Our education page is designed to bring you information on proven and new fly fishing techniques to help you become a more successful angler. A variety of women fly fishing instructors, guides, industry representatives, and highly experienced IWFF members will contribute their knowledge and talents through a series of articles posted here. The information on this page will change monthly so you will want to check it often.

Tight lines

Reading on the Water

By Vanessa Downs

With winter behind us and the promise of spring in the air, many a trout angler is hankering for warm days, great hatches and a bend in the rod!  Though I am more of a doer, there are so many great books on every conceivable aspect of fly fishing, it’s hard to ignore a comfy chair and a good book, especially during cold winter months.

This winter I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Lawson at the Pasadena Fly Fishing Show. I sheepishly asked him to autograph my copy of “Spring Creeks”, and was able to hear his presentation about the Henry’s Fork area of Idaho.  Living only a few miles from Fall River, the largest spring creek system in North America, I have a particular fondness for the spring creek, and absolutely love Lawson’s book on the subject. 

The photographs, line drawings and diagrams in this book pull together the nearly 300 pages of text, and even if you have never been to these locations, it is not hard to apply this information to your own local streams.

Here is a short list of a few of my favorite books to recommend as many of us ‘tune up’ for trout season.

Cathy Beck, Cathy Beck’s Fly Fishing Handbook

Lefty Kreh, Lefty Kreh’s Ultimate Guide to Fly Fishing

Mike Lawson,  Spring Creeks

Ralph Cutter, Fish Food

These are just a few of my favorites and “go to” books of choice.  There are thousands of great books out there on every aspect of our sport.  I’m currently reading a great fly fishing history book called Cowboy Trout:  Western Fly Fishing As If It Matters by Paul Schullery.  Schullery writes about the history of fly fishing in the American west and how the iconic image of a pioneer angler turned into a billion dollar tourist industry.  It is a humorous, interesting and at times surprising look at western angling history.

Many of us would much rather fish than read about fishing, but reading is such a great way to improve your knowledge and skills, especially if you are able to read and then go out and practice what you’re reading.   So pick up a book and count the days until your next fishing adventure!

Why Practice Fly Casting?

Mary Ann Dozer - Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructor

When you fly cast – does the entire fly line, leader and fly fall in a straight line with no coils? Can you cast greater than 40 feet of line and have it lay out straight in front of you?
Do you know: What a reach cast is? What is a wiggle cast is? What a curve cast is?

If you answered yes to all of these questions – Fantastic! If you answered no to two or more – then I’d say investing some time in your cast will increase your pleasure in fishing and increase the number of fish you hook.

If you are like me – your first and only fly casting lesson was the 15 minute session you received when you purchased the rod or your first fishing experience. Well for years – it was that one 15 minute fly casting lesson I fished with. Oh yes! For me it was flies in trees, lost flies on the back cast, cast missing a feeding fish by 5ft or worse yet the line landing on the fish only for the fish to scurry upstream out of sight. more

A good tight loop will get your distance on a cast.In a lake
the further you can cast the longer the fly is on thewater and
the more fish you will intercept as you retrieve your fly.

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