Catching is only a part of it.
Most of the time when we go fly fishing it becomes only about the catching. The reality is that this is not going to be the case every time. To better take advantage of our time on the water, the following list of related activities should be helpful in making your experience as meaningful and fun as possible.
1. Do a stream seine and turn over rocks to find out more about the aquatic insect life in the water. Get some type of aquatic insect book and learn more about trout food sources.
2. Practice new casts and presentations so that when you need them, you have them in you arsenal. For you golfers, this is just like going to the practice range.
3. Learn to read the water better and find those in between areas where there are fish and most fisherman ignore.
4. Clean up all trash as you do your streamside walks so that we leave it better than we found it.
5. If you see fish, watch them intently and learn more about their behaviors.
6. Take a nap!
7. Practice new knots.
8. Just look and listen. This sport rarely takes us to ugly places. (The Truckee in Reno the one exception. Sorry Mike)
This list could on and on but I think it gives you an idea about using your time wisely and the water and enjoying your time out there. No doubt catching fish is fun and exciting but when things slow down on us we definitely can take advantage of that time.
Rick McGuire guide/instructor TFFO