Trouts Fly Fishing

Fly casting: basic tips and techniques, plus practice, practice, practice

Every beginning fly fisher thinks that the experienced angler is an expert who never misses a beat. Meanwhile, every experienced angler knows all too well that there are good days and bad days. Casting a fly rod is a lot like playing golf: practice and more practice will hone the skill and make it more possible to replicate the proper movements time and again. Even a Phil Mickelson or a Lefty Krey, on his best day, shanks one into the trees. But they keep on practicing.

The object of mastering the cast in fly fishing, like the art of mastering the game of golf, isn’t to be perfect 100% of the time, but rather to minimize the flaws and mistakes. Once the participant figures out what works, how to control the club or the rod in various conditions and situations, the trick then becomes building a sort of muscle memory that will repeat the proper form over and over again without the mind interjecting too much. It’s the old adage: practice, practice, practice.

The truth is that fly casting can’t be taught in a blog post. Some of the basics can be addressed, and some food for thought can be brought to bear, but eventually the prospective fly fisher will have to put a rod in hand and give it a whirl. While most experts in the fly casting game have different points of view on how to approach the subject, to a person they agree on one point: hands-on experience and training under the guidance of an experienced teacher/instructor is invaluable. And, by the way, this is true for the beginner or the veteran (indeed, the highest ranked professional golfers probably have more professional instruction each week than most amateurs have all year).

The first tip on fly casting, especially for the beginner, is to find an instructor, take a class, or get an experienced friend to show you the way. The best place to learn the basics of the fly cast is on the river, of course, since it will present you with real-world conditions. However, casting ponds can be good instructional places, as can open space like a park. Just be sure to watch for people and obstructions, especially power lines and small children.

What follows are some of the tips and ideas we have gleaned from the world of fly fishing as it related to learning how to cast.

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Ever Wonder Where that Abel Reel Came From?

Where Should the Water Go?

Mark Twain once wrote, "Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting."  Anybody living in the West knows all too well the contensious issue(s) that surround the use and conservation of one of our most precious resources.  And as communities continue to expand across the country, there is little doubt that the Water Wars of the West will continue to grow.  Colorado is currently at the forefront of this debate, with Northern Colorado Water Officials looking to divert up to 67% of the water from the Upper Colorado River Basin to the Colorado Front Range.  So as the debate over Front Range thirst versus long term health of our States namesake river system wages, Scott Willoughby of The Denver Post urges Gov. John Hinckelooper to take a firm and final stand on this issue.

"As reported last week by Bruce Finley of The Denver Post, state officials stand behind Hickenlooper's contention that Northern Water's current plan to pull an extra 21,296 acre-feet of water a year from the Colorado River near Granby "comprehensively addresses impacts to Colorado's fish and wildlife."

Ironically, the EPA review cited a 2011 state study that documented the disappearance of all native sculpin fish and 38 percent of aquatic insect species over 20 years as a result of existing water diversions.  Should Hickenlooper answer the door this morning, someone is sure to ask: Why would state leaders ignore conclusions of their own study?"  read the rest of this article

Where this debate goes from here is anybody's guess, but we do feel that Mr. Willoughby is correct that it's time for our elected State Officials to take a final stand on this issue once and for all.

Gear Review:  Hatch Tempest Pliers

Trout's good friend Kirk Deeter (editor-at-large for Field & Stream, editor at Angling Trade, and regular contributor at MidCurrent.com) just wrote up a great review of the Hatch Tempest Pliers.  We have always known Kirk to be a truthful and trusted source for information and advice, so we feel certain his review has little to do with all the free product Hatch is throwing his way having him test.

"I have fished the Hatch pliers in South America for dorado, throughout the tropics for bonefish, tuna, sharks, tarpon, and permit, as well as in the far north, places like Alaska for trout and salmon, and Lake Athabasca in Saskatchewan for trophy pike. They don’t leave my side, and they have not let me down.  Cold weather, hot weather… salt, whatever. Stripers, sure. Carp—of course."

read the rest of Kirks review at MidCurrent.com

Or, go ahead and get yourself a pair of these pliers

Save The Tarpon, Help Stop the Professional Tarpon Tour Series

Please watch the following video, and read below to learn more about you scan help...

I rarely like to use our blog as a soap box, but occasionally there comes a cause where I just cannot help myself.  First let me start off by saying that I am an angler and avid sportsmen.  I fish, hunt and do anything and everything I can outdoors.  I am not an elitist fly fisherman.  I have been known to throw a spin and bait cast rod, and have had a great time doing so.  I also believe that all anglers have the same rights to fish, no matter if you're throwing a fly, a spoon, or a worm.  That said, I am adimantley against the Professional Tarpon Tour Series (PTTS).  Angling events such as these do nothing more than harm fisheries, all for the sake of the all mightly dollar.  While there are plenty angling competitions that I believe fall within the bounds of "ethical angling", the PTTS is not one of them.

The Save The Tarpon cause was started by Rick Hirsch, a resident of Florida and avid Tarpon Angler.  Rick's motivation behind this cause is nothing more than to preserve his home fishery.  Yet through the powers of social media and to good old World Wide Web, Rick has been able to get the word out on the potential threats the PTTS poses to Florida's world renowned fisheries.  Through his efforts, Rick has been able to soliciate the support of some big names in the fly fishing industry, proving that this issue goes well beyond th borders of Florida and it's fisherman.   So if you share in our concerns over this event, and would like to do something to help preserve Florida's Tarpon populations, please email your name and hometown to:

SAVETHETARPON@GMAIL.COM