Fly Fishing For Beginners | What Is The Best Bait To Use

Many people visiting this site are looking for tips on the best bait to use to catch a trout. Well many fly-fishing purists wont like this but good old worms and night crawlers have passed the test of time to be the best bait for trout, bass and all sorts of pan fish. Yeah I know we have all spent tons of money on fancy dry and wet flies, and lures of various types but sometimes we would be better of just throwing a worm on a hook. I’ve often seen guys fishing for trout using canned corn and they swear by it. I’m not sure if the corn is an imitation of a natural bait or if trout farms have conditioned fish to look for corn.

The best answer for this question though is the bait that catches the fish. I don’t care what you use if your catching fish you have the right bait. Taking time to scout the stream or lake for signs of insects, minnows and other living trout or bass prey is your best bet in deciding which fly to use. If your not seeing any top water activity why would you tie on a popper or dry fly? Learning to read the signs nature gives you is one of the key ingredients in choosing the right fly or bait for your fly fishing trip. Learning how to match your flies to what nature is offering the fish is one of the fun parts about fly-fishing in my opinion. I like to think of it as a chess match with the trout. Can I outwit my opponent and fool him into taking an artificial fly instead of natural bait? When you do finally find the right combination of fly and presentation the satisfaction you get from landing that trout will make the whole game worth it.
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Fly Fishing For Beginners | Common Fly Fishing Questions

Fly Fishing For Beginners has been receiving several questions from fly fishing beginners. Last week I listed some common fly fishing mistakes, today I'll cover a couple of the most common fly fishing questions I've been getting.

1. What is the best fly fishing combo. I've discussed in several of my initial articles that it's not the equipment that makes the fisherman its the technique. If you spend time to learn the basics correctly you will be able to use any fly fishing equipment effectively. Some companies that make decent starter fly rods and reels are Martin, Shakespeare, Crystal Creek. These can usually be purchased at local retail stores and tackle shops. If you have the money and want to purchase a more durable fly fishing combo, Cabelas and Orvis both make excellent beginner fly fishing combos for around $100.00.

2. Do i need waders? - No, waders are not an absolute necessity but if you plan on fishing in streams and rivers with colder water I would highly recommend them. Make sure and get a pair the fit properly. Waders that don't fit properly will create trip hazards, cause rubbing, blisters and fatigue. You want to enjoy your time on the stream not feel like you ran a marathon.

3. Can I fly fish from a boat? Absolutely, I often take my Jon boat out to local lakes and ponds for a day of fishing. Fishing from a boat requires good casting skills to keep everyone safe. Fly fishing a lake or pond also requires learning to read the water to determine where the fish are hiding. This will all depend upon what type of fish your after, read up on the habitat your particular prey likes.

4. What time of day is best? First, fly fishing can be done at anytime of day if you know what type of cover the fish your after likes. Most will have the best luck fishing in early to mid morning and late afternoon to dusk. Another key factor in when to fly fish is the hatch. Learn your area and when the types of insects hatch. Matching your fly to the current hatch will result in much better fly fishing results. Another good time to fly fish is right before or after a weather change like a thunderstorm.

I hope this answers some of Fly Fishing For Beginners questions and I'll be happy to answer others as they come up. Now its time to go fishing. I'll catch you all later.

Fly Fishing For Beginners | Common Fly Fishing Mistakes

Learning from your mistakes will only make you a better fly fisherman. Far too often I've stood along side a steam watching a beginner fly fisherman creating so many mistakes they have no chance of catching a fish. You can have the best fly fishing gear in the world but if you don't know how and where to fish your just kidding yourself.

Common fly fishing mistakes:

1. Standing where you should be fishing- many beginners at the art of fly fishing think they need to wade deep into a stream to catch a trout. I cringe every time I see a fly fisherman enter a stream without looking first. My son was guilty of this the first time I took him out. I told him to wait for me and I would show him how to read the stream and locate prime fishing spots. Did he wait? Heck no he plunged into the water in his new waders cut across stream thinking he had to get out into the middle. Little did he know he pretty much ruined that spot I saw several skittish trout dart for cover never to be seen again. Take your time on the banks scouting the stream before you jump in and scare every living thing away.

2. Forcing the cast. Casting a fly rod takes finesse not brute strength. You cant force a fly cast. You have to lift the line , let the rod load , begin your forward cast and the line will carry the proper distance. Trying to gain distance in a cast by brute strength is just going to cause you frustration. Take the time necessary to practice proper casting techniques in your back yard before wasting your time in a stream.

3. Beating the water into a froth. Have you ever seen a fly or other insect fall into the water from a tree or the air. Usually once they hit the water they freeze for a second, flutter lightly and then drift away with the current. Many times I watch new fly fisherman so excited they learned to cast that they never give the fly time to attract a fish. Its funny sometimes you see a trout rise to take their fly and before it can get there they rip their line back out of the water to cast again. Fly fishing takes patience and observation. Take some time to observe how insects and other prey react in the water. You want your fly presentation to imitate life as much as possible.

4. Not fishing area thorough enough. Many times a beginning fly-fisherman will make just one or two casts to an area that looks prime for holding fish. Reading a stream and spotting trout takes experience. If your instincts are right chances are you picked a spot holding fish. Make sure to take enough time to completely cover the area. I'm not talking about beating the hole to death with your fly and scaring everything, but make several well placed casts not just one or two. If this doesn't result in a fish, pick another area and come back to that spot a bit later. It will really make you mad if you leave a hole and another fly fisherman comes in right behind you and lands a nice 19" brown trout. I must admit Its happened to me more than once.

I know this post was a bit long, but I was out this weekend scouting out a new stream and watching a few new fly fisherman. As I watch I just kept wondering to myself if they realized they were pretty much wasting their time, unless their goal was a good workout for their arm. Anyway hope you beginner fly fisherman find this helpful.

Fly Fishing Gear | Best Time To Buy

If you are looking to add more to your fly fishing gear collection. Now is a great time to start thinking about it. Anytime the economy is taking a down turn, retail outlets start trying to drive business by having sales, marking down prices on less popular items, and adding high margin items to clearance.

In addition to retail companies marking down prices on fly fishing gear, this is a great time to start shopping garage sales and auctions. Anytime the gas prices sky rocket and economy gets weak there are people stuck in a position to sell off their unnecessary hobby items. I know its terrible that someone should get in this type of position but it happens everyday. Take this opportunity to help them out and buy their used fly fishing gear or fly tying equipment from eBay, local auctions or garage sales. I'm not telling you to go in and haggle with the guy to the point your ripping him off but if you can get a good piece of fly fishing equipment at a nice discount take the opportunity and buy it.

With spring weather slowly starting to show up, garage sales will become more and more common. Check out your local newspaper for any listing fishing or fly fishing equipment. I've bought plenty of fly rods and reel not to mention complete fly tying kits at garage sales that were like brand new. Many people take up fly tying and fly fishing and realize it's not for them and eventually sell off their equipment. Higher dollar items like fishing boats are often easy to find at huge discounts anytime the economy gets weak like this, so keep your eyes peeled for those bargains.


Used Compound Bows