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Fly Fishing Solo: Tips and the Benefits from Zoe Dupuy

At Orvis, we have spent a lot of time creating experiences that give anglers the opportunity to meet new people and foster friendships on the water. But, there is always going to be a time and a place where you’ll find yourself fishing alone. This requires confidence, and for many is their route into fly fishing, where they don’t have the benefit of a friend or family member who has introduced this to them.

Back in June, we met Zoe Dupuy, AKA @thefisherlass on Instagram, who joined the Beginners Saltwater Weekend to gain some confidence in saltwater fly fishing. Zoe has offered some of her top tips for Fly Fishing Solo and the many benefits it can bring…

A day out fly fishing solo is guaranteed to be full of adventures, challenges, excitement, mistakes, and learnings. Don't get me wrong, it is a joy and a privilege to share a day of fishing with someone else; to go through all of these moments together, and of course, that reassurance if you need help netting the catch of a lifetime, you have it, but I believe there is a place for going it alone sometimes too.

Confidence/experience

Going solo requires a certain amount of experience of course, but once you’ve mastered the basics, it is a great way to gain confidence. As no one else can do the hard bits for you, so it forces you to just get on and learn those nuisance knots!

Choosing where to go

We are blessed with lots of great fishing locations in the UK, my personal favourite being the wild Welsh llyns. Trout and Salmon magazine include write-ups of different venues each month. I find these incredibly useful to help me decide where I might want to go, and at the end of the article, there’s even a link to show you where to buy tickets. They also often include useful things like car parking. It is through these pages that I have discovered some of the best fishing spots so far.

Worth noting, if fishing a stocked water, you may arrive on your own, but there is a fair chance you won’t be fishing solo, if this is something you are looking for.

The Fishing Passport is also a very handy website for exploring different venues. This is basically a directory and online booking system for fish tickets.

Getting my gear ready

I like to keep things simple, after all, simplicity is one of my favourite things about fly fishing. So, I pack what I think I will need - most of which fits into my fishing vest, plus one rod, reel and net. I now have Orvis Clearwatwer chest waders to add to that list, which I am loving, but whilst solo, I will avoid going any deeper than thigh wading, just to be safe. It is also worth bearing in mind a floatation aid such as the Spinlock Alto which is a neat solution.

On the topic of wading, I know there is a lot of debate out there regarding felt or rubber wading boots, because it fried my brain as I researched which option would be best for me, but in the end, I chose felt. I understand this material has more grip on the rocks underwater, which I feel is where I need it most, especially if I am wading solo. They don’t fare so well on mudflats though, as I (nearly) learnt the hard way!

Headspace

Fishing of all kinds is good for clearing the mind and slowing down from a busy, hectic daily life, but when it is just you and nature, in my experience, these benefits are amplified.

Tides

A vital consideration when fly fishing in saltwater at all times, but you need to be totally on it with tide times when fishing alone.

I wear a smartwatch that uses my GPS location to tell me exact low and high tide times which is good for when you are in-situ, but I use a tide book, or the internet, for planning ahead. Tidal curve charts are also good to visualise what the water is doing as it ebbs and flows throughout the day. The advice I have been given is not to fish a venue until you have seen it at low tide, both in terms of understanding where the fish are likely to be feeding, but also so you can locate areas such as quicksand, gulleys etc.

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