Fishing

Fly Fishing Lessons | Old School Wisdom To Make You a Better Fly Angler

You are probably familiar with the story of "A young bull and an old bull at the top of a hill. Hundreds of cows are grazing below." This story is full of wisdom, but it's also NSFW, The following is the fly fishing version, which is suitable for work.

Ken Baldwin

Solitude and Quiet Found on a Trout Stream/ Brown Trout, Hardy Bougle Fly Reel, Sage 99 4 Wt fly rod.
Solitude and Quiet Found on a Trout Stream/ Brown Trout, Hardy Bougle Fly Reel, Sage 99 4 Wt fly rod. / photo by Ken Baldwin

Somewhere along my fly fishing journey, I learned a lesson that has always stayed with me. I may have read it way back in the day in an Outdoor Life magazine or a collection of fly fishing stories, or maybe I picked it up along the way while listening to the old fly anglers talk. Wherever this bit of wisdom came from, I instantly knew it had a lot of truth.

Fly Fishing Wisdom

The sound advice goes something like this: When you first approach a piece of water don't walk right up to the water's edge and begin casting. Instead, walk slowly and deliberately and stay back from the water about 20 feet.

A fly angler learns how to fly fish and releases a big rainbow trout.
The rewards of fishing slowly and quietly. / photo by Ken Baldwin

Why twenty feet? When you walk into the space where you are about to fish, a lot was going on before you showed up. Birds, bugs, animals, fish, and nature in general were doing their thing, living like no one was there because no one WAS there. Then you showed up, and everything either froze or went into hiding. "Oh no, a human is here!" a creature signals, and flash! Everything stopped.

A Trout’s Survival Depends on Its Awareness

You may think, "The birds and animals may have done that, but the fish doesn't know I'm here." Yes, they do. They can feel the vibrations of your footsteps as you approach the water. They can see movement on shore, feel (lateral lines) when frogs jump in the water out of danger, and see birds suddenly fly off. In nature, it's all a domino effect.

Or Take a Drink From Your Water Bottle

You've entered the picture, and now all the living things are on alert. What can you do? This is where the lesson I was taught so many years ago comes in. You can do what the old man in the story did. He pulled out a pipe—by pipe, I'm referring to a tobacco pipe—filled it up to the top of the bowl, and proceeded to quietly find a log or rock to sit on and smoke.

Peace and Quiet at the Watering Hole

Have you ever seen nature shows where Zebras and Lions hang out around the same watering hole? The lions are relaxing in the sun, minding their own business, while the Zebras drink water and hang out. The lions aren't giving off danger vibes, so the Zebras know they are not in hunting mode.

The Hills Have Eyes

The "old angler" knows that he has eyes on him even though he can't see the animals. The animals are still around and hiding, so the angler moves slowly and stays calm with no sudden movements. In the time it takes to smoke one full bowl of his pipe, around 15-20 minutes, the place will have relaxed and come back to life. The angler is not giving off "danger" cues, and just like the Zebras, the animals at this watering hole can sense this.

A beautiful pool at the bottom of a small waterfall.
Give the spot a chance to settle back into its natural state. / photo by Ken Baldwin

In those 20 minutes, the angler watches the water for signs: bug life, other critters, current, seams, food trails in the water, anything that can be used as a clue. The water returns to life, and fish will resume feeding if they were already feeding. The angler sits and watches, and he will learn about this stretch of water he is about to fish. The hardest part is sitting still for 20 minutes.

A fly angler followed the wisdom of his mentor and learned a lesson on how to catch wild brook trout.
Then, fish the pool slowly and quietly — A native brook trout caught in the West Virginia mountains. / photo by Ken Baldwin

Stay Back and Make a Few Cast

The last bit of wisdom I remember from the story. After 20 minutes, don't walk up to the water's edge or wade into the river. Make a few casts to the water you will be standing in from as far off as possible. There may be fish right there near the shore or where you will be wading. Give it a few casts to check it out.

Testament of a Fisherman

"Because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed, or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility, and endless patience." — Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

This lesson has stuck with me for more than 30 years. I don't remember the source, but I do remember it feeling right the first time I was exposed to it. Over the years, it has proven to be true, and if you look through my gear bag, somewhere tucked away inside you will find a pipe and a pouch full of tobacco. KB

A fly angler listens to the wisdom of older fly anglers and learns the lesson of how to catch big trout.
Liquid Gold / photo by BJ Stone

  "The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

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Ken Baldwin
KEN BALDWIN

Ken Baldwin is a Writer/Editor for Fishing On SI where he writes stories about fly fishing and the lifestyle that surrounds it. His work has appeared in Catch Magazine, Fish Alaska, American Angler, and the Netflix documentary Our Planet 2. He also created and hosted the TV show Season on the Edge, which aired on NBC Sports and in seven countries, showcasing travel, adventure, and culture through the lens of fishing. For twenty years, Ken worked as a fly fishing and photography guide in Alaska. His photography mainly focused on capturing the Alaskan brown bear. Ken is a graduate of the University of Washington.

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