presentation.

Pivot Point the weedline or outside edge of a line of weeds.

Plankton Organisms drifting in a body of water.

Play to maneuver a fish in a give-and-take manner prior to landing it.

Playing a fish The process of tiring a fish so it can be landed.

Pliobond See Prairie Multi-Purpose Adhesive.

Plug a lure usually made of plastic or wood and shaped and painted to resemble a baitfish; the category includes crankbaits and stickbaits.

Plummet cone shaped or clamshell weight which attached to the hook by cork or silicone inset

Pocket an indentation on a stream bottom below a run or riffle.

Pocket Water a relatively calm area of water, often behind a large rock in a stream or river, where fish are likely to hold.

Point point of land that extends out into the water.

Polarized Capability of breaiing up sunlight into directional components.

Pole Winder see Winder

Poly Wing a transparent synthetic wing material.

Poly XXX extra-fine polypropylene dubbing material similar in texture to Andra Spectrum material and beaver underfur.

Pond small artificial or natural body of water. Area, depth, and water quality are factors in the resulting fishery.

Pool deep section of the stream where the water is slow and has the appearance of a swimming pool and is usually found just downstream of a fast narrow run.

Popper a lure having a solid body that "pops" through the water, used for bass, bream, inland stripers and bluefish.

Population Group of animals of the same species within a geographical area that freely interbreed.

Population Density the number of individuals occupying a certain area. For example, the number of bass per acre.

Position The spot from which an angler fishes a particular location.

Positive Feeding Mood an appetite mood. The attitude of actively feeding fish.

Possession Limit The number of fish that an angler may keep at one time.

Post Front that period after a weather front. Usually used in reference to a cold front when the atmosphere become clear and bright, accompanied by strong winds and a significant temperature drop.

Post Spawn Period the period after the fish have laid eggs and taken care of their young.

Post Summer Period a period of the fish cycle following the Summer Period. It can mean a week or more of terrific fishing.

Potamodromous describing species of fish that migrate within freshwater.

Pound-Test System for measuring the strength of fishing line; the amount of pressure that will break a line.

Practice Plug A lure-sized, hookless, soft-plastic, or rubber object designed to be used for practice casting. These are obviously safer to use than the real thing and won't hook interested bystanders or inquisitive pets. Tackle shops carry them.

Prairie Multi-Purpose Adhesive a latex-based, flexible cement.

Precambrian Shield the Canadian Shield. A geological rock formation covering much of eastern and central Canada and some of the north central USA.

Predator an animal that lives by preying upon others.

Predatory Fish any fish that preys on other living creatures, particularly other fish.

Predator/Prey Relationship an inter-relationship between a species and an accessible and suitable forage.

Preferred Food food or forage best suited to a species' basic needs.

Premaxillary the front bone of the upper jaw of a fish.

Preoperculum in bony fish, the bone at the rear of the cheek, just in front of the gill cover.

Present to offer bait to a fish, usually by means of casting.

Presentation Combination of bait or lure, rig, tackle, and technique used to catch fish.

Pre-spawn period when fish are on the way to, or in the vicinity of their spawning areas.

Pressure an intense amount of fishing activity on a lake, stream, or any other specific area of water.

Prespawn period The period of the fish cycle immediately before spawning when fish position themselves near their spawning grounds.

Pre-Summer Period the period of the fish cycle immediately following postspawn. Fish mood is often positive, but they establish a wide variety of patterns.

Prey Fish that often are eaten by other fish species.

Priest a short wood or metal club used to dispatch a fish in a humane manner.

Prismatic (or Prismalite) Mylar Tape an adhesive Mylar tape that reflects light with a prism effect. It is available in many tackle stores and custom automobile stores.

Prop Bait Topwater plug with one or more propellers at the front or back.

Pulling Water hydro-electric power plant lakes pull water to make electricity and the artificial current it creates elevates fish activity into a feeding position.

Pump to lift a rod toward the angler, then rapidly wind the line that the movement has made slack (a technique used in playing a fish).

Pupa inactive stage in the life cycle of many insects between the larval and adult forms

Put-and-Take Fishery the policy of encouraging anglers to keep stocked fish they catch, subject to size and limit restrictions.

Pyloric Caeca fleshy, fingerlike tubes at the junction between the stomach and intestine of a fish. They produce enzymes that play a part in the digestive process.

Q

Quadrate the bone that joins the upper jaw of a fish to its skull.

Quarter Cast (fly-fishing) a cast made directly across a stream and allowed to drift until the fly is as far downstream as the amount of line permits.

Quick-Strike Rig European-style system for hooking live or dead baits, which includes 2 hooks and allows hooks to be set immediately following a strike.

Quill a peacock herl stem from which the feathers have been removed, used in tying such flies as the Quill Gordon.

Quivertip rod tip indicator that consists of a thin fiberglass tip sliced into the rod or screwed in via a special rod tip. They come in a variety of sizes, lengths and resistances for various conditions.

R

Radio Tag (Transmitter): Device emitting high-frequency radio signals which when attached to an animal indicates its location.

Range Area over which a species is distributed.

Rattlebait Hollow-bodied, sinking, lipless crankbaits that rattle loudly due to shot and slugs in the body cavity.

RattleTrap the largest selling and most effective lipless crankbait ever invented. Great lure to use almost year round to locate a variety of fresh and saltwater fish.

Rays soft or spiny supporting elements of fish fins

Recruitment Process by which fish hatch and grow to catchable size.

Redd a female fish's breeding nest.

Reeds bulrushes or rushes in the water.

Reef Rocky hump in a body of water.

Reel A device attached to a fishing rod that dispenses and retrieves fishing line via a crank.

Reservoir Impoundment. A place where water is collected and stored.

Resting Spot Location used by fish not actively feeding.

Retractor a spring device that holds small tools on a vest. also Zinger

Reversed a hook having its point angled to the left of the shank; the opposite of a Kirby hook.

Reversed-taper Handle a rod handle that tapers toward the butt end.

Riddle course screen of one to three mills which allows things like corn meal and sawdust fall through. It is also used to separate old skins, dead maggots, etc. from the live maggots.

Riffle a small, usually shallow rapid with white caps caused by large object in a stream or river that the water is flowing over or around.

Rig a fishing boat; the hook, snell and other terminal tackle for livebait fishing; assembling tackle.

Right Bank see Banks

Ring a rod guide in the shape of a circle.

Riparian of or pertaining to river banks.

Rip-Rap loose rock, stacked on a bank by mother nature or man that transitions into the water to help prevent erosion. This ia great place where crustaceans like to hide.

Rise The action of a fish coming to the surface to take an insect; the taking to the air of a larg hatch of mayflies or other insects on which trout feed.

River (or creek) Channel the original river or creek bed which was flooded when a reservoir was formed.

Riverine refers to a river-like environment.

Rod A long, slender, and extremely lightweight tube made of fiberglass, graphite, or a composite of the two. Don't call your rod a pole (unless you want to pretend you're Huckleberry Finn), which doesn't take a reel.

Rod action Rod stiffness.

RodSocket see Butt Pad.

Roe a collective term for fish milt and ova.

Roll Cast (fly-fishing) a cast in which the fly is lifted off the water and rolled forward in a single motion.

Root wad A washed-out stump with its root system intact, normally lying in a stream or river.

Rubber Hackle latex rubber strands from .03 to .12mm in diameter.

Run a fast-flowing stretch of river; the movement of fish inshore or upstream for spawning; the flight of a hooked fish trying to escape; a small stream or brook.

S

Saddle (fly-tying) a strip of feathers taken from the center of the Cape.

Salad is the collection of moss or grass that gets caught on a lure or hook from a bad retrieve over a weed or grass bed.

Salinity the level of dissolved salts in the water.
Salmonid belonging to the family of fish that includes trout, salmon, and char.

Saltwater water containing a high level of dissolved salts.

Sand Spike A long hollow tube used to hold a surf rod after a bait is cast out. The spike is pushed into the sand and the rod butt slid inside. A pin inside the spike supports the butt and keeps the reel from rubbing against the edge.

Scale one of a set of thin bony overlapping skin growths that forms a protective outer body layer on most species of fish.

School of Fish a group of the same species of fish that is traveling together.

Schooling Fish is a known pattern where a group of fish travel together.

Scour erosion caused by flowing water; a shallow, fast-flowing, gravel-bottomed stretch of river.

Scotchgard a 3M Comany silicone product used primarily as a water and oil repellent.

Sculpin a small baitfish, which the muddler fly was designed to replicate.

Sea Anchor a cone-shaped bag, usually made of canvas, which can be trailed behind a drifting boat to slow it.

Seam the boundary or transition point between two currents moving at different speeds.

Season the period during the year when a species of fish may be legally caught and kept.

Seasonal movements Fish movements from one area of a body of water to another, often in response to spawning urge or changing food conditions.

Seatthe portion of the rod to which the reel is attached.

Secondary Cove a small, shallow cove connected to a larger cove.

Sediment particles of ground material settling to the bottom of water.

Seiche Oscillation of water level in a large lake or reservoir caused by strong directional winds.

Selective Harvest Deciding to release or harvest fish, based on species, size, and relative abundance.

Seminal Vesicle a small gland that adds nutrient fluid to the milt of a male fish during spawning.

Sensory Organ Biological system involved in sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, or lateral line sense.

Set to tug on the line so as to fix the hook in a fish's mouth, as in the phrase "to set the hook."

Set Rig Rig that's cast into position on the bottom to await a strike.

Shallow-water Zone a lake zone. The area out to the first major drop-off.

Shank the long, usually straight, portion of a hook between the eye and the bend.

Shield Water body of water located on the Precambrian or Canadian Shield. Specifically, a body of water located in an area where the nutrient-producing rock and sediment layers in the basin and surrounding terrain were eroded by glaciers.

Shock Leader A short, strong section of line tied to the end of a fishing line, used when large and/or toothy fish are the quarry.

Shot Small, round sinkers pinched onto fishing line.

Sidewinder-style wings quill wings tied to the sides of the fly's thorax to imitate mayfly wings and provide outrigger flotation.

Silt Fine sediment on the bottom of a body of water.

Sink-and-draw a method of fishing in which the lure, fly, or bait is made to rise and fall alternately during the retrieve by raising and lowering the rod tip.

Sink-tip a floating fly line with a sinking tip, used to fish flies just below the furface.

Sinker A weight that attaches to a fishing line.

Slack tidal water where there is little surface movement during the interval between the ebbing and flowing tides; a stretch of river with very little current, for instance above a dam.

Slick a sand or clay bar, point or drop-off devoid of weeds, brush, rock or boulders, etc. A section of calm surface water in a river.

Slip a narrow strip of feather, Slips are widely used in fly tying.

Slot Limit A law that puts both a minimum and a maximum size on a species.

Shock Leader a heavy leader that protects against the line's breaking or being damaged by the impact of a heavy fish.

Shooting Head a weighted attachment to a fly line used to achieve greater casting distance.

Simulator an artificial fly that resembles an insect or another bait, but not any specific species.

Single-Action a reel on which one revolution of the winder knob produces one revolution of the spool

Sinker a weight, of lead or another material, attached to a line to make it descend faster and farther.

Sinking Tip the front portion of a type of fly line that takes the fly below the water's surface.

Skipping casting method of putting small lures under overhangs in a manner to skipping a flat rock across the water.

Skulling Quietly paddling a boat with a small paddle.

Slab refers to a large fat-bellied crappie.

Slip Float Float with hole for sliding freely on line.

Slip Sinker Sinker with a hole for sliding freely on line.

Slop Dense aquatic vegetation matted on the surface.

Slough Cove or backwater on a reservoir or river.

Slot Limit Type of regulation that prohibits harvesting fish within a specified length range.

Solunar periods Daily best-fishing times, based on the moon's gravitational pull on water (tides).

Slow Roll Spinnerbait presentation in which the lure is retrieved slowly through and over cover objects.

Smolt the third stage in the life of a young salmon, or trout, when the fish is capable of migrating.

Snag Brush or tree in a stream or river.

Snake a one or two foot rod guide made of a single piece of extended spiral metal resembling a coiled snake.

Snaketrolling a system of boat control in which a lure or bait is trolled in a weaving manner to cover a wide area and a range of depth levels.

Snell a length of leader that is permanently wound around shank of the hook.

Social Condition one of three elements helping to determine a species' locational pattern. It includes population density, food availability, competitive species, and how these interrelate.

Soft Bottom bottom of a body of water that is typically contains silt and mud.

Solitary Occupying habitat without close association to other animals.

Sonar Electronic fishing aid that emits sound waves underwater and interprets them to depict underwater objects.

Spade hackle a hackle feather found on the shoulder of a rooster whose stiff fibers are ideal for tying tails and spider and skater patterns.

Spank'N Um term used when you catch a bunch of fish in a given day. Most of the fish caught are large and tug hard on your line.

Spawn ability of a female fish to lay eggs.

Spawn Period a brief period of the fish cycle when a species reproduces. This period is directly linked to seasonal progression and suitable temperatures.

Species closely related organisms which produce offspring when they mate.

Species interaction How various species react to each other in terms of feeding, population density, and competition among species.

Speed Control one of the two primary factors in bait or lure presentaton. The other is depth.

Speedtrolling a system of boat control in which a lure is trolled behind a fast-moving boat.

Spey a long two-handed rod customarily used for salmon and steelheads.

Spey cast a cast in which the fly does not travel above or behind the fisherman.

Spine Stiff, sharp segment of fin.

Spinner a type of lure having a metal or plastic blade that rotates around a shaft.

Spinnerbait a lure composed of one or more spinners on one wire arm and a hook on another arm.

Split-cane describes a rod made of bamboo strips

Split Shot Small, round lead sinkers with a slot cut about halfway throught them which allows them to be pinched onto fishing line.

Spooking frightening or "turning off" one or more fish.

Spool the part of the reel around which the line is wrapped.

Spoon a flat or slightly curved metallic lure with a hook at one end.

Sportfish Fish species pursued by anglers.

Sport-Fishing fishing for recreation, as distinguished from commercial reasons.

Sportsman's Goop Cement (or shoe goop) a waterproof latex glue that is strong and flexible. It can be found in athletic stores. Thin with toluene or laquer thinner.

Spot short description referring to the spotted bass.

Spring Tides The tides that occur around the time of full and new moons. They have larger rises and falls than those at other times of the month.

Sproat a hook shape characterized by a gently angled bend.

Sprocket a toothed wheel, part of the drag system of some reels.

Spud a long-handled chisel used in ice-fishing to make holes in the ice.

Standing Part the main portion of a line.

Stand-up Fishing Playing a large gamefish while standing instead of strapped into a fishting chair. The angler wears a belt harness with a gimbal that holds the rod butt. Some anglers feel that stand-up is more sporting; others believe it's a more effective technique to wear a fish down because you can move about the boat to apply leverage on the fish.

StarDrag a five-spoked wheel on some bait-casting reels that controls the drag mechanism.

Stickbait a floating plug with no lip or other attachment that would produce action.

Stickup any place in the water where timber, grass, rocks, bushes, pipes or anything that provides a place for fish to ambush their prey.

Stock to increase the population of a body of water by introducing (usually hatchery-raised) fish.

Stocking Releasing hatchery-raised fish into a body of water.

Stocking-Foot Waders waders that do not have attached boots.

Stonefly an insect of the order Plecoptera, characterized by wings that fold over its body.

Stragglers fish lingering apart from others of their species after a movement.

Streamer a variety of fly characterized by long trailing feathers or hair intended to replicate a baitfish.

Stress State of physiological imbalance caused by distrubing environmental factors.

Strike the act of a fish's taking the bait, usually in an emphatic manner.

Striking an involuntary reflex action prompted by a bait or lure. Fish are made to bite.

Strike Indicator a float or roll-on device on your leader that is pulled below the water surface by a striking fish.

Strike Zone range of water depth in which a fish will react to your lure presentation.

Stringer a rope or chain on which fish may be kept alive in water.

Strip to release or retrieve line off a reel by a series of short pulls.

Stripping Basket (fly-fishing) an open container worn on an angler's waist to hold unwound line.

Structure the configuration of terrain and other objects (logs, rocks, piers) above and below the water surface, interpreted by fisherman to determine likely places to find fish.

Structural Condition one of three elements which determine a species' locational patterns. Structure includes bottom configuration, bottom content, water characteristics, vegetation types and water exchange rate.

Structural Element almost any natural or manmade, physical feature in a body of water.

Stumpfield Area of an impoundment where stands of timber have been cut prior to impoundment, leaving stumps below the surface.

Suboperculum in bony fish, the rear lower bone of the gill cover.

Substrate Type of bottom in a body of water.

Summer Peak Period a short period in the fish cycle after the Presummer Period when fish are grouped in advantageous feeding areas.

Summer Period a period in the fish cycle when fish generally hold to patterns established during the last part of the Summer Peak Period.

Supracleithrum a bone at the upper rear of the skull of a fish. It is one of the bones that support the pectoral fin.

Surface Film the apparent elastic-like film on the surface of water, which is created by surface tension.

Surface Tension the natural tendency of the surface of water (and other liquids) to behave like an elastic sheet. It is caused by forces acting between the water molecules: the molecules at the surface are much more strongly attracted to each other, and to the molecules below them, than they are to the molecules of air above them.

Suspended Fish fish that are hovering considerably above the bottom in open water.

Swan Shot Leger is a running leger that has heavy split shot clipped to both sides of a length of line looped over the main line.

Swim the stretch of a river, or the part of a pond or lake, that is being fished in at a particular time.

Swimfeeders are hollow tubes one half to one inch in diameter which are attached to the line instead of a weight (commonly weights are still added) and are filled with bait or groundbait.

Swim (Gas) Bladder Organ of most bony fish that holds a volume of gas to make them neutrally buoyant at variable depths.

Swingtip legering system to detect the shyest of bites.

Swivel a rotating piece of tackle that prevents line from twisting.

T

Tackle a collective noun for fishing equipment, especially rods and reels.

Tag-and-Release a saltwater and freshwater fishing technique in which an identification tag is attached to the fish before it is released.

Tag End the part of a line in which a knot is tied; also, the small portion of line that remains after a knot is tied and that is normally trimmed.

Tail to lift a fish by its tail. Also (of a fish), to swim in shallow water with only it tail visible.

Tailwater Area immediately downstream from a dam.

Target species The species an angler is trying to catch.

Temperature Tolerant Able to function in a range of temperatures.

Terminal rig The combination of hooks, sinkers, floats, snaps, swivels, leaders, and knots used to hold a bait for presentation to fish.

TerminalTackle Fishing-line accessories, such as sinkers, snaps, swivels, snap-swivels, and bobbers.

Terrestrial A life form that lives on or in the ground ("terra firma") instead of in the water; and a fly that imitates such a life form.

Tippet The end or last section of a flyfishing leaderk to which the fly is tied.

Tailing Loop (fly fishing) created on the forward cast as can be best described as what happens when the upper part of the loop in a fly cast drops down near the and of the forward cast and tangles with the leader, creating a knot (see wind knot)

Tailrace river channel below a dam into which impoundment waters are released

Tailwater a stream or river formed by runoff from a dam.

Take (of a fish) to seize the bait.

Tandem spinner bait usually with two blades

Taper an area that slopes toward deeper water.

Tapered describing a rod, line, or leader that is thicker at one end than the other.

Target Boards typically used with a swingtip or quivertip and consists of a board on a stick places as a background to the tip. When a strike is happening you will have a steading background to watch.

Tensile Strength the maximum stress that a line can withstand before it breaks.

Terminal Tackle a term that refers collectively to bobbers, sinkers, leaders, hooks, lures, and other gear that go at the end of a line.

Terrestrial any of the insects that live on land but that often fall into water (such as ants and grasshoppers), or a bait that resembles such a creature.

Test the measure of a line's tensile strength (expressed as "X-pound test").

Testes the reproductive glands (gonads) of a male fish, which are responsible for the production of sperm.

Texas Rig rigging method where the hook point is enclosed in the body of a plastic weight to make it weedless and a small weight is added above the hook on the line to make it sink.

Thermocline temperature stratification in a body of water that varies depending on the time of the year.

Thorax the section between the head and abdomen of an insect.

Thorax-style hackle a hackle wrapped at crisscross angles rather than perpendicular to the hook shank.

Throat (fly-tying) a hackle tied only on the underside of a fly.

Tie Into a colloquial phrase meaning to hook a fish.

Tight-action Plug a lure with short, distinct, side-to-side movements.

Tilt Fishing a technique used in ice fishing; it is also known as tip-up fishing.

Tip the topmost portion of a rod.

Tip-Top the guide at the end of a rod.

Tippet the thinnest portion of a leader to which the fly is tied; also, a section of monofilament tied on to the leader as a replacement for the original tippet.

Tip-Up an ice-fishing indicator that signals a strike by a change of its signal's position.

Toad Montana for big fish no matter what the species.

Topbait describing a plug designed to move along the water surface.

Topwater Plug a floating lure designed for use on the surface of the water.

Total Environment both the body of water a species lives in and any outside stimuli influencing it.

Touch Leger keeping the line in hand while waiting for a strike.

Trace is a European term used to describe a leader on the end of your fishing or fly line.

Tracking Following radio-tagged or sonic-tagged animals.

Trailer A plastic skirt, grub, pork rind, livebait, or other attractor attached to a lure to entice fish.

Trailer Hook An extra hook attached to a lure's rear hook to catch fish that strike behind the lure.

Transducer Electronic part of a sonar unit that receives sound impulses and converts them to visual images.

Transition (Bottom) the point where one type of bottom material changes to another type.

Treble Hook a hook composed of three bends and points that share a single shank.

Trick Worm floating worm that produces a darting like action when rigged texas style with no weight on a spinning rod. Great searching lure to use to locate fish year round when you suspect them shallow.

Transition point where on bottom material changes to another

Tributary Stream or river flowing into a larger river.

Trico abbreviation of Trichoptera, a tiny caddis insect or a fly that represents such an insect.

Trigger an action or characteristic in a lure or fly that creates a positive stimulus in a fish to attack it.

Troll to fish by towing a plug or another bait behind a moving boat.

Trolling Motor electric motor that allows the angler to slowly maneuver the boat in a precise manner in shallow water to stalk fish.

Trophic Relating to the fertility of a body of water.

Trude a variety of dry fly characterized by a bucktail wing tied parallel to the hook shank and pointing toward the bend.

Turbid Murky water, discolored by suspended sediment.

Turbulence Water disturbed by strong currents.

Turnover Period a very brief period in the fish cycle when some lakes or reservoirs are in turmoil. A mixing or "turning over" of the water takes place as cold water on the surface settles and warmer water from below rises. This turnover re-oxygenates and homogenizes lakes that have thermoclined (layered according to waater temperture) in summer.

Tube Fly a fly, used primarily for steelhead and salmon, that is tied on a thin tube. The tube, which fits over a hook, slides back toward the line to expose the hook when a fish strikes.

Tuffilm a clear, flexible, plastic spray used in graphic arts. It is sold in art stores and some fly-tying supply stores.

TVA Tennessee Valley Authority

Twitching method of moving tackle by lifting and falling the bait in a given area to get the fish's attention and trigger a strike.

Two Story Lake a body of water where warm-water species inhabit the upper portion and cold-water species inhabit the deeper portion.

U

Ultraviolet (UV) Light Radiation with wavelengths shorter than 4,000 angstroms; beyond violet in the color spectrum.

Undercut Bank An area along a stream or riverbank where currents have washed dirt from under the edge of the bank, providing a shady hiding place for fish.

Unloading the process by which the weight of a lure or fly line is released from a rod during the forward cast, so that the rod can propel the lure or line (see also Loading).

Up Locking Reel Seat place at the butt end of a fly rod that holds the fly reel into position. Recommended when purchasing a rod due to the fact it will hold the reel into position and provide you with enough at the bottom end of a rod for a mini-fighting butt.

V

Variegated cree hackle feathers with an irregular three or four-color pattern or barring. Feathers often differ in pattern and color on the same hackle neck.

Vas Deferens the duct that carries sperm from the testis of a spawing male fish.

Vent the anus of a fish. It is also the orifice through which a spawning female fish lays her eggs (or, in the case of a viviparous fish, gives birth) and through which a male fish discharges his milt during spawning.

Ventral Fin the fin located on the front of a fish's abdomen.

Vertebra an individual segment of the backbone of a fish.

Vertebrate a creature that has a backbone, for instance a fish or a mammal.

Viviparous Fish fish whose ripe eggs are fertilized and hatched within the female's body; they give birth to live young. Unlike those of ovoviviparous fish, the developing embryos receive nourishment from the mother. Some sharks and some bony fish, such as surfperch, are viviparous.

Vise a clamping and post unit that hold hooks to be wrapped with fur, feathers and other items to imitate a give fish species food source(s).

Vomerine Teeth teeth on the vomer, a bone at the front of the roof of the mouth of bony fish.

W

Wading staff A pole used by some wading anglers to negotiate swift currents.

Wake Fly a dry fly that creates a splashy, fish-attracting wake when pulled across or through the surface of the water.

Walk-The-Dog retrieving technique that makes the lure dart across the surface in a back-and-forth manner.

Water Characteristics the characteristics of a body of water, usually referred to in terms of mineral content (soft, few minerals; medium, some minerals; hard, many minerals). The mineral amount determines fertility.

Water Color the clarity of a body of water. There are three basic degrees of water clarity: clear (6-foot-plus visibility), stained (2-to 6-foot visibility) and dark (less than 2-foot visibility).

Watercraft European basic approach of finding and catching fish.

Waterdog Immature salamander possessing external gills.

Water Exchange Rate the rate at which water enters or leaves a body of water.

Watershed The region draining runoff into a body of water.

Weed Aquatic plant.

WeedGuard wire, plastic, or nylon that keeps the point of the hook from becoming snagged on the bottom.e

Weedless describing a lure or fly that contains a "weed guard" device that reduces the chance of snagging on underwater foliage.

Weedline (Weededge) Abrupt edge of a weedbed caused by a change in depth, bottom tpe, or other factor.

Weight-Forward the type of fly line that has its heaviest portion at the front end.

Weight-In when tournament anglers come in from a day of fishing and weigh the fish each angler caught to determine the winner by the heaviest stringer of fish.

Wet Fly a fly that is fished underwater. Wet flies imitate drowned or drowning insects, insects hatching from their nymphal stage and rising to the surface, egg-laying insects, or small baitfish.

Wetland Areas covered by water at least part of each year.

Whip Finisher tool that is used to execute a standard finishing knot called a whip finish.

Wind Knot an unwanted overhand knot formed by the wind's looping the line during a cast.

Winder pre-rigged setup with proper line, float, leader and hook already rigged wrapped on this device so you can change your setup to match the fishing conditions as they change.

Window the supposed parameters within which is a fish is able to view activity on or above the water surface.

Wing Case place on the back of most steam insects where the adult wings develop while they are nymphs below the water surface

Wing Dam Man-made earth or rock ridge to deflect current.

Wing wall A large concrete wall running out from a dam to deflect and steer tailwater currents.

Winterkill Fish mortality due to oxygen depletion under ice in late winter.

Winter Period a period of the fish cycle when a body of water is mostly or completely covered by ice. In southern waters which rarely freeze, the sustained period of coldest water.

Wobbler lure that wobbles.

Wobbling a dead fish rigged in such a way that it will slowly spiral in the water when you cast and retrieve it.

Working Method the aspect of presentation consisting of triggers, controls, gear selection and technique.

Wrapping Thread or other material wound around the guides of a rod to hold them in place.

Wrist See Caudal Peduncle

X

Y

Year Class Fish of one species hatched in a particular year.

Yolk Sac the membrane-covered food pouch found on the belly of a newly hatched fish. It nourishes the growing fish until it is able to feed itself.

Z

Zinger (see retractor)

Zooplankton Tiny animals suspended in water.