Short answer: the two habits in this part are knot tying and understanding ecology. One saves you fish you've already hooked; the other tells you where to hook them in the first place.

If you haven't read Part 1 or Part 2, I highly suggest reading those as well.

Practice knot tying

Being proficient at tying various knots quickly and securely is vital. Different situations and rigs require different knots, so practice until it becomes second nature.

Knot tying is the skill that literally connects you to the fish. A well-tied knot can be the difference between landing a big one and watching it swim away. My three criteria are simple: the right knot for the right situation, wetting the knot before drawing it tight, and testing the knot to make sure it's seated.

Why it matters

Strength and reliability. Properly tied knots keep your line, leader, tippet, and fly connected under tension. Understanding a knot and its intended use is an important step — knots have measurable strength ratings, so study and understand a few.

Efficiency. Tying knots quickly and correctly means more time fishing and less time rigging. Fumbling around is a frustration and a time suck.

Here's the practice method I recommend: get a cheap spool of monofilament, sit at home during the football game, and practice. Practice with your eyes on the game so you learn to tie by feel rather than by sight — because that's exactly what you'll be doing at dusk with cold hands.

Our Stone Creek Mono Tippet works for this, and a heavier practice line is easier on the eyes when you're learning a new knot. Once the shape is in your hands, drop down to 5X and the real diameters you'll fish. Browse all tippets.

Common fly fishing knots

Clinch knot — a basic knot for attaching a fly to a tippet or leader.
Blood knot — joins two pieces of line, particularly useful for building or repairing leaders.
Surgeon's knot — another knot for joining two lines, easier to tie than a blood knot but slightly less streamlined.
Loop knots (e.g. Perfection Loop) — create a loop at the end of the line or leader, allowing more natural movement of the fly.

I've covered all of these and six more, each with a video, in 10 Great Fly Fishing Knots.

Here is a simple loop knot that I love for trout.

Practice techniques

Regular practice. Dedicate time at home. Use different lines and under various conditions — wet hands, low light. Start with the heavier line mentioned above, then perfect the skill with other line types and conditions.

Use realistic materials. Practice with the same line and leader materials you fish, to get a feel for how they handle.

Knot tying tools. Some anglers find tools helpful, especially with smaller tippets and flies. I use a hemostat for several tricks — the Quickdraw Forceps & Knot Tying Nipper Kit puts forceps and a knot tool on one zinger, and Rambler Tungsten Carbide Nippers give you the clean cut a good knot needs. Here's a great tip for the fastest clinch knot.

Situational knot tying

Knots for different situations. Learn which knots work best for which scenarios — fly line angles, attachment types, line types, and line sizes.

Knot strength vs knot size. Some knots are stronger, others more streamlined. Choose based on the situation. Take the Davy knot: extremely low profile, strong, and fast.

Want to learn a trick for tying off the bend in a hurry?

Troubleshooting

Avoiding weak spots. Make sure the knot is wet, seated, and tightened properly.

Line damage. Be careful not to damage the line while tightening. Lubricate with water or saliva to reduce friction. I see this mistake constantly. When a dry line is seated, the heat generated is far more than you'd imagine and can cause significant damage — it changes the temperature of the filament and weakens it at an already vulnerable position. Making this one thing a habit will drastically improve your knot strength.

Keep learning

Books and guides. There are many detailed guides dedicated to fishing knots, and your local library is a good first stop.

Online tutorials. Videos are particularly helpful for showing the process. Beware of misinformation about when to use what, so do a bit of due diligence. There's also a realm of what I like and can do quickly versus outright strength — there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

In-field adjustments. Practice tying in the field, since conditions on the water differ from those at home.

Experimentation. Don't be afraid to try new knots to see how they perform in real situations. This is especially fun when learning new rigging techniques. Ask friends and parking lot acquaintances how they rig, and be upfront that you want to learn.

Teach it. Teach knots to fellow anglers, especially beginners. Watch the details of their tying and give solid feedback. Becoming a teacher will improve your own skillset.

Advanced knots and rigs

Specialised knots. As you progress, learn knots specific to certain types of fly fishing, like saltwater or spey. This matters especially in saltwater, where you're combining line materials and sizes that differ significantly in diameter and strength. The wrong knot there, against a big hard-pulling fish, can easily cost you a trophy.

Rigging techniques. Understanding how to rig your entire setup — the right knots for droppers, tandem flies, or sink-tip lines — is equally important. This is a case of not knowing what you don't know, so looking around and asking others is a great step. Want to learn a ton about rigging? Start watching conventional anglers. Their methods can be adapted to fly fishing, and they're absolute masters at trying new techniques.

Practising and mastering various knots enhances both the practical and experiential elements of the sport. Well-tied knots lead to more effective and enjoyable fishing, reducing gear failure and increasing your success in landing fish.

Learn stream and lake ecology

Becoming a better angler means understanding the ecosystem you're fishing in — the insects present, how weather and seasons affect the water and fish behavior, and the impact of human activity on the environment. This directly affects fish behavior, their food sources, and ultimately your strategy.

Understanding aquatic ecosystems

Types of water bodies. Differentiate between streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds, as each has unique characteristics. Each system also has multiple sub-types, so knowing what you're walking into matters to your success.

Water quality. Understand the factors that affect it — pH, temperature, oxygen levels — which directly influence fish health and behavior. Think of yourself. What are your optimal conditions? Do you want to sit in a hot room and eat? Would you hang around in a polluted environment, or move somewhere better? Fish are no different.

Insect life and hatch patterns

Entomology for anglers. Familiarise yourself with the life cycles of common aquatic insects like mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies. Knowing what's hatching guides your fly selection — and the OSSCP Fly Selection Formula is how I turn that observation into a choice.

Hatch patterns. Learn to recognise and anticipate the times when certain insects are abundant, which is when fish feed actively.

Start with these: identifying a Blue Winged Olive, identifying a caddis, and identifying a midge.

Plant life

Aquatic vegetation. Identifying different aquatic plants helps you understand fish habitat preferences. Vegetation provides food, oxygen, and shelter, and it's a staging ground for insects — which lets you identify feeding habitats.

Riparian vegetation. The plant life along the banks plays a crucial role by providing shade, stabilising banks, and contributing organic matter. Think of salmonflies and how they crowd riparian vegetation during the hatch.

Fish species and their habitats

Species-specific habitats. Different species prefer different environments. Trout thrive in cold, oxygen-rich streams; bass prefer warmer, vegetated water. Toss a few streamers into the lily pads and see how bass react.

Spawning areas. Knowing where and when fish spawn helps you understand seasonal movement and distribution. Think of migratory fish, saltwater spawning behavior, or the runs in Alaska. If you don't know these cycles you can be in exactly the right place with the timing off, and be out of luck.

Food webs

Primary producers. Understand the role of algae and aquatic plants at the base of the food web. Algae and microinvertebrates are low on the chain, but they support the smaller baitfish that support the fish we target.

Predator-prey relationships. Recognise the interactions between species, including what your target eats and what preys on it.

Impact of human activity

Pollution and ecosystem health. Be aware of how agricultural runoff, industrial pollution, and urban development affect water and its inhabitants. I fish urban water for carp, and sometimes you can quickly tell it's polluted and not worth the effort.

Conservation efforts. Understand local conservation work and regulations designed to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems. Trout Unlimited and the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust are great examples.

Natural and human-made change

Seasonal changes. Recognise how water levels and temperature variation affect aquatic life and fish behavior. Seasons for Trout by Hafele, Hughes, and Morris is a favourite of mine — I re-read it every so often to remind myself of all the dynamic changes that occur. Worth borrowing from the library if you'd rather try before you buy.

Human impacts. Understand the effect of damming, channelisation, and water extraction. I always think of Idaho here. I can recall the first time I went out with a local friend and he never took me to the river — instead we fished the seasonal farming water troughs and caught a ton of fish.

Observation and continuous learning

Regular observation. Spend time watching the water, noting changes in clarity, current, wind, sun, and bug life. What's changing that could be a regular or an acute change to the environment?

Learning resources. Use books, scientific articles, and online resources on aquatic ecology. I'll point it out again — the public library is invaluable here. Audiobooks, podcasts, and articles written from an ecological angle rather than a fishing angle will teach you a great deal and make you extremely versatile.

Engaging with the environment

Participate in conservation. Get involved in local conservation or citizen science projects. Volunteer work can be a blast — go out with your local BLM office for a fish count day or a restoration project. It's amazing what you learn during a day on the water with a professional. I recall doing a fish shocking project and seeing 20-inch fish come out of a small stream near me. I never thought fish that size existed in it. Now it's one of my prime streamer creeks.

Responsible fishing practices. Practice catch and release where appropriate, and follow local regulations. This is a common default and I agree with it, but pay attention to what local fish and wildlife experts are suggesting. It's a judgement call — one of my local waters is overpopulated with brown trout, and local experts are actually suggesting anglers keep a few to help with overpopulation and stunted growth.

The bottom line

Understanding stream and lake ecology is about connecting with the environment you fish. It enriches the experience by giving you a deeper appreciation of the natural world and its complexities. That knowledge makes you not just a better angler but a steward of the waterways.

Share what you learn and become a teacher. In my opinion, teaching others is one of the most gratifying and effective ways to aid conservation, preservation, and the overall enjoyment of the sport.

Remember, fly fishing is as much about enjoying the outdoors as it is about catching fish. Patience, practice, and continuous learning are the keys.