Tips & Tricks

For the novice angler identifying specific bugs can be a challenge. The more you know and understand each bug and its lifecycle, the better you will understand fly-fishing and the more you will begin to hook- up. For the novice, a great rule of thumb is simply to match the size and color of your fly as close as you can to what you see in the water and fish feeding on. Notice the vegetation around you, as the bugs will use streamside vegetation to rest before finishing their life-cycle and laying eggs. Pick up rocks near the bank but submerged in the water and see what is underneath them. Many times you will see nymphs and other forms of insects. This will give you an idea of what is in the water and thus what size and color fly to choose. You don’t always have to “match the hatch” and it isn’t always as critical as some fly anglers would like to think. Especially in the summer months, there is a lot of food in the water. Just because a caddis hatch is happening, doesn’t mean the fish won’t eat other bugs. Unconventional methods have been known to catch a fish too! Thinking outside the box can bring fish to the net in some cases. Throwing a streamer in the middle of a caddis hatch could potentially fool the biggest fish in the river. A good selection of dry flies in various shapes and sizes can be all you need. Even if you have no knowledge of the insects in a river, you can get fish to the net if you’re aware enough. A river seine can help you identify the bugs in a river...