Giving advice

[ryansheehan]

I ran into a young and relatively new fisherman on the gunpowder yesterday. He came up behind me as I was landing a small brown. He said he just switched over to fly fishing a year ago and was beginning to have some success streamer fishing. He then began to tell me the nymph game had totally frustrated him and asked for some advice. Two things that stuck out to me in talking to him. First, some guy in a fly shop told him to never use an indicator, I was shocked. While nymphing, sometimes its better to use an indicator and sometimes not. I'm not here to argue the different styles but flexibility is important, sometimes it's easier with one sometimes without. To tell a newbie never is very detrimental. Second, another gentleman told him to never use split shot while nymphing. Again, not here to argue about different styles but same point be flexible, especially when you're new.

 

[Dave_W]

Agree - he definitely didn't get good advice.
He's lucky he bumped into you to get some better information.

We like beginners around here. Hopefully he'll find his way over here to PAFF to the Beginner's Forum sometime.

 

[redietz]

Never say never about either one.

I don't usually use either, and would certainly recommend learning to nymph fish without an indicator first, both shot and weight have there places, and it good to let beginner know there are options.

Heck, I'll even put a streamer under an indicator with a couple of pieces of shot if that's what it takes to catch fish on a given day.

 

[tomgamber]

I don't like to quash others advice. Give him yours and let him sort it out. This flyfishing is 99% confidence in your method. I haven't found any reasonable method that won't eventually produce trout even if you're not doing it perfectly.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

That's kinda like when I was FFing with a newer fly fisherman a few years back. He bought a 3wt rod from LL Bean, and was really struggling on the stream we were fishing, which was a tight stream. I asked him why he wasn't roll casting (I've fished w/ him before on this stream, never saw him struggle like that). He told me the salesman at LL Bean told him he can't roll cast with that rod.

I told him he could, he tried it, and ended up having a much better evening.

 

[ryansheehan]

tomgamber wrote:
I don't like to quash others advice. Give him yours and let him sort it out. This flyfishing is 99% confidence in your method. I haven't found any reasonable method that won't eventually produce trout even if you're not doing it perfectly.

I think you're missing the point I'm making. Telling a new fly fisherman all the things they should never do is not helpful. Secondly, confidence is built by catching fish in turn catching fish builds more confidence. Someone who is new has done neither, why restrict their ability to experiment? Nothing builds confidence like making an adjustment and boom next cast you get a take.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

I believe that "never" is a word I'd associate with fly fishing. GG

 

[afishinado]

See All Orvis Learning Center Fly Fishing Video Lessons


See All Orvis Learning Center Fly Fishing Video Lessons


See All Orvis Learning Center Fly Fishing Video Lessons


See All Orvis Learning Center Fly Fishing Video Lessons


See All Orvis Learning Center Fly Fishing Video Lessons

 

[SteveG]

I'm on board with you Ryan. In this hobby, there are so many variables which will influence which method is most successful (or for newbies, which is most comfortable), that "never" is a terrible word to use. Even someone with experience may be in a situation where their usual method of choice doesn't produce, but switching up brings results.

When I struggled with nymphing, I hired a well respected guide and told him that I wanted to focus on learning different nymphing techniques, rigging, and under what conditions to apply them. It was one of the most enlightening days I've ever had fishing. Since then, I've changed up a bit as I've learned different methods and approaches from fishing buddies over the years.

 

[afishinado]

There are so many ways to catch a fish. It's best to learn as many methods, techniques and rigs as you can. The "secret" to success (if there is one) is to be able to pick the most productive approach and technique for the conditions at hand. This only comes with experience and time spent on (or in) the water.

Trying and learning new stuff is fun. Keep an open mind and don't be afraid to experiment. With that being said, I would recommend that any beginning FFer should learn the basics first, and build from there.

The basic videos I posted above should help. Good fishing to all.

 

[724flyfishing]

Well said. I agree you have to be flexible. I think a lot of purist and traditional fly fisherman can be very close minded towards their approach to catching trout and it can really limit a person at times. There's a lot that can be learned from other fishing techniques that can be applied to fly fishing too if you're willing to open your mind to it and be flexible. I personally learned a lot about nymphing from talking to center pin fisherman. Some of those anglers have float and split shot placement down to a science to get a perfect drift. It's the same principles wether you're drifting bait through a run with a center pin set up or drifting nymphs you tied with your fly rod. Same with fishing jigs on a spin rod and streamers on your fly rod. A lot of techniques can cross between the two and work very well.

 

[nomad_archer]

I tend to a agree with a lot of what was said having gone through the learning pains this summer as I transitioned from spin/bait fishing to fly fishing. I went a month fishing at least 3-4 days a week and not catching any fish. I was trying to cast streamers a little but most of what I was doing was trying to nymph without an indicator. Someone suggested I try a thingamabobber and I went from catching no fish to catching plenty of fish. So my advice for someone learning to nymph is to try a strike indicator, adjust the depth and weight (add/remove shot) often until you find the combo that works for the run or riffles you are working. Nymph takes are so subtle that a new FF likely wont be able to recognize a take without an indicator. Considering he was frustrated nymphing without an indicator tells me he most likely couldn't identify a take. He probably had the correct enough fly on to have a few takes.

There are not absolutes in FF'ing and learning many techniques is really helpful. In the beginning someone new to the sport should keep it simple and make strike identification a simple as possible.