Spend a Day on the River

Fly fishing is one of our favorite pursuits. The serenity, the scenery, and, of course, the satisfaction of catching a fish make the pastime a pleasure in any season, but we particularly love fishing out West this time of year. To help us make the most out of our time spent on the river, we reached out to the guides at Adventures with the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado, for some expert advice. Here are their recommendations:

Do your homework. Read your local fishing report before heading out to the river. Most good fly shops will provide information about what’s hatching insect-wise, the time of day the hatches are occurring, and they’ll tell you about the flows of the river.

No sunshine, no problem. Everyone wants to go out fishing at noon on a sunny day, but you can still fish even if it’s pouring rain. Often, bad weather means good fishing; rain can push insects into the water and stir things up.

Invest in a good pair of shades. In addition to the obvious necessary gear, polarized sunglasses are critical. The more you get into fly fishing, the more it becomes like hunting—finding a target and pursuing an individual fish, versus casting blindly.

Have the right attitude. As they say, a day fly fishing is rarely about fish. It’s about being out on a beautiful stretch of water; catching fish is just a bonus.

Expert tip from Adventures With The Little Nell in Aspen, CO.