Fly Fishing – Not As Difficult As It Looks
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012I am often asked if fly fishing is difficult to learn. Some of those who have never attempted it before believe it looks difficult. However, a good instructor can help you with the basics in no time.
When you’ve been on the side of a river and observed a good fly fisher casting, you likely thought to yourself that it was a peaceful and beautiful thing. Some do consider fly casting as an art form when it is done correctly with precision. Some might want to lead you to believe that it’s a difficult sport to learn, however this is not the case. If you can locate an experienced instructor, that will make it all the more easier to learn.
Probably the biggest challenge new fly anglers face is getting the timing right in their casting. Practising good habits under the tutelage of an instructor will ensure you don’t fall easily into bad habits.
The very first casting technique you should be learning is called the roll cast. It might not be as pretty as other casting strokes, but it is one you need to learn first. Ian Scott writes that “this is an essential cast to learn and perfect.” The roll cast is often the cast that is employed when before beginning the back and forward cast. When there is no clearing behind the angler, it’s an extremely advantageous cast to know.
The back cast can be learned after, and this sets up the forward cast in conventional fly fishing. In most situations, “false casting” is really not necessary if you have perfected your back and forward cast.
On large rivers, more skillful casting techniques such as spey casting are often used, which you may want to learn after you’ve got the basics down pat. Getting the roll cast down perfectly is vital for learning how to spey cast as the techniques are based upon it.
Fly fishing is becoming more and more popular today, among both men and women. Although lighter gear including shorter rods is usually required, even children can be taught to fly cast with a little patience. Interestingly, quite a number of new fly angers go on to learn fly tying and enjoy it even more than catching fish on the river!
You can learn more about this sport at this site about fly fishing.