Persevere, And You Will Catch That Trout!

I took up fly fishing some four years ago. I had always been a keen fisherman, mostly course fishing on rivers, but I wanted a change. I was getting bored for some reason, and as I get older feel less inclined to sit and wait for hours on end!

I decided to investigate and go and look at a fly fishing water. I knew nothing about this branch of the sport, but I found the fishery manager to be very knowledgeable and spent a very pleasant afternoon talking to him and fellow fly fishers.

I also found the lakes to be stunningly beautiful, and this, I believe, is important and the basis for my first tip:

1. Fish somewhere pleasant.

When I started fly fishing, I never thought I’d catch anything. I had been several times and always enjoyed it, probably because of tip 1 above.

When it comes to casting practice, it’s an excellent idea to:

Tip 2. Have some fly casting lessons.

Casting a fly line is completely different to any other type of casting. It’s not hard, but technique is everything. Bad casting can ruin your pleasure and even put you off altogether.

Once my casting had improved I found my general confidence improved too. After all, if you at least feel that you are casting correctly you won’t feel out of place amongst other fishers! Despite the improved level of my confidence, I still hadn’t caught a fish though.

Tip 3. Talk to the other fishermen.

Don’t be afraid to talk to the other fishers, particularly when you see someone taking a fish. Their advice is invaluable and you will learn a lot from them. Don’t ever adopt a “know it all” demeanour, no matter how long you have fished for. There is always something new to learn!

It is often by asking questions from experienced fishers our knowledge increases and we learn more about our sport.

One thing you must never do though is:

Tip 4. Admit defeat and pack up fishing altogether.

Never do this. No matter how many tangles and how many times you get caught in a tree behind you, just enjoy the day and keep at it. As you improve these things, whilst they will always happen, will not happen so often!

Once you have mastered the basics you can then:

Tip 5. Change the way you do things.

If you are like me, you will go out and buy all sorts of books about your new sport and try and learn everything you can. This is absolutely the right thing to do, but don’t be afraid to go against the perceived wisdom at times.

The perceived wisdom of fly fishing is not always appropriate. This is particularly true when fishing a lake for example, where the fish have probably seen a million flies in their time, and mostly cast out as far as possible – so try fishing the margins, close in where no one else ever fishes!

Never be afraid to be different in your fly fishing methods, as this can pay huge dividends.

Zac has been a steady fly fisherman for many years, and enjoys passing on tips and advice. When starting the sport Zac recommends buying fly fishing combos. The great thing about fly fishing combos is that you buy all the main elements, rod, line and reel at a discounted price.