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Q:
I am new to the amazing sport of fly fishing, and I understand it takes work and practice. If you could give any advice to a newbie, what would it be?
Question by BattleBorne1986. Uploaded on February 20, 2010
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Answers (9)
be like a doctor,,get more patience
Here is the link for fly fishing beginners :)
http://flyanglersonline.com/begin/101/
Good Luck and let me know if I could be more of assistance to your success!!!
Make yourself known to the group on the Hatch Report Message Board on this site.
learn to tie your own flies. there is nothing like catching a fish on a fly you've tied yourself and it's a great passtime in the winter.
Hang in there. Don't spend money you don't have.
Learn to read water...master that skill and your fly fishing expeditions will involve a lot less casting, and more success. The best way to learn to read water is to have someone who knows how to do it really well show you what to look for. Good luck!
Find a reputable local fly shop. The people there will help you shorten the learning curve significantly. They'll be able to teach you about your local hatches and the flys to match, as well as give you advice on gear, knots, rigs etc..
I remember being in your shoes when I first picked up a fly rod quite a few years ago. My local shop owner was very willing to show me how to match our hatches, and in turn saved me a lot of time and money, since I was able to buy only the flies I needed for the creeks here and avoided buying ones that weren't relevant.
Practice, practice, practice. I don't know how often you get a chance to fish a stream, but I taught myself in a small pond by my house fishing for bedding bluegill in the summer. It was somewhat difficult because there was no current but it really helped me get good, and the next time i hit the trout stream it seemed easy.
Learn to cast to start out...it is the essence. Way too high a percentage of fly fishers are poor casters. Poor casting leads to frustration, and is no fun. Next learn who to achieve a drag free drift if you are going to fish moving water (streams)
And my latest strategy for beginning anglers, and a fun approach for more experienced anglers as well, is to learn to fish a soft hackle. Cast, follow, mend maybe, and fish will take the fly when dragging. YOu don't have to see he fly, you will feel the tug, and ,you experience success, learn to play fish, and have fun. Then you can move on to presenting a drag free drift, and enjoy dry fly fishing. Use a dry line, forget the sink tips, and stick with it. I see far too many beginners that say they take both rods with them, a fly rod, and a spin rod. I know exactly what happens. They cast a few times with the fly rod not expecting anything, and then pick up the spinning rod to catch fish with. You will never learn to be a decent fly angler if you take that approach.
My advice is to spend as much time on the water as you can and don't be afraid to improvise. There are tons of ways to catch fish, so ask questions at the fly shop and talk to other fisherman, but experiment a little too. Bottom line, have fun and stick with it.
Post an Answer
be like a doctor,,get more patience
Here is the link for fly fishing beginners :)
http://flyanglersonline.com/begin/101/
Good Luck and let me know if I could be more of assistance to your success!!!
Find a reputable local fly shop. The people there will help you shorten the learning curve significantly. They'll be able to teach you about your local hatches and the flys to match, as well as give you advice on gear, knots, rigs etc..
I remember being in your shoes when I first picked up a fly rod quite a few years ago. My local shop owner was very willing to show me how to match our hatches, and in turn saved me a lot of time and money, since I was able to buy only the flies I needed for the creeks here and avoided buying ones that weren't relevant.
Make yourself known to the group on the Hatch Report Message Board on this site.
learn to tie your own flies. there is nothing like catching a fish on a fly you've tied yourself and it's a great passtime in the winter.
Hang in there. Don't spend money you don't have.
Learn to read water...master that skill and your fly fishing expeditions will involve a lot less casting, and more success. The best way to learn to read water is to have someone who knows how to do it really well show you what to look for. Good luck!
Practice, practice, practice. I don't know how often you get a chance to fish a stream, but I taught myself in a small pond by my house fishing for bedding bluegill in the summer. It was somewhat difficult because there was no current but it really helped me get good, and the next time i hit the trout stream it seemed easy.
Learn to cast to start out...it is the essence. Way too high a percentage of fly fishers are poor casters. Poor casting leads to frustration, and is no fun. Next learn who to achieve a drag free drift if you are going to fish moving water (streams)
And my latest strategy for beginning anglers, and a fun approach for more experienced anglers as well, is to learn to fish a soft hackle. Cast, follow, mend maybe, and fish will take the fly when dragging. YOu don't have to see he fly, you will feel the tug, and ,you experience success, learn to play fish, and have fun. Then you can move on to presenting a drag free drift, and enjoy dry fly fishing. Use a dry line, forget the sink tips, and stick with it. I see far too many beginners that say they take both rods with them, a fly rod, and a spin rod. I know exactly what happens. They cast a few times with the fly rod not expecting anything, and then pick up the spinning rod to catch fish with. You will never learn to be a decent fly angler if you take that approach.
My advice is to spend as much time on the water as you can and don't be afraid to improvise. There are tons of ways to catch fish, so ask questions at the fly shop and talk to other fisherman, but experiment a little too. Bottom line, have fun and stick with it.
Post an Answer