Welcome to the World of Fly-Fishing

Seldom does a day go by that I’m not asked a question about fly-fishing or my latest fishing adventures. As an avid fly-tyer and fly-fisher for over forty years I know firsthand what this sport can add to one’s life.

When I first entered into the world of fly-fishing at the ripe old age of twelve, I honestly thought that fly-fishing was just a cool way to catch fish but not much more. Now that I’m a little older and wiser, I realize that catching fish is only a small part of this incredible sport.

For myself, fly-fishing has been a gateway to becoming a writer, photographer, teacher, instructor, fly-tyer and much more. Fly-fishing has encouraged me to travel to places throughout BC and even far away destinations like Mexico and Hawaii to experience what this sport has to offer. Looking back, fly-fishing has played a major role in my life, and I would not change it for the world.

One of the most common questions I’m asked by people wanting to take up fly-fishing is how much will it set me back to get started if I decide to add this sport to my list of interests. The question is a good one but does not have an easy answer as there are so many different species of fish to target in BC and the world for that matter. My first question back is what species of fish would you most commonly like to pursue when starting out?

When taking on this sport you must start by purchasing an outfit to practice with. Most people entering into the sport start by purchasing affordable gear and then buy better gear as they grow with this sport. As for the quantity of gear required, the more species you target, the more gear you will need. The first thing you need to determine is what size fish you would like to pursue most of the time.

Once this is determined, find an appropriate weight of rod that will efficiently cover that species of fish. Using the correct weight of gear is important as fish can be landed in a timely manner, reducing any chance of mortality. The right gear will also allow the angler to better enjoy the experience.

When starting out it is best to purchase a complete balanced outfit put together by a professional in a fly shop. In fact, many fly gear manufacturers offer turnkey fly-fishing outfits complete with rod, reel, line, backing and storage case. By purchasing a matched combo, you are guaranteed to have a well-balanced outfit to learn with.

Selecting the right gear for a specific fishery

Fly rods come in a variety of weights and lengths which allows you to target fish based on size and weight. There are rods on the market from as light as a 1-weight to as heavy as a 12-weight. I have compiled a list to help select the right weight of rod for a specific fishery.

• 1-3wt best suited for smaller sized fish in creeks or streams
• 4wt best suited for small to medium sized fish in rivers or lakes
• 5-6wt best suited for medium to large fish in lakes or rivers
• 7wt best suited for medium sized salmon or steelhead in the ocean or rivers
• 8wt best suited for medium to large salmon or steelhead in the ocean or rivers
  
• 9-12wt best suited for larger salmon or steelhead in ocean or rivers

Equally as important is selecting the right weight of reel to accompany your rod. The heavier the rod weight the larger the reel needs to be to accommodate the larger diameter line. To help make your selection easier right out of the gate I will only cover stillwater fly-fishing in this feature. When pursuing fish in lakes the gear required to be successful is not overly complicated as the fish are generally not overly large in size. With just two outfits you can cover all types of insects that inhabit our interior lakes.

On one reel you must have a type three to type six full sinking line so you can cover insects that live on or near the bottom. On the other reel you will require a full floating line so you can cover insects that are on or near the surface. When using a floating line, you can efficiently use any form of dry fly and any weighted flies such as beaded chironomids and mayflies. The full sinking line is most productive when using dragons, damsels, leeches, shrimp and any type of sinking attractor pattern.

If you realize that this is indeed the sport for you then you can add other fly lines along the way including sink tips and specialty lines.

When starting out you can get away with just one rod and have two reels with different lines, but I highly recommend having two rods, so you always have both on the boat ready to go. The most common weight of gear used when fishing our interior lakes is 6wt, but you can successfully cover the water using any gear from 4 to 7-wt.

Over the years I have successfully landed trout from one to twelve pounds using 6wt gear, so it has become my preferred weight when fishing interior lakes. A decent starter rod, reel and line combo will run you from three to five hundred dollars, but fishing equipment is like anything else you purchase, you do get what you pay for.

As expected, the price goes up accordingly as you move to better quality. Aside from the rods, reels and fly lines you will also need leader material and a good selection of flies to get started.

Fly selection can vary from a few dozen flies to thousands arranged by insects in large fly boxes. As you grow with this hobby your fly collection will naturally grow with it.

If this indeed is the hobby for you, over time you will want to add quality reels to your collection. When looking into options look for a reel with a good drag system and an anodized finish. Good quality reels do cost more but they will last forever when maintained properly. For myself I fish with Islander IR-III or LX3.4 reels when covering stillwaters as they are an absolute pleasure to fish and the drags never disappoint.

Fly-fishing is not really a self-taught sport; I highly recommend taking lessons with a casting instructor or advanced caster. It is important to learn proper techniques right out of the gate, so you don’t learn bad habits.

An instructor or advanced caster will teach you the basics and then it’s up to you to practice between outings. I always advise people I teach to spend a couple hours per week practicing on a field with wool tied to the leader. I find it’s difficult to learn proper casting techniques when your concentration is broken every time a fish rises in front of you and you beat the water to a froth trying to reach the ring.

Fly-fishing takes a lot of practice but once you understand the physics of fly-casting it’s not as difficult as it appears. It’s one hobby I believe a person will never get bored of, as there are always new techniques to learn and fisheries to explore.

What can you target with a fly rod

In BC we are very fortunate as there is wide variety of fish species that can be targeted with the use of a fly rod. To start with we have all five species of pacific salmon that can be successfully landed along with rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brown trout and several species of char. Many anglers in BC also pursue bass, carp and even cod with a fly rod.

The holy grail of fish to pursue in BC with a fly rod would undoubtedly be the steelhead. These large hard-fighting fish will give you a run for your life and put a smile on your face every time one is hooked.

When fishing slows down in the winter months many Canadian’s head for warmer destinations like Mexico, Belize, Hawaii and Cuba in pursuit of warm water species. The warm water species are generally much more difficult to catch and are usually targeted by experienced anglers.

There is an evolution when it comes to fly-fishing. When a person first enters the world of fly-fishing it’s all about catching fish with size and species being totally irrelevant.

As months turn into years and thousands of fish have landed, we tend to turn our efforts towards size as it’s more gratifying to land one large fish verses ten small ones.

The third step to the evolution is pursuing the harder to catch species like brown trout and steelhead. Once you have conquered many of the local species it’s time to travel the world in search of warm water species like Tarpon,Permit and Bonefish to mention a few. 

Fly fishing is one sport you will never get bored of as there are so many species to catch throughout the world. In a nutshell if it swims it can most likely be caught on a fly.

The increase in fly-fishing’s popularity over the years is because it is a very exciting way to catch a fish while taking in scenic surrounds. If you have the urge to explore a new hobby, try fly-fishing and enter a lifetime of excitement.