FLY FISHING FUNDAMENTALS
Getting Started & Gearing Up – Session 1
Your Fly Line System – Session 2
Selecting Your Fly – Session 3
Reading Water, Fish Behavior – Session 4
Catching & Handling the Fish Safely – Session 5
On the Water Concerns – Session 6
CATCHING & HANDLING THE FISH
Session 5
• Presenting the fly
• Catching the fish
• Landing the fish
• Handling the fish safely
• Releasing the fish softly
THE CATCHING PART OF FLY FISHING
• Observe: then approach the water
• Present the fly : to a precise target, anticipate the bite
• Line management: the retrieve, mending
• Set the hook : lift the cork - to the bank
SLOW DOWN BEFORE APPROACHING THE WATER
• Stop and stand back from the water so you can see the area where you will present your fly and avoid scaring fish
• Fish often hold in areas close to the bank - don’t be too quick to charge into the water, don’t stand in water where you should be fishing
THINK ABOUT YOUR STRATEGY & TACTICS
What do you see?
• Casting obstructions
• Cover/structure
• Current speed
• Potential fish resting areas
• Aquatic insect hatch
• Light intensity
• Potential sound disturbance
• Water clarity
• Wind
• Etiquette considerations
• Fish
BE A “STEALTHY” OBSERVER
• Streams/Rivers - Look for:
• Cover, where a fish can hold undetected and be safe
• Food source
• Places to hold in slower water (seams)
• Lakes/Ponds - Look for best coverweed beds, fallen trees, rocks
PRESENT YOUR FLY TO A PRECISE TARGET
• Based on observation, select a prime spot to present the fly
• Aim for the horizon, not the target
• Let the fly drop to the target
• Don’t overdo the false cast
GET INTO THE FISHING POSITION
• As soon as the fly is in the water, place the fly line under your rod hand index finger so the index finger presses the line against the cork ( braking the line)
• Now you are ready to retrieve the line and set the hook
THE FISHING POSITION
• Fishing position - rod tip low, fly line braked, line hand ready to retrieve or set the hook
• Minimize line slack
• Think about hook set
• Have confidence in your fly
LINE MANAGEMENT – RETRIEVE THE FLY
If the water is not moving, impart action to your fly by using a technique called retrieving
• Following the cast, let the water settle
• Four elements
• Length of retrieve
• Speed of retrieve
• Cadence of retrieve
• Pause
FUNDAMENTAL RETRIEVES
• Rhythmic retrieve
• Non-rhythmic retrieve
• ”Swim” retrieve (hand twist)
• Rod tip “twitch”
LINE MANAGEMENT / MENDING
An important fly fishing skill
• Strive for a natural “drag free drift”
• Recognize the current speed between you and your fly is probably different
• Move the fly line, after you cast, while it is on the water
• Flip the line (close in)
• Lift & place line (beyond 2 rod lengths)
• Anticipating a longer mend, use an aerial mend / the Reach Mend
Visit the FFI Website for demonstration videos • Reach Mend • Control Your Fly Line • Slack Line Presentations
https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Fly-Casting-Education/CastingEducation/Learn-to-Cast-and-More-Casting-Skills-Videos
PRESENTATION IS IMPORTANT!
• Presentation can be more important than fly selection
• Place the fly for optimal interest
• Make it land like natural insect
• Make it move like normal food
• Strive for accuracy
• Avoid leader / tippet tangle
• Poor presentation can scare fish
CATCHING & HANDLING THE FISH
Session 5
• Presenting the fly
• Catching the fish
• Landing the fish
• Handling the fish safely
• Releasing the fish softly
“SETTING” THE HOOK
Weight on the line, a quick tug or the strike indicator signals a fish on:
• Dry fly: you might see the fish rise and take the fly
• Nymph/Streamer: likely will not see the fish take the fly - the fish is deep
• The strike indicator and line will start moving, dip down, hesitate
• Slow down, breath, think, anticipate
SETTING THE HOOK
• A fish taking your fly could be very subtle
• A fish taking your fly could be a strong tug
• You may feel a vibration
• You may feel weight on the line
SETTING THE HOOK
• Methods to set a hook:
• Trout Set (Lift Cork)
• Bass, Saltwater Set (Strip Set)
• From the ”fishing position” your fly is “hunting”
• You feel weight, a vibration or the strike indicator moves
• Lift the cork downstream, toward the bank
• Raise the cork, not the rod tip
THE “DOWNSTREAM TAKE”
• Slight pause when fish takes fly, it will drop its head, then set the hook
• A quick hook -set might pull the fly away from the fish
• Set the hook ”downstream” or toward the bank
CATCHING & HANDLING THE FISH
Session 5
• Presenting the fly
• Catching the fish
• Landing the fish
• Handling the fish safely
• Releasing the fish softly
THE LANDING PART OF FLY FISHING
• Play the fish : maintain the bend in the rod
• Handle the fish safely : keep fish in water and hands wet as removing the hook
• Revive the fish : point the fish head upstream
• Release the fish : watch the fish as it swims away
“PLAYING” THE FISH
• After the hook is set, maintain a bend in the rod throughout the entire “catching” sequence
• Keep the cork more upright
• Maintain tension on the line from the rod tip to the fish
• Streamer consideration - the line is deep
PLAYING THE FISH
• If the fish tries to “run” allow line to slip off the reel through your “brake” finger
• As you feel the fish stopping or less resistance, continue to strip/reel in line
• Try to get the “slack” line on to the reel
• Use the water current to your advantage
• Be aware of obstructions in the water
• Move to shallow water if possible
MAINTAIN LINE PRESSURE!
• It is essential to maintain line pressure (tension/tightness) between the rod tip and the fish until the fish is in the landing net, or handled by the fly fisher
• The indicator of appropriate line tension is the amount of flex or bend maintained in the rod tip
MAINTAIN LINE PRESSURE!
• If the rod tip dips too low, there is slack in the line and the action of the fish throwing its head causing the hook to come loose from the fish
• Sudden “jerks” or pulls on the fly line create a change in the sustained line pressure
THE LANDING NET
• Use a rubber rather than cord net to reduce damage to the fish
• Position the net in the water under the fish and lift
• Keep the net in the water under the fish while handling the fish
• Size according to expected fish size
• Handle length should be comfortable for you
CATCHING & HANDLING THE FISH
Session 5
• Presenting the fly
• Catching the fish
• Landing the fish
• Handling the fish safely
• Releasing the fish softly
HANDLING THE FISH SAFELY
HANDLE WITH CARE!
Like us, rough handling causes injury
HANDLING THE FISH SAFELY
• Keep the fish in the water (at least the head)
• Be sure your hands are wet before touching the fish
• Protect external film on fish, lateral line (immune system)
• Never allow a fish to brush against your clothing
• Never use a towel to handle fish
• Never support fish by the lip
• Handle larger fish with both wet hands
HANDLING THE FISH SAFELY
HANDLING THE FISH SAFELY
HANDLING THE FISH SAFELY
NEVER SUPPORT FISH BY LIP!
Examples of “lipping” a fish, which can cause harm before the fish is released.
NEVER LAY FISH ON LAP, BOAT OR BANK!
CATCHING & HANDLING THE FISH
Session 5
• Presenting the fly
• Catching the fish
• Landing the fish
• Handling the fish safely
• Releasing the fish softly
REMOVING THE FLY
• Secure the fish in water, the net and wet hands
• Grasp the fly/hook; remove it from the fish
• Removing the hook is like unlocking a door: “insert the key, turn the key”, remove the key
• After removing the fly, secure the fly safely
REMOVING THE FLY
• Use hemostats or dehooking tools
• Imagine unlocking a door by inserting a key in the key slot, then turn the key, and remove the key
• Removing a fly is just like unlocking a door with a key
• Grasp the fly and gently push the fly in, towards the throat; turn the fly, then remove the fly from the fish
BARBLESS HOOKS
• Use barbless hooks to “Handle Fish Safely for Soft Release”
• Much less injury when removing fly from fish (and humans!)
• Easy to smash barb with pliers or forceps
• Risk of loosing fish is low with proper line tension when playing the fish
REVIVE THE FISH
Keep fish in the water to recover after removing the fly:
• This is especially important for larger fish and species living in cold/moving waters
• Handle only with wet hands
• Hold fish stationary and with nose upstream for water to flow over gills
• The fish must revive before releasing
• When the fish is ready to go, it will flip its tail and swim away
• After release, watch it swim away
• Sunfish and other smaller fish can be softly released directly into the water
• Fly Fishers International supports the practice of “SAFE
https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Conservation/Conservati on-Education
• How well did I detect the strike?
• How aggressive/subtle was the strike?
• Where was the fish in the water column?
• Did I see the fish? Did it rise?
• Did the fish strike in relation to a retrieve?
• Were there other conditions (wind, current, sun, etc.)?
• Where was the fly in the fish’s mouth?
• Identify the fish?
WHY ARE THE FISH NOT BITING?
• You are in a good spot in the river, you can see fish all around you, holding in the places where they should be
• You carefully present your fly, but no interest from the fish
• You adjust your presentation, still no rising fish
• You change the fly, and still no rising fish.
WHY ARE THE FISH NOT BITING?
• Fly size
• Fly profile
• Fly color
• Wrong fly
• Spawning fish
• No hatch activity
• Predators in the area
• Presentation issues
• Water temperature
• Barometric pressure
• Maybe not hungry
• Oxygen depletion
• It’s not all about catching the fish
• It’s about enjoying the out -of-doors and the challenge of the fishing experience
• Take time to observe and enjoy the environment you are in!