Fly fishing is a constant learning process. It can be daunting to those just starting out, but over time as you gather skills and knowledge, you’ll be able to catch fish and tell stories that will bore your non-angling friends for years to come. These fly fishing tips will help you do just that.

In this guide, we’ll break down 14 fly fishing tips that every beginner (and experienced) angler should know, ranging from preparation, approaching the water, and casting. To the newbies out there, these will help expedite your learning curve and help you get fishing more effectively and efficiently.

Simplify

Before getting into the technical stuff, I wanted to start with the most helpful advice I’ve ever received. Keep things simple!

Fly fishing has a reputation for being nuanced, artistic, and complex. It certainly can be at times, but it doesn’t have to be.

Keep things as simple as you possibly can. Skills build over time, but they start with the basic ones. Don’t worry about exactly matching the hatch, executing the perfect cast every single time, or be concerned with your fly being the wrong shade of olive. Focus on the simple things- using flies that look like food to a fish and making casts that make it look edible.

Keeping things simple is still something I have to remind myself from time to time. It’s easy (and fun) to get caught up in the nuance and complexity of fly fishing. But at the end of the day, it’s just fishing!

Fly Fishing Tips: The Anticipation

Get Prepared the Night Before

The anticipation of a fly fishing trip can be as exciting as the fishing itself. Getting prepared the night before- knowing where you’re going to go, what you’re going to fish for, and flies you’re going to use is all part of the process.

The more preparation you do the night before, the less you have to do the morning of, which means more time fishing. I consider myself a pretty patient person but when it comes to getting on the water I get really antsy and whatever patience I have goes out the window. The more I do beforehand, means more time with a fly in the water.

Plan out where you’re going to fish, what you’re going to target, and gather all of your gear. Get it all situated so all you gotta do the next day is pick up your stuff, get in the car, and go fishing.

Organize Your Stuff

Organization is an underrated skill in the fly fishing world. Knowing exactly where your flies, nippers, flotant, and all your other goodies are means less time fumbling around and more time fishing.

Make sure your flies are in the proper place. Be sure to have a pair of nippers and forceps. Pack all your stuff in your bag or pack and know exactly where it is so when you’re on the water, there will be no time searching.  

Rod Assembly

Assembling your rod is pretty straightforward and intuitive. Put the pieces together, line up the guides, and you’ll be good to go.

For years, I would put the rod pieces in sequential order, thickest to lightest. This works great, though it can be more efficient.

First, assemble the two thickest sections together, then the two thinnest pieces together. Then, join the two pieces together to assemble the entire rod.

It’s not a game changer, but assembling your rod like this allows you to put everything together without putting your rod on the ground or bending the rod unnecessarily.

Stringing Line

Similar to assembling your rod, this tip is not gonna change your life, but it does help you avoid frustration.

Many new anglers will take either their leader or end of their fly line and begin stringing though the guides. One false move with this method and the fly line will collapse under its weight and fall straight back through the guides

Fly Fishing Tips: The Approach

Read the Water First

If you’re anything like me and many other anglers, even the sight of a river or stream makes you giddy. It’s really easy to see that body of water and immediately want to start fishing.

However, slowing down and reading the water first is an essential skill. Getting a lay of the land, seeing any active fish, and planning out targets Is a much more productive way of fishing then immediately getting into the water and stomping around.

By reading the water first, we will get a better feel for how and where to fish. When you approach the water, take a minute or two to just sit there and watch. You may see fish rising, cruising fish, or some other clue to where the fish might be hanging out.

I can’t tell you how helpful this tip has been for me and my fishing life. Simply take a moment, slow down, and observe. You will learn something helpful.

Be Stealthy

Being stealthy is a very overlooked element of fly fishing. It’s been said that even the most experienced anglers scare away half the fish when they enter the water.

Personally, I’m usually so excited to get on the water and fish that I forget about being stealthy sometimes. I know I’ve scared many fish away by stomping around the water carelessly.

Fish can sense vibrations in the water and can spook when something feels off. Marching through the water sends a “danger” signal to every fish in the area.

Even your shadow can spook fish away. Knowing where the sun and the shadow you’re creating are can help prevent spooking fish. Sometimes it feels like overkill trying to be so sneaky but it really does make a difference.

Here are some general rules to help improve your ninja-like stealthiness:

• Spend as little time in the water as possible. Try to make cash from the bank or on top of rocks/trees as much as you can.
• Don’t be afraid to crouch or even cast from your knees.
• Enter the water very gently. No stomping!
• When you do enter the water, get in far away from your intended target. From there hike to your casting spot as slowly and carefully.
• Wear dark or drab clothing. You’ll blend in with your surroundings much better and won’t be sticking out like a sore thumb.

Fish Close to You First

When entering a river or stream, be sure to fish the areas closest to you first. It’s very easy to want to cast in the middle of the river or cast to that fishy looking spot on the other side, but fish are very often very close to us.

By fishing the areas closest to us first, we have the chance of catching the fish there (obviously) and we won’t spook them away when we get in the water.

While the bank closest to you may not be all that fishy-looking, give it a few casts anyway to be sure nothing’s hanging out there. Fish can hang out in some unexpected places.

Fly Fishing Tips: Targeting Fish

Fish Where You Know There Are Fish

This may sound obvious, but fishing where you know there are fish can expedite your fly fishing learning curve.

It would be very difficult to fishing area that we are unfamiliar with AND learn how to fly cast at the same time. If you’re just learning how to fly fish, treat it as any other fishing trip- except this time you have a fly rod in your hand.

One of the best ways to get hooked into fly fishing is to actually catch fish as soon as you can. If there’s an area where you know fish live, give that a shot first to get the hang of a fly rod in your hand.

Fish For Bluegill

Fishing for more aggressive fish like bluegill is a great way to begin your fly fishing journey. Trout, carp, and other finicky fish can be frustrating at times, but bluegill are almost always willing to eat.

Fly Fishing Tips: The Casting

Fish Areas with Plenty of Room to Cast

Getting stuck in trees is frustrating, there’s no way around it. As a beginner, give yourself plenty (and I mean plenty!) of room to cast to eliminate the chance of unneeded discouragement.

Find open areas that will allow you to cast freely. This may not always be the best fishing spots, but if you’re just starting out, it is definitely the best way to get a feel of your cast.

Fishing in tight quarters is part of the game and everyone needs to learn how to cast with trees, rocks, or any obstructions around. However, if you’re just starting out, keep it simple and fish open areas until you’re confident enough to fish tighter spaces.

Limit False Casts

As a beginner it’s really easy to want to false cast until you have the perfect forward cast. In reality, you’re probably scaring more fish away with your fly line above the water so much.

Having 5 or 6 false casts doesn’t really accomplish anything, other than potentially scaring fish away. Limit your false casts to 1 or 2. You’ll actually cast better, scare less fish, and get your fly in the water much faster.

Everybody false casts too much from time to time. The key is remembering that not every cast needs to be picture perfect and stating the obvious, you can’t catch a fish unless your fly is in the water!

Bring a Spinning Rod With You

The fly fishing purists may scoff at this one, but bringing a spinning rod can be extremely helpful. By using a spinning rod while you’re still learning your fly casting technique, you can fish the water more effectively and figure out where the fish are and what they’re biting much more efficiently.

I also like to bring a spinning rod sometimes when I’m fishing a heavily wooded area where fly casting is difficult.

Fly fishing can be frustrating sometimes. At the end of the day, we’re out there to have fun and if fly fishing is simply too difficult, a spinning rod can help eliminate that annoyance. As you get better at fly casting, you won’t need or even want to bring a spinning rod anymore.

Other Fly Fishing Tips:

Fish a Wooly Bugger

There simply is no wrong way to fish a Wooly Bugger. As a beginner, this can be extremely helpful knowing that every cast you make you’ll have a shot at a fish.

If you’re trout fishing, dry flies and nymphs require a little bit of technical skill, but Wooly Buggers do not. By fishing a Wooly Bugger, you don’t have to worry about “matching the hatch” or be concerned with using the wrong fly. A Wooly Bugger is never the wrong fly to fish.

Every fish in the water will bite a Wooly Bugger. Bass, trout, carp, catfish, you name it. If you’re fishing the greatest fly of all time, you’re simply increasing your chances of catching any fish!

Conclusion

So there you go! Tips that every beginner fly fishing angler should know, ranging from preparation to reading the water.

Prepare the night before, planning out your trip ahead of time so you have more time fishing. When approaching the water, sit and observe for a minute to get a feel for the water. Give yourself plenty of casting room and when entering and wading in the water, be as stealthy as you can.

Your skills will build over time, but the most important thing is that you keep it simple!

What’s the best fly fishing tip you’ve ever received?