What makes a fly fisherman good?

[hf]

In my limited experience of fly fishing for salmon I have noticed that some anglers, more than others, have 'that' ability of catching them regularly throughout the season.

So my first question is, what is it that makes a fisherman/woman good?

The second question is, what should I concentrate on to improve my own skills?

[Speyducer]

This doesn't just apply to fly fishing.

First, be a good fisherman - take your other fishing skills with you when you set off for the day, confidence in your own abilities, and in your tackle, and the water for the day.

Learn to think like a salmon - read the water, where would you hold up for a wee rest on that upstream journey? and try to visit that same water in all conditions to assess the changes in current, the bedrock/boulder/gravel contours, the lies, where fish show repeatedly.

Think to present that fly (or whatever) to the fish, enticing it right over it's lie, feed the fly into that spot, sweep it by, pull it through, twitch and move the fly near where your quarry is situated.

'Expect' the fish to take, be ready for that at all times, especially over the assessed lying spots.

Lastly, enjoy the casting of the fly, and take in your surroundings, at the same time as concentrating on the fishing. Note concentrate on the fishing, not the casting.

When you are comfortable with yourself, confident in your assessment of the water, you will make those casts, and entice those fish, and get the tweaks, pulls and downright thumps of arm-wrenching proportions to result in some fish hooked, and perchance to be landed, admired, photographed and thence returned to their watery domain.

Summary:

Confidence in yourself, comfortable in your assessments, casting to fish, not casting to cast!

Mike

[fruity]

One person obviously thinks I have the qualities to answer this question, it certainly would be the case had I actually caught 20 salmon and sea trout in a morning (this fairy story must have had me using single hooks that day because I am obviously so super duper an angler (or perhaps I am a Jedi Knight) that if I’d been using trebles I could have landed 3 at a time and caught the twenty to be home for breakfast - or at least landed 60 for the entire morning!) … but putting aside various fantasies and delusions …..

I’m not sure what you mean by a good fisher because I believe anyone can become a good fisher with experience, but in my experience excellent fishers have the following qualities…

You must be disciplined, have clear objectives to ensure you are clear in your mind as to what you are attempting to achieve and how you will do it. Always use your brain. Discipline, conscientiousness and thoroughness of actions are required.

An excellent knowledge of the water in question based upon experience of where the fish will be at different heights/environmental conditions, the habits of the fish, also what methods are successful. If sufficient experience is gained on differing types of water then this bank of knowledge will usually allow the angler to attain a high level of success almost immediately in other/new waters.

While technical skills are high on the agenda, you never will know everything and must change/adapt according to circumstances. Many specialists may own dozens of rods and much tackle but use very little of it, they have an exacting understanding of tackle, how it works/reacts/should be used.

Understanding that you are unlikely to catch every fish, that you have to play the percentages and fish to your strengths. Even if you have planned an outing to the nth degree and have endless experience on particular water, if you are not catching then change tactics. To a degree, fishing is an art and has its elements of creativity.

It is no coincidence that many salmon specialists are also often described as countrymen, this is because they have an understanding of nature and creatures, obviously this includes the salmon.

Most people don’t have these qualities and don’t want to be such a person/can’t be bothered, therefore don’t try to. In which case get the best type of fishing you like and can afford, keep things simple and enjoy yourself.

How you would improve your skills depends on your present skills, without further info I could merely advise you to list those deficiencies you and others have identified, then resolve them.

[John Gray]

highlandfisher said:

....

So my first question is, what is it that makes a fisherman/woman good?

Above all else, the knack of getting to the right place at the right time.

[salmonking]

As above,,,but respect your quarry,,,the times i have met fishermen,,and gone fishing with some Friends and new met acquaintances,,,,,no pliers,,no priest,,,NO RESPECT,,you guys
know who you are.

SO RESPECT YOUR QUARRY.

[fruity]

johngray said:

highlandfisher said:

....

So my first question is, what is it that makes a fisherman/woman good?

Above all else, the knack of getting to the right place at the right time.

Learning/understanding what the right place and time is, can be described as a skill but there is no "knack"...this would suggest "luck". Luck is merely the residual effects of hard work, determination, brains and practice.

[Roobarb]

I can't claim to be a good fly fisher, I get a few from difficult waters but then others get more, but I would agree with all the above.
Most of all concentrate and think about what you are doing. Think about how the fly (or lure) is fishing all the time, don't just chuck it out and leave it to swing round. If you are not getting any responce to your usual tactics (whatever they may be) try other stuff, slow it down, speed it up, fish it deeper or shallower or squarer. Salmon can be caught with many different tactics on the same day so obviously none of them are wrong. Keep thinking and experimenting, do your own thing, it is so much better when you work it out for yourself.

Andy

[neptune]

dont get to the river & then remember you took everything out the car for the MOT
luckily i live 5 mins away

[Roobarb]

neptune said:

luckily i live 5 mins away

That's not luck, that's merely...

fruity said:

... the residual effects of hard work, determination, brains and practice.

[John Gray]

fruity said:

johngray said:

Above all else, the knack of getting to the right place at the right time.

Learning/understanding what the right place and time is, can be described as a skill but there is no "knack"...this would suggest "luck". Luck is merely the residual effects of hard work, determination, brains and practice.

My dictionary defines "knack" as follows:

n. a trick, dodge; special dexterity, knowledge or manipulative skill required to do something, the trick of knowing how to do something and being able to do it well; gift, art, talent.

The above definition, particularly the last three words, defines the precise meaning I intended to convey in my use of the word. If I had meant to suggest that luck played any significant part in being in the right place at the right time, I would have said so.

[tweedsider]

Persistance. The fortune or ability to be on a river when fish are taking. A reasonable amount of skill, and knowledge. A barrowload of LUCK which is really a combination of the above, plus that strange 6th sense which makes a good angler an expert angler.

tweedsider

[neptune]

funny how you say 6th sense ts i thought that was just me that feeling you just know your about to hook 1 then BANG its on

[sinkingtip]

neptune said:

funny how you say 6th sense ts i thought that was just me that feeling you just know your about to hook 1 then BANG its on

salmo.proboards74.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1190570702

Hi Nep - salmondan authored a potentially interesting thread on this very subject. Unfortunately the thread wasnt heavily subscribed to and could be worthy of further debate ie. "is there such a thing ?"
Regards
STip

[sinkingtip]

I would echo and endorse all of the above by our learned contributors so far. As Speyducer said in his opening gambit "this doesn't just apply to fly fishing".

We have all heard people say things about successful fishers like "see that bar-steward ? - yeah, the ane thats just put anither fish back, he's feckin anointed".
What they should be saying is "see that bar-steward ? ......he fishes intelligently, reads the water like a heron, gets to KNOW his water and doesn't spread himself to thinly, fishes to the best of his ability and is prepared to OBSERVE and LEARN from others, tries to make his last cast of the day as MEANINGFUL as his first (paramount IMO), possesses the ability to think like a fish and weigh up the situation given variations in water height, temperature and time of year, become 'at one' with his surroundings and fellow companions and, as salmonking has eluded to, have the ability to show respect for nature in its many forms.
THAT IMHO is a good fisher.

[hf]

Thanks for all the above comments. They make good and interesting reading and are helpful.

Cheers