How to Make Fly Fishing Fun Again
For those of us who have been fly fishing most of our lives, we have seen some major changes to our beloved waters.
Beyond fish behavior and hatch variances, I regularly hear long time anglers complain about how busy our rivers are, particularly the Missouri. Some fly fishers keep on going to the same favored places and continue to complain. Others only fish in the winter. Some focus on lakes and private ponds. Some simply hang out in fly shops and drink free coffee. If you are struggling to find some fly fishing solitude, I have some simple solutions.
Get Out And Explore More... Find New Water
I don’t mean quit fishing the Missouri. That would be ridiculous. Just spread out a little. If you continually fish the most popular access points, then you should expect that you will be sharing the experience with other anglers. There is nothing wrong with choosing those places. They are generally popular for a reason. Easy access and a robust fish population characterizes the Missouri River from Holter Dam to Pelican Point. Many anglers fish there. Especially above Craig.
If you are looking for more solitude, roam outward a bit. Try a new spot. Float a lower section. Choose an area where you don’t find any people. Discover a new favorite place. There are catchable fish throughout the Missouri River from Holter Dam all the way through Great Falls and beyond.
Go in the "Other Direction"
Going the other direction, there is great fishing below Hauser and even above Canyon Ferry. There are little nuggets of goodness to be found up and down the incredible Missouri River system. The scenery may change. The river might look different. It will be a new nut to crack. To me, that’s fun.
Go Big... and Small
Beyond the Missouri, there are many smaller waters to walk and wade. Creeks, tributaries and smaller rivers are out there. Belt Creek was a famous fishery long before the Missouri River. Highwood Creek is a fun trip. The Sun River is worth exploring. Walk and wade options exist on the lower Smith. The Dearborn River has accessible places. The Teton has some great water. These are just some obvious places. There are many more.
If you want to catch some really big trout, give one of the lakes along the Rocky Mountain Front a try. There might be a few other guys out there, but even in the spring there is plenty of shoreline to spread out in. You can also take a boat or float tube. Nilan, Willow Creek, and Pishkin have some big trout. There are other lakes both large and small scattered all the way up to Canada including those on the Blackfoot Reservation. Mission Lake regularly produces trout over ten pounds.
Approaching New Water
I find that when I go fishing in new places, I’m not as bothered if I do see a few other people. That usually shows that I’ve made a good call. When encountering other anglers on new water, be friendly. Remember that you might just be fishing in their favorite place. I’ve had some great pearls dropped on me simply by asking. "Hey, I’ve never been here before. Is this a good place to fish?" You might be amazed at what fellow anglers will share when approached in a friendly manner.Â
Fish Different
Another great way to increase your fun it to fish different. If you always use an indicator when nymphing, try taking it off for a day. Use only a dry fly or dry dropper rig for an entire day. If you always swing streamers, try soft hackles for a day. Changing your approach will make you look at the water differently and often times surprise you. Surprises can be fun.
Change Your Timing
Timing is everything if you want some solitude or simply a fresh outlook. Go early. Go late. Try in the middle. I sometimes fish a particular river early in the morning and shift to a smaller stream later in the afternoon or vice versa.
It’s always good to see different places at various times of day and different times throughout the season. Over time, patterns emerge. Patterns that you will want to repeat.
Go Outside And Go Fishing Now
Don’t wait for a better time. Now is a great time. It's late fall. The summer crowds are gone. Most guides are either fun fishing or chasing other critters. Many anglers who are also hunters are busy searching out four legged or winged prey. Parents and kids are busy with sports and school activities. Some guys are more worried about fantasy football. Most rivers and streams are wide open right now and the fishing is great. Someone is out there crushing it today.
Thanks for checking out our blog and I'm sorry to hear that the solitude of fly fishing has been ruined for you by social media. One would think that the awareness & promoting of rivers would help keep the waters clean and the beautiful spectacle that they are.
As you have read in Fred's article as the sport grows in popularity we will have to find ways to enjoy the thing some of us have done for years. I myself have only been fly fishing for a year now and I can tell you I love to take fish pics, but that is because I don't catch fish that often. When I do, I like to share the catch of the day (big or small) when I land one and I'm excited to be in that moment. Capturing that memory & sharing it is important for me as I grow and I hope to never lose that excitement. I know Fred still has it, I fish with him when I can and his smile shows it with High Fives all around.
I hope that you are able to find that solitude and happiness in the sport once again. Maybe some of these tips Fred has shared will spark that fire once again.
Best regards,