When looking at that gorgeous brown trout I caught while fly fishing, do you really think Instagram “helped” me catch it? That’s a good question, though many will argue that the wild trout was caught because of time spent on the water and doing my homework. Where do platforms like Instagram and TikTok come in? Continue reading as I make the argument that they did contribute to that trout.
Social media is here to stay, and that's a good thing! As the number of resources and platforms grow, we have more ways to connect with others, learn new information, and be entertained along the way. Learning from one another is an idea that has persisted for generations, and social media allows that to happen in real time like never before. Let’s see how those can help us catch more fish and tie better flies.
CONNECTIONS
Starting with connections, I am a social person and always have been. Navigating social media can be difficult, especially if you are trying to figure out what you’re looking for. If it’s connecting with others, certain platforms are more geared in that direction. From those connections, you can learn new fishing locations, share experiences on the water or at the bench, and even exchange fly tying ideas. Here are some favorite sites that I use when connecting with others:
Facebook: It's no secret that people love to share on Facebook. But let me recommend an additional area of this popular platform: Facebook Groups. They are a powerful tool, allowing you to connect and interact with others who share a common interest. When traveling to fish new water, I look for Facebook Groups in the area and reach out to some members for advice. Some groups are geared towards specific topics (i.e. fly tying salmon flies) whereas others are general and are geared towards a range of people.
Looking over my Facebook account, I currently am a part of over three dozen Groups, thus have seen the value of them personally. Will I post within groups? Absolutely! My preference remains talking to individuals within the groups to learn about fly fishing styles, ways to tie certain patterns, and things to learn when traveling to a new location. I believe that most people on Facebook are “good people,” and have had many positive experiences with this. Strongly recommended!
LinkedIn: Looking to connect with others, especially those within the fly fishing industry? Look no further! Previously, I viewed this platform as a way to generate business related to my website, but once I started posting on it, I realized that it was a great way meet new people that loved to fly fish as much as me. More so, LinkedIn has introduced me to others that I would have never met on other platforms. This includes people from around the world, making me want to travel and catch fish in other locations. LinkedIn is worth a little time, both from business and personal angles.
NEW Discord: This is a new platform for me, yet growing into a favorite. Discord is a website/app that encourages community. Think of this as Facebook meets old school chat forums. I heard that many gamers were sharing information on Discord servers, so I looked into them and realized that there were few related to fishing…so I set out to change that. In my Fly Fishing Discord, I post nearly daily, sharing fishing and tying tips, and forge community with others. Consider joining my Discord server, and if you know more about it than me, send me a good YouTube video to learn about how I can use this to grow and help the fly fishing community. In my mind, this platform has allowed me to connect with others at the best level and I plan on using it to engage others in the coming years. This includes with giveaways, highlighting new products, sharing events, and lots more. Oh, and the fly tiers posting pictures on my Discord have CRAZY good skills!!
Catching a fish like this doesn’t happen just by spending time on the water. The night before this brown trout was caught, I spent time looking up info on different types of caddisflies, then settling on a dry fly that I thought would interest this fish. YouTube and Instagram were two locations that attracted my attention.
INFORMATION
When it comes to learning about fly fishing and tying, social media has advanced things greatly! Years ago in my beginning fly tying years, I was constantly checking out books from the library and watching VHS tapes. Yes, VHS tapes! Now, I can grab my cell phone and watch all types of instructional videos on YouTube, be inspired on Instagram, or scroll for days looking over Pinterest. With these types of choices, it’s no wonder the sport of fly fishing has been pushed to greater limits.
YouTube: Considering I’ve been uploading videos here for nearly a decade, is there a better place for fly fishing and tying information? Of course not! YouTube is a great resource because you can select what you’re looking for, plus take part in a community environment, too. Is the information vetted? No, but that has two sides. First, it speeds up the process, as we can get nearly real-time information on fishing techniques and effective flies. The downside is that the information may not truly be accurate, thus it’s best to follow accounts that you can trust. When it comes to information, this is one of the first places I turn to and I highly recommend you to do the same. My advice: Follow a handful of people on YouTube, then expand as more information is needed.
My YouTube channel has grown considerably over the years, as there are over 28,000 subscribers! My goal is to provide information to help you become a better fly fisher and tier, all while having fun along the way.
Instagram: With so many opportunities to share pictures, videos, and live updates, this is a favorite! So many fly fishers and tiers post on a regular basis, giving me daily inspiration. Instagram is one of the first places I turn to to simply “see what’s going on,” especially when it comes to fly tying. So many tiers share their creations, which in turn drives me to the tying bench to make mine even better.
For those of you that post on Instagram, it can definitely be difficult gaining a following, but push yourself to post quality content. By doing so, you are staying true to those who do follow you, plus contributing to the fly fishing community to make it a better place!
Pinterest: Years ago, I wrongly thought Pinterest was simply a space for craft and DIY ideas. As it’s grown in popularity, I find myself using it to save ideas for both fly fishing and tying. The pages are easy to navigate, plus you can quickly read an article or watch a video based on your interests.
With pictures and videos that you can "pin" to your page, this makes saving resources EASY! That’s the key, I want to be able to both access and save ideas that I can return to in the future. Pinterest makes this easy to do. Beware, you will start scrolling and may spend an hour there before you know it!
TikTok: Simply put, this is fun for me! I enjoy making short and entertaining videos, all centered around fly fishing. As TikTok has grown in popularity, I decided to check it out and determine if there was value in it from a fly fishing perspective. I found out that many creators are putting together short videos to explain how to catch fish, tie flies, and also share tips. I quickly started creating videos for this platform and loved doing so!
Versus a typical YouTube video, these are much shorter, between 7 seconds and 1 minute. It’s surprising how many information can be squeezed in there…but you’ll notice the key is having fun by doing so. If you’re on the fence with this one, try it out and see if it’s right for you. Link: TikTok
Twitter: Wait, you can tweet about fly fishing?!? You can, though there are not a bunch of people connected on Twitter when it comes to the sport we love. I have noticed that most posts are simply showing fish caught (aka Hero shots!), flies tied, or the occasional fly fishing scenery of a river or lake. Not exactly appealing stuff. So is there a place for Twitter in fly fishing?
As of now, I like to post weekly on Twitter with announcements to my videos, awards, and updates with speaking engagements. I thought there would be some controversial discussions on Twitter, such as BOBBER versus strike indicator, but overall, this doesn’t seem to be the forum for that type of engagement. Instead, it’s a great place to connect with other fly fishers and tiers who prefer this platform, and perhaps it will grow to be a favorite of mine in the future.
There’s the rundown of my favorite social media in fly fishing, at least as of today! As with technology, this list is ever-changing and updating, especially as new platforms can be used to enhance fly fishing and fly tying. That word “enhance” may be the perfect one I’ve been looking for throughout this blog. The fish I’ve caught over the years, have they been because of social media? On first glance, the answer is a resounding “No!” But look closer and realize that much of the information I’ve learned and connections I’ve made have come from social media. I’ve applied that to my fly fishing and tying, which has caused an improvement. There is a connection there, hence why I continue posting on and utilizing social media.
Is that enough social media for you? It's tough to keep track of so many, thus my advice is simple: Stick with one to learn at a time. Figure out which meets your needs. Do you prefer entertainment (TikTok), inspiration (Instagram), and want to be part of a community (Discord)? Each platform offers something different, and we're lucky to have so many choices!
Now it’s your turn, comment below and share your thoughts regarding favorites social media sites. Or take another angle and let me know why you will NEVER be caught dead on one. I used to have that approach, but realize that it’s much better to have a growth-mindset in all things life has to offer, even if it’s social media. Thanks for reading and I look forward to your thoughts below!
Part 1 of my social media series.
Part 2 of my social media series.