DEMYSTIFLY

There's no question that sight-fishing is my favorite way to fly fish. The experience of stalking, making a perfect presentation, and ultimately watching the fish eat my fly provides the ultimate rush. I've caught a range of species from trout to tarpon while sight-fishing and it simply never, ever gets old no matter how many times I do it. At times, the targeted fish are super obvious to just about anyone with functioning eyes and a pair of gas station glasses, while other t

Saltwater fly fishing is often a very different game. As Captain Scott Hamilton of FlyFishingExtremes.com says, "this is not about trout." If you've never fly fished in saltwater and are interested in booking a guided trip, take those words to heart. Not only are both the gear and fish often bigger and stronger, but just the simple task of delivering the fly effectively can prove frustrating if you're not prepared. Out on the salt, you're often faced with many different varia

When fly casting, being smoooooooth is the name of the game. Moving the fly rod back and forth fluidly along with good application of power and the right timing is what it takes to produce a pretty cast. Unfortunately, some folks—especially beginners—can have a tendency to rip the line off the water at the start of a cast. Even someone that has decent mechanics at shorter ranges may suffer from this problem when working with longer lengths of line. Mentally, it may seem like

Despite living in FL for about 12 total years, I was embarrassed to say I had never caught a bonefish. They don't live in my immediate local area, but that's still not a real excuse since they can be found just a couple hours drive away. Sure, I've briefly looked for them once or twice in the past while targeting other species, but I never have specifically gone on a trip to target them—until just a few days ago. This summer, I decided enough was enough and I HAD to catch my

I recently blogged regarding the importance of how accuracy is often more important than distance. In a closely-related subject, many anglers instantly set their sites on fishing further out than they need to. You may literally be standing over the fish and not even know it until it's too late! Often, the best thing to do when approaching the bank is to just stand back for a moment and observe. Many anglers have the tendency to just rush down to the shore and either wade in o

What is sight-fishing, you ask? It's one of the most EXCITING ways to catch fish, that's what! Okay but seriously, it does have a true meaning. Sight-fishing means that you see the fish first and try to coax it to eat your fly, bait, or lure. Despite it sounding relatively easy, often times it's not—and that's what makes it so fun. Stalking a stubborn fish and getting it to eat is one of the most rewarding prizes in all of fishing. I've been addicted to it for years and will