JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 • NEBRASKAland 65
line with your target. Every other
cast you make while fly fishing is a
variation on this basic cast. Once you
are proficient at an overhead cast, you
can move on to a roll cast, double haul
and shooting line.
Getting on the Water
Now that you understand the basics
of casting, learn to fly fish on a body
of water you are familiar with. If
you know a spot where you have
consistently caught bluegill or bass,
those same fish will be just as willing
to take a fly. Starting out, keep your fly
selection very simple – buy a handful
of woolly buggers for general use, and
a few specialized flies for the types of
fish you enjoy catching. The woolly
bugger has probably caught more
fish species than any other fly
in existence. I have personally
caught bluegill, crappie, bass,
trout, walleye, pike, catfish,
and even carp on a woolly
bugger. Once you become
accustomed to casting and
catching fish on your
woolly bugger, you can
branch out and try
other flies. Below,
you will find
a species-
specific
guide
to the
most
Learning the basics and practicing is the key to becoming a successful caster. The basic overhead cast consists of two motions,
beginning with the fly line in front of the caster (left), moving into a backward cast (middle) and back into a forward cast (right).
A fly angler's box will
contain a number of
flies specific to various
scenarios, collected
over a series of years.
PHOTO
BY
DOUG
STEINKE
