Fly Fishing Newbie Here.

[JeremyCampbell]

I was given a fly rod w/reel about a couple months ago by one of my clients for work.(Free) Tried to figure out if I should sell it or learn how to catch something with it.I decided I would give it a try.I know its pretty early to be out wading in my area but what kind of direction should I take to learn some of the basic things to get started? Thank You

[redneckdan]

Cruise youtube for some basic casting videos, then get out on the yard for some practice. By the time the ponds thaw you should be good enough to cast for some pannies. Lots of fun and a great way to get your feet wet so to speak.

[mainbutter]

Ditto on what dan said. I've never had personal instruction (though I'm sure I could benefit from it, I'm just antisocial), but have learned to catch fish with flies and a fly rod on my own.

Definitely go panfishing. I like it best when the water is warm and you can see them chasing your fly.

[Slabasaurus]

I was given a fly rod w/reel about a couple months ago by one of my clients for work.(Free) Tried to figure out if I should sell it or learn how to catch something with it.I decided I would give it a try.I know its pretty early to be out wading in my area but what kind of direction should I take to learn some of the basic things to get started? Thank You

RD and MB both had good points there.

The Orvis Fly fishing learning center is pretty helpful... Pretty informative videos.

Fly Fishing Learning Cetner

Also... This video would have really helped me when I was starting. Really helps explain a few things in a way that is pretty easy to understand.

[OnAFly]

Couple problems I see with newbies are:

1 - Moving too fast and jerky. Slow it down, you're propelling a string with a flimsy rod, things take time to load up.

2 - Breaking the wrist. A stiff wrist keeps things lined up. Try tying the butt end of the rod to your wrist so that it stay straight. This will help you out initially.

3 - You're going to be terrible at it at first. Don't give up.

4 - Don't bother trying to cast far. Get the basics down and make a 20-30 ft cast. The more line you have out, the more your timing will influence your cast.

5 - Wear sunglasses, be prepared to whack yourself in the back with a fly.

[mwal]

Everyone has given good advice from youtube to wearing glasses. Just get out on the lawn and start doing it when the snow is gone. Do not get discouraged and prepare for some fun chasing panfish as soon as the ice is gone. They along with bass are great on the flyrod all season. around Sartell you should have many lake and river opportunities to try. Once you feel comfortable casting popper and streamers smallmouth are made for flyfishing.

Mwal

[Ufatz]

Gentlemen: Keep one thing in mind-casting a fly line is ten percent of what fly fishing is all about.

Think about it.

[JeremyCampbell]

Took a look at the you tube videos.They touched on a couple of casting methods and said to practice them in the yard as you guys said.They really wanted you to learn a non aggressive way when casting.Lifting the rod up as it was an extention of your arm to 12-1 o'clock angle .I think it was saying also where your reel is pointing/facing that is where your fly will target.I was reading in some of these fly fishing sites it really sounds like there's a lot of things to learn especially with the flys and which ones to use for a number of reasons.This is only day one for my introduction to fly flishing.Tommorrow I'm going to watch some videos on tying knots and possibly something about the subject on flys.

[ted4887]

Gentlemen: Keep one thing in mind-casting a fly line is ten percent of what fly fishing is all about.

Think about it.

Care to elaborate what the other 90% is?

Jeremy - Fly selection should be kept relatively simple at first. Just like gear fishing, you want to put something in front of the fish that resembles their prey, or triggers a predatory reaction. If I was just starting out and only wanted to dabble in the sport a little bit, I'd look to about 5 different patterns.

These are the flies I'd stock up with if you're planning on targeting bass and bluegill in your local waters.

1) Conehead Woolly Bugger (black or white, size 8)

2) Clouser Minnow (White/Chartreuse Size 4)

3) Foam Poppers (Small and medium sizes in yellow)

4) Beadhead Pheasant Tail Nymphs (Size 12 or 14)

5) Copper John nymph (Size 12 or 14)

With the first three flies you shouldn't have a problem catching plenty of bass. The last 3 patterns (smaller popper) will catch you all the panfish you could hope for. These flies are all super basic flies, that are proven workhorses. Buy a few of each, and wait for spring to get here. In the meantime, take your rod out to the backyard and tie a small piece of yarn to the end of your leader and start practicing your cast. If the weather sucks, you can always try to figure out what the other 90% of fly fishing is all about. I'm stumped

Knots can be kept simple at first too.

I'd try to learn how to tie these few knots, some of which you probably already know.

Clinch Knot or Double Clinch (For tippet to fly connection)

Triple Surgeon or Blood Knot (For tying extra tippet onto the end of your leader)

Nail Knot (This is for your leader to fly line connection. It's important to know in case your fly line doesn't have a pre-welded loop, or you break the loop in the line while your out fishing)

Side note - If you struggle with tying a nail knot by hand, like many people do, go buy yourself a $5 tie fast knot tool and keep it in your tackle box or vest.

If fly fishing becomes something you really think you'll like and want to cut the learning curve WAY down, then get in touch with a guide.Off the top of my head, I know that Kip Vieth from Wildwood Float Trips is local to your area and specializes bass fishing. A few hours with a guide could shorten your learning curve by weeks, or even months. The guys down at the Fly Angler/Thorne Brothers also offer cheap casting classes and other beginner classes come spring that could help you out too.

[Ufatz]

My point was that way too many people concentrate on casting a fly line and assuming that is "fly fishing".

How much do you understand of reading a creek or river to determine WHERE a fish may lie? How do you know which fly to use and when? Do you understand what a fly line taper is, why it is tapered and how that can be used to produce more fish? Can you balance a line and rod when the rod does not have a line stamped on it?

What do you know about bugs, which ones are important to various species and what the life cycle is of an important bug for the species you seek. When does the bug hatch? What does nymph look like and is it useful in catching a fish?

Fly tying: understanding hooks by size, type and actual weight. Which hook is best for tying which fly? The whole gamut of fly tying alone can occupy a guy for years! Ha!

Line management: how to get a clean drift with a dry fly; managing extra line in your left hand after casting; can you make a curve left and right cast to get around obstacles?

Safe wading-there are tips and tricks to get you safely in and out of stream or crick.

Which of the myriad fly fishing tools are truly useful and how do you use them. You can literally load down a neck lanyard with "tools" to the point where you can't walk! Ha!

Leaders! understand how important they are, how they are compounded and how to tie your own. And knots: good grief you can drive yourself nuts learning about the various knots. How many do you tie WELL and how many do you really need to know.

Can you fish a nymph or wet fly without an "indicator" (I call 'em bobbers-same thing!) The various hand strips and retrieves. How to properly net a fish.

Yes, you clearly DO need to learn to cast well. But that is only the beginning of "fly fishing". What do you know of the history of the sport/ How has tackled evolved?

Most guys today don't care about much of this stuff but IF you know it and IF you spend some time learning you will enjoy fishing with an artificial fly much more. It is a sport rich in history, practiced by many important historical figures and a known curative for a busy mind.

You can go into it to whatever level is important to you. But to describe casting a fly line as "fly fishing" leaves a lot out.

[Slabasaurus]

My point was that way too many people concentrate on casting a fly line and assuming that is "fly fishing".

How much do you understand of reading a creek or river to determine WHERE a fish may lie? How do you know which fly to use and when? Do you understand what a fly line taper is, why it is tapered and how that can be used to produce more fish? Can you balance a line and rod when the rod does not have a line stamped on it?

What do you know about bugs, which ones are important to various species and what the life cycle is of an important bug for the species you seek. When does the bug hatch? What does nymph look like and is it useful in catching a fish?

Fly tying: understanding hooks by size, type and actual weight. Which hook is best for tying which fly? The whole gamut of fly tying alone can occupy a guy for years! Ha!

Line management: how to get a clean drift with a dry fly; managing extra line in your left hand after casting; can you make a curve left and right cast to get around obstacles?

Safe wading-there are tips and tricks to get you safely in and out of stream or crick.

Which of the myriad fly fishing tools are truly useful and how do you use them. You can literally load down a neck lanyard with "tools" to the point where you can't walk! Ha!

Leaders! understand how important they are, how they are compounded and how to tie your own. And knots: good grief you can drive yourself nuts learning about the various knots. How many do you tie WELL and how many do you really need to know.

Can you fish a nymph or wet fly without an "indicator" (I call 'em bobbers-same thing!) The various hand strips and retrieves. How to properly net a fish.

Yes, you clearly DO need to learn to cast well. But that is only the beginning of "fly fishing". What do you know of the history of the sport/ How has tackled evolved?

Most guys today don't care about much of this stuff but IF you know it and IF you spend some time learning you will enjoy fishing with an artificial fly much more. It is a sport rich in history, practiced by many important historical figures and a known curative for a busy mind.

You can go into it to whatever level is important to you. But to describe casting a fly line as "fly fishing" leaves a lot out.

That orvis site I linked early on in this thread goes into a lot of this information...

Comments like this last one here tend to deter people from even tryin to learn fly fishing. yes, you should probably learn all that stuff at some point, some of it is needed right away, but definitely not ALL of that is needed to decide whether or not you enjoy the activity and might want to dive in a bit more.

[bobbymalone]

Comments like this last one here tend to deter people from even tryin to learn fly fishing.

I'm not a pro fly fisher, but I've been doing it for a while. I would forget about reading streams and riffles and hatch matching and basically trout in general for while.

Go to your favorite bluegill lake and figure out how to work a fly rod. then worry about trout if that's your thing.

I had been fishing gills and bass for a couple years before I tried trout streams and I'm still overwhelmed and still suck at trout on the fly.

[ukefish]

I started fly tying before I started fly fishing. Last winter I tied about 100 different flies, then went and took a trip to SE MN and caught a bunch on rainbows. My favorite pattern for stocked rainbows is a green wooly bugger size #8. For wild rainbows, small nymphs work quite well, unless late in the season then try your bigger patterns. I have only fished trout so far, but this year I plan to expand to panfish and Largemouth. Be very careful when choosing tippet, I messed up and got some really weak and cheap stuff, scientific angler makes great tippet. For a leader I like orvis, and my rod, reel, and line are from a cheap cabelas outfit. Though I was talking with an experienced fly fisherman I met on the white water river and he was surprised by the quality of the rod, I only paid 40 bucks for it! Tight Lines!

[Alagnak]

It's only as complicated as one wants to make it. You can have a ton of fun with a crappy rod n reel, a good line, and a hand full of flies on any local pond.

[Ufatz]

I agree with everything you boys say. If you will recall, my only point was that "fly fishing" is more than just learning to throw a fly line around your lawn. Truly you do not need to get deeply involved with some of the other aspects. But the more you know the more you'll enjoy things.

And so you'll know I started tying "bass flies" in northern MN as a 7-year old and used a Heddon Bamboo rod. I had no lessons and there was not another "fly fisherman" within a hundred miles so far as I knew. That was nearly 70 years ago. And I caught bass and sunfish and even a few pike on those flies....tied with black nylon line, crow and bird feathers and pliobond cement. Ha HaI

It was not my intent to intimidate anybody nor discourage others from learning about fly fishing. Just wanted to open some eyes and be sure we were all talking the same talk.

Fly fishing is more than just tossing a fly line around.

[UpperSippi]

It's only as complicated as one wants to make it. You can have a ton of fun with a crappy rod n reel, a good line, and a hand full of flies on any local pond.

This has got to be the best advice. I started last year and caught hundreds of smallies on one pattern, a white popper. Can't get much simpler than that.

[JeremyCampbell]

I'll give it a try when it warms up.This is going to be interesting...Hopefully no ones watching me on my first time lol

[JP Z]

You'll do fine. It is a very fun method to chase fish with. And it can be extremely....EXTREMELY productive. Especially for early season crappies with a clouser or a mickey Finn...........oh boy it can put those Puddle Jumpers or tube jigs to shame.

[OnAFly]

I'll give it a try when it warms up.This is going to be interesting...Hopefully no ones watching me on my first time lol

If you make it down to the north end of the cities some time, PM me and I can give you a little feedback. There's a couple decent places to catch fish on a fly

[JeremyCampbell]

Thanks,that would help a lot.l will add you on the bud list thingy on my profile so I remember .

[sunniewally]

ONCE YOU CATCH A FEW CRAPPIES SUNFISH AND BASS ON A FLY YOU CAN,T HELP BUT GET HOOKED ON FLY FISHING!! LoL YES IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE ONCE IN A WHILE, ESPECIALLY IN A WIND BUT YOU CAN LEARN TO USE THAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. FIND A SPAWNING BED AND HAVE A BLAST. MY WIFE DOES IT AND HAS BALL.

A WF LINE MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR ME COMPARING TO A LEVEL LINE. TYING FLYS JUST ADDS TO THE FUN BY TRYING NEW CREATIONS. DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO IMITATE A BUG.

[Ufatz]

Huh? What? I can't HEAR you! LOL