Fly Fishing Opportunities from Pristine Streams to Old Farm Ponds

Time and effort can make the fly fishing opportunities endless. So ignore how fly fishing is portrayed and fly fish for what you want, how you want. It is a creative activity that requires nothing but an open mind.

Misconceptions in the fly fishing realm are commonplace. A stream nary touched by man. Spooked trout. An experienced fly fisherman, chest deep in the water, placing his fly upstream. These few things describe how fly fishing is often depicted in Hollywood.

Fly fishing is not an exclusive sport or only to catch trout and salmon in the Western United States. I find quite the opposite to be true. It is a versatile sport that you can enjoy in small creeks, rivers, ponds, and even saltwater flats.

Today, fly fishing has transcended social and economic barriers to become more inclusive. There are many affordable fly fishing combos under $300 and community initiatives to introduce new anglers to the sport.

I am an experienced fly fisher, who enjoys the spoils that any old farm pond will provide him. Never have I been fly fishing in the streams found in the western half of the United States. Yet I still consider myself a professional fly fisher.

With the misconception, that fly fishing is just for trout and salmon, it gets lost how fun it is to catch the fish species found nearby.

There are sure to be many species of fish in a given farm pond worth catching on a fly rod. Just around me, one could find Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Striped Bass, and many more.

Techniques to catch these fish are not dissimilar to those used to catch trout and salmon. Many flies are available to fish for both trout and the fish found in farm ponds.

The Wooly Bugger, first created by Russell Blessing in 1967, is the best example of this. In my professional opinion, it is one of the most versatile flies in that it catches the eye of many fish species.

The motions of fish in a farm pond are like those used in the West. Be it the different ways of stripping in the line, the different ways to cast, or even the act of bringing the fish in.

Once you hook a fish, the adrenaline kicks in. Whether it is a wild trout or bluegill, catching fish on a fly rod is exciting.

The joy of fly fishing, like regular fishing, can get overlooked in the light of competition. Fly fishing is about far more than catching.

Fly fishing is about the journey to get a fish to bite. It is about the time one spends with their family and friends. It is about taking in the true beauty mother nature allows us to enjoy.

There is something about giving the fish a fair chance in the fight to land them. Close attention is important to not put too much pressure on the line. Fly fishing may seem tedious but the struggles that it brings make the catch even more exciting.

Limitations to catchable fish are essentially null. Maybe other than the body of water hosting the fish.

Skilled fly tiers are able to mimic anything that fish, of any size and of any species, eat. Flies are another thing in fly fishing that is subjected to misconceptions.

They are thought to be small in size and high in detail. There is nary a restriction on the size, the detail, or for that matter, the composition of a fly.

Flies vary from the size of an Altoid to the size of a baseball and even bigger. They are made from everything from synthetic fibers to deer hair to material found on mops.

Fly fishing, is not a sport that carries many restrictions and limitations. It is as open source as enjoyment can be.

Limitations of catchable fish depend only on the body of water and the mind of the fisher. Your mindset can limit your fly fishing opportunities.

Fellow fly fishermen: Great resources for beginners are available on TruFish. As they will tell you, fly fishing is best taught not from a book but from experience.