How Can I Learn to Fly Fish?

Fly fishing has gained a reputation as a complex sport that is very difficult and time consuming to learn. Unless you’ve spent time around fly fishers or reading fly fishing literature, much of the equipment and many of the techniques will probably be unfamiliar to you, but the sport is not nearly as difficult as you might think. With good equipment, proper instruction and a little practice you can be catching fish in no time.

While much how-to information is available in both books and videos, a little time spent with a good instructor when you’re starting out will put you way ahead of the curve. You will want to find someone who has some experience with instruction, who enjoys teaching others and who does the kind of fishing in which you are interested. A little time spent with an instructor will quickly move you out of the ranks of the beginner and prepare you to go out and perfect your skills on your own.

Equipment
Before you can learn to fly fish you will need to get some basic equipment. At minimum you will need a matching rod, reel and line, as well as backing, a leader, and several flies. A high quality setup will make your experience many times more successful and enjoyable. Countless would-be fly fishers have been frustrated and given up for good after trying to learn on equipment that wasn’t up to the task. You will want to have an understanding of how your equipment fits together and know the knots that are used to attach the various pieces. A good knot book or a book on learning to fly fish will have the information you need. If you would like to give fly fishing a try before spending money on equipment, you may be able to find an instructor or fly fishing school that has gear you can use.

Learning to Cast
Once you have your equipment, you will need to learn how to use it. There is instruction available on virtually all aspects of fly fishing, but as no fish can be caught unless your fly gets to where it needs to be the cast is the logical place to begin. Many of the skills you will want to perfect can be readily learned through books, magazines and time on the water, but the cast is one area in which you will definitely want to get some instruction. A good instructor will probably start out by explaining the function of each piece of equipment (rod, reel, line, leader etc.) and the mechanics behind the cast and then will move on to practical instruction. You will want to learn the basic cast and the roll cast and will probably touch on a few more advanced techniques that will be useful in nearby waters.

On-the-Water Skills

The next step after getting your cast down is to work on what to do once your fly hits the water. This includes enticing a fish to eat then hooking, playing and landing the fish. You will also need to learn some other on-the-water skills, such as choosing the right fly, finding fish, and getting set up for a cast. You can try this on your own but will have a much easier time if you go fishing with an instructor or a friend who is a proficient fly fisher and can spend some time with you. The best places to learn offer easy access and a bunch of small to medium sized fish that aren’t shy about eating your fly. You will quickly get the feel for what you should be doing as soon as you’ve caught a couple fish.

Finding an Instructor
Personal instruction is most important when you are starting out, but all of us, no matter how advanced we may be, can benefit from an occasional lesson from someone more skilled than ourselves in a particular aspect of fly fishing. A good instructor should not be difficult to find. Local fly shops are a great place to start looking. Most shops have at least one individual who is available for private lessons both on and off the water. The instructor should be able to tailor your lessons to exactly what you need. Some shops also offer a complete “fly fishing school” which is a great way to go if you’re new to the sport. A fly fishing school focusing on beginners should teach you all you need to know to start catching fish in the local area. Each fly fishing school is a little different, but at a minimum classes should cover basic equipment and rigging, casting, and some on the water skills. Other topics commonly covered are fly fishing etiquette, fish identification, safe wading, reading the water, and information on what the fish eat.

Fishing with a guide is a great way to improve your skills and explore new water while (hopefully) catching some nice fish. Many fly fishing guides will offer private instruction if asked and can give you on the water instruction during a normal day of guiding. These guys spend a good portion of their lives on the water and are expert anglers, have seen and can recognize pretty much every fly fishing error known to man, are used to helping their clients improve their skills, and are generally very patient. Guides expect to give a little bit of instruction but if you’re a complete beginner or are expecting more than just a little help make sure the guide knows this before you book him or her.

There are a number of fly fishing schools available across the country that offer everything from basic instruction to very target skills. If you want to combine travel with learning to fly fish, this can be a good way to go. Also, if you’re more advanced and want to work on a very specific skill, such as distance casting, a targeted school with expert instructors can be the way to go. You can find information on a number of schools on the internet and in fly fishing magazines.

While it is definitely preferable to learn the basics of fly fishing from an instructor, as you advance you will find an incredible amount of excellent information available in the many books, magazines and videos on fly fishing. We are fortunate in that many of the best fly fishers have a gift for writing. No matter what skill you would like to work on or what topic you wish to learn more about, you can almost certainly find a book or magazine article, which offers the desired information.

Once you’ve spent a little time on the basics and have a good foundation, you will be able to build up your skills and knowledge on your own. The more you learn the more you will realize how much there is to learn and experience. Fly fishing is a sport that offers endless possibilities and though you’re only a beginner for a little while, you have the opportunity to learn something new each and every time you’re on the water.