We’ve all been there before, you know a fishing spot is full of fish, but you can’t seem to get the fish to eat the flies you’re drifting through the hole. At this point you have 2 choices, 1) Give up on the spot or 2) Stay and try to figure out how to catch those fish. Now many anglers choose the former and just give up, but if you put in some time and watch the water, you will find your window to get those picky fish to eat!
Adjust How You Approach the Spot
Every time you approach a fishing spot, you run the risk of spooking fish that were otherwise feeding happily. When you approach a new or familiar hole, do your best to approach the spot downstream and fish up into the current. This will prevent spooking fish because trout and almost every freshwater river fish, hold while facing upstream into the current. As you get close to the hole, try to avoid stepping on anything crunchy underfoot as that will send vibrations into the water and give your position away to the fish. If you want to go super stealth-mode, try to approach with the sun to your face to avoid casting shadows on the water.
Try Lighter Tippet or a Longer Leader
Sometimes all it takes to get a fish to feed is by using lighter tippet and lengthening your leader. Especially if you are fishing an area that receives higher fishing pressure, the fish may be used to seeing the same 5x tippet float overhead and have begun to learn what not to eat. Next time you’re getting frustrated at a hole, try tying on lighter tippet and loosen your drag, you’ll be surprised the reaction you get! Another tactic to try is just lengthening your leader in general, the less fly line on the water, the lower the chances that a fish will spot the line and spook.
Take a Break and Watch the Pool
Even if you spook the fish in the pool, don’t give up, sometimes all you need to do is step back and give the fish a chance to reset and forget you’re there. Sometimes this only takes a few minutes and will give you a chance to pay attention to how the fish are behaving in the water. Are they feeding just off the bottom? In the middle of the water column? Sipping dries on the surface? By taking a few minutes to watch and allow the fish to relax, you can learn far more about what presentation style you should be using!
Change Up Flies
Many times all it takes is a quick fly change to get fish to eat. You’d be surprised how educated trout can get as they probably see many fly patterns pass overhead and hook their friends. By tweaking classic patterns or throwing flies that may not be fished in your area, you can trick even the wariest of feeding trout. For instance, on a fly fishing trip in the Smoky Mountains, we had spotted a feeding brown trout in skinny water, we tried countless nymphs and streamers, but had no luck. Then we tied on a bright pink steelhead bugger and, wham! the fish inhaled it like pink streamers were his favorite snack. You’d be surprised how many tricky fish will simply inhale a fly pattern they haven’t seen before.
Change Your Fishing Strategy
Sometimes fooling those picky fish is a change-up pitch, maybe the trout aren’t looking down for nymphs or are cruising the surface for waterlogged flies. By simply switching up your fishing style you can sometimes elicit the response you’re looking for from those trout. Never underestimate the value of a pissed off brown trout hammering a streamer simply out of annoyance and aggression!
]]>Fly retrieve is something that should always be on your mind when you’re fly fishing. A “retrieve” refers to the method in which you move the fly in or on the water. Most of us are familiar with the basic dead-drift and streamer strip, but if you learn these few retrieves, you can really maximize every opportunity at a fish!
Wet Fly Retrieve
This style of retrieve may seem challenging at first, but when you’re fishing wet flies or nymphs, the slow action will entice even the wariest of trout to take a swipe at your fly. You can also use this method to move streamers super slowly through the water while swinging them down through the water, emulating a slow or dying baitfish struggling along the river bottom.
The Tick-Tack
When fish are being picky with a streamer retrieve, this method is one that can shift the odds in your favor. All you have to do is start ticking the fly along the bottom using small strips (usually an inch of line at a time), the rapid jigging motion signals a struggling crustacean or small fish on the bottom while also reducing the speed of your retrieve, thus limiting the chances that your target will spook off.
2-Handed Retrieve (Rolly Polly)
Have you ever been fishing streamers and noticed that the moment the fly stops moving, the fish seem disinterested? When this happens, you should try using the roly-poly (or 2-handed retrieve) to maintain constant movement while swimming the fly. The under-arm retrieve can also be used to move flies faster than you could with a single hand stripping retrieve, which can be used to entice aggressive predatory fish to hit the fly purely out of aggression.
Long and Slow
When targeting bottom feeding or slow-moving fish, keeping constant tension, while moving the fly as little as possible is key to coming tight. This retrieve is especially useful when fishing the saltwater flats, or carp, as too much fly movement can spook your intended targets. Next time you are fishing streamers or in the salt, try this retrieve, you will be surprised what decides to eat the slow-moving fly!
Skating a Fly
This retrieve is crazily applicable in many fishing situations, especially when fishing topwater. “Skating” refers to slowly dragging your fly across the surface of the water. Utilized when fishing gurlgers, mouse flies and even small trout dries, this method can be the key to getting fish to come up looking for an easy meal!
]]>Some of the most common instances that something goes wrong while fishing is either right before, or right as you cast. So many wind knots, birds nest tangles, snapped rods and frustrated anglers can be prevented if you just check these few things before you make each cast, and we promise, with some discipline, your fishing days will involve fewer flies in trees and fewer frustrating fishing days.
Check Your Surroundings
We all get hung up on a tree or bush while casting at least once a trip, admit it. But this classic anglers problem is preventable by checking what’s going on around you and your surroundings quickly before each cast. Scan upstream, downstream and definitely don’t forget to look above you, because the most annoying event on the water is when you have to snap off your favorite fly because it’s stuck too high up in a tree. Depending on where you’re fishing or if you’re with a buddy to double check that no one is standing behind you, because if you accidentally stick a fly in a passerby or your buddy, you’re probably going to have a bad time. And if you find yourself getting stuck in more than a couple of trees, maybe try out this crazy handy accessory, the Catch-A-Lure tool, which attaches to your fly rod and allows you to easily get flies out of trees and snags that are tough to reach, check out our short how-to video, here.
Check Your Fly, Leader & Tippet
Your next cast could be the cast when you come tight on a big fish, and you want to make sure your rig is ready to stand up to any fight. If you watch many of the best anglers in the world, every cast or at the least every couple of casts, they run their hands along the length of their leader checking for weak points, kinks or wind knots that could allow a fish to easily break off. They’ll also check the knot that connects their fly to their leader checking for teeth marks or wear, because trust us nothing is more depressing than setting the hook and watching a fly-less, shorter leader coming back at you because there was a wind knot in your 5x tippet. Being disciplined on the water is the simplest way to avoid frustration during your next fishing adventure!
Check Your Fly Line
Has this ever happened to you? You’re making a couple of beautiful false casts and then as you shoot that line into the distance, a tangle in your fly line catches an eyelet and, snap, a perfect cast is dropped many feet short of its intended target. This is why you should look down any time you are about to make a cast, regardless of what type of line you are using or where you are standing. Recently while fishing in the Low Country, I tore a perfectly good floating line in half because I wasn’t looking down and didn’t notice that my line had wrapped around a razor sharp oyster shell. And trust us nothing is worse than having to make a quick cast and realizing your line is trapped underfoot. All of these issues can be avoided if you just make a quick line check before every cast.
Picture Your Cast in Your Head
Taking a minute to envision where and how your cast is going to go is another great tool to minimize tangles, snags, and frustration on the water. Typically before making a cast, I think about how my body is positioned to make the most productive cast. Will my flies get down to the right depth? Are there currents that are going to require quick mend? How far do I need to lead that fish? All of these questions should run through your head before you lift your rod and make the cast. You will be surprised how much better you will fish by taking a breath and thinking through your cast before you make it.
Check Your Rod Ferules
Now, this is one thing you may not be checking regularly on the water, but checking your ferrules (where the different sections of your rod come together) is the simplest way to avoid a very common cause of snapped rods. If your ferrules are not tight, you lose a lot of casting power because the kinetic energy is not transferred cleanly. Loose ferrules can have wiggle room that can cause a rod to snap because the tip is rattling around and weakens the inside of the ferrule. Avoid this by paying attention to any weird feelings while casting and taking a quick look at each ferrule connection to make sure they are tight!
]]>Fall is often sought after as a peak time for fly anglers to get out on the water, especially if you are hunting for that one big fish. A typical fall produces most of the necessary conditions to bring fish out of their hidden comfort zones – cooler temps, rain to dilute the water and bring flows up, and an earlier sunset to give you that extra time to stay out for the golden hour. Combine those conditions with the brown trout pre and post-spawn bite (avoid the redds!) and you have been set up for a very good day on the water.
But what happens when it’s mid-November and it hasn’t rained in 33 consecutive days, temperatures have been hovering 10 degrees warmer than usual and what used to be your favorite fallen tree holding the big brown is now fully out of the water? You have to know exactly where the fish are holding and put the fly in their mouth for them.
There are two big factors to consider when trout fishing – cold temperatures and oxygen. Trout like both and need both to survive, and their sub-surface food source needs both to thrive as well. On a typical fall day, the river would be up a little higher than usual, spreading the fish out in different pockets and eddies all the way through the run and especially in the tail outs. Trout like protection and the higher current allows them to flex their fins and move out of their homes. But when you enter tough fall conditions like most of the Southeast is enduring right now, you have to think like the fish would think in this situation.
Needing the cold temps and plentiful oxygen, trout are going to seek out the lowest possible position in the river. When approaching the river, look for the whitewater runs with fast moving water and avoid the slower-moving water (tailwaters can be an exception to this, ie: the South Holston River, where the water coming from the bottom of the dam is so cold that the trout can hold anywhere and be comfortable). Work your way up towards the head of the run and make sure your flies have enough weight added to be able to drop below the force of the current. What anglers don’t typically see is that directly below the fast moving white water is a second water column that is much slower, creating a holding tank for fish that is cold and full of oxygen and allows them to look upward to grab food flowing through the fast current above. The white water can be intimidatingly fast, but by tapering your tippet with enough weight to get your flies down quick and deep, you can reach the vast population of fish in the run. High-sticking or tight-line nymphing in these situations is most effective – the lethargic fish are going to eat your flies more subtly, and the tight line can help you feel the takes that an indicator won’t show.
Finally, in fly selection, think small. No rain and warm temperatures are not going to bring the big bugs out. Low and clear water allows the fish to inspect your fly longer and make up their mind whether to eat. Be thorough when fishing runs in this way because your flies are going to need to hit the fish directly in the face. Don’t be discouraged by the tough conditions – be confident when hitting the stream that you know where the fish are holding and that you have the patience to wait for that first take. Take a minute before entering the water to read your conditions and put yourself in the mind of a trout.
]]>More often than not, the answer is right in front of you! Take a moment to look around before you storm into the water in search of that monster trout you’ve been waiting for. Check the willows, the grass and at the water’s edge. There may be a good hint waiting for you before you even set foot in the water. Hoppers, stoneflies, salmon flies and mayflies could be the most obvious but it’s the smaller bugs that may cause you to look a little harder. Have a seat, drink a beer and ponder life while looking for small winged creatures in the air and on the water.
Time to roll up your sleeves… or not, and start flipping rocks. No need to get all herculean, softball sized rocks are perfect to check for aquatic life. This is by far the best way to determine what bugs are swimming under the surface if fish aren’t readily taking flies off the top. This is where you are looking for larva, aquatic worms and cress bugs that make good fish food. Don’t get too crazy about exactly matching flies to bugs – good generalist patterns such as pheasant tails, hairs-ears, walt’s worms and midges could be your best bet.
Seine nets are an often overlooked tool but can be rather useful to find out what bugs are in the water column. A seine is basically a small, fine net for the purpose of catching critters below the water’s surface. Just scoop and look, it’s that easy. Some of the larger seine nets used for aquatic research require gently disturbing the creek or river bed to kick up the critters from their hiding place and into the net downstream. Getting the little buggers in your hand will be super helpful in determining what size, color and pattern you should try.
]]>It’s true! It’s not just having the right fly choice, but also having confidence in its fish catching abilities. Every guide I have ever fished with has told me to “Fish your flies with confidence!” Basically, all they mean by this is fish those flies with purpose, put them where you know they’re supposed to go and have faith that you have the right pattern on. The benefit of optimism while fly fishing, at least from what we can see does seem to have some effect on how your fishing day goes. You have to be always looking for the next holding water, the next fly, and perhaps that next cast will be the one you hook your fish.
Having a confidence fly box just simplifies everything from gearing up for a fishing day to fly choice on the water. You’ll save time because you know as long as you have that box of flies with you, you have a solid shot at landing fish. Our confidence flies are always ready for whatever fishing time we can get!
If you’re like us, you probably always have a fly rod ready in your car, and likely it already has some flies tied on to the end of your tippet. You can take that prep work a step farther and have premade double nymph or dry-dropper rigs tied up with your confidence patterns and you’re ready to go. These rigging foam blocks make keeping pre-tied rigs on hand easy and they keep them from tangling up.
Go fishing and pay attention to what flies work, maybe it’s a certain hot-spot color or fly profile, but find the common themes between your fish catching flies and start building from there. Once you notice a pattern or find yourself sticking to certain flies, those are probably yours. Also, pay attention to what fly patterns others are fishing and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Some anglers may keep their patterns to themselves, but more than often you will find that people will gladly share what flies catch them the most fish, because hey, what angler doesn’t like to brag, right?!
]]>Streamers are intended to imitate bait fish, leeches, or crawfish. For the most part they can be fished anywhere and have the ability to produce fish year round. A streamer can range anywhere from a plain ole wooly bugger to a triple articulated Sex Dungeon.
Streamers are fished with a dead drift, strip, swing, or even by running them under an indicator (cringe). Be sure that you have a heavy enough rod to be able to effectively and accurately throw these larger and heavier flies. A 5wt is about as small as one should run with a 6 or 7wt being ideal for most streamer situations.
Depending on the time of year, flows, and clarity, the target species will be in different sections of the water. A general idea of where the fish are holding is definitely helpful, but streamers are also a great prospecting fly. Simply cast your fly out, let your streamer sink a few seconds, and begin to strip the fly back towards you. Often times, the angler will be able to watch the fish follow the fly and attack it–this is what makes streamer fishing so exciting.
A common mistake with streamer fishing is the inevitable “trout set” when setting the hook. When fishing streamers, it’s important to keep your rod tip low and in a straight line between your rod, line, and fly. In doing so, the angler will have the best chance of getting a good hook set while eliminating any slack. With your fly rod in one hand and line in the other, pull the line in a fast and hard motion towards yourself when you feel the take. This is called a “strip set.” Over time this becomes natural. Insider tip: sometimes multiple hook sets are needed to ensure the hook is buried, especially on larger fish.
If you aren’t having any luck, it’s always a good idea to experiment with the retrieve prior to swapping patterns. Try fast strips, jerks, long strips, even pauses in between strips. Ryan explains he’s drifted past several fish with no interest, but when he changed up his retrieve it was like the dinner bell rang and the fish were all over it.
As far as colors go, to try to match your local trout snack. Olives, black, whites, and other naturals are a good bet though experimentation with something flashy or colorful is always fun. Most of the fish that will eat a streamer are predatory. Offer them something they’ll want to attack.
In the end, there’s really no rules when it comes to streamer fishing–just get out there and have fun. When that first big brown crushes your fly and takes off, you will be hooked. It’s this feeling that keeps anglers coming back for more.
Ryan has shared a list of some of his favorite streamers. These names sound just as fun as fishing them:
Now get out there and slay em!
]]>As soon as you get to the river there are two things that must be done before you start fishing. The first is probably the hardest, since all an angler wants is to start fishing. Before you make a cast though, you have to sit down and watch. Just watch. Soon enough you’re likely to see a pattern emerging if the water is clear enough for you to spot fish. You’ll see fish rising to bugs on the surface, maybe you’ll see fish slashing at bugs in the middle of the water column, or maybe it’ll look like fish are barely feeding, which means they’re likely feeding on nymphs close to the bottom.
If you can’t spot any fish or they seem to be feeding lower in the water column, then it’s time to start digging. While you may be able to catch a flying bug with your hands like in an old karate movie, you’re not likely to be able to spot the nymphs that are floating by deep in the water column. Instead of guessing, start digging around at the bank and flipping over rocks. You’re likely to find a few bugs clinging to the base or underside of the rock, which you can imitate on your next drift.
It’s really hard to get the exact imitation that the bugs are feeding on, and while it’s possible, it’s much better to have flies that will replicate a few different species of bugs, rather than having one fly for every bug that flies or swims. If you’ve identified some of the bugs that are in the river, whether you can indentify them by common name, scientific name or just, “it’s a little black bug,” you have enough information to tie on the fly that you need.
Start out with a bug the same size as what you think the fish are feeding on. When in doubt, a fly that is smaller is more likely to catch fish than a fly that is too big. If you aren’t catching fish, or you’re getting refusals, then use that rule and downsize your fly until you start catching. When it comes to color, try and replicate the general tones of the fly, but don’t worry if the bug you saw had a brown belly and slightly more reddish tint on it’s back–just throw something brown. Close enough.
Yes, contrary to what every elitist or how to book may have preached, the same principle of matching the hatch can be applied to streamers. Trout, especially big trout, are looking for the biggest meal they can get their jaws around and a meaty streamer that looks exactly like a baitfish they’re willing to eat can trigger a strike. A really big, rip your arm out of the socket, shit-eating grin strike. Enjoy.
]]>It is crazy to think that the first time I held a fly rod was five years ago, yet this is my first full year of fly fishing from January to December. Reflecting upon my year, I know that I learned so much, but I have yet to even scratch the surface. So, to all of you beginner fly fishermen out there or those who are starting the transition, I’d like to share with you the 5 most important lessons I learned after my first full year of fly fishing.
As we all know, fishing is an extremely mental game—trying to figure out the new puzzle nature presents each day and battling your own internal mind games. However, one of the best videos I have seen that has helped me build my own positive mental attitude both on and off the water is by professional bass fisherman, Gerald Swindle. Maintaining a PMA on the water allows me to realize these core things: this sh*t is hard, sometimes you’re going to have to embrace the skunk, and sometimes you’re going to have to work for your fish, but always keep your head up. You will have days where you can’t keep fish off your line and you will have days where you fish all day in the rain, get a hole in your waders, lose your net and come up empty. But, just like how a young kid learning to mow his lawn builds character, tough experiences build skill. So keep plugging away.
It is so easy to start fly fishing and marry yourself to whatever technique gets you the most consistent action. And, don’t get me wrong, it is important to use a confidence fly in a lot of circumstances, but the only way you’re going to grow as an angler, learn to read different situations and adapt on-the-go, is by forcing yourself to try something new. If you’re a freshwater guy, fish the salt. If you love gently laying size 26 tricos to 26” browns, try huckin’ a streamer or high sticking a nymph. And if you think you already know everything—salt, freshwater, brackish, dry, nymph, streamer—you’re wrong, you don’t, so go out and learn more.
Take it from me, I’m a broke college angler, I don’t own a single rod that costs more than $300, I don’t have $100 nippers or Simms G3’s. I have a low-cost 5 wt that gets the job done, my waders are from a time before the dinosaurs and eternally smell like moldy socks, but guess what? The fish don’t care! Never let a small budget prevent you from starting to fish or doubt your own fishing abilities. The subscription options that Pelican Reels and Wade Rods offer, make getting high-quality gear on a budget easy. They allow you to spread out the cost over time, making it affordable for even a college student like myself!
With my dad’s life advice echoing in my mind, “networking is everything”, I can’t help but admit that he was right. While I absolutely enjoy the solitude of fishing and figuring things out by myself, surrounding yourself with kind-hearted and passionate anglers is essential to growth as an angler. Reach out to people within your community—talk to someone on the water, stop by your local fly shop or attend a local fishing club meeting. And, make sure to fish with people who are better than you because you’ll always learn something new. Most importantly, be kind to others and give back. I remember myself at the beginning of my fly fishing career—how I was overwhelmed, confused and in need of guidance—so I am always willing to help out a fellow angler. Fishing is all about sharing the love of the passion, that’s what I signed up for at least.
I genuinely believe the number one thing I learned this year was to be mindful and present while I fish. Acknowledge everything around you because the second fishing becomes a source of anger, sadness, etc. you’re not doing it right. Fishing is as much about the people we meet, the places it takes us and the memories we make along the way as it is about the beautiful creatures we chase. It’s about the entire experience as a whole: hugging your best friend after a catch, getting cut up and scraped while hiking high into the mountains, resisting the itch of what seems like a thousand mosquito bites just to drift that perfect run one last time and having stories to tell for the rest of your life. Don’t let fishing be an escape, but rather an opportunity of awakening.
I cannot wait to see what this next year and all the years to come hold for me because I know for sure that 4 AM wake-ups, beef jerky filled road trips, and watching fish rise will never leave my life.
If you can take one major theme from these lessons that I learned, it is be yourself when you fish, it makes all the difference.
]]>Everyone wonders what it takes to become a great fly angler, and after reading a few self-help books ourselves, we realized that there are a few habits that some of the best anglers we see on the water have. Being disciplined, even just a little, can really elevate your fly fishing experience, both in the number of fish landed and how much you enjoy the time on the water. So we’re here to share a few of the insights we’ve learned from our years on the water and learning from our fly fishing mentors!
No matter where you are fishing, having good situational awareness is one of the most important habits on the water, both for your safety and maximum fishiness. If you’ve ever fished with a guide, you’ll notice their eyes are rarely locked in on one spot unless they spot a fish. Water movement, bait spooking, fishing rising/rolling are all signals that give away a fish’s presence, but if you’re not scanning the water, you’ll miss it all.
Picture this, you’re knee-deep in a creek with your fishing buddy, and the hatch of all hatches starts popping off all around you. You reach to your pack to dig out some fresh tippet and a dry fly, but you can’t find it in the mess in your bag. Meanwhile, your well-organized pal already has his fly tied on and is tight to a riser. Want to know the easiest way to avoid this situation, spend some time after every trip reorganizing your pack and fly boxes, so the next time you’re out on the water, everything is easy to access. Reorganizing your fly boxes will also key you in on what flies were working and which you need to replace, so you won’t get stuck out on the water with just one lucky fly again!
Positivity on the water is one habit that we could all do a little better of adopting the habit in our fishing lives. It’s easy to get bummed out when you’re having to work hard to get a tug at the end of your line and give up early in the day. But someone wise once told me that, “You can’t catch a fish if you don’t have a line in the water,” and everytime I start feeling myself give up on a fishing day I remember that all it takes is one cast and one fish to plaster a smile on my face for the rest of the week. So next time you’re out there, remind yourself where you are and what you’re doing, because, at the end of the day, we’re out on the water living our best lives and pursuing what we love.
No matter where you are in your fly fishing journey, you should be aiming to learn something new or improve a skill every time you’re on the water. Maybe you want to work on a new cast or give a new style of fly fishing a try, there’s no better way to learn than just throwing yourself into it and learning along the way. As we all know, fly fishing is a never-ending learning curve, and the best way to master a new skill is to practice!
Probably the toughest of the habits to adopt, patience is one of the skills that separates the best anglers from the rest. Whether its waiting on the prime tide to start coming in, or watching a trout rise for a few minutes before taking your cast, simply by waiting for the perfect shot to come to you, and not rush the process, your hook up rate and enjoyment on the water will both increase!
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Probably the simplest of the 3 situations to observe, but the trickiest to imitate. Once you can confirm that the fish are rising to flies on the surface, you should start paying attention to what those flies are: What color are they? What size? Are they mayflies or perhaps a caddis or stonefly? Take a few minutes and try to match the hatch as best you can with the flies you have. Before you cast out your offering, watch the fish and see how they are rising, are they patrolling still water in the eddies or rising consistently in the riffles? Present your fly accordingly and watch for that fish once your fly lands on the water because there is nothing cooler than watching a trout rocket off the bottom to crush your dry!
You will see fish break the surface but you can’t get them to take a dry and it doesn’t seem like their eating anything off the surface. This is a typical sign that these fish are feeding on emergers (nymphs on their way to the surface about to hatch into flies) in the top few inches of the water column. Now is the time to throw on emergers or soft hackles that suspend in the top few inches of water. Present your flies upstream of the trout with plenty of time to rest in that top section of the water.
You've walked up to the stretch of water you are planning on fishing and you start to see the occasional silver or yellow flash low down in the water column. This is a typical sign of trout feeding on nymphs in the bottom half of the water column. If you can see the fish after they flash, you will notice that they are hovering a few inches off the bottom and will move only slightly to feed. This is when you need to pay attention to the depth of your nymphs to make sure that fish doesn't have to travel too far to eat your fly!
]]>Sometimes all it takes to get a fish to eat is a quick changing of your flies. Often times if you are fishing a certain area, fish can become "educated" about certain fly patterns they see movement in front of their face on the daily, or the fish simply don't want to eat what you are throwing. The best way to alleviate this issue is to keep changing your flies until you find the pattern that works. To help you out, we've gathered a few of the major cues that it might be time to try a new pattern!
Whether its due to a large number of bugs on the surface or just picky fish, if you notice fish rising or feeding just next to your flies with no familiar tug at the end of it, it may be time to switch your flies. Trout have exceptional eyesight and can make out the faintest details in what they plan on feeding on, and if your fly doesn't meet their inspection standards, they simply won't eat. If you notice this happening to you, it might be time to try a different pattern, size down your fly, or tie on lighter tippet to fool those smart fish.
We've all been there before, you make the perfect cast and the moment your fly hits the water, your target spooks off to go hide in the nearest deep pocket. If you notice this happening, your best bet is to switch flies to something lighter in weight, or smaller to reduce your fly's impact on the water.
Heavy hatches are one of our favorite moments on any trout stream. Typically the first signs of a hatch starting are fish feeding on emergers sporadically. Then, as the hatch progresses more and more fish will begin to cash in on the free protein floating overhead. But before you get over-eager and start laying out casts, you should first try to identify what's hatching. The easiest way to do this is by sight (if the bugs are large enough), or by snagging 1 or 2 flies out of the air and doing your best to match them with a dry in your fly box. If you don't start getting hits on your first choice in say 10-20 drifts, it's probably time to change up your fly to the next closest pattern.
When you've got a pattern on the end of your line that has been crushing fish all day long, that fly is going to be taking some abuse. Even trout can be tough on a fly, and as they get chewed up, they will start to lose some of the materials and design features that were responsible for so many fish wanting a taste. If you notice your fly starting to come unraveled, or its missing a leg or 2, it may be time to tie on a new fly.
Now, this may seem like a no-brainer, but it's easy to get caught up in the moment and frustration and simply fish the same pattern all day. If you've ever watched an experienced angler or guide while they fish, odds are they are switching flies every 5-10 minutes until they get the reaction out of the fish they want. If its been a while since you last felt the tug of an eat at the end of your line, its probably time to switch up your flies, take a deep breath and get back to casting!
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