The New Year is a great time to reflect on the year past and think about where we would like to be a year from now. I don’t really look back often because I’m pretty driven to move forward but the end of the year I like to reflect back and be thankful for what has passed and use it as momentum to move forward toward who I’m supposed to be.
I think an important thing for all humans to do is to continue to grow, learn, and better ourselves throughout our lives. It’s easy to get caught up in the mundane, day to day stuff that our live entails.
“Get Busy Livin’ or Get Busy Dyin'”
– Andy Dufrane
Here’s a few ideas that may help you become a more all-around angler.
- Tie More Flies
- Chase a New Species
- Fish Some New Water
- Take an Entomology Course
- Practice Casting
Tie More Flies
This is certainly on my list for 2025. Historically, I haven’t tied a ton of my own flies. To be honest, I’ve been a little on the lazy side when it comes to tying. I’m looking to change that this year!
Most guides do their fly tying in the winter. That has been a bit tougher for me to do as my head is usually in the snow, working as a splitboard guide and avalanche educator.
I’ve always been an all-in or all-out kind of guy and so when I transition to winter, I’m 100% thinking snow. However, I’ve decided to take a step back from my winter splitboard guiding and focus more on fishing.
This has been a tough decision but one that has allowed me to rethink how I spend my winters. I’m excited about the opportunity to tie more flies, improve my tying skillset, and get some projects done to prepare for fishing in 2025.
Goal: Learn 1 Fly per Week on Average
This might be an audacious goal but one I think is doable, for me.
Chase a New Species
There’s no doubt that I spend more time chasing trout than any other species. But, as often as I can, I’ll fish for bass, pike, carp, and redfish, among other species.
I think fishing for various species makes you fish in different ways and different bodies of water. Each species has nuances in their diet and behavior, which translates back to other species.
It’s far too easy to fall into the rut of going to the same water with the same flies and catching the same fish. By getting out of that rut, you force yourself to learn, adapt, and grow, which is vital to the human existence.
More than likely there’s different fish species for you to chase relatively close by. I think a lot of people end up traveling to chase “more desirable” species such as trout when there’s probably bass or carp right in their backyard.
I live in Grand Junction, CO and I have to drive about 45 minutes to fish for trout. However, there’s plenty of water close by that has bass, carp, and other native species.
When I only have a few hours to fish, I’ll often hop on my bike, ride down to the river and chase some of the large carp that reside there. Best part is when I’m done fishing, I’m only a few minutes away from the house.
Goal: Learn and Fish for a New Species
Fish Some New Water
Often, we can get caught in the same routine, fishing the same river, in the same spots. While it’s nice to have something we’re familiar with, I think it’s important to test ourselves and fish different water.
We become better anglers by challenging ourselves with new water and new techniques. Many times we’ll find that different bodies of water require a different technique and/or skillset. If nothing else, they require knowledge of different bug life
New water also requires you to slow down and take note of what’s going on around you. What bugs are in this water? Are there any hatches going on? Where are the fishing holding? What technique do I need to use to get my bugs in front of the fish?
All these questions can and should be asked when you return to the water you’re familiar with. Many times, when we return to what we know after visiting something new, we come back and look with fresh eyes. Potentially, we find new things in the familiar that we’ve overlooked.
Goal: Fish Some New Water
Take an Entomology Course
I think there’s a lot we can learn by having a better understanding of the bug lives in the waters we fish. Having the knowledge of what type of bugs and their life cycle can really help us turn around some of those slower days on the water.
I don’t think you have to go as far as knowing the Latin names of the different species. But, being able to see what’s in the river and throw a fly that imitates it will prove to be invaluable.
There are all kinds of videos out there to help you identify that the different types of bugs out there. There’s really no excuse either because many of these videos are completely free. I’ve shared a couple good videos below.
Goal: Be Able to Identify Mayflies, Caddis Flies, and Stoneflies
Practice Your Cast
If we’re honest with ourselves, we know that we would benefit from practicing our cast. There’s no excuse for us not to do it as most of us could do it in our backyard, a parking lot, or a park.
When practicing, I think it’s much more important to focus on accuracy rather than distance. Practice the types of casts that you’ll need for the various types of fishing that you do.
One of my favorite ways to practice my cast is to give myself a few different targets at distances of 15 to 35 feet and strive to consistently put it right on those targets. Be sure to move your feet and give yourself different angles.
Winter is in full swing now and it’s going to be tricky to find good days to get out on the water. It’s a great time to tie some flies, learn about bugs, and plan future trips. Lastly, don’t forget to get that fly rod in your hand and practice your cast, focusing on accuracy.
Happy New Year! I hope you have a great 2025!
