Fly Fishing for Trout - Part 4

Below is the 4th video in the Fly Fishing for Trout series by Gary Borger.  This video covers insects and fly patterns that have been proven effective to catch trout.

Click the links below to see more lessons in the Fly Fishing for Trout video series:

• Fly Fishing for Trout - Part 1
• Fly Fishing for Trout - Part 2
• Fly Fishing for Trout - Part 3

Fly Fishing for Trout - Part 2

A while back we started posting a video series designed to help folks fly fish for trout.  You can view part 1 of the Fly Fishing For Trout Video series by clicking here.

You can watch part 2 of this video series below.  This lesson covers fly casting, cinch knots and more.  You'll how to perform a roll cast as well as fish a section of water in a river. Gary Borger is a master trout angler and does an excellent job of providing help to those wishing to fly fish for trout!

To see Part 1 of Fly Fishing for Trout, click here.

To see Part 3 of Fly Fishing for Trout, click here.

Fly Fishing for Trout

It's that time of year again ... the weather is warming up, and trout activity is heating up!    If you've ever wanted to learn how to fly fish for trout, this video is for you!  It's the first video on a 6-part series and covers the basics of fly fishing for trout - including what kind of insects trout eat.  

While this information is important to all trout anglers, it's especially important to the fly fisher because they're using artificial flies that are designed to mimic real insects.  This first video, talks a lot about different insects and how it applies to selecting flies.  It also covers trout lies (i.e., places in the water where trout tend to hold).

Even if you're not interested in fly fishing, the information in the video is useful to all trout anglers. 

To see Part 2 of Fly Fishing for Trout, click here.

2-Day Fly Fishing Seminar for Women

If you're woman and live in New York, you may be interested in this 2-Day Fly Fishing Seminar which will be held May 14 and 15, 2011.  The clinic is intended to give women a relaxed and comfortable environment to learn fly fishing as well as improve their skills. Women will learn everything from beginning fly fishing to advanced tips and techniques.

The seminar will take place at the NYS DEC Salmon River Fish Hatchery, 2133 Co. Rte. 22, Altmar.
Classes will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15. Breakfast and lunch are provided.

The deadline to register is April 30, 2011. Registration is $20 per day and $35 for both days. Participants must be age 18 or older and have a current New York State fishing license. Class size will be limited to 20 students.

For more information, about the women's fly fishing seminar, click here.

How to Rig Double Nymphs for Trout Fishing

Every serious fly fisher generally has a nice supply of nymphs in their arsenal.  Nymphs are designed to imitate the juvenile stage of aquatic insects.  The nymph stage of an insects life begins after they hatch and when they start to grow. Nymphs are sub-surface insects and typically remain in this stage for weeks to years (depending on species of insect). Once they mature enough, they migrate to the surface and begin emergence.

So because nymphs are underwater insects, the artificial flies created to imitate nymphs are classified as wet flies (that is, they are fished below the water's surface). Trout strikes tend to be more subtle with nymphs than with dry flies, so many anglers like to use strike indicators.  Yarn, corkies and even dry flies, are popular strike indicators. 

If you're state allows it, you can even rig two nymphs on your line to increase the chances of trout strikes.  The video below shows you how to rig double nymphs.

To learn how to rig a dry fly as a strike indicator, click here.

Wooly Bugger Tips

The Wooly Bugger is a favorite fly for trout anglers.  It's a wet fly, so it's generally fished below the water's surface.  Wooly Buggers are a type of streamer (a large artificial fly that is designed to resemble bait fish or other aquatic prey).  Carrying a selection of Wooly Buggers in different sizes is a good idea.

Because the fly is fake, you have to fish it in a way that makes it come alive so trout will be attracted to it.  The video below shows you how to fish with a Wooly Bugger. 

How to Use Dry Flies As Strike Indicators

Tired of using yarn and cork indicators when fly fishing?  Check out this guy's solution!   He uses artificial flies as indicators.  This is trout fishing tip is for the advanced angler, but the video does an excellent job of showing you exactly how to rig a dry fly as an indicator while fishing with a nymph. 

Fly Fishing Lessons for Kids

Looking for a great gift idea for the child in your life?  How about fly fishing lessons.  The Rivers and Glen store in Augusta, Georgia will be holding a fly fishing clinic for kid.  There are three different dates available.

• December 21, 2010 from 12 - 2 pm
• January 11, 2011 from 3 - 5 pm
• January 24 from 3 - 5 pm

Each class is $50 and will start with the basics including tying knots and fly casting while actually fishing at the same time.  Parents will be asked to drop their kids off at various local lakes (including Hammond’s Ferry ponds) for the clinic.  Equipment and snacks will be provided, although kids are welcome to bring and use their own fly fishing equipment.


As kids master their skills, they'll be able to attend more advanced classes in the future.  For more information about the fly fishing clinic for kids, click here. You can also call the phone number listed below for more information.

Rivers and Glen Fishing Clinic for Kids
Tuesday, December 21, noon-2 p.m. January 11 and 24, 3-5 p.m.
$50 per class
706-738-4536
We:b:  riversandglen.com

Free Fly Fishing Workshop for Beginners in New Hampshire

Hillsborough residents will have an opportunity to learn fly fishing May 16-17, 2009. This workshop is FREE and geared toward beginners, age 13 and up. Kids under 16, must be accompanied by an adult.

If you want to participate, you must print and return the registration form by May 1, 2009.

The workshop will cover the basics of equipment, fly casting, stream ecology, knot tying, safety and how to find those "hot spots" along New Hampshire's rivers and lakes. The highlight of the two days will be Sunday, when folks will head out to a local fishing hole and put their newly learned skills to the test!

Participants should plan to bring their own or borrowed equipment. A limited number of rods will be available for use; when you register, please let Fish and Game know if you will need to borrow their equipment.

For more information, about this beginning fly fishing workshop, click here.

Fly Fishing for Beginners in Texas

Every year the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center tries to introduce fly fishing to those wanting to learn. And they do this by hosting an event called, Fly Fish Texas. This year, the event will take place on March 7, 2009 in Athens (9am to 4pm).

This year Fly Fish Texas will include beginning fly fishing classes for youth between the age of 6 and 18. Upon completion, youth will receive their "basic fly fishing" certification.

Casting instruction will also be offered for beginner to advanced anglers. If you're still struggling to master casting, this is a great opportunity for you.

For more information about this year's Fly Fish Texas event, click here.

Fly Fishing Festivals in 2009

Many states host fly fishing festivals to share the fun and excitement of fly fishing while helping to raise awareness of environmental issues surrounding the sport. Below is a list of some of the Fly Fishing Festivals that will take place in 2009.

January 24-25, 2009 - Atlanta's Fly Fishing Festival

January 30, 2009 - Great Falls (Montana) Fly Fishing Film Festival

February 13-15, 2009 - Little Missouri Fly Fishing Festival

February 21-22, 2009 - Fly Fishing Show in Pasadena, California

April 18-19, 2009 - Virginia Fly Fishing Festival

May 2, 2009 - Rocky Mountain Fly Fishing Festival

20 Best Trout Flies for Less than $10

Buying fishing gear can be expensive - especially when you buy selected items one at a time. But every now and then a good deal comes along that is too good to pass up. And Orvis (one of the world's premier fishing shops) is offering one of these deals for fly fishers.

Now you can buy 20 of the best trout flies for only $9.95. If you were to buy these flies individually, you'd end up spending over $40. Orvis is offering you the lot for less than $10.

If you're new to fly fishing or just want to add more trout flies to your existing inventory, this is a deal that is too good to pass up.

This fly kit includes 9 dry flies, 7 nymphs, and 4 streamers. These flies make the perfect gift for fly fisher in your life too!

Fly Fishing Clinic for Kids in N.C.

There's an upcoming fly fishing clinic in Wasynesville, North Carolina for kids 10 -15 years old. The clinic is on March 24, 2009. It's limited to 10 kids so if you're interested, you'll want to register as soon as possible. Cost is $8/kid.

The six hour clinic will introduce kids to the basics of fly fishing including equipment, knots, casting techniques, and more. Following the instruction period, kids will have a chance to fly fish in the Davidson River. Transportation, equipment and materials, including waders, will be provided.

Kids will need to bring a lunch and non-slip shoes. The group will depart from the Waynesville Recreation Center at 9 a.m. and go to the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. The group will return to the Waynesville Recreation Center at 4:30 p.m.

Contact Mike at 456-2030 at the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department for more information.

Top Fly Fishing Mistakes

This morning, I read an interesting article listing the top mistakes fly fishers make. The article was written by John Berry - Arkansas Fly Fishing Guide.

According to Berry, the most common mistakes he sees are:

• Casting too much line - which results in casting beyond trout feeding zones, not being able to detect strikes or set the hook.

• Lack of Line Control - which results in too much slack or drag in the line. If there's too much slack in the line, you can't set the hook (and can therefore lose fish). And if there's too much drag in the line, your fly won't look natural, and fish will be turned off.
  

• Improper Rigging - which often in poor or unnatural fly presentation. One of the most common mistakes here is working with too short a leader/tippet.

• Not Checking Your Fly Often Enough - which can result in a couple of different problems. When you're new to fly casting, it's easy to lose your fly while casting. It's a good idea to check that this isn't happening to you. Another common problem is allowing weeds and other debris to stick to your fly (which makes it look unnatural).
  

Most of the errors described above are seen with new fly fishers. But many trout anglers tend to get a bit lazy about checking the fine details of their gear or technique and may also experience some of these problems as result.

Keeping these mistakes in the back of your mind while out fishing, will help prevent you from making the same ones.

You can read John's full article on the top fly fishing mistakes, by clicking here.

Scotland Will Host 2009 World Fly Fishing Championships

It's official - the 2009 World Fly Fishing Championships will be hosted by Scotland.

More than 25 countries over seven days of competition are expected to participate in this fly fishing event in Stirling and Perthshire.

Although this even has been hosted by the U.K. before, it's the first time for Scotland. The fly fishing event was held in England in 2000 and 1987 and in Wales in 1990. It was also held in Galway, Ireland in 1995 (which is not part of the U.K.).

For more information about the 2009 World Fly Fishing Championship, please visit EventScotland.org (more information will be posted as it become available).

The Fly Shop - Northern California's Fly Fishing Experts

Every good fisherman knowns that local anglers know all the secrets of fishing in their local waters. They know where to find fish and how to catch them. They know what works best and what doesn't. Locals anglers are always able to give you details you won't be able to find anywhere else.

The Fly Shop in Redding, California is such a place to find great information about local fishing. These are the fly fishing experts in the area. Not only will they know what artificial flies to use during each of the fishing seasons, they'll be able to tell you where to go to catch fish.

They have a really nice web site too which is full of great information, including detailed stream reports. They also offer guide services, fly fishing instruction, and even have a kids camp!

Folks at the Fly Shop have taken service to a whole new level. They've purchased private leases to property and offer a top quality fishing experience on these private waters! They're all catch-and-release fly fishing only waters, but anglers will have a fishing experience like no other on these prime fishing streams.

For more information, contact the folks at the Fly Shop at (530) 222-3555 or you can email them at info@theflyshop.com.

Fly Fishing Clinic at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

If you've been looking for an opportunity to get some fly fishing lessons, here's your chance! The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas will be hosting a fly fishing clinic on December 9, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $50 and the class is open to those 18 years and older.

The $50 fee includes entrance to the TFFC and the fly fishing clinic, lunch, and a season pass to TFFC so students can return for more fishing as often as they like.

Instruction will focus on equipment selection, knot tying, casting, and fly fishing for large mouth bass and sunfish. Even though fly fishing for trout is not covered, many of the lessons learned will apply to trout fishing too. And if you're like most anglers, you probably enjoy catching other species of fish as well as trout.

Reservations are required and the class is limited to 15 people. So book now if you're interested! For more information, or to register, call Barry St. Clair at (903) 670-2222.

To see more events offered at the TFFC, click here.