1. Fly Fishing is difficult
Fly casting can take a few practice
sessions to become proficient enough to hit the water
- but that's all it will take. We recommend taking
a look at some online
fly fishing lessons - then practicing in a park, your backyard
or another private place. Hit a lake or pond, where you won't
find many obstructions behind you to get in the way. Catch a
few panfish, learn to land
fish - now you're ready for the stream, ocean or wherever you'd like
to fly fish!
2. Fly Fishing is expensive
It simply is not. Fly fishing can be expensive
if you spend a lot of your hard earned mullah on premier, top of
the line (dare we say - overpriced?) fly gear. We
do not recommend going bottom of the line either - inexpensive equipment
is hard to use because inexpensive materials are heavier and not
as stiff as quality graphite. Very inexpensive gear simply does not
hold up to rugged fishing use - and we are rugged, aren't we?
So - look around. There are some great deals on beginner fly fishing
outfits - don't let the word "beginner" scare you away. This gear is not only fairly
priced, but the rods are specifically designed to be easier to cast and will
last a long time if you take care of them. Take this from a fly fisher that
broke his very first (and precious!) fly rod in the hatchback of a Toyota Celica! Some fly
rod outfits even come complete with a protective rod & reel traveling
case!
3. You can only Fly Fish for Trout
You get the picture. Trout stream, pipe
in mouth, tweed jacket, leather patches, wicker creel...
Wrong. Today's fly fishing is so much more exciting than that
(but if the above excites you - by all means - knock yourself out!).
I took up fly fishing in my early twenties as the result of a childhood
memory of my father and other fly fishers on the famous Beaverkill
in Roscoe, NY. Let's
just suffice to say that there was a lot of tweed and wicker in the '60's. Today
the world has changed! Now - picture this forty-something year old with
his wife on the flats in the keys hunting down barracuda, bonefish and permit. All
tropical, all cool, all hot, fishing machines - it was everything
you'd ask for in the excitement department!
Species: so many - let's see, OK - trout, bass (largemouth and smallmouth),
carp, pike, pickerel, perch, sunnies, crappies, steelhead, salmon
(many varieties - and Lox is not a variety of salmon!), then there's
striped bass, bluefish, false albacore, bonito, weakfish, bonefish,
barracuda, permit, mangrove snapper, snook, Spanish mackerel , jack
crevalle. Oh the list goes on! But I'll
stop.
4. Fly Fishing has to be done in Exotic
Locations
Although the Florida Keys are very nice, as well as New Zealand,
Christmas Island, Belize and the like...
There are so many places close to home that can and will provide
you with the total fly fishing experience. Your local park probably may have a stocked
pond. That pretty little stream with the bridge that you cross every day
- may be a trout stream. The beach that you take the dog to for a run -
there are fish to catch there! Fly fishing is a great sport
in that it enables you to open your eyes and enjoy the world around
you.
Then again, a vacation sounds nice too!
Places: rivers, streams, creeks, brooks, tributaries, lakes, ponds, farm ponds,
Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, bays, estuaries, jetties, flats, reefs...
5. You need a PhD in Biology to Succeed
You won't need a PhD in any subject to succeed
in fly fishing! You might think so after conversing with some fly
fishers. The reality is that you can over-complicate this sport as
much as you'd like. Yes, here are times that fish are selective
(won't take the fly you're fishing) - but in most cases you can dupe
them with a selection of about two or three flies properly fished.
6. You have to be an Olympic Athlete to Fly Fish
Just as in any other sport, you can participate to the level of your physical
abilities and derive complete enjoyment! Groups continue to build handicap
access sites on streams and lakes - all over the US (and worldwide), and you
can find a location to fly fish right outside your car!
7. You can't learn to Fly Fish on your own
Many have, and many will. Guides, fly shops,
fly fishing schools and the like will try to convince you that you'll
need those expensive lessons to get started. We disagree. And here
are the key words - "to get started". There are so many
great resources for the beginner fly fisher - just read a little,
online or off, and get out on the water and fly fish!
8. I thought you had to attach a real live fly to the end of the line
Negative. Fly Fishing is all about imitating
fish food with a hand-made "fly",
often constructed of fur and feathers, but can also be constructed from man-made
materials. The key here is imitating the natural food of the species of fish
your are fly fishing for. For instance, saltwater species often feed on
small minnows - and saltwater "flies" often imitate small fish or
minnows.
9. I can't do it, I tried once
Here's the thing about fly casting: You are
not casting any weight at the end of the line as with a spin rod. You
are casting the fly line itself. Check
out this simple animation which will instantly give you the basics
of fly casting, The
Paintbrush Analogy.
10. You have to cast really far to catch
fish
Most fish are you'll be targeting are within
30 ft - or, you can get to within 30 ft of them. To cast to a fish this far away, you only have to be able
to cast 21 - 23 ft of fly line, taking into consideration that most leaders (your
terminal tackle) are 7.5 to 9 ft. We know, for certain, that
with one or two practice sessions - you'll be casting at least that
far!
