15 replies to this topic

[JakeKelley]

Hello everybody! I am going on my first fly fishing trip! My dad pulled out of his closet two beautiful Orvis fly fishing rods. I have been practicing my cast for almost a month and now have it down. I can't wait for our fly fishing trip, but here in lies the problem. We will be fishing in a creek no higher than my ankles. I have a pair of waterproof gortex hiking boots and was wondering whether I could just use those for the trip. The other problem is we only have one reel for our 2 fly rods. I found one on the orivs website for 98$ which is about the same price as the on sale wading boots. So what should I get the wading boots or the reel?

[mtn dog]

Buy the reel but don't spend $98!!! For a beginner, all a fly reel needs to do is hold your line. Wet-wade in old tennis shoes or your boots.Since you are talking about Orvis, I see red flags popping up everywhere! They will try to convince you that you need gear, gear, and more gear. The more $$$ the better. Stay away from those vampires. Remember, you are pursuing a creature with a brain the size of a pea! Keep it simple.All you need to do is get your fly in the water. Ankle-deep creeks can hold some real surprises and you sure don't need waders for that. In fact, you might do better to stay well back from the water, and keep low in stealth mode because those fish will be spooky. Find a copy of "Curtis Creek Manifesto"... a fun, useful book about how to keep flyfishing simple, cheap and fun.http://www.amazon.co...a/dp/0936608064BTW... This advice is coming from someone with 47 years of flyfishing and professional fly-tying experience.

[Thumper Dunker]

That is a good book. Keep it simple A fly rod for trout need not be fancy Get one at Walmart. I would get a simple reel and a cheap # 8 rod and line so you can use it on sunfish (bluegils crappy ect and bass).

[JakeKelley]

Thanks we have a #7 and #9 fly rods from orvis which are beautiful so I only need the reel. Also what type of flies should I use? We have hundreds of different flies in our fly fishing room but don't know which to use.

[Hipshot Percussion]

You will find amoung flyfisherman a huge amount of equipment snobs, if it don't cost alot it's no good. Most of the people that are selling rods and such are usually aligned with a certain company and will point in that direction. I have been flyfishing for 45 years and can tell you use the rod you can best cast with, and the easiest way to do that is go to the flyfishing shops and cast the rods. From my personal experience I have $800+ rods and also have $200 rods that I use depending on what I'm fishing for. On smaller water I use a 3 wt rod on med - large rivers I use a 6 wt . What most of the guys here are saying about the reel is on the mark, I use several of the Orvis reels that are being talked about. Cabelas has several reasonable priced reels. For the boots, depending on the time of year your fishing winter steelhead, neopreams are a must otherwise the lighter weight ones do fine. It's hard to beat the Cabelas waders pricewise and wearwise. Once you start flyfishing chunkin bait will be a thing of the past. Be forewarned flyfishing is like golf there always something else to buy!

[mtn dog]

Thanks we have a #7 and #9 fly rods from orvis which are beautiful so I only need the reel. Also what type of flies should I use? We have hundreds of different flies in our fly fishing room but don't know which to use.

Most of us are constantly trying to answer that question. It depends on where you are going and when. Bring a variety of patterns and then look closely at what is flying or swimming where you will be fishing. Explore Ralph Cutter's website. His books are also excellent for the simple approach.http://www.flyline.c...ns/hatch_chart/Cutter has spent a lot of time underwater, observing trout. He estimates that 90% of the bugs that trout eat are drifting underwater and the other 10% are floating on the surface. In spite of that fact, flyfishermen tend to use dry (floating) flies 90% of the time. Get the message? If I could only have one trout fly for fishing the Sierra trout creeks it would be a Bird's Nest nymph for below surface or Cutter's E/C Caddis for a dry fly... but that's just me. There are no right or wrong answers. Like hunting the fun comes mostly from just getting out and trying different places and methods.

[mtn dog]

Once you start flyfishing chunkin bait will be a thing of the past. !

However, you can really kick butt by catching large nymphs or helgramites under the rocks of the stream you are fishing and stick them on a very fine wire hook. (Assuming bait is allowed in that particular water.) Takes some finesse to gently cast them but there is never a question about getting the fish to bite on the bugs that live right there. If you discover you like flyfishing, your skills will skyrocket when you decide to leave your spinning rod home and just work the flyrod. It's hard to master when you have lures and bait as a back-up plan.Ditto on the golf comparison. Learning both sports can be equally expensive AND frustrating in the beginning. I said good-bye to golf after a few lessons and two games. If I want to get that frustrated, I prefer to do so with a gun or a rod.

[JakeKelley]

Thanks mtn dog! I have been practicing with my fly rod for a while. I love it, even though I haven't even fished yet lol! I can't wait to go! If anyone has any tips for me please say so.

[peeker seeker]

Make sure the streem or river is open to fishing this time of year... You are going into dangerous ground there is no turning back... You think shooting and reloading is addicktive wheight tell you catch a fish on a fly.. then comes tieing your own... Fethers, hides, fur and thread, hooks books and more and better stuff and on and on HE HE HE HE Then you start tying for looks and not for use...

[JakeKelley]

I already am addicted and haven't even started it. Help I am an addict fly fisherman!

[pete]

Good luck with the fly fishing! Just remember that its fine to keep it cheap. My setup is a Sientific Anglers 5/6 wieght rod I got off eBay for $30 reel is a Martin "Tuffy" that came with a cheap starter kit, waders... just go barefoot if its not too cold, if your waters are particularly freezing get some inexpensive rubber boots from a hardware store they will keep you from wanting to run out into the middle of the streem and spook the fish. Keep it all in a vest and be in stealth mode. As for flies, use what is there naturaly, thats what the trout will eat. Most of all remember that your there to have fun and be outside!

[Heywood]

+1 for Scientific Anglers. It's hard to beat the quality for the price and their reels get pretty good reviews. I have one of their reels and a spare spool so I can go from floating to sinking line quickly. Your boots should do fine for wading if it won't spill over. I have used a cheap vinyl pair of stocking foot hip waders in a pair of sneakers before with good success when traveling light. For going cheap you can't go wrong with theseThe fish don't know or care what gear you have as long as the presentation is good and you're casting the right fly for the area.Good luck and have fun! Oh and don't forget to take pic's we love 'em here!

[JakeKelley]

Thanks. We won't be fishing for another 2 weeks, cause we are waiting for the weather to heat up a bit. Where my dad and I are fishing it is in the low 40's at mid-day. But in 2 weeks should heat up to the mid 60's.

[mtn dog]

Jake,You'll enjoy this:http://www.xtranorma.../watch/7795583/

[pete]

Well said mtn dog. Cant beat the cheap.

[CoyoteHuntress]

Any of you fly tiers need elk or deer hair let me know.. I tend to have a steady supply, used to donate it to the boy scouts but then I moved sooooo I got it if you give me a heads up Ill save it instead of throwing it away...