We hear it all the time, “ We have no stream to fly fish at home”. Fly fishing has always been associated with wild untouched areas that awakens a persons innersole. Water tumbling over centuries old carved stones hypnotizes a lone fly angler allowing them to escape the troubles of the modern world. The last sentence is what most folks think about when it comes to fly fishing. I want to take a moment and share other options that many never think about.
I would dare to guess that most of us have fished a pond at least once in our lifetime. When I was a little boy I really loved fishing ponds because I could catch fish. As a little boy I could care less about what I was catching, I just wanted to fish!
Unlike most trout streams, ponds are usually pretty plentiful. Just look when driving and you will probably see a pond. Even here in the mountains we have ponds that are visible after all the foliage has disappeared. Pond are pretty frequent on farms in the south and the farmers that I have had dealings with have been pretty lenient with allowing folks to fish.
You can find various species of fish in ponds. Various Sunfish species such as Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Crappie, Green Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, and Longer Sunfish often live in ponds. Some folks stock Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass as well as Carp. Point being that ponds usually have a few varieties of fish that can be taken with a flyrod.
All you need is a flyrod and few fly patterns and you should be set. A 5wt or 6wt rod with a floating line should suffice in most situations. Ponds are a great place to use hoppers in the summer months. Don’t forget about your favorite Popper and you will be set for a good time. Honestly a topwater eat on a pond is pretty cool.
Ponds allow you to practice casting usually without a lot of trees to loose your favorite fly in. In this situation you can focus on casting, fishing, and hooksets without trying to learn how to mend or even read moving water.
Ponds are great for people of all ages. This includes everyone! Streams and rivers usually do not allow folks with mobility issues or even little ones the opportunity to safely fish. This is an area where a pond excels. Make a morning or evening of pond fishing a family event.
One piece of advise, do not hook anyone on your backcast!
