Want to get a newbie into fly fishing?
Getting people “into” fly fishing or “sharing” fly fishing with someone in your life can be a great experience. As guides, many of us have seen this go well—and go poorly. I can think of many examples of both in my life and career as a fly-fishing guide. I’ve seen a father bring his 14-year-old son, who has never set foot on a river—let alone on a boat—try to sell the idea of how great fly fishing is on an incredibly technical trout fishery. Every cast with three nymphs, an indicator, and split shot on 5-6X tippet results in tangles, and even the rare hookup is short-lived as the heavy hand of a beginner leads to a lost rig to an unseen fish. I’ve also had the well-meaning client who brings his buddy, who has “fished a few times,” out striper fishing in the roasting heat of July, expecting him to cast a shooting head with a lead-eyed fly on a 9wt like a champ because he fished once a few years ago on a small stream in the Sierras.
I’ve always said it’s hard to find the perfect beginner trip for everyone—kid, adult, son, daughter, grandchild, buddy, brother, sister, etc. The one thing most people have in common is wanting the other person to have a fun experience so they’ll want to come back again. That usually means catching fish and being comfortable, in my experience.
As we enter into our spring season here in California, I want to lay out a plan for people thinking about sharing the sport of fly fishing with someone new. First and foremost, if you only do one thing, make it booking a guide. Booking a guided trip and making the day all about the person you’re taking is crucial. Ensure the fishery is one where they can find success and gain confidence. Yes, you may personally want to go do something specific or really enjoy one style of fishing, but if they’re not going to have fun doing it, don’t do it!
Over the last few years, I’ve come to believe there is no better first trip for beginners than fishing one of our many bass lakes using the Float’n Fly technique during late winter or spring. Lakes like Shasta, Oroville, Englebright, Bullards Bar, Collins, Berryessa, and many more can be downright silly at that time of year. Double-digit and even triple-digit days are not uncommon.
What makes these lakes and this technique so good for beginners is that most anglers can have success casting, hooking, and landing bass on the fly during these months. The Float’n Fly rig is simple—just a bobber and one fly. No split shot or multiple fly rigs. The drop from the bobber to the fly can be set at a depth that’s comfortable for all casters, which eliminates bad tangles and frustration. The fishing is done from large boats, 20+ feet long, high off the water, making water-loading casts easy. Most people can figure out how to lob the rig back and forth pretty quickly.
Moreover, casts can range from 10 to 70 feet. The boat can be positioned to accommodate the caster’s ability, and there are no trees, bushes, or moving water to contend with. If the angler misses a cast, they can just try again—it’s a lake, and the boat has a motor, so there’s no such thing as a missed opportunity. Once the rig is out there, relax! There’s no need to cast again unless the guide tells you or it's necessary. The guide can fish a section as fast or as slow as needed, making as many or as few casts as the angler can handle.
When the bobber goes down, sideways, or swims away, just lift the rod and strip the line. Most of the time, since the water is flat, there’s no need to fish with slack line, and a good rod lift will set the hook. Strip hard, and most times the fish will bulldog straight down into the depths, but with few snags or structures, the angler can learn the give and take of fighting a fish. And since most of the flies are large barbed bass jigs fished on 8-14lb test, there’s little chance of “pulling” the hook or breaking the fish off.
While this style of fishing can be incredibly easy, it can also be technical and challenging, so anglers of all skill levels can enjoy it. Most days on the lake start early, but that can be adjusted for teenagers who want to sleep in, and being in a motorboat for the day allows flexibility.
For most of my life, I told people that floating the Lower Sacramento River for trout is the best first day on the water, and while it’s still hard to beat, the cramped quarters of a drift boat, the big three-fly indicator rigs, and the powerful rainbow trout can be a challenge for beginners. I usually suggest booking a day of Float’n Fly fishing in February, March, or April and then following up with a Lower Sacramento River day in March through June. After that, try a ground-and-pound trout day on your own in June, July, or August with your new fishing buddy. If they have any propensity for the sport, they should be hooked.
Getting a Float’n Fly fishing day under a new angler’s belt before heading to the Lower Sac will make that Sac trip a special experience. The skills of lobbing an indicator, setting the hook, and fighting a fish will increase in difficulty but at a pace that most anglers can manage after a brief boat ramp crash course. Afterward, a day of walk-and-wade fishing will help solidify their skills, and your new fishing buddy can decide what they like best.
FFS Program for New Anglers:
Get out on a walk-and-wade trip on a Sierra stream (June-August) - Check the fishing report and see what is fishing that might be of interest
Then, try something more challenging in late summer/fall—river stripers, steelhead, surf fishing, Delta stripers.