With the popularity of fly-fishing certainly growing, many people consider the idea but may not follow-up. Some may think it is too difficult, requires expensive gear or requires travel to the mountains for the opportunity. The actual truth is, it is easier to begin close to home in any one of our warm water lakes listed in the fishing reports. All have ample varieties of panfish and bass. These fish are ideal because they not fussy, readily take flies and are not particularly sensitive to sloppy casting. With all this backyard availability comes the perfect scenario for the beginner to find a little enjoyment with the fly rod. Just be careful about the addiction that may soon develop.
Gearing Up
At the very least, you will need to purchase a rod, reel, line and a small box of flies. Many top manufactures have complete combo kits for less than $200. These moderate priced packages can provide years of tackle service and may even be all you will ever need. Ross, TFO and Bass Pro offer such packages. Do not bargain hunt and find the cheapest package. Regardless of the brand, choose a 5 or 6 weight rod. It will cover any future trout fishing plus all of your lake fishing trips. Carry line clippers, extra leaders, and polarized glasses. As your expertise increases you can then purchase more specific gear.
The fly line itself is the most important component of your initial set-up. I recommend purchasing one on the high end, as it will be money well-spent. Choose a weight forward, floating line matched to your rod. For example a 5-weight line will match a 5-weight rod. If the setup is not balanced, casting will be difficult and frustration will ensue.
Putting the new outfit together for the first time can be a huge hurdle. Making your first purchase at a local fly shop does have several benefits versus online. The local fly shop will have an expert to show you the proper set-up and a few basic knots connections. Plus you can usually get a quick casting lesson in the parking lot simply by asking. Most anglers find this initial hands-on instruction the best method in reducing the learning curve. Books and DVD’s can provide reinforcement at home. The L.L Bean Fly Fishing Handbook or the Curtis Creek Manifesto are two excellent print sources.
For most lake fishing only a few flies are necessary. Carry a few poppers, larger nymphs and streamers to cover the entire water column. A couple of standard go-to flies include black Woolly Buggers, chartreuse/white Clouser minnows, yellow- rubber legged Arcadia Poppers and white Deceiver. Sizes 6 or 8 will work and colors can vary. The flies will attach to the thinnest portion of a tapered, standard piece of monofilament fishing line called the leader. The thicker portion of the leader attaches to the fly line enabling a smooth transition during the cast.
The Basic Cast
Fly-casting does differ from spin or bait casting and it does take a little practice to develop the “feel.” In fly- fishing, your line is weighted not the lure. The fly line is designed to carry the weightless fly to a specific point. Therefore you are casting the line itself. You are trying to unroll the line completely while in the air without it falling to the ground or creating slack.
Begin by having a rod length of fly line outside the rod tip. As you move the rod back and forth through the casting stroke, slowly increase the amount of line you’re carrying in the air. The more line out, the bigger the casting stroke needs to be. To maximize your efforts the rod tip needs to travel in a straight line whether your style is directly overhead or off to one side. Most important is at the end and the beginning of the casting stroke you will need a stop motion, which allows time for the line to unroll while tension is maintained.
The combination of the casting stroke (distance between the back and forth motion), the rod path (straight line) and the stops (correct timing) will result in good casting mechanics. Try one cycle at a time, starting with a simple pickup, one stroke and then a lay down with about 20 ft of line. Distances of 30-40 ft will catch plenty of fish and is a very reasonable goal for the newbie. One resource is the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) to help find a certified casting instructor in your area and even the local chapter. The certification of the instructor not only provides you with an excellent caster but more important an excellent teacher.
On the Water
Now that you’re rigged and ready, choose a lake with ample shoreline cover. You can fish from your boat, dock, kayak or the just wade the shoreline. Cover will attract food and gamefish tend to hang out in these areas. Brush, rocks, vegetation, and docks are all good examples of cover and places to start fishing around.
Simply cast close to the cover and do nothing for 10 seconds. Frequently, fish rush from an ambush spot and grab the offering quickly. If this method is not enticing strikes, place the fly line under your index finger, trapping it against the cork handle. Make short pulls and pauses. This is called stripping the fly or the retrieve. In fly-fishing you do not wind the reel to retrieve your fly but instead strip it back to you. Do not strip the fly line back into the rods guides because a certain amount of line is required outside the last tip section to weight the rod for effective casting.
Experiment with faster pulls and longer pauses to see what works. Try your floating flies early and late in the day. Flies that sink are stripped the same way only under the surface. Fish strike flies aggressively and will typically hook themselves. Use barbless hooks for easy releases.
Fly-fishing is best spring into fall on our area lakes. The dog days of summer provide great action at night around lighted dock lights and shallow shorelines as fish feed heavily at night during the summer’s hottest days. Find times when fish are shallow which makes catching them on flies much easier.
To learn even quicker, consider hiring a licensed fly-fishing guide for a day or two. You can cut the learning curve significantly and become proficient so you can explore home waters on your own. Give fly-fishing a chance and reacquaint yourself with the outdoors to create some lasting memoirs. Remember the journey of fly-fishing attracts many different people and is one of excitement, art, literature, skill and discovery.
Capt Paul Rose is a fly-fishing guide, casting instructor and fishes across the region. You can contact him at www.carolinabonefishing.com