I suspect two things.

1. You’ve probably got drag. It takes practice to learn drag-free drifts. You can perform mends in the air and on the water. Make sure your cast is rolling out in the air and dropping as a unit onto the water. If your line hits first and then your fly, it’s dragging as soon as it hits the water. Positioning is also key. There are often complex currents. Ideally you can put everything in one seam. If not, you need to keep your line out of the faster water.

2. You may be “lining” the fish. If you cast your fly above them, but let your line plop down right on top of them, they’ll get spooked. You can avoid this with a reach cast a lot of the time. You can also try making shorter casts that keep most of the fly line off the water. This again requires some stealth and good positioning.

Hope that helps.

Work on your presentation, drag free drifts, mending, etc., make sure your depth is accurate and set everything, a lot of newbies miss strikes when nymphing.

You’re in an incredible location…. Probably one of the tougher spots to learn, i would recommend finding a mentor, and finding water that’s less pressured.. fish that have seen less presentations are always going to be more forgiving..

But drag is always #1..

I feel your frustration. i’ve been there. It can be aggravating. the second time i took up fly fishing, i think i went a month or two without a bump. maybe more. how often do you fish? every day? every few days? once a week? maybe take a little time off to clear your head first.

i would highly suggest hiring a guide for at least half a day. someone was going to help you connect, i hope that works out. there are so many subtleties to fly fishing that if you’re not super observant to videos. if the person showing us how they fish are not talented teachers, you’re going to miss out on the details. and it really really helps to have someone in real life standing next to you showing you how they do it. you don’t know what you don’t know…. and there are so many “bad habits” you can pick up if you’re self-taught.

it IS great being out on the water even if you don’t catch a fish but it’s super nice to start landing them. Good luck!

If you can see them they can likely see you. If they’re spooked they won’t strike even if they haven’t taken off yet. More stealth and greater distance will help.

Agreed, I think it is made out to be more complicated and difficult than it really is. Watch some YouTube videos and get out there. You’ll figure out enough to have a great time after 2-3 outings.

IMO, The hardest part is the frequency of gnarly tangles in the beginning. If you’ve been fishing for 20 years you’ll have a fine idea where the fish are. Check out a roll cast video for an easy way to get the fly in the water.

Speak for yourself. It took me 2 years to catch a trout and I was out almost every weekend. I'd already been fishing for 30 years at that point but fly fishing / trout fishing was a whole new game that took quite a bit of practice and study to get decent at.

That being said I have never had a hobby with such a clear linear line of progression. By year 3 I was catching 2-3 trout each outing, even in spots I'd convinced myself had no trout. Next year I was averaging 7 trout. This year it's been at least 10 each trip, and they're all twice the size of what I was catching the first year.

So what you call gatekeeping I call setting expectations. Expect this to be harder than it looks Expect that it may take a while to catch trout. Expect that you're going to spend a lifetime continuing to develop and master this skill. And more than anything, expect your patience to be rewarded.

The hardest part of fly fishing isn’t throwing casting, it’s reading the water and finding the fish

When I was first teaching my daughter, it blew her mind when I told her about how I taught myself flyfishing by reading books and watching other people that seemed to know what they were doing. Not dissing Tom, but YouTube would have been way faster. Having someone with experience to teach me what to do would have been even better. The closest thing I had was watching "A River Runs Through It" dozens of times.

I’m in that situation right now. I fish in Eastern Europe and currently I have no luck. Been for 4 days at my parents’ house. There are a lot of trout rivers. Could barely catch only one using dries. I guess in my area july is not a good month for dry fly fishing. I couldn’t see any flies flying above the water either, only after like 8pm when the sun was almost completely gone.

Someone said that if they don’t want a caddis in this period then I better go home if dry flies is all I have. I kinda believe that now.

What are the best months for dry flies in your area?

After some casting practice, it's on one hand no harder than any other fishing you might me used to. Some fish are just pretty easy to catch.

On the other hand, there's more knowledge required if you're going to go hardcore and trying to be matching a hatch on a river with particular flies (than there would be with say, bass fishing).

There is...more specialized knowledge you'll want as you advance, but it's no different than really any other types of fishing when compared to one another.

As a kid I fly fished a lot in small freshwater streams in PA, but then I started fly fishing in salt and I never looked back.

Orvis has a whole library of videos that will help on their website.

Book- Anatomy of a Trout Stream by Rick Hafele. There is a newer DVD but I don’t recommend it as much as the book.

Book - The Curtis Creek Manifesto.

This book is a great primer for getting started. It covers all the basic concepts with out going too deep.

Mad River Outfitters Getting Started In Fly Fishing

Catching fish and bring successful as a novice involves a lot of luck or fishing in a target rich environment. Don’t get discouraged.

Things that can help include hiring a guide, finding someone to mentor you, or even just finding someone to fish with. There is a lot to learn before it all becomes intuitive.

For fly selection, look up hatch charts for your area. It'll give you a very strong starting point for success.

I find it often helps to chill for like 15 minutes when I first show up to the stream. Spend some time watching, are the fish rising to dries? What do you see flying around. Flip over some stones and see what kind of critters are under them. These things can also help you select flies. Read the water, any good holes? Lines where the current breaks? I think a mindful approach can be beneficial, though I totally understand the urge to jump in the creek and start casting.

Don't worry too much about what other posters are catching, especially on the trout sub. A lot of those folks are fishing for dumb stockers, which is a totally different ballgame compared to fishing for wary, spooky, wild fish. Where I usually fish, a handful of 10inch trout is a great day.

Lastly, sometimes nothing is working when it should, that's a good time to throw some 'attractor patterns', which are flies that generally don't really look like anything specific, but can get a bite because it's 'weird'.

There's like maybe 1% of people who will catch fish on their first outing. I'd say most of the people you've seen claiming to have success on their first go are bullshitting so don't think it isn't normal to catch no fish when starting. Almost every fisherman goes through he growing pains, and if you stick with it, you'll eventually hit a point where you consistently catch fish.

That being said, there's really no #1 important thing. They're all important. Go to a field near your house, put something on the ground as a target, and cast to it. Cast to it 100 times from 20ft, 100 times from 30ft and so on. Gaining confidence in your cast is huge since it doesn't matter if you have every bit of knowledge, if you can't get the fly where it needs to be, you're just wasting time.

Speaking of fly where it needs to be, learn as much as you can about reading water. You can be on a river, with a good cast, and the right fly, but if you don't know where the fish are holding, again, you're just wasting time.

Once you know how to cast and where to cast, bug identification and fly selection are the next hurdles. Learn the bugs in your area, learn their life cycles, prime weather for them to hatch, color variations, etc. And learn how to identify those bugs while on the water. You can know the name of every fly in your fly box, but if you don't know how to look and see what the fish are actually eating and what's in the air, you'll have little success.

It's a slow process, and it seems like a lot as you're taking it in, but if you put in like 3 good seasons of consistent fishing, it will all become 2nd nature. The first couple of years are the most frustrating, but looking back was the most fun. Good luck!

P.S. If catching a fish is you're end all be all, throw on a nymph under an indicator, find some fishy water and run the nymphs through it nice and deep and over and over again, you'll eventually get something to take.

It certainly can be those things you have listed but it also depends where you're fishing. Location matters alot, some spots produce more than others. Which is why its also super important to learn how to read the water. It will come with time but learning where fish will most likely be in your watershed is very important. Cover more water and try different spots. It may seem hard sometimes but when you do catch those fish its going to be so much more rewarding. Keep trying and be open to new ideas. Goodluck

Of course. Dont get down on yourself. It took me forever to learn the most basic elements of the whole thing, especially the catching part. And still today sometimes I wont get the results I want but its always great being out there on the water.

Welcome to the party, I’m with ya after 30+ times out!

Don't get frustrated by getting skunked, it still happens to the best of us. And don't overthink flyfishing that can be easy to do.

Don't get caught up in casting. You don't catch fish with your fly in the air only when it's in the water. You can very easily get the fly in the water and it doesn't really matter how you get it there. Learn how to present a fly then worry about things like getting more distance

Saying it doesn’t matter how you get your fly out there isn’t correct. Maybe you meant that it’s less important? Learning how to pile cast or reach cast can make a big difference on fly presentation. Also learning a Belgian cast or roll cast with an indicator can’t keep you tangle free longer and fishing more. I do agree that casting isn’t the first thing to worry about but basic technique isn’t hard and shouldn’t be discounted as not mattering.

The whole Orvis guide to fly fishing on YouTube with Rosenbaur is so good

This is the way. Our local shop has a great class. Thursday evening is theory and casting. Saturday is on the river. They provide the rod, reel, waders, boots etc… you just have to show up with a fishing license.

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. I NEED a different rod reel setup for dry flies. I can't use the same one with streamers.I might be many things but I am NOT AN ANIMAL. I also need three types of sinking fly lines with different rates. And don't get me started on nymphs.

when I first started, was keeping flies out of trees and snapping them off.. only practice casting can cure that

Mending.

And this is true of everyone.

Beginner to advanced.

A few thoughts come to mind that, with hindsight, definitely held me back. First, approach a stretch of water slowly and methodically. Fish the close zones before making those longer casts out to the honey hole. Be very mindful of your fly line spooking fish. Ideally your fly line will never cast or float over water you haven’t already drifted the fly over. Second, learn to read the water - and I don’t just mean learning where the fish lay, but what the currents and obstacles mean for how you must alter your casts and presentations. Don’t just plan your next cast, plan your next SERIES of casts so you can work the water systematically, effectively, and without spooking fish.

1. Learning to present nymphs effectively. It’s important to find the balance between getting a natural drift close to the river bottom and managing your line for good strike detection. This can be accomplished with either a strike indicator or tight line style. If you can nymph effectively, you can always catch fish even when dry flies or streamers aren’t working.

2. Recognizing where fish are feeding based on certain conditions (particularly water temperature) and actually being selective about the water types I fish. Trout will hold in and around shallower whitewater during warmer months and in deeper runs and pools during the colder months.

I think working on these two things increased my catch rate 5x.

Personally, I recommend at least buying a pack of cigarettes, but I think it will work best if you really commit to the bit and take up smoking. Then, next time you get really frustrated, light a cigarette. I guarantee you will hook a fish immediately and have to figure out how to juggle holding the rod, stripping line, and smoking at the same time. /s

For real, though. Someone on this subreddit said to start with nymphs and that if you aren't losing flies then you're not going deep enough. Once I tried this, I started catching fish

Well, I’m trying to learn in Missoula so the fish are definitely pressured/smart/picky lol. Can you explain more why long tippet helps out? I’ve been using only 1-2 ft of tippet as I’ve found it makes for an easier to control cast and it’s easier to predict where it will drift. Also, I’ve pretty much exclusively relied on mending when drifting flies, so I’ll be sure to look into reach casts

Hiring a guide is what elevated my skills from just being there on the water, casting to what seemed empty water to being able to read the water and what’s going on and yes, catching fish. Communicate just what did to the guide and want you want to learn. If possible, have them guide you on the waters you fish frequently.

And it’s even better if you tell the the guide what you want to do. Ie “I want to hike to places and learn to catch wild trout” otherwise they’ll think you just want to catch the maximum number of fish like a tourist and they’ll take you to stocked private water.

For me, it was going deeper with nymphs. I spent a long time not going deep enough.

Learn to read the water. If fish aren't biting, move to a different spot.

I've found that managing line is more about keeping things tight than anything else. Learn about the concepts and fundamentals rather than the execution (IMO, people learn differently).

I don't expect bites on dry flies if fish aren't rising. They feed below the surface most of the time.

Have a theory: where are the fish? What are they eating? Test your theory, then if proven wrong, come up with another theory. Keep learning, asking locals, fly shops, observe. Keep trying, keep fishing. Read everything written about the body of water you fish. Keep trying.

Take a guided trip, you will learn more in a full day guided trip that 10 years of trying to teach yourself.

I had been fly fishing about 10 years before I took a guided trip and I was kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

You can absolutely keep fly fishing cheap and nice equipment will probably only have a small impact on how much success you have, however some nicer equipment can make it much more enjoyable, if you have the funds and want to splurge, I would start with a nice fly line or two as I feel that it has the biggest impact out of your combo

This. And more this.

Also, just get out and do it. Fly fishing gets treated like it’s rocket science or some mystic art. It’s not. Practice on panfish. You’ll catch fish no matter what, and you’ll start to cast more consistently and accurately in the process. Watch some videos, take lessons if you want to, but there’s no substitute for having a rod in your hand and figuring out the physics through experience.

1. Never fish downstream. Walk upstream and fish along the way.(cast upstream because the fish are all facing upstream, if you cast downstream the fish can see what you are up to)

2. Take the time to position yourself at the holes you want to fish, 1 or 2 feet right or left could give you a better drift through the hole. And fly fishing is all about the presentation.

3. Don't fish the same hole for hours, get 10-15 good casts and drifts at it and move upriver, nothings home or hungry.

4. Never underestimate the power of a indicator(bobber) nymph rig, that or euro is my go to for low activity days or to just find fish.

5. Keep your line tight, the goal is to keep the line as tight as possible without moving your fly, this is where step 2 can really help by getting your line into the same current as your flies and not dragging them through multiple sections of water with varying speeds.

6. Just have fun, I remember the days of casting and not catching, they do suck but as long as you can enjoy being outside and on the water it will all click eventually. Just remember to slow down and take it all in, flip a rock or two, notice what's flying above the water, if you know what they are eating then you are halfway ready for battle.

I'm in roughly the same boat, started fly fishing over the summer as well but so far no joy in the fish catching department. My next step I think is going to be reaching out to my local chapter of trout unlimited as they have classes.

I was in the same boat for a while but recently went out with my cousin who teaches newbies how and where to fly fish and even though I thought I had a decent understanding of things he really helped me figure out exactly what to do in order to find and start landing fish. It was little stuff like showing me a few different fly setups or where to stand in the water relative to the hole I'm trying to fish but all together it got my out of the slump and I've been able to go back and catch on my own. One major thing he helped with was noticing bites when nymphing. It's pretty easy so see a fish hit a dry fly on the surface but it's even easier to miss a bite underwater. Using indicators or floating flies above the wet flies makes it much simpler to notice an underwater bite. I was probably getting plenty of nibbles before going out with him but I never noticed them because I didn't know what to look for and I wasn't set up right to see them. I'd definitely suggest signing up for a class or going out with someone who really knows what they're doing. A little bit of coaching and advice can go a long way.

Find a pond with some bluegills or other panfish. Practice on them. Great way for a beginner to get busy & not get overwhelmed with the frustration of picky trout. When you are done with the bluegills, you will feel better about the whole thing.

It’s not about trying every fly. Fish can be picky during a big hatch but for the most part they will eat a well presented fly even if it’s not what they are expecting in my experience.

The two biggest things to focus on as a beginner, imo, are casting and presentation.

For casting, you need to be able to effectively get your fly in the target area without spooking the fish. No slapping the water and no excessive false casting. When fish are spooked on heavily fished rivers they will hide for quite some time. Practice your fishing at a pond or open river. Focus on aim, distance and only false casting 2-3 times.

Presentation is usually what results in fish. Whatch videos about mending and when you fish, focus on bubbles/leaves in the river that are near your fly. Your fly should be moving at the same pace and without any drag. Fish know what an unnatural presentation looks like and will 100% avoid it.