Top 10 Tips all Beginning Fly-Fishers Need to Know

Top 10 Tips all Beginning Fly-Fishers Need to Know

 

For those new to the fishing world, the art of fly-fishing may be largely unfamiliar. In fact, for many beginning fishers, the concept of “fly-fishing” in general may be something entirely foreign. Well, that’s perfectly fine.

Guest post by Russ Egan

 

In this article, we are going to break down the Top 10 tips all beginning fly-fishermen should know that the best in the sport do.

So grab your fly fishing rod and let’s begin.

 

1. Finding the Best Flies

When first learning how to fly-fish, it’s important to know which of the flies will work best, not only in general but for you specifically. You can do this a number of ways depending on how much involvement you would like in the process.

 

When first learning how to fly-fish, it's important to know which of the flies will work best, not only in general but for you specifically.

 

For those that simply wish to learn the answer in the fastest way, you can ask a local fisherman in your area. As the community is very friendly and open to new members of the sport, they’ll be happy to tell you what type of fly works best in the general area.

For those that want to get more “hands-on” with the process, the fastest way is to use a dip net. Dip nets are, as the name implies, nets dragged across the bottom of a lake, river, or streambed in order to catch various insects, nymphs, and other underwater critters. This method works especially well after you’ve turned over much of the rocks, sticks, and other debris and material on the bottom.

 

2. Learn to Tie

Tying is an important skill when learning to fly-fish and is something that you’ll have to know well into your time with the sport. That said, when starting out, it’s hardly easy – especially with how many types of tying techniques out there!

 

Tying is an important skill when learning to fly-fish and is something that you'll have to know well into your time with the sport.

 

When you are first learning, the basic in’s and out’s of tying, start with the bigger and easier ties such as the Woolly Buggers or Worms. The ideal situation is that you become more confident at performing the basic technique first before moving to more advanced methods.

 

3. Diversify your Lure

Ideally, when fly-fishing, you want to use a fly. However, that may not always be possible or ultimately successful. In these instances, what are your options? Well, if the fish aren’t biting, it may be time to diversify your lure.

First, make sure you have the best flies for your local area. This is very important as certain flies may work well in one lake while being entirely ineffective in another stream. Make sure your flies are best for your local area.

 

If you have the best flies for your area and the fish still aren't biting, try using a Pheasant Tail.

 

If you have the best flies for your area and the fish still aren’t biting, try using a Pheasant Tail. These may help add an interesting new element that interests the fish. Another good suggestion, in order to help it sink faster, face first, into the water, is to add a copper thorax to it.

 

4. Fish Aggressively

For many new fishers, the idea of fishing sounds great until you start burning through your inventory of flies. In these instances, it’s only natural that you start getting a bit conservative with your method. Essentially, you start believing that your flies are like bullets in a gun or chips on a betting table and that the more you lose without catching a fish, the more “in the hole” you are becoming.

 

Well, the good news, is that that is far from the reality of the situation.

 

Well, the good news, is that that is far from the reality of the situation. Unlike in other sports, such as golf balls for golfers, flies are not a limited commodity. So long as you know how to tie (tip #2) and have a dip net to catch flies (tip #1), you’re all set to go. Even if you were to burn through your entire set of flies, you can just as easily spend an hour or so refilling your numbers, all for free.

So keep fishing and keep fishing without fear!

 

5. Make Sure Your Fly is the Right Color

When it comes to the fish, you have to realize that they aren’t nearly as mindless as we’d like to believe. While they certainly aren’t going to be solving rubix cubes or mathematical equations any time soon, they are smart enough to know what they like and don’t like.

In your area, you must always be aware of what type of fly will attract the local fish. If they don’t like what they see, no matter how much you tempt them, they aren’t going to go for it.

 

When it comes to the fish, you have to realize that they aren't nearly as mindless as we'd like to believe.

 

A great workaround for this are Woolly Buggers, however, the best bet is to always know, as stated in Tip #1, what fly works best for your area.

 

6. Keep Track of the Weather

One thing most beginning fly-fishers don’t readily consider or take notice of is the weather conditions or the time of the year. While this doesn’t particularly affect the amount of fish in the water per se, it may very well determine the effectiveness of your flies. For example, if trying to catch a trout, rather than use a wet fly or nymph, consider instead to use a heavily weighted olive and black fly.

 

For example, if trying to catch a trout, rather than use a wet fly or nymph, consider instead to use a heavily weighted olive and black fly.

 

7. Keep em when you Gottem

One thing that drives all fly-fishers (and fishermen in general) crazy, is when they catch a fish only for them to lose them just as they’re reeling them in. And while this can be for many reasons, one of the most common is because the barbs on the hook are too large, making a bigger hole in the fish’s mouth. Because the hole is so big, when pulling on it with pressure, rather than catching them, the line tears loose, causing the fish to swim away.

 

Because the hole is so big, when pulling on it with pressure, rather than catching them, the line tears loose, causing the fish to swim away.

 

The solution for this is the consider mashing down the barbs on the hook. This essentially ensures that the hole made into the fish’s mouth is a lot smaller and thus harder to tear open after putting pressure on the line.

 

8. Time for Hide-and-Seek

The best place to fish isn’t, ironically enough, in open waters. Rather, the best place (albeit the more difficult) to catch fish is actually where they hide or rest at in order to save energy. These can range from the other side of a river current, to undercut banks, to in front of or behind rocks. These areas will have more fish in a specific setting compared to open waters.

 

These areas will have more fish in a specific setting compared to open waters.

 

A word of advice. Never fish downstream, unless you fish wet flies, streamers or flies for Atlantic salmon or steelhead, as this will actually scare and scatter the fish.

 

9. Wear Your Sunglasses so You can See

While it’s not quite “at night”, wearing a pair of polarized sunglasses while fishing will greatly help you spot and catch the fish. This is because the polarized lenses will allow you to avoid the glare from the sun onto the water.

 

While it's not quite "at night", wearing a pair of polarized sunglasses while fishing will greatly help you spot and catch the fish.

 

This is a vital, yet entirely secret, tip that none but the most experienced know so take advantage! The sunglasses are a much needed protection for your eyes as well, of course.

 

10. Practice, Practice, Practice

No matter what you do or how you follow these steps given, you are always going to have to practice your technique.

When starting out, consider using a crude fly in order to help straighten your line out. You can also use a clipped hook in order to help avoid injuries when practicing fly-casting.

 

You can also use a clipped hook in order to help avoid injuries when practicing fly-casting.

 

The fact of the matter here is that you aren’t going to become an expert fly-fisher immediately overnight, even if you follow these steps perfectly. Rather, these 10 key steps will put you in the perfect situation so that you will achieve the best results when fly-fishing. What’s more, if you combine these tips with practicing your technique, you’ll soon become a phenomenal fly-fisher.

 

Author:
Russ is an avid angler. He has fished all over the world, primarily for Saltwater game fish but also for local prize fish. Russ writes reviews for all of his fishing gear to help others achieve their own fishing goals at All Fishing Gear.

Pictures by Rudy van Duijnhoven.

 

Also look at:
https://flyfishing-blog.com/flyfishing-blog.com/2020/05/28/nicks-beginners-guide-to-fly-fishing-on-rivers/
https://flyfishing-blog.com/flyfishing-blog.com/2020/03/29/fly-tying-for-beginners-with-barry-ord-clarke/
https://flyfishing-blog.com/flyfishing-blog.com/2020/07/26/fishing-in-wales-website-goes-live/

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *