B

Back
A back referred to in a fly pattern should be tied in at the head and tail of the fly unless otherwise stated.

Back cast
The part of the basic cast that lifts the fly line off the water and whips it behind the caster to form the casting loop. The back cast is the second step in the basic pick up lay down cast.

Backing
A thin, braided material, usually 20-30 lbs. test braided "dacron" or "micron", that is put first on a fly reel using the "Arbor Knot" to "back" the fly line to which it is attached

Backing line
Thin, but strong, line that is tied to the back end of the fly reel and knotted to the fly line. It allows for control of a fish when the fly line runs out off the reel. Braided Dacron is the best material for backing because it will not retain coils like regular monofilament line

Bandana
A piece of cotton, roughly 20"x24", that is worn around the neck to assist in comfort control;

Barb
The part of a hook near the hook point that prevents it from pulling out once it has entered.

Barbless
The part of a hook near the hook point that prevents it from pulling out of the fish, is flattened or removed. So as to prevent damage to a catch, a preferable method, when "catch and release" is practised.

Beaching
A technique used in landing a fish by forcing it to swim onto shore or into shallow water.

Bead Head
A Bead Head fly uses a metal bead to simulate the thorax on a nymph or wet fly and to add weight to the fly. Typically gold or silver is used, but any color can be used. Often a bright color such as red can stimulate a fish into biting.

Beard
A part of the fly, usually hackle fibres tied under the shank in front of the body, representing legs.

Belly boat
Slang for float tube

Big game
Refers to that style of reel designed for use with large fresh or saltwater fish that are also referred to as "big game fish"

Bimini Twist
A specific series of knots and twists in a leader which acts as a springy shock absorber in the line, usually used when fishing for large salt water fish.

Bird's nest
A term anglers use to describe tangled and knotted lines, which are unusable.

Bi-Visible Flies
Floating flies with an additional light coloured hackle in front of the normal hackle as an aid to visibility. In theory any dry fly can be renamed with the bi-visible suffix by including an extra hackle.

Blackbird
The wing feathers of both the cock and the hen bird are used as winging material.

Blank (rod blank)
Name given to fishing rods without any components affixed; a "naked' ("blank") rod

Blood knot
A knot used to connect/tie together sections of leader; usually with different diameters of material as a means to taper the leader from butt to tippet (alternate: "surgeon knot")

Bobbin
A tool designed to hold the spool with thread; any sort of spool containing material.

Bobbin Threader
A fine, looped wire designed to thread the material through the tube of a bobbin.

Body- Flex
See Flexibody.

Boot
Foot waders that style of waders that has the "boot" as part of the wader

Braided loop
A loop connector that is slid over and glued onto the end of a fly line. It is used for loop-to-loop connections between the leader and fly line. Quality fly lines already have a loop connector on one end.

Bucktail
A streamer made from the hair of a deer’s tail. Bucktail flies imitate baitfish.

Bugs
Slang for flies used by fly fishermen

Bugskin
Body matenal for nymphs that provides microscopic spaces among the fibers allowing it to breathe. Very lifelike.

Bullet Head Tool
A tool with a plate with several holes which can be pushed over the eye of a hook to arrange material in a bullet pattern. The material is first tied in facing forwards beyond the eye symmetrically around the shank, and then pushed backwards by the tool to form the distinctive bullet shape.

Butt
A general term for the base or bottom or heavy end of a feather, fibre, or material with different diameters in their respective ends; also, a segment of wool or herl wound on the shank to end or divide the body.

Butt cap
The metal knob located at the end of the butt section of a fly rod. It protects the rod when it is stood straight up for storage. The cap can also rest on an angler’s stomach while he or she is playing a large fish. Also referred to as an end plug.

Butt end
That end of any line (backing, fly line, leader, etc.) that is attached first to any connecting part (as opposed to "tag end", "tip" or "tippet")