4 insidious fly-fishing myths that need to go away… now!

MYTH # 3: YOU CAN’T FLY FISH FROM A BOAT

When I showed visitors at the Sportsmen’s Show a few photos of husky pike, largemouth bass and lake trout caught on the fly, I often got a totally unexpected response. Many were less surprised about the different fish species than they were about seeing someone fly fishing from a boat. Although fly fishing evolved as a way to catch trout in swift-flowing rivers, there’s no rule against leaving shore with a fly rod.

I’ve personally fly fished from car-toppers, jon boats, pontoon boats, kayaks, canoes, rowboats, bass boats, flats skiffs, pangas and even a 35-foot cabin cruiser. These days, in fact, I tend to fish mostly lakes, so 80 per cent of my fly action is from a boat. And the ultimate luxury is fishing from a bow casting deck (above), while someone else pilots the boat. Along with having an on-the-water chauffeur, you’ll also never snag a tree on your backcast.

MYTH # 4: FLY FISHING IS OLD-FASHIONED

For many people, most of what they know about fly fishing comes from the 1992 film A River Runs Through It, a lushly filmed drama starring a youthful Brad Pitt. Almost 30 years later, the movie’s effect lingers. But fly fishing has come a long way since the early-1900s era depicted in the film. We no longer all use bamboo rods or lines made from braided horsehair, and on the water, you don’t see too many fedoras or tweed jackets.

However, one myth propagated by the movie is true. With our elegant rods fluidly casting sensuous loops of line, fly fishing is unquestionably the sexiest way to catch fish. And if you squint a little, and the lighting is just right, most fly fisherman really do look like Brad Pitt (above). That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

In his youth, associate editor Scott Gardner was often mistaken for Brad Pitt. But the ’90s were a weird time.