Understanding a few simple concepts will make the difference between success and failure in your fly fishing. These basic fly fishing techniques will improve your hook-up rate immediately. This article will deal mostly with trout fishing since fly fishing for trout is more common than any other species. But there will be information for saltwater anglers too.
Check out our article on How to fly fish for beginners for an in depth discussion and find out here why Fly Fishing For Tarpon Will Change Your Life.
Fish have an interesting field of vision and light refraction through water gives them an advantage. Basically fish that are near the bottom can see you from further away than fish near the surface. As you approach a fishing spot try to do it from behind the fish's holding position. If you have to approach from the front or side stay low because water exaggerates the height of objects on the bank making you appear taller and more threatening to a fish.
Whether you’re fly fishing a high mountain stream or wading a tropical flat, fish are as sensitive to sound as they are to shadows. That means if you stomp your way up to a streamside position you’re not likely to catch many fish.
The same goes for a boat. Loud footfalls, stomping, or dropping things onto the boat deck is likely to put down any fish in the vicinity.
Wading is another place to watch the noise. Stomping around clumsily and pushing a lot of water is a sure spook nearby fish. So tread lightly and hide from their ears as well as their eyes.
This is one of the easiest and best fishing tips you can learn. Taking the time to get close to a fish and make an easier more accurate cast is always better than trying to hit the stunt cast for your first shot where you spook fish. Think about your approach and make the perfect presentation from a nearby position rather than making a bunch of noise and creating drag on your fly from far off.
When you're fly fishing for trout study your approach and the water you're about to fish. What bugs are the trout eating? Where are the best holding lies for fish? Where's your best casting position to create a dead drift? What fly fishing techniques are best for this situation? Fly fishing in rivers means you have time to make plan before you make a move.
In saltwater, fish are almost always moving based mainly on tidal flows and weather conditions for the spot you're fishing. Even during big migrations like tarpon, local tides dictate local behavior. Fly fishers should still have a plan based on sun angle, water movement, and the angle they expect to see fish. The trick is to stay alert while you look for your target species. And always expect the unexpected. Have a plan for what the fish should do… and have a reaction plan in case the fish play dirty.
When choosing flies for trout, size should be your very first priority. Match the size of the bugs the trout are eating and you can fool the majority of trout that are feeding.
Next up should be shaped. If they’re feeding on emerging caddis, feeding them a stonefly doesn’t make much sense. So if you know the bug match its shape and size and you’ll be dialed in.
Finally, there’s color. Water does interesting things to color so of the three possibilities for fly selection, color is the least important. That said, if you can match all three, you’re in very good shape.
When you’re fishing saltwater shape and action becomes just as important as size. Baitfish will vary across the spectrum of size but their action and type will be what saltwater species hone in on. Find a fly that matches closely enough in shape and it’s the right type of pattern and your in business.
Fly fishing techniques on presentation
Whether you’re fishing dry or nymph fishing, giving a trout more than one option is a great way to improve your success. To fish a dry dropper use a dry fly with ample flotation. Tie 12 to 18 inches of tippet to the hook-bend and hang a nymph off the bottom. If a trout eats the dry fly you see it and set the hook. If they take the nymph, the dry fly works as your strike indicator and you set the hook. This technique can be your go to on tough days or when you’re not sure what’s hatching.
You can use the same approach with nymphs. Tie two separate flies to your tippet by tying 15-18 inches of tippet off the eye or bend of the first hook and attaching a second nymph. There are also dropper rigs and different Euro nymphing setups which use heavily weighted flies and can be very effective. You can learn advanced nymphing techniques and tactics on our blog.
Using a two-nymph rig with different patterns, like a caddis on the point and a mayfly as the dropper, is a great way to search for most trout. You get more flies in the water and you find out which bugs the trout are keyed on. Once you figure out which bug the trout are keyed into you can go with a two nymph rig of the same bug. That way you’re hitting different water depths with the right fly.
Understand the cycle of the hatch. Are fish feeding on dries, emergers, or nymphs? We all want to fish dry flies to rising trout but that’s not always what they want to eat. The way a fly is tied will affect where you fish it in the water column. Dry flies as the name implies are meant to fish on the surface to actively rising trout or as searching patterns to get trout to rise.
Emergers are insects that are actively transforming from their aquatic phase to their flying phase. They are literally emerging from the bottom of the stream to “hatch” at the surface. They’re meant to be fished from mid-water column to the surface film. Almost no trout can resist a well-fished, helpless emerger that’s trapped in the surface film. I use emergers for 90% of my dry fly fishing unless I know for a fact that the fish are keyed-in to spinners.
Most of an insect life is spent as a nymph. These are subsurface bugs that live in and amongst the rocks, mud and weeds on the streambed. They are also the majority of any trout’s diet. Learn how to nymph effectively and you will catch a lot more fish.
Fly fishing with streamers is another great way to go. Learn more about streamer fishing, especially if you want to hunt big brown trout.
One more thought on fly color here. I’ve heard some people say that flies get darker in late fall and winter. Maybe… But nymphs are always darkest. Emergers are lighter versions of nymphs. And the duns or adults are the brightest of them all. So, you should think of fly color and how bright your fly is based on where you’re going to fish it in the water column. If you’re fishing near the bottom use a darker fly. If you’re fishing mid-water column, fish a brighter fly like an emerger. If you’re fishing on the surface think about a lighter fly still, to match the adult.
Fishing flies are either tied in the impressionist style or the scientific style. Impressionist flies get the general impression of a bug. Flies like the pheasant tail, Hare’s Ear, Prince Nymph and Bird’s Nest are great examples of impressionistic flies. These are some of the most effective flies ever tied.
The scientific types generally name their flies with “perfect” in the name. Or they use the taxonomic nomenclature of the bug, like Rhyacophiloidea (caddis). They’ll have wing cases and exactly 6 legs. You’ll see three tails on a mayfly, etc. These flies can be absolutely gorgeous and really interesting to look at. I’m not sure if they catch fish any better than the impressionistic style. Whichever style floats your boat, use it, fish it, believe in it. Confidence is everything.
Up to 90% of a trout’s diet comes from subsurface food. That means they are eating aquatic insects, invertebrates, crustaceans, and smaller fish. So, it makes sense if you are looking to catch trout, to fish where and what they eat most.
Team USA fly fisherman George Daniels calls it contact nymphing, it’s trendy these days to call it Euro nymphing, and I’ve always known it as tight-line nymphing or high-sticking. It is the technique of fishing nymphs without a strike indicator and keeping only the leader in the water if possible.
All of those names are descriptive because you want to stay tight to your bugs or in contact with your bugs as they flow through the water. The goal, as with almost any other fly fishing technique beside streamers is to create a drag-free drift. Oftentimes when you are tight line nymphing only your leader and heavy flies are in the water to reduce drag. If you can maintain contact with your leader when a fish grabs, you’re in the perfect position to set the hook.
With the nymph and indicator approach, you can allow a little slack in your line because the indicator acts as your point of contact. It’s a little clunky to cast it first but most guides use the nymph and indicator set up for the beginning fly fisher. It’s deadly effective and I have caught a lot of trout on a nymph and indicator rig.
So many trout fishermen try to fish far off early. Don’t get me wrong everybody loves to show off their casting prowess. But trout love to hang on banks and often the best water is right at your feet. So, fish the close water first before going for the long shot and watch your hook-up rate increase.
When you’re fishing salt, longer casts are usually better because you’re generally targeting fish that are heading towards your boat or your wading position. You need to know your range and stay within it. Yes, everybody would like to present their fly to that hundred-pound tarpon at 90 feet but if you can’t make that cast, you’re more likely to spook that fish that hook it.
The exception in the salt is blind casting. That’s when you’re casting to likely spots without seeing fish. In that case, you want to target changes in the current flow. Just like trout, saltwater fish will hang on edges and let the current bring food to them. If you find a rip, like the edge of an island or a midstream sandbar, look for the current breaks on the side and how the water peels off. Fish are likely to hang in a soft spot. When you’re fishing mangroves you have to think like a bass fisherman. Target the spots and pockets that are likely to hold fish and work your fly hard for the first couple feet.
High water makes fish and their prey move. Oftentimes, the big fish feel more comfortable in high water, and it triggers their hunting instinct. Look for softer, calmer water towards the bank. The same rules hold true for trout in high water as they do in regular flows. Fish the edges and current breaks. High water is a fantastic time for streamer fishing.
Fish are designed to be camouflaged from above. As you learn how to see subsurface fish you need to know what to look for. One key is unnatural movement. Rocks stumps and bottom structure tend to stay still. Fish, however, tend to move, so one of the cues that will lead you to fish is movement in good holding water.
In the salt, oftentimes when you’re looking for fish, what you’re seeing is their shadow. The same holds true here for movement. I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve been fooled by a subsurface weed that waves in the tide and casts a shadow. But weeds don’t travel. So it’s not just moving side to side, but also movement in terms of covering distance that gives away a fish’s position.
When you catch fish watch them closely as you release them. Pay attention to what stands out and make a mental note. Once you get your fish eyes on it changes the game.
Trout eating dry flies off the surface are pretty easy to see. When there are emergers though, they may only make a slight bulge or dimple. Be alert to a change in surface texture. Oftentimes nervous water means fish.
I once had a jackass guide on the Trinity River in California run 300 yards downstream to tell me I was fishing his water. His clients were hooked up when we rowed by in our drift boat so we pulled as close to the bank as possible. That way we wouldn’t disturb the other anglers as they battled their Steelhead. We pulled our lines out of the water and continued for about 100 yards downstream before we resumed fishing. I caught a fish about 250 yards from the guide and his clients and he proceeded to run down the bank of the river for 300 yards to try to chase me off “his water”. Apparently, he thought any water downstream f him was “his water”. Though we did not fight that day we came very close.
Let’s face it fly fishing is a popular sport. That means unless you’re willing to do the work of getting into the backcountry you’re likely to see fishermen on almost every piece of water that you fish. It also means we’re putting a lot more pressure on the resource. As anglers, we need to have respect for the fish, the rivers, the lakes, and the saltwater flats where we do what we love. We also need to respect each other. Local etiquette may change from place to place, but if you feel like you’re crowding somebody else you probably are. Also, allow others to fish peacefully. No one person owns the water unless it’s on private property. Err on the side of respect.
To make it short and sweet, drag is the effect of water moving against your line and pulling your bugs differently than a natural insect would move. It’s the most likely reason that fish are refusing your flies. As a new angler, your goal is to learn how to present a dead-drift or drag-free drift as quickly as possible. Make your bugs act like the real bugs and you’re way more likely to catch wary trout. Before you go and change your flies make sure that you’re getting drag-free drifts on every presentation .
If you’re having issues with drag, there are a couple things you can do to fix it. The first is, try to make your mend at the finish of your cast rather than waiting until your line hits the water. It’s what I call an aerial mend and you can see it in action here. This is one of the most important fly fishing tips you can learn.
If you are going to mend after your flies hit the water, remember to cast further than the lane you want your fly to fish. Any time you mend your line the fly is going to get closer to you until you get it drifting in a dead drift. Cast past the point that the fish is in, then, with a sweep of the rod tip, put an upstream mend in your line that’s in the faster current. Do that 5 feet before your fly gets to the fish you’re targeting.
Learn how to mend in this quick video.
Little things like a longer leader and softer tippet material may help some with drag but learning how to make an aerial mend or to make a quick mend when your line first hits the water will help you eliminate drag more than anything.
Leader length is a personal preference but the standard leader across both salt and freshwater is 9-feet. It’s perfect because it’s the length of the fly rod and makes it easy to land fish but still gives you enough separation from your fly line for concealment. That said, there are a few situations where you’ll want to go longer or shorter with your leader.
When you’re fishing small flies to spooky trout on spring creeks, small trout streams, flat calm lakes, and heavily fished tailwaters good fishermen may use a leader of 12 to 15 feet to help fool more fish. The same goes for fishing to spooky bonefish on skinny tropical flats. Getting separation from your fly line on the water's surface and delivering your fly delicately to your target fish can make a huge difference.
When you fish sinking lines or pull streamers on a floating line, a long leader is not only unnecessary it’s also less effective. When you cast heavy streamers, you need more energy transfer from your fly line. A shorter leader transfers energy to your streamer better. It also helps you maintain contact with your streamer so you can impart more action and set the hook more efficiently.
When it comes to basic fly fishing techniques this one is kinda Zen.
Once you get your fish eyes on and you spot a feeding fish take a moment to get into its rhythm. When you slow down enough to watch fish behavior good things happen. Watch the fish as it feeds. How long between takes? How far will it travel side to side? Answer those questions and then make your first cast. You only get the first cast once, make it count.
Saltwater fish have a rhythm as well. Are they cruising? Are they traveling? Are they actively feeding? Answer all those questions and you’ll know exactly how to make your cast and presentation. Learning how to feed a saltwater fish even when they don’t want to eat is like getting a PhD in fly fishing.
When you’re targeting rising trout don’t fixate on the rise ring. In moving water the rise ring will appear behind the fish. From where you first see the rise ring form move 4 to 5 feet upstream. Ideally, that’s where you’d like to put your bugs. If the river current offers a drag-free drift, get your bug on the water with plenty of time before the fish sees it. Don’t forget to allow time and distance to make a mend and present a perfect dead-drift.
Some fish hold in tough places. I once fished to a 21-inch cutthroat on the Beaverhead River that only gave me 6 inches of drag-free drift. I was casting across the main channel because the fish was holed up in a deep eddie protected by streamside willows on the far side of the river. The swiftest current was between us, so drag was almost automatic and the wind was blowing upstream and swirling. It took me about an hour to get it right, but I finally stuck that fish. I got a perfect six-inch drift, and he ate it.
The moral of the story is, some shots are tougher than others. Different spots that create drag may require you to throw close to the fish. Be open to the possibilities but look for the best casting angle to a accomplish the job.
I’ve said it a million times, trout hang on the edges. Bugs (otherwise known as trout food) tend to collect along “seams” where slower water meets faster water. Eddie’s, midstream current breaks, downed logs, drop-offs, inside River bends, and banks are all edges. If you can see a definition between slower water and faster water and it has good enough depth fish it. It’s likely a food conveyor belt. There’s also an old saying “the foam is home”. Foam lines and scum lines (a few bubbles with debris and bugs)will accumulate in the same places that bugs do and they often disguise feeding fish. Get your bugs into the foam lines and there likely in the fish as well.
Trout live in a variety of environments, finding their feeding lanes and feeding stations is the key to catch more fish. A combination of water speed, water depth, nearby cover, and food supply all play into where it trout chooses to live. You want to find a spot that has the most desirable combination of all the above and fish in hard because that’s where the alpha fish is going to live.
Euro nymphing is all the rage these days. To high-stick effectively cast close enough that you can create drag-free drifts and stay in touch with your fly at the same time. They call it high-sticking because your goal is to keep as much line as possible out of the current, with only the leader and flies in the water.
When you’re fly fishing with nymphs, make sure that your flies are getting down to where the fish live. The bottom of the river creates friction with the water and slows down the current. That makes it an edge and a great place for trout to hang. Even with weighted flies, you may have to add split shot to your leader in order to get your bugs down into the strike zone. Check out this article for all the detail on nymphing you need to nymph like a pro.
I love fishing emergers for my dry fly presentations. But if you don’t happen to have one in your box and the trout are sipping emergers out of the film you can always use a standard nymph. Grease it up with floatant and fish it like a dry fly. Better yet use it as a dropper off an adult version of the insect that trout are eating. That way you get a two-for-one. If they want the adult pattern, they can eat the dry fly. If they’re looking for emergers they’ll grab the greased nymph and the adult version can act as your indicator. Win-win… for you, not the trout.
So many new fly fishermen are reluctant to set the hook as often as they should when they fish nymph and indicator rigs. Any time your indicator stops, hesitates, tics, or goes under you should be setting the hook. Essentially any time your indicator acts unnaturally lift your rod tip. Most of the time it will be the bottom or something else affecting the indicator. But too often, new anglers miss fish takes because they hesitate, unwilling to set the hook. You’ll never catch the fish if you don’t set the hook. Set the hook early and often because you never know when it’s going to be a fish.
A neat trick is to learn how to cast following a hook set if you don’t hook up. Get to a river practice that technique and you will be a much more efficient angler.
Caddis and other insects that rise and escape the surface film quickly, cause feeding trout to create splashy rise forms. Classic rises where it looks slow and elegant is generally on mayfly duns riding the water surface to dry their wings. Some rise forms are just a dimple where you may not see the trout’s mouth but you might see the dorsal or the tail. In that case, trout are likely feeding on emergers. A bulge or swirl means trout are feeding right below the surface.
A good fisherman knows when it's time to change. Trout will often drift underneath the fly right below the water's surface for a couple of feet before they decide to take it. This is especially true for cutthroat. If you see a fish drift underneath your fly and then turn away that means he refused it. If that happens a couple of times it’s time to switch bugs. One refusal is okay, two our three means there’s something wrong with what your fishing. If you see a rise followed by a disturbance on the surface something is definitely wrong and it’s time to get out your fly box.
Whether your fishing wet flies or nymphs using a technique called the “Leisenring lift.” Will earn you a lot more fish.
At the end of your drift don’t just pick up your bugs and cast again gently lift the rod bringing the bugs to the surface like their emerging. This mimics the natural behavior of emerging insects and can induce some fierce strikes. Often times learning how to trigger a trout’s predatory instinct is the key to catching a bunch of fish.
When you fish still or slow-moving, use as little slack as necessary to get your bug acting like a natural insect. As long as there’s no drag, your hook-up percentage will improve because you are tighter to your fly and can make an efficient hookset.
The upstream presentation for dry flies is considered the classic cast. Since we want to approach from behind the fish it’s a natural progression. But the downstream presentation can oftentimes be way more effective, as long as you can sneak in on rising fish. Think about it, when you cast downstream the first thing to reach the trout is your fly. As you cast upstream you must land your line and your leader off to the side of the fish presenting an opportunity to spook them.
When you fish from upstream try using a stack-cast, parachute-cast, or S-cast with plenty of slack floating directly downstream to the fish. When you do it right, your line will straighten with a little bit of slack left in your leader just before your fly reaches the trout.
Though you want to present your fly as far away from the boat as possible when you’re fishing saltwater, an accurate cast at 50 or 60 feet will most often do the trick. I’ve even caught a lot of fish inside of 30 feet from the boat. What’s every bit as important as casting distance is how quickly you can pick the fly up and put it down for another presentation and limit false casting. Oftentimes fish will refuse your first shot. How quickly can you get that fly up and back in front of the fish to give him another chance is the difference between success and failure. Are you standing on your line? Is the line caught underneath the boat? Did you wrap it up somewhere? One of the biggest tarpon I ever boated ate my fly on my third presentation, just 20 feet from the boat. The key was that I could pick it up and put it down quickly to give myself three shots of the same fish.
When you’re fishing saltwater flies, and freshwater streamers for that matter, you want to point your rod tip low at the line near the water surface. The goal is to have almost no belly in the line after it comes out of the rod tip. That means you are connected directly to your fly and you can create the action you want. It also means if a fish grabs your bug you can make a quick strip set and come tight and hurry.
Remember you’re in control of the action of your fly. If fish aren’t eating with short choppy strips then go to long smooth strips. If that isn’t working mix it up. Let the fish's behavior be your guide. That tarpon I mentioned above passed on my long smooth strips and then finally ate when I gave my fly the smooth start followed by the “fleeing baitfish” twitch.
Don’t be scared to mix it up. A change in your stripping retrieve may be the magic ticket on tough fish.
Well not really, but trout fishing doesn’t end just because the temperature changes. Late fall fishing can be some of the most sensational grabs you’ll ever fish. Chasing monster browns with streamers can be sensational.
A warm day in the middle of the winter may create a crazy midge or baetis hatch, or both. I recently had a fantastic day on the Provo River in Utah. It was sub-freezing in the morning but got into the low 50s after lunch. Both the baetis and the midges popped. I fished dry flies for the next three hours and put about 20 fish in my net.
Every now and then check your bugs to make sure your hooks are sharp and functional. I went on a fantastic backcountry trip for trophy rainbow trout in Alaska. I wanted to catch a 30-inch bow on a mouse. I located a great holding lane up against the bank and I made a good cast, popped my mouse a couple of times and SPLOOSH! But I didn’t come tight… I picked up my fly and cast right back in there and got another toilet flush of a take… But I didn’t come tight again. It left me scratching my head because I thought I was on it. The second time, when I stripped my fly back to the boat, I realized that at some point I had broken off the hook at the bend. It may have been on the first grab but more likely it was sometime earlier because the fish came back and ate again.
I quickly tied another mouse pattern fly and made about 30 more casts to the same position, but never got that monster to rise again. Had I paid closer attention I would’ve had my 30-inch rainbow on a mouse. After that the best fish I could raise and land was 27-inches. Amonster no doubt but a different class than the one that got away. To this day it still haunts me.
Most of the time hooks just need to be sharpened. You can carry a diamond hone or stone for a quick touch-up.
Missing the big bow was an important lesson for me, so whether I’m fishing trout or tarpon I check my hooks all the time now to make sure I’m ready for the next monster.
Don’t Forget to Check Your Leader Too
Not only can your hook have problems, but even more often than that your leader will foul. Wind knots and tangles with your fly happen all the time to the best fishermen. It’s the nature of our sport, it’s just gonna happen. Wind knots can weaken your tippet by up to 50% and flies that are wrapped up in monofilament don’t catch fish.
Every half dozen to a dozen casts get a close look at your rig, especially on windy days.
Fly rods have a lot of flex but your arm and shoulder can help play fish hard without breaking tippet. Use your arm as an extra shock absorber when fish want to run and head-shake by extending or flexing it according to what the fish is putting on you. Use the rod and your arm as one unit.
You can also use light grip pressure to allow the rod a little more flex when your fish is really getting after it and on short-notice runs to protect fine tippets.
In fishing situations with lots of hangups keep your rod tip high and arm extended above your head. That way you’re less likely to snag on underwater obstacles.
It’s easier to break a fish with side pressure. Use the angle of the rod opposite the angle of the fish to slow them down and put it on‘em. Bigger fish like tarpon also need to be played from the butt of the rod. The rod tip doesn’t do much good in a heavyweight saltwater fight.
A lot of new anglers try to fight trout and end up pointing the rod backward, over their shoulder. Don’t do that. It puts you in a bad position to fight fish and is likely to lose you a fish or two. In the worst case scenario, the rod should have a little bit of a forward lean and you can use your hand and arm to add more give and protect your tippet.
It’s not the steady pull that will break your line it’s sudden movements, bursts of speed, and the initial hook set. So remember smooth is fast when you’re casting and when you’re fighting fish. Sudden bursts, turns, and maneuvers account for most broken tippets.
Know Your Drag
Oftentimes, drag won’t be an issue when you’re fishing for trout. Most of the time I set my drag in the morning and won’t touch it during the day.
When you’re fishing in salt, however, your reel’s drag is an issue. If you know your reeleal well then you can adjust your drag during your fight. What I suggest is to set your drag at 40% of your line’s breaking strength as your casting and searching for fish. When you first hook up saltwater fish generally take off like a shot. That’s when you’re most likely to break your line. Once the fight is settled in a little bit you can crank your drag to 60 or 70%. An easy way to do that is to mark your real at the 60%, 70%, and 80% breaking strength range. That way you can crank your drag up the exact position you’re looking for without fumbling for the “feel” of it.
You can figure out exactly what position the drag knob has to assume for each amount of drags by using the rod, reel, and leader you’re going to fish with and tying off to a scale. Then you just pull until you reach the breaking weight you want on the scale,(9.6 lbs. for a 16 lb. tippet on tarpon, etc.). Mark your drag knob and your reel with a sharpie so you know your percentages and can adjust on the water. It’s also a great way to get a feel for how much pressure you can actually put on a fish. You’ll be shocked by how hard you can pull.
Practice your fighting skills for big fish
If you’re going after tarpon, tuna, billfish, or any other saltwater behemeth learn how much pressure you can put on a fish before you go (see my note above). Once you get a sense of how much pressure you can apply try keeping your rod at a 45-degree angle or less to the fish while using side pressure. This will ensure that you don’t break the rod, that you are pulling with the butt of the rod, and that you are applying maximum pressure.
STRIP SET
When you’re fishing saltwater and you watch a big fish eat your fly it’s hard to keep it together. That’s the beauty of saltwater flyfishing. Most new anglers come unglued and immediately trout set. The big rod action sweeps the fly out of the fish’s mouth, and you end up losing the fish.
What you should do instead is continue to strip until you feel pressure and then make a quick strip set with your offhand. That way you’re more likely to drive the hook home without taking it out of the fish’s mouth. If you do trout set on a big fish, don’t feel bad. All of us do it from time to time.
I have a fantastic tarpon guide in Isla Holbox, Mexico who grew up flyfishing for saltwater fish. One day while I was polling the boat for him, I put him on a nice school of baby tarpon. We watched one eat his fly and he proceeded to trout set and swipe the fly out of the fish’s mouth. If a man who is a dyed-in-the-wool tarpon fisherman can trout set than you can too. Just don’t make it a habit.
Fight and Land Fish Quickly
Remember how I said we should respect the resource. That means when the conditions are bad for fish mortality numbers give them a break. Trout prefer water in the 52-68 degrees Fahrenheit, range. If you're fishing warmer water at the top of that scale trout will tire quickly from acidosis and the survival rate goes down in a hurry.
If you’re fishing in those conditions, try to play fish as fast as possible and revive them well before letting them swim off.
If the water where you are trout fishing is 70 degrees or higher you should consider not fishing or finding a colder body of water to save trout lives. Remember, Trout Lives Matter!
I’ve faced the same problem fishing for tarpon in Key West. I hooked and landed a fish that rolled over and stopped fighting in the first 5 minutes. That’s when we noticed the water temps were 93 degrees f. Way too hot to be fighting fish. We took 20 minutes and actually ferried the tarpon out to cooler waters to revive her. The fish swam off seemingly healthy but that was a close call.
We ended our fishing for the day after that. I never want to have a negative impact on the resource that provides me with so much passion.
