Fly Fishing

The first step to successful fly fishing isn’t fishing at all.  It entails taking in your surroundings and observing the area for just a little while.  Take 15 minutes or so to just watch and see if you can observe what the fish are doing.

Look at the bugs that are flying around.  Look for evidence of a recent fly hatching that will provide a yummy treat for the trout that are in the water.  Where the bugs are is probably where the fish are.

Take a look at grass stems and weeds near the shore line for clues of a recent hatch. Stonefly nymphs crawl out of the water to hatch into adults. This transformation occurs on weeds, grass, rocks and anything else handy near the shore line. Are their cases present anywhere? Mayflies molt after they hatch. This also occurs on grass and weeds. Can you find any clues of a recent mayfly hatch?

While you look for clues of a recent hatch, see if any aquatic insects are crawling around on nearby bushes. Streamside brush is a great hangout for aquatic insects that have recently hatched and are waiting their turn in the egg lying cycle. If you see a lot of a certain kind of insect hanging around the brush, you can bet on patterns that imitate that insect when you get to the stream.

Spider webs are a great place to look for clues. Spiders make a habit of catching insects that fly around their web. If the web is loaded with unfortunate mayflies, the fish are probably loaded with them too. Here’s a perfect opportunity to match the size, shape and color of the fly without trying to catch one on the water.

What are the fish doing? Are they rising to flies, and can you see the fly they’re eating? If you don’t see rising fish, it’s not very likely that they’ll eat a fly floating on the surface. If you don’t see them rising, a nymph might be in order. After all, nymphs are available to them all of the time.

Is there a cloud of caddis flies hovering above streamside brush? Caddis flies are a common sight in the summer hovering above willows and brush. If you see something that looks like a cloud of tiny moths dancing around a streamside willow, grab your box of caddis imitations and start flogging the water with one, you’ve just solved a mystery.

Fish have three basic needs: food, cover, and a resting place. There are other variations of those, such as fish looking for warmer water in the spring when the water is uncomfortably cold — or cooler water in summer when water temperatures rise.

The first instance puts fish in shallow areas of the stream which the sun has warmed even a few degrees. In the second example the fish move into shaded portions of the stream or to the mouth of a small feeder stream where the water is cooler. Both are examples of the fish seeking comfort.

It will help you immensely in your fly fishing if you start thinking like a fish. If the weather is hot, where do you want to be? You will want to be in a cooler, shady spot? So does the fish.

Fish will generally always face upstream into the current.  If the fish were facing downstream, they would eventually end up all the way downstream or in the ocean.

Fish face upstream because that is where their food comes from. Think of it as being in a dining room, and the waitress is bringing you a plate of food — but the food is hanging in the air above the plate.

That is what the fish have, a moving dinner plate. The food comes to them floating on the surface of the water and they have to make the decision to take that food in a split second. Wait too long and it has floated past them. And if the fly you offer doesn’t look like the food the fish has been eating? You probably won't get the fish to take your fly.

Also consider the following locations when looking for your fish:

• In riffles and shallows
• In front of boulders where the water speed in front is slowed by the rock behind
• Along the banks where the current is slower and insects fall in the water
• Behind boulders where there is protection from the current
• In drop-offs between riffles
• In protective pockets made naturally by the stream’s layout
• In front of surface obstructions where food can get trapped
• Behind logs where there is protection and food in ants
• In back eddies where the current is slower and insects collect
• At the bottom of a deep pool
• In gravel bar shallows late in the evening
• In the shade of an overhanging streamside tree

Remember that where the food is, the fish will be.  Fish are opportunists.  They will eat whatever is readily available.  Fish have to conserve energy.  They cannot swim about day and night looking for food.  By instinct, they know where the most likely places to find food are. 

When you learn what the fish are eating on that particular river or stream, you automatically increase your chances of catching a fish.  Get one of those small nets that pet stores use to get small fish out of a tank.  Place it on top of the water and see what types of insects you’ll get in the net.  Match your fly to these insects and you’re all set!

One of the greatest joys shared by fly fishermen is the opportunity to visit beautiful places to practice their hobby.  Where do you go to find the best fly fishing?