The author challenges her angling abilities at Wargo Pond in Hopewell

I’m not what you call an expert angler. Growing up on the Delaware River with a grandfather who
loved to fish, I learned the basics. And today when my husband and I get out to our favorite
stream, I still rely on the simple techniques I learned as a little girl.

So when PM asked me to write about fly-fishing, I jumped at the opportunity to challenge my angling abilities.
The first reference to the ancient sport of fly-fishing can be found in Ælian’s Natural History, likely written around 200 A.D., according to online fly-fishing historian Dr. Andrew N. Herd. Through the centuries it’s evolved from vital food-catching technique to allur­ing pastime — or as Fly Fisherman Magazine calls it: “The quiet sport.”  In the early 1990s the movie A River Runs Through It, starring Brad Pitt, thrust fly-fishing into the spotlight.

Since that surge in interest, fly-fishing’s popularity has waned, but die-hard enthusiasts are quick to cite the merits of this beautiful sport. “Fly-fishing is fun and frustrating,” says Bob Atticks, a lifelong fly-fisher­man and manager of fishing at the Sportmen’s Center in Bordentown. “Every time I go out I learn something new. You definitely get out of fly-fishing what you put into it.”

Casting Lesson

To start my fly-fishing adventure, I meet with Bart Lombardo, president of the conservation group Central Jersey Trout Unlimited, for a casting lesson at Wargo Pond on the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Associa­tion Reserve in Hopewell.
It’s sunny and really cold, but I’m excited to see what fly-fishing is all about. We start with a simple overview of the equipment and what makes fly-fishing different from traditional fishing. The fly-fishing rod can vary in length and action — how much bend or play there is in the rod. The reel is mounted below the rod and is operated by stripping the line off the reel with one hand, while casting with the other.

“With traditional spin or bait casting the line is weightless and the lure or bait acts as a projectile pulling the line of the rod,” says Mr. Lombardo. “With fly-fishing the fly is virtually weightless and it’s the line that’s heavy. The motion of the rod and weight of the line propels the fly onto the water.”

He demonstrates two basic casts: the overhead cast and the roll cast. The overhead cast is used when there is plenty of air space for the line and fly, while the roll cast is used when the fisherman has more limited space, like in an area with lots of tree cover.

“It doesn’t take a lot to get things moving. Begin­ners think it takes a lot of energy or force to cast, but you don’t need a lot of energy to make a long cast,” says Mr. Lombardo, an avid fly-fisherman for more than 35 years. “It’s more about technique and timing.”

Mr. Lombardo’s technique and timing is flawless — a few arm movements and using an overhead cast his line moves like a whip in a beautiful sweeping arc and lands on his target, my reporter’s notebook on the bank of the pond. Mine, on the other hand, needs a bit of work.

“Take the rod back to about 1 o’clock and made sure your line is flat before bringing the rod forward,”
says Mr. Lombardo as he corrects my arm position. “And you want to end with your rod pointing at your target.”

With a few tries I’m getting closer, but I’ll definitely need more practice before heading to my local pond or stream.

Getting Equipped

Now that I understand how to cast, I need to find the right equipment for the job. Mr. Atticks at the Sport­men’s Center in Bordentown recommends starting out with the purchase of an all-in-one kit or “combo” with rod, reel, line, backing and leader.
“St. Croix, Remington and Temple Fork Outfitters all make a good combo and are priced relatively com­petitively in the $99 to $200 range with the beginner in mind,” says Mr. Atticks.

“You can also get an idea of what you’re looking for online,” adds William Hannisch, treasurer of the Ernest Schwiebert Chapter of Trout Unlimited, which meets in Pennington. Stores like Cabelas, Orvis and even L.L. Bean have fly-fishing equipment and accessories.

Next pick up a pair of breathable bib waders. “If you go with hip boots you’ll always end up with a wet butt,” says Mr. Atticks, who recommends stocking foot wad­ers with spiked soles. “Felt soles are being phased out, since they can pick up and distribute aquatic life from one stream to another.” Spiked soles help eliminate this problem and offer additional traction in New Jersey’s slippery streams and rivers.

“Now all you’ll need is a vest to carry basic equip­ment in — flies, split shot, things like that — and you’re
pretty set,” Mr. Atticks says.

Flies — the lure at the end of a fly fisherman’s line — can be store-bought or handmade and are constructed with a variety of materials, everything from feathers and animal fur, to beads and metallic threads. Mr. Atticks suggests checking with your local sport or fly shop to find out what fish are biting before selecting the right fly for your outing.

Mr. Lombardo agrees. “The right fly depends on the type of fish, the waterway and the season,” he says. Dry flies are made to stay on the water’s surface, underwater flies mimic nymphs and other lifecycle stages of aquatic and terrestrial insects, and terrestrial flies look like bugs you’d find on land — everything from spiders to grass­hoppers.

“Fly tying is a great way to keep busy when you aren’t fishing,” says Mr. Lombardo, who ties all his own flies. “And its even reached art-form level with top fly-makers taking hundreds of hours to create lifelike flies that are seen as collectible.”
The last thing I need — a fishing license. Anyone age 16 or older must have a valid license to fish the fresh waters of New Jersey, including privately owned lakes and other waters, according to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.

To learn more or purchase a license online, visit njfishandwildlife.com/als/websalesintro.htm.

Let’s Fish

Now, where can I fly fish? “Anywhere!” says Mr. Lombardo. “Most people associate fly-fishing with trout or salmon, but you can fly-fish for any type of fish in every inch of the water column — from the sur­face to the bottom — in cold water, warm water and even coastal salt water.”

In New Jersey, rivers and streams north of Interstate 78 are the best places for year-round trout fishing, according to Matthew Grobert, former Star-Ledger fishing columnist and author of the book Fly Fishing New Jersey Trout Streams (Frank Amato Publications, 2008) and the blog Caddis Chronicles (mattgrobert.blogspot. com). “South of I-78 you have to rely on stocked waters,” he says.

To find the trout stocked lake, river or stream near you, visit the Pequest Trout Hatchery’s Web site state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ pequest.htm, which provides a town-by­town “trout stocked waters” listing with tips and information on year-round fishing locales.

While trout might not be living year-round in central New Jersey, that doesn’t mean there isn’t good fishing to be had. “Southern and central New Jersey have a number of great spots for warm water species like bass and sunfish,” says Mr. Grobert. “I really love the whole Musconet­cong River (Hunterdon, Morris, Warren and Sussex counties) and the Delaware River in the Lambertville area is also great for striped and small mouth bass.”

“Many of the folks in our chapter fish in Pennsylvania as well,” says Mr. Han­nisch. “It’s just a short drive to hit some great spring-fed creeks and streams.”

Wildlife Management Areas are an­other great resource for anglers, says Mr. Grobert. Sorted by county, check out the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Management Areas list.

Now all I have to do is grab my fly-fishing gear and get out there. See you at the stream!