By Olivia Harris / Full360 Reporter
When most people think of fishing, they likely picture loading some bait on a hook, casting it out, and waiting for the fish to bite. Fly fishing requires more skill than typical fishing methods because the technique is very different and requires precise movements.
“I think fly fishing gets you in some places where normally most people don’t go. So like my state park at home, I’ve walked the entire stretch of stream through there and I just feel like it really helps you get connected to nature,” said Owen Wescott, a sophomore conservation and wildlife management major and the president of the brand new fly fishing club at Delaware Valley University.
A big part of the college experience is connecting with people who have similar interests or finding new interests through new friends. Clubs are a fantastic way to facilitate this. Wescott started the club last semester because he and his friends wanted to bring this unique hobby to more people and find some new fishing buddies. Members will meet every other Wednesday night, and dues will likely be around ten dollars to help pay for club expenses. The club is still in its planning stages, but they hope to include activities such as casting and fly tying practices, talks from local experts, and fishing trips once the weather gets warmer.
“Fly fishing you are casting with a weighted line because you’re doing lures that are sometimes very, very small. So the line is the thing that has the weight. So you have to bring it back and pretty much swing your arm a bunch of times to get this whip, almost, correct so it lays on the water right,” said Wescott.
The lures used in fly fishing are meant to mimic small insects and organisms that the fish eat, so it is important that the lure lays on the water certain way so the fish thinks it is food. Another unique aspect of fly fishing is that fly fishers often craft their own lures. The lures are called flies, and they are created by tying bits of material such as feathers or reflective plastics. The lures can be quite complex and look very realistic in order to trick the fish.
“Fly fishing is a more strategic way of fishing. Knowing where the fish lie, what their habitat is, what they’re eating. So it’s more of a study on the environment and how to fish for them. You’re not thinking about catching millions of fish, you’re more in tune with the river, with the fish, with the environment,” said Jerry Coviello, a local expert on fly fishing.
Fly fishing also requires more knowledge about the fish and the environment they live in. Fly fishers must know what organisms are in the environment and which ones the fish are eating so they know what kind of flies to tie. They also must know where the fish tend to be and what times they come out, because if they go out to the wrong place or at the wrong time they will not be successful.
Fly fishing is a great hobby, but it requires a lot of knowledge and skill so it can sometimes be a difficult hobby to get into. It is advisable for newcomers to find a teacher or group to guide them in their learning process. The fly fishing club at Delaware Valley University hopes to serve as a community for students who enjoy fly fishing, but also as a resource for students hoping to learn a new hobby.
“There are times that you won’t catch a fish, but the object is to learn why you didn’t catch that fish so that when you go back you have a better chance,” said Coviello as words of encouragement to anyone new to the hobby.