On the Fly:
In this installment we will look at fly fishing from the outside and view it in, to use an 80’s buzz word, a ‘holistic’ form. Fly fishing is, to some, more than just another method to catch fish. To some of us it is the preferred and sometimes only way. Here we will look at not just the fish catching aspects of fly fishing but the components that can and do make the total of what is fly fishing.
When someone thinks of fly fishing the next thought is usually about fly tying. Fly tying is an immediate way of getting the right lure in the water and it can be done with out melting lead or carving your own crank baits. Fly tying in itself can have a few components. There is an artistic side as well as a research side. Research into the habits of the creatures we might be trying to imitate with our tied creations. Material collecting can be as simple as hitting the fly tying supply dept but one can also find many wonderful tying supplies at craft stores and sewing departments. If you are a hunter then you can use the feathers and fur of your harvest. That can of course lead to learning to dye or colour your materials to suit your needs.
Any fisher wants to learn more about the fish they are chasing but fly fishers are renowned for getting into the nitty gritty. Studying your piscatorial quarry might start with the fishes habits such as habitat, seasonal locations, time of year, conditions for spawning and other details. For instance no one wants to disturb the spawning of fish that can reproduce, like walleye or smallmouth bass, but a lot of trout in this province will try to spawn with zero success. So there should be no moral impediment against some C&R fishing for these ‘false spawners’. But one needs to do the research.
Another aspect to consider studying is the food eaten by our finned adversaries. Forage fish, leeches, crayfish, terrestrials and their habits are all relevant areas of study. The ‘Fly’ in fly fishing comes from the use of lures that look like insects. Most fly tiers have at least a little knowledge of entomology. Knowing the habits of hexagenia limbata and the how, when and where of them as a food source can help you catch the fish. Basically you are studying your preys prey.
Fly fishing is fly rod casting. Without the casting most, if not all, of the fish knowledge is useless. One needs to learn how to cast but for some of us the casting is an end unto itself. Many fly fishers will tell you about the meditative state they reach whilst waving a wand. You do not need to be big and strong to cast but you do need to be aware of your body. For instance the big muscles do play an important role in casting but the job of good casting is the roll of your smaller ‘stabilizing’ muscles. And don’t forget what your parents told you about standing up straight. I recently went through a lot of pain in casting only to find out it was not a casting issue but a posture issue.
A lot of fly fishers also build their own rods. We can say that lots of fishers build there own too but fly rodders can build a rod that suits there own personal casting style and preferences. If you can build a rod you can also repair them too. You can also build your own leaders with this in mind. As a matter of fact fly fishers can tailor their ‘studies’ to suit their personal needs.
There is a lot written about fishing for walleye and bass right down to what crankbait to use and when and where to use it. Fly fishing magazines stay afloat almost exclusively by writing about catching trout. But what if you want to catch something else, something not written a lot about? Maybe you want to try and land a sturgeon on a fly rod. Well then you could study the fish and its habits and diet independent of conventional information. Then with your new found knowledge tie the right flies, buy the right line, build the right leader, fish the right water at the right time with the 15wt rod you built yourself. How is that for a ‘single’ hobby to fill every nook and cranny of your spare time? No wonder some make fly fishing their first choice and, sometimes, only choice.