The Art of Fly Fishing

by

Nancy Siegler

It’s always in the cast.  A good cast will represent a thing of beauty.  Many refer to the cast as an art form, even a ballet on water as the whispering of the fly line moves so peacefully and gracefully through the air, settling so quietly onto the water.  The stage is a beautiful Nature setting with a very precise and smooth motion and Rhythm of the angler.  It can be a real thing of beauty.  Many also find it a peaceful experience just to watch someone casting on a river. Close your eyes and you too can come to this place.

The Excitement of Fly Fishing is in

“The Spirit of the Fly”

Fly fishing is more challenging; therefore it is more fun!

The bait fisherman is a relaxed soul while the fly fisher is always on the move.  It is the hunt that makes the challenge.

The Hunt: once you experience it on the fly you will be hooked forever into the world of  fly fishing.  How do you know?  All I can say is - you will know it when it happens.

What is the hunt?

It goes something like this:

You awake to a nice day and decide it is a splendid day to go fly fishing.  Gathering up all your gear you are off in a flash.  As you head to your favorite fishing spot you are remembering the last time you were there and how great things were. It was just becoming early evening, the light was getting low and you were heading back towards the car (which was about a mile away) as you came around a large pine you saw something across the river.  Stopping right in your tracks as you continued to stare at the spot and, yes, there is was again, ever so quietly the nose of a trout taking a dry fly.  You quickly assessed the situation and knew just what fly you wanted to tie on and how you would make the cast to this spot without spooking the fish.  Ever so quietly you made the cast, you watched with wide eyes as the fly appeared to pass right over the spot you saw the fish.  Nothing.  Quickly bringing in the fly and making another cast just a little closer to the bank you watched as the fly drifted so naturally along the water.  In a flash - KER-SPLAT! Out came this enormous fish consuming your fly. You raised your rod tip and the fight was on.  The fish pulled strongly and erupted like a circus act into the air.  His head was shaking but you held your ground and the fish landed back into the water.  Your rod was bent like a paper clip. He sped quickly up stream, now you were into the backing of your line, your heart was beating somewhat faster and you knew you had to land this one.  Give and take, twisting the rod, putting pressure on the fish and then BOOM, he was air bound again and heading further up stream.  What a fight!  Now the pressure was placed harder on the fish and you made headway moving him ever closer to you. But not so quick as he turned, made another splendid jump, and headed up stream again.  You felt the line ease and thought he was gone, but up he rose again.  Now you pulled harder and soon this beautiful 22-inch rainbow was placed gently in your net.  You quickly removed the hook, gently holding onto the fish and, keeping him in the water, you could see his gill pads working and his muscle tone returning.  In a short time you released him, watching him swim off into the darkness of the river and you exploded in a nice jump of excitement.  To have hunted and landed such a wonderful fish - what a special thing!  This, my friends, is as good as it gets; this is the hunt, the most exciting experience any fly fisherman can ever have.

The Spirit of the Fly

What is that all about?  So, to catch a fish, you have to think like a fish, and to think like a fish, you have to know what a fish likes to eat and what they are all about. Since fish like flies & bugs, the trick is to know when different flies & bugs are in what life stages’ when the fish are eating them…Wow!  Or you can just guess.

Then "there is fly tying, which duplicates nature with feathers and fur, in order to fool that little, wily trout,"  This can be a terrific way to learn about the flies and bugs in a rapid way.   

Number one.  You must believe in the fly you choose.  Positive thinking is always a good thing. I believe that your spirit can be transformed into that fly.  Believe it and so it will be. The fly carries your spirit.

Number two. You need to put your time in on the water to understand the flies & bugs that live there.  What flies, what color, what size, what time of year?  Dry fly or subsurface or…?  Time into fishing will help make these things stick to you like glue.  You may forget why you went to the garage, but you will not forget where you catch a fish on the river and what you were using when you caught it.

Number three. You should pick up a book on flies for rivers and for lakes.  Very handy to read, look at the pictures.  It will aid in your learning the flies more easily.  Keep your fly boxes organized by dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, terrestrials, and such.  This too will help you learn your flies, and their names.  I rearrange my fly boxes often; too often according to my husband.

Number four. You must always know that fly fishing is a never-ending learning experience. There is always a lot more to learn, and a lot of nice places to go to do that learning.

Number five. Look up and look down; look all around.  The bugs and flies are everywhere.  Not always in plain view, sometimes under rocks or logs, in bushes, trees and the brush.  Just look and you shall find what Mother Nature has placed there for the fish to find. Then try to match it or use something similar.