Date: 3/5/08
Contact: C. Doug Nielsen
Phone: (702) 486-5127, ext. 3500

WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH A FLY?

When the weather is hot and they are buzzing around your head, what can you do with a fly? As a rule the answer is simple, you smash them! But when you are talking fishing it’s a different story. When talking about fishing, the term “fly” refers to a type of lure that is made from fur, feathers, foam and a lengthy list of other materials that could fill a page.

Many people think that fishing with flies is a relatively new technique, but Roman scrolls show pictures of fishing lures made from bone hooks with feathers tied on them, and in 1496 Dame Juliana Berners wrote the first treatise on fly fishing with instructions for creating flies that imitated the insects that were abundant in her local streams.

“I actually caught my first largemouth bass on a fly, an olive Woolly Bugger with a black marabou tail. Since then I have specifically targeted them, smallmouth bass, bluegill and other species with my fly rod,” said Doug Nielsen, a conservation educator with the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Another common misconception is that fly-fishing is only for the rich and can be used only when fishing for trout and salmon species. However, the truth is you can fly-fish for any species of fish that can be caught on standard fishing gear. With new technologies fly-fishing can be, and often is, enjoyed by people from all walks of life and all age groups.

Here in the desert southwest some people also have the notion that there is no fly-fishing nearby. The truth is that interest in fly-fishing has been growing in the Las Vegas Valley for the past several years and many anglers enjoy daytrips to local park ponds where they can catch trout, bluegill, largemouth bass and even catfish. At Lake Mead and Lake Mohave fly-anglers often try their luck for striped bass.

When fly-fishing, the trick is to choose flies that imitate the food fish are feeding on. When fishing for trout in the city ponds you might use a nymph pattern, such as a gold ribbed Hare’s Ear or a Cave Lake Special. For Lake Mead stripers try using a Muddler Minnow or a big streamer that imitates threadfin shad. Even channel catfish have been known to take Woolly Buggers or Cave Lake Specials, especially when fished in ponds like those at Sunset Park and Floyd Lamb Park.

When learning about a new recreational pursuit it’s always a good idea to associate with others who are more experienced in that activity. A good place to learn more about fly-fishing is the monthly meeting of the Las Vegas Fly Fishing Club and the Southern Nevada Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting (www.sntrout.com). These groups meet together at 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at the Bass Pro Shop located in the Silverton Hotel and Casino near Interstate-15 and Blue Diamond Road in Las Vegas. For families with kids seven years old and older there is also the Las Vegas Jr. Fly Fishing Club (www.lvjrflyfishing.com). Its members focus on teaching families the joys of fly fishing. They also learn how to create their own flies and then practice catching fish with those flies.

The Department of Wildlife also offers fishing clinics and fly-tying workshops for those who want to learn the basics. For more information on fishing in Nevada or free fishing classes visit the NDOW webpage at www.ndow.org or call us at 702-486-5127 (Southern Region) or 775-688-1559.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.