Gary Lewis / For The BulletinA nice rainbow taken on a fly on a private still water near Summer Lake.

This year, one of my goals is to get back to the fun and fundamentals of fly-fishing. For me, that means less split shot, fewer beadheads, no indicators and more dry flies and wet flies on the swing.

When I started casting flies, I reasoned that most of what a fish eats is underwater, and because I wanted to catch fish, I would use nymphs and wet flies. And that worked, even though I didn’t use a strike indicator for most of my first two decades with a fly rod. I caught plenty of fish on dries, but it was seldom the priority.

This year, I want to catch more fish on top, to tempt them to the surface for the sip and the swirl.

As I meet people from around Central Oregon, I find a familiar pattern. A lot of people move here with the goal of learning to fly-fish. Or fly-fishing more.

Looking back, the best thing I did was to connect with a fly shop. Each shop here has a team of experts and most are happy to help a newcomer to the sport find their way — with gear selection and tips on where to fish. If you start to hang out in a fly shop trying to pick up tips, be sure to spend some money. If you already have a rod, buy flies and leaders. When the dollars flow one way, the information flows the other way.

While searching for a fly shop to frequent, check out the classes they offer. On any given week, our local shops offer classes on tying, casting, entomology and the basics.

Next, connect with a fly-fishing club. Try the Central Oregon Flyfishers (coflyfishers.org) or the Sunriver Anglers (www.sunriveranglers.org). Both clubs host monthly meetings and seasonal outings where more experienced anglers are available to teach a bit of what they know. Another option are the Aquatic and Angler Education programs offered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The great thing about this sport is how the individual can choose how complicated or how simple it will be. This doesn’t have to be a complex sport. Unless you want it that way.

Now it is time to plan a day on the water. It doesn’t have to be a guided trip. It’s often better to go unguided a few times before going with a pro.

Starting in April, look for ODFW to stock trout at Bend Pine Nursery, Fall River and other waters. In May, the agency will plant fish in North and South Twin lakes, Walton Lake, East Lake, Paulina Lake. Lava Lake and Devils Lake should see good plants of fish in early June.

If a guided trip is in the budget, talk to the outfitter about the best places to catch a lot of fish or the biggest fish. Fish the McKenzie River in July or August or the Upper Deschutes, armed with a box of dry flies. Sometimes private waters like Lake in the Dunes, Grindstone Lakes or Alder Creek Ranch are the best choice. Take time to sit and watch the water without casting. The best teacher is the fish.

These days we try to learn a lot from videos, but a better way is with a well-illustrated book. “Curtis Creek Manifesto,” by Amato Publications, is written in comic book style and is one of the classics of the genre. In the same style, “The Secrets of St. Anthony’s Creek” takes the angler to the next level. Another great one is “Get Started Fly-Fishing!” by Craig Schuhmann, also available from Amato.

This will be a good year. With the moisture we have in the mountains, all that water stored up high on the slopes of the Cascades, we are promised a long and exciting season. And lots of sips and swirls.

— Gary Lewis is the host of “Frontier Unlimited TV” and author of “John Nosler — Going Ballistic,” “Fishing Mount Hood Country,” “Hunting Oregon” and other titles. Contact Lewis at www.GaryLewisOutdoors.com.