Hello, my friend and welcome back! Today we have a guest post by John Morris from fishinghugger.com. Many people especially those of us from the South have no idea how to fish for trout. You don’t use the same technique and tackle that we use for a Crappie or Bass. believe me when I say it;s a whole different ballgame, and you could just find yourself needing to know how to do it one day. Grab a cup of coffee my friend and have a seat while John Morris walks us through the process.
How to Fly Fish for Trout in Streams by John Morris
In fishing, change is sometimes a matter of babies and bath water. New gear and methods, fresh ideas and approaches replace existing ones, and in the general rush to the cutting edge, older techniques get pushed aside, the priceless along with the worthless. Here are my votes for 10 fly fishing practices that have fallen out of general favor in the past few decades and are worth reviving.
THINGS TO HAVE/NEED
- Valid fishing license. Not even taking a header into the river can ruin a fisherman’s day like not having a license when the game warden shows up.
- Rod and reel. You may use a ten-foot fly rod with a normal fly reel.
- Small canvas creel. It will be a convenient way to carry extra hooks, leader, weights, pliers, and other gear.
- Fly line, Leader, and Hook. Floating fly line on the reel, along with about a six-foot leader of usually 6# to 8# weight. Standard is usually a #4 hook on the end.
- Polarized sunglasses. It eliminates most of the glare from the water and makes it much easier to see down into the stream.
- I have tried lures, salmon eggs, and flies, but have had the most success with worms.
STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE:
There are many techniques which may help you in your fly fishing. Here are some of the procedures so that you will know how to fly fish for a trout easily.
- Choose the Proper Length Rod. With a 10 foot pole it is quite easy to reach out 20 feet or more and by wading in the stream you can reach almost anywhere.
- Have enough weights. Carry a variety of small crimp-on weights, and change weights frequently according to the speed of the water you’re fishing in to have enough weight perhaps 18″ or 2 feet from the hook.
- Setting the hook. Hooks and weights will snag on the rocks as the current carries them past, but usually not very hard. The trick is to pull the line in the opposite direction from where it was going when the hook snagged.
- Use a Short Leader. Usually, you need to tie up a small 6′ leader down to 4-5x tippet and call it good. The longer your leader is the more problems it can cause on backcasts and it will just give you less control and accuracy when casting around objects and hitting a very tight little spot.
- Learn to Roll-cast. Once you master this cast you will find that 90% of the time it will be your best option while fishing for trout in small creeks.
- Finding the trout. Trout tend to congregate in quiet pools with some depth and a hiding place. If you throw your line in and it travels downstream 20 feet in 10 to 20 seconds, that water speed is about right.
- Present the bait in a natural manner. Always fish downstream from where you stand, because it will help control the line better, but not directly downstream. Trout has the ability to smell and might detect your odor. Instead, pull out a few feet of and using an underhand flipping motion with that long pole, put the bait a little upstream and out from where you stand.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
Find a casting instructor. Your local fly fishing shops can help you with this. There are also several good videos available that will show you how to improve your casting.
DO’S AND DON’TS IF THERE ARE:
Don’t forget to practice catch and release on the little rivers, because they can be overfished very easily. You should also keep your little streams that you do find close to your chest because you just never know when someone will tell their brother in law, who will tell Jed who will tell etc.
FINAL WORDS:
Other important parts of fly fishing basics are learning different fishing knots, which fly to use when to use it, where to fish, and other fly fishing techniques. Studying each part will give you confidence and improve your chances for success. Last but not least, there is conservation and proper fly fishing etiquette. Be aware of your fellow fishermen. Find ways to know what they are doing, which way are they moving, or are they letting the waters rest? It is OK to ask.
Biography
Hi, I’m John Morris, the founder of fishinghugger.com. I’m an avid outdoorsman and fisherman, blessed with an awesome wife and 2 kids. Fishing is not my passion, it is my lifestyle. I fished before I knew how to walk! I’m obsessed with all things related to fishing, even the fishy smell, and I’m always willing to extend a hand to novice anglers looking for fishing tips and tricks.
Well, my friend, that is it for today, and I hope you have found today’s guest post informative and until next time, stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared. God Bless America!
-Sarge-
Wow, that’s not how I approach Fly Fishing in a stream. I prefer using a 6’ ultralight Fly Rod, about a 4 Wt. and matching reel. My custom rod is so sweet.