So why do we have bad days of “catching” when others on the same waters, on the same day and even using some of the same flies are catching two, three times as many fish?  I’ll try to go over some ideas for you to think about that will make you better fly fishers and be that guy who catches fish consistently. What is he doing that you are not?

First, successful fly fishing starts before you ever get to the river.

• Is your gear ready? Fresh leader and tippet, all your flies and tools organized. Did you replace your lost flies from your last trip? Proper clothing to keep you comfortable on the river.
• Did you check the water levels and depth of the river you are traveling? Water speed and depth can dictate what techniques you may be using and if you are even able to fish your intended river.
• What is the time of year? The seasons will dictate what flies you may need (check the hatch charts). Ask the local fly shop what has been working if going to an unfamiliar place. Read the latest trip reports.
• Study your sport. Read fly fishing books, magazines, newsletters, blogs, and listen to podcasts. Consistently learning equates to becoming a better fly fisher!

Arriving at the river.

• Yes, it truly frustrates me when guys ask or tie on a fly in the parking lot. How do you even know what fly to tie on your tippet when you haven’t even observed the river conditions yet? Are the fish rising, how are they rising, will you need to go deep, is the water higher than normal, is the water clear or murky, is it moving fast or slow, and the list goes on.
• Observe before you fish. Just take the time to stand and observe. Walk the banks and look for fish. Don’t just jump in an area and fish blindly. Ask yourself why do I want to fish this spot. Are there good fish lies here – boulders, drop offs, seams, oxygen source, protection from predators and food source.
• Fly selection is predicated on your observations, the season, the location and even the hatch chart predictions. If the water is very clear and slow should I go with tiny flies? If the water is fast and murky, do I throw some streamers or bigger flies like a rubber legged stonefly? Are there any rises going on and if so, are the fish selecting emergers in the film layer or dry flies on top? Too many guys just throw the same flies over and over with little luck. You just may have to fish tiny flies so learn how to fish them and fish them well. My biggest trout I’ve ever caught was on a size 20 Juju Baetis!

Time to fish.

• Knots, leader length and tippet size all play a major role in “catching” fish. LEARN your knots and practice at home not on the river. Knots should take no more than 30 seconds to tie! Tie a knot well, use saliva before tightening your knot and use the proper knot for the situation.
• Leader length should correspond with the techniques you are using. Streamer fishing you can get away with a leader 5-8 feet in length, nymphing 9-12 feet and dry fly fishing 10-14 feet (this is just a guide). But it is important that your leader is tapered for better casting. If you break off your leader and now must add tippet material to it in order for it’s length to be the “proper” length again, remember to add tippet by working down in size, i.e. if your leader breaks off around a 4x diameter then add some 5x to it and then 6x to get it back down to where you want it to be (in this example 6x). Having a tippet gauge in your vest can be handy.
• Tippet size should, as a rule, match your hook size. Remember the power of three we taught in our fly-fishing class. Three divided into the hook size gives you tippet size to be used, i., e.  hook size of 18 – should be 6x tippet or size 8 woolybugger you should use 3x tippet.  Switching your tippet can be easy by using a leader with a tippet ring.  I like using a 7 ½ foot, 3x leader with a tippet ring then I can add whatever tippet size I want to the tippet ring.  Remember tying a 6x tippet to the end of a 3x leader won’t work but tying it to a tippet ring is perfectly fine.
• Tippet size can change depending on the situation. In other words, if the water is slow and very clear you may need to drop down a size in tippet – say from 5x to 6x or even 6x to 7x. If the water is fast and murky you may be able to bump up in size – from 5x to 4x. Fluorocarbon versus monofilament tippet is up to you and your budget. There are advantages to both.
• Be stealthy always. Splashing through the water, waving your rod high over your head or slapping your line on the water will all spook a fish in a heartbeat – then – it’s time to find new water.
• Put yourself in a position to make a good cast to your selected target. Is it better that I cast downstream to the fish, so he doesn’t get spooked by my line and leader? Can I only reach my target by casting up and across? Or to stay behind the fish’s vision do I need to cast upstream but not allowing my line to slap the water over the top of my target.
• You may only get one cast to your target so make it a good one. Have enough line out, understand where you want the fly to land and why. Once the fly hits the water – full concentration.
• Line control is very important. Is my mend good or just good enough? This is the biggest mistake I see guys make when nymphing. They think they have a good dead drift and mend, but they are dragging their indicator or fly before they are half way through their drift. If indicator fishing, you must make sure that your entire fly line is upstream from your indicator (depending on the flow speed and direction). The Euro styling nymphing eliminates some of this dragging caused by the line and indicator. Understanding Euro Style Nymphing (ESN) techniques can make you a better indicator fly fisher so study about ESN.
• Concentration is super important. Don’t just put on a fly, cast it out, strip it in and “hope” a fish hits it.  How many times have you had a hit and missed it, then another and missed it.  As the great Sensei of all fly fishers would say, “be the fly”.  When fishing nymphs with an indicator, if the indicator does ANYTHING that’s not the normal drift, i.e. slows down, stops, twitches, ANYTHING different – set the hook. Don’t assume it caught on some weeds or touched a rock – set the hook!!  When fishing soft hackles have your line taught during the drift and “feel” the hit, watch your line move, or keep your eyes approximately 9 feet (length of leader) past the end of your fly line and watch for a rise – he’s on your fly – just raise your rod tip – no “bass” set.
• Get down to the fish!! I have seen many guys nymphing and never change their depth once. Just fishing the same depth for hours and not understanding why they are not catching fish. If you haven’t caught a fish in 10 – 15 minutes, it may not be the fly but your depth. Go deeper by 6 inches at a time and keep going deeper until you get hung up on the bottom. Then bring your fly up about 6 inches – now you are on the bottom where most of the fish are hanging out.
• Ask your buddy who is catching fish what he is doing on this day. Or at least take the time to observe the guy down the way to see how he is catching – his technique, his positioning in the water, is he casting upstream or downstream, to rises?  If you ask your buddy for help, then listen to him. I’ve seen too many guys ask for advice then blow off what they have just been told. There might be a good reason why he is catching, and you are not. I’m sure most of our FATC guys would do anything to help another.

So don’t get sloppy!! We will all fish “sloppier” as the day ends. Let’s face it we’re tired, but that big trout can be right under your nose in the closing hour – don’t let him off the hook. Tie your knots well, make sure you have the correct tippet size for the fly you are fishing, concentrate on your drift, set the hook when the drift changes for any reason, get down to the fish, observe others and if you ask for advice (and you should) listen to it.  Know WHY you are doing what you are doing. If it is not working, ask yourself why. Then change or figure out what you’re doing wrong.  To become good at fly fishing you are constantly learning new techniques.  EVERYTIME I go out to fly fish I learn something new. It’s what you do with this knowledge that makes you a better fly fisher!