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Can You Fly Fish In A Lake?

The more you fish the more you get the ambition to fly-fish even in bigger water bodies. There is an inward urge to try out something bigger. This is what we call growth.

After fishing in rivers for long, you get the confidence to up your game and fly-fish in a lake. But the big question is Can You fly-Fish in a Lake?

The answer is yes, in fact with the right tools and skills you can even fly-cast in the ocean. To get more information, I will handle the topic Fly Fishing in a Lake in detail.

Fly Fishing in a Lake

In the past, many anglers only focused on fly fishing in the rivers. This has since then changed and many of them are starting to discover the huge potentials in the lakes.

There are many reasons why this is the case. Let’s look at these top reasons for this trend.

There Are More Fish In the Lake

Fly-fishing in the lake gives you more results. The chances of a successful cast are more in that the volumes of fish in the lake are more. Consequently, you will be able to fish more fish without too many struggles.

A Variety of Fish Type

In the lakes, there are different types of fish. This is unlike in the rivers where you only get trout.

You can improve your diet and if it’s for commercial purposes you get more customers.

More Freedom in the Lakes

When you fly-fish in the lakes you get more freedom to exercise your skills. This is because of the large surface area. Unlike in the rivers where we complained of your shadow being cast on the water surface, here you will not experience such incidences.

More Fun in the Lakes

Above all! Fly-fishing in the lakes is fun. Without any limitations to focus on you can concentrate on casting. Furthermore, fishing and casting sports are more fun when done in the lakes. You also get to participate in large numbers. I know you are figuring how amazing it is.

Further Reading

Common Fly Casting Mistakes

No man is perfect, and human is to err. But, some mistakes are avoidable. Below are some common oversights we unconsciously make when fly cast fishing:

Opportunity to Try Out New Skills

If you want to advance the skills the lake is the best place to do that. In the rivers, you can be an expert but you don’t get to reach your potential. This is why the lake is a better avenue to equip you with more skills. When you perfect in fly-fishing the lakes you can also advance into the ocean.

No Overstraining

This is what I like more about the lakes, that you cannot over strain fish here. In the rivers when you fish too much, the fish can reduce until there is hardly any fish. But in the lakes, you can fish longer.

How Do You Fly Fish in Still-water Lakes?

We have seen why fly fishing in still-water lakes is advantageous. The next matter of concern is how to fly fish in still-water lakes.

There are many ways to do this but I will show the most common and recommended method.

But before that, it’s good to understand that there are two ways to fly-fish in a lake.

From the shore – As the name suggests here you just fish along the shore of the lake.
Using a boat or a float tube – This involves going further from the lake to deeper parts of the lake.

Now let’s look at how to fly fish in a lake:

Do a field study first to know where the fish live.

This is because the fish live in different zones of the lake depending on various factors. These factors can be food, sunlight penetration, or threats from enemies.

Here are the three places the fish live and the characteristics of each.

The shoal – This is the part that covers the shallow waters of the like, mainly near the shoreline. The fish are found here when they are looking for food.
Drop-off zone – This is the area next to the shoal as you go towards the deeper part of the lake. It is characterized by many green plants. The fish during the day to avoid direct sunlight.
Deepwater zone – The deep water zone is the deep areas of the lake. This zone is characterized by a few fish. The fish only come here during emergencies like; food shortage etc.

Get all the items you need. If you will need a boat ensure you get one. Make sure you obtain the right flies depending on the insects living in those areas. Then get the right lines for Stillwater. Ensure you have the right color & size of the flies.

In the lake, you should start the fly-fishing from the shore towards the deeper areas of the lake. Ensure you are keen to know the patterns of the fish.

Make adjustments whenever necessary to get more fish. Remember to also change the fly to much the insect found in that area.

5 Beginner Tips & Tricks for Stillwater Fly-fishing

To be a successful angler in the lacks there are some important tips and tricks you should implement. Especially if you are a beginner these tips will accelerate your learning process.

Have a look at them below:

1. Watch the Bird’s Activities

The first tip is that you should use the bird’s activities to determine where the fish are located. Birds tend to fly around places with a lot of insects. The fish are likely to be in such places in search of food.

2. Match the Flies Sizes & Color

Always ensure you use flies that match the color and size of the insects. When you do this you increase the chances of luring fish in that lake.

3. Know Your Seasons

When fishing you might want to consider the temperature & weather. This is because the fish behave differently to various temperatures.

4. Don’t Reveal Your Whole Body

When fishing avoid casting your image on the water. You can do this by peeping from the edge of the boat or shore.

5. Don’t Overfish One Area

Avoid fishing in one area for a longer time. When you fish in a place for longer hours you are likely to distract the fish cycle. This can cause cessation of fish in that area. Moreover, when you fish in different areas you confuse the fish. Hence, more harvest.

Final Thoughts

Hope you have learned something new. Fly-fishing in the lake is the new way to go. Follow the above guidelines to fish more and I guarantee you great results.

Now go out there into that lake near you and put you fly-fishing skills into work.