So You Want to Learn to Fly Fish
Written by Diane Luebbers
Every fly fisher has a story of how they discovered the sport. Some were introduced to fly fishing by a family member. Others were taught by a generous friend willing to share their knowledge and gear with a newbie. Still others, after watching the movie A River Runs Through It were instantly smitten, enchanted by the spectacular beauty of the rivers and mountains, and the graceful artistry of the fly fisher as he cast his line over the cold, clear waters of the Gallatin River. These fans bought all the necessary gear and promptly packed up and moved to Montana where the movie was filmed. I took the longer method – after being smitten with the sport in Michigan, I didn’t move to Montana for two more years.
Whatever the method, each newly hatched fly fisher has had to somehow acquire the gear and learn the basics of the sport in order to be successful on a trout stream. As for me, I’ve gotten a lot of advice over the years, taken lots of classes, watched many hours of video, and read tons of books on the subject. Instead of following in my footsteps and spending all that effort and all those years (20 to be exact) to get good at fly fishing, I’ll give you the short version of how to best learn to fly fish. Ready? Here we go.
You’ll need some basic equipment, but before spending any money, consider taking a class through your state wildlife resources commission or a local fly shop or outfitter to see if you really like the sport. Most classes have equipment for students to use if they don’t have their own. These classes are typically inexpensive, some are even free.
If you decide to take the next step and buy your own gear, here’s a list of the basic items you will need: A fly rod, a fly reel, a fly fishing line that works with the rod you’ve purchased, flies, nippers to cut tippet, and hemostats for removing hooks from the jaw of the fish after you’ve landed it.
If you’re going to wade fish, as most fly fishers do, you’ll also need waders, a wader belt, gravel guards, and wading boots. Be sure to get your waders before you purchase boots since you’ll need to make sure the neoprene socks attached to the waders will fit in the boots comfortably. Put on some thick socks, then the waders, and then step into the boots to make sure the boots will not feel too tight. You may have to go up a size or two from your regular shoe size. Other handy items include a hat with a brim or a baseball cap, a pair of polarized sunglasses, and last but certainly not least, a wading staff.
In my opinion, a wading staff is the most important piece of equipment to have if you step even one foot in a river to fish. Why? Because the strength and power of currents may cause you to lose your footing when trying to get to a particularly fishy spot, and jagged rocks in a stream or river bed can be treacherous to navigate. Roots in the trail by the river can be problematic as well when you are wearing those awkward wading boots. Case in point, last month I fell and sprained my left arm on dry land. While hiking a trail by the river, my left foot caught a root and I went flying. I spared my rod but spoiled my left arm and ended up at Emerge Ortho for x-rays because I wasn’t using my wading staff at the time.
Other additional gear: A vest or pack with lots of compartments for all the small tools of the trade, a net for landing trout, a rain jacket, an entire change of clothes in case you fall in and water gets inside your waders (it happens more often than you’d think), plenty of bottled water, snacks, and a pair of warm socks.
Once you have your gear and have taken a couple of basic instruction classes, it’s almost time to get out on the water. But wait, don’t you want to be successful? Sure, you do. Take a good entomology class from a local fly shop or outfitter. The more you know about what bugs the trout are eating, when and where they are in the river, the faster you will become competent.
The last thing you may want to do is find a fishing buddy. It’s best to go fishing with a friend, since there are no cell signals in a lot of these wild places, and if you run into trouble, it would be handy to have someone with you to go to for help.
Now you’re ready! Get out there and start practicing your skills. Don’t worry about catching fish at first. Just focus on learning and enjoy yourself. Take time to drink in the beauty around you and the thrill of a river babbling and swirling at your feet.
Diane Luebbers is a local fly fisher and real estate broker. When she is not out on the river, she is helping her clients sell their homes or properties, finding them the perfect home, or advocating for wildlife conservation. Please feel free to reach out to her for assistance with your real estate needs.
Diane Luebbers
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