Some of the highest praise one fisherman can pass on to another is “He’s a very fishy dude”. In most circles, calling someone fishy has a definite negative connotation to it. But to us, it is high praise indeed.
But what does it really mean to be Fishy? Is it the guy who has the perfect cast, who can throw the tightest loops out of the group? Or does being fishy go beyond pure casting stroke?
Out of all the fishermen I have known, hung around with, talked to, and watched, one simple truth becomes clear. The guy with the best cast does not always catch more fish. Actually, it seems that the guy with the best cast rarely does catch the most fish.
I can hear you out there now, saying “wait a minute, what do you mean?”.
Hear me out.
Good casting skills are a fundamental part of fly fishing, there is no doubt about that. And yes there are certain situations where being able to cast further lets you cover a lot more water, such as swinging flies. But distance and form only matter so much 90% of the time you’re on the water.
Pretty much all of the most fishy people I know break almost every casting rule in the book. They break their wrist, swing their rods around, move the tip around in some weird and wild angles, but still… They catch fish. A lot of them. And big ones too.
Why is this? By some rule of form, shouldn’t they not be able to catch fish? Good thing they aren’t chasing “unicorns” out here on the coast, ha. I mean, my God, if you can’t cast into your backing every time then you aren’t really fishing… (little inside joke in there, couldn’t resist).
I believe the reason is this: There is so much more to fishing than just casting.
You have to know how to read water, learn where the fish are. You have to observe what is happening around you. See what is hatching, what they’re eating, and know how to match what you have to that. You then have to be able to present the fly in the most lifelike manner possible. Oftentimes this does not include casting into your backing, or even casting it as far as you can. You have to be able to adapt your cast to fit the situation, you simply can not stick with one “right” way to do it. If you are so hung up on your casting stroke, and making sure that everything is done perfectly, then you are really missing out on a lot.
The really fishy people know and understand things that most people miss.
We all want to cast far. Watching that line zip out through the guides… It’s fun, and it’s cool to be able to say that you can cast to the backing. We all want to have that perfect, tight loop. By no means am I saying abandon all your efforts to become a better caster, because it will help you in the long run. But always remember that simply having a beautiful cast does not mean you will catch fish. It is only part of the package.
What do you think it means to be fishy?
