Madness, you say? This is Sparta!

Yes, March is here, and between filling out NCAA Tournament brackets and filling fly boxes, many are chasing the spawn run in hopes of catching a colorful rainbow. This is a great time to be a basketball fan and a fly-fisher. However, a recent conversation got me thinking about spring fishing, and some of the misconceptions about fly-fishing in general.

Many have strong opinions about whether it’s even ethical to fish during the spawn. If catching spawning fish makes you uneasy, then you should buy some winter gear and only fish from the end of November until the middle of February. Even then, you might come across a tail- water trout with every intention of “getting busy.”

Most fish will attempt to spawn any time conditions are ideal for it – not just for two weeks in spring and fall. While this doesn’t excuse unethical behavior such as ripping a spawning trout off a redd, if you define a “spawner” as any fish who’s looking to spawn, then most have caught a spawning fish.

Yes, trout and char are spawning more actively during the peak of each season, but there are shades of gray (shameless pun). And until the state decides to close certain stretches of river for short periods of time to protect fish – an idea I support – then it’s up to individual anglers to decide what’s morally and ethically appropriate.

Ever have a killer day of bass fishing when the water temperature is between 45 degrees and 55 degrees? Odds are good you spent the day catching pre-spawn or post-spawn fish. I’m not pointing this out to offend anyone’s sensibilities, but there are members of our circle who act as if they’ve never harassed a spawning fish. And there are those who do nothing but look for giant trout sitting on top of a spawning bed. Both are wrong.

The hope is to find middle ground where angler ethics take precedence over the competitive drive to catch as many and as large of fish as possible. People can act like they only fish to enjoy nature, but every time you present a fly you’re playing a game of 21 against one of the smarter dumber creatures around.

Another common misconception is the idea you need a heavier weight rod to catch heavier fish. A 6-weight rod isn’t required to land a 10-pound trout. In fact, a 9-foot 4-weight rod is more than enough to handle the biggest trout Colorado offers. Line weight is simply a designation used to match fly line to fly rod for the best casting performance. In other words, if it’s your mission to catch pike on the fly with massive strips of fur anchored to big 3/0 hooks, then you should invest in an 8-weight rod because the heavier line will cast bigger flies with less effort. If you’re trying to catch monster pike on small wooly buggers, then a 5-weight can take care of business.

This brings me to the last misconception I’ll address, and it’s that people who fly-fish are snobs. Nothing can be further from the truth. Many fly-fishers started out bait fishing and are more likely to help a beginner than chastise them. We are a passionate group who typically like to share knowledge and adventures, so don’t let this misconception hold you back from giving fly-fishing a try.

Keep it fun, stay true to yourself and do wacky things such as challenging yourself to catch huge pike on tiny flies. Tight lines!

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Kleis is a Colorado Springs native and professional fly-fishing guide for Angler’s Covey Fly Shop. Read his columns on the third Thursday of each month in Out There. To schedule your fly-fishing adventure, email jonkleisflyfishing@yahoo.com.