It’s true that Venus flytraps are easy to find. In fact, I have personally caught them dozens of times while camping out in the great outdoors. The problem with fly trapping is that, in many cases, the fly you are catching is a meal for an animal that has been diseased or is otherwise weakened by natural prey. There is good news, though: catching a fly can be just as easy as catching a fish.
As a fly fisherman, I have heard many times over the years about how wonderful it is to grow your own food in order to eat on the days when you aren’t catching anything. This is very similar to what growing carnivorous plants do. The key, however, is understanding the basics of plant life and how they interact together. Unlike fish, a fly can simply be thrown into the water. It is not being eaten; it is simply crashing into the water surface with the aim of sinking to the bottom. This means that the plant only needs to be able to absorb some nutrients from the water in order to survive.
For a fly trapper who has a fairly decent understanding of the way that plants grow, their first step should be to understand why plants are so vulnerable to the actions of predators. The main factor that makes plants vulnerable is sunlight. When plant leaves are exposed to direct sunlight for too long, photosynthesis, which is the process in which plants convert light to energy, slows down. As the process slows, photosynthesis stops and the plant die. This is why so many fly fishermen wait until the last second before casting their flies. They know that at the very least they will catch a few fish on their hook; however, if they wait too long the water will dry up and turn the plants inside out, turning them to mush and making it extremely difficult to remove the fish.
The next thing a fly trapper needs to know is that all plants need moisture. When plants are trapped by a predator, they are usually unable to escape because of lack of moisture. A fly trapper must therefore build his or her trap so that it will allow water to evaporate into it. Since evaporation is also an important factor in plant growth, a good fly trapper must know how to vary the conditions around his or her traps so as to make it impossible for the plant to get any moisture at all. A good example of this would be to build the trap on the bottom of the lake or pond in a way that it would have holes in the middle. This way, the water would evaporate into the trap, providing absolutely no moisture for the plant to absorb.
Another important factor that a fly trapper should take into consideration is plant biology. While some fly fishermen think that any dead plant on the water is fair game, this is not true. There are certain insects and even worms that will specifically go after live or dead plants. Therefore, a good fly trapper knows exactly what type of plant to catch and kill and thus the importance of plant care.
It may sound funny to anyone who has never caught a fly, but plant biologists really do appreciate a good fly trapper who takes the time to study the fly population around him or her and then catches only those species that can be found in or around the waters he or she fishes. For instance, a fly trapper who wants to catch bass does well to catch the smaller species first. This is because these fish have a tendency to stay close to the bottom, where their metabolism is slow, and therefore will easily consume whatever food is available there.
On the other hand, a big fish with a powerful bite, like a trout, is more likely to go after the bigger fish. Therefore, it makes sense to attack the bigger fish as they become the fiercest, in order to bring them down and not the fly. This is one of the most important, yet seldom thought about, tips for a successful Venus fly trap. Of course, the right bait is also important when it comes to fishing with a fly. The size and weight of the bait are important considerations when deciding where and how to place your trap.
However, one important thing that should never be overlooked is water clarity. Water clarity is very important when fishing with a fly trap because fly fishing is all about imitation and being able to fool the fish into thinking you have something else at hand that they are not looking at. In addition, it is essential that you understand the water around you. Certain types of fly, like the Venus fly, float on top of the water, whereas other flies sink to the bottom. The angler must also take note of the current and how the fish around his or her fishing spot behave. By understanding what the environment requires, you can make fly traps work for you and capture more fish than you had anticipated.