The decision to get into fly fishing can be daunting. Figuring out where to start is half the battle.
My dad is a fly fisherman — a dry fly fisherman. My early childhood was spent on the banks of the Clark Fork, the Blackfoot, and the Bitterroot. For those only familiar with the Hollywood version of fly fishing, the setting for my youth was Norman Maclean’s backyard.
So why, in an article centered around the intimidation of learning fly fishing, am I telling you an origin story about being born into it? It’s pretty simple: There’s still so much I don’t know.
Cut Through Intimidation and Get on the Water
I think fly fishing, in particular, can be an overwhelming skill to pick up. For me, the addition of this unspoken pressure that comes with being born in the middle of a fly fishing hub to a talented, lifelong fly fisherman only exacerbates that intimidation factor.
Though I do it often, love it, and am surrounded by it, I still enjoy furthering my skills.
I’ve read the books and watched the old “Learn to Cast” series. I’ve toyed with the idea of hiring a guide, under the guise of never having touched a rod in my life — all with the intent of being taught from scratch.
But I’m always looking out for more, and the Far Bank Fly Fishing School is a great new addition to my creel.