Official Asylum Fly-fishing Thread

[Scottw]

Nice catches! My wife got me a fly rod this past christmas but I haven't used it yet. A buddy of mine told me it is more frustrating that learning to play golf. Is it as difficult as he makes it out to be??

[lightning9191]

Originally Posted by Scottw

Nice catches! My wife got me a fly rod this past christmas but I haven't used it yet. A buddy of mine told me it is more frustrating that learning to play golf. Is it as difficult as he makes it out to be??

No it isn't too bad. Find someone to teach you how to cast or watch a youtube video on it (I'm sure they exist...they have videos on everything). Then go fishing....that is where I did a lot of learning. I use a 3x tippet for most things and if the fly is not turning over correctly I adjust my leader. The big first step is learning how to cast. If you can cast your fly accurately, then the rest is easy/frustrating...depending on how picky the fish are. Feel free to ask questions here as it seems we have a handful of flyfisherman.

[kayak_rat]

Originally Posted by lightning9191

No it isn't too bad. Find someone to teach you how to cast or watch a youtube video on it (I'm sure they exist...they have videos on everything). Then go fishing....that is where I did a lot of learning. I use a 3x tippet for most things and if the fly is not turning over correctly I adjust my leader. The big first step is learning how to cast. If you can cast your fly accurately, then the rest is easy/frustrating...depending on how picky the fish are. Feel free to ask questions here as it seems we have a handful of flyfisherman.

I second lightenings post. As a former golfer.....I find fly fishing much more rewarding. I am a nature nut, so any excuse to get outside. In fact about the only time I golf any more is the check out the creeks or ponds located close to the courses.

[Scottw]

Originally Posted by kayak_rat

I second lightenings post. As a former golfer.....I find fly fishing much more rewarding. I am a nature nut, so any excuse to get outside. In fact about the only time I golf any more is the check out the creeks or ponds located close to the courses.

I live on a 31 acre lake in my backyard and usually take the boat out for some bass fishing on light spinning tackle or live bait fishing. I have a video that came with the rod but unfortunatley we were misplaced due to a house fire and I haven't watched it yet. I know I will have stupid questions for you going forward but I appreciate the encouragement. This is a pic of the lake.

[kayak_rat]

Originally Posted by Scottw

I live on a 31 acre lake in my backyard and usually take the boat out for some bass fishing on light spinning tackle or live bait fishing. I have a video that came with the rod but unfortunatley we were misplaced due to a house fire and I haven't watched it yet. I know I will have stupid questions for you going forward but I appreciate the encouragement. This is a pic of the lake.

Looks like heaven to me. Pick up some Bass poppers(top water) and some wooley buggers. Here are some patterns to give you ideas...this is from the Orvis site.
http://www.orvis.com/store/product_d...subcat_id=6521
These will work dual purpose for bass and panfish. There is nothing in the world like hooking a bluegill that doesnt want to be landed.

Check out the Fly Angler Online site. There is a great beginner section there. Tons of great info on patterns and such.

Honestly, you can watch all the videos and read all the books.....but nothing will teach you like being on the water.

[Scottw]

I will and like I said, come spring, I will have tons of questions I'm sure. My biggest question is how do you drink a bourbon and smoke a cigar while fly fishing? If you can't, then i will be willing to sell you my rod and videos for cost. I guess if there is a will there's a way huh?

[kayak_rat]

Originally Posted by Scottw

I will and like I said, come spring, I will have tons of questions I'm sure. My biggest question is how do you drink a bourbon and smoke a cigar while fly fishing? If you can't, then i will be willing to sell you my rod and videos for cost. I guess if there is a will there's a way huh?

Everything has its place my friend. The ciigar and bourbon are for when you are setting on the bank "resting" the water or observing the water. To be successful you must learn to read the water. Not to different from reading a green. Ha a good bud who could drive 300yd straight and a pin. Get him on the green and everything went to hell.

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by Scottw

Nice catches! My wife got me a fly rod this past christmas but I haven't used it yet. A buddy of mine told me it is more frustrating that learning to play golf. Is it as difficult as he makes it out to be??

There is a lot to learn but pick up a book or take a class or two and get started. Years ago my wife got me a rod/reel for Christmas. I picked up a book, "Flyfishing, First Cast to First Fish" by Joseph Petralia, and spent the winter teaching myself to cast. Once you start actually fishing you'll pick up something new with every outing. Also, if you can find people to fish with you will learn a lot very fast. Experienced or not it's a lot of fun.

[lightning9191]

Got out today to two different streams. The air temp was in the 50s (it was in the single digits earlier this week). I caught two rainbows at the first one and had a handful of bites at the second one. I caught the rainbows on an beadhead olive hare's ear and had the bites on a black woolly bugger.

[BarneyBandMan]

Originally Posted by Scottw

Nice catches! My wife got me a fly rod this past christmas but I haven't used it yet. A buddy of mine told me it is more frustrating that learning to play golf. Is it as difficult as he makes it out to be??

I agree with the others: it is not that difficult but requires a lot of practice. Putting a ball on the green from 100 yards may not be that difficult, but putting it 3 feet from the hole takes practice. Same with a fly rod: getting the fly in the creek is not that difficult, but putting it in the right place for a natural presentation does take practice.

Try placing on old tire or hula hoop on the ground and start trying to hit it in the center from 10 yards away. Then start backing up. Just watch out for foliage and friends and hornet's nests behind you.

And if all else fails, watch Brad Pitt's double-hitch casts in "A River Runs Through It," then go outside and "be" the Brad.

[lightning9191]

Got out today and did a little fishing. They stocked a local stream a few weeks ago. I worked it over with a black woolly bugger for the majority of the time and brought two rainbows in and had a couple others slip off. Not bad for mid-December. Anyone else getting out there?

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by lightning9191

Got out today and did a little fishing. They stocked a local stream a few weeks ago. I worked it over with a black woolly bugger for the majority of the time and brought two rainbows in and had a couple others slip off. Not bad for mid-December. Anyone else getting out there?

Nothing for me for 1.5 months now. Waiting for the steelhead fishing to shape up within the next week or so and I'll get back out. Sure do miss that trout fishing though.

[Steve]

Been too busy at work for awhile. It's finally slowing down and I caught the flu bug from a co-worker (thanks bud!). Things are starting to slow down and I am feeling better, so maybe I can sneak out this weekend or sometime over the holidays. I am hearing that the reds ar e TURNED ON in the flats right now.

Originally Posted by lightning9191

Got out today and did a little fishing. They stocked a local stream a few weeks ago. I worked it over with a black woolly bugger for the majority of the time and brought two rainbows in and had a couple others slip off. Not bad for mid-December. Anyone else getting out there?

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by steve

Been too busy at work for awhile. It's finally slowing down and I caught the flu bug from a co-worker (thanks bud!). Things are starting to slow down and I am feeling better, so maybe I can sneak out this weekend or sometime over the holidays. I am hearing that the reds ar e TURNED ON in the flats right now.

Took a trip to New Orleans last April and booked one day on the flats to fly fish for redfish with a guide. It was amazing! Sight fishing for those bulldogs is a blast. And they've got some shoulders; like to run and fight.