Flies & Casting the First Fly
FLIES
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here are four basic fly designs that I will discuss here, and they are the dry flies, wet flies, nymphs and streamers. If you want to learn how to tie flies to compliment your fly-fishing, great! If you want to purchase flies, that is certainly an option too. If my husband did not tie flies, I would probably have to buy them. His flies are beautiful works of art and very functional on the water. I admire the art of fly tying but I don’t tie flies─YET.
There are good and lesser quality flies that can be purchased. You basically get what you pay for. Again you can use the Internet for resources or visit your local fly shop. Not the local sporting goods store, but a fly shop, as it has better selections and there is less probability of getting flies that have been collecting dust for many years or even decades. Many owners of these fly-fishing stores/shops have dedicated local people tying for them and they are a good source for finding out what type of flies to fish and where. You can also inquire if an acquaintance or a friend of a friend ties flies and either purchase or maybe even be lucky enough to get a few free flies from them.
The following examples will help with the basic understanding for the use of these flies:
The Dry Fly
The Wet FlyWet flies represent drowned adult insects or an insect that is submerged in the process of laying eggs. They can also be used as an attractor fly. They are usually designed to sink quickly in the water.
The NymphNymphs are the aquatic insects that are still in the larval or nymphal infant stages of life and swim or crawl under water. Again, these may be caddisflies, stoneflies and mayflies along with many other type of aquatic insects. It is thought that 90 percent of a trout's diet is made up of this type of food.
The StreamerStreamers are designed to simulate various kinds of live small fish foods such as minnows or bait fish that larger fish feed upon.
How do you know which flies to use? You might want to first inquire at the local fly shop in the area you will be fishing to see what they would suggest. Or you can always peruse the Internet for area suggestions. You will learn as we all have that from day to day the fish can and do sometimes change their eating habits and preferences. That's the reason we take along a variety of flies to fish with. Take notice of your surroundings and see what hatches (swarming/emerging insects) are on the waters. If no hatches are present then examine the water and shoreline for tell-tell signs of insect activity. If uncertain, then the all around black ant or a nymph will usually suffice.
Flies can be made from feathers, animal hair, fur, wool, or synthetic materials, i.e., chenille, nylons, metallic tinsels and even dental floss or some other types of strange everyday materials that people will dream up a use for. Variations of patterns or making new fly designs are half the fun of crafting artful and functional flies. Several designs allow for countless different recipes. Some fly tiers will tie the original fly patterns precise, adhering to specific materials, or acceptable suitable substitutes, and not alter the design. Yet somewhere along the line many of the innovative fly tiers, will alter and redesign original fly patterns, therefore creating new fly patterns or variations of the originals to fit a certain purpose for each fly tier's need. To each his own artistic flavor and flair in this culture of fly-tying. Fly tiers can indeed get very imaginative.
In my husband's most recent fly-tying book, Fish Flies, The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier’s Art (2005) by Terry Hellekson, there are over 2,950 flies detailed and credited to people all over the world, listed in his book. This number will give you an idea of all the artistic and creative fly tying individuals that have been and are out there in fly-fishing and fly tying land and that is only a portion of the patterns worldwide. There are fly tiers who tie only original old fly patterns that are more artistic looking and not so much for fishing with, such as the old Atlantic salmon flies. These are referred to as feather wing designs and are truly works of art for showcasing.
Feather Wing Atlantic Salmon Fly
You will find out what is the hot fly to use on the river or lake from your fly fisher friend or the guide that will be taking you up stream to catch the elusive big one. Or you can glean information from the fly shops or clubs. Maybe, sometimes, from the unknown woman or fellow flyfisher that you just happen to meet on the lake or river that day. Those who are not intimidated by sharing knowledge will gladly tell you what fly is working best for them at that moment. The ritual of occasionally exchanging flies is another courtesy recognized by many a fly fisher. Others–well sometimes they keep the secret of what fly they are using, clearly to themselves, as if it is a national top secret weapon.
What books should I read about fly tying and fly-fishing?
Fly tying is such a varied and specialized art form and most beginners feel they need specialized instruction from an authority figure in this field to help them become skilled at fly tying. This is an accurate assessment on how to start up with this craft. Find the experts in the field and see what advice they have to offer on how to get started and what types of equipment and accessories are needed. You can gather information from reference materials and books or if you need hands on classes, many community colleges and even most of your local fly shops offer fly tying and fly-fishing courses. It is not a bad idea to have on hand various types of written reference guides/materials, i.e., instructional pamphlets, magazines, books or videos/DVDs. Even television offers fly tying instructions on some PBS stations. Most fly tying books are for those who already know the basics of fly tying and how to use a fly tying vise, the materials and how to tie a basic fly on a hook. For the beginner or novice fly tier, there are many books that are entitled just that. "Beginning Fly Tying," etc. One of the best convenient resources for fly tying is the Internet, this all time resource center, the World Wide Web, is a virtual library at your hands. A beginner will get lots of help in this area if they just happen to ask “which books should I read to help me with fly tying or even fly-fishing?” Remember you are liable to get several different opinions from several people. Sometimes friends or acquaintances that fly fish are perhaps your best resources.
As you wade through the culture and history of fly tying and fly-fishing you will develop your own opinions. Out there in fly-fishing land, there are many schools of thought. No one-way of thinking is the "correct way," it is a conglomeration of opinions, numerous facts, and many twists. There are several very good books in the fly-fishing world and eventually you will have to be the judge of what titles you will choose to read.
There are more new books available each year about fly-fishing and fly tying. There is just so much a person can write about this subject one would think. However, each year another new author or some of the celebrity authors find a way to rejuvenate or put a new spin on the "same old stuff." Now that in its self takes talent.
Pattern identification and fly tying or even learning the new, or possibly revised versions of the old patterns, can all take on a mysterious or even down right secret life, unless you are willing to invest in a good fly tying book.
What is a good fly-fishing book? There are many and from many experts. The length of time you have been able to craft your skill and your level of expertise will dictate the types of books you will want to read. You can inquire at fly-fishing clubs, community colleges, surf the Internet, check out used bookstores or check out your local library for resources. There are some very reliable books that have been around for years and there are a number of suitable new books available. You will want to get books that will apply to your needs for today and possibly tomorrow.
There will be certain criteria involved regarding the decisions you will make in selecting good resource materials and books such as: whether you want to fish dry or wet flies, fish for salmon or trout, bass or bonefish, etc., and if you want to fly fish in the states or in another country, or in a river, lake or ocean fishing, or maybe all the aforementioned.
Do you want to learn how to tie flies or perfect your skills in fly tying? What type of flies do you want to tie, mainly functional or artistic? Do you want to learn about insects/entomology, the hatches, or various types of food that fish feed on. Possibly you might want to learn the various types of fly-casting, the various types of rods and their uses, or the history of fly tying or fly-fishing. Do you want a book written by a female or male author? Or possibly you might be interested in a book that specifically targets women and fly-fishing or even men and fly-fishing. Are you interested in "how to books," or do you just want to read a good entertaining story about fly-fishing? As I said before, there are many authors worldwide and just about any theory or subject one can think of has been or will be introduced into the fly-fishing scene.
There are biographical, fictional or non-fictional, scientific, geographical, historical, nonsensical, or humorous books that have been written on fly-fishing and even some on fly tying. There are books for beginners or intermediates or for those fly fishers who have a great deal of history behind them regarding this culture. There have been books about fly-fishing for trout, salmon, bonefish, bass, or several other species of fish. There are numerous books pertaining to salt water fly-fishing, lake and river fly-fishing, including some books on fly-fishing in the high mountains, fly-fishing "down under", fishing in Scotland, New Zealand, South America, or Russia. Just about any location that has water and fish, someone has authored a book about it. There have been books about fly tying patterns, books about the various types and uses of flies, their history and anything else one can surmise about fly patterns. Books about entomology, books about Sex, Death and Fly-Fishing; even the mating habits of insects or famous and exotic places to fly fish that the rich and famous frequent.
Books on canoeing and fly-fishing, float tubing and fly-fishing and other various forms of vehicles used on the water to aid the fly fishers have been popular subject matter. Books that talk about other fly-fishing authors/the famous fly tiers and fly fishers of yesterday and today are available for one's perusal. There are several books on fly-fishing equipment and gear or books that describe how fish distinguish/see color. Some very popular books have been written pertaining to trendy fly-fishing vacation spots or fly-fishing on a shoestring budget and more. In addition there are books on catch and release, catch and cook and catching the elusive big one. Name a subject and someone, somewhere, probably has or will write a book or story pertaining to fly tying or fly-fishing. I am positive about this—I have.
Where can I
get instructions and information on fly-fishing? There are many fly-fishing
schools and most fly shops and some fly-fishing stores offer lessons for all
ages and
genders at all levels. In addition, several of the community colleges
offer fly-fishing and fly tying classes. Research the information you are
looking for on the Internet and don't hesitate to email or call the fly-fishing
clubs that have web/homepages on line. They will offer good sound advice and
give local information on just about any subject there is on fly-fishing or will
offer resource and referral information. It never hurts to get more than one
opinion. You will find there are simple biases on fly-fishing subjects, so more
than a couple of opinions can give you a consensus and lead you in an
enlightened direction.
There are many women's fly-fishing clubs that are definitely in vogue today. Gender discrimination is not as significant a problem as it used to be and most clubs are willing to accept both genders and welcome them. Some clubs even offer classes for the beginners. There are all types of clubs with all types of ideology and goals. One might want to join a club that is made up of both men and women or designed for women exclusively or one that includes all family members or possibly a specific goal oriented club. You might just decide that joining a club is not of interest to you. It's your choice. You might prefer to fly fish by yourself or with a specific person or group of friends. Most husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, significant others, or family members would love to have a partner/s to go fly-fishing with and share in the enjoyment and the moment.
What are you waiting for? It's fun and easy to fly fish.
Terry helped me with the fundamentals of fly-fishing and made me feel comfortable and uninhibited with my basic casting. This is the key to learning. Find someone who is in this case, "teacher friendly."
I have a strong interest in fly-fishing and I suppose that I am blessed that I have a good support network. Many years ago it was not uncommon to see a woman sitting in the car knitting or perched under a tree by the water reading a book while she occasionally glanced up to see if her "man" was still in sight while he cast a fly over the water. It certainly is acceptable if a woman does not want to fish, but hopefully it is not because she never had the opportunity to learn or is intimidated by the whole aspect of fly-fishing. I for a fact know that even some men are intimidated by the thought of learning to fly fish. Somehow when the notion that one has to have perfected their casting, etc. was erroneously initiated by those tripping on their own egos, the learning factor became a bit intimidating for many people. This type of inflexible thinking is plain wrong. We fly fish to have fun and learning should be fun and it always involves a "boo-boo or two." The simple fact is, one learns by making mistakes and practice does not always create "perfection" for everyone. (Trust me, the fish don't care if your casting is not perfect, as they accept "good" on many occasions.) The reason we fly fish should be for our own personal enjoyment and not to try and impress others. I usually tell myself that I am going to do some casting practice when I fly fish, so if a fish does not present itself, it does not matter, as I enjoy what I am doing while taking in the scenery. There will always be another day and another fish. If one is intimidated easily by learning, they should not give up. They should keep trying less they miss out on a great deal of pleasure.
More recently I observed a couple coming up the river together, stopping now and then to fish a small stretch of water. I felt happy for the woman as she apparently had broken the ice and was enjoying the sport as much as I do. Then I observed her make a less than perfect cast and immediately receive scolding from her husband, "Do it right, your letting your line come back too far; I don't want to be embarrassed by you." His tone and his talking down to her made me more than a little distressed. I thought to myself, if he only knew how well sound carries over the water and what a dreadfully insensitive person he sounded like. He obviously forgot that even the best fly caster on occasion makes a bad cast. We all do. It seems the more things change for the good, that unfortunately there are a few things that stay the same for some people and I am now reminded that the male "good ole boys" attitude is still alive and well. As they moseyed up the riverbank and walked by me, I smiled and said "hello." I mentioned to her that I thought she was doing a great job in casting and it was so good to see other women taking an interest in fly-fishing. I told her I hoped to see her out here again. She smiled and said "thank you" and turned to look at her husband with the "see there" look. My guess is he did not dampen her fly-fishing spirit.
This is why I tell everyone it is so important to find someone who is secure with their own fly-fishing ego and is also a good friendly teacher/partner to fly fish with. There are many reputable fly-fishing schools who have both men and women instructors whose job it is to make learning easy and fun.
I have prepared a simple Let's Get Started informational guide that follows for learning the basics of this sport after you have purchased or borrowed the fundamental equipment and have familiarized yourself how set up the fly line on the rod.
Casting practice. First find a suitable area to practice your casting. A back yard with lots of space, or a swimming pool, or at a not so crowded river or lake. Be sure there are no trees, brush or power lines above or behind you or close by that might get snagged by your fly line while casting. Check to make sure you have as much free space in back of you as you do in front. Try using brightly colored yarn on the end of your fly line (attached to tippet end) instead of a hook/fly when you first start out casting. Then later when you feel you are relaxed with your casting technique you can graduate to a fly.
First hold or grasp
your rod handle in your hand. Curve all fingers around the handle ahead/in front
of the reel. You may keep your thumb straight on top of rod
handle or curve thumb slightly around top of rod handle, whichever way is most comfortable.
You are the one who will be casting and fishing, so you can try both
ways and see which is best for you. (I personally do not keep my thumb straight
on top; I rotate my thumb a bit for comfort.)
Grip the handle firmly but comfortably.
Picture a clock above your head and pretend that 12 o'clock is straight up and 11 o'clock is in front of you and in back of you is 1, 2, 3 o'clock, etc. Let out enough fly line from the tip of the rod, about 15 or so feet and let it lie in front of you on the ground or water or grass, where ever you are practicing. When casting, you use, for the most part, your forearm and wrist. You do not need to bring your arm way up above your head when casting. Your arm will be bent at elbow when bringing up the rod. You will also be holding onto the fly line coming off the reel with your other hand. This keeps tension on the line you are casting and will regulate the amount of line that you wish for casting length. (See "stripping line").
With the fly line lying in front of you on the ground or where ever, you will commence with the back casting by bringing the rod tip up to the 11:00 position in front of you and then swiftly, but smoothly, bring back the tip of the rod just to the side and over your head (see example below) to the 1 o'clock position in back of you. The fly line will follow this action. (Remember that your other hand will be holding onto the fly line coming off the reel to keep tension on the line.) You will then pause just a brief moment to allow the fly line to catch up to the back cast of the rod at the imaginary 1 o'clock position and then swiftly, but smoothly, bring the rod tip back to the 11 o'clock position in front of you and stop quickly (see examples below).
The line that has just loaded up from this back cast will then snap back to the forward position when you cast forward and the line will, literally, fly out over the water and land where you, most times, want the fly to land. You can then start to lower the rod to a more comfortable level in front of you. These same casting steps will be repeated again and again. The more you practice the more comfortable and better you will become. It's like riding a bike; lots of practice and if you fall off, you start again.
Fly line action from the back cast - proceeding into forward cast and stopping at 11:00
Often times when back casting, a person will let the line stay too long in back of them or let the rod tip pass below the 1 o'clock position in the sky, thus causing the line to fall down in back and losing the momentum and level needed to cast forward. This will cause a negative forward cast. Also, if you are fly-fishing on the shoreline, this can cause the fly to catch on the rocks behind you and damage the hook. Try to imagine the line starting to go in back of you and slowly counting off a few seconds.
Fly line action on the forward cast coming down from 11:00 to 9:00 position
Now quickly start the forward cast. With practice you will be able to adjust your timing on casting. It is usually no more than a few seconds of time from when your rod tip is in the 1 o'clock position that the line needs to come from in front of you and straighten out in back of you before you need to cast forward. This timing will also depend on the amount of fly line you have out. If you feel more comfortable you may turn your body and head slightly towards the back to watch your fly line and then cast forward when it is time. Pretty soon you will not have to look, as you will know and feel when the time is right to cast forward.
When you start fly-fishing, most times you will want to cast your line upstream to allow the fly to drift down stream naturally with the current. Why you ask? The thought behind this reasoning is that it will; 1) give you more time to have the fly in the water (in this instance a wet fly or nymph) and 2) since fish will face upstream they will view the fly as an aquatic insect coming towards them in a natural manner and hopefully will entice a strike. Fish will swim in any direction, but will always face upstream in a holding pattern (being stationary). Water must continuously pass through the gills of a fish to keep a supply of oxygenated water for diffusion. This holding pattern aids them in allowing water flowing downstream to pass through their gills without expending unnecessary energy. Also food will flow down to them in the current, therefore they expend less energy by being stationary and not having to swim after the food. Thus you want to cast in front of them.
Do fish have good eyesight? You betcha! They are usually looking to the sides and in front them and not behind them, therefore cast in front of them. A fish window view or vision peripheral parameter is much better than we humans have, but they cannot see directly in back of themselves. Where are the fish you ask? They could be everywhere underneath the water, so if the fly passes behind one fish, it undoubtedly will pass in front of another fish. If fish are jumping out of the water or rising, you would cast in front/upstream of them and let the fly drift down to them. The only concern is if the fish are feeding at that time.
Learning to manage your fly line and catch a fish. You should have roughly about 15 or more feet of line extending out from the tip of the rod. This is in addition to your leader. Pull out or strip out 15 feet of line from the reel, then pull this stripped-out line through the tip of rod. To accomplish this, simply pull down/out line from the reel with your other hand. Strip out additional line and either loop it in your hand, let it lie in the water or on the ground. This will give you more line to cast out with if necessary. The fly line should be cast upstream so the line can drift downstream with the current. It's best to keep the line tension taut (tight) by stripping in line from the rod with your other hand so as to keep the tension on the line, while slowly bringing the line in. To accomplish this, you will hold the rod in one hand, keeping the fly line coming from off the rod between or underneath finger and rod handle, and then with your other hand, pull in/strip in line, from the rod. This line can either loop in your hand or lie in front of you on the ground or water. Always be careful not to step on your fly line if it is on the ground as this will inhibit your casting in a hurry and can damage the line.
Your hand that is holding your stripped line is now acting as a line control devise between the fly line that goes from the reel to the rod. (Think of your hand holding the stripped line as an extension to the reel.) By stripping line in it keeps the line tighter, much the same as cranking/reeling in line. Additionally, this stripping of the line serves to keep from having to pull out casting line that had been cranked/reeled in, when it comes time to cast again. This extra-stripped line can now be used for extra backing and serve to give extra loading for your casting. If you feel you need to have additional line out, then strip out line again. Remember, it is not necessary to cast great distances, as I have found that most fish are usually caught closer to shore. You might notice that the river guide boats are not always in the middle of a river, they run close to shore many times also.
Mending line. You will notice as your line curves it speeds up the motion of the fly as is floats down with the current. This is an unnatural motion. To keep the line void of most curves, it should be mended. This is accomplished by a quick, small flip of the tip of the rod in a semi circle to make the fly line void of curves and drift in a straighter line.
If your fly line curves too much as it drifts downstream, you need to mend your line (most times) upstream (see example above). This along with stripping in line will help keep the line straighter and taut. (This tight/taut line will enable a fly fisher to feel the jerk (strike) on the fly and help keep the fish from escaping or spitting out/throwing the hook.)
However, if you notice your line curving and heading back upstream or across the river/lake with a tugging sensation, then possibly a fish has picked up the fly and is swimming away with it. Now that would be great.
With the stripped-in line now coiled in your hand, when ready to cast again, hold onto the stripped line as you back cast and slowly release this same-stripped line as you forward cast when the tip of the rod reaches the 11:00 o'clock position. This will cause your fly line to travel out across the water. This acts as a line loading mechanism for the rod so as to realize more distance in casting. This will be a learned rhythm as you practice. This process will be done several times and in this way most or all of the stripped line can be used again in the casting process. As the line once again drifts down with the current, keep the line taut and slowly strip in more line. As it becomes parallel with the shore it is time to strip in or if you prefer, crank in line and cast again.
It is important to keep the tip of the rod level in front of you and then when you feel a strike (jerk) of the line to quickly raise the rod tip to set the hook.
Rod tip up and tension on line when you have a fish on
If you get a fish on then the most important thing to remember is to keep a certain amount of tension on the line. This keeps that fly/hook in the fish's mouth. It is important that if the fish runs and jumps that you give it line to run, but also keep up the line tension. In other words you do not want the line to be slack or loose. You do not want to bring the fish in too quickly with continuous fast cranking and or reeling, as the fish can break the fly off the leader. Let the fish tire a bit first, play the fish a little while. However, you do not want an exhausted fish brought in either. By playing the fish too much, this action can stress the fish out beyond the point of recovery.
When the fish finally tires or the line starts to slack, especially if you have been keeping the tension tight, it usually means the fish is swimming towards you and it is a good idea to do one of two things: Start to strip in more line or crank in the line a bit faster. Keep that rod tip up. You can either stay in your section of water to land the fish or wade back to shore. (If you have lost the fish, check to make sure your fly and hook are still intact and cast out again.) If the fish is still on, as you bring it into shore, keep the rod tip up and use either a fish net to land the fish or bring it closer into shore so you can pick it up.
Landing a Fish
As you get the fish close
to
shore, give it enough water for it to still swim, i.e., a foot of water, or
even deeper for that monster fish. Now grab the fly line
leader close to the fish so it will release tension on the rod tip and it won't
bend and hold the leader tight while the fish is still in the water. Place the
rod in-between your arm and body tightly while you maneuver to pick up the fish
or if you are close to shore then lay the rod down on the
shore carefully, then with one hand holding tightly to the leader pick up
the fish with your free hand. Remember if you accidentally let the fish go and
the rod is on the ground, you might damage the rod if the fish takes off
quickly, as it could conceivably take your line and rod with it. Always hold
onto the line/leader that is holding the fish tightly until the fish is firmly
in your hand/s. If the fish unhooks itself, it just saves one the effort of
removing the hook. To pick up a fish, place hand under belly of fish and wrap
fingers around being careful not to squeeze.
Releasing a fish
Releasing a caught fish can be a bit tricky sometimes. Try not to injure the fish on the rocks of a shoreline when bringing it in. Try to keep the fish in deeper water whether using a net or not. Grasp the fish carefully; under the belly, do not block the gills or eyes. They can be slimy, slippery little or big devils, but you will persevere. By turning the fish belly up, it becomes disoriented and it is easier to remove the hook. If there is a barb in the hook it must be retracted from the fish mouth carefully. Put the fish back into the water and release it. If the fish acts lethargic or turns upside down, it is either in shock or has been injured. Try holding the fish gently right side up in the water facing upstream and gently push the fish back and forth in the water. This aids in passing water through its mouth and through the gills. Release the fish when it tries to move and it should immediately swim away. If you cannot remove a deeply embedded or swallowed barbed hook, use nippers to cut the leader (line) as close to mouth or area of the fish as possible trying not to cause more injury. One can cause more injury to fish trying to remove a deeply swallowed hook. Release the fish. Most often times this hook will dissolve and most times the fish will survive.
If a fish happens to be one of those prize fish you must weigh, measure or take a picture of, do so quickly and try to keep the fish in water most of the time. Sometimes a fishing companion can be a great aid in this effort. After removing the hook, be sure to check your fly to make certain it is still intact and then cast out again.
Pat's prized 16-inch rainbow
Learning Should Be Fun
These are the basics and you can now get started, but I would like to offer you a few thoughts: You don't have to be perfect in casting and you don't have to have the best or most expensive equipment. You don't have to travel to far off lands or waters to enjoy this sport. You don't have to try and look cool, you are cool—you're fly-fishing. Learning and practice should be fun and the fun that fly-fishing offers does not discriminate. There is a quote I love and have adopted that is appropriate for learning and I now pass it on to you. "Mistakes are part of dues that one pays for living a full life." (Sophia Loren).
I GOT IT!
Funny
mistakes happen when learning and that is part of the fun. So keep on practicing
and having fun and living life to the fullest while you fly fish.
