You can have the perfect cast, match the hatch precisely, and be on a top river and still manage to get skunked. The problem stems from one of the most overlooked fly-fishing skills, reading water. Walking along the bank of a river you want to find holding areas and feeding lanes that will likely produce fish. When I talk about holding areas, I’m referring to structure that provides suitable habitat for fish to hide from predators and slows the current to reduce energy use for the fish. Typical structures that provide ideal habitat for fish are boulders and logs. These structures are often very visible and should be concentrated on when blind casting on a river or lake.

Whether your a beginning angler trying to learn the intricacies of the sport or you have a fly fishing addict for a partner and want to understand what they are talking about, the following list is designed to give you insight into the wonderful world of fly fishing.

A

Angler- a fisherman or fisherwoman.

B

Backcast- The act of casting when the angler brings the rod to the 1 O’clock position to fling the line behind them and usually letting more line out.

C

Caddis- An aquatic insect found in most rivers around the world.

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to the beautiful Isla Holbox in Mexico for some baby Tarpon fishing and relaxation. Not having ever fished for the prehistoric looking Tarpon I was quickly humbled when I learned that everything that I know about hooking fish would not work for them. The traditional act of lifting the rod when a fish hits will pull the fly out of a Tarpons mouth nearly every time. Instead, the angler needs to keep the rod down and with the hand that is stripping the line instantly grab the line a haul straight back to set the hook when a Tarpon hits. It’s almost an exaggerated strip of the line but it must be hard and quick in order to properly hook the fish. It sounds very simple but trying to get out of the habit of raising the rod that is so ingrained in your head is not an easy task. I suggest anyone traveling to the tropics to fish for Tarpon for the first time head to a local lake and practice this technique and you’ll be a step ahead when you see the silver flash of a Tarpon hitting your fly.

Being an addict of this consuming sport of fly-fishing my very existence is linked to exploring far away waters. The problem is that I’m also financially challenged, spending too much time outside and not in an office. I dream about visiting the remote gems that litter the back of the magazines, but I just can’t afford the high dollars that it takes to stay with those amazing lodges. The solution; a self-organized adventure to the most remote locations at a fraction of the cost of the traditional lodge based trip. It sounds like a bargain, and it is, but it also takes months of research and a true spirit for adventure.

Lawrence F. Deans from Scotland has kindly made available several free fly tying and fishing ebooks, including:

• Basic Lessons
  A few basic fly tying lessons shown with step by step diagrams. You learn how to “catch in the thread”, “whip finish” and how to tie a basic salmon hairwing pattern much like the Hairy Mary.
• Common Fishing Knots
  This ebook is full of diagrams consisting of the most commonly used game fishing knots. A great free reference for the game angler or anyone learning to tie fishing knots.

“This Guide may be the single most valuable item a novice angler can buy . . . and most of us would do well to re-read the sections on flies, fly selection, and stream tactics every spring before pulling on our waders for the first time.” –Rod & Reel

Now for the first time in full color, The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide appears in a completely revised and updated edition. A best-selling, fully illustrated, and comprehensive book, this large-format volume has been required reading for every angler for the past two decades.

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