73 - Top Tips - Fly Fishing from the Guides!

15 TOP FLY FISHING TIPS – FROM THE GUIDES

Want to get more from your fly fishing this season? From basic watercraft to tips on everything from leaders to wading, here’s some great advice from professional guide Dom Garnett.

Slow down, cast less and watch more

This sounds so simple, but is easy to ignore! So much successful fly fishing is about watching carefully and picking your moment, not thrashing the water. Pace yourself when wading and casting. Not only will you spook fewer fish, but you’ll notice more, whether that’s the position of your quarry or what flies are hatching.

Cast short first

We’ve all done it- seen a fish rising at range and gone straight for a long shot. So often, this is the wrong move. After all, there may well be another fish closer in, which you will spook by going OTT. On rivers especially, always search short first. This way, you can get your eye in and assess what’s in front of you without making too much disturbance.

If you want to land the fish of your dreams, tackle up for it!

Tackle up optimistically

It’s always worth kitting out to land the fish you dream of catching. You never know when that fish of the season might show up- and with the excellent quality leaders, tippets and hooks we have today, you needn’t go with silly light tackle to get great presentation.

Where the margins are fine, such as where you find big yet spooky fish, invest in the best line you can buy. It’s also worth packing a generous landing net. A small fish will fit in a large one – but the reverse isn’t true!

Modern tippets and leader materials make fine presentation less of a risk, so insist on quality! 

Gamble with care

Taking calculated risks is a key part of fly fishing. If fish are close to cover, you might have to roll the dice! However, similar to our tip on always casting short first, it’s worth pacing yourself and finding your range before taking a bigger gamble. Get your eye in and measure some initial casts and you are more likely to land right on the money. That big gamble should never be your first shot in a new spot!

Pause and Untangle your mind

Even the best anglers have their moments of difficulty, whether it’s catching a tree or tangling a leader. If you start to get annoyed, take a breath and see if you can change your mindset. On wild rivers, especially, snags are an occupational hazard. Furthermore, it’s often the case that a five-minute break will do the fishing the world of good. Try telling yourself that you are not tangled – you are just resting the water and hitting reset!

Fly fishing isn’t a race- pause to take it all in and get your approach right.

Time your sport to suit the fish, not the angler

While we would all love fish to cooperate according to the needs of our working and family life, sadly this is rarely the case. Fish feed when they have maximum advantage. This might only be at dusk, dawn or during a fly hatch. If you can time your fishing to suit your quarry rather than your convenience, you’re already closer to success.

You can never take too much care to avoid spooking fish!

The great Richard Walker was correct when he said that we all spook more fish than we ever realise. A good attitude is to treat all fish, even stocked creatures, as animals with a low tolerance for human interference. Consider your approach carefully- from wading as if you were in slow motion to landing your cast gently. When fishing the margins, keep back and use bankside cover. It’s also worth casting ahead into any space you are soon to wade or walk close to, before you move. After all, once the fish scatter it’s too late.

Approach with care and keep a low profile at all times.

Get beyond the obvious to reach more fish

Perhaps a majority of anglers on any fishery tend to head for the same spots. They look for easy access and places with a reputation. If you want to find the best fishing, however, you need to get stuck into those less convenient places. This can mean limited casting space and awkward access! However, the reward will very often be fish that feel safer and feed more willingly.

Always check your knots and critical points

Of all the ways to lose or miss fish, two stand out a mile. One is knots and leaders- always check knots and if in any doubt that your last knot wasn’t the best, tie again! Second, take great care with your flies and hooks. The faintest shred of weed should be removed, while every angler should carry a hook sharpener. Any fly that has been used for more than one session should be touched up to keep it “sticky sharp”!

Set your leaders straight!
Even the best anglers have arguments with trees and crosswinds. Leaders can be affected in the course of the day- just think, you might make anything from several dozen to several hundred casts in a day! If you get snagged or tangled, or have simply made many casts, check your leader at intervals. Firmly yet carefully straightening out your leader is sound policy after you get in a spot of bother or two. You could also invest in a leader straightener, or use a cloth to “stretch” the line and remove any memory.

Line management

Besides leaders, your fly line will also benefit from some basic care. A stripping basket is a great way to save it from bankside snags and dirt. Failing that, though, you could pop your landing net head at your feet and drop the line there. One common issue with floating fly lines is the first foot or two starting to sag and sink. This isn’t the end of the world, but it could scare wary fish. Treat the end to a quick smear of Mucilin to get things sitting crisply once again.

A stripping basket is a great investment to protect fly lines and save frustration. 

Give your essentials a permanent home

From forceps to floatants, the items you couldn’t do without need to be located in an instant. Clips, zingers and fly vest pockets make this easy, if you can establish a “home” for all your basics. Keep this consistent so you know where to find item X, Y or Z every time.

Pack an emergency bag

Every regular angler should have a basics bag in their car- not just the guides! If you have one of those days or get into some bother, it will be well worth the effort. In no particular order, my emergency bag includes spare, dry socks and pants, a towel, bottled water and a simple first aid kit.

Plant your feet and take a staff  for secure wading

Wading is the single riskiest area for most fly fishers. The problem is, we get fixated on watching the river and getting to the fish, rather than looking where we put our feet! One good rule for all wading is to slow down and always, always plant one foot at a time. If you have a secure foothold with your standing foot, you always have a stable point to return to. Do also take a wading staff if you feel at all less than secure- these are not just for older anglers! 

Action will often come in sudden, short flurries. It’s often better to stay refreshed than flog the water all day.

Take breaks and pace the day

So often, keen anglers will plan a long session on a challenging water and go at it hammer and tongs. However, in truth, the best sport is often in short phases. You may well be looking at just one or two key spells. Rather than going flat out and then losing your mojo, it’s better to take regular breaks and save your energy. Enjoy your surroundings, have a bite to eat or catch up with a companion. That way, when the fish really get going, you will be refreshed and ready.

Having different flies and setups is a must in case plan A falls short.

Always have a plan B, and C!

As Robert Burns famously said, the best laid plans of mice and men often go belly up. We all have that method or fly we favour- but sadly the fish don’t always read the script. Take a leaf out of the guide’s book, therefore, by always having a plan B and C! This could mean a sinking line, flies to cover an occasional hatch or even tackle designed to cast streamers in order to provoke fish that don’t fancy a dry fly.

Look after your eyes, skin and hygene!

Last but not least, one thing I notice a lot in my summer guiding is that a lot of anglers are rather blasé about health and risks. Forgive me for saying so, but in this age of hotter summers and dirtier rivers, complacency is not an option! Always carry sunblock and plenty of water- and also pack some hand sanitising gel. There are few rivers where I would now risk eating my lunch without a quick squeeze of the stuff!