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Introduction

Fishing has been done by humans for thousands of years. It has served as a means of financial support, in addition, to bringing enjoyment to many. Not surprisingly, there are many ways to do it. With numerous and many times cheaper options such as spin fishing, net fishing, bow fishing, and even spearfishing, why should someone fly fish? This post will lay out three reasons, in no particular order, that I believe every fisher should try fly fishing at some point in their life.

Reason Number One: The Versatility

This can be said about numerous fishing types, but the versatility of fly fishing is remarkable. Whether you are targeting native specks in the Southern Appalachians or bonefish in saltwater, there is a fly rod for you. So many times I'll be fly fishing and I'll catch a fish and I'll just say something like "I wouldn't have caught that with a spinner." It seems crazy to think about if you've never tried it, but believe me, it's true. Not only that, fly fishing gives you the opportunity to use tactics such as topwater and underwater at the same time! Plug alternative? Streamer. Jig alternative? Wets, streamers, and nymphs. Worm alternative? San Juan. The possibilities are endless and they all spring forth from a fly rod. With many streams becoming single hook artificial fly only, having a fly rod in your arsenal will make it to where you're ready for any situation that comes your way. 

Reason Number Two: Fishing with a Purpose

I can't speak for others, but I can personally say that there have been instances where I am just casting to be casting. I'm half paying attention, not being aware of my surroundings and am casting rather than fishing. When simply reeling in a spinner or drifting a worm, you can have success doing this. Fly fishing? Not the case. In order to achieve success while fly fishing, you must fish with a purpose. In the case of fly fishing, the majority of the time you didn't catch that fish on accident. Rather, you were aware of your surroundings, checking rocks for hatches, watching the surface for trout feeding on top and overall not fishing lazily. Not only from a trout standpoint but from a practicality standpoint, fly fishing requires an immense amount of attentiveness. Because if not, and this is an example close to home for me, you will end up hooking a tree on the backswing. Without even getting into aspects such as matching the hatch and properly managing a drift, let it be known that fly fishing is work and engaging in it makes you a better fisher inside and out.

Reason Number Three: Beauty 

This may seem odd to some people, but hear me out on this one. When you see a trout fishing painting of a man or woman standing in a river, what are they doing? I can almost guarantee they're not standing there with an open face and ultralight rod. (not that there's a thing wrong with that!) The majority of the time you will see them mid false cast with an 8 foot+ rod flexing at the tip as fly line wraps around behind them in a majestic way. People will walk past a hundred people spin fishing and really not bat an eye. However, even if only for a brief moment, many will notice someone fly fishing. Whether it's out of curiosity, respect, or envy, fly fishing grabs people's attention. Fly fishing has this element to it that no other way of fishing does and that element is that inside and out it is truly beautiful. It is centered around conservation, catch and release and getting back to the methods that were used decades ago with cheap flies and bamboo rods. There are many people in this world who fish. But as shown to us in the classic A River Runs Through It (pictured above) the best fly fishermen in the world become artists in themselves. If that in itself doesn't make you want to give fly fishing a try, then I'm not sure what will.