Techniques

One of the most crucial skills in fly fishing is the ability to achieve a drag-free drift—especially at a distance. Whether you’ve got a rising trout in front of you or a juicy-looking lie to run your nymphs through, your first drift is always your best shot, and you want it to look as natural as possible. You can try to get as close to the fish or the...

Question: I've been fishing a sinking-tip line and big streamers this spring, and at the end of each retrieve, I struggle to get the heavy tip out of the water to re-cast. What's the best way to do this? —Geoff from Little Rock, AR (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: Fishing with sinking-tip lines allows you to target fish that hold deep in heavy...

Question: How do you fish caddis-pupa imitations? Just like a regular nymph? —Nick, St. Louis, MO (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: Spring brings prolific caddisfly hatches on many trout rivers, and trout often feed heavily on the pupa stage. Unlike mayflies, adult caddisflies don’t linger on the water—they fly off almost immediately—so trout...

There’s nothing worse than grabbing your fly rod and heading to the river only to see that it’s blown out. All your hopes and plans for the day are seemingly swept away by the dark and muddy water raging and churning its way along the banks. It’s an all too common occurrence this time of year, when snowmelt and spring rains have flooded your favorite...

Question: This may seem like a silly question, but what's the proper way to put my rod back in its sock and tube when I'm done fishing? —Mark from Hanover, MD (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: When you're new to a sport, there are no silly questions. And, frankly, I bet many long-time fly fishers wouldn't get every step of this process correct. Before...

“Found one!” Eric shouted from downstream. I hustled along the bank, making sure to stay well away from the water’s edge, until I reached his position. Crouching next to a bankside willow, he pointed to a spot near the opposite bank, where a stick protruding above the surface created a small seam. “Watch just downstream,” he whispered. Sure...

For many fly fishers, bonefish are an addiction. Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, every time you see bonefish tails fluttering tantalizingly above the water or a school of gray shadows gliding across shallow sand, it triggers something deep in the recesses of your mind. It’s a fishy itch that just needs to be scratched. Yet, actually...

Question: I keep hearing that I should stretch my fly line before I fish. How and why would I do that? —Bob from Vallejo, CA (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: When you pull your fly rod from its case after a period of inactivity—whether it's been days, weeks, or months—your line has been quietly developing memory that manifests as stubborn coils...

Question: I am fairly new to fly fishing and can't cast very far yet. I'm excited to fish my first spring hatches but I'm worried I won't be able to reach the fish. How close can I wade to them to make it easier? —Greg from Somerset, NJ (via the Ask MidCurrent form) Answer: Okay, so you’ve spotted a rising fish, but it's too far away for you to make a...

When you think about swinging flies for steelhead, you might imagine standing in icy cold rivers with long, smooth-flowing runs, casting gaudy flies on heavy sink-tips and swinging them through deep troughs and holes, waiting and hoping for a tug. This methodical and disciplined style of steelheading is the epitome of the sport. But if you’re swinging...