Fishy Fridays by Confident Angler: One fly fishing tip, one fly to try, and one inspirational post to get you fired up to fish this weekend. 🎣
Hey Reader,
Fall is here, and I’m stoked. This is one of my favorite times to fish. Streamers turn on, brown trout get aggressive before the spawn, and trout bulk up before winter.
And of course, there’s steelhead.
I just got back from one of my first big fall steelhead trips, and it was incredible. That trip will be the start of a new series I’m calling 20lb River Ghost, where I’ll document my steelheading adventures as I chase the fish of a lifetime: a 20-pound steelhead. It could happen this season, or it might take years. Either way, I’m bringing you along for the ride. I'll have that video ready to share with you in a few weeks.
One quick reminder before we dive in... My free 12-page Fall Guide dropped last week. It’s packed with seasonal tips, strategies, and fly patterns I rely on.
“This is awesome. It’s beginning to feel cooler, and I was wondering how this changes up the fishing. Really good info. Sounds like I gotta dial in my streamer skills.” - Susie
Keep Learning, Always Fly fishing isn’t a skill you ever “finish.” It’s a craft you refine over a lifetime. That’s part of what makes it so rewarding. There’s always more to learn, another detail to notice, a new approach to try.
Think about it. What if you caught a fish every single cast? If there weren’t any skills involved, it would get boring fast. The slow days matter too, even when they feel frustrating. They show you what doesn’t work. Maybe you were in the wrong spot. Maybe your fly choice was off. Maybe the shift into fall had trout feeding differently than in summer.
Every outing teaches something. If you stay curious, keep adjusting, and keep learning, you’ll not only put more fish in the net but also enjoy the journey a whole lot more.
🪰 One Fly to Try This Weekend
October Caddis (Dry, Size 8–12) When fall settles in, October Caddis are often on the menu for trout. These big orange caddisflies are most active in the evenings, fluttering across riffles and soft seams.
A buoyant dry pattern, tied with orange dubbing, elk hair, or foam, fishes well skated or twitched on the surface. Try it along grassy banks or under overhanging trees where trout may be looking up for a large, high-calorie snack.
Even when trout aren’t rising much, prospecting with this fly can draw explosive eats. It also works well in a dry dropper rig, covering both surface and subsurface action.
In this week’s video, I explored new water with my buddy Jeff, and it turned into a really fun day. We found caddis nymphs everywhere, picked up a few rainbow trout, and caught a bunch of whitefish, big suckers, and aggressive pikeminnow. At one point, I was connecting on nearly every cast. It was a good day!