Nothing becomes a joyful, lifelong pursuit more than getting out of the house, interacting with nature, and learning a new and fascinating sport. With that in mind, fly fishing may be just what the doctor ordered. Since I can't imagine why you would want to do anything else, you might ask: Is fly fishing hard to learn?
In short, fly fishing isn't hard to learn. From setting up your fishing rod to learning how to throw in different situations and conditions, with the right guidance, a little dedication, and a little practice, you can quickly develop your skills as an angler.
Soon, you'll enjoy the frequent success of fishing in the air, as well as the incredibly beautiful environment you'll find yourself doing so. Not to mention the inexplicably deep and satisfying brand of peace that only fly fishing seems to offer.
As mentioned above, learning how to fly fish is not usually considered an easy task, which is why, as a part of the people who enjoy a certain type of fishing, fly fishermen make up only a small (but admittedly growing) portion of the global fishing pie.
Over the years, I've seen people take to the sport with relative ease, while others seem to struggle for a while before the lights come on. Good news? Whichever category you fall into, if you are committed to learning how to fly fish and don't let the inevitable early setbacks dissuade you, your learning curve, while steep at first, should be short.
To that end, as well as the relative ease of getting through their tricks, here are eight consistently identified difficult areas that may challenge fly-fishing beginners.
Find out what fly fishing equipment you need
Not long ago, I asked the girlfriend of one of my best fishing buddies if she had ever considered fly-fishing. I'll never forget her response: "I don't have a costume!"
After my laughter died down, I realized that for a potential new fly angler, knowing what clothes, equipment and basic gear they might need in order to start the sport could be a major obstacle to getting started. After all, whatever we humans choose to do, the last thing a novice wants to do is look like a novice. Better to avoid it altogether, some people might say (or feel, needless to say).
Yes, a fly-fishing "costume" consists of many parts. From rods and reels to lines, leaders, anglers, tools and flies, from headgear, neckwear and polarized sunglasses to vests, wading and boots, the fully equipped fly-fisherman has an easily identifiable character that might scare a would-be beginner.
One of the easiest ways to bring down this wall (and, by the way, many other potentially frustrating fly-fishing obstacles) is to hire a good guide for the first two or three days on the water.
If you are a beginner, most reputable guide services will simply tell you what to wear so that you can dress appropriately for the expected weather conditions and provide you with almost everything you need from there.
While all good fly-fishing guides perform many of the basic functions you'll eventually need to learn to do it yourself, the daunting equipment and equipment issues will quickly disappear the first few times you go out with a guide.
