Anybody here fly-fish?

[ridegrunner]

Hey guys, I'm looking to get into fly fishing after reading about it. I have one buddy who fly fishes, and my grandfather used to go all the time. My problem is I am a total newb. I don't even know where to start. I guess I need to learn about gear, basics, and just general whats what. Any help would be good, so maybe I can get ready before spring.

[wenahaone]

www.westfly.com might be able to help you out?

just post questions in the general section.

other than that, buy a cheap set up to start off. I really dunno what to say.

[flyfisher1965]

Fishing with a fly rod and flies that you have made and just catching a small trout is the closest you can get to the Zen feeling of being alive. I'm getting a lot older now and have slowed down but still go when i can. so any any info i can give let me know. I can talk about it more than do it now. Getting ready to retire and start lighting up again after to many years from not being able to indulge in the herb and some good fishing.

[wenahaone]

Originally Posted by ridegrunner

Hey guys, I'm looking to get into fly fishing after reading about it. I have one buddy who fly fishes, and my grandfather used to go all the time. My problem is I am a total newb. I don't even know where to start. I guess I need to learn about gear, basics, and just general whats what. Any help would be good, so maybe I can get ready before spring.

hey, dude that likes to hunt coyotes.

you've got more time than you think. Unless you're gonna fish stillwaters, you've got "spring run-off." most streams don't shape up until june...and the best time to fish streams is "septober."


anyway, was just gonna post that I might be doing some trout fishing on the upper klamath river "tailwater"(tailwaters are waters below a dam. they usually have more moderate temps and flows than other streams during the off season) in a couple weeks. klamath falls is quite a drive, but I've been wanting to give it a shot for quite some time. I'm gonna see what the guys on the fly-fishing forum think first.

[Gascan32]

love to fly fish and make my own flies nothin better than smokin and fly fishing but recently my new puppy ate my $200 dollar fly fishing rod in half. I'm just glad he didn't eat my expensive reel.

[wenahaone]

Yay! everything opens in 12 days!!! I'm gonna hit up the coast range before all the interesting people kill all the wild coastal cutts. new regs were put in place this year "for the children" or some shit. doesn't really matter anyway, because the same people who are gonna keep em' are the same ones who fish triple barbed hooked spinners anyway and the fish they release don't survive. anyway, I'm stoked for the season to start. I'm gonna spend a shitload of time up at our cabin and hit up the cascades hard.

The pic below is from the only trip I've taken this year. It was taken back in january when we went fishing on a spring creek in central oregon. it's a really sllloooowwww wide section of water. you can't tell from the pic, but the water is crystal clear, and my buddy can see the fish he's casting to.....he need to pull up his damb pants too!

[chreeschan]

just went on a float trip last friday on the au sable here in michigan, hitting up the hendrickson hatch. It's so helpful going with a guide sometimes...got a 20 inch brown trout after probably 20 minutes of casting over the same spot. It was about 6 inches off the bank so it was real hard to float the fly right over where it was but the hog finally sucked it in. Here's a bad pic.

[GoalieLax17]

6'6" hardy bamboo 4 weight here. My dad bought it 30 years ago and its still working beautifully. If you want some fun and can't find some trout, hook some smallies on a 3 or 4 weight and just sit back and enjoy the fight. Getting ready to do some float trips this coming month for some smallies and then hit up michigan this november to catch some steelhead. God i love this life.

[Calitoka]

i used to be instructor certified, my shit got stollen now im out, one day i get somethin was thinkng about the cheapo scientific angler kit. I los my winston and a couple of customs.

[weedshooter]

got really into flyfishing when i was a kid. i used to tie flies for fun, and practice casting in the yard. then i would get to go to the eastern sierras (mammoth lakes and biship areas in california) in the summertime to try my luck. never was able to catch much, but it sure was fun! i still have my 2 flyrods and reels.

my gf and i started getting into trout fishing this past winter. did most of our fishing with power bait. maybe next season i should drag out the fly gear and grab a few flies from the tackle shop.

every time i would see a float tuber or kayak doing the fly thing i would think what a great idea that was...

[wenahaone]

I like to get in the zone and take in my surroundings before I start fishing.

[Lotek-Rider]

i love it, its is a lot more fun then bait chuckin. Theres actually an art to it. Unfortunately i dont live by any streams... Just one big ass smelly river.

[ryeguy]

I try, but I'm not very good at it. I plan on taking some lessons sometime soon, but I have too many other expensive hobbies right now.

[wenahaone]

how to properly fish the fall river:

Go to the Orvis store in Bend.
Spend a minimum of $2500 to look the part.
Drive to the river. Remember, 22mph is the most advisable speed for such a long, straight stretch of road. Make sure to swerve at random intervals.
Park your forest green Subaru in any available slot next to all the other forest green Subarus. Mark your forest green Subaru by kicking it in the quarter panel. Your insurance will cover it later, anyhow.
Spend at least an hour rigging up in the parking lot.
Walk to the river. You may not fish in the tanks. As everyone knows, they are closed until the hatchery workers go to bed, at which point they become fair game. The big rainbows near the shed fight best in the round pool.
Walk immediately downstream until you see the most dense concentration of anglers. You will recognize the good fishermen by those who are in Orvis-approved garb.
The good fishing water is in between all those anglers. Elbow your way in and position yourself on top of the largest hatchery effluent pipe. Fish like big pipes.
Place your pre-selected fly in the water (remember, you had an hour to rig up; you damn well better have at least tied something on).
Cast it in the water.
Repeat.
Again!
Harder!
Harder!
More!
WHIP IT!
WHIP IT GOOD!
CRACK THAT WHIP!
Curse at the 'selective' fish.
Curse again.
Curse at the other anglers for 'lining' your water. The more you do this, the cooler you sound.
If they are unimpressed, throw rocks at the fish to move them within the hole. Larger rocks work better. Although it may take some trial and error, you will likely find that pumice does not work as well as other types of rocks.
Curse once more at the 'selective' fish.
WHIP IT!
WHIP IT GOOD!
CRACK THAT WHIP!
Pause.
If you have tied on a fly which cost less than $3.00, tie on a different fly. The more expensive and garish, the better they work.
Curse at the ducks.
Curse at the barking little yappy dog that lives across the river.
WHIP IT!
WHIP IT GOOD!
CRACK THAT WHIP!
Curse at the homeowners who have tied up the best casting angle to the effluent pipes.
WHIP IT!
WHIP IT GOOD!
CRACK THAT WHIP!
Curse at the hatchery workers who are erroneously attempting to explain that you must leave as the hatchery grounds are closed after 7pm.
Give up.
Walk back to your forest green Subaru. It's the one with the dent in the quarter panel.
Drive home (slower - it's getting dark out!).
Curse.
Kick your dog.
Kick your wife.
Curse.
Call your insurance agent.
Drink profusely.

Congratulations! You are now a real fly angler.




it's funnier if you're from Oregon, and have fished the stream. it's in the pic I posted many months ago a few posts up.

[Durchii]

You know, wenahaone, I actually understand where you're coming from.

I'm the only sorry son of a bitch out on the rivers and streams of Colorado wearing jeans, wading in sandals in the river, casting fruitlessly where there are no people fishing for a quarter mile... and you know what? Nobody else out there (even the guys covered in gear that cost more than my car) catches anything either.

At least at the end of the day, I remain humble in knowing that I don't have to catch two grand worth of fish over the course of a couple of years to make up for my new gear.