The Fly Guide: September 2025
Fly Fishing Terminology
Learning fly fishing techniques is one thing however learning the language is another. Like most intense hobbies, fly fishing truly has its own language…don’t laugh, we're serious. If you’ve hung around the river, flat, fly shop, or fishing buddies long enough you've likely heard some fly fishing lingo that might have you feeling confused, don’t worry we'll catch you up to speed, check out fly fishing terminology below to learn the words and phrases to become a certified bug slinger.
Headwaters: “a tributary stream of a river close to or forming part of its source.” Any time an angler refers to fishing the headwaters of a river or stream, they’re usually referring to poking up small tributaries on the hunt for wild fish, usually trout! It’s an easy term to use to avoid giving away a favorite tributary of a river while explaining where you caught that huge wild trout!
Tailwater: The term “tailwater” usually refers to a creek, stream or river that is flowing out from a dam. Many tailwaters are phenomenal fisheries, as the temperature of the water leaving the reservoir is typically temperature stable, creating the perfect opportunity for trout and other fish to feed year-round and grow large!
Strip-set: Used whenever you are fishing streamers, a strip-set is a method used to hook a fish once it eats your fly. All you have to do is keep stripping in your fly in with the rod low, pointed towards the fly until you feel the weight of the fish throbbing at the end of your leader. A strip-set ensures that you pull the fly horizontally through the trout’s mouth and buries the hook in the corner of the mouth.
Trout-Set: A trout-set refers to when you simply lift your rod above your head once a fish takes your fly. Often times you hear someone say “Why did you trout set?” when you lose a fish on a streamer.
Bug: The term ”bug” refers to the fly you're currently fishing. Example “Your bug needs to be sharpened”. This simply means, your fly needs a sharpening.
Backing: The thin line that sits underneath your fly line, if you're hooked up on a fish and your down to your backing it means that it’s a monster. Example “Oh man it’s huge this fish has me down to my backing!”
Break off: Hopefully it doesn’t happen too often! A breakoff occurs when your line snaps on a fish which usually occurs due to a bad knot or compromised tippet. Example “ The fish ate it and immediately broke me off, I have no fly!”
Dead drift: A perfect drift in which the fly moves at the same pace as the surface current. You”ll often hear this term when dry fly fishing or nymph fishing. Example “The fly is moving perfectly with the current, nice dead drift!”
Roll cast: A quick casting technique used to get your fly in front of a fish on a moment's notice. The technique relies on rolling over slack line in order to move your fly. Example “Make a quick roll cast at the moving fish, it might eat”
Sink tip 101
A sink tip line consists of a running floating line integrated with a main body line that then connects to a front tapered sinking line. This specialized fly line allows your fly to hover at a desired depth for an extended period of time thus spending more time in the strike zone. In order to accommodate a variety of water depths, sink tips come in different styles, lengths, and sink rates. Check out the guide below in order to understand when to use a sink tip, its advantages, and how it compares to a convertible sink tip.
When to fish a sink tip: You're probably wondering when you should be breaking out the sink tip line. Typically, the best time to use a sink tip is when you're swinging streamers. In particular, it allows streamers to be presented at a consistent depth and pace during a retrieve which leads to more strikes. Another situation to fish a sink tip is when you're fishing a deep fast run with fish holding on the bottom. Simply cast your fly out and let the tip sink to the bottom in order to get your fly to hover in front of a trout.
Picking the right sink tip: In order to pick the right sink tip it’s important to consider the sink rate in inches per second and length of the tip. If you’d like your fly to sink slowly and remain at a constant depth in the water column, a 30 foot tip with a 3-4 inch per second sink rate may be appropriate in moderately moving water. That being said, if you’d like your fly to dredge bottom quickly, a 15-20 foot short tip with a 5-7 Inch per second sink rate will get the job done. Another factor to consider is the weight of the fly, this plays a major role in your ability to comfortably cast the line. The heavier the fly the heavier the sink tip, the lighter the fly the lighter the sink tip.
How to cast a sink tip: Luckily, sink tips fly lines are often two toned. Therefore, the sink tip is highly visible in comparison to the running line. When it comes to casting these integrated lines, it’s imperative to ensure that the sink tip is out of the rod tip before hauling the line. This will allow the weight forward action of the line to carry and unloop itself properly. Upon retrieving your fly, it’s also important to focus on role casting before beginning your next haul. This process will play a crucial role in helping the sink tip to stay high in the column which ultimately takes less stress off your arms when back-casting the line out of the water.
Convertible sink tips: Although sink tip lines play their part in deep stretches of river, they aren’t made to be used in shallow water riffles or pocket water. One tool that allows you to easily sink a fly down without changing reels or lines is the convertible sink tip, which can turn any floating fly line into a sink tip via a loop to loop connection. This gadget plays an important role in waters like small tributaries or rivers that contain a select few deep holes, and do not warrant the exclusive use of a sink tip. One advantage of this rig is that it is much lighter to cast which takes stress off your arms. The one disadvantage is that it is not as well tapered as a standard sink tip fly line, which can take time to get used to when timing your casts. Much like the integrated head, picking a convertible sink tip is fairly simple, they go by length and inches per second. There are many companies currently making convertible sink tips - including Postfly!
Fishing streamers for brown trout
There’s nothing quite like watching a brown trout smash your streamer. If you’re looking for a big fish, chucking some meat is a surefire way to make it happen. Streamers mimic a variety of bait, including leeches, small baitfish, and even crustaceans. Building up the confidence to catch your first brown on a streamer takes some time; however, once you feel that strike, you’ll be hooked for life. Whether you're a seasoned vet or new to the streamer game, here are a few tips to help you target brown trout on streamers.
Don’t be afraid to go big: Although small streamers are undoubtedly effective, opting for large articulated patterns can often lead to more aggressive eats. We’ve got you covered with our articulated streamer assortment, which includes four different colored Heisenburg fly patterns. These flies push water and trigger hungry fish to eat!
Vary your retrieve: There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to targeting brown trout on streamers. It’s essential to try a few different retrieval techniques. You can’t go wrong with a strip pause motion or a fast-paced strip strip motion. That said, don’t hesitate to switch it up until you find the cadence that triggers a response from a fish. Moreover, if you're seeing fish follow the fly without striking, try working the fly a bit faster to mimic a nervous baitfish.
Focus on structure: Brown trout are ambush predators. Your focus points should be log jams, rocks, undercut banks, and fallen trees. When it comes to fly presentation, the ideal cast will land just inches from the structure. If your cast is too far from your target the fish may pass up on the opportunity. Conversely, if you overshoot your cast and have to retrieve your fly from a snag, you risk the chance of spooking a fish.
Time your outing: As a rule of thumb, early mornings and late afternoons are prime times for streamer fishing due to low light conditions. At this time, trout are able to stealthily hunt prey without being detected. Another conducive time to target browns is during a bump in flows. As the water rises, it becomes stained, which gives big brown trout the element of surprise when searching for prey. If you can get to your favorite streamer spot after some rain, you’ll have a good shot at a large fish.
Control the depth of your fly: Each river or pool has a wide variety of depths. If you’d like to get your fly down to the proper depth a sink tip is a must. This simple yet effective tool is a sinking piece of fly line that extends from the fly line loop to your leader, causing your rig to sink to your desired depth. While it may sound silly, it helps your fly get down to the exact depth you need.
Go barbless: Streamers have large hooks, certainly large enough to keep a fish pinned. For the health of the fish, it’s best to go barbless. In order to debarb a hook, grab a trusty pair of pliers and gently squeeze them on the barb.
How to catch first albie on the fly
Fall presents a unique and epic challenge for fly fisherman across the northeast. As winds shift toward the north and seas begin to cool down, false albacore flood our local waters. Fly fisherman line up on the jetties, inlets, and beaches waiting for their chance to battle these speed demons. Targeting albacore is an exhilarating endeavor, filled with ups and downs. If you're looking to catch your first albie check out the tips below.
Weather/Water Conditions: A typical northeastern fall is marked by heavy winds and strong seas, which can make fishing both intimidating and difficult. Albie season kicks off during the pinnacle of these seasonal winds. That being said, It’s crucial to take advantage of calm weather windows between periods of inclement weather. As a fly fisherman it’s best to focus on fishing a wind and tide that is moving in the same direction. This minimizes wave height and creates a crisp sweeping current over the water which allows albacore to push bait high into the column in a blitzing motion. This behavior provides fishermen ample opportunities to spot swimming and splashing fish.
Strategy: Cast, Fight, Release: In the event that a blitz pops up you have to stay ready. Firmly set your drag, have extra running line in your stripping basket, your fly in one hand with 10 feet of line out, and your rod in the other hand. The shot’s you're gonna get don’t last long so take advantage! If the fish are on the surface, it’s crucial to cast ahead of the school. To properly present your fly at a moving fish, make a long cast 4-5 feet in front of the school, stop the fly line in the air as your forward casting loop is 99 percent unfolded, this will ensure you're tight to the fly as it hits the water. Next, begin a rapid two hand retrieve with your rod tip pointing at your fly. Always strip your fly to your feet before beginning your next haul, albacore love to crush the fly at the last second. Moreover, do not stop moving your fly, albies are quick to inspect and refuse a dead drifting fly or a fly that suddenly stops in motion. When you inevitably hook a fish, give it one firm strip set and begin guiding your line slowly out of the basket with one hand. Stay composed, don’t be alarmed when you see your backing, use the drag to tire the fish out. If the fish comes at you be prepared to reel in all your slack. As you wear the albie down don’t be afraid to put the brakes on them with side pressure. When you finally land your fish it’s critical to practice proper catch and release. Simply grab the albacore by the tail, support it by the stomach and torpedo it into the water. The rocket launching motion will provide a fresh breath of air into the fish which will result in a healthy release.
Flies, Line, Gear: A fast action 8-10 weight rod is the standard, and will allow a caster to fight fish with ease while hucking flies into a headwind. In terms of line, a floating weight forward line is most effective due to its ability to keep flies high in the column. As it pertains to the reel, a large arbor with smooth drag and 20-30 pound backing will do the job. For the leader, a rod length of tapered 25lb fluorocarbon attached via blood knot down to 15 pound will provide both strength and stealth when presenting a fly. Now for fly selection! It's important to match the color of your fly with the colors of your local bait: tan, olive, white, pink, and brown. The most conducive albacore flies include size 1/0 to 3/0 surf candies, clouser minnows, gummy minnows, mushmouths, and foil fly’s. Other honorable mentions include the half and half, crease fly, and any small deceiver.
