Northwest Reel Life April 2023 Volume 2 Issue 8 - Flipbook - Page 33
If you are not sure if your set
up is right, visit a fly shop for
assistance. Any reputable
fly shop will be more than
willing to help you fuel this
latest version of insanity.
So, you have visited the local
fly shop, you have everything
matched up. You probably
bought some leaders, tippet,
and a few flies. If it was a
really super reputable fly
shop, you probably got
loaded up on a healthy dose
of sarcasm and ridicule.
The best shops always
seem to have that air about
them, but they will steer
you in the right direction. It
comes from a good place.
Armed with your newfound
knowledge and gear you
need to proceed to step two:
find some dumb fish. Really
dumb. The dumbest. Find an
entire village of idiot fish to
cast to. Panfish make some
of the best beginning dry
fly fish to cast to. They aren't
spooky, they eat willingly,
and they taste delicious.
There is also absolutely no
shame in following the local
trout hatchery stocking
schedule. Trout raised in a
concrete raceway seem to
fit the description “village
of idiots.” They are used to
looking up to eat the food
served to them twice a day in
the very pleasant, controlled
environment of the hatchery.
In addition, hatchery trout
aren’t typically too spooky.
What we are looking for
here is bang for the buck
on opportunities. In the
beginning of your dry fly
fishing pursuits, you need
a lot of opportunities to fail
without punishment. The
more times you can make
a cast and get results, the
more you learn. The more
learning opportunities you
get, the faster you become
a better fly angler. Don’t be
bashful about fishing to the
village idiots.
We can all learn something
from them. Once you have
found your village to fish in,
you need to consider what
exactly you are trying to do.
You are attempting to imitate
an aquatic insect that is
resting on the surface of the
water above the meniscus.
If you are lucky enough to
live somewhere that has
legitimate bug hatches
on the trout creeks, stop
and watch the bugs float
downstream. Watch the
trout that rise to eat them.
Also watch the trout that
rise for the intent of eating
an insect but refuse at the
last second. That’s just as
important. The bugs that are
floating downstream with
trout eating them are the
ones you want to imitate.
Invariably someone out there
is currently saying “match
the hatch.” It is a catch
phrase that I have come to
detest and loathe but it does
bear some legitimacy. We
can worry about the catch
phrases later.
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