LAWN GAMES
If you are one of the fortunate people that live where you can actually get out and fish during the winter months then this article is likely not going to be of any interest to you. However, if you live in; [A] a place where the fishing season is closed, or [B] where the bodies of water that are open to angling are [1] frozen solid, [2] closed to angling for your preferred species, or [3] just not appealing to you during this time of the year, then you might want to consider some lawn games to help wile away the short winter days and to keep your skill level above the degree of a rank beginner.
When I refer to ‘lawn games’ I am not talking about croquet, jarts, bocce ball, or badminton. The lawn games to which I am referring are more practical, from a fly angler’s point of view. You already have all the necessary equipment, so a trip to the local Wal-Mart® is not required before you can begin.
Go to wherever you store you fly rods and reels and take out one of your rods and matching reel. I would suggest that you select the rod that you normally use for most of your angling, but this might be time to use one of the rods that you seldom use. This exercise might just prove to you that it is either a very good tool that should be used more often, or really something that would be better turned into ready cash.
Once you have selected the rod and reel combination you are ready to begin your lawn games. Now if you do not have a lawn, or your personal lawn is too small or covered with line grabbing landscaping you might have to scope out a local park, football field, little league field, or some other public open space. If you live in a place that is covered with snow you will not find many other people utilizing these venues at this time of the year.
Once you have located a suitable location string up the rod, tie a small piece of bright colored yarn or a fly with the barb cut-off to the end of your leader and you are ready to play. Start by just doing some regular casting to loosen up the casting muscles. Remember, it has probably been a few months since you actually used a fly rod, so start slowly. Once you have gotten warmed up and rediscovered your casting stroke you can begin to actually do something that will improve your skills when the actual fishing begins.
If you have always longed to learn how to double haul this is an excellent time to learn. Dig out those casting videos, how-to-books, check the on-line web sites, and get out there and practice. Footballs fields, soccer fields, and other wide open areas are a good place to practice this casting skill, and now is a good time to work out the procedure before you are standing on the deck of a flats boat and some guide is yelling at you to cast to that bonefish 70 or 80 feet away!
For most of us our time would be better spent on perfecting our casting stroke and learning to cast accurately. My nephew, the consummate fly-fishing outfitter and guide, relates that failing to be able to cast accurately is one of the biggest problems for most anglers. “Fed the fish,” is his common comment, “They can’t eat it if you don’t put it to where they can see it.” Now is a great time to perfect your casting accuracy. This is where lawn games become a very productive pastime for any angler.
If you want to work on accuracy there are a variety of things that you can do. Lefty Kreh suggested that you might use a mousetrap to improve your accuracy. In his book Solving Fly-Casting Problems [Lyons Books, 2000], he makes the following suggestion on improving your casting accuracy.
“A mousetrap can improve your accuracy while you are having fun. Cock a trap and set it on the ground approximately 25 feet away. Later, you can extend the distance. You must use a weighted fly or popping bug for this accuracy game. Clip the point and bend from the hook to keep from hooking the grass.
Start by trying to hit the trap. Almost every fly caster will find that they don’t hit the trap often, no matter how good they are. During the first dozen casts, you will find that you overshoot, undershoot, or throw to the right and perhaps to the left.”
I also like to use small paper plates as targets. You can pick up a package of small desert plates at your local grocery store. Get the smallest plates you can find, not the big dinner plates. You can hold the plates down by packing a rock on them. Put the plates at various distances and practice dropping you fly on each plate. To make the game a bit more interesting number each plate and have your significant other stand off to the side and call out the numbers in random order. When they call out a number you have to drop your fly on that plate. If your significant other is also a fly caster you can make this into a competition by keeping score. [Do this only at your own risk]
If you spend time fishing from a float tube or pontoon boat where you are in a sitting position you should practice casting while sitting or kneeling. If the ground is wet or snow covered you can use a plastic tarp to kneel on and a camp stool can serve as a seat. I also like to practice casting under overhanging vegetation like trees.
Another fun exercise is learning to cast with your ‘other hand.’ If you are right-handed try casting with your left hand. I have found several occasions when being able to make a cast with my ‘other hand’ has made the difference. I’m nowhere near as proficient with my ‘other hand’ but I can make an acceptable cast. With a little practice I could be much better.
These are a few suggestions that you might consider while you are waiting for the weather to permit you to actually go fishing. A few hours spent practicing now will certainly pay off when you really get to go fishing. Besides, it beats sitting inside watching TV reruns.