Big Y Fly Fishing Blog

The salmonfly hatch is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Big bugs, aggressive eats, and fish looking up all day—it’s what many anglers wait for all winter. But the anglers who consistently do well aren’t just showing up when the hatch starts. They’re prepared well before the first bug crawls out.

Spring is one of the most productive—and often overlooked—times to fish stillwaters. As ice comes off and water temps begin to rise, trout transition from winter lethargy into active feeding modes. The key is understanding where they are in the water column and how they’re feeding.

Here are three techniques that consistently produce in spring.

5 Best Spring Trout Flies Every Angler Should Carry Spring is one of the most productive seasons for trout fishing. As rivers warm and flows rise from snowmelt, trout shift out of their winter lethargy and begin feeding more aggressively. While dry fly action eventually shows up with spring hatches,...

The Top 3 Fly Combinations for Spring Trout Fishing Spring is one of the most exciting seasons for trout anglers. Snowmelt raises water levels, aquatic insects begin to hatch, and trout shift into aggressive feeding mode after a long winter. During this time, the most consistent tactic is nymph fishing,...

Winter trout fishing gets a reputation for being “hard,” but the truth is a little more nuanced. The fish don’t become smarter, trickier, or impossible—they just feed less often and in shorter windows. Once you understand why and adjust your tactics, winter can be one of the most peaceful, rewarding times to be on the water.

Below is a friendly, practical guide to getting started (or motivated) for winter trout fishing

Fly fishing pliers might not be the flashiest tool in your kit, but they quietly handle some of the most important jobs on the water—cutting line, crushing barbs, freeing hooks, sealing knots, and protecting your hands from angry fish with teeth. Whether you're chasing trout, saltwater predators, or something in between, the right plier makes a huge difference in efficiency, safety, and comfort.

When you shop for a fly line, you’ll immediately see terms like Weight Forward, Double Taper, and Sinking Line. For beginners, these can feel confusing — especially when all you want to know is:

Do I need special lines for dry flies or streamers?

Short answer: No.
You can fish both with a single fly line, the workhorse of trout fly lines:

• A Weight Forward Floating Line

But to understand why, it helps to know what these line types mean.

Fly fishing knots can feel overwhelming. Every book, blog, or YouTube video seems to recommend something different, and many beginners assume they need to memorize a dozen knots just to get started.  Fly fishermen LOVE to overthink fly fishing.  In reality, fly fishing is pretty simple and pretty easy.

Here is a quick packing list for a week at Christmas Island.  This is also very relevant for Anaa Atoll, the Seychelles or anywhere else that you will be flats fishing on foot for a week.

If there’s one part of fly fishing that confuses almost every beginner, it’s leader and tippet sizes. What does 5X mean? Why are leaders different lengths? Do I need fluorocarbon? It can feel like a secret code — but the good news is that once you learn the basics, it all becomes simple and consistent.

This guide breaks down exactly what leader and tippet are, how X-sizing works, how long your leader should be, and how to choose the right setup for the fishing you’re doing.

If you're new to fly fishing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Waders, boots, nets, floatant, tippet rings, strike indicators, fly boxes, packs, nippers… the list goes on. Walk into a fly shop and it can feel like you need a whole garage full of gear before you ever make your first cast.

How Do I Cast a Fly Rod? A Beginner’s Guide to Fly Casting Basics Learning to cast a fly rod is one of the most rewarding parts of fly fishing. It looks elegant when done well, but don’t let that intimidate you—fly casting is simply a set of smooth, repeatable...