Busting the Top 5 Myths I Hear About Getting Started in Fly Fishing

I love fly fishing, and I hate it when I hear these misconceptions keeping people from trying it out. So, here's my top 5 myths to bust, just in case it convinces someone to give it a go.

#1 It’s too expensive. 

Sure, fly fishing can be expensive, just like any hobby.  I can’t tell you the difference between a $100 and $1,000 dollar golf club, because I suck at golf.  I don't play enough to feel the

You don't have to spend all your money on this .

difference. Same goes with top-end fly rods. There are very few folks who actually cast and fish at a level where they would “need” one of the high-end rods.  If you’re just getting started, Echo makes some amazing rod, reel, and line kits for under a couple hundred bucks.  They are great rods, and punch well above their weight class.  

I own several fly rods that I probably paid way too much for and they are great. But I find myself actually grabbing the rods that are more in the mid range when I'm going fishing for myself. Do yourself a favor and check out the Echo kits I linked above, you won't be dissapointed.

#2 – It’s too hard. 

I wish I had something witty to say, but I don’t…..it’s just not.  Sure, there’s a learning curve.

Fly fishing is not rocket science, calculus, or any of the other hard maths!

You aren’t going to pick up a fly rod and throw 75’ laser-beam casts your first time out. What you should be able to do, however, is get 20-30 feet out there with relative accuracy and be able to catch some fish, particularly if you hire a guide or casting instructor to speed up your learning curve.  I offer both options – guided trips and casting lessons – and would really enjoy getting people new to the sport confident in fly fishing. 

#3 – You have to know all the bugs and “match the hatch” to be successful. 

When I first got into fly fishing and reading magazine articles, I thought that I’d never learn all the kinds of bugs and their Latin names.  While it might impress some folks that you know it’s a Brachycentrus caddis, the fish don’t care at all.  It's a little brown-ish bug, just look in your box and see what you have that looks pretty close. As long as you can roughly match

Yep, this looks about right.

the size, shape and color (in that order of priorities) of bugs you see when you turn over a few rocks or flying around, you’ll do just fine. 

When in doubt, call a local fly shop and they’ll be more than happy to point you in the right direction. 

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission send out weekly fishing reports that can help steer you in the right direction. If you’re fishing the Beaver Tailwater, I put out a fishing report that gives you the low-down each week on what’s working, too.   

#4 – It’s just for trout.

CARPe Diem!

Trout get all the glory when it comes to fly fishing, but that’s a genuine mistake.  Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Carp, Gar….you can catch pretty much anything on a fly rod.  The odds are that some of those species are much closer to your house than trout, and just as much fun.  

And c'mon...who wouldn't want to catch something as beautiful as ol' rubberlips here? 

#5 – It’s for boring, old guys.

We don't really hate bucket hats, though.

When most people hear the phrase “fly fishing” the image that they have in their heads is of a post-middle-aged guy. He’s either in an overstuffed fishing vest with the requisite bucket hat or in a twill tweed blazer and smoking a pipe.

I’ve seen and personally know fly anglers from all walks of life, ages, and ethnic backgrounds.  You don’t have to be quiet. You don’t have to sit still. And the fish sure don’t care how old you are or where you’re from.

Fact

There’s a whole stack more myths about fly fishing out there, but these are just a few of what I hear most often. Fly fishing has brought me to all sorts of beautiful places that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise, helped me forge friendships with some great people, pushed me to become a better angler and always gives me a chance to learn something new. If you have been curious about fly fishing and want to learn more, or have gotten started and want to take your game up a notch, reach out to me through my website.  I would love to help you out!