Fly Fishing Tips
1. Cold Weather Trout Fly Fishing
Try fishing later morning into the afternoon in cold weather. Somtimes
the sun warming the water just a degree or two can entice trout to start
feeding. back to top
2. Always use a sturdy walking stick.
Always use a sturdy walking stick for added stability when crossing a
river. Use a permanent marker to mark the height of your waders on the
stick so that you can check the depth of the water before stepping into
water deeper than your waders. back to top
3. When handling fish, always wet your hands first.
When handling fish, always wet your hands first in order to protect the
delicate layer of "slime" covering the fish's body. This layer
of "slime" is vital to the fish's immune system. Also be sure
to avoid any contact with the gills. These delicate organs are easily
damaged. By keeping a fish out of water any longer than 30 seconds, you
may risk causing the tiny membranes in the gills to dry out and not function
propperly. back to top
4. Find what the trout might be feeding on.
Look around the area you are fishing to try and find what the trout might
be feeding on. Look on the vegetation for insects, peek under rocks, and
examine grasses hanging over the river. If any insects are floating on
the water, catch one and examine it. Use a hand seine under the water,
by holding it downstream as you overturn a few rocks and stir a little
gravel. This will help you to see what insects are under the water. Then
take all of this into account when you go to pick a fly from your flybox.
Try to closely match the color, size, and shape of the insects that you
found. back to top
5. Get rid of that strike indicator.
Why not double your chances of catching a fish? Get rid of that strike
indicator and use a large attractor dry fly as an indicator. Then tie
an emerger like an RS2 about 18" from the shank of the dry fly hook.
If you're lucky, you may wind up with two fish on at the same time. back
to top
6. The importance of stripping.
Don't overlook the importance of stripping. Always strip line in as the
fly floats toward you to keep as little slack in the line as possible.
When a fish takes your fly, you rarely have time to lift all of the extra
slack line off the water in order to set the hook, before the fish, spits
the fly out. back to top
7. Check your leader and tippet.
Periodically, throughout the day, check your leader and tippet for damage.
Just pull it through your finger tips and feel for nicks, knots and abrasions.
These little nicks in the line may not seem like a problem, but they will
be the weak spot that will break when you have just hooked that trophy
fish. back to top
8. Fish upstream.
If the fish seem to be particularly shy, try fishing to the fish that
are upstream, since they have their heads pointed upstream, away from
you. back to top
9. Blend in with the surroundings.
Blend in with the surroundings as much as possible. By avoiding white
and brightly-colored clothes, you'll be harder for the fish to see, and
spook them less. back to top
10. Sight fishing for trout.
When sight fishing, you can see when a trout takes your nymph by watching
for the white inside of their mouth to appear. Also, watch for them to
move sideways in one direction. They may have moved over to catch your
oncoming fly.
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