Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Learning Fly Fishing, with Phil Monahan, Editor of Midcurrent.com

 

I know a lot of listeners are relatively new to the fly-fishing game, and so I asked Phil Monahan [30:31], editor of Midcurrent.com (who also helps people through this sometimes-steep learning curve) to share with us ten pitfalls you may want to avoid when learning the game. And I am willing to bet that even you experts out there make some of these mistakes every time you go out. I know I do.

In the Fly Box this week, we have some basic and not-so-basic questions, including:
What fly line can I use in the Bahamas and for fly fishing in the Northeast?
Is the 'chuck and duck" method an ethical way to fish for Great Lakes salmon?
Should I replace my old Power Matrix 905 with a newer model or should I invest in a 904 to have a more diverse quiver?
I tie all of my juvenile tarpon flies on a size 2/0 hook. Should I invest in some smaller hooks?
How long should I leave my dry fly in the water before pulling it out?
How much tippet should I be going through?
You say that fish can always see my tippet. So why is it necessary to go to a smaller tippet size?
The tube in my New Zealand Strike Indicator always splits when I add yarn.  I am using 5X tippet. What am I doing wrong?
When fishing with trout Spey, should I concentrate more on my casting or what fly pattern I am using? And what is your favorite fly for trout Spey?
Are red and green lights any less impactful when night fishing?
Are weighted streamers recommended for night fishing?