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Abdomen
The larger rear part of an insect's body.

Action
Describes how stiff a fly rod is and how much it will flex. While a fast-action rod is stiff for its entire length, except the top, a slow-action rod flexes for nearly its entire length.

Adjustable drag
A drag setting that is able to be manually adjusted by turning a knob on the reel frame

Adult
A mature insect; artificial dry fly.

Albright knot
Knot used to join the backing line to the fly line. It can also be used when connecting two lines that differ in diameter.

Andalusian
A type of hackle. The colour was originally jet-black, but now the name covers a range of blue-dun shades.

Annelid
Term used for an aquatic worm which is a common food for trout and other fish.

Anodized
Refers the process by which metallic reels are coated with a protective oxide to deter corrosion

Anterior Wings
The main forewings of an adult insect.

Anti-reverse drive
Type of reel in which the reel handle remains stationery as line is drawn off the spinning reel spool; engages only when line is being retrieved onto the reel spool

Antron
Trade name of a "sparkle yarn" that can be dubbed,twisted, teased, used for wings, shucks, parachute posts or mixed with other products such as flash-a-bou for tailing.

Apex
The tip of an insect's wing.

Aquatic insect
Insect that lives most of its life cycle underwater. It provides a fish with a year-round food source and is favored by many freshwater fish. Examples of aquatic insects are mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies, which are often imitated in wet fly designs.

Arbor knot
The knot used to tie backing to the fly reel

Attractor
Bright colored material, such as tinsel, used in fly tying

Attach
To fasten by tying , usually a beginning procedure, like "attach the tying thread," etc.