Fly Fishing Mentors – The Lifeblood of the Sport

If you’ve been lucky enough to have one, strive to be one for somebody else.

Steamboat FlyFisher guide, Mark Pickrel – featuring a behemoth rainbow. | Photo by Mark Pickrel

In this day and age, it might be possible to learn everything there is to know about fly fishing from YouTube – but I’m thankful I didn’t have to. Having someone to learn from on the water and share the highs and lows of learning to fly fish is a real gift, and it makes a world of difference. 

Someone to Observe

You can learn a whole lot about fly fishing from watching a good angler. Where they choose to cast, their fly presentation and line management, how they set the hook and fight a fish – if you watch for long enough, it starts to make some sense. 

Real Time Feedback

For most of us, fly fishing isn’t a get-good-quick game. Mistakes are made, and you try not to make them again. But the value of having someone there who has already made all the mistakes can’t be overstated. 

Lose a fish; you’ll rack your brain for hours to figure out what went wrong. There’s no one more qualified to offer advice than someone who’s lost hundreds – it might be a quick fix you can implement the next time you have one on.   

Confidence Boost

When you’re trying to learn something difficult, it’s only natural for doubts to creep in – Lord knows I’ve come off the water more times than I can count, feeling like the fish won and I lost. 

You know there are good anglers out there, and they all had to start somewhere too. But having one in front of you is a game changer – if they figured it out, there’s hope for you yet. 

Learning Unwritten Rules

Certain fly fishing lessons aren’t easily found in a book or a video. Stream etiquette, for one, what to do when the older gentleman who parked at the same pull-off decides to fish the pool right above you. It helps to have someone who’s seen it before. 

Share the Highs & Lows

A first fish, first broken rod, first overconfident river crossing that leads to a swim – milestone fly fishing experiences that are better shared with someone else. If you’re starting out, ask for help. If you’re in a spot where you can help, by all means, do it. 

When I started fly fishing, I didn’t have a car, so I biked to the stream—pack, net, rod, and all in tow. One of my coworkers offered me a ride one day, and we started fishing together. I’m much better off today because of it.  Check him out, he’s a damn good fishing guide.