Fly Fishing Tips

Fly fishing is a method of catching fish by casting a floating fishing line on a river, stream, or lake. At the tip of the line is a thinner line known as a leader, and attached to this is a lure known as a fly, hence the name “fly fishing.” This fishing technique is performed so that to fish, it looks like a insect or larvae is floating on or below the water's surface. Fly fishing is different from traditional fishing in that the line is pulled off the water with the rod and recast without reeling it in.

There are many tricks and tips that can help make your fly fishing trips and experiences more successful. One of them is the countdown method. One critical thing you should do when fly fishing is to determine the depth at which the fish are holding. The depth differs depending on factors such as water temperature, wind level, light level, and insect hatches.

The countdown method can help you find fish by determining their depth. After you’ve cast your wet fly, which will sink in the water, give your fishing line a pull to straighten it out in the water. Make sure you feel a tug or movement on your line. Start with a 5-second count before recasting. If you don’t get any action, try a 10, 15, and 20-second count until you do. With each longer countdown the line will sink deeper into the water, helping determine the depth where the fish are holding.

A useful tip for fly-fishing is to fish deeper when the sun has to come out. Generally, animals’ pupils constrict when exposed to bright light to adjust to the brightness. However, the eyes of trout do not. They're eyes are suited for low light levels. When the sun is out, fish tend to be uncomfortable, so they head toward deeper parts of the water where there is less light penetration to feed. So during sunny periods, put the fly deeper into the water.

To increase the chances of catching fish, it pays to use more than one fly. You never know which fly will work, so try fishing using several flies early on to figure out which ones will. You can mix attractive-looking flies with naturally colored ones to catch trout. The attractive flies catch trouts' attention long enough for them to finally go for the natural looking ones.

In high and murky waters, using big flies will increase your chances of catching fish. Fish are usually opportunistic in such waters, so they will snatch up anything they see - the larger, the better. The possibility of trout bypassing your large flies is low because they cause significant ripples in water, drawing their attention. Get larger-than-normal flies like conehead streamers, large stonefly nymphs, copper johns, and other similar-sized flies for fly fishing success in high and murky waters.

Finally, if you are new to a fishing area, ask local anglers about the best flies to use, and if you're not getting any bites, try the Pheasant tail. This tried and true fly mimics many aquatic insect larvae that different fish, including trout, feed on.