Learning How To Fly Fish

To novices, fly fishing can feel intimidating because of the specific gear, techniques, and terminology. This article will help demystify some of the basics and give you a leg up getting started, but you can’t learn to fish by reading. The only way you can really begin to understand fly fishing is by doing it.

Understanding the Basics

1. What Sets Fly Fishing Apart from Conventional Fishing?

Fly fishing was developed centuries ago to cast very lightly weighted lures. Conventional casting (with a spinning, baitcasting, or closed-face reel) requires a weighted lure on the end of a nearly weightless line. Fly fishing allows you to do the opposite, cast a nearly weightless lure at the end of a weighted line.

2. What’s the Purpose of Fly Fishing?

This question has two answers, one practical, one not. In certain situations, very lightly weighted lures catch more fish, like when fish are eating insects on or near the surface of the water. Another example is when fish are feeding in calm, shallow water and the splash of a weighted lure would scare them.

The impractical answer is that fly fishing brings people joy. It involves rhythmic, artful casting; invites anglers to develop a deep knowledge of and connection to aquatic ecosystems and fisheries. It allows you more nuance and control of your fishing. You can even create your own flies, though you don’t need to go that deep to enjoy time on the water.

3. Basic Gear

Fly fishing requires specific equipment distinct from other types of fishing. The basic gear includes:

• Fly Rod: In fly fishing they’re called rods, not poles. Don’t walk into a shop and ask where they keep their fly poles. Select a fly rod that matches the type of fish you’re looking to catch. Fly rods come in different weights (0 weight up to 15 weight). The higher the weight, the stiffer the rod. Most anglers targeting common freshwater fish like trout, panfish, and bass will want a four to seven weight rod, depending on the size of the water and the fish in it. If you’re just getting started in fly fishing, look to purchase a mid to low price rod. High end fly rods are extremely expensive and novice casters don’t have the skill to get their money’s worth from a top end fly rod.
• Fly Reel: Unless you’re fishing for very strong fish like steelhead or saltwater species, your reel does little more than hold your line. You do need a fly fishing specific reel, but look to buy the cheapest one you can find.
• Fly Line: This is the weighted line that allows fly casting to work. I recommend purchasing a quality fly line from a reputable manufacturer like Scientific Anglers or Rio. Like fly rods, fly lines come in different numerical weights. Make sure you get a line that matches the weight of your rod exactly. If you have a five weight rod, which is the most common for freshwater fishing, pair it with a five weight line. If your line does not match your rod, you will have difficulty casting.
• Leader and Tippet: A section of thin, clear, monofilament that connects the fly line to the fly and is nearly invisible to fish. For an in-depth explanation of tippet, click here.
• Flies: Light, artificial lures that mimic insects and other prey.

4. Fly Casting Basics

• Grip: Hold the cork handle in your dominant hand. Close your fingers around the grip, but stay relaxed. Rest your thumb on top, like you’re making a thumb’s up, with the tip of your thumb near the upper edge of the grip.
• Give Yourself Some Line: Pull about 20 feet of line off your reel. Get at least five feet of your fly line out of your rod tip, and let it fall to the ground You should now have a section of fly line extending out of your rod tip and a large loop of line piled at your feet. Pinch the forward end (the one nearest to your first rod guide) of that loop firmly between the thumb and forefinger of your non-dominant hand.
• Backcast: Bring the rod up to your ear with a sharp motion. Stop abruptly when the rod tip goes just past vertical and is pointing slightly backward. When executed properly, this will cause your fly line to travel over your shoulder and extend in the air. Pause long enough to let the line straighten out in midair behind you before starting your forward cast.
• Forward Cast: As soon as the line straightens out behind you, accelerate the rod forward, stopping abruptly at approximately a 45 degree angle from horizontal. This should send the line forward in a relatively tight loop and propel the fly towards your target.
• Extending the Line: Once you get the basic motion down, start extending your cast. Let a foot or two of fly line slip between your thumb and forefinger the moment you come to an abrupt stop on your forward cast. Timing is critical on this. If you let the line slip to early, your cast will collapse. If you let go to late, the line will not travel out. Work on synchronizing your line slip exactly with the sharp stop of the rod at the end of the forward cast.
• Fly Fishing Guide Pro Tip: Learn to cast on the lawn; learn to fish on the water. Practice casting when you’re notfishing, in your yard or a park where you can fully focus on your mechanics. When you’re on the water, you’ll get distracted by fishing.

Choosing the right fly is simple, in theory. You want a fly that imitates what the fish are eating. Exactly which fly you choose depends on the fish you’re targeting and the food that’s available to them. Most of the time, fly anglers imitate insects. The following will give you a basic idea of common insects and fly types.

5. Types of Flies

Choosing the right fly is simple, in theory. You want a fly that imitates what the fish are eating. Exactly which fly you choose depends on the fish you’re targeting and the food that’s available to them. Most of the time, fly anglers imitate insects. The following will give you a basic idea of common insects and fly types.

• Dry Flies: Float on the water; use these when you see fish feeding on the surface or see lots of insects flying on or around the surface of the water
• Nymphs: Sink beneath the surface and imitate immature aquatic insects or emerging larvae.
• Streamers: Represent larger prey like minnows, leeches, or crayfish.

6. Common Insects

• Caddis: Moth-like, fluttery bugs that have tented wings when at rest.
• Mayflies: Steady, even fliers that sometimes “dance” up and down near the water’s surface and have upright wings when at rest.
• Stoneflies: Often larger bugs, these gangly fliers congregate in streamside vegetarian and have wings that lie flat on their backs when at rest.
• Midges: Very small, dark insects that are easily mistaken for mosquitos.
• Terrestrials: Grasshoppers, beetles, and ants that fall into rivers and streams in late summer.

7. Look Around

You may hear or read about fly anglers “Matching the hatch.” Select a fly that imitates aquatic insects currently hatching from the water or active just under the surface of the water. Look for bugs fluttering on or near the surface. If you don’t see any, turn over boulders near the edge of the river and look at the most common insects you find crawling on them. Choose a fly that resembles what you find.

Where to Fish

The perfect fly won’t do you any good if you’re not putting it in front of fish. Good anglers know how to “read” the water in a river or stream, meaning they can identify good fishing spots by the way the water moves.

8. Riffles, Ledges, Pools, and Tailouts

• Riffles: Shallow, fast-moving sections where water bubbles over rocks. Riffles are oxygen-rich and insect heavy. Target these areas during the late spring, summer, and early fall.
• Ledges: Riffles often drop into pools with an abrupt change in depth. These transitional spots allow fish access to food coming out of the riffles without expending too much energy. They can be good year-round.
• Pools: Deep, slow-moving areas that offer safety and less current. These can be productive any time of year but are particularly good when the water is cold.
• Tailouts: The downstream sections of pools where the water speeds up and begins to transition into a riffle. Fish will move into these sections to feed at any time of year.

9. Take a Guided Trip

While you can certainly teach yourself to fly fish, you’ll shorten your learning curve immensely with expert help. Hiring an experienced, quality fly fishing guide is not just about catching fish that day. A good guide will share a lifetime of knowledge with you and make you a better angler.

10. Make Friends With Your Local Fly Shop

Fly shops offer more than places to buy gear. They are community hubs for local anglers. Many shops host events like fly fishing clinics, fly tying courses, and other resources. Support your local shop by purchasing your gear there (instead of online) and become part of your fly fishing community.

Last Casts

Fly fishing isn’t monolithic. People fly fish for different reasons, in different ways, for many types of fish. You might start out catching small bluegill at your neighborhood pond and find yourself, some years later, catching giant tarpon thousands of miles from home. Those who fall in love with it appreciate the balance it strikes between cerebral and physical—understanding where the fish are and what they’re eating while also being competent enough with your gear to fool them. It can be a simple or immensely complex hobby. If you enjoy spending time near water and working intricate puzzles, you’ll probably love fly fishing.