- They let their ego get in the way. Don’t be afraid to ask someone what they are using or how they are rigged up. It might save you some time.
They go too fast - Slow and steady wins the race. Casting, moving in the water, retrieving a fish...take your time.
They fish the wrong size leaders - Use appropriate leaders for the fishing situation. Short stout leaders for fishing big streamers or weighted lines. Long thin leaders and tippet for fishing small dry flies or emergers. The longer the leader and tippet, the more delicate a presentation you can offer.
Not enough weight - Lack of enough weight is likely the biggest roadblock for more consistent catching. If you can find the right depth and stay there, you will see strikes more consistently and catch more fish because of it.
wrong size fly - After the weight, fly size is the next thing. More often than not, you will be downsizing rather than up sizing.
Changing flies too often - Beginning fly anglers always assume they have the wrong bug if they haven’t caught a fish after a few casts. I remember feeling this way while searching through the
hundreds of store bought flies that didn’t bring me any sense of comfort or excitement. Trepidation and anxiety was all I felt when fish were actively feeding and my only idea was to keep trying new flies until I found the right one. What I wish I knew early on was that there are so many things you should change before you alter your fly (unless you’ve obviously got it completely wrong and can identify that in an objective manner of fact). Weight, leader length, fly depth, tippet size, presentation/drift, location are all controllable alterations that can significantly increase hookups and ultimate angling success.
Chasing smart fish in challenging water - Fish are not very smart, but they have evolved to be pretty damn good at staying alive. Avoiding predators is what they do every day, and each location offers a unique list of challenges and circumstances that impacts our approach to fishing for those heavily pressured fish. Finding small successes is an integral part to an anglers journey. While fighting through adversity and learning through difficult fishing situations is a valuable part of an anglers growth, catching fish early on is essential. This means choosing locations where the fish give you a fighting chance. One florida guide who has built a significant name in the ffly fishing industry described it best: He likeness fishing salt to playing professional sports. People don’t realize how fast and challenging it is until they experience it in person. There are fresh water situations that I would consider professional level as well, and taking care not to use these as a foundation for experience and education will help to dilute any frustration and sadness that may be a part of your early angling journey. To begin, stick to fishing situations that will give you the highest probability of success. This included stillwater locations, slower moving stretches of creeks and rivers with nice deep holding areas (fewer spooky fish), abundantly active feeding times, and experiences that allow the angler to visualize the fishing experience
Fish beyond where the fish are - Most anglers stomp into the water and chase fish off just to cast to a place they believe fish to be. Don’t discount any water and work stuff immediately in front of you first. Some of my biggest fish have come from doing this.
No pre-approach to fishing location (they play a guessing game too often/too long) - Don’t guess. Just take a few minutes to find out what bugs are around and where the fish are holding. Watching the water can give you a good idea about what they are taking and how they are taking them.
Fish without a net - Putting unnecessary stress on the fish, and possibly causing harm if not landed correctly or dragged on shore. Use a net and keep them wet.
Too much false casting - I don’t know why fly anglers want to keep their fly in the air so long. There are no fish there. Use the false cast to extend the reach of your cast if you need to, but keep it limited. Not only are there no fish there, but the longer your fly is in the air, the more chances it has to hook something undesirable.
Let mistakes get them down - It’s easy to get frustrated. Got to be able to push through the adversity on the water. It’s going to happen. Have a short memory.
Don’t take enough time with knots - You’ll lose that big fish when you finally hook it if you don’t take your time with knots. Check your tippet often too to make sure it is not faulty (even after every fish, especially toothy ones). Take the time to re-tie if you need to.
thinking like people instead of fish - “If I was a fish, what would I be doing right now”
Being afraid/unwilling to fish small flies - Picky fish in clear water usually require tiny flies. 24 and 26’s are not uncommon, especially in the winter.
Not using a bobber/indicator (of any kind) - It may be an ego thing, but some anglers refuse to use any type of underwater communication device. When nymphing, some type of communication with the bottom is absolutely necessary.
Hope this helps ya out. Go catch some fish! A few more resources below for additional education.
