Line Control: Taming the Spaghetti Monster! Today I am going to cover a topic that I see many beginner and even intermediate fly fisherman struggle with, and that is “line control”. As you are learning to cast a fly rod, or learning to fly fish, one of the items that you may be struggling with is how to control the extra line in your hands. When you make a cast the rest of the line slips out of your hands, or it’s on the ground and you step on it, or it gets caught on the gra

Fly Rod Starter kits, the "Costco sample tray" of fly fishing Fly rod starter kits are perfect for beginners who want to dive into the art of fly fishing, or learn to cast a fly rod, without breaking the bank. At the shop we have several models that start around the two hundred dollar mark, and they are aimed at the person who wants to “dip” their toes into the fly fishing world without breaking the bank, similar to the "Costco sample tray", where you can sample the goods. Th

Fly Fishing with Dry Flies, why are they called Dry, If it’s in the water isn’t it going to get wet?. I thought today I would spend a few minutes talking about fly fishing with dry flies. If you are new to the fly fishing game you may have questions about dry flies. By now even the beginner fly fisherman should know that dry flies are flies that are designed to float and be fished on the surface of the water. Today we are going to go over some of the different designs and sty

“Hopper Dropper? Sounds Like a Dance Move, But It’ll Catch Fish.” As many of you are currently learning to fly fish, and are learning new things about this sport, you will hear many terms that may sound very foreign to you. For example, you might have read or heard of the term “Hopper Dropper”?. What the heck is this, some sort of term for a dance, or laundry, no it is simple a way of mixing both dry fly fishing and nymph fishing at the same time. Many years ago, I was approa

A quick way to learn about "Matching the Hatch" and what does it mean to the Fly Fisherman

How a Fly rod works: You Don't throw the Fly, the Fancy Stick does the work for you. Sitting here writing articles about learning how to fly fish and understanding all the difficulties and struggles that new fly fishermen face, I take for granite that not everyone knows “How a fly rod works”. This makes me sit back and reflect on the time when I started my journey into fly fishing. But before we begin, let me tell you about a six-year-old boy. Who went to a pay-to-play tr

Fly Fishing Terms: Decoding the Strange Language of Fly Fishing In the previous article I talked about overviews of fly fishing and learning to fly fish for the first time. Today I’m going to focus on a few of the pillars of basic knowledge in reference to “Fly Fishing Terms” so we can learn the fly-fishing basics and speak the same language. Many times, I watch people that are new to the sport trying to follow a conversation when a more experienced fisherman is talking. Yo

Hiring Fly Fishing Guides, Because "You Tube" can only get you so far. I frequently have people ask me if they should hire a Fly Fishing Guide to learn how to fly fish. This is a very delicate question to answer, one that has several sides to it. You will need to ask yourself a few questions before you decide to hire a guide for an upcoming fishing trip, but honestly they will be very important questions. First and foremost a Fly Fishing Guide is a different individual all to

Practice your Fly Casting at home, Where the Fish are Imaginary, but the Tangles are real Over the last several weeks I have read an increasing number of comments from people talking about “how to practice fly casting at home”?. Whether you are totally new and just learning to cast, or a seasoned veteran, practicing fly casting makes your time on the water more enjoyable and productive. As you are learning how to fly fish or you are just learning how to cast a fly rod, pr

Learning to Nymph, Nymphing is not a dirty word, but H.R. has been informed. As many of you are traveling on this marathon of learning we call “how to fly-fish”, by now you have heard or read the word “Nymphing”. Today let's talk about "learning to Nymph". Contrary to popular belief, nymphing is not a dirty word it refers to the Zoological terminology used for aquatic insects. A forward from Gary A. Borger I think will help shed light on this: “Quote, Nymphs are the underwat

Lets talk about how to teach your kids how to fly fish.

I want to learn how to fly fish and cast a fly rod. First off, I want to commend you for saying “I want to learn to Fly Fish” Fly fishing is both an artful and captivating fishing method that has captivated enthusiasts for centuries, personally speaking it is one of the most amazing ways to be outside and catch fish. With its roots traced back to ancient times, this serene sport has evolved into a cherished tradition enjoyed by countless individuals worldwide. Fly fishing p

Fly Rod Actions For Fly Fishing and How it Affects You Fly rod actions and how it can affect your casting as you are learning to fly fish. As you are learning to fly fish, the words “Fly rod action” will be something you will hear very frequently. Fly rod action refers to the degree of flexibility and bending characteristics of a fly rod during casting. It plays a crucial role in determining the casting performance and the behavior of the fly line. There are generally three t

Strike indicators for Fly Fishing, what heck are they and Why So Many? As you are learning how to fly fish and have read my prior articles on the different types of fly fishing that are available to you as a fly fisherman, in this article we are going to talk about Strike Indicators for Fly Fishing. If you recall Nymphing is sub-surface fishing technique that uses an imitation of a small invertebrate form of aquatic insects as the fly. Since you are fishing this pattern unde

Waders for Fly Fishing, Is It Time to buy your First pair, a Few thoughts Whether you are an experienced fly guy or a new fly fisherman/woman and are learning the sport for the very first time, eventually you will come to the monent when it's time to buy your first pair of "Waders for Fly Fishing". You will have to decide as to whether you are going to cross this bridge, or just wait a little longer. I’m going to share with you a few pointers to help when you finally decide

Casting a Fly Rod, Why can’t I get better? I recently read a social media post the other day and the comment was “casting a fly rod, why can’t I get better”. I really felt sorry for this person because the amount of people who were just blasting him and telling him that “he just needed a different rod, or different fly line, etc. etc.”, was truly sad. Not once did anybody ask what his casting skills looked like, or what resources were available to him. Tools cannot take the

Keeping a Journal, a way to make for great fly fishing As you begin learning to fly fish, or you are just learning to cast a fly rod, I wanted to share something with you, that I feel will pay you dividends in the future, and that is "keeping a Journal". A quick story from back in the mid 80’s when I spent almost all my free time in the Eastern Sierras fishing. I had the distinct pleasure to make acquittance and later friendship with a great gentleman named Bob Thornberg. Bob

Women Fly Fishing, and Learning to cast a fly rod. Women learning to fly fish is a growing trend that embodies empowerment, skill-building, and a connection to nature. Through patient guidance and perseverance, more women than ever are delving into the world of fly fishing, mastering the art of casting, reading water, and understanding insect patterns. With each cast, they discover the meditative rhythm of the river and the thrill of a strike. More than ever, we are seeing t

Learn to fly fish with a Nymph

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