Do you have a passion for the great outdoors? Do you love to fish? Maybe you’ve always wanted to add fly fishing to your repertoire of outdoor adventures but were too intimidated by the casting process. Maybe you’re already a diehard bass fisherman who’s found himself on more than one occasion driving past a trout stream and noticed a fly fisherman standing knee-deep in swiftly moving crystal clear water, fly rod in motion, long length of fly line being presented in a beautiful arcing back-cast and forward cast, until gently settling weightless on the water’s surface. Maybe you stopped your car, got out and stared mesmerized at the exotic angler, secretly wondering how he is able to maneuver the fly line in such a dramatic if not artistic manner. It would come as no surprise if you found yourself thinking, “I’ve always wanted to try that.”

Introduction

By definition fly fishing is an interactive, manual-intensive form of sport fishing that involves casting, presenting and maneuvering an artificial lure—in this case a “fly”—over a body of water in order to attract and hook game fish. Fly fishing is also an equipment intensive sport of reels, creels, rods, floating and sinking lines, waders, vests, special clothing and of course, flies— there are thousands of patterns. Although you can fly fish for any kind of fish, from bluegill to blue marlin, the most popular species of game fish for anglers is trout. Why? Trout are a cold water fish that feed predominantly off insects. Their wading-accessible streambed habitat and ability to put up a hell of a fight on fly rod and reel when hooked are an irresistible combination. But what also makes fly fishing for trout so popular is not its ease, but its difficulty. In a word, trout are not an easy fish to catch. Trying to hook them with a fly makes the process even harder.

Are Fly Fishermen Especially Gifted?

Bass fisherman who take pride in their spinning rods, bass boats and spinner baits are for the most part, keenly aware of the difficulties and mysteries inherent in fly fishing. They tend to steer clear of trout streams and they may sometimes view fly fishermen as “elitist.” After all, if you’re good enough to consistently land trout in any weather “on the fly” you must possess some special God-given talent.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Fly fishing isn’t a sport relegated to just a few elitists or experts. It’s neither an exclusive fraternity nor sorority. It’s an ecologically sensitive outdoor sport that supports the “catch and release” creed and that can be learned and enjoyed by anyone who loves to fish.

Gear

The first thing you’ll need is the right equipment. In fact, acquiring the right fly fishing tackle and clothing is the easy part. All you have to do is head to the local mega sports store, consult with the in-house fishing guru, pull out the Visa card and “voila!”, you are now the proud owner of some serious fly fishing equipment. But what isn’t easy is stepping into the middle of a cold brook or stream for the first time, positioning yourself right beside a half dozen fly fishing experts who properly maneuver their fly line while you helplessly slap at the water scaring and scattering every trout within a twenty-foot radius.

When it comes to the articulate if not complicated world of fly fishing, what can seemingly start out as a well intentioned “new adventure” can quickly turn into red-faced humiliation.