Fly Fishing for Beginners || 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started!
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- These are 5 things I wish I knew when I started Fly Fishing for Trout in the US!!
Before we get started my intent with this video is to have something that new fly anglers can use for years to come. So if you’re someone who’s been fly fishing for a while leave a comment and let people know what’s something you wish you knew when you started fly fishing… and then like a few comments that you think were interesting / important. That way new anglers can read through the comments and learn things even beyond this video.
1. There are 3 types of flies… streamers, dry flies, and nymphs. Jig streamers and wooly buggers you can work exactly how you’d work a jig for any other species of fish and are easy to pick up as a beginner. If you have a stimulator, caddis, and a parachute Adams you’re set for dry flies (at least out east). And for out west having a Griffith’s gnat is always handy. There are a few basic nymphs, pheasant tail, hares ear, prince nymph, and rainbow warrior, that catch fish anywhere in the world. Fly sizes are simple, the smaller the number the bigger the fly. For example a size 12 fly is much bigger than a size 18, and so on. The most “normal” sizes for flies range from around six 12 to size 20, with any number lower than 12 being really big, and any number higher than 20 being really small.
2. Fly selection isn’t that important. Everybody talks about fly choice but its such a small piece of the equation. It is far more important for you to get your fly down in front of the fish than it is for you to have exactly matched what they’re eating. For example, if you don’t see any fish rising don’t throw a dry fly and expect to have a killer day on the water. There are obviously exceptions to everything, but generally if you have the flies I mentioned in the flies section in the beginning of the video, you can and will catch fish almost anywhere, regardless of what is hatching and what isn’t. And if you’re struggling and feel like you did need to match the hatch, flip over a rock and match your flies with what you see crawling around, or stand for a second and look at what bugs are flying around the river.
3. Trash flies aren’t trash, people just don’t like how well they work. “Trash flies” are flies like a squirmy worm, mop fly, greenie weenie, or an egg. If you don’t have trash flies in your box then you’re missing out on some of the best fishing you can have on the water. These flies just flat out catch fish, and when you’re knew that’s important. The lesson for section 3 is just have fun and catch some fish. There is no right or wrong way to fly fish and catching fish as a new fly fisherman is the most important thing you need to learn if you’re ever going to stick with it.
4. If you’re new, use an indicator rig or a jig streamer. Indicators are just a fancy way of saying bobber, and if you drop a squirmy below an indicator you’re essentially bobber fishing with a worm. If you drop another fly down there then you’ll have double the chance of hooking up. This isn’t the coolest way to catch a trout, BUT it’s a great way to Catch a few fish and get the hang of casting out, fighting a fish, and landing it. Jig streamers are another great way to get started just because they’re so similar to jigging for any other species of fish. Once you’ve caught some fish and get the hang of fly fishing you can start trying new rigs and getting more particular with how you catch fish (if you want to).
5. What you should and shouldn’t spend money one… for example Tippet is just thinner diameter fishing line and It’s slightly overrated. Let me explain: Tippet is theoretically designed so that you can throw higher pound test on smaller diameter line and spook less fish. The sizing looks complicated but it’s not that bad, I’ll throw up a general tippet to pound test conversion on the screen. Generally when you’re fly fishing you will use 3x to 6x depending on the day, with the most common being 4x-5x. But if you’re throwing a streamer you have no reason to use tippet, and honestly in a lot of nymphing / dry fly fishing scenarios tippet isn’t needed. For years, I used regular florocarbin fishing line for streamers and had 4 pound test monofiliment in my bag for nymphing and dry fly fishing. It’s so much cheaper to use regular fishing line and in most areas it doesn’t make a difference
SO that’s my 5 things I wish I knew when I started fly fishing. These are fly fishing specific, in other words I didn’t go into the ins and outs of how to catch trout because when I started fly fishing I already had been trout fishing for years. If you want more specific videos like this one, let me know in the comments below. Thanks for watching!
#trout #troutfishing #outdoors #flyfishing
My family was dirt poor. I was given a battered flyrod as a young man and I grew up tying my own flies. I used chicken feathers, deer hair, yarn, and whatever I could muster up. I did not copy the patterns of others, because I had none to copy, although some of my flies turned out looking like the old standards. Getting strikes on my own flies and designing new ones to reflect what I saw in the stream, was and still is, as exciting as the catch. Tying flies is a vicarious way of enjoying the sport when you just can't get out there. I have been tying for 70 years. My first ones looked like wind blown sparrows but they caught fish. I have given thousands of my better flies away and accepted hundreds as gifts. When using those flies I feel as if I am fishing with the friend who gave them to me. Years from now, you will remember the idyllic little streams, lovely rivers, and serene lakes, and the flies you caught fish on, as much as you remember the fish you caught. When Its time to fish, take a few of the flies you feel will be appropriate for the water and leave the rest in the truck. No need to look like an Orvis representative, fish don't read labels.
Loved the comment. Got a late start, but can identify with in many memorable ways.
Very well presented .. You spent most of your presentation, possibly in the same stream in the woods, a lot of wood debris, Small, slow, moving trout stream with beautiful brookies ..number five could’ve been elaborated on just a little bit more in what rod ? Would you have recommended and possibly something like 7 1/2 foot length medium to fast action with the weight forward floating number five weight line?? thank you
That was the most beautiful piece of writing I have read on the Internet.
@@gkeic Thank you. It was from the heart.
This comment should be the intro to a fly fishing / tying book. Wish you well!
Not specifically a rule, but I wish the disappointment of fly fishing was talked about more. You can have some awesome days but you’ll have some days where you feel like you’re just learning again or things just don’t go right no matter what. The payoff is huge sometimes even just for that one fish you’ve been after, but get used to the other times as well and learn to be content with just being out there.
I love it!! I think especially at the beginning you spend half your time in a tree or a bush. It's just part of it.
Amen to that. Most days I go out, I get skunked. But there are ENOUGH days when I catch fish that it keeps me coming back and always enjoy being out there "standing in a river, waving a stick." It's kinda like golf when you just suck all day but then you sink a long putt or chip it in and get all excited -- you remember that moment lots more than the disappointing ones!
@@hardmanfishing Many years ago a very good friend, Papa Cruiz, came upon me fishing up a creek in the Florida panhandle. At that moment I was snagged in a tree as the creek wasnt 10 feet wide. In a very slow southern drawl he told me there was a game warden coming and I better have my squirrel permit or face getting a fine.
This comment is completely inaccurate in the fact that the disappointment comes in EVERY style of fishing, from dry fly to deep sea salmon. And personally I have been disappointed more often with throwing a lure than a fly
@@ltcreed8911 lol sorry for the sadness I guess?
Another thing I found out is that learning to tie your own flies also teaches you a lot about fly fishing in general
You can really dial in what style of fly you want and it’s extremely enjoyable when you don’t have the chance to leave the house. It’s another layer of awesome when you catch fish on your own design
I agree, I think it made a massive difference and makes you more confident/knowledgeable
Glad you mentioned wet hands. There's so many vids on fishing out there that never talk about this. I've seen fish with the imprint of a hand effectively burned into their bodies because of poor handling. This is a great vid for beginners and also more experienced fishers who may have become a bit lazy. Hello from Scotland.
My tip was I struggled with being overwhelmed with knots and not tying them correctly and lost a number of the first real good fish I hooked into. You don’t need to know how to tie more than 1-3 knots and tie them well and you’ll have much better success early on!
I agree..i use a davy and double surgeon for about everything..
I have been fly fishing since I was around 5, I'm 48 now. A life long obsession. I have guided and taught many. I will say, the most common issues I run into are people not fishing the fly like what it is. If you are throwing an ant fly, it moves very slow. If you are using a crayfish, make sure it acts like one. Same goes for all flies. Beyond that, fish every cast, even bad casts. Do not recast for the extra 5ft. Just work the fly back and recast. You will scare less fish and even pick up a few extras.
A tip from another fly fishing channel - use tippet rings. Every time you tie a knot you lose a bit of line. Tying a ring in your leader and tying a tippet to that means no more shortening of the leader.
Glad to know it’s not the flies just the fisherman, feeling humbled
I just bought my first rod and some flies and I'm stoked to get to the water! I was completely overwhelmed looking at all the different flies and wondering how I would ever pick the right one for the right spot. Thanks for imparting your knowledge, it is greatly appreciated!
1. Learn your knots (practice)
2. Practice your casting (parks with open area are good)
3.Learn a little bit on insects in your area and find what times to use them.
4. Check spider webs or foam under rocks to see what the fish are probably eating.
5. Get on the internet to see the different setups for using dries or nymphs.
As someone brand new to fly fishing, I can honestly say out of the dozens and dozens of videos I’ve watched trying to learn, this is the best by far. Thank you for this video!
Same here. I’m just getting started and I just learned a lot
Thanks so much for your comments. We try to portray the real experience of fly fishing, including fish less days, missed and lost fish and breaking fish off….we all have been there.
I like this guy, You DONT need an expensive reel. I use Medalists, old etc most all the time. I have Gunisson and all sorts of reels. For salt water you need a decent reel. For fresh water, you use it only to spool the line. Line is a great item to spend decent money on. Take care of em and they last a long time. Tippet is good for small fish, stream, and precise presentation. Mostly enjoy yourself, and forget the expensive but unnecessary things. There are a lot of thing which catch a lot of Fisherman. Al Brewster's quote.
Freshwater where I live you'll need a good reel. They'll take you for a ride trying to hand line here
So true. Rod and line are everything. Reel is far less important unless you need drag. Tried to learn for 8 years until finally a club took me in that wasnt a bunch of snobs. Two years later I was nearly at their level in casting proficiency but always finding new things to learn. Now fishing Northern Michigan and gold medal rivers in Colorado. So rewarding! We need to teach the next generation and not be witholding.
Add the Elk Hair Caddis out west and you're golden
I learned to fly fish as a very young kid and was taught the art by my grandfather on a cane rod. One of the most important lessons my grandfather taught was to keep moving. Start at the top of the riffle and work slowly downstream. This is true whether alone or with multiple people fishing the same riffle. When you reach the end of the riffle, get out, walk back to the top of the riffle (avoiding the trajectory of other fly lines) and start over. This way everyone gets to fish the same water. This is the unwritten rule of fly fishing streamers on the big waters of the Rogue River.
I only have 1 tidbit of advice- wish I had started this journey when I was a teenager. Such a great hobby and sport. You will discover that even when people aren’t catching fish around you, it possible to have a blast catching small aggressive panfish. Enjoy the minimalist hobby- throw a box of flies in your pocket and a flyrod and walk the lake, pond or river. Tough to beat.
Bluegills are fun to catch on fly rod. There’s a foam fly called a predator they attack it.
Thanks for the video. As a 63 year beginner fisherman AND beginner fly fisherman this was encouraging!! Helps with some of the overwhelmed feeling as I begin to learn.
I'm 63 as well, going on my first trip to North Carolina.I don't no a nymph fly from a Greenie Weenie and seriously wonder if I'm a day late and a dollar short.But like the brother said, it's more important to get the fly in front of the fish than to overthink it.And above all, enjoy creation and the serenity that it brings, that should be reason enough to get in the water.
Been fly fishing for over 50 years and the greatest joy to me is teaching kids - even if they already fish with spin gear, they always prefer fly. And you can find used tackle at garage sales for next to norhing!
Couple thing I would have added are, when casting keep your fly in or on the water more than false casting. The more you false cast, the less time you have at catching a fish. Spot on with the reel info. For the rod and line, don’t skimp out on the line. Personally that is the most important piece of the fly rod. For instance, I can take a great fly line and put it on an ok fly rod. By doing so, I made that ok fly rod so much better. Take a great fly rod and put ok fly line on it, now that fly rod is a good fly rod now. Hope it made sense.
What's the best fly line you've come across?
"Foam/Food/Fish" and "Fly First". When you see a "Foam" line on the water, that is where there is usually "Food" for the "Fish". Put you fly there in the foam line. Cast in a manner that puts the "fly" on the water "first", NOT the line. You'll spook fewer fish and greatly increase your chances of catching fish.
I wish I would of learned the roll cast right away so that I did not have to get my line tangled behind me, best cast to know if you are fishing in small streams with a lot of branches/trees behind you.
Love the section about fish safety (which is too often skipped)! they are so fragile, we all shall be very careful and respectful with these lovely companions. Without them, no fishing :)
My 2nd time fly fishing i ran into a older fisherman that told me your best bet to match nymphs was to pickup the rock's and look under them. Thanks Fred!
Presentation of the fly is everything. Do everything you can to make sure your fly has a natural drift. Mend your line upstream and avoid split shot and strike indicators if you can. Only use split shot if your nymph isnt getting down deep enough and only use indicators in really fast or cloudly water.
As a previous Fly shop owner, it always was interesting to me when peoples gear and the amount of gear they had outweigh their ability to make a simple cast! Make sure that you are proficient casting and targeting where you wanna cast before you worry about $700 rod or $500 reel, get your basics down with your $50 or $25 Walmart Rod and then move forward with gear that will allow you to improve better than having a truckload of stuff and a wheelbarrow load of experience!
Wet flies are often overlooked. Similar technique to nymphing. Some days swinging wet flies is the magic bullet. Lots of fun.
always keep a few wet flies but i also do a lot of salt water where they are more common
I am 57 years old , I was born in Charleston W. Va. , at 1 year old my parents moved to the North Georgia area and been a here all my life , my wife and I go camping / fishing the beautiful Cranberry river and the Williams river , we love it up there , I live at the foothills of the Cohutta WMA , and probably fished waters you visited as well , I have a suggestion for you to try , in Reliance Tennessee is the hawassee river , it’s some great fishing with a variety and holds monster trout , I have fished Colorado , and up in Wyoming , and I would have to say that the hawassee was s my most favorite river , so if you wanting to hit some big water I know you would enjoy , go above the power house , if they are running water the river will be to deep to wade , above power house is some awesome deep holes and harbor huge fish and some large small mouth to boot , good fishing young man
Great job breaking down fly fishing for folks new to the sport! Biggest challenge for me when starting out was being overwhelmed by all the terms, options and gear. No replacement for getting out there and trying different flies and techniques to see what works and what doesn't! A big game changer for me was knowing when to use some split shot to help get those wet flies down in the strike zone quicker. Thanks again for another great video!
Amazing tips, I have yet to get into fly fishing for trout, but this video is sure to help my journey when I make it. Great Video and tutorial
Great little video. Thank you. New guy here. Been spin fish over 40 years. Fly fishing about ten times, and really starting to get hooked on it. The tippet explanation was excellent. I'm going with patience being high on the learning curve list for me. Seems the same for a pair of buddies that are on the same journey with me. Slow your roll has become the mantra. 🤘🏼😆🤘🏼
Great video! I think it would be good to do a video on terminology of the fly rod so new guys see the difference between leader and tippet and stuff like that! When I was new I heard those terms but didn’t know what they were and didn’t wanna ask due to being afraid to be made fun of. Great videos buddy keep them up!!
Great video, thanks for the info, quite a few good tips. As always, I really enjoy your videos.
Cool video, I love fishing these little streams , great brook trout fishing 👍🏼
Thanks a lot for all your great tips , knowledge and information, much appreciated, continue the great work.😊
This content was amazing!!! Thanks for sharing! I love fly fishing, but I've never really fished for trout.
Total agree on line and rod. Wish I would have bought some decent waders sooner. Thanks for posting.
Great work mate and congrats on your attitude
I took up fly fishing in 1996. I have always been a Bass fisherman since I was 3 years old. It took me 39 outings to finally hook up with a trout on a hares ear! Once netted, I never looked back and not only enjoy the sport. I enjoy the river, water, nature, wildlife and more. It soothes my soul and takes me away from the work and home stresses in life. I now teach my son-in-law on the rivers and watch his frustration while snagged in an overhead branch or tangled rigs from poor cadence! He finally caught his first rainbow on a fly rod and it did not take him 39 outings. Great video and tips. Thank you....
I'm just getting to this- went to a school last week and had my first lesson. I caught a bunch of brookies as the instructor taught a roll cast then a false cast. Then we went to streams and he put on nymph and later a squirmy worm with a bobber ;) It was so fun. We used a 7ft 3 weight but at the end of class I bought a kit which is a 9 ft 5 weight combo. I tried to cast on my lawn and it was vastly different even tho we casted on their pond at the school. this is a great video. I searched beginners fly fishing. Thanks!
i've watched a BUNCH of fly fish vids as a newbie and this was the most informative!!! THANK YOU, SUBBED!!!
Excellent video and advice - thank you!
Good tips, Jon. Thanks!
Great video, beautiful scenery.
This is great. I’m new to fly fishing and I’m very excited to put this information to use.
I grew up in high country Colorado. My grandfather gave me an old split bamboo fly rod that I used well into my 20s. He taught me to make streamers out of almost any material in the cabin. I caught more fish on blue Jean streamers than anything I've purchased outright.
I tried fishing years ago. I caught fish but wasn't good at casting. A few years back I bought a cheap Eagle Claw 3w 6'6" Telescopic Combo. I initially tried a 3w line. I ended up putting a 7w line on it. I ran short 6' tapered leaders. I could really feel the rod load up and got where I could really bomb that tiny rod out there. That improved my technique. I started really catching fish and became obsessed with fly fishing. Currently I am using that same rod with a 4w line and 7.5" tapered leaders. In still clear water I am catching more fish with the longer leader and lighter line. But still carry a spare reel with 7w and short leader for windy days or if I want to throw something heavy. So, for me if you are having trouble with your cast. Step up a couple of sizes or more on your line and shorten up your leader. That in my opinion will have you casting like a pro in no time. After that you can lighten up your line and lengthen your leader.
From a absolute noob, not only did i get some good basic tips( i thought i needed a 300$ reel) but you showed how beautiful walking up a small creek and fly fishing is. Thanks man.
Good video buddy very insightful for the new fly angler, thank you.
Well done! You’ve provided quite an important and helpful service here - this will remain valuable to newcomers to the sport for a long time to come. New fly fishers owe you a nod of thanks!
Thank you!!
Great video! Fly fishing isn’t just for trout! Learning that you can tie a perfection loop on regular monofilament changed fly fishing for me! I now through streamers and mouse patterns on 6ft piece of 8lb mono for all kinds of fish. Up that to 20-30lb for salt and your good to go!
I wish I knew about: fly threaders, hemostat knots, throwing line to release a snag, and moving quicker from hole to hole (which you do well by the way. Oh yea, and tenkara.
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen
Great video! And the tips were fantastic🔥 thanks!
Ive never fished and wanted to learn so I started watching a variety of random videos, you are the first I've seen to talk about how to make sure the fish survive after you release them. Not sure if thats unique to this type of fish but I thought that was nice.
Love it! Great stuff!
I recommend wetting hands on any fish you catch that’s below average size doesn’t matter the species as they all have issues with slime coat being removed any fish that reaches a good size will be able to recover their slime coat as they have experience recovering their slime coating from spawning
Bro I love all your videos. Even though some of this may seem so obvious and easy to you, it helps me out big time. I’m just starting out fly fishing, and honestly watching and listening to you is all I have to go off. It’s such a huge help for me. And your a big inspiration for me. Love these videos 🖤
I'm glad you enjoy them!! Thank you for the kind words
awesome video and advice! Thank you!
Really good, thinking of getting back into fly fishing in my seventies after a long hiatus
I have used flies for panfish in the past. But always with a water bobber on a spinning rod. I am just getting into fly tying to do the same. I think I might just go this weekend and pick up my first fly rod. Thanks for the very informative video. Definitely subbing your page.
First class advice and video. Thank you.
If fishing in inclement weather a good jacket is an investment. If using waders, cheap waders can be really good.
Super helpful video! I watched your Walmart fly fishing video and it got me intrigued. Now I have found my new favorite hobby. I would love to see a specific trout fly gear guide video on budget. Say I was brand new and wanted to get on the water but with good budget gear. Stuff that a year from now if I love the sport I would not feel the need to replace. There are videos that either focus on cheap ways to get into fly fishing or people that say now that you have got the cheap stuff it is time for you to buy a $500 rod. I would love to see a gear video that is focused on budget quality fly fishing for trout. From rod and reel all the way down to essential accessories that you need (indicators, net, sling pack, fly flotant, the things you need but often do not realize when you buy your first outfit). I think this would have been helpful when starting out. Thanks for all your hard work!
Good video! 1. Greenie Weenie dropped under a small foam caddis. (great for brookies) 2. Buy moderate priced waders. (They will all leak.) 3. Buy higher priced boots. ( Comfort is important) 4. Don't worry if you suck!! (keep trying!) Tightlines!
What a great video. I wish I would have had this 3 years ago when I started.
Thank you for the knowledge
One thing I wish I’d known when I started, was that a quality rod can I handle your fishing experience. I spent a lot of money on cheaper rods and reels when I began and I finally spent some money on a decent rod after a few years. Even just spending $300 on a decent rod/reel combo will feel better. Now. I’m not saying go buy the newest rod or anything, if your beginning, get yourself a rod you can afford. Learn the basics, and with that experience you get from that , you’ll learn more about what you like and don’t like and what works for you. Then when you’re ready, look for something a level up. Don’t pass up second hand either. Can get some good quality stuff second hand. I find deals often and I use them often. If you have some friends that will let you use theirs, try as many out as you can. Make that few hundred dolllars you’re gonna spend worth it. I spent money on stuff that if I’d waited a while to buy, I never would’ve bought. Goodluck. Keep fishing, and remember, a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. Also. Do go buying all these flies just to have a bunch. Get a few of each kind in some neutral colors and you’ll do just fine. I have many flies and streamers and no matter where I fish, the same ones end up getting used. I have flies that r never touched water. Have fun
Great no nonsense video my man. I think this will legit be helpful to a lot of newcomers. Good idea.
Thanks buddy!!
Great tips! Thanks!
Ya the main thing I wish I knew is that it would take all my money😂. But I still love it
LOL "You WILL be broke for the remainder of your life" is honestly a hilarious answer
I really enjoyed this video and agree with all the points you make. My own advice would be to reiterate the importance of buying commercially available fly leaders. Also, if your fishing a dry dropper, tie the tippet off the bend of the dry fly; it is so much easier than messing around with surgeons knots and you can re-tie to vary the depth more easily. Oh, and fish barbless hooks or smoosh the barb down.
Well done! I especially like your take on reels, rods and flyline. Too often neebies (I was one once...) get caught up in Brand Names or magazine recommendations... Keep up the great work!
Solid content Sir. So much cool trout types in the US it seems 🤠👍
A lot of my buddies are accomplished drift boaters or always chasing big trout and as a newbie it can be stressful (especially when you are tangled up floating over prime water). Going after brooks on small streams where you can sit and observe a hole has its merits. Same as hitting the panfish pond to practice casting with usually open back cast areas. A pile of small fish is still a good day!
Very helpful. Thanks.
Wonderful and i formative video ❤
Good success 👍
I am picking up fly fishing this year So I would love to see a few more of these videos! Love watching you fish!
Glad you enjoyed!
also check FLY TV (don't mind the expensive gear just learn from it)
24 and i just decided to give fly fishing a try. Ive done some fishing before, but not with a fly rod, and not for trout. Just moved midwest. Honestly not sure what im doing but im trying to teach myself and see what advice others like you have for beginners. Thanks
Great video. I am still learning but fish with my father-in-law who is an old pro. A few things we like to do is first if fish are rising, try the dry flies first. I prefer catching fish off a dry fly than nymphing. Another thing we do is break off the barb on your fly with your forceps after tying it on. It makes it easier to undo a hook and is better for the fish to recover after release.
Something that helped me tremendously up at spring creek is to talk to the people who fish there regularly. Find a club or group online and learn from them
1. Go to bass pro or some local shop and talk to the attendant there. At bass pro you could get somebody who doesn’t know anything but at my local bass pro is a guy who used to work for Orvis.
2. It is not as expensive as you would think, don’t get sold into buying a 400 reel and 600 rod. Bighorn and dogwood are surprisingly great and especially for the price of 79.99 atm.
3. Sunglasses that are polarized for the water you want to fish is where I would put my money. Seeing the fish rise up to hit your fly and being able to see between rocks is fantastic. I bought smiths but I am sure there are budget options as mine were 230.
I am just getting into fly fishing and this video has given me good orientation to start in. Thank you.
Glad it helped you!!
Love the video keep up the good work and thanks for the tips i am new to this
Insightful, appreciate it
Wow dude! You literally quoted swiss fishing regulations on how to treat fishes in a thoughtful way!
We are very strict about ethical fishing back here. I appreciate your contribution!
Great video, thanks for the info
Hello from Utah,I really want to thank you for such a great video buddy 😊.
excellent explanation, I certainly believe what you presented. good job Jon!
Thank you!
I've been fishing for 16 years, 11 in TN/NC and 5 in Idaho and still check out videos like this cause you are never too experienced to learn! I remember exactly when I started catching bigger fish and more often. There were two MAJOR things that finally clicked for me.
1. Generally speaking, you want a perfect drift, one that matches the speed and direction of the flow of water. Focus on and practice this constantly. The tiniest unnatural movement will turn off a fish.
2. Drift as long as possible! This was a big one for me. Very often, especially out west, the fish will follow the fly way longer downstream than you would assume, especially for larger meals like hoppers. Resist the urge to pick up and cast again and milk the drift as much as you can. If the fish follows it down, gets ready to commit, and you rip it out of the water, he will for sure not even look at it the next time.
I also echo what Hardman said about trash flies. I throw squirmy worms all the time when the fishing goes south cause they almost always catch fish and that is better than getting skunked. Also, back in the day, we hadn't heard of euro nymphying but we were kindaaa doing it by high-sticking with an indicator. Great way to catch a lot of fish starting out. Good stuff!
Nice name for the adventures! 👊🏻🤙🏻😎
1. Best thing I learned was how to read the water for trout and it changed fly fishing for me. Riffles are where the food (bugs) are most productive and get dislodged to emerge the most, so downstream of riffles is where it’s at. Deep pools are important when it’s cold or hot, so dredge those whenever you see one. And try anything. You never know.
2. You don’t need to carry much to have a good day fishing. Don’t worry about every contingency. Those contingencies are what costs people so much money and mental fatigue. The basics do just fine 99% of the time.
3. Sight is important in fly fishing. You need to get used to being able to follow your fly to see a fish rise on it or see that something is sipping your nymph. Bobbers or wool are great for this reason when your fly is under water.
4. Related to 3, get decent sunglasses that are polarized. I like copper lenses that help me see fish and wade safely.
5. Also related to 3, you don’t need to cast far, just accurately. Casting 12-15 feet with wet fly or 20 with a dry is plenty of distance for most trout fishing situations. Fish every cast. Even the bad ones. Better than spooking the fish and you never know.
Just got a fly rod combo for Christmas. In my part of San Antonio, Texas Parks and Wildlife stocks rainbow trout for several months out of the year. looking forward to figuring this sport out. I saw someone talk about a terminology video. I think that would be awesome.
I am self taught at fly fishing. Been fly fishing for about 12 years now. My biggest tip is, don't overthink the casting. Find a field, and practice without a hook on the end. You'll find it's fairly easy to do! The grass semi mimics water. It's what I did when I was a kid and it really helped me.
Great video! I really enjoy all your videos. I was wondering if you could do a video showing us what gear you use. Thanks and keep up the great work. Tight lines!
Great info
With tippet, I would agree with just buying normal mono or fluoro fishing line working just fine, to a point. When you’re late into the summer and water clarity is extremely good, tippet shyness certainly is real. But you can get away with really only needing 1-2 sizes for your local waters. Streamers are excluded from that statement- use normal fishing line. Also with reels it’s for the most part true what you said. But most nicer reels actually balance rods much better than cheaper reels(doesn’t matter for a beginner-go cheap) Also to add yo to what you were saying.. you don’t need a reel with a good drag system until you start getting into 4+ lb fish. If you’re just starting out, going cheap on the rod and reel is fine but the better line will just make it a better overall experience for any fisherman. Enjoyed the video. Keep teachin!
Thanks for the video...first of all, the videography is really beautiful. Great video man but as a newbie to fly fishing I really want to see what you're talking about when you mention all of these different flies. And when you talked about your indicator set up, I want to see it. I literally haven't even tied on a leader or anything. so I am here for the very very basics. But again, the video was great and I'm going to watch it about 20 more times. Cheers!
My first fly rod was Shakespeare Wonderod. Its tip was short a couple inches (practically from day one). I used level, mis-matched fly line and cheap mono. I probably caught more fish (and more species of fish) with that rod than anything else I’ve ever owned. I learned to catch brookies in rhododendron-choked creeks on my own - best daggum classroom in the world😁👍
Great one buddy
Been watching you for years the one thing I would have mentioned , either buy barbless flies or bend your barbs for ease of unhooking and health of the fish!
I agree, but I think for new anglers that could lead to frustration. It’s better off to just use whatever you want in the beginning, and then as you go and feel more confident you can switch to barbless. I’ve taken new fly anglers fishing with barbless hooks and had them struggle to land anything (not the greatest line management).
This has to be one of the best tutorials ever and one of the best videos you've ever made. Newcomers will use this over and over again while experienced anglers will be reminded by the good ethics in this video. I know I was. Egwa skgi means big thanks in my language and always tight lines. Tony Walkingstick
Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoyed it.