Key Fly Fishing Tips For Beginners (Lesson 1)

In my Key Fly Fishing Tips for beginners series I want all that read it to understand that not only is fly fishing one of the most popular sports around but also one of the most fun and relaxing as well. I am really trying to cater to the beginners here. I know that learning to fly fish can be a bit tough but I’m hoping my experience can help all the newbie’s who are interested in the great sport of fly fishing.

1. Casting

The first key fly fishing tip is casting. How to fly cast is probably one of the most important things you need to master in your fly fishing journey. How to fly cast takes practice and patience and will definitely make the difference in becoming successful or just downright perturbed with your fly fishing.

I learned to cast on the outside of my barn in the far pasture. I painted numbers on the side as fly fish strike indicators and spent hours aiming at the different numbers. By doing this you will learn how to fly cast ever so more precisely and efficiently. So fly fishing tip one is casting and the importance. I spent hours learning how to fly cast but even if you spent a few minutes a day your skill level will greatly increase.

I don’t want to scare anyone by telling them that without learning to fly cast you won’t be able to catch fish. I’m just saying that I guarantee you will catch more fish if you follow my key fly fishing tips. So don’t do all your fishing behind the barn. Just use some spare time and practice the techniques.

Watch for the next article on my series on Key Fly Fishing Tips for Beginners. It will get more exciting and get you to the pond quicker than you think.

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Fly Fishing Journals

Fly fishing is more than just fishing, it’s a peaceful, surreal activity. For many, there is almost a meditative quality to casting. For avid fly fisherman, fly fishing trips to locations such as the Battenkill River in Vermont, Green River in Utah and Letort in Pennsylvania are a must. Of course, the possibility of trips to Argentina, Alaska and other exotic locations can make ones eyes glassy. For many, however, past fly fishing experiences fade from the memory with time. If you had keep a fly fishing journal, this doesn’t have to be the case.

There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank’s Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your fly fishing sessions will hopefully be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.

A good fly fishing journal combines a number of characteristics. First, it should be compact. Second, it should have a water-resistant pages and a case to protect it from the elements. Third, the journal should contain blank areas to write your notes. Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues should include:

1. Who you went fishing with,

2. The weather conditions,

3. The fishing conditions,

4. The flies you used, what worked and what didn’t,

5. What you caught, and

6. Lodging and places to eat,

As time passes, your fly fishing journal can be used as:

1. A guide for you or friends that return the same location,

2. Information on gear and flies to take,

3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and

4. Something to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Keeping a fly fishing journal only requires a few minutes of writing. You can fill it out on the ride home or during a break. As time passes, your journal will become a collection of incredibly valuable fly fishing information. Imagine the look on a friend’s face after they mention going on a trip and you whip out your journal for the spot!

I Know Knot What I Do

When it comes to fly fishing, tying a knot is not the most glamorous of subjects. Without a knot, however, you’ll not be snatching the Muskie of your dreams.

Fly Fishing Knots

First thing first, we need to get the lingo down since we wont be using illustrations in this article. Three basic terms will cover practically any aspect of the knot tying process. “Tag end” refers to the last ten inches of so of line you are holding in your hand, to wit, the pointy part you will be pushing through and wrapping around things. “Standing end” refers to the rest of the line. Yes, very complicated and difficult to understand. “Wrap” refers to the action wherein you move the tag end of the line one full revolution around the standing end. The wrap can also be called a turn, but you have the general idea.

As with practically anything in fly fishing, there are an infinite number of variations to knots. Mysterious variations include the Steroidius Double Flip [good for catching professional athlete fish], the Marigold Hammer [good for catching the neighbor’s plants while practicing in your back yard] and the Wifeous Annoyous [a complex knot that gets you in trouble with the wife since you’re supposed to be painting the garage], but you probably start with the “Aarrgg, Dammit…” knot common to beginners.

Fisherman’s Knot

Other than tying your shoes, the easiest knot to learn is the fisherman’s knot. Get your hook in one hand and tag end in the other. And a one and a two…

1. As you proceed, keep everything slack. We will be passing the tag end through loops we create. DO NOT tighten anything until told to!

2. Pull the tag end through the eye of the hook.

3. Bend the tag end back to the standing end and wrap four or five times. Make sure you do not tighten the wrap. [You should now have a closed loop through the hook.]

4. Take your tag end and push it through the loop formed by the wrap. Do not push it through the hook eye, just the bigger loop of line.

5. You will have just created another loop and should pass the tag end through again.

6. Slowly pull on the hook and stag end until the knot is tight. Watch those fingers.

Congratulations! If you’ve tied the perfect knot, it is time to hit local fishing spot. If you’ve made a mess of it, try again. Either way, you get to avoid painting the garage.

Thanks

Casting for the right fishing rods

Rods are an essential piece of the puzzle whether you're fly fishing, surf fishing, or deep-sea trolling. It's almost as if the fish can sense the quality of your rod even with the feet of water between you and him. Why bother getting reeled in by this piece of junk, they might say.

Seriously, the right rod has a serious impact on your skills. For instance, with flying , a proper rod can directly affect how well you cast. The wrong rod could leave you well wide of your wanted mark, whereas a high caliber rod can put you precisely where you want to be.

Plus, high quality fishing rods are also much more dependable than junkers. You may be able to pick up a rod on the cheap and save a few bucks, but imagine the feeling when that rod falls apart at the wrong moment. Say, you are finally on that vacation with your buddies to Minnesota, pull out on one of those beautiful one thousand lakes, when you're rod snaps apart in your hands. That's not a pretty picture to say the least.

Now that you're sure you need a quality rod, here are some of the telltale signs that you should look for. Check out the make and composition of your rod. Today's strongest and lightest models come with graphite composition or other alloys. Examine the cork, too. It should not require any tape or extra glue to fit to blank. The guides should be of a strong durable metal and perhaps even coated with some sort of rust protectant.

With these qualities in mind among others, do a thorough job with your research. Put as much effort into finding the right fishing rods as you would investing in the best set of golf clubs.

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