Fly Fishing Gear For Beginners | Fly Fishing Safety

Here are a few fly fishing tips on safety. Fly fishing beginners, as well as, the experienced fly fisherman needs to be concerned with safety. Besides the possibility of hooking yourself or another member of your party, fishing in rivers and streams can be quite dangerous at times and caution should always be taken. Any time you enter a stream be on the lookout for sudden drop offs or deep pockets of water. During spring fishing and when the water is muddy often these hazards are hard to locate. Underwater structure, slippery rocks, submerged logs and many other types of hidden trip hazards can easily ruin what might have otherwise been a wonderful day of fly fishing.

High water conditions and stream currents are often very deceiving. When first entering a stream you should pick an area where you can see the bottom and the water level is not above the knees. I have seen way to many beginning fly fisherman step right off the bank into swift current or water deeper than they expected only to see them face first in the water. Usually those watching just chuckle and poke fun of you for the day, but if you were to hit your head, break a leg.... the fun is over before it starts.
Fatigue is another safety concern that needs to be kept in mind when fishing streams and rivers. It is amazing how much force a rivers current puts on your legs over the course of a day's fishing. Anytime you feel fatigued take a few minutes and head to shore. Accidents happen much more often when your muscles are sore and tired. I personally wear a back support when I fish as the river can take a toll on my lower back. Event the most physically fit fly fisherman can wear out when standing thigh high in fast running water.

Hypothermia is another nasty hazard that can creep up on you, especially if you have a leak in your waders. It doesn’t take long in early spring or late fall, depending on the climate in your area, for your body temperature to start dropping drastically. Always bring a dry set of clothes, blanket and extra towels when fishing during these periods of time when the water is colder.

I didn’t write this to scare the beginning fly fishermen. I just wanted to provide a few fly fishing tips on safety to help ensure your fishing experience is a good one.