Fly Fishing Tips

A huge factor in the success of the fly fisherman is stealth.  If you can get your flies to the water without the fish detecting you, you have a substantially greater chance of success.  Once the trout know you're there, you have successfully put the fish down and you can cast your fly rod until its dark and will not catch anything but a sunburn. 

You need to be concerned with the what the trout hears, smells and sees.  If you learn how a trout uses its senses, you can be a better fly fishing sneak.

Sound

Oh yes, trout hear.  Only, they hear quite differently than humans.  They can pick up frequencies not only within the range of the human ear, but they can also detect very low frequencies that are completely inaudible to humans.  Trout have two sound receptors.  One runs along the lateral length of their body and picks up frequency vibrational information.  The other is an ear inside its skull.  This ear detects the movement of the fish's food.  This ear can pick up frequencies that are quite low which is why trout are able to locate food even when the water is dark and off color.  Flies and larger insects hitting the surface are heard very well by hungry trout.  Human voices, on the other hand, is not so easy for the fish to detect because the water actually muffles those frequencies.  I know it goes against what your Daddy told you, but talking loud will not put off the fish.  Anything that breaks the water's surface can and often will be heard by the fish:  Rocks, stumbling while wading, dynamite.  So, for the fly fisherman, your challenge is to slow down and watch your step.  When fly fishing, tread lightly to prevent being heard by the fish.

Smell

Oh yes, trout smell too.  Their olfactory senses are very sensitive.  If you can smell it, so can they.  Tobacco, insect repellent, laundry detergent, and deodorant can all be carried by the water and subsequently detected by the fish.  Also, line cleaners and fly dressings can and will warn fish away from your fly, so clean your line AFTER you fish, not before, and be sparse with your petroleum and/or silicone based floatants and dessicants.  Try fly fishing without your Old Spice.  I've heard it rumored that BO is more effective than power bait, so try your natural stink for once.  Their are commercially made products and home made remedies out there that are supposed to mask human smells.  If you are getting a lot of refusals from trout; that is, they are inspecting your fly but not striking, it may be a smell more than a visual deterant that is putting them off.  Their Olfactory receptors are in the front of their heads, not too far from their eyes after all.  So, my fellow fly anglers, take a deep breath before you head out into the water...  and take note.