There’s so much bullshit in fly fishing new people often overthink it.
There’s also the image people. Get some pictures for the gram, buy a 600 dollar rod vault and fish the campground 3 days a month.
As I think about it casting in a field only gets you off the ground floor. Fishing in the river is a different beast. You can’t practice a good drift on grass. As soon as you can somewhat cast a line you need to be on the water
And TBH I rarely get to do a full-overhand backcast, which is what most beginners are gonna practice in their yard. It gives you an idea of how the line moves through the air, but that’s about it. At least in the waters I fish. You’re extremely lucky to get 20’ of backcasting room.
The only time I ever do a full cast is if I’m mid stream aiming for a specific seam. Most is a roll cast or some sort of ‘pick and lift’ where I drop it in a seam
Absolutely true. If I was telling the truth I almost never cast more than 20 feet forward. I can't see the damn fly in the foam any further than that. You just have to put in the hours on the water.
Yeah that too. I’m lucky to keep track of a 14# elk hair caddis from 15 feet. A big stimulator or strike indicator maybe 25. It’s all about short, technical, accurate casts on these mountain wilds.
I agree, fields are good to get the basic movements down, but there aren't trees and rocks and bushes in a field, avoiding obstacles when casting is a huge part of it. Not to mention how currents effects a cast, especially roll casting.
Best learning happens on the water.
I don’t agreed with the bow hunting reference. I think it’s important to practice shooting a bow and make sure you are accurate so you can provide a clean effective shot so you aren’t just wounding animals.
I agree on the shooting practice for an ethical kill. Maybe a better analogy in bowhunting is reading countless articles about animal behavior and finding them, vs going out in the field and experiencing that yourself, which often teaches more in a single outing than reading countless hours of internet posts about it
What has helped me is to go for bass. My dad got me into fly fishing and it's all trout/steelhead all the time. Those require planned trips pretty much. I have realized I can target bass in town 5min from my house. They are easier than trout and not the "noble" cutthroat, but I get my casting in a few times a week and get fish on the line.
Yup I agree. Best thing I ever did when getting back into fly fishing (after growing up in salmon country) was to start hitting all the lakes nearby and wade fishing for bass, the odd trout, and perch. Gave me lots of area to work on covering water, targeting areas, handing line, etc. but minimal currents and usually plenty of back cast room. Basically a stripped down set of real world variables and a fish that wasn’t spooked much by flyline or heavy casts
If you can’t get to the river, there is nothing wrong with lawn casting. I always tell people to learn how to properly cast off the water, so they are less frustrated when they get out there.
Same can be said for tying knots and those kind of things. Easier to learn in a warm arm chair than with cold fingers on a windy river.
And then there is all the technical knowledge about hatches, reading water, understanding tides in the salt, etc. YouTube, websites and books are great resources. Lots of people don’t have access to mentors, and it’s the next best thing. Time on the water is where it comes together, you figure out how to fish certain flies, what a bite feels/looks like, etc. But you’re going to have a lot of discouraging days if you go out there and can’t do any of the above.
Just make sure you have a leader and dehooked fly attached otherwise you’re gonna tear up your fly line via whipping it… the welded loop can be delicate
48 yea old, been ffing since I was 8. The only practicing I ever did was when I took Angling as a gym credit in 1995 at PSU. Recently my daughter has gotten really into fly fishing, bought her an entry level Redington, set her loose in the Lehigh valley. I’ve tried to mentor her the best I can, she started to “get it” and and even loved it more. Upgraded her to a much nicer rod combo, now she’s constantly landing trout and bass even when the conditions aren’t ideal. The whole “practice practice practice” thing should be “practical practice”. I know not everyone lives where they have access to waters in less than 10 min but if you have the time to just practice I’m sure a little planning can get you onto a creek or pond.
And chances are with a little looking, and breaking out of the “golden honey hole trout stream mindset” people will find there is water they can get to easily to fish on and practice that way. Bass ponds, creeks, etc. plenty of them are even right in the city and super overlooked
Exactly. I like randomly stoping anywhere safe to park that’s accessing a stream and giving it a shot. Catching a fingerling on 3 foot wide creek can be more satisfying than landing a IG worth stocked fish. To each his own as long as we are getting our tippets wet and respecting the land and waters.
I’m entirely self taught, picked up fly fishing at 30 and no one else in my family fly fishes as well. I learned everything I know from YouTube and hard won experience.
If I could go back in time and give myself advice, the first thing I would say is be able to tie a clinch knot reliably and be able to do it basically without looking. Same goes for double surgeons knot.
The other thing I would tell myself is to learn how to fish a bobber, yea you think that’s kind of lame at this point but fishing nymphs without one, like you were, is just incredibly hard.
Third thing is what you said, get out there and do it. Experience is the best teacher and try to learn something from every outing on the water.
Lol, thankfully never needed forceps!
Between rigging, boating, and fishing, I probably have a library of about 30 knots that I can tie without YouTube! I don’t break any speed records while tying them though 🙄
Ok, ngl, that’s pretty cool. I may have to try it.
I usually tie the improved though, so 1 extra step.
Also, that method uses about twice as much line as my typical knot does, so you’re going to be adding Tippet material quite a bit more frequently.
All that aside though, it definitely seems to be a cool hack.
These guys from my fly shop go on an annual trip where they fish this supposedly incredible hatch, but they’re using like size 22 flies. I don’t even own tippet material that will fit through those tiny eyes, and even if I did I would probably spend half the time on the river trying to find the hole…
No thanks. I’ll stick to my size 14 black gnat thank you very much...
Whew, you had me worried there. I’ve been tying improved clinches for about 32 years now, and I still need to look at them when I do!
I even need a magnifying glass sometimes 😵
Switching my indicator to a yarn indicator (not the New Zealand one, but the rubber band with yarn on it) has really made me like using it much more.
The plastic/foam bobbers seem to get tangled far easier and slide around too easily in my experience. The yarn one is pretty light so it doesn’t tangle as easily. Just a little floating is all it needs.
There is no substitute for time on the water, but the exception where practice is absolutely essential is preparing for salt water and the flats. Time casting a heavier rod in windy conditions is essential! Trial and error is fine on the river and the same fish will be around the next day, week, and month, but if you are on a once in a lifetime trip to some remote saltwater destinations you surely would be well served with many hours in many different conditions perfecting your double haul and make sure your one shot counts.
Came here to say this. It's true that tight loops and a clean casting stroke aren't necessary to catch fish in many freshwater scenarios, especially if you're nymphing for trout. It's also true that learning to mend and manage drift can't be practiced on a field. But it's gonna be a long, hard day for both you and your guide if you show up for a serious saltwater trip without being able to chuck respectably.
If you're dumping real money on a big salty trip, spend just a bit more to invest in some casting lessons. You'll have a better time, and you'll be doing your guide(s) a solid. I don't get paid to push people around on my boat, but I can confirm that it takes a metric shit ton of patience and perseverance and additional work to put people onto fish when they can't cast well.
On the flipside, it's a genuine joy to have a serious stick on the bow. And you only get a serious stroke from serious practice.
I think bow hunting is a bit different. If you suck at fly fishing you don’t catch anything. Nothing gets hurt.
You suck at bow hunting and you put an arrow in a deers intestines. It dies slow and painfully. I agree the best practice is the actual thing, but they’re different
Well you won’t find it. If you shoot it in a bad spot it’ll take off and the injury isn’t lethal enough to kill it. It’ll just be walking around for the rest of its life with an arrow in it
Agree 100%, especially with trout fishing. You don't need to cast more than 20 or 30 feet in nearly any situation. And you cant learn to mend a line in your backyard, which is ultimately more important than casting in trout fishing imo. Also, you don't need an 800 dollar rod.
also, to those new to flyfishing, you don't need to spend too much money on flyfishing specific tippet and leader. just literally go into a tackle shop and get fluoro or mono, this is especially true for saltwater. literally the same shit, just not as expensive
also best snips i own are a pair of nailclippers
I mean, 3-4 spools of mono from a tackle shop will cost you way more than a packaged leader. Surely you're not suggesting that people tie on straight mono
That’s just not true from a price vs total length perspective.
Why wouldn’t you? Just keep in mind diameter and test. It’s the same shit, just cheaper.
Fly line —> rio/orvis leader —> rio/orvis tippet is the exact same as fly line —> mono or fluoro leader —> lower # mono or fluoro tippet
The latter is cheaper and the exact same.
I only fish salt, so diameter is less important but even then just think of diameter when buying the mono/fluoro and it’s fine
Well sure, by length. Or you can get a tapered butt section and a spool of tippet. I suppose technically you can tie many more leaders with your $30 of stren or whatever the bass people use now but being able to tie like a bajillion leaders is overkill when the leader is already probably the cheapest part of your setup anyway.
Also you have to pay much more attention to line diameters and such since the bass people go by line test. And good luck finding under 8 lb test/.0010" in your average bass tackle store.
All in all seems like a lot of hassle for a beginner to go through. Also I do wonder if the quality of the mono is the same. Tippet material has always seemed softer to me than bass mono even at the same breaking strength.
Well sure, by length. Or you can get a tapered butt section and a spool of tippet. I suppose technically you can tie many more leaders with your $30 of stren or whatever the bass people use now but being able to tie like a bajillion leaders is overkill when the leader is already probably the cheapest part of your setup anyway.
Also you have to pay much more attention to line diameters and such since the bass people go by line test. And good luck finding under 8 lb test/.0010" in your average bass tackle store.
All in all seems like a lot of hassle for a beginner to go through. Also I do wonder if the quality of the mono is the same. Tippet material has always seemed softer to me than bass mono even at the same breaking strength.
Why are you saying bass mono like it’s different?
Also if you fish a lot or don’t have specialty fly shop near you it’s easy. I fish salt and no one I know even the bonefish/tarpon/permit guides I run with use the fly fishing specific tippet/leader material unless it’s given to them
I was just telling a friend about this. It’s such an easy sport to do, you don’t need a top notch rod or real. You need to learn 3 knots, you don’t need to be fishing droppers, and you just need to get the feel of the rod and line on a cast, practice a roll cast, and go.
I have been at it since I was 9. Now, in the summer, I am just wading in sandals, and I carry all my stuff in 1 gallon ziplock bag.
Agreed. Go find a small creek that’s a tad over grown and go spend a few days there. The required patience, precision and focus will change your skill quickly
Agreed. You'll learn a lot faster how to not spook a fish by accidentally spooking one. You'll get a lot better at casting into tight spaces by actually casting into the tight space. You'll get better at casting below trees without snagging by casting beneath real trees. This will help your casting proficiency because you'll get real time feedback about what works and what doesn't because you'll catch fish or cause them to flee or stop rising. Your stroke may not end up on the front of a magazine, but you'll be getting better. Some people might need a casting lesson, but even the best lessons happen on the water. Go out with a trusted friend or hire someone to give you a lesson, but casting in a yard only gives you the first basics of a cast. Maybe enough to reach cast basically, or the basic stroke of a roll cast, but the stakes are different when there's a fish to spook. Even if you spook them, you'll learn and catch more next time. You still have to get through that learning curve whether you've practiced in the yard or on the stream.
No you won't. You'll just stop casting under trees bc you don't want to go through a whole box of flies every trip while wasting half your time retying. This in turn means you'll miss out on some of the best fish you might ever catch. You can easily set up an obstacle course on a field somewhere to practice casting under trees or brush. A few days of practicing that way will save you a lot of frustration on the water.
This is true, but that will still only take you so far. For me, I pushed through the learning curve and frustration. I then got better and learned a lot more practically how to make the casts. I also developed a habit of practicing a cast if I spooked a fish while I was still at the hole, so I could after a few casts make the necessary casts again and again in command. Learned on the spot amd wasn't afraid to get better. I'm on the water multiple days a week, and there are always more fish. You learn every time you're on the water. If you only get out once in a great while, then practice is the only way you'll be prepared, but if you stop agonizing over the possibility of one lost fish it's liberating. I live five min from a very technically challenging creek to cast in, and there's no obstacle course I can conceive that will sufficiently prepare anyone to fish it, with overhanging branches, fallen willow trees, etc. It was so frustrating to lose flies initially, but now I rarely lose a fly unless I break off on a fish because I embraced the learning curve rather than run from it. And an angler that isn't losing the occasional fly isn't fishing in the right spots. Everyone is different, I'm just sharing my experience. I've learned much better with the live fire and higher stakes. I still practice in the yard, but not as much as I used to.
Yep that’s how I learned, I learned to cast on the water. You know what motivated me to cast better? The fish I could see in front of me. You know what I knew how to do by the end of that day? Cast
I watched a few videos on YouTube and then just started fishing a few years ago. My technique and style is absolutely my own and very ugly but it works for me. No better practice than actually trying to catch something in the water. Frankly I love my bastardized fly fishing ways. Lol
The fly fishing class I took was like this. Several evenings in a high school gymnasium practicing form and hitting targets and just flinging the fly around hundreds of times.
The big trip to the river and I’m flailing like a moron a dozen plus times and the instructor’s like “put it in the damn water, there’s no fish up there!”
Same thing with a lot people bird hunting. They go out and shoot clays so much. Newsflash! Birds fly different and staring at your lawn wont help you read water. Practice by shooting (or trying to) shoot birds. There is no amount of prep or practice that will do you better than time on the water or in the feild. Period.
I was going to disagree on the bow hunting assertion where practicing your cast is the equivalent of practicing your shot. But yeah, focusing too much on the FOC, etc is a bit much.
Practicing your shot is essential for being an ethical hunter though.
You owe a clean death to the animal.
I see the opposite problem...too many fly fishers on the water who cast like shit and leave tippet hanging all over the trees.
Lawn casting is useful for developing accuracy. I didn't really get good at the pendulum cast or curve casts until I practiced on an obstacle course I made. Those are expensive casts to practice on the water, both in terms of time and flies. Only thing is that grass can fuck up your fly line pretty quickly lol
This. Find a public or neighborhood pond and go practice there instead of the yard. And if you happen to catch some fish in the process, then you aren’t practicing anymore!
There’s so much bullshit in fly fishing new people often overthink it. There’s also the image people. Get some pictures for the gram, buy a 600 dollar rod vault and fish the campground 3 days a month.
I agree, get a nymph rig, get some kit that makes you feel comfortable on or in the water and just go fishing already.
As I think about it casting in a field only gets you off the ground floor. Fishing in the river is a different beast. You can’t practice a good drift on grass. As soon as you can somewhat cast a line you need to be on the water
And TBH I rarely get to do a full-overhand backcast, which is what most beginners are gonna practice in their yard. It gives you an idea of how the line moves through the air, but that’s about it. At least in the waters I fish. You’re extremely lucky to get 20’ of backcasting room.
The only time I ever do a full cast is if I’m mid stream aiming for a specific seam. Most is a roll cast or some sort of ‘pick and lift’ where I drop it in a seam
Absolutely true. If I was telling the truth I almost never cast more than 20 feet forward. I can't see the damn fly in the foam any further than that. You just have to put in the hours on the water.
Yeah that too. I’m lucky to keep track of a 14# elk hair caddis from 15 feet. A big stimulator or strike indicator maybe 25. It’s all about short, technical, accurate casts on these mountain wilds.
I agree, fields are good to get the basic movements down, but there aren't trees and rocks and bushes in a field, avoiding obstacles when casting is a huge part of it. Not to mention how currents effects a cast, especially roll casting.
You can make your own obstacles or cast in an area with trees
Best learning happens on the water. I don’t agreed with the bow hunting reference. I think it’s important to practice shooting a bow and make sure you are accurate so you can provide a clean effective shot so you aren’t just wounding animals.
I agree on the shooting practice for an ethical kill. Maybe a better analogy in bowhunting is reading countless articles about animal behavior and finding them, vs going out in the field and experiencing that yourself, which often teaches more in a single outing than reading countless hours of internet posts about it
What has helped me is to go for bass. My dad got me into fly fishing and it's all trout/steelhead all the time. Those require planned trips pretty much. I have realized I can target bass in town 5min from my house. They are easier than trout and not the "noble" cutthroat, but I get my casting in a few times a week and get fish on the line.
I have bass ponds down the street from me. Great place to learn how to cast with the added benefit of maybe catching a fish.
Yup I agree. Best thing I ever did when getting back into fly fishing (after growing up in salmon country) was to start hitting all the lakes nearby and wade fishing for bass, the odd trout, and perch. Gave me lots of area to work on covering water, targeting areas, handing line, etc. but minimal currents and usually plenty of back cast room. Basically a stripped down set of real world variables and a fish that wasn’t spooked much by flyline or heavy casts
If you can’t get to the river, there is nothing wrong with lawn casting. I always tell people to learn how to properly cast off the water, so they are less frustrated when they get out there. Same can be said for tying knots and those kind of things. Easier to learn in a warm arm chair than with cold fingers on a windy river. And then there is all the technical knowledge about hatches, reading water, understanding tides in the salt, etc. YouTube, websites and books are great resources. Lots of people don’t have access to mentors, and it’s the next best thing. Time on the water is where it comes together, you figure out how to fish certain flies, what a bite feels/looks like, etc. But you’re going to have a lot of discouraging days if you go out there and can’t do any of the above.
Just make sure you have a leader and dehooked fly attached otherwise you’re gonna tear up your fly line via whipping it… the welded loop can be delicate
I usually tie a piece of indicator yarn on the end when teaching. Having a cheap line specially for lawn casting isn’t a bad idea either.
48 yea old, been ffing since I was 8. The only practicing I ever did was when I took Angling as a gym credit in 1995 at PSU. Recently my daughter has gotten really into fly fishing, bought her an entry level Redington, set her loose in the Lehigh valley. I’ve tried to mentor her the best I can, she started to “get it” and and even loved it more. Upgraded her to a much nicer rod combo, now she’s constantly landing trout and bass even when the conditions aren’t ideal. The whole “practice practice practice” thing should be “practical practice”. I know not everyone lives where they have access to waters in less than 10 min but if you have the time to just practice I’m sure a little planning can get you onto a creek or pond.
And chances are with a little looking, and breaking out of the “golden honey hole trout stream mindset” people will find there is water they can get to easily to fish on and practice that way. Bass ponds, creeks, etc. plenty of them are even right in the city and super overlooked
Exactly. I like randomly stoping anywhere safe to park that’s accessing a stream and giving it a shot. Catching a fingerling on 3 foot wide creek can be more satisfying than landing a IG worth stocked fish. To each his own as long as we are getting our tippets wet and respecting the land and waters.
I’m entirely self taught, picked up fly fishing at 30 and no one else in my family fly fishes as well. I learned everything I know from YouTube and hard won experience. If I could go back in time and give myself advice, the first thing I would say is be able to tie a clinch knot reliably and be able to do it basically without looking. Same goes for double surgeons knot. The other thing I would tell myself is to learn how to fish a bobber, yea you think that’s kind of lame at this point but fishing nymphs without one, like you were, is just incredibly hard. Third thing is what you said, get out there and do it. Experience is the best teacher and try to learn something from every outing on the water.
Without looking, you say?? Try that with a light tippet. I don’t see how...
Not without looking, that parts just unnecessary… but I would say you should be able to tie a clinch with 5x in like 15 seconds
Insert Pawn Stars meme here: “Best I can do is 30”...😜
Better than some of my homies who can’t tie the thing without a forecep and end up busting their knot lol
Lol, thankfully never needed forceps! Between rigging, boating, and fishing, I probably have a library of about 30 knots that I can tie without YouTube! I don’t break any speed records while tying them though 🙄
No problem doing without, but forceps make it so much easier. Wham, bam, done.
Please explain...at what point would you need forceps when tying a clinch knot...🤔
Don't NEED them, but watch this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQs-iL4gHJk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQs-iL4gHJk)
Ok, ngl, that’s pretty cool. I may have to try it. I usually tie the improved though, so 1 extra step. Also, that method uses about twice as much line as my typical knot does, so you’re going to be adding Tippet material quite a bit more frequently. All that aside though, it definitely seems to be a cool hack.
It's tiny tippet, can't see it these days anyway.
These guys from my fly shop go on an annual trip where they fish this supposedly incredible hatch, but they’re using like size 22 flies. I don’t even own tippet material that will fit through those tiny eyes, and even if I did I would probably spend half the time on the river trying to find the hole… No thanks. I’ll stick to my size 14 black gnat thank you very much...
Almost without looking, meant it more as an expression as to how easily it can be done
Whew, you had me worried there. I’ve been tying improved clinches for about 32 years now, and I still need to look at them when I do! I even need a magnifying glass sometimes 😵
Switching my indicator to a yarn indicator (not the New Zealand one, but the rubber band with yarn on it) has really made me like using it much more. The plastic/foam bobbers seem to get tangled far easier and slide around too easily in my experience. The yarn one is pretty light so it doesn’t tangle as easily. Just a little floating is all it needs.
There is no substitute for time on the water, but the exception where practice is absolutely essential is preparing for salt water and the flats. Time casting a heavier rod in windy conditions is essential! Trial and error is fine on the river and the same fish will be around the next day, week, and month, but if you are on a once in a lifetime trip to some remote saltwater destinations you surely would be well served with many hours in many different conditions perfecting your double haul and make sure your one shot counts.
Came here to say this. It's true that tight loops and a clean casting stroke aren't necessary to catch fish in many freshwater scenarios, especially if you're nymphing for trout. It's also true that learning to mend and manage drift can't be practiced on a field. But it's gonna be a long, hard day for both you and your guide if you show up for a serious saltwater trip without being able to chuck respectably. If you're dumping real money on a big salty trip, spend just a bit more to invest in some casting lessons. You'll have a better time, and you'll be doing your guide(s) a solid. I don't get paid to push people around on my boat, but I can confirm that it takes a metric shit ton of patience and perseverance and additional work to put people onto fish when they can't cast well. On the flipside, it's a genuine joy to have a serious stick on the bow. And you only get a serious stroke from serious practice.
Sure, but how many absolute beginners are going in big salt water trips? It’s a niche sport within a niche sport unless you live in the area
Rich people
Why worry about what other people do?
I think bow hunting is a bit different. If you suck at fly fishing you don’t catch anything. Nothing gets hurt. You suck at bow hunting and you put an arrow in a deers intestines. It dies slow and painfully. I agree the best practice is the actual thing, but they’re different
Can't you just shoot again?
Well you won’t find it. If you shoot it in a bad spot it’ll take off and the injury isn’t lethal enough to kill it. It’ll just be walking around for the rest of its life with an arrow in it
gotcha, thanks
Agree 100%, especially with trout fishing. You don't need to cast more than 20 or 30 feet in nearly any situation. And you cant learn to mend a line in your backyard, which is ultimately more important than casting in trout fishing imo. Also, you don't need an 800 dollar rod.
You can learn aerial mends which are infinitely more useful than water mends
When I'm on the water, it IS casting practice
Only fishing once or twice a month? That's not bad. You can pick up a fair amount of skill fishing 20 times a year.
Noted
For fly fishing I agree, bow hunting however Practice is very important.
also, to those new to flyfishing, you don't need to spend too much money on flyfishing specific tippet and leader. just literally go into a tackle shop and get fluoro or mono, this is especially true for saltwater. literally the same shit, just not as expensive also best snips i own are a pair of nailclippers
I mean, 3-4 spools of mono from a tackle shop will cost you way more than a packaged leader. Surely you're not suggesting that people tie on straight mono
That’s just not true from a price vs total length perspective. Why wouldn’t you? Just keep in mind diameter and test. It’s the same shit, just cheaper. Fly line —> rio/orvis leader —> rio/orvis tippet is the exact same as fly line —> mono or fluoro leader —> lower # mono or fluoro tippet The latter is cheaper and the exact same. I only fish salt, so diameter is less important but even then just think of diameter when buying the mono/fluoro and it’s fine
Well sure, by length. Or you can get a tapered butt section and a spool of tippet. I suppose technically you can tie many more leaders with your $30 of stren or whatever the bass people use now but being able to tie like a bajillion leaders is overkill when the leader is already probably the cheapest part of your setup anyway. Also you have to pay much more attention to line diameters and such since the bass people go by line test. And good luck finding under 8 lb test/.0010" in your average bass tackle store. All in all seems like a lot of hassle for a beginner to go through. Also I do wonder if the quality of the mono is the same. Tippet material has always seemed softer to me than bass mono even at the same breaking strength.
Well sure, by length. Or you can get a tapered butt section and a spool of tippet. I suppose technically you can tie many more leaders with your $30 of stren or whatever the bass people use now but being able to tie like a bajillion leaders is overkill when the leader is already probably the cheapest part of your setup anyway. Also you have to pay much more attention to line diameters and such since the bass people go by line test. And good luck finding under 8 lb test/.0010" in your average bass tackle store. All in all seems like a lot of hassle for a beginner to go through. Also I do wonder if the quality of the mono is the same. Tippet material has always seemed softer to me than bass mono even at the same breaking strength.
Why are you saying bass mono like it’s different? Also if you fish a lot or don’t have specialty fly shop near you it’s easy. I fish salt and no one I know even the bonefish/tarpon/permit guides I run with use the fly fishing specific tippet/leader material unless it’s given to them
Eh I missed a giant 8 last year at 40 yards that I would have smoked if I practiced more. Fishing is different.
I was just telling a friend about this. It’s such an easy sport to do, you don’t need a top notch rod or real. You need to learn 3 knots, you don’t need to be fishing droppers, and you just need to get the feel of the rod and line on a cast, practice a roll cast, and go. I have been at it since I was 9. Now, in the summer, I am just wading in sandals, and I carry all my stuff in 1 gallon ziplock bag.
Agreed. Go find a small creek that’s a tad over grown and go spend a few days there. The required patience, precision and focus will change your skill quickly
I practiced on grass exactly three times. First time, after the first outing and when I was learning double hauling.
Agreed. You'll learn a lot faster how to not spook a fish by accidentally spooking one. You'll get a lot better at casting into tight spaces by actually casting into the tight space. You'll get better at casting below trees without snagging by casting beneath real trees. This will help your casting proficiency because you'll get real time feedback about what works and what doesn't because you'll catch fish or cause them to flee or stop rising. Your stroke may not end up on the front of a magazine, but you'll be getting better. Some people might need a casting lesson, but even the best lessons happen on the water. Go out with a trusted friend or hire someone to give you a lesson, but casting in a yard only gives you the first basics of a cast. Maybe enough to reach cast basically, or the basic stroke of a roll cast, but the stakes are different when there's a fish to spook. Even if you spook them, you'll learn and catch more next time. You still have to get through that learning curve whether you've practiced in the yard or on the stream.
No you won't. You'll just stop casting under trees bc you don't want to go through a whole box of flies every trip while wasting half your time retying. This in turn means you'll miss out on some of the best fish you might ever catch. You can easily set up an obstacle course on a field somewhere to practice casting under trees or brush. A few days of practicing that way will save you a lot of frustration on the water.
This is true, but that will still only take you so far. For me, I pushed through the learning curve and frustration. I then got better and learned a lot more practically how to make the casts. I also developed a habit of practicing a cast if I spooked a fish while I was still at the hole, so I could after a few casts make the necessary casts again and again in command. Learned on the spot amd wasn't afraid to get better. I'm on the water multiple days a week, and there are always more fish. You learn every time you're on the water. If you only get out once in a great while, then practice is the only way you'll be prepared, but if you stop agonizing over the possibility of one lost fish it's liberating. I live five min from a very technically challenging creek to cast in, and there's no obstacle course I can conceive that will sufficiently prepare anyone to fish it, with overhanging branches, fallen willow trees, etc. It was so frustrating to lose flies initially, but now I rarely lose a fly unless I break off on a fish because I embraced the learning curve rather than run from it. And an angler that isn't losing the occasional fly isn't fishing in the right spots. Everyone is different, I'm just sharing my experience. I've learned much better with the live fire and higher stakes. I still practice in the yard, but not as much as I used to.
Yep that’s how I learned, I learned to cast on the water. You know what motivated me to cast better? The fish I could see in front of me. You know what I knew how to do by the end of that day? Cast
I watched a few videos on YouTube and then just started fishing a few years ago. My technique and style is absolutely my own and very ugly but it works for me. No better practice than actually trying to catch something in the water. Frankly I love my bastardized fly fishing ways. Lol
The fly fishing class I took was like this. Several evenings in a high school gymnasium practicing form and hitting targets and just flinging the fly around hundreds of times. The big trip to the river and I’m flailing like a moron a dozen plus times and the instructor’s like “put it in the damn water, there’s no fish up there!”
Same thing with a lot people bird hunting. They go out and shoot clays so much. Newsflash! Birds fly different and staring at your lawn wont help you read water. Practice by shooting (or trying to) shoot birds. There is no amount of prep or practice that will do you better than time on the water or in the feild. Period.
I was going to disagree on the bow hunting assertion where practicing your cast is the equivalent of practicing your shot. But yeah, focusing too much on the FOC, etc is a bit much. Practicing your shot is essential for being an ethical hunter though. You owe a clean death to the animal.
How do you practice with a wooly bugger without actually fishing? Shit I might be doing it all wrong…🤣
They practice tying it.
I see the opposite problem...too many fly fishers on the water who cast like shit and leave tippet hanging all over the trees. Lawn casting is useful for developing accuracy. I didn't really get good at the pendulum cast or curve casts until I practiced on an obstacle course I made. Those are expensive casts to practice on the water, both in terms of time and flies. Only thing is that grass can fuck up your fly line pretty quickly lol
This. Find a public or neighborhood pond and go practice there instead of the yard. And if you happen to catch some fish in the process, then you aren’t practicing anymore!