Tag: Surface Of The Water

Getting started with stillwater fly

The Pacific Northwest is blessed by a very large number of great fly fishing lakes. Many of these are stocked with trout while others have stocks of wild trout, crappie, bluegill, perch or other warm water fish that rise readily to a fly. For the fly fisherman, the difference between native and planted trout is an important distinction since stocked trout have more of a chance of rising to a fly than native trout, particularly in very clear water when the fish can see you. This can happen even in slower moving rivers and streams, however it is more noticeable with still bodies of water.

You can even the tables a little in several ways, with wild trout, while increasing the chances of catching even hatchery-stocked fish.

Use trees and other vegetation to hide you from the full view of the fish. Sometimes this isn’t easy, but with a little practice, you’ll probably notice that it is easier than you think. The extra fish you catch will be an incentive to get even better at it.

Fly fish in the early morning or evening. From a half hour before sun up and an hour after sun up, the shadows will be longer which will help hide your form, and the fish will tend to be hungry. This is also the time when insects will be flying around the surface of the water. The same is true for the period of time from an hour before sun down and a half hour after sun down.

Fly fish when there is a bit of a wind. A wind will usually cause ripples, which breaks up your form, yet which will allow the fish to see your fly easily. Ripples will also give your fly a more life like motion.

Fly fish when the fish are jumping. This is an indication that they are raising to flying insects. If no fish are jumping, they may be hungry, but are probably feeding off the bottom. This will make them harder to catch, though not impossible.

Don’t be afraid to try different flies, and don’t limit yourself as far as the types of flies you use. While they are more apt to strike a fly that closely mimics insects that are flying around the water, this isn’t always the case. Many times I’ve limited out during a hatch out of a particular insect, by using a fly that didn’t come close to resembling the insects that were hatching out. The more you limit yourself, the harder it becomes to catch the fish.

When retrieving your fly, a slightly jerky movement is better than a smooth one as it makes the fly look alive to the fish. This usually makes them strike harder, which is what you want. You don’t want the fish to just taste your fly, because the fish will know instantly that it isn’t real.

If the lake you are fishing allows boats, try fishing from a boat, especially if fishing in the middle of the day. As the water warms up, the fish will move to deeper and colder water, which is usually closer to the center of the lake.

The whole idea is to interest the fish in your fly without scaring them away. The more ways you can do this, the better luck you will have and the more fish you’ll catch. Don’t be afraid to be inventive. You might just find a few ways that are unique but that work very well.

Even a novice can quickly become an accomplished fisherman, catching large quantities of fish, especially in the Pacific Northwest.

Guide to getting started in fly

For a person just starting out fly fishing, it can be rather intimidating, and asking a seasoned flyfisherman how to do something or what something means can get you a look that makes you feel small and insignificant. So the purpose of this article is to give you a basic working knowledge of flyfishing. You can expand your knowledge from that point.

First, you should know that there are two basic kinds of flyfishing: Wet Fly and Dry Fly. All flies are put in the water, so shouldn’t they all be ‘wet’? The answer to this is pretty apparent once you know the difference between the two.

In wet fly fishing, the fly is allowed to sink below the surface of the water, and is drawn back under the surface. This is accomplished by weighted flies and weighted fly line that are just heavy enough to break the surface tension of the water so that the fly is just under water.

In dry fly fishing, the fly is gently laid on the water, and is drawn back evenly, yet with a bit of jerking, to mimic a fly or other insect landing on the water and trying to get out. My preference is for dry fly, but I know many very fine fishermen who prefer wet fly.

Now that you know that basic, let’s get to the equipment.

The LINE: I will argue that the fly line is the single most important piece of equipment for a flyfisherman. A decent flyfisherman with very good line, using an inferior rod and reel, will almost always catch more fish than the same person using the best rod and real, who has poor or worn out fly line. This is especially true of dry fly fishing. Fly line is usually categorized by size and type, such as “5F” or “6S”. The number is the size, the letters denote Floating or Sinking. Floating is often hollow core, while the sinking is often filled with a lead fiber. For pan sized fish, 4-6 is usually a pretty good choice for size. There is also tapered line, double tapered line, and non-tapered line. These are exactly what they sound like, with the taper going down to the tip of the line that is tied to the leader.

Inspect the fly line frequently. When it starts to develop cracks, it needs to be replaced. Expect that the life expectancy of fly line that is properly cared for not to exceed 2-4 years. Also treat it frequently, even if you don’t fly fish often, as this will prolong the usefulness of the line. There are commercial treatments available, consisting of a very light oil based product that is carefully wiped along a length of the line, moistening