fly fishing
Want to Get Started In Fly Fishing? 10 Easy Steps
Jan 15th
Another awesome post from Travis “Dr” Gillespie. Visit his blog at XstreamOutdoors.com
When some people think about fly fishing they think of a technical, elitist, and expensive sport. In some ways it can be, but if you take it step by step it can be as easy as learning how to ride a bike.
Here are ten easy steps that I have used for myself and to help others get started in this great sport we call fly fishing.
By any means I am not a professional and have probably left out some good stuff, so if any that read this have anything else to add please leave a comment and I will add it to the list. Or if you had something that helped you learn please let me know.
- Make sure you are legal. Have an up-to-date fishing license and know the regulations to the waters you are planning to fish.
- Have someone you can turn to for help or advice. If you know someone that fly fishes use them to help you along the way. (Most will be more than happy to help) If you don’t, visit your local fly shop and seek their advice. It is crucial and a very important part of learning the sport, plus you will gain a fishing partner or two along the way. (Also you can get information from internet sites and books)
- Gear Up With the Basics (Rod, Reel, Line, and Leader). When getting started this might feel overwhelming with all the different fly rods, reels and lines. But use your friend or local fly shop for advice and support. I personally would start with a cheaper rod and reel (under $50-$100) and if you get addicted like most of us, than get a nice brand named set up later on. The perfect set up for Utah and most trout waters is a 9 ft-5 weight rod, 5 weight floating line with 100 yards of 20lb backing, and 9ft-3x leader. Have the fly shop install the backing, line and leader.
- Practice Casting. Now that you have your Rod, Reel and Leader. Go out in your yard or park and practice casting. Start casting short (10ft) and as you feel comfortable strip out more line and practice longer casts. Casting is one of the most important aspects of fly fishing, if not the most and one that needs to be worked at the most. By getting familiar with the way your rod casts before you hit the river, you will greatly improve your odds of having a better first day on the water. This is the aspect that is hardest for beginners, so work on it!!!!
- More Essential Gear. This is a list of gear that you don’t want to be without on the water. (I never leave home without this stuff, its like going to a baseball game and forgetting your uniform)
- Tippet (3x, 4x, 5x, 6x) – b. Little bb weights – c. Line Snips – d. Forceps – e. Strike Indicators – f. Floatant
- Fly Vest – b. Waders – c. Wading Boots – d. Net – e. Polarized Glasses – f. Hat
- Learn how to read water (River). One of the aspects that separates a new fly fishermen from a seasoned pro is their ability to read water and know where the fish should be holding. This isn’t a concept one learns over night, but there are a few tips that will get you off on the right foot.
- 1. Fish Bubbles-If you find bubbles in a river you know that you are in a place that trout like to feed.
- 2. Fish Drop Offs- Look for areas that riffles drop into deeper water, fish will hangout on the drop off.
- 3. Fish Cover- Fish are constantly on the look out for predators and will hangout behind rocks, around fallen trees, and under overgrown banks.
- 4. Fish Seams- A seam is the area between a fast current and slow water. Usually you will notice the water swirling around, peeling off the main current, fish love seams.
- Learn Your Basic Fly Type. In Fly Fishing you have 4 basic fly types-
- 1. Dry Flies- These are the flies that float on the surface imitating an adult insect.
- 2. Nymphs- These are the flies that are fished subsurface imitating the insects on the bottom of the river.
- 3. Emergers- These are the flies that are fished just below the surface or deeper to imitate insects emerging to the surface to become adults. (They call this a hatch)
- 4. Steamers- These flies are used to imitate leeches, minnows, crawfish and other fish food. They are usually fished with sinking line on lakes and rivers.
- Do Your Homework. Before your first outing you should find out a few important factors that will improve your odds to having a successful day on the water.
- 1. Where are you going and is it fishable?
- 2. What are the flies to use during this time of year at that place?
- 3. What is the easiest way to catch fish at that location? (Nymphing, Dry flies, Streamers, etc…)
- For example: If I plan on fishing the Provo River, I will check the river flows to make sure they are fishable. Then since it is spring, I know that Midges and Blue Winged Olives are the main flies to use. Then I will try and fish dry flies since it is the most productive when the fish are rising and my favorite type of fly fishing.
- Think Like A Hunter. The best fishermen I know are the ones that hunt fish. They are very cautious of the way they approach a river and the fish in it. They never walk straight into the middle of a river and start fishing. Instead they think of the best way to approach a hole without spooking any fish. So don’t ever fish water, hunt it.
- Learn From Your Own Experiences on the Water. Get out and learn firsthand by your own experiences on the water. The best way to learn fly fishing is to practice it. One thing that I liked doing since I didn’t know anyone who fly fished and didn’t have anyone to go with, was to study others as they fished. A lot of the time I ended up talking with them and finding out what they were doing to catch fish. Those tips were a great help in learning the sport for me. The bottom-line is that nothing can take the place of spending time on the water learning on your own the fine art of fly fishing. So get out and worked through the tangles and missed hook ups and you will find your reward.
Now you have a foundation of the basics of fly fishing and you want to move up to the next level. See Part Two coming soon. (Entomology, Study of Fish, Fly Tying, Boats, etc…)
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What is the perfect couple?
Sep 15th
After my last little fishing trip up to the South Fork of the Snake it made my think about that is the best, most poplur and or most favorite two fly combo? Now, I know that it will depend on the river, time of year, sub surface or dries and possibly many other scenarios that might call for different combos but I want to know what is the most successful or favorite. I guess I should explain further about why I pose this question. When Aaron “Chubbs” Peterson and I floated the South Fork, of course this time of year, all we used were dries and the best combo between the two days was a true hopper and a trailing caddis. This combo killed it, the fish took both flies pretty consistently. Now, on the Provo River I would say after years of fishing that the best dry fly combo would be a Parachute Adams /PMD and for nymphing is Scud/Flashback Pheasant Tail. Ok, so I could go through all my favorite rivers and list all the combos I use but I want to hear from all the Frenziers. Please comment and tell us what river and what combo of flies is your favorite. If we can get 30 comments we will do a drawing for a Frenzy hat.
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Jack Dennis’ Top 20 Places to Fish in the Rockies Before You Die.
Apr 22nd
“The top 20 places to fish in the Rockies before you die” was the tag line that got Yetter and I excited as we heard the The 16th Annual East Idaho Fly Tying and Fishing Expo was in Idaho Falls. It was presented by world renowned Jack Dennis and we were committed to go and take notes, because chances are some of these places are right in our very own backyard.
Jack was in rare form. He was pretty excited about the topic which caused him to jump from place to place at times and minus the technical difficulties, it was great. I tried to count 20, but it seems that he gave about 25 places. And at times he compiled 2 or 3 into one. I will do my best as I compile this treasured list of places to fly fish in the Rockies before you die.
#1 Montana in March for the Blue Wing Olive Hatch
The Big 3 for the first place were the Big Horn, Beaverhead, and Big Hole. He asked if anyone knew where the Big Horn starts and not a hand went up. It originates out of Thermopolis, WY.
He also stated that BWO are tied strictly into the sun and elevation. Jack has seen BWO in Japan, Egypt, and the Amazon. The Beaverhead in the Spring is probably the best time to fish that river because for most of the summer it is unfishable due to the murky water caused by irrigation.
When you fish those rivers for the BWO hatch Jack said to take plenty of BWO cripples.
#2 Clarks Fork of the Columbia River Montana
Jack said Scratch the Hatch and don’t leave the Woolly Buggers behind.
#3 The Stonefly Hatch on the Deschutes River in Oregon
According to Jack Dennis, this stonefly hatch is the most consistent stonefly hatch out there, and I spoke with some guys that I fished with later that afternoon and they seconded that.
#4 Fly Fishing Private Waters for Little $$ out of Your Pocket.
Jack was very private on this topic and said he couldn’t name specific landowners or lakes, but he did say that they ones he liked where around the vicinity of Manhattan, MT. He mentioned that there are some lakes there with world class Pike.
#5 North Platte River in Wyoming
Funny thing is; I was fishing the Green River a while back and I was having a conversation with a Wyoming resident that told me the best fly fishing river he ever fished was the North Platte River in Wyoming. I didn’t give much thought to it because it is on the eastern side of the state, but since Jack’s confirmed the rumors I might have to make the trip.
Jack went on a little rant at this point in the presentation that you need to invest in a 4 piece 3 wt rod and not to buy a $500 rod, and that no one should own a $500 + rod. He apologized to Sage and other expensive rod companies, but said St. Croix makes a fantastic 4 peice 3 wt for $180.
Jack Dennis also adamantly stated that to be successful as a fly fisherman one needs to go to the Green River and not fish, but walk the highway observing anglers from a distance taking notes of how they fish. He said that all kinds go to the Green and one will learn more from watching presentation, casting, and technique than actually fishing.
#6 Yellowstone River in the Spring in Montana
Jack said from end of April to Mid May is called the Mothers Day Caddis Hatch and is one of the best of the west. He said the Canyon section is the section to fish during this hatch.
#7 Spring Creeks – Book ‘em.
Jack stated that all great western rivers will have spring creeks that large trout frequent and to really experience some great fly fishing one has to find and fish those spring creeks, and put it on the CALENDAR!
#8 Boulder River near Livingston Montana
#9 Tongue River near Sheridan Wyoming
Jack raved about the historical value that the Tongue River presents. He dove into a historical lesson on General Crook and the indians during Crook’s time.
#10 Provo River Utah
This is a river that we have blogged about many times here at the frenzy. The Provo River really is a great fly fishery. During his rant on Utah, he also said that one must fish the little streams in Southern Utah in the desert and their are fly shops in Cedar City and St. George that will direct you to them. He also said that one must definitely fish Strawberry Reservoir.
#11 South Central Oregon. The Donner and Blitzen River near Baker Oregon.
#12 New Fork River near Pinedale Wyoming.
Jack showed us a clip of video taken 23 years ago on the New Fork and he said the fishing is better now than it was then. He suggested using stonefly nymphs and using a pulsating motion while in the water.
#13 Green River near Kemmerer Wyoming.
Jack said many venture to fish the Green River, but most head to the Utah Green River. However, the Green River near Kemmerer is equally fantastic fly fishing as the Utah Green. He also mentioned that if one is near Kemmerer to make sure and fish the Big Sandy River which flows out of the Wind River Mountain Range and has really nice size Brook Trout.
#14 Railroad Ranch Section of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake in Island Park Idaho.
This section of river is probably one of the most technically difficult stretches to fish for rising rainbows. The fish here have their PhD’s in snobbery and only take the best presented dry fly. Jack mentioned that the best technique on this section is to have one man fish while the other one spots where the fish are at and directs his cast to large awaiting rainbows.
#15 South Platte River near Denver Colorado.
Jack raved about his river. He said size #24 flies are too big. He says little bugs are the best. Jack also said to not pass up the following rivers: Yampa, Poudre, and Thompson Rivers.
#16 Places in Yellowstone National Park
Everyone knows that YNP is famous for some of the great fly fishing rivers, but Jack Dennis gave us his favorites and they aren’t the Firehole or the Madison River. They are the following: Lewis River, Bechler Meadows, and Upper Gibbons River near Yellowstone Falls (Near Norris). His favorite lake in Yellowstone was Heart Lake. Jack claims that Heart Lake boasts Lake Trout near 20 + lbs. I checked this info with my buddy Royce Klinger at Premier Fly Fishing and he verified the tale. Royce has hiked in there (about a 10 mile hike from the Lewis Lake trailhead) and experienced the big fish that reside in Heart Lake.
#17 Wind River Canyon in Wyoming.
About 90 miles of the 125 mile Wind River flows through the Wind River Indian Reservation and one must have a guided trip through that section. But, there are huge fish in that section and Jack says that Hoppers, Crane Flies, and Cicada flies.
#18 St. Mary River near Kimberly BritishColumbia Canada
Kimberly British Columbia Canada is the highest city in Canada and delivers excellent fly fishing.
#19 Cypress Hills in Southeastern Alberta Canada
#20 Greybull River near Cody Wyoming
Jack told us that there are a lot of little streams near the Greybull that are excellent as well and that if one has the chance to fish Newton Lake in October. For moreinformation on #20, Jack said the contact North Fork Angler’s Tim Wade.
I imagine that most fly fisherman have list of “Places I Must Fish Before I Die”, and mine just got a bit longer.
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