If you’re just getting started in fly fishing, or maybe just getting serious about it, the first thing to do is pick a species and pick a river.
You can fly fish for anything. Most rivers in the US have either an abundance bass or trout (seldom both), and perhaps even more have an abundance of carp (dumpster trout). Any of these make a fine target species for the fly angler. And I am serious about carp, they are incredible on the fly, aggressively taking streamers, crawfish and nymphs.
Ok, steelhead it is.
Our Great Lakes are fed by countless tributaries that get a good run of steel. That can be obstacle. You see post after post on social media about this river or that river being on fire and you head there immediately. Maybe you hit it right or maybe you miss the bite. What did you learn? Maybe something.
Building blocks: You learn to add and substract, then you learn to multiply and divide, then algebra, then calculus then physics, then… Yes, fly fishing steel is like that. Plan to learn fishing in a way that forms a base of knowledge you can build on. You can’t just jump from multiplication to a book on theoretical physics and expect to have even the slightest working knowledge. You’ll read things that spark a faint knowing, but that’s about it.
So, you’ve picked a fish, now pick a ”home water”. It doesn’t even have to be near your home. I live more than 200 miles from the river I call my steelhead home water.
Pick a river and start watching the flow rates religiously (USGS), then actually go look at the conditions so you learn what different flow rates mean about the fishing potential. Do this and you will eventually gain an understanding of the flow rate impact and be able to predict what will be the first fishable day after a heavy rain, or a long steady rain and a quick shower, or how the snow/rain mix is different than just rain and how fast snow melt brings the water up on your home river, or how the complete lack of precipitation impacts where the fishable pools and riffles may be.
You’ve seen all the posts on fishing sites asking “Will the Grand be fish able this weekend?”. Everyone understands why they are asking. They haven’t fished that river enough to know. Simple. And you’ve seen all the smart answers: Nope, stay home, or open for combat fishing only, or the grand is always fishable, or as long as you’re throwing 3 ounce treble hooks… etc.
If you are a seasoned angler you know that asking if the Grand is fishable is not a real question because there are too many variables to the answer. Where on the river do you want to fish? You fishing Saturday morning while it rains or just the afternoon? What is your skill level in the current conditions, are you wading, shore fishing, or hoping to use your kayak? What kind of fly fishing do you intend to do?
Really Small Building blocks
Start with one section of one river and fish only that for a whole season. I know that sounds painful, especially when everyone else is catching them somewhere else. But you’ll be shocked how much you learn when you stick to your plan and start collecting the really small building blocks of true understanding.
Do your flow rate homework and start making notes when you fish, either mental or written. Walk a lot. See what’s around the next bend. Fish in heavily stained water. Fish when its gin clear and the flow is below the 25th percentile. Fish in the bright sun. Fish in the pouring rain. Fish that snaggy spot that looks totally hopeless. After all you are committed to this section of river, so explore every riffle and low hanging tree. Skip nothing. Throw flies at everything. Stop thinking about casting only where it looks most likely to have a fish, and fish it all. You’re in for the duration. Fish like you have all year to find them… because you do.
Learning curve:
You will encounter other anglers on your home water that seem to have it dialed in. If they seem approachable or not, don’t hesitate to ask how they are doing then tell them how you are doing then share what you’re setup looks like and ask how they would do it differently. This is humility, and it’s powerful. Everyone was once totally new. You might get blown off. I have and it stiffens my resolve to share what I know. I tend to initiate when I see an angler who clearly needs some help. That’s my empathetic nature, and most other anglers will help too, no matter how stoically indifferent they may seem. If you share what you’re doing they almost can’t help themselves but help. Tip: Don’t ask for help, just share what you’re doing, your flies, your spacing, etc. They will instantly see everything you’re doing wrong, and against their better judgement, they will generally acquiesce and tell you what to do differently. Both of you will be better for it. The seasoned angler will lend you precious insight and you will have given them a feeling of “goodwill”, one they hated to admit to themselves was sorely lacking. Growth for the both you.
Cheat Day:
Once you have gained some general knowledge about fishing your home water, there will be days when you get to your best spot, and it is simply not fishable today, and no matter how far upstream you go on your home water it’s the same. This is a good day to explore other rivers. I have discovered countless new water because the places I know are blown out. There’s no bad conditions, just different learning opportunities. If your river is high and muddy, look at your map and find a tributary creek to your home water, or some other creek entirely that drains a much smaller watershed. If it looks short on the map, that’s a clue it might be back to fishable level/clarity quicker than your home water. Go see how it looks. Fish it if it looks good or move on to another creek if it’s blown also. But take note. Maybe it rained 1.5 inches over 3 days and your home water is still blown even in the upper section. The shorter creek might still be running high but have less stain to it (Tip: fish the snot out of that one). On really bad days I have checked out as many as five new spots and caught nothing. It’s valuable activity.
Commit: I am serious. Do all the above like you have nothing to lose, and you’ll learn just how much you had to gain. You know all the hidden pocket water spots that others walk past but you know it always holds fish. You will know where the current does strange things, and where the fish sit just off to side. You’ll know where the boulders are just right under the bubble line and where the substraight is featureless even though it appears perfect. You’ll know that spot that never holds fish unless the flow rate is above 100cfs. You will know where the fish move to in stained water and where they hunker down in low and clear. You will learn the upper and lower limits of what is a fishable flow rate. And by trying random new spots on the off days you will eventually have a good idea where to go when there’s nowhere to go. Be passionate about taking notes and reviewing them later to develop your strategy. If you take all this seriously, you will soon be one of the people reading the posts of others asking where the fish are this weekend and feeling tempted to answer something about the value of doing your own homework.