True or False? Fly Fishing Myths Exposed

gettingitdoneinnewzealand_5Fishing is a sport of superstition. Personally, I am not superstitious, but in the words of Michael Scott, "I'm a little 'stitious."

I have seen too many odd days on the water to not be a little "stitious."

Below is a list of myths/superstitions I have personally found to be debunked. If you disagree, please, take it up with me on our Facebook page right here.

Post to our page with this headline: "THIS MYTH IS TRUE..." and we'll get back to you within 24 hours with either a concession or grounds for further argumentation.

Let the debunking commence.

cda_fly_shop_blog_32217_img2Myth #1 [FALSE]: Fishing with a Bigger fly means Catching Bigger Fish

Every month I see a group of fishermen come into the shop with one man that appears to be the most "knowledgeable." As the "expert," walks the group through the fly bins, he explains, "If you fish a big fly, you will catch big fish."

There is no reason for a big fish to waste its time with a small fly." Every experienced fly fisherman knows this to be false. My favorite example is the 10 lb. Brown trout Bob Jacklin caught on the Madison River.

The story is, Bob brought a couple cameramen to a deep run on the Madison River to film a nymphing video. He had already given his "how to nymph" speech and was looking to hook a fish for the video. As it turns out, fishing was pretty slow that day, so Bob decided to lengthen his leader, add a split shot, and throw on a #14 caddis nymph with hopes of hooking a Mountain Whitefish.

Nymphin' ain't easy, you know, we know it... but these flies will make it a BIT easier.

A handful of casts later, he hooks into a gorgeous 10 lb. brown trout on the #14 Caddis Nymph WITH TWO CAMERAS ROLLING!

If you don't believe me, check out  "Bob Jacklin Fish of a Lifetime".

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Myth #2 [FALSE]: You Need Perfectly Tied Flies to Catch Fish

If you have been to one of Ponderay's fly tying classes, you will know my favorite phrase to say when a tier asks me how their fly looks is, "It will catch fish." We laugh because we both know that fly looks rough. However, I guarantee that fly will catch fish.

See that fly in the picture above... the kid tying it in work gloves? Even that fly will catch fish.

The more experienced a fly tier becomes with fly tying, the art tends to become more about tying flies rather than catching fish. Tiers get so caught up in tying flies absolutely perfectly, that they forget how many fish were caught with the old gnarled flies.

Most of the time, a fish only has a couple seconds to analyze your fly. Not to mention they have an extremely small brain. I have heard of fish being caught on cigarette butts and duct tape wrapped hooks.

Tying flies? Check this out. 

Myth #3 [FALSE]: Longer Casts Mean a Greater Opportunity of Catching Fish

If I could somehow take an average distance of where my hook-ups are, they are probably within 30 feet from my rod tip.

You simply do not need to make a 90 foot cast to reach the fish. You can catch a lot of fish with a poorly presented 20 foot cast. I hear guides tell clients all the time "fish out every cast."

A differently presented fly could be exactly what that giant steelhead is looking for.

Myth #4 [FALSE]: If you Catch Big Fish, it Means you are a Great Fisher

Not everyone that catches big fish is a great fisherman. This myth is true to a point.

For example, a young girl under ten years old caught a 7 lb. brown two years ago off City Beach in Sandpoint, ID with a Barbie rod and a worm.

Not to take anything away from this girl because that is a remarkable trout and I haven't caught a brown of that size, but I am guessing she didn't tie the knot that caught the trout. Sometimes beginner's luck, a true myth, can account for the success that pure, plain old luck doesn't cover.

Fly Fishing Myths that are 100% True

Since I said I am a little "stitious," here are a few myths that I completely believe to be true.

As with above, if you think that these are NOT true, reach out to us on Facebook for a more lively discussion. Use the headline, "THESE MYTHS ARE FALSE..." and post to our page here.

I will get back to you within 24 hours with a rebuttal.

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Myth #1 [TRUE]: Women Anglers Catch more Fish than Male Anglers

I still don't fully understand why this is true, but women are definitely at an unfair advantage. I don't know if they are able to apply more finesse to a fly, or just have a completely different outlook on fishing.

Whatever it is, I think there is something to learn from hardcore fisherwomen.

Myth #2 [TRUE]: Beginners Luck is a REAL Phenomenon

It never fails. Every time I take someone interested in fly fishing for the first time, they catch a fair amount of trout.

Maybe it's their "I'm just here to learn" attitude, or it could be the remarkably intelligent and handsome guide.

Whatever it is, I am a full believer in beginners luck.

Myth #3 [TRUE]: If you Have Bananas, you Will Catch Less Fish

If you have stopped by one of our flyshops, you know how serious we are about "no bananas."

It isn't a laughing matter anymore. Bananas are only asking for trouble.

We completely debunked this myth. For real and actually truth, including extensive field tests, read the facts right here.