Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 29 rienced anything like getting a hook out of a trout's mouth. e deeper it is, the harder it is to get it out. e best way to do this is getting a tight grip on the base of the hook, which will also keep from damaging your flies. If you are using barbed hooks it might take a little more effort because they were designed to want to hold on tight. e quicker you get the hook out, the faster you get the fish back into the water. PRACTICE THE BASICS We have all heard that practice makes perfect but it has never been truer than with fly-fishing. For casting a fly, there are two main types—overhead and roll. e overhead cast is one of the more common techniques. To start, you will want to hold the rod firmly like you were shaking someone's hand. Your thumb should be on top of the rod because it helps with control. I tend to hold the extra line in my left hand while I'm stripping out line and getting ready to pick my spot. Lift the rod to get your line out of the water by raising your forearm and ensure your line is tight. From here you will quickly move your arm backward to the two-o'clock position (this is loading the rod). Be sure to pause briefly at the top so your fly swings fully behind you. Once there, you will flick your arm forward and send the fly back in front of you stopping at the 10-o'clock position. If per- formed correctly your line will start creating a figure eight pattern in the air. I'd recommend practicing this move- ment without a fly at first because it's quite unnerving the first few times you see your fly screaming at your face at Mach-one. Fly-fishing is definitely about finesse and timing. With practice, you can almost put your fly right inside the fish's LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF FLY- FISHING See more at yellow- stonedestination.com/ fly-fishing FLY ROD A fly rod is not the same as a fishing pole. Fly rods are specially designed to cast a fly line and are commonly between 7 and 9 feet long. Also known as "rod," as in, "don't break your rod!" FLY LINE Fly lines have a plastic coating over a special core. They are designed with weight unevenly distributed to make it easier to cast. FLY REEL A special fishing reel with fairly simple mechanics designed to hold large diameter fly line. CAST There are several different types of casting, not just the fancy A River Runs Through It kind. Casting is the motion you make when you throw your line and fly on the water (very precisely!) to catch big fish. MENDING LINE Mending your line is very important after you have casted. You're con- stantly mending, or correcting, the way your line and fly are floating in the water. Trout are very sensitive to unnatural movement. STRIP, STRIPPING YOUR LINE Retrieving your line by pulling it through your fingers instead of winding it directly onto the reel. Don't start undressing if you hear someone on the river yell, "Strip! Strip!" RISE, FISH RISING Fish rising to the surface to eat. This is exciting to witness as you know the fish are active and hungry. Also known as risers. STRIKE Hooray! This is when a fish tries to eat your fly! SET THE HOOK Once the fish strikes your fly, you must pull the line quickly so the hook sets into the fish's mouth. It's a delicate balance. You don't want to set the hook too softly or slowly because the fish will get away, but you don't want to set too hard or fast because you might rip the hook out of the fish's mouth. BREAK OFF When a fish escapes by getting off the hook or breaking off the line and taking your hook with it. This is heartbreaking. LANDING A FISH Successfully reeling in your fish. Depending on your personal philosophy (and state regulations), you can either keep or release your fish. But not until after you have taken a picture with it. BITES When you see or feel fish nibble at your fly, but you don't successfully set the hook. The number of bites you recount are always exaggerated at the end of the day. For an app that guides you to fishing sites in Montana, go to www.play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com.emountainworks.android.montanafishing&hl=en "Weather. I like to go out in spring and stay out of the way of tourists who pay big money to fish in Montana. When the ice breaks up and rivers start to run, I use a small fly (elk ear's hair) to draw the fish up to the surface. At that time fish hang out in the slower, deeper runs and won't move very far for food. In warm weather I use a larger/streamer type that can be dragged slowly along the boom." — JOE GUTKOSKI, founder of Montana River Action Network, www.montanariveraction.org (highly recommended for the activist). Basic fly cast by Orvis www.distinctlymontana.com/flyfishing182 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL

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