Why Do I Love Fly Fishing?

I’ve been rolling this question around in my mind for a little while now, and it’s been such a fun one to ponder. It’s also been a fun one to ask other anglers as well. The best thing about this Q&A is I never get the same response. It is something different to every angler. And the answers may not be what you think; it’s not always about catching the absolute biggest fish out there. What I have found is the reasons we love to fish are so much deeper than that (pun intended). For me personally, I could not narrow it down to one thing, so I’ve come up with my three favorite things about being a fly fisherman. And the answer that came to mind quickest for me is the call to the river.

The River

The wondrous, powerful, mystic river. Any river will suffice. That simple. I was a raft guide living out of my car and playing in the dirt for so many summers long before I got into fly fishing. The river is imprinted on me. It is my source, my guide, my salvation, my release. It’s beautiful windy ways set me straight every single time I visit it. We all have that place, or I would hope we are all lucky enough to have discovered what that place is, that we can go to whenever we need to hit the reset button. The river has always had a way to clear my mind and remind me we are apart of something bigger than ourselves.

And that’s the thing with fly fishing, or really any form of fishing. It takes you to the river and gets you standing in its current. I mean, it’s not like you can’t stand in the river without fishing, but it’s a reason to stand there for hours on end just staring at the river. I’m not sure if my attention span would allow me to go there and meditate the way I do when I’m fishing without the actual doing of the thing.

Taking time to focus on reading water and imagining what is happening beneath the swift bubbling surface has a way of transporting us into the present, and I am thankful for any reason that reminds me to take that time. And I’m not the only one that thinks this way. There are numerous organizations and groups that are focused around the healing qualities of being in nature and more specifically a river. Local organizations like Fishing the Good Fight, that focuses on men’s mental health and community through fly fishing, The Wounded Warriors Project, Project Healing Waters are all harnessing the therapeutic benefits of fishing and the river. Just google ‘nature therapy’ and see how many sites and articles pop up. Better yet, just get out there in nature yourself; doesn’t it feel really good to be outside?? Doesn’t your stress level seem to drop and things seem to be a little clearer when you can get outside and into nature?

And yet somehow we find ourselves stuck on the couch far too often. I’m telling you, I’ve never felt anxious with my feet in the river. Unless of course I’m scouting a huge rapid but that’s another situation all together and a different kind of anxiety. The river really has a way of connecting us to the simple, obvious pulse of the universe that we all too often drone out with the luxuries of our modern technological world. Lucky us. And fly fishing gets you out there. Even if you’re just learning, flailing around and untangling knots, you’re out there on the river and your mental health is benefiting. You’re connecting yourself to something much bigger than yourself.

Community

The second thing I love about fly fishing is the community it connects me to. And it’s a global community! Find a fly shop anywhere in the world and you will find likeminded people with similar interests. You’ll find local events and gatherings because we fisherman all like hanging out with other fisherman! We like to tie flies, we like to talk about fishing, we like to travel, we like to talk about fishing, we like to get outside, we like to…. You get the idea.

Fly fisherman are a group of people that are creative and thoughtful, adventurous and loyal. At least from what I’ve discovered in my experiences. They are a group of people devoted to protecting their local waters and are typically concerned with nature conservation. They get the importance of protecting it because of all of the benefits they gain from it. And I get to count myself as a part of that community, and that community opens its arms to people that are learning.  No really, they do! They may not tell you their best fishing spot right away, or ever for that matter, but I guarantee they will lend some advice on knots, flies, ties, gear, hatches, you name it. Just not their honey hole.

We host a fly tying night in the winter months in Salida, Colorado. We have always kept the format informal, meaning we aren’t giving group instruction on a certain fly pattern and we aren’t all tying one thing or working on something together. Everyone just shows up, beginners and ‘never ever’s all the way to experts, and we have conversations, drink beers and tie flies. What I love about the informal nature of this evening is it really allows for conversation and connection. People start taking about their upcoming travel, their bucket list fish species to catch, how their spin on a specific fly pattern is the key to catching the biggest trout and anything in between. We’ve made some really great friends at this event. And sometimes people don’t even bring their vises to tie, they just show up to drink some good local beer and have some great conversations.

Travel

And last but not at all least, to round out why I love fly fishing… the places I get to travel to to go fly fishing. My husband and I have recently traveled to the Bahamas, Washington State, Slovenia, and Mexico, all with the intent to fly fish and they have all been incredible distinct fisheries to explore. Fly fishing is now a major element to how I choose where to travel and has opened my eyes to different destinations. Like Slovenia, who knew? I think the Slovenians did… but what an amazing country for so many different styles of fly fishing. It should definitely be on your radar if you are looking for a great next trip. Can’t say enough great things about our trip to Slovenia. Not to mention it opens up the time of year we can travel. January in the mountains got you down? There are plenty of beautiful little islands to travel to that time of year that are a perfect tropical getaway for the fly fisherman or non angler too.

Fly fishing also adds a layer to some of your favorite old haunts and adds a twist for the next time you go there. Good fly fishing in your hometown? Maybe! That next city you have to travel to for work? Maybe! It really changes the way you consider different locations and what they can offer you outside of the norm. And if you are tired of the same old beaten path, traveling for the goal of fly fishing gets you into nature in some locations where it can be hard to get out of the cities.

So I know, I know, I should have said my favorite part of fly fishing are all the amazing fish I catch and constantly trying to trick these trout into eating my strategically placed flies. And that truly is a great part of it. But for me, it’s really the draw to the outdoors, the feeling of community I get, and being able to see world destinations in a new light. Sometimes the very simple things in life can elude us these days. They are such simple things that they are basic and free, but with all of life’s distractions, we forget how assessable it all really is. We scroll and stream and feel isolated and depressed, and it’s all waiting for us just beyond the screens. And for me, fly fishing is the tool to get me connected and exploring, and for that, I am grateful.

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