Beginner Fly Fishing

Canada has some of the best fly fishing in the world. Trout fly fishing, salmon fly fishing and even fly fishing for pike. No matter what species you are after, Canada is the place for you.

Fly fishing is much different than using a spin or bait casting rig and it takes much more coordination. Some even consider fly fishing an art form.

In fly fishing, it is your line that is weighted, not the lure. The fly fishing line is designed to carry a weightless fly to your casting point on the river.

This requires a technique that every beginner fly fishing enthusiast must master. You need to imagine your fly rod is an extension of your arm. You are not casting the fly at the end of your line.

You are casting the line itself.

Hold your fly rod in your dominant hand and pull the line out of your reel with your other. Make sure you pull the line out in small increments as you continue to move your rod back and forth. You should notice the energy from your rod is pulling the line away from the reel and giving you the ability to throw your line further. As you get more line out of the reel you will need to lengthen your motion forward and backward.

Try to imagine that you are patterning your cast to a clock. Your rod movement forward should stop at the “10 o’clock” position, and on the way back stop at the “2 o’clock” position. This is an important thing to remember for beginner fly fishing. Get this motion down and you will be off to the races.

If done correctly, your casting should have smooth waves flowing through the line. You need to make sure you pause slightly at both the 10 and 2 positions to allow the line to unfurl parallel to the water. It is a pretty sight when you can lay down a fly perfectly.

As you begin to “feel the groove”, you will be able to execute longer and more accurate casts. If you have tangled lines on the water in front of you or at your feet, you obviously need to practice. Don’t sweat it, we’ve all been there.

A fly fishing beginner must spend time perfecting the motion. Practice is the key. Take your fly rod to an open field (or in your yard) and cast the line. Get the motion down and when you start to get better, give yourself a target.

A great tool for beginner fly fishing is a hula hoop. Place a hula hoop about 15 yards in front of you and try to land the fly in it. Once you have nailed it a few times, move it back, repeating until you are able to hit it fairly consistently from 20 to 25 yards away. Once you do that, the trout won’t stand a chance.

Fly fishing is one of the greatest sports around. It’s about time you got into it.

Thanks for reading our beginner fly fishing page.

Good fishing.

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