The Joy Of Fly Fishing

I am Jim Bolduc from Brentwood, New Hampshire and I find joy in fly fishing, what a sport! Oh the joy of placing your bait “in a stream” just right so the fish are intrigued. Being able to put on your wader’s and get in the water with the fish. Whether it is bone or trout fishing, what a thrill! You grab your fly rod which is your weapon and enter the water confident that you will catch dinner.

You will find the history of the fly rod is very interesting. The fly rod can be handmade or manufactured and made with many different types of materials. Some people have had their skills affected by the way their fly rod is made. How soft or stiff is it, how long is it, will it hold your reel? Some people spend hours and hours of their life studying the fly rod.

Now what do I mean by weapon? Well your fly rod has a myriad of different hooks that can be used. Many different types of bait can be used, whether it is a fly that simulates the real thing or a worm that is the real thing.

The key with this weapon of yours is to control the way you place the bait in the water so the fish are not spooked. Fish are very finicky to say the least. You have to actually sneak up on them if you are fishing in a stream. The stream can be your friend or foe. Is the stream deep with a strong current or mellow with a gentle flow of water?  Is the bottom of the stream rocky or flat and easy to navigate?

You must pay attention to the weather. You have to be aware if there is a hatch going on and what type of insects live in the water’s you are fishing. There are many different theories as to where a certain hatch is or when it will take place. What weather conditions are needed for a hatch to occur? The time of year is important, is it hot out, is it raining? You virtually have to be a specialist in weather on how the weather conditions affect a hatch.

You find yourself getting “hooked” on wanting to learn more by reading the latest magazine or books that tell how people have spent their entire lives studying the ways of fish that you can catch on a fly rod.

I hope you take a chance to have your life affected in the positive way that fly fishing has for me!