Jeep® Sporting Destinations

Fly Fishers Workshop

by Pat Fowler and Keith Breuker

"Respecting the environment and each other's fishing experience will help everyone enjoy this wonderful sport of fly fishing."

Introduction

In the coming months, this new feature of Jeep Sporting Destinations will present a concise guide to getting started in fly fishing. This material originated in a book called The Complete Pocket Guide to Fly Fishing, which was published through Countrysport Press. If you are interested in having the entire book in the convenient pocket-size form that you can carry in your vest, contact Countrysport Press for a copy.

The goal of our book, and these columns, is perhaps best expressed in Jim Enger's introduction to the book:

The Complete Pocket Guide to Fly Fishing takes the guesswork out of going fly fishing. Unlike some so-called guidebooks, this one doesn't try to overwhelm with unnecessary detail and minutia. And, best of all, it doesn't assume that you know the jargon. It covers all the basics of fly fishing in clear and precise language you can understand. And it has enough tips and tidbits to make it a handy reference source even for the veteran angler."

Over the next several months, we'll discuss how to pick an outfit, how to select the right leader, how to attach the leader to the fly line, what fly to use and how to tie it to the leader, and how to cast. We'll also teach you how to "read the water," some important facts about trout behavior, how to fight and land a fish, what to look for during important hatches, and how to purchase flies. In short, we'll get you started fly fishing without a lot of ceremony or excess words.

But first, let's start with a subject that most books on fly fishing either leave out or leave to the last -- ethics. We think how we treat our irreplaceable trout water, and each other as we fish them, is perhaps the most important first step.

Ethics

According to Gary Borger's video, "Where the Trout Are," the world's trout streams contain less than one millionth of one percent of the world's entire freshwater resources. And yet these rare and fragile ecosystems are continually burdened by residential land use, agricultural practices, and industrial development, to the extent that in less than one generation some of our most fertile rivers have lost their ability to produce native fish.

You can help reverse this trend by getting involved in a conservation organization such as Trout Unlimited or the Federation of Flyfishers whose members work collectively to ensure that our natural resources are protected and restored.

But just as important are the little things you can do individually to help preserve our sport:

Always limit your catch, don't catch your limit.

Always land your fish as quickly as possible. Don't play it to the point of exhaustion.

When you can, release a fish without handling it. Using barbless hooks can help you release fish quickly.

If you plan to eat a fish, kill it quickly. Never let fish suffer unnecessarily.

Be sure to leave no rubbish behind when you're done fishing. Litter not only degrades habitat and dampens angling enjoyment, it also irritates property owners, who are less likely to allow access where anglers have abused the privilege.

Respecting the rights of private property owners will make angling more pleasant for you and anglers who follow.

Remember, many people pursue this sport to experience quiet and solitude.

Don't disturb other anglers.

How you treat other anglers also contributes to your enjoyment. The golden rule ought to apply when passing or greeting another angler on the stream. Respecting the environment and each other's fishing experience will help everyone enjoy this wonderful sport of fly fishing.

Copyright © 1996 by Pat Fowler and Keith Breuker. Illustrations Copyright © 1996 by Jenny Leggett.

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