Day One to Die Hard

By Jeff Loftin 

 Introduction
 

Fishing for trout in cold, clear mountain streams and wild rivers is probably my greatest passion.  For many years, I have helped other people enjoy this sport.  I have read many fine books about this sport and I am continually looking for more insight.  But on the day, at the very moment you make the choice to try this sport, it can begin to seem overwhelming and expensive.  It shouldn’t and won’t be if  you have a plan.   Short, valued and to the point, I have taken forty years of trout fly fishing and reduced it to these few pages.  Day One to Die Hard is as it's titled, a road map for your journey through fly fishing.  I have traveled the complicated road to simple truths and wish to save you the trip.  I hope to see you on the river.

 

 

Fly Fishing for Trout

 

 

There are many reasons people enjoy trout fishing.   It takes elevation and clear water to make trout habitat.  Generally, trout are found in our mountains and foothills in streams that cascade down to the low lands.  I can think of nothing better than standing in cool clear water, listening to the heartbeat of a wild river and immersing your spirit in the understanding of nature.   It has often been said that trout live in some of the most beautiful places.  Time spent pursuing trout is time spent in some glorious places, to be sure.  I don’t know many people that don’t like beautiful places. 

 

Fly Fishing is a gender neutral sport.  Yes, that means that you can fish an entire lifetime with one lovely partner.  Women are much more receptive to instruction and advice and are quick studies in the field of outdoor pursuits.   This is not a strength sport. 

 

This is a lifelong sport.  Sure, there are some rivers that are physically challenging and may be a bit much for bad knees and the like but, there are many rivers with easy access, and many ways to fish that require varying levels of physical dexterity.

 

I love to fly fish for many reasons.  But if given only one to share, it would be that fly fishing is perhaps the last outdoor sport not diminished by money and technology.  You see,  you  have to give to the sport in order to receive.  You can hunt inside a fence, over a baited area with a rifle that is capable of taking game at a half mile.  You can shoot a bow with sights and  mechanical advantages that  virtually eliminates the need for more than familiarization.  Range finders, GPS, 3-D sonar units, quads and solar powered computer controlled feeding stations won’t help.  You will not be able to techno your way to success in fly fishing.   Technology is not all bad but it ain’t all good.  And well, you just can’t buy a good cast .

 

No fisherman, regardless of the species sought, will ever be any good at the sport without paying attention to what is going on in the world as a whole.  As you begin to learn variables that affect your fishing success, it becomes clear that failure is often associated  with the fact there is a lot we don’t know, can’t accept or won’t attempt to understand.   Willful engagement  in the development of insight is something the world could use.

 

If you decide to take up the sport, be prepared to dedicate some time to it.  You see, fly fishing is kinda like riding a bike.  It is a sport that is difficult to learn if you constantly pick it up for a day or two then put it down for a month.  But like riding a bike, once you achieve a certain level of comfort with the skills necessary, you’ll never have to start over.  Oh, you may get a little rusty, but it isn’t like starting all over.  I highly recommend dedicating one day, every week, for a summer.  Somewhere in there take a week’s  vacation and fish.  This is an ample time investment to learn the sport. 

 

As you read the advice contained here, know that I truly wish you well and hope that the information speeds your journey in the joy of our quiet sport.

Selecting Equipment

 

Before you really start spending money on fly fishing, buy a good pair of polarized sunglasses.  They are great for the protection of your eyes from harmful sun rays and they will help you learn about trout.   How important is this advice?  It’s first.  Once you have your sunglasses, buy the appropriate license, take a basic fly fishing class that supplies all equipment and/or find a mentor and go fish.  Until you do this, buy nothing else.

 

Go to your local book store and troll through the fly fishing periodicals.  The most popular magazines have great articles for anglers of all levels.  You can sample purchase different magazines at a bookstore.  Once you find one you like, go ahead and subscribe.  As you grow in the sport, don’t overlook the wonderful information contained in the book section of the store.  I like this environment because you can pick a selection, find a comfortable chair and peruse your potential selection(s).   

 

I was reading some promotional material from a high end rod company.  The ad talked about how much better new anglers have it nowadays, due to all the variety of equipment.  They wrote a very sad story about how in the old days there was so little choice in equipment and how we made do with what we could get from neighborhood hardware stores and such.  The facts of their story are true.  What resulted from the facts are an absolute promotional myth.  Because, back in the day, you could not lament for months over the perfect rod/reel/line/tippet/wader/vest combination.  We did not spend hours in protracted technical discussions with other fisherman about this manufacturer’s equipment versus that other company.  We got what we could and lamented only over how to catch fish.    It was much simpler then.  Do I like the new materials and varieties in equipment?  You bet I do!  Do I think all this gear is good for beginners?  In a word, no!

 

Now I know everyone has an opinion about what you need.   You don’t need to spend a lot of money, just spend it well.  It is often said that 10% of the fly fisherman catch 90% of the fish.  One Fish & Game friend of mine believes the top 2% of any outdoor skill have 90% of the success.   Regardless of the true ratio, these statements provide insight about gear selection. 

 

The top fly casters in the sport can take a yard sale five dollar rod with a broken tip, rusted reel with cracked line and out-cast the entire remainder of the fly fishing public.  The top fishermen can take a size 20 pheasant tail fly and catch trout in a mud puddle.  If you don’t take this to heart early in your pursuit, you are only hampering your own development. 

 

Fish do not fear logos.  You can’t buy a good cast.  Intuitive, skilled and observant fly fishermen catch fish. There are many skills needed to be successful in the sport, casting is only one small element.  Locating fish, mending, rigging, leader construction, fly selection, river approach, reading water, equipment preparation and presentation are all critical skills to be concerned with.  Don’t become a casting-obsessed gear nut!

 

How to Pick a Rod

 

The most talked about part of fly fishing, especially when first getting started, is the rod.  Forget price.  Price has nothing to do with performance, that is to say don’t think the more you spend on a rod the more it’ll do for you.  A good rod will cast well, mend easily, protect light tippets during the fight and do it all day long.  For trout on any river on any day with any fly/indicator arrangement, a “light” 9’- 4 weight in a moderate action is about as good as it gets.  If you intend to fish the western rivers probably a 5-weight or even a 6-weight would be a better choice due to wind.  What I mean by a “light” rod is something around 3 to no more than 3.5 ounces, in physical weight.  Why is this important?  It’s simple, the smaller the diameter of the rod, the easier it moves through the air. 

 

The actual weight and profile of the rod will make a day on the water much more fun and casting/ mending much easier.  To the credit of rod manufacturers, the physical weight of a rod does have some bearing on it’s price. You see, to make a 9’- 4 weight is easy, but to make one that is light requires much more precision and better components.  Right now, there are quite a few 9’- 4 weights that fit the bill for around $200.00. 

 

Why a moderate action 9’-4 weight?  Well, one rod is always a compromise but not so much it hurts.  This combination is ideal for nothing if you end up having multiple rods and weights but, this combination does almost everything trout fishing well.  A moderate action rod loads better when casting, with less line out.  Most fast action rods don’t start loading for a cast until at least 30’ of line is in the air.  A 4-weight can be a little weak on windy days but that is where the 9’ length really comes into play by increasing line speed.  You can land a 4-weight line on the water very softly with  much less skill than a heavier line. 

 

The moderate action and 9’ length will protect, like a good shock absorber, even 8x tippets (less than 2# test strength).  Fly fishing is more than casting, with a long moderate action rod you can put much more fighting pressure on a bigger than tippet fish than you can with a “High Speed Low Drag Fast Action Casting Machine.” Should you find the need for exceptionally long leaders (over 10’) the longer rod is much more user friendly.  Lastly, you will loose a lot less fish when fishing tiny flies.  I have fished all over the country, on many different waters, rigged many different ways, and if I could only have one rod for trout, this would be it.

 

One last note on rod length.  Younger or more petite anglers may benefit from shorter rods.  This is due to the simple laws of leverage and torque.  Small children can usually handle a 7 footer fairly well.

 

Most importantly, never, ever, buy a rod that you have not had the chance to cast.  All good fly shops will let you take one for a test drive.   Most good rods will come with a lifetime guarantee.    

 

How to Pick a Reel

 

Probably the most overlooked piece of equipment is the reel.  Forget price.  Price has nothing to do with performance.  Since you have searched for a light rod it only stands to reason you’ll want a light reel.  Something in the 3 to 4.5 ounce range and in a size recommended for a 4-weight.  You will want to be able to put at least 75 yards of backing behind the fly line.  If backing capacity becomes a problem, go to a super braid line for backing, you can get a ton of this stuff on a reel and it seemingly never wears out.  You are far better off having too much backing than too little. 

 

A reel that you can do a “fan” or “slap” take-up is a plus.  This virtually eliminates click pawl drag reels.  Fan or Slap line take-up is a good technique to have in your skill box.  This technique involves spinning the spool quickly by slapping the rim of the spool in a direction to take up line quickly, without using the handle, and get the fish on the reel’s drag. 

 

A good reel’s drag system is much better than anything you can do with your fingers.  The faster you can get a fish on your reel’s drag the more fish you’ll catch.   A good drag system will adjust easily and  smoothly but more importantly it will adjust gradually. A reel that goes from too loose - to - too tight -  too quickly is a fish looser.   Beware of reels with little tiny drag knobs.  Sealed drags are always a plus.  To build a reel like this isn’t cheap but you shouldn’t have to sell a kidney to buy one.  Many reels can be purchased for  under $150.00 that will meet all these requirements and give you a lifetime of service.

 

An open frame design is best, especially for the novice.  Line tangles are a part of learning.  An open frame allows you to remove the spool from the reel frame while the rod is strung.   You can fix a lot of problems a lot faster and without cutting everything off to effect the remedy.  

 

How to Select a Fly Line

 

Fly lines are like snowflakes.  No two are alike but, sinking or floating, they all do pretty much the same thing.  Forget price.  Price has nothing to do with performance. The fly cast is developed by the speed and weight of the line.  Double taper lines are great for light presentations and a short to moderate cast.  Weight forward lines are definitely the easiest lines to learn to cast with.  A floating line is all you need for most trout presentations and again is the easiest to learn to cast.

 

Always use good backing materials on your reel before you put your fly line on.  With line and backing combined, you want your reel  full. 

 

Some super slick lines are great when it’s warm outside but can turn into coiled springs when cold.  Try to find a line with good cold weather characteristics.   A good line will last for years.  I’ve got a linen line that belonged to my grandfather that I still fish with from time to time.  Clean and dress your line regularly.  This will keep it slick and floating high on  the water.  A high floating line makes pick-up and mending so much easier, making it less spooky to fish.  

 

If you are just learning to cast, a high visibility line will accelerate your journey through the ranks of fly casters.  The bright colored lines give casters the ability to watch the line very easily for loop control and drift. 

 

Once you master casting, make sure your second line is of a natural color.  You will catch more fish with a dark green, gray, brown or more neutral line color.  I like the bone or powder blue colors for saltwater and khaki greens, grays or browns for trout.  Look up to select line color, that’s what the fish do!   Line color will not make a huge difference but occasionally it will buy you a fish or two and muted or natural colors sure wont hurt you.   Learn to tie an Albright knot and use it on your fly line to leader-butt connection.  No convenient loop connector will be as small as this knot, which translates into less disruption of the water surface.  Correctly tied, the Albright knot will pass just as easily through the rod eyes as any prefabricated connector.   There are a host of good fly lines in the $40.00 to $60.00 range.

 

How to Pick Out Wading Boots  

 

Good wading boots have as much to do with a good day on the water as any component in stream fishing.  They are your connection with the bottom of the river.  Nothing can ruin a day on the river like slipping and falling.  Everybody does it sooner or later but the goal should be to do it as little as possible.  Forget price.  Price has nothing to do with performance. 

 

If you choose to fish during the warmer months, you don’t necessarily need waders. Put on your shorts, neoprene socks, boots and go for it!  Never try on a pair of wading boots without at least putting on neoprene socks.  Wading boots should feel secure on your feet and comfortable.  They should not be too tight or too loose.  Too tight is uncomfortable and can restrict blood flow that is imperative to keeping your feet warm.  Too loose will add to your lack of stability while wading.  

 

Boots that are independent of waders are much more versatile.  That is to say, if you want to wade with shorts, all you need is neoprene socks and your boots.  Also, if you thrash a pair of waders all you need do is replace them and waders without boots are more cost effective than the all-in-one styles.  Regardless of the style of wading gear, lace up boots always offer better stability and have more room for adjustment of fit.  If you intend to fish in a variety of climates or waters, you may wish to adjust the thickness of socks and such, so adjustability of your boots is a plus. 

 

Felt bottoms offer the best grip on the bottom of most rivers I know. Felt soles with removable cleats are kinda cool. The cleats offer great traction on super slick rocks.  And if you don’t like them you can take them off and still have a plain felt sole.  Studded boots are a no-no in boats. 

 

A great pair of wading boots can be had for around $100.00.  When looking for wading boots, stay away from boots that have no pronounced heel.   Some boots are built with nearly flat soles from toe to heel.  While this does increase the amount of felt on the bottom it also is very unnatural.  You need weight on the felt to make it work and having too much surface area actually lessons grip.  This no heel design  doesn’t reflect the way balance is maintained with our own feet either.  Always use gravel guards.  They will protect your waders and your boots.

 

Allegations of non-native aquatic life and vegetation transfers from stream to stream have been associated with felt wading soles.   On a recent trip to the Owens River in California, I noticed a sign of cautionary note to this concern.  If technology can provide an equal or better sole material, I’ll be the first to get rid of my felt boots.  I believe there will be an effective replacement one day and that felt soles may even be restricted or outlawed in the future.  As someone who loves the sport, I believe we all share in the responsibility in protecting it.  

 

How to Pick a Pair of Waders

 

Talk about options and you’re talking about waders.  There are more styles and materials nowadays than ever before.  As usual, forget price.  Simply have a reason why you buy, what you buy, that has something to do with actually catching fish.   Hip, waist or chest waders is your first decision.  I highly recommend chest waders.  They will take you as deep as you can go short of using an aqua lung.   Really, with waders, the big choice is materials.  Like all things, there are pluses and minuses to all materials.

 

Regardless of the wader you choose, take them to a controlled environment, with a friend, and go for a swim.  Better to know what to do ahead of time, when you control all the factors.   I have taken countless swims with waders on and never felt them pulling me down.  If you choose chest waders, always wear a no stretch wading belt.

 

Rubber

 

Let’s start with good old rubber covered canvas or similar cloth.  They can be tough.  They are not very flexible.  They are easy to patch.   They can be very sweaty inside when it’s warm out but are relatively warm in colder weather.  Coincidently, they are very inexpensive and almost always come with an attached pull-over boot. 

 

Neoprene

 

Next would be Neoprenes.  Most are moderately tough.  They are very warm and a real good choice for winter fishing, but can be hot in warmer weather.  They are very flexible with lot’s of stretch.   They are very affordable.  The two most valuable assets of neoprene is buoyancy and the way they can seal water out if you take a swim.  I remember steelhead fishing one January day in Oregon.  The water was very clear, so I was fishing a very light tippet for such a fish.  I got hooked up only to find the fish spooling me downstream.  I was in a great spot but had a tree on the bank downstream that made this story.  I started downstream chasing the fish.  I got to the tree and a deep hole in the river appeared under the tree.  I couldn’t cross the river and couldn’t go above the tree, hmmm.  I got this idea that if I held my rod in one hand and hung onto the tree with the other I could kinda do-se-do around it.  My plan was working till I lost my grip on the tree.  It had been more than two hours since I had eaten, so I went for a swim.  I ended up losing the fish but noticed something remarkable when my feet were back on dry land.  I was only wet down to about my waste.  The neoprene waders had partially acted like a dry suit for diving by keeping water out, the natural buoyancy of the material made the return to land easier as well.  Later I noticed that they also kept me warm when wet like a wet suit for diving.  I have never looked at neoprene waders the same since.  It is a great material for rough cold water wading or for people that have concerns about taking a swim.  A very good pair of neoprenes can be bought for under $100.00 

 

Ballistic Nylon

 

The ballistic nylon waders have a place as well.  I have had a pair of these for decades, the same pair.  If you are hard on equipment get a pair of these in the 1000 thread count and have at it.  I don’t think anything short of a land mine can hurt them.  They are heavy.  They have no stretch.  They are only moderately warm in warmer weather and not very sweaty.  A good pair can be expensive. 

 

Light Weight Breathables

 

The last material to discuss is probably the most popular among today’s fisherman.  The breathable material waders.  They are light, flexible and allow perspiration to escape, making them very dry.  With the proper undergarments like fleece, they can be very warm.  They are moderately tough depending on how many layers are used in the knees, leg fronts and seat.   The outer shell material of breathable waders has a lot to do with how abrasion resistant they are.  Of all waders, prices vary greatly with these.  Bottom line, you can get a great pair of breathable waders for under $150.00.

 

Vests and Other Tackle Storage Systems 

 

Well, with a rod, reel, line, waders and boots, there’s only one thing left.  You can spend whatever you want on a vest or tackle storage gear.  Forget price.  Fish can’t read logos.   Full vests can be a little warm in the summer.  Long vests are going to get their bottom pockets wet.  Cotton materials will get heavy when wet and take longer to dry out.  Just make sure that your vest is a little adjustable.  As the seasons change, so will the clothing that your vest must fit over.  A vest that is too big will get in the way as it rolls uncontrollably around you while casting.  A good net ring on the back of a vest is very important.    You can spend as little as $30.00 and get a very functional vest.  Don’t overlook waist bags as an alternative.  When combined with a neck lanyard for hanging items, this can be a very effective set-up.

 

Nets and Other Equipment

 

There are tons of gadgets for fly fishing.  You will probably want a net.  I prefer catch and release nets.  The net bag is much less snaggy than the traditional open net weave.  I use a magnet release attached to the rim of the net with a tether going from the net ring on my vest to the handle end.  By carrying the net handle down and the tether running from the ring on my vest down to the handle, I am about as snag free walking through the woods as you can be.  Folding nets that attach to your waist belt in a pouch are kinda cool but I’m too old for that.

 

A pair of hemostats is a must.  Do yourself a favor and get a smooth jaw pair that will crimp barbs, pinch split shot and is equipped with scissors.  Do not use them for removing hooks as a matter of routine as this only ruins flies.  Get a good hook removal tool for fly fishing. 

 

A good pair of nippers for cutting line is very important.  You will want a pair capable of cutting line flush with a very small knot.  Many manufactures of nippers or clippers must think you intend to trim your toenails when fishing, but just try to cut the tag end of a knot with clippers that have the edge sharpened double bevels.  Clippers that are flat on the exposed surface and ground on the inside surface are best.   

 

You can spend as much for gadgets as you can make in a lifetime, apply the KISS (keep it simple stupid) method to gadgets.  Get a supply of 3x thru 8x tippet and a variety pack of small split shot  #6 thru #10 and you’re ready for just about anything.

Required Skills

 

Casting

 

I hope no one feels cheated, but casting is something no text can really teach.  Do yourself a favor, take a class to learn the basics.  The mechanics of good casting skills are not that difficult to learn.  Great casting skills are an issue of feel, a mystical perception of rod loading and a variable rhythm.  My only advice is to not dwell on casting as a science.  Spend time on land in a grassy area practicing. 

 

If you want to catch fish, keep your fly on the water.  I have watched people finish a drift then pick up-false cast-double haul-double haul-haul-double haul-false cast-haul-haul-double haul and finally present a 20-foot cast.   I guess casting makes these folks feel good or they’re too lazy to use a good fly floatant.  I can get from any pick-up, to any presentation, at nearly any distance, in no more than three strokes.  Ninety percent of the time I pick up and present.   Even among most of my fishing friends, I’ll make 3 drifts to 2 of theirs, this increases my odds of hooking up by 33%.  In forty years of fly fishing, I have never seen a fish taken while false casting or hauling.

 

I was talking to a buddy, who is a very fine fly fisherman, about mending one day.  He told me of a guy who he thought a legend of fly fishing on the Holston River.  One day he got an invite to fish with this legend.  As the legend began to fish, my buddy was appalled at the legend’s casting skills.  The legend was slaying fish though.  Nobody that had acquired such fame could be so bad.  Oh, the legend wasn’t that bad, but really wouldn’t be considered as even a good caster.   How on earth did this guy become a legend?  Mending!  He said this guy could mend line better than anyone he’d ever seen.  Mending is really two things.  First, the ability to get slack line off the water, quietly as possible without moving your fly/indicator or both.  Second, great mending will allow your fly to drift naturally on or through the water, unaffected by your line.   Mending should be part of any good beginning class.  

 

There are some fly fisherman who don’t even cast, they just mend.  When you’re out on the water, you’ll noticed people drifting flies down stream.  Facing downstream, they’ll bring their fly up near them then feed line directly down river as their fly drifts down in the current.  You can catch fish this way.  Just remember, fish face upstream when feeding.  This technique is pretty unproductive on wild fish.  Wild fish are not accustomed to seeing a hatchery worker standing in front of them. Streamer fishing aside, always fish across, or upstream at angles.  Enough  said.  

 

A well maintained line casts and mends far better and easier.  Keep your line clean and dressed.   Many great fisherman only possess  average casting skills.

 

Knots

 

Let’s start with knots and leaders.  Whew!  I collect books of knots.  And there are many books on knots.  I’ve seen instructions for tying leaders that scare me, and I know a bunch of knots.  Anyone that has ever fished with me comments on how simple my knot systems are.  Here you go!  A good knot is strong, and just as important, easy to tie on the river with cold fingers in the dark.  To fly fish for trout you only need three types of knots, a knot for joining two lines of dissimilar diameter, a knot for joining relatively similar diameters, and a terminal knot for your flies.

 

I do not use tapered leaders.  I do not use pre-tied leaders.  Leader construction should be determined by presentation method, water conditions, wind and weather, fish size, fly size, and fish behavior.  On rods I use daily, I do not use loop connections. 

 

To join lines of dissimilar diameters like fly line to leader or Mono that has very different diameters, use an Albright knot.  For joining lines of relatively similar diameters, use a Surgeon’s knot.  To tie a fly onto your tippet, use an Improved Clinch knot.  That’s it!  I can catch any fish, anywhere, anytime with only these three knots while fly fishing.  Are there some better knots?  Yes, I guess.  If you’re fishing larger flies, a good loop knot is nice to know, as it will allow the fly more erratic movement .  Do you ever in a lifetime of fly fishing have to know any other knots?   No, not really. 

 

Go to your local fly shop or book store and get a book on knots that includes these three or have someone show you how to tie them.  Master these three knots, clip the tag ends flush and you too can be a fly fishing master.   Who knows, you  may find other knots you like better.  But be advised, you will need to know one each of the three types of knots mentioned  previously.

 

If you choose to use a loop connecter on the end of your fly line, that’s fine.  Doing this will require knowledge of a loop knot.  I highly recommend a Surgeon’s loop knot.  It is easy and fast.  

 

How to Build a Leader 

 

What do you do with these knots?  Well here is how I rig a leader.   For all average 4 weight trout fishing,  I take approximately 4 feet of regular old fluorocarbon mono about 12# test using an Albright knot and attach it to my fly line.  I like the stiffness of this as it helps impart the last energy from the cast to the leader.  I usually leave this butt section on my line until it gets too short or worn out.  To the 12# test,  if I need a really long leader, I’ll attach a piece of 8# fluorocarbon mono, about three feet long, using a Surgeon’s knot.  The stiffness of this line will help in casting during windy conditions or help a really long leader turn over.  Tippet material is much more supple and has almost no memory, making it difficult to throw into the wind.  If it’s calm, I’ll go to 3x or 4x tippet from the 12# test using the Surgeon’s knot.   This intermediate section is where you’ll put an indicator if needed.  Here is where you need to think.  Your last section of tippet should be no more than 3 feet long and of an appropriate size.  I’ve heard it said that you can determine final tippet size by dividing the size of the fly by three.  A size 6 fly would use 2x tippet. A size twenty fly would use 7x tippet.  Pretty simple and not a bad formula.  I’ve seen many days on technical waters when it was 8x tippet or get skunked.  The main thing is to taper your leader down at least three times, this will help it turn over with your cast. 

 

True enough, store bought tapered leaders are easy, but you’re really limited in what they’re good for. Building leaders is fun.  Taking the time to learn how to tailor leaders will put a lot of fish in your scrapbook.  Just use common sense and think about building a bull whip.  Start with a stiff butt section and taper it at least three times, in diminishing or near uniform lengths, to the fly.  If you need a longer leader, insert more sections, but always maintain your taper.  Try to keep the sections of similar length for best turnover and never use any section longer that 4 feet.

 

Why would you need to fish a really long leader?  Water conditions have a lot to do with leader length.  Water that is running hard and has a lot of riffle effect makes the line/leader harder to see from the fish’s perspective.  Cloudy dark skies and heavy foliage canopies also make the line/leader harder to see if you’re a fish.  Rising water picks up material that causes the water to darken, thus limiting the vision of all fishes.   Slick flat water during periods of high sun can require much longer leaders to be successful.   How long?   I’ve had days on  some rivers that if you weren’t over 15 feet you weren’t catching fish.    

 

Let’s say you’re fishing a tiny little stream that has little casting room with lots of small plunge pools.  You don’t need a super leader turnover because you’re not going to roll out an epic cast.  Just put your 6x tippet material onto your 12# butt section.  The line diameters are very dissimilar so use an Albright Knot.  If you’re nymph fishing, put your indicator near the knot on your butt section near where the 6x tippet is connected.  With a wet fly and indicator, this type of leader is called a 90-degree leader because it allows the fly to drop nearly straight down from the indicator.

 

Fishing tandem flies is simple.  Take a piece of tippet material and tie an Improved Clinch knot to the bend of the hook on the first fly and tie the second fly on using an Improved Clinch knot.  Whether you’re fishing a dry and a dropper or two wets, it will work just fine.  Always rig the bigger or heavier fly first in a tandem rig so they will drift most naturally and you’ll tangle the flies less during casting.

 

Start out building your own leaders and you’ll catch more fish from day one.  It is well worth the effort.  Being efficient at knots and flexible in rigging is a skill all great fly fisherman have.

 

Wading    

 

If you want to have a good day, don’t fall in. Wading is a skill all it’s own.  A good wading staff can help.  While I haven’t seen the need for one yet, my day is probably coming.  I like the folding staffs that can be stowed while fishing.  Having a staff hooked to you and floating around in the water while fishing, stripping line, and landing fish looks like it could be a little cumbersome.

 

Move slowly and methodically.  Try to not disrupt the water as you move.  Small sounds travel like lightening under water.   Look for movement of fish as you wade.   The first fish most beginners see is one they have spooked darting away.

 

One thing I do know, never, ever transfer your weight to your forward foot until you know it’s on something solid.   You cannot wade like you walk.  It’s a lot like mountain climbing in the respect that you should slowly transfer your weight once you’ve got a solid hold.  Stay on top of your feet.  We all lean forward when walking, it’s natural.  In wading, the forward momentum of walking equals swimming. 

 

As previously discussed, by this point you should already know what to expect if you go swimming with your waders on.  Watch for and avoid fishing upstream from logs and snags laying over the water.  If the current you’re in funnels under one of these obstructions, move.  No fish is worth your life.

 

Spotting Fish

 

Spotting fish  is fun and a real productive fishing skill.  Take those fine glasses and spend some time every trip just looking for fish.  Sunny days are great when you’re first starting out.  Often times, it is much easier to look for the fish’s shadow than the fish.  This skill pays big in successful fishing.  Not because you are going to try and catch the fish you see, but rather so you can pattern what they’re doing.  Are they nymphing,  eating emergers low or near the surface?  Here’s a big secret, are they eating shucks, the hard body shell that nymphs crawl out of to become the winged version of their life cycle?  A good top water feeding pattern is easy to see.  The main thing is to learn to look for trout.  As you progress, you will find this skill more and more important. 

 

You can really get your feelings hurt though.  How do the fish react to your fly and presentation?  I have seen fish run as if offended by the presence of the wrong fly.  I’ve seen fish migrate to another continent when a high-vis indicator comes anywhere around them.  How close and at what angles can you approach fish without spooking them?  Where are they holding in the stream? 

 

Three significant questions are answered by spotting fish, where are they, what are they doing and how do they react to what I’m doing?  Each river is different and there are factors that can change a “known” river in a heartbeat.   Learn to spot fish and watch them.  The fish will teach you more than any human can.   Move slowly and quietly at all times when in the water.

 

Don’t forget to look for signs of fish.  Like anything else, they displace water.  This means when they move, water must move as well.  Always be mindful of changes in surface currents. 

 

Really big fish will often spook smaller fish. 

 

This is “THE SKILL” most great fisherman have.

River Approach

 

Well this may sound confusing, but river approach is critical.  Make sure you have all your functional, well maintained gear.  River approach, means knowing everything you can before you wet a line. 

 

Research the river as best you can before you get your feet wet.  The internet is a wonderful tool.  There are web sites that have chat rooms containing wonderful information.  Heck, it can’t hurt.  Look for articles that contain information on fly selection, rigging and access.  Usually, a river’s web site will contain some local fly shops.   Give them a call.

 

When you are going to a river you’ve never fished before, plan to visit a local fly shop before you start fishing.  Here’s where things can get real tricky.  Remember why these shops exist, to make money.  Shops that operate a guide service may not necessarily want you to be too successful on your own.  I think the reason is obvious.  One of the finest indicators of what you need is what stock they are low on.  Items that are dusty generally aren’t part of success on local rivers.  If other fisherman are in the store, watch what they buy.   I have learned a lot about local fly selection by doing this.  What tippet sizes are popular for the local river?  What is the preferred indicator style and color among the locals?  The shop will carry what is  in demand and the demand will be driven by what works.   Learn to read the local fly shop and you’ll be ahead of the game.  Become too dependent on the advise of fly shop personnel and you’re going to have a lot of expensive frustrating days fishing, but others may give you some good advice. 

 

Be courteous to other fishermen.  If given a chance, introduce yourself.  Ask what they’ve had success with.  Now some won’t give you the time of day, but some will offer advice freely.  If nothing else, while trying to be cordial, look at their fly patch.  It will often contain flies they have tried.   Don’t be too obvious about this as it is the fishing equivalent of staring at, you know, the wrong part of the anatomy in a low cut dress or a tight pair of jeans.  

 

Okay, let’s get on the water.  You stop the vehicle, put your waders on  and leave your rod in the vehicle.  Yep, leave your rod in the vehicle.  You must look around before you start fishing.  No, you really don’t need to leave your rod behind but if you can’t control yourself, feel free.  Even on rivers I fish regularly, I don’t just start casting. 

 

Stand on the bank and look at what is going on.  What bugs are out and about?  Don’t forget to look on the shoreline bushes and trees.  Give a couple a good shake.  Whatever is in the foliage may fall in the water and feeding on these insects may pick up dramatically if the wind does.  Are there fish rising?  Get in the water and roll a couple of rocks over.  Look for what nymphs are holding on rocks.  Pull a little aquatic vegetation up and shake it above your hand, see what falls out.  Look in the water.  Stand facing upstream with your legs close together.  The water slows just a little before it gets to your legs, look in the water.  Bug seines are available for this if you’re so inclined.

 

Even on a river “you know like the back of your hand” this practice may save the day.   Everything you need to know to have a great day is before you, stop for a moment and take it in. You can’t create it or divine it, nature does.

 

You should know before wetting a line what food items will be on ol’ mister trout’s menu for the day. 

Locating Trout

 

This skill is often referred to as the ability to read water.  In all this wet world, fish concentrate in relatively few areas.   Where trout hold to eat is a direct indication of what they are eating.  Understanding where trout hold while eating is real basic.    

 

Look for areas where the flow concentrates. As the flow of water is funneled into a smaller area, so is the food.  The outside bend of a river is always a good place for this.  Look for currents that form a “V.”  The point at the bottom of the “V” being down stream.  When the flow of water is narrowed, it concentrates the food into a smaller area.

 

These “V’s” can be created by many things.  A trough in the bottom of the stream will concentrate current.  A single rock will concentrate current on the down river side as the water comes back together.  Two obstacles in the river will always create a “V” current between them.  Don’t forget where two streams come together also forms a “V” current.  Depending on current strength, the trout may hold in the middle of the current or just to the side.  Always start fishing the side of the current closest to you and slowly, and thoroughly, work to the other side.  Trout holding in or near very swift water will usually be eating nymphs or early emergers.

 

Trout eating sub-surface or surface flies will generally hold in a little calmer water.  That is to say an area where the water surface is much less distorted by  flow.  Why?  It’s simple, they have to see the fly coming.  They still prefer though, a place where the river flow concentrates from wide to narrow.

 

If you find yourself on a river that has patches of aquatic vegetation, try to look for these “V’s” just down stream.  Aquatic vegetation equals bugs.  Aquatic vegetation  just above a current concentration equals a real prime spot to get bit by mister trout.

 

Trout eating terrestrials are usually closer to the bank.  Of course this is because that’s where terrestrials come from.  Look for the fish in areas where the current concentrates flow near or along the bank. An outside bend is ideal for this.  If you find yourself on a river bordered by a farm or park with someone mowing near the river’s edge and it’s late summer or early fall, try fishing the local terrestrial patterns just down stream of the mower.  This is the fresh water equivalent of fishing behind a shrimp boat in saltwater.

 

A Trout’s Daily Menu

 

Trout feed instinctively, but part of that instinct is getting more from what they eat than they expend catching it.  This is nature’s law.  Trout are wild creatures that instinctively respond to aquatic and terrestrial cycles.  The eagerness with which trout eat is determined by the amount of food in the river.  In more sterile rivers, trout seemingly eat anytime and will instinctively take nearly any well presented fly.  In very fertile waters, they often eat one type of fly at a time. At a local fly shop you can probably find a cheat sheet of sorts that loosely defines these hatch cycles from month to month.  To catch wild fish, you must naturally present something that initiates the “ongoing feeding response.” 

 

An ongoing feeding response is best understood by seeing the contents of a trout stomach.  Whether when cleaning fish, looking in the mouth of a caught fish or stomach pumping if legal, you will find nearly all the same content.  It is very common to find mostly one food source in the stomach of a trout, at any given time.   How much of one food source is in the river also has significance.  Example, a lone Sulphur can drift downriver seemingly forever without being eaten.  They’re feeding, but not on sulphurs.  To trigger a feeding response you must know what is in the river and present it naturally when trout are feeding on that particular food item. 

 

On any given day you will not find an extreme variety of trout food in most rivers.  That being said, it can change from day to day or even hour to hour.  If you spent some time observing, before you started fishing, you should have a good idea of what is around and in the river that fish might be feeding on.  Sorry, trout aren’t that smart.  If it makes you feel better, you may think trout geniuses.  But know in your heart that when you get skunked, you didn’t figure out what was going on.  Nature speaks continuously.  People listen, if at all, in bursts of varying lengths.

 

Well, by now you should know it is important to be able to see fish.  You’ve spent a little time in the local fly shop.  Lastly, you left your rod in the car until you looked around the river a bit.  If you see fish hugging the bottom and only moving slightly from side to side, chances are they are feeding at or near the bottom on small nymphs.  This is where you will need your fly to be.  Use as little weight as possible to get to the bottom.  This will allow the nymph to move freely along the bottom as opposed to looking like it is being towed.  This will require casting above your target area and allowing your flies to sink to full depth before they reach the fish.  Fish eating small nymphs don’t move much.  First, small nymphs do not offer much of a meal unless many are eaten.  No fish will exert too much effort to get one.  Tiny nymphs do not queue a feeding reaction from across a river, they must be close.  Hence, the slight movement from side to side.   Fish will generally hold beside a current that concentrates flow into a small area and as the food goes by, they move over, snatch a snack and move back to wait for another.  If you see this behavior, fish a small nymph in a pattern that mimics the small nymphs you found earlier, before you started fishing.

 

If you notice fish moving more aggressively along the bottom, it’s time to go to larger patterns.  If you’re in a river with big stone fly nymphs, I’d go straight to that.  It is true that trout have great vision but they can’t see a size 26 from very far and more importantly they will not swim across a larger river to get one.   Fish actively feeding like this might also be eating other bottom dwelling creatures like crayfish, aquatic worms or sculpins.  Always use as little weight as you can, this greatly improves your fly’s action underwater.

 

Fish that rise from the bottom slowly, never breaking the surface, and return slowly are usually eating early emergers, shucks or drowned terrestrials.  By early emergers I mean the insects that are not ready to fly.  These insects are very vulnerable as they attempt to get free of their larva shuck. Wing cases will be very small, if at all.  Trout exhibiting this behavior could also be eating drowned terrestrials.  During a period of high ant populations, try fishing an ant wet.  Oh yea, trout love ants.  

 

If you see trout surfacing but with only their dorsal fin or tail breaking the water, they are eating sub-surface food.  This can be real tough to figure out.  It could be emergers, terrestrials, nymphs, shucks, drowned surface insects or a host of things.  But having stood facing upstream with your legs together, creating an eddy, you should have an idea what they might be feeding on.  Try fishing everything you found on your “approach to the river” just sub-surface.

 

A top water bite is the easiest to figure out.  Why, because both you and the fish are looking at the same thing.  Tie the appropriate dry fly on and put a dropper of the same pattern, in emerger style, 10 to 16 inches behind it and hold on!

 

Size does matter.  Try to match the size of the food as best you can.  You do not have to match it exactly.  It’s best if you can, but don’t get obsessive.  As a rule, one or two sizes smaller is usually better than bigger.

Feeding Times

 

Trout typically feed as insect hatches or other events occur.  All trout are phototropic to some degree.  Monster trout are extremely phototropic.  That is to say they don’t like bright sunlight.  During the warmer months, fishing is usually best early in the morning and later in the evening.  A cloudy day can be good all day long.  On a really bright, warm midday, look for feeding trout to be in a little deeper water or water with a little more riffle on top.  Both have the effect of diffusing direct sunlight and protecting the trout from predatory birds.  Shoreline canopies and topography can offer shade, when combined with a concentrating current flow, you have a great midday spot for rod bending.

 

Wind can turn on a bite.  This is particularly true when terrestrials abound.  Breezes dislodge critters from their shoreline foliage.  Rain can have the same effect.  For flying terrestrials like hoppers, ants and beetles, wind leads to pilot error which leads to emergency landings on the water.  Dinner time!

 

As winter approaches, trout can move from their normal holding areas.  A trout’s metabolism slows as the water temperature decreases.  As their metabolism slows, their need to eat slows.  You’ll no longer find trout holding in real heavy currents because they have to expend too much energy to fight the current and food is usually more sparse.  On a freestone stream, fishing is usually best after the day warms up a bit.  Typically, the middle of the day is when trout get active and feed.  Coincidently, insects become more active as the water warms a little.  Funny how it all works together.

 

Water that is becoming cloudy from rain runoff can turn on a bite.  During this event, usually there is no top water activity.  As the rain scours bushes, trees, and the forest floor, bugs are washed away.  Away to ol’ mister trout.  Darkening water is one of the best times to catch monster trout.   The water is loaded with food and sunlight is diminished.  Tie on a river appropriate nymph and follow it with a pink or red worm imitation and hold on.  This bite is best when the water is becoming dark because that’s when things are being washed into the river in the largest volume.   

 

On a tailwater fishery, below a dam, things are different for trout and the insects they eat.  Why, because the dam has a stabilizing affect on the water temperature.  The closer to the dam, the more consistent the water temperature.  This is why tailwaters can be so productive and acclaimed  for the size of their trout.  Often. there is little seasonal difference in feeding times on tailwaters

Putting it all Together

 

Where trout are holding is the best indication of what they’re eating.  Nymphing trout will generally hold near seams in the current.  They won’t be in the swiftest water but just off to the side near the bottom.  Often times you can’t see nymphing trout because the water is running so fast.  Trout will move to a little calmer water when a top water bite or emerger bite is coming.  Fish that hold near the bank are usually waiting for terrestrials or land based bugs.  But all trout prefer places where currents, swift or calm, create flow concentrations and ambush points. 

 

You’ve got a pretty good idea of what they might eat throughout the day, based on all your “River Approach” observations.  So tie it on!

 

I like to position my self downstream, at about a 45 degree angle to the target.  This keeps me out of the trout’s cone of vision.  Plus, the sound vibrations created by wading does not travel as well upstream as it does downstream.  If you have a very long current seam to fish, start at the bottom and work your way up.

 

Once you’ve targeted fish or a likely holding spot,  with dries or nymphs, you will need to cast above the area and let your flies drift naturally to the targeted area.  If the fish seem spooky, you may need to cast even further up current from them, perhaps 15 feet or more.   Let your fly drift well below the targeted area as a premature pick-up may also spook fish.

Mend your line to keep slack line off the water as best you can while allowing the flies to drift naturally without movement.

 

The lane method of fishing is without a doubt the most productive.  Think of your target being in the middle of several 12 inch wide lanes running downstream, two lanes to the right of your target, three lanes over your target, two lanes to the left.  Start casting in the lane closest to you.  After making several drifts, cast a little further out to the next lane and so on. This method prevents “lining fish.”

 

Lining a fish, means to drop or allow your fly line to drift over targeted fish.  Ultimately, you should try to only let leader material drift over fish, never fly line.  The results of lining fish varies from river to river.  On some rivers it’s not important at all, on others it’s a major no-no.   My best advice is to bring your “A” game to every river and let the fish decide.

 

In some situations fish will not tolerate a lane method of presentation.  Some super spooky trout will not tolerate repetitive drifts.  This is most common on small spring creeks.  If this is the case,  study the current carefully and place your flies well above the fish in such a manner that you, hopefully, drift through the fish’s strike zone.  You may only get one or two chances at any given fish.   Never line a fish on a spring creek.

 

If you have identified the current local food sources, fished them carefully and thoroughly when and where trout are holding to eat them, with good knots and well maintained equipment, well then,  POOF! You’re on your way to being a master fly fisherman! 

Stocked Trout

 

If you are prepared for wild trout, catching stocked trout is easy!  By stocked trout, I mean “put and take” trout.  These trout are put into rivers, by hatcheries, for sportsman to take.  Genetically, many of them can’t even reproduce.  Stocked trout will usually hit anything a wild trout will. Stocked trout don’t have their wild instincts all intact.  They will eat just about anything that looks like food.  If there has been a lot of top water activity, throw almost any dry fly and you’ll catch stocked trout. 

 

Here’s a good pattern for stocked trout, anywhere at any time.   A good high riding #12 to #16 Coachman or Adam’s with a #16 to #20 bead head Pheasant tail or bead head Hare’s ear 16 to 24 inches behind it. 

 

Stocked trout have their place.  Stocked rivers are great training grounds for acquiring skills that any fly fisherman needs.  These trout generally don’t require the same expertise that wild trout can.  A beginner can learn fly fishing skills and catch fish at the same time.  As your skills improve, you’ll begin to slay stock trout in numbers. Like their wild cousins, they respond better to good casting, mending, knots and so on.

Fishing with Guides

 

Know how to get the most out of guides.  Good guides can really accelerate your skills and understanding of the sport.  A guided trip, on a river new to you, can be very rewarding by gaining local knowledge quick, fast and in a hurry.  Much has been written about how to select a reputable guide.  I’m not going to concern this text with this. 

 

What I will caution you about is being honest with your guide, prior to your trip.  Most good guides know the rivers they guide on well.  If you misrepresent your skills and abilities, it causes problems.  Any good guide is going to assess your skills anyway.  You see, guides have different places they prefer to take people of varying skills and abilities.   They also have fishing techniques suitable to any skill level.  Do what you can do to speed up the quality of your day by being honest with your guide. 

 

Try to contact your guide prior to your trip.   Volunteer information about your skills.  Find out what to expect.  Find out what to bring.  Find out about the expected weather and water conditions.  Tell your guide if you would like to catch a lot of fish or big fish.  These can be two entirely different things.   A skilled guide will take all this information and formulate a plan for your fishing day.  Remember, you can make this a learning experience.   The outcome of your trip depends as much on you as it does on the guide.

Fishing Etiquette & Politics

 

This subject is talked about to death.  Everybody has a different idea of what good river behavior is.  If you venture onto more popular waters, you will get a chance to see some really rude people.  While this is not overbearing, it does happen. 

 

Fishing etiquette can be very different around the country.  This is a great question to ask at the local fly shop.

 

The two big things, on all rivers, is to be nice and give your fellow fisherman a little room.  Don’t ever sacrifice your humanity or dignity, for a fish.  Know, for a fact, rude people generally aren’t very good fisherman.

 

If you want to keep a few legal fish, go ahead.  Just don’t let them ruin in a freezer somewhere.  Don’t become a political idiot.  Not everyone is a fly fisherman. If populations start dropping, for any reason, the fisheries experts will take appropriate measures through regulatory changes.  Now more than ever, states realize the importance of protecting established fisheries.  Why,  because of the revenues they provide.   States really love self-sustaining fisheries because they require very little expenditure versus revenues generated.  Trust me, our fisheries people, while not perfect, are the best they’ve ever been.

 

There are many great organizations supporting our sport.  Join up if you wish.  It’s a great way to help the sport and sort through the challenges in changing times.

 

As the popularity of our sport increases, new problems arise.  The increase in popularity has created a profitable business in land ownership and the commercialization of access to our streams.   This is truly a shame.  Also, there are a goodly number of fisherman that trash our rivers and tear up farm roads leading to them.  This also is a shame. 

 

Be nice, be respectful, and always remember, the natural world was gifted to us for a little while.  Only we can refuse to gift it to future generations.

Common Mistakes

 

·Thinking trout are smart as opposed to instinctive

 

·Obsessing about casting

 

·Bad knots

 

·Poorly maintained fly lines

 

·Only fishing down stream (unless swinging wet flies)

 

·Not getting nymphs deep enough

 

·Using too much weight in front of a nymph

 

·Using flies that are too large

 

?Moving around too much and or too noisily

 

?Not being honest with your guide

 

Final Thoughts

 

I hope this minimalist text has cleared the muddy water of how to get started and attain some level of success.  I have helped so many people catch their first fish, it just seemed natural to put it in writing.  If you never resource more information, you will, with experience and time on the river, continue to improve.  But know this, there are many great books covering this sport.  Once you get the basics and start having some success, continuing to seek insight through other texts will just make you that much better.  This was never intended to be the end all text of fly fishing.

 

I have tried to define a bare bones set of skills, knowledge and equipment to get you started.  There are many knots and rigging techniques, not covered here, that will improve your catches.  There is a ton of equipment, including rods of various weights, lengths and actions that all have a place. 

 

The lack of name brand recommendations is intentional.  Fish don’t fear logos or price tags.