UBCO Ambassador and enthusiastic fly fisher, William Woodward reflects on his recent fishing trip, and the benefits of going by UBCO.
It's only recently that fly fishing came into my life. I grew up fishing, but fly fishing has become the only way that I want to spend my time on the river these days. It seems like such an art form, from the type of fly you use to the type of cast, reading the river, and learning about the fish.
Using the UBCO 2x2 to scout and camp along the river allowed us an unique experience to cover more ground than we’d normally have access to, while still feeling connected to nature along the way. The great thing about bikepack camping on an electric motorbike is it’s kind of like river rafting, you just get to bring all the luxury items that you normally leave behind while camping, like your cast iron pan and a full coffee making setup. I’ll take that over dehydrated meals and instant coffee any day.
What I’ve learned over the years of fly fishing is that it’s rarely about the fish. It’s about the place you’re in and the people you’re with. A long dirt road, my friends and fishing poles make for the perfect fly fishing combination.
Willie’s top flyfishing tips
- Stop at a local fly shop! The folks working there see people who are actively fishing in the area every day, and are generally also fishing the local rivers on their days off. Go on in and have a chat!
- Talk to other fishers that you see at the spot you're fishing. If you're lucky enough to fish somewhere with no other people around, make sure to check step one.
- Try to match your fly to bugs you see around you, either in the air or in the water. A good fly fisher is always on the lookout for what bugs are around.
- Practice casting. Besides having the right fly on, having a good cast is also one of the most important parts of fly fishing. If you can't get a fly to where the fish are, or if your fly doesn't inspire the confidence in the fish that it is a real bug, you're not catching fish.
- Learn to read rivers. Fish can be anywhere in a river, for sure, but they also generally follow pretty standard patterns of where they will be at a given time of day, temperature, or water movement conditions.
