Getting out of your comfort zone.

By Norvise ambassador Brian Davenport. 

Everyone has a comfort zone-whether in fly tying or fly fishing.  Some folks are comfortable at tying certain styles of flies, or fishing in a certain style.  But not too many folks are comfortable with more than a couple types of styles of fishing or tying.  The ones that are comfortable with various styles, you can bet they are the ones consistently catching fish. 

During the Norvise March Madness competition there were 64 tiers and some very accomplished tiers.  Even some of the more accomplished tiers found themselves being pushed out of their comfort zone by the fly categories that were drawn.  It’s not that they could not tie the flies, but that the type of flies were different than what they normally tie. Some really awesome flies were tied, as they stepped out of their comfort zone.  

As for your comfort zone while fly fishing, I know some fly fishers who follow the motto of dry fly or die.  When you consider that trout especially, eat 90% of their food subsurface, that does not give them very favorable odds of consistently catching fish. I also know some anglers that only fish subsurface and refuse to fish a dry fly.  They are also missing out in some circumstances, like when a hatch is on. Some anglers are so set to one style of fishing, to the point of they will avoid certain places to fish because they cannot fish it the way they are comfortable with.

My favorite fishing partner loves to fish dry flies, and I mean who doesn’t- it is very cool to see the fish come up and take your fly off the top. But she was missing out on other times because that is all she would fish. However, over the last couple of years she has started expanding outside her comfort zone, to include streamer fishing and swinging a wet fly.  

The "Holy Grail" of Trout fishing (Pssst...this only happens about 20% of the time).

Last year we both got out of our comfort zone more, and started to learn and experiment with Euro Nymphing. After reading several articles and talking to some friends about how it is done. We gave it a try on several outings. We had some awesome days on the water, that likely would have only been so-so using other methods.

A nice selection of Euro type nymphs.

We live in central Idaho along the Clearwater River. During steelhead season we swing a wet fly with two handed rods for steelhead, however we are going on the Norvise hosted trip to Steelhead Alley this fall. Tim has said that a lot of times they fish with nymphs and indicators as swinging a fly is only when conditions are right-which doesn’t happen too often. I have fished this way for trout and am not very proficient at it, and have had very limited success- so it is definitely out of my comfort zone. I plan on reading up the technique, watching videos and pestering everyone I know that has fished for steelhead in this manner to learn more about it. Also, on my trout fishing outings this year, I may try fishing with an indicator rig more often, so that I can get better at it and more comfortable with it.

David Delk with his first ever Steelhead on the first morning of the Norvise hosted Steelhead trip. David has been fly fishing for a little over a year and is new to fishing an indicator rig.

Now I am definitely not suggesting to give up your favorite flies that you tie, or your favorite fishing technique. I’m just saying that if you normally fish with dry flies, perhaps work a run with the dry fly and then work your way back thru with a nymph rig. Fish most of the day with your preferred method but set aside a couple hours to specifically fish different types of water and different method.  

This also brings up another point-go and fish different bodies of water!  A lot of people go to the same body of water and fish the same holes with the same methods each time they go out. Don’t be afraid to step out of that comfort zone and fish a different body of water or a different place on that body of water. If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone it will help you become a more rounded tier and angler and you might just have some great days on the water while venturing outside of your zone! Till Next Time... 

                                                                                                                     Tight Lines.