Fly-fishing is one of my favorite ways to spend time in nature. It’s so relaxing to be knee-deep in a stream surrounded by the sight and sounds of wildlife.

It takes place in cold-water rivers and streams, using a weighted line and an artificial fly. More work is involved with fly fishing as opposed to “regular” fishing, but I find it so much more relaxing.

My first experience with fly fishing was watching the 1992 movie “A River Runs Through It”. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend you do. It’s a great way to see the movement of fly fishing and overall it’s a good movie as well.

I always thought it looked difficult and I wasn’t a huge fan of fishing because growing up we would fish at a friend’s pond. It mostly involved sitting there waiting for something to bite. Not my cup of tea.

I like to try new things so I thought I would give fly fishing a try. My first day out ended up being the best day I had ever had fishing. I didn’t hook anything, but everything about it was so much fun. I was completely obsessed. My husband thought he created a monster. 🙂

The movement is so gentle. Standing in the water allows you to feel the movement and flow and how warm or cool the temperature of the water is. This helps you figure out where the fish will be hanging out. They like hanging out behind large rocks where the flow of the water is smooth.

When a fish bites, the game is on! Finding steady footing is important, as the rocks you’re standing on are slick and the fish will put up a hard fight. Although the fight can be tough, the reward is great.

Also Read: Why I Hunt

Why wild-caught is better

Wild fish are so much healthier than farmed fish. Next time you’re at the market, look at their fresh fish, especially the salmon or trout. Notice how the farmed salmon is a pale pink color with thick white lines. The white lines are fat… Then look to see if they carry fresh wild-caught salmon.

You’ll be able to see the difference right away!

The wild-caught is deep pink, almost red in color with tiny white lines. It looks so much healthier, and imagine the taste! Wild-caught fish has so much flavor, you’ll never want to eat farmed again. 

Fish farms are like large meat processing facilities for pork or beef. They are extremely crowded, dirty and the animals are fed poorly.

Farmed salmon in the northwest cause a lot of problems for native populations. Escaped farmed salmon are spreading illnesses that have caused wild populations to diminish. Natural habitats are actively being destroyed as a result.

This should be reason enough to stop buying farmed fish altogether.

Also Read: Simple Salmon or Trout Recipe

Fish that are farmed are held in large tanks, nets, and ponds.  When one fish gets sick they all have to take the antibiotics. This means you’re going to be eating the antibiotics as well.. Antibiotics wreak your natural gut flora which is essential for proper digestion and overall health.

If you’re eating fish to gain the benefits of omega 3’s always choose wild-caught. Farmed fish will not provide anything beneficial.

Fishing, along with hunting is a lot of work, but let me tell you, it’s worth it in the end.

Do you enjoy fly fishing?