false-casting, false-cast – Fly-casting line in the air (not touching the water) to increase length of line and perfect accuracy to the target.
fan cast – Making a series of casts only a few degrees apart to cover a half circle (more or less). Often used to locate actively feeding fish.
feeding times – Certain times of day when fish are most active. These are often associated with the position of the sun and moon and are referred to as solunar tables.
filamentous algae – Type of algae characterized by long chains of attached cells that give it a stringy feel and appearance.
fillet – A method of using a sharp knife to separate the meaty portion of the fish from the bones and skeleton and/or skin for human consumption.
finesse fishing – An angling technique characterized by the use of light tackle – line, rods, reels and artificial baits. It is often productive in clear, fairly uncluttered water, like many of our western impoundments.
fingerling – A young fish about a finger long, usually 2 inches or so in length.
fisherman – One who engages in fishing for sport or occupation, or for food.
fishery – A term used for a lake, river or stream where people can catch fish, or even a particular kind of fish, such as a bass or trout fishery.
fishhook – A barbed or barbless hook used for catching fish. For fish hook sizes, always use numerals: No. 2, No. 4 etc.
flat – In fishing, a shallow section of water where game fish feed or spawn.
flipping – A method of fishing by which the lure is swung, not cast, to the target or structure, often with as little disturbance of the water as possible. This technique is often used for placing baits strategically in thick cover, such as bushes, trees and stick-ups.
flipping stick – Heavy action fishing rod (usually a baitcasting rod and reel), 7 to 8 feet long, designed for bass fishing using the flipping and or pitching techniques.
Florida rig – Very similar to the Texas rig, the only difference is the weight is secured by “screwing” it into the bait.
float tube – A special fishing tube in which an inner tube is covered by a casing fitted with a seat to allow an angler to float free.
floating or float fishing – To traverse a river, stream or lake by some type of watercraft while fishing, most commonly in a tube, raft, canoe, or kayak.
flutterbait – Any type of bait that is cast and then allowed to “flutter” down, resembles a dying bait fish. Typically used in bass fishing.
fly, flies – A natural insect used by fish as food or an imitation of a natural insect used by fly-anglers.
fly-casting, fly-cast – A method for a fly-fishermen to cast flies to fish or to spots likely to hold fish.
fly line, fly-line (adj.) – A line specifically designed to be used with fly-fishing tackle and a fly rod, the act of which would be termed fly-rodding.
foul-hook – To hook a fish other than in the mouth where it should take a bait or lure.
forage – Small baitfish, crayfish and other creatures that bass or other predator fish eat. Term may also be used in the sense of bass actively looking for food (foraging).
free spool, or free-spool (v.) – A reel that allows line to feed freely to the fish or current, or the method of feeding line without drag or resistance to fish or current.
freshwater – A term referring to bodies of water that do not have salt.
front – Weather system that causes changes in temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, wind and barometric pressure.
fry – Immature fish from the time they hatch to the time they become fingerlings.
