Go Fly Fishing

Anybody can go fly fishing but not everybody goes back. One thing that gets a person hooked on fly fishing is success and to be successful, it helps to think like a fish.

No self-respecting angler is going to own up to thinking like a fish but he or she will likely brag about how well they can ‘read’ the water. For the best reading, it does help to know a little about what life as a fish is like. This will save a lot of time and frustration and ensure a bigger catch.

Turns out, fish are a lot like people. Three things are very important to them – food, shelter, and a cozy spot to chill out over the course of a day. By keeping these three important factors in mind, the intrepid angler can quickly identify the areas where fish are likely to be as well as those barren spots where fish probably won’t be caught. With each chance to go fly fishing, the angler learns a little more about how to successfully read the water.

When it’s cold outside, it’s cold in the water, too. Fish will prefer shallow areas of their habitat so they can enjoy warmth from sunshine. When the sun is shining brilliantly during warmer months, the fish may hunker down in deeper, cooler waters. The best spot to go fly fishing in the wintertime is probably not the best spot for summertime fishing so don’t get too attached to one spot.

Fish want to hide from fishermen and other predators. They’ll choose a spot where they can easily blend in to their surroundings. A smooth-as-glass water surface is like a looking glass into the water; fish can be easily seen from above the water’s surface and they know it. They’ll shun these places because they’re too vulnerable here.

Look instead for fish to spend their time in the seams of the waterway. Seams are those areas of the water where calm water meets moving water, causing ripples and other surface movements. The fish can hide underneath these ever-moving waters in relative safety and their external markings provide the perfect camouflage for this environment.

Notice rocks and other debris breaching the surface of the water. Fish often nestle under the ripples that form as the water flows around the rock. These ripples hide and protect the fish but they also draw to the well-hidden fish the insects it feeds on. Be sure to cast a line toward these areas so the fly lure mimics that of a real flying insect that might have landed on the water.

Before long, these most productive spots of the waterway will become obvious and the angler can devote time to these areas, called holding waters, while avoiding the areas less likely to draw fish. Doing so ensures a better catch,which ensures a more pleasant fishing experience. And, while the fish are the visible reward, it’s the pleasure that keeps most fisherman coming back for more.