getting into fly fishing

[deeky]

I too am just getting focused on more fly fishing, so I understand your situation. Reading back in the archives of this and other sites, I was lost when names of fly patterns were thrown out. The best way I found to learn them was do a search for flies on the internet. Look for fly fishing websites or businesses that sell them. They will have pictures, names, and descriptions. I'm proud (relatively) to say that I can now tell the difference between a woolly bugger and a royal coachman. Plus, I am fascinated by the different patterns and variations out there, so it is almost like going to an art gallery of art that is actually useful.

As far as Sportsmans Warehouse, I was in there a month ago and I think some of them have names on them, but I'm not sure. IMO you're better off finding pictures on the web and going with that in mind. If the right one isn't there, you can find something close. Hope that helps.

From someone in the same boat,

Deeky

[Matt Breuer]

I edited the above post and put them in bold so you know what you're looking for.

[poutpro]

I found the site and printed off pictures of some of those flies that you suggested. I'll just bring the pics with me when I go look for flies that way if I don't see the name, I can just find something that looks the same.

[river-rat4]

I see that "pout pro" picked up a combo rod.

[Please read forum policy]

[Crosslake]

Poutpro:

To help get you started, I can tie up some panfish poppers and wooly buggers and send them to you. I am not the greatest fly tyer, but I can make a mean looking wooly bugger.

Crosslake

[tie flyer]

Crosslake - welcome to the forum! I see you're from Waconia. I grew up 6 miles from there.

I agree with Matt on clousers, poppers, and wooly buggers. A great color combo for panfish is yellow and black.

Judging from the amount of posting on this subject I think you can tell that others identify with the beginning stage of this addiction. It's a good one, though.

[SteveWilson]

Question on line weights and leaders for throwing the woolybuggers, poppers, and clausers for pan fish. Are talking about using a 5 or 6 weight line/rod with a rather normal 8-9' leader and 3x tippet, or something a bit more stout like a 7 or 8 weight rod/line?

[JP Z]

Steve,

You would only need the 7-8 weight if you are throwing the really big flys and say chasing donkey bass or Pike. For gills/Crappies a 5/6 weight is ideal.

[poutpro]

Crosslake - that would be absolutely great. Write me an e-mail at [email protected]. Thanks for the help.

[poutpro]

OK, I finally got my new toy out of the box and tied all the knots that it said to tie. Now I have a question on casting. When starting the cast what do you do? Do you have to peel line out until there is actual fly line all the way through the last rod tip? Also, how long was I supposed to have the tippet be that I tied onto my leader? Thanks guys.

[JP Z]

Poutpro,

You will need to make sure there is line all the way through the rod. I would highly recommend checking on a book about the basics of flyfishing. Flyfishing for Dummies is actually a good book I picked up on Amazon for $8 shipped.

[tie flyer]

Yes, strip line out until fly line comes through your tip top. Hold onto your leader or fly while doing so to prevent your line from pulling back out through all of your guides.

When starting a cast, strip out the amount of line you intend to cast first. You don’t want to be stripping line while you’re waving your arm; there will be enough things to coordinate when starting out. Once you have a pile of line equal to about thirty feet (your average cast when fishing panfish or trout) then do a few “false casts” to get the line out.

A false cast is a cast that you don’t allow to land on the water. At the end of the cast you start another backcast rather than letting the rod tip fall. You only need to make a couple false casts to get that line out. Yes, it’s fun and it looks cool but remember, the fish are in the water.

You will want to watch a video or go to a fly shop (ideally) for some casting instruction. To start out I don’t recommend false casting at all, just focus on picking up and casting. Pull about thirty feet of fly line out the end guide.

Starting with your rod horizontal and the line straight out from the tip, raise the rod slowly at first and then pick up speed until the last six to eight inches, where you give a power snap. The power snap “loads” your rod, or flexes the graphite. At the end of your power snap you have to stop abruptly. At this point your rod should be about 2:00 behind you (on the backcast).

Wait to start your forward cast until the line is straightened out behind you. At first you can glance over your shoulder to watch the line; in time you will learn to feel the line go taut. When it is straight behind you begin your forward cast, slowly at first and then speed up gradually until your power snap. This time stop your power snap abruptly at 10:00 in front of you. When the line straightens out then drop your rod tip, allowing the line to fall on the surface of the water.

You can practice this in your yard. Use a fly with the hook broken off. When you’re done make sure you clean your fly line with soapy water and then treat it with a commercial fly line ointment. It will last much longer and cast better.

Most of all, have fun!

[tie flyer]

Oh, and anybody who is interested in getting started fly fishing should come to Trout Day on April 30th. Even if you'll be mainly pursuing panfish you will have a good time down in the beautiful driftless country.

Most likely it will spawn another element to your obsession.

[Ice-9]

10 and 2, dude. 10 and 2.

If you can keep three rod lengths of line going then you're doing it.

We got you into this mess, we should help out. e-mail me your address at [email protected] and I'll send you some basic flies.

ice

[poutpro]

I was out practicnig today and was doing decent, but when I would try to bring the cast forward, the line wouldn't really want to keep going forward. It would kind of curl back towards me. Am I not letting the line go back far enough on the back cast? Or am I doing something else wrong? Thanks!

[JP Z]

Hmmmm,

Without really watching your form it is tough to tell. You need to make sure you are following the ol' 10 and 2 with your rod position. And you may have too much line out and not being able to "push" it with your technique.

[engadine52]

Hi PoutPro

Have been following your progress--your doing well. You have a good reputable starting outfit.

To add to some more advice.

FLY Indentification.- Order a couple of free catalogs from Fly Fishing mail order outfits. They often have color display pictures that show the flys and have the names printed by them. You can get ideas out of a Fly Fishing magazine and get the bigger mail order catalogs. They have the nicest color pictures.

CASTING.

I have tried to teach several people to cast fly gear. Laying the line out flat is often hardest to learn. You are probably doing a couple of things wrong.

The 10-2 casting position is common advice but I find people exagerate that, so I tell the 11-1, then they end up about right.

Timing the forward cast is next. Learning to wait (hesitate) on the back cast often fixes the forward cast problem of line not laying out flat. Actually look over your shoulder and watch the line lay out flat behind you before coming forward. Eventually you will learn the "feel" of that hestitation point to come forward.

Last- You may be trying to put to much muscle into it. Good casting is about loading the rod with the weight of the fly line and letting the rod do the work. Follow these steps.

Make sure your wrist stays locked straight and quick movement with our forearm. SNAP the rod back to 1P position, hestitate, SNAP forward to 11A position. Let the line lay out flat in the air and then settle lightly to the ground or water. In short order your arm will learn the feel of the rod loading and you can stop looking over your shoulder. Although I still do that a lot so not to catch the bushes.

Follow the advice of the previous poster: work with short casts while learning, 10 to 20 feet of line is plenty, and it will get you fish also. Wear camo clothing and be stealthy.

keep having fun, don't make it work!

[Craig_S]

Learning to cast can be a little frustrating. Every now and then you'll have the line unexplicably shoot out way further than you anticipated and right on the money. It'll seem like an accident, but that's exactly what you want to do! The hard part is remembering exactly you did to make that happen. Practice practice practice.

When I work with my 10 year old, I have him count a cadence out loud. "Push one two pull one two". With short line it goes pretty quick "p12p12p12p12" With more line it slows down "p 1 2 p 1 2". The one-two allows time for the line to straighten out. Try it! nobody's listening anyhow. And if they are who cares?

Craig

[poutpro]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I'll need to try them next weekend. I can't practice until I go home for the weekend, and I don't get to check the forum until I get back to school. I really want to thank everyone for all the help everyone is giving in advice and especially those who are willing to send me flies to start out with. I'll keep you updated on how I'm doing.

[koWALLEYEski]

PoutPro I have also been following your new obsession. I am willing to send you some flies that I got from my house. I got 5 or 6 woolies with the fly swatter and am willing to part with them. Talk to you later and good luck flyin

[poutpro]

kowalleyeski - you should get a cheap flyfishing set up and come out with me sometime for panfish. I think we would have a good time on that little lake north schmitts.

[koWALLEYEski]

what lake is north of there?

[poutpro]

Where we go to fish bass across the road from the big lake. The sunfish are always coming up to the surface and eating bugs.

[poutpro]

Ok, I have another question. I was thinking of bringing my new rig out this weekend for the first time trying for crappies and sunfish. After I cast out to the spot, do I reel in any slack line, or should there be none if it is a good cast? Otherwise, how do you tell you have a fish on? Do you feel a tug or see the line move?

[Jim W]

I would like to re-state,

there will be fly-fishing help at this years Trout Day.

As well as time spent on the stream. Guys will be on hand to talk fly-fishing and spin fishing, help with "set-ups", knots, casting, tackle and where to go etc.

Feel free to come on down.

Otherwise good luck in walking the streams!

Jim

[engadine52]

PoutPro

After the Cast- remember, use just enough line that you can cast effectively. Hook the line with your casting hand index finger and hold it snuggly againest the grip. With your other hand, pull in short sections (2-6 inches)through your finger. (This is called stripping line). Let the loop just dangle down from the reel so you are ready to cast it out again. No need to crank everything on the reel everytime.

When you hook a fish, keep the line trapped tight to the grip, hold the flyrod up vertical and high, and quickly reel up the slack line. Then you can bring the fish in on the reel useless it is really big. Then you get to do a tug of war, giving line, taking line.

Good fly fishing books and videos can really assist with developing your new addiction. Check your local library to borrow rather then buy. I can't emphasize enough how much they helped me. I am also a self learner.

DN

[engadine52]

Opps missed one of your questions

Keep a tight line (stripping slowly) between the fly and your rod. Hold the rod low, parallel to the water, and a slight angle off to one side or the other. When fish hit, you will feel the nibble or strike, just like tight line with casting or spinning gear. Also fly rods are quite limber, you may see the rod tip wiggle, and the end of the floating fly line can be watched like a bobber.

Set the hook and the fun begins.

DN

[ice_shack]

Quote:

---

Ok, I have another question. I was thinking of bringing my new rig out this weekend for the first time trying for crappies and sunfish. After I cast out to the spot, do I reel in any slack line, or should there be none if it is a good cast?

---

There will be times that you will have a little line left over. It's no big deal to just let it hang. When fishing for panfish the only time I use the reel is when I am packing up to go to a different spot. If you get a fish you can just hand strip the line in.

Quote:

---

Otherwise, how do you tell you have a fish on? Do you feel a tug or see the line move?

---

There are different ways. You could feel a tug or see the line move. You could use a strike indicator which is nothing more than a short piece of poly yarn looped into your leader. My favorite for panfish is to use a small popper or some high floating dry fly and then attach a 12 - 30" dropper to the bend of the hook and tie on a nymph. The popper acts just like a bobber but sometimes you catch a fish with it. I don't believe this is legal for bass so any time you are rigged this way you are fishing panfish if anyone asks.

Have fun, it's amazing how much leverage a panfish can have on you with that long rod!

[poutpro]

What is the purpose of stripping? Is it just to get the line tight?

[koWALLEYEski]

strip1 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (strp)

v. stripped, strip·ping, strips

v. tr.

To remove clothing or covering from.

To deprive of (clothing or covering).

To deprive of honors, rank, office, privileges, or possessions; divest.

To remove all excess detail from; reduce to essentials.

To remove equipment, furnishings, or supplementary parts or attachments from.

To clear of a natural covering or growth; make bare: strip a field.

To remove an exterior coating, as of paint or varnish, from: stripped and refinished the old chest of drawers.

To remove the leaves from the stalks of. Used especially of tobacco.

To dismantle (a firearm, for example) piece by piece.

To damage or break the threads of (a screw, for example) or the teeth of (a gear).

To press the last drops of milk from (a cow or goat, for example) at the end of milking.

To rob of wealth or property; plunder or despoil.

To mount (a photographic positive or negative) on paper to be used in making a printing plate.

HOPE THAT HELPS