What Is Tactical Fly Fishing?
Fly fishing is often seen as a relaxing pastime, a way to connect with nature while waiting for a fish to take. However, a more strategic and methodical approach to this timeless activity, known as tactical fly fishing, has emerged in recent years. Tactical fly fishing is probably a spillover from the competition scene, where anglers are allocated a beat and have to make tactical decisions to get the most out of the water assigned to them. This methodology emphasizes precision, technique, and adaptability, making it a fascinating evolution of the traditional art of fly fishing.
What is Tactical Fly Fishing?
Tactical fly fishing is about employing a strategic mindset to increase your effectiveness on the water. Instead of relying on intuition and luck, tactical anglers analyze various factors, such as environmental conditions, fish behaviour, and the specific water types they are fishing. Observation of what’s around you is key. This helps them make informed decisions that can lead to more successful outings. Most importantly, anglers will change their method and tactics as the conditions change. This may mean switching from dries to nymphs to euro nymphing through to wets and other methods as you wade up the river and the water conditions change. Understanding what methods work best in which water type or conditions and having the confidence to switch are the keys.
Key Components of Tactical Fly Fishing
- Understanding Fish Behavior: One key element of tactical fly fishing is understanding how fish behave in different conditions. These include weather patterns, time of day/year, light levels, and water temperature/type. By paying attention to these details, anglers can help predict where fish will likely be and what they will be feeding on.
- Equipment Selection: Tactical fly fishing involves choosing the right gear for the situation. This means not just selecting the correct rod and reel but understanding the types of lines and leaders that work best for the specific environment and target species. Additionally, the choice of flies – both in terms of pattern and size – plays a vital role in the success of the strategy. A tactical fly fisher will arrive with all their options open and typically carry several setups to allow them to change to any method that’s required. When fishing tactically, I will generally carry two rods, a nymphing setup and a general river setup that will be adapted to dries, wets, streamers or whatever else is needed.
- Presentation Techniques: In tactical fly fishing, how you present your fly is crucial. Anglers often employ techniques such as mending, stripping, and dead drifting to mimic the natural movement of prey in the water. A nuanced approach to presentation can make a significant difference in attracting fish. Understanding the depth at which the fish are feeding is crucial, as well as ensuring nymphs are getting deep enough or that your spider is just ticking below the surface in a shallow riffle.
- Adaptability: Perhaps one of the most critical aspects of tactical fly fishing is the ability to adapt. Conditions can change suddenly, whether due to shifting weather, varying light levels, or even the behaviour of the fish themselves. Successful anglers are keen observers, ready to modify their techniques and strategies as the situation demands. We are all guilty of sticking to the same method even when we know we should change! A tactical approach requires confidence and the willingness to change, even just to fish one particular spot before changing again.
Why Try Tactical Fly Fishing?
Tactical fly fishing offers several advantages. For one, it requires a deeper understanding of the environment and fish behaviour, which can enhance your overall fishing experience. This approach fosters a greater appreciation for nature and can lead to more consistent success on the water.
Moreover, the strategic aspect of tactical fly fishing can make the sport even more exciting. It transforms the experience into a dynamic challenge, where each trip becomes a puzzle to solve in real-time. This intellectual engagement can be incredibly fulfilling for anglers who seek more than just relaxation from their fishing trips. I also do feel that it will, overall, result in more fish to the net.
An example of a tactical session.
In the lip of the pool at the bottom of the beat, a large brownie is observed hitting minnows. The 9ft #5 is deployed with a streamer pattern and swung and stripped around the tail, which results in a fish. On proceeding up to the main body of the pool, the water is very slow, but there are fish sipping at the surface. The rod is quickly rigged for a dry fly with a fine leader and tippet and a size 18 double badger. The fish will not respond, so this is swapped for a small emerger, which the fish take instantly. After slow water is exhausted, we proceed up to the riffle. It’s very shallow and fast, but given the warmer weather, it will likely hold fish waiting for food to run into the pool. The dry is snipped off, and the small spider is fished just below the surface in the traditional upstream fashion. After the riffle is finished, we enter a fast, turbulent gradient with a few boulders. The 9ft #5 is swapped for a 10ft 6in #3 nymphing rod clipped to my belt, and this section then euro nymphed exploring every pocket and boulder with two small tungsten nymphs and a fine fluoro tippet resulting in a flurry of fish to the net.
Conclusion
In summary, tactical fly fishing is an exciting evolution in the world of angling. By incorporating strategy, observation, and a deep understanding of the environment, anglers can enhance their fishing experience and significantly improve their catch rates. Whether you’re new to fly fishing or a seasoned angler looking to up your game, consider adopting a tactical mindset on your next trip to the water. You might just find that the thrill of the catch is even more satisfying when it’s based on skill and strategy!
Happy fishing!
