I am often asked if fly fishing is difficult to learn. To the person who has only ever watched fly casting, it may appear hard to do, but with some instruction getting the basics down doesn’t require a huge amount of skill.
If you’ve ever stood by a river bank and watched a good fly angler cast, you probably thought it was a thing of beauty. Some do consider fly casting as an art form when it is done correctly with precision. Truth be told, it does not have to be strenuous to learn. If you can locate an experienced instructor, that will make it all the more easier to learn.
Probably the biggest challenge new fly anglers face is getting the timing right in their casting. Practising good habits under the tutelage of an instructor will ensure you don’t fall easily into bad habits.
The roll cast is probably the first technique you should master. It might not be as pretty as other casting strokes, but it is one you need to learn first. Ian Scott writes that “this is an essential cast to learn and perfect.” Prior to beginning the conventional back and forth cast, employment of the roll cast is used to ensure there is an adequate length of fly line on the water in order to create surface tension with the line. When there is no clearing behind the angler, it’s an extremely advantageous cast to know.
The next cast to learn is the conventional back cast and essentially sets up the fly angler for the forward cast. Although you will see many fly anglers casting above their head several times, this “false casting” is not usually necessary in most circumstances.
On large rivers, more skillful casting techniques such as spey casting are often used, which you may want to learn after you’ve got the basics down pat. Getting the roll cast down perfectly is vital for learning how to spey cast as the techniques are based upon it.
Today, not only is fly fishing enjoyed by men, but more and more women are taking up the sport. With good instruction from a patient person, and with the right gear, even children can learn to fly cast proficiently. Although it is not required, many new fly fishers discover an additional hobby of tying their own flies.
You can learn more about this sport at this fly fishing site.