Fly fishing as we know it today was influenced by various improvements and inventions. The top three include knowledge of metalworking, the development of fishing rod manufacturing technology and the expanse of plastic.

1. Metalworking

One of the most important inventions, not just in area of sports fishing, is the ability of man to process metal. In the Neolithic, spears were used for survival and hooks were only rarely used. These were quite primitive, and prehistoric hunters made them from bones, shells, or pieces of wood. Metal hooks have only been found in literature in the 15th century. Until the early twentieth century, such hooks were thick, heavy and rarely suitable for fly fishing.

2. Development of fishing rod manufacturing technology

The first fly rods were made by fishermen of different raw wood, which, according to the sources, were not intended for throwing, but rather for laying lure (bait). The fly rods were later made from more flexible types of wood, which allowed the rod to be bent and thereby utilize the resulting force to throw the bait into the distance. Split cane rods were not made until the end of the 18th century.

3. Area of plastic

For fly fishing, perhaps the most important novelty is the expansion of the manufacture and use of plastic products. Leaving aside their often questionable effects on the environment, plastics have contributed significantly to the development of fly fishing. In particular, the seal was left in the field of fly fishing lines and monofilament.