Written by Cash Bleier
We have all heard the old saying: “Do as I say, not as I do”. Well, that saying is the underlying message of this article. Through my errors in attempting to learn the art of fly fishing, you will learn from my mistakes and put these lessons to good use. These mistakes are the recommendations that I am attempting to bestow upon anyone who is considering learning to fly fish.
Fly fishing is a dying art that presents many challenges when compared to conventional rod and reel fishing. Not only is it harder to cast, but it takes much longer to develop a deep understanding of the various types of flies, lines, reels, and rods- but that is a conversation for another time. Here we will examine what I would do if I had another go at learning on fly fishing based on the mistakes I made and different resources I wish I knew about when taking up the difficult sport of fly fishing.
Let us start with the rod and reel. This is easy and can be fairly inexpensive. Most big box stores (Field & Stream, L.L Bean, Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc) have very well put together fly fishing starter kits. These kits include a rod, reel, flies, line, leader, and tippet. Essentially, it contains all the basic gear you will need to catch some fish on the fly. Fly rods are measures by weights (weights refer to the weight of the fly line you will be using). I would recommend purchasing a 5 weight fly rod setup for a beginner- these will be your most versatile rods for fishing the Finger Lakes Region. Now, you won’t be battling 10+ pound salmon during the fall run with a 5 weight but you will easily be able to land bluegill all the way up to trout and bass. Do not start with a rod any longer than 8.5 feet. The shorter the rod the easier it will be to learn to cast, but there is a trade off. The longer your rod, the further and more accurate you can cast, but longer rods are harder to control. So, a solid 5 weight fly rod starter kit from a big box store should put you back about $100. Considering the amount of gear you get in these kits, that’s a fair price. Believe me, flies (the lures of fly fishing) are expensive and you will lose dozens.
Now that you have your gear, it is time to learn how to do it. Now this is going to be the most important part of this article. This paragraph contains perhaps the single piece of information I wish I knew above all else when beginning my fly fishing journey. That is: L.L. Bean offers FREE fly fish casting classes. Through their Outdoor Discovery School program, L.L. Bean has a course titles Fly Casting Basics where individuals interested in beginning to fly fish can go and learn the basics of a cast and retrieval for free. Yes you can learn to cast based on YouTube videos or various other media outlets but, casting is the hardest part of fly fishing and it is very easy to develop bad habits that can inhibit your ability to cast consistently and accurately. I made the mistake of trying to learn through watching videos and needles to say, it did not work out too well. Take it from me, it is very important to learn to cast a fly rod from someone who knows what they are doing rather than teaching yourself.
Now that you have your kit, and you can cast, it is time to learn to catch some fish. When putting everything together and pursuing fish for the first time, I believe it is best to get a few small poppers (size 6 to 10) and target panfish. Panfish are very easy to catch and will allow you to get a feel for the whole cast and retrieval process without a 4 pound bass pulling on the end if your line. It is best to find a well cut, clear area where you can minimize your risk of snags on your back cast. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, fly fishing from a canoe or kayak can be very beneficial because it gets you out on the water and away from the thick vegetation that can line bodies of water.
Casting along the banks of a river or shore can be very difficult. Once I learned the basics of fly fishing, I tried to target trout and became very frustrated when I would constantly get my flies stuck in the trees and bushes that lined the banks of streams. It is much easier to find a body of water will well-mowed banks and practice there.
Fly fishing is an artform that is often looked as difficult to learn, which is true. It is difficult to learn, but not impossible. There are many memorable moments in my life that fishing has given me and one of my favorite is landing my first bass in a small pond near my home while fly fishing. Perhaps the best piece of advice I can give someone who is considering starting to fly fish is: do it. It is difficult but it is rewarding. Who knows, you may get hooked like I did.
585 Outdoors 