Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Tracker0721 on January 31, 2016, 12:07:45 am
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Well, my dad hates it, no one else I know does it, but whenever I talk about making my own bows and arrows and stone points I always feel weird then talking about throwing rapalas and bass boats. Been interested in fly fishing forever but am finally taking the plunge. Any of you guys and gals fly fish? Any suggestions on equipment or tips and tricks? Mostly gonna be going after trout in the river. I got a couple books and DVDs but am debating building my own rod or not.
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Ask around and see if You can find someone to take You under their wing and get You started.. I'd wait before building a rod - wait and see, You'll now better after a bit of practice what style of rod that You want. Where Ya located ? Bob
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I dabble in flyfishing and really enjoy it. You mention river fishing so I will suspect you may need a 6-7 weight rod/line. I fish mosty mountain streams and catch 4-10 inch trout and I use 4 weight rod with double taper floating line. Different tyoe lines can do different jobs, from casting small light flys to heavy large bugs or streamers. The last 5-9 feet of tippet can also vary in size and weights for what you are casting. Lots of variables to choose from. What kind of water and what kind/size of fish will determine what set-up you will need.
Mudhole.com offers rod building material and has lots of sales.
Good luck and enjoy the journey
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I really enjoy it but don't get out as much as I'd like. One thing I wish I knew in the beginning is that the line has a very large bearing on casting. A good line will make a so so rod feel and cast great and it is more cost effective than buying a really expensive rod. I would also look into fly tying. That can be as fun as fishing.
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What Adam said.
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Well my mom knows one guy who's a world class steel head fly fisher, so maybe I'll have too see if he's into taking a new guy out, though I'm just sticking to the Kettle and Columbia river. We have a lot of really good mountain lakes too here in NE Washington but I'd imagine the river will be a bit easier to start. My biggest fish out of the kettle river was a 23" rainbow trout and I caught it by throwing a fly me and my brother made with my spinning reel. Which we made flies for a year or so but that was 10-12 years ago! I'll definitely have to get back into that. Buying flies is probably like buying arrows, a lot cheaper to make em yourself.
I found a fly pole and reel in my dads fishing room. It's a Cortland Brown Topaz 5/6 with 5 weight WF F line. Seems like it wouldn't be a bad start. Though by the dust I'd imagine it hasn't been touched in the 10 years since he was given it.
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My wife's cousin is Jimbo Busse, google him. I have a 9 wght and a 3-4wght. The big one for Largemouth Bass and saltwater and the little one for Pan fish.
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theres so much to know. i was fortunate enough to have a local tying club that meets weekly. as far as my top pointers go, watch the river, ( dont just jump in and start casting). follow the hatches. and just get out there. regarding casting, keep your arm tight to your body as if holding a book in your armpit. there should be little to no wrist action at all. its a forearm movement from 10 oclock to 12 oclock.
as tying goes, keep your tails only about the same length as the hookshank, dont start too tightly on your deer hair, and wrap your bodies, hackles, etc. opposite direction as you wrap your thread. cheers bud
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Love it. I live in a state riddled with trout streams and a few are Blue Ribbons. I will fish for anything that will eat my bugs. Bass, gills, chubs, trout and so on. My best advice? Buy a good rod right off the bat and don't dink with the cheapys. They DO NOT cast the same no matter how much they look the same. I learned that quick after watching Drew cast effortlessly in front of me. If you spend $200-400 on the rod only, you will have something.
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I found a fly pole and reel in my dads fishing room. It's a Cortland Brown Topaz 5/6 with 5 weight WF F line. Seems like it wouldn't be a bad start. Though by the dust I'd imagine it hasn't been touched in the 10 years since he was given it.
that will get you started just fine! replace the line, and cast in the yard then hit the river.. Most newbies get hung up with all the little details, fly size, leader size/length, hatch match, and so on. Hit a local fly shop for some suggested flies, and then just go. The river and fish will help you figure things out, casting, mending and line control are the big things to learn river and how the current effects your line/fly.
If you get frustrated, take a break and just slow things down. If there are other fly fisherman on the river, watch and learn or talk with them, same with the people at the fly shop.
Good luck, take pics and remember just being in the river is a blessing!
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Go for it! You will love it. Get with some one that does fly fish, and they can point out your mistakes. Practice at home, without a fly, learn the basic types of casting, standard, roll cast, tower cast, bow and arrow cast, and practice the proper arm movements, like they said, don't use your wrist, the rod tip does the work. Also when doing a roll cast, always tip your rod out away from your body, so the the fly does not catch you. When you practice, check for wind knots. They are knots that form, from the tippet being whipped, like a bull whip, or snapping the rod tip. The set up you have is fine. When you get more into it, and can afford it, get a G. Loomis, or if you really want to spend some money on the Rolls Royce, of fly rods, order a Morgan. You will have to wait, but it is piece of art work, and extremely well made, and it is like a part of your body. But he may not be around for too much longer, last I heard he was not in good health. His Girlfriend, has been helping him, and doing much of the work. His rods are known, and bought all around the world. NOT CHEAP! You could buy a very fine rifle, for what one of his rods will cost you. Anyway, once you get the hang of it, you will like it much more than a spinning reel, or bait casting reel. I first got started, using a cheap K-Mart reel, and a cheap Kmart rod, I used it for sea trout fishing, and bass fishing, with a stepped leader, it worked great, and I learned a lot with it. I have a couple of nicer trout rods, but no Loomis, or sigh..... Morgans. Fly tying is like bow, and arrow making, or flint knapping, you will get hooked, on it no matter what your beginning flies look like. By the way, ugly flies will work fine also, from my own experience, and I read an article where a top notch fly tyer, would not try to make a museum quality fly, when on the river, or lake, or where ever, but a crude resemblance of what ever was hatching, or the trout, were feeding on, worked just fine. I have caught bass, on nothing more than a bare hook, and a coco plum leaf. Fish aren't fly critics, just wary, and hungry. Once you get the basic casting techniques, down, then try to finesse your presentation, so that the fly, lands on the water surface, as if it just dropped out of the air, or lit there, not with a splash. Learn how to loop your line, so the fly does not drag, in the current. And always keep your line clean. There is a lot to learn, but you can get by, and have a fantastic time, just getting out there, and doing what you can, and you WILL catch fish, regardless of your present skill. Have fun, and get at it, before the season ends. Keep reading the books, and watching the dvd's etc. Enjoy.
Wayne
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So in primitive fly fishing, would a selfrod be a cane pole?
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Nope! Even a bamboo rod is glued together. Still not a selfrod :)
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If its just a cane it would be. Split cane rod is quite technical. But heck bamboo is bamboo ether way. No reason a little glue makes it modern. I mean we use glue on our bows right
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It would have to be in the Backed rod of the month as a BBBBBB ;)
If you are looking for something that is addictive you will find it in fly fishing and tying... But dang is it fun
Thanks Leroy
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I've been practicing my cast and definitely need some practice on "smoothly" letting out more line. But once I get it out I had a 20 yard cast going and hitting a piece of dry ground(snow covering everything else) that was only about 3-4 feet in diameter. I'm getting pumped. Anyone know of something that would work in a lake(rivers frozen) for trout, bass, or white fish in the winter? The lake is all frozen shut but where it drains into the creek it's ice free. Creeks are closed till April.
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Cant lose anywhere with a wooly bugger.
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Cant lose anywhere with a wooly bugger.
..... with a little split shot tied on about 8-10 inches up from the fly, enough to bounce it along the bottom letting out into the deeper water ......
Also use in winter a salmon egg pattern, bright pink, almost ridiculous looking, fished the same way as the woolly bugger, with and without the shot, depending how deep and fast the water is.
Tight lines
Russ
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I have one I got in a fly trade on here years ago. I didn't know what to try and use it for down here.
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Eddie you can catch anything on a bugger that eats shrimp or squid. I like cone head buggers because they are heavy and get down if need be.
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Yep that or a "Mudler Minnow"
Wayne
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Look into Tenkara as well. Tons of fun, Not so much dependant on your casting skills. I have 3 fly rods in my truck just about year round.
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I just saw an Oregon Outdoors episode on tenkara. That looks like my kind of fishing! When I was a kid I used to grab a short rod and go crashing up little streams and creeks. To brushy for casting or fly fishing but they would have been perfect for tenkara. Now I know about it and I'm too old to go crashing up creeks anymore.
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It is a lot of fun, more about catching than it is about casting. My Tenkara rod is a 16 footer.
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16 foot! I'm thinking a 9.5' fly rod is long. Holy moly. Well I found a river that's open and in frozen, been practing the past few days but am thinking it's time for me to go try in water. My dad has suddenly laid claim to his pole so I'm thinking about going to the sportsmans warehouse and just buying the kit I saw there. 4 section 9.5' 5/6 rod with a arbor reel, fly case and few flies, and a case for it all. 180 bucks but I can't remember the maker.
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Tracker - Orvis has a decent kit - 8.5 or 9 foot 5 weight rod, reel, line, tippet and a case for abt $169. Can't go wrong with Orvis, IMO.
What is Tenkara? I briefly googled it. Are we talking about a super long telescoping pole with a bit of tippet off the end? Kinda like the old bamboo poles that got the bait out there thru sheer length of pole? No reel - just lift the pole to bring the fish in? Sounds like just the right thing to get my kid on the stream with me - do ya think????
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Whoa, had no idea orvis had a kit so cheap. Found a shop that throws in a case, fly box, and a dozen flies for 199. Though orvis sent me a gift card for 10 bucks already
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Tracker - Orvis has a decent kit - 8.5 or 9 foot 5 weight rod, reel, line, tippet and a case for abt $169. Can't go wrong with Orvis, IMO.
What is Tenkara? I briefly googled it. Are we talking about a super long telescoping pole with a bit of tippet off the end? Kinda like the old bamboo poles that got the bait out there thru sheer length of pole? No reel - just lift the pole to bring the fish in? Sounds like just the right thing to get my kid on the stream with me - do ya think????
Yep, thats the one. Due to the telescoping nature of the pole it can be used as short or as long as needed. It also packs very well. Mine has a small length of twine on the end, with a knot. All you do is use a girth hitch to attach your line to the twine. You can still cast, or you can bob your fly on the surface, and it is every bit as exciting as fishing top water for bass. the fish will explode out of the water to get a fly, even if it is a few inches above the water. Another plus is you don't spook the fish with the line hitting the water.
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Skipping that fly across the water is called "dapping" in England. It can be deadly to fly-shy trout that have seen every presentation the local fly fishing shop offers!
I scored a wonderful custom made 5 wt fly rod in a trade in here and I am seriously thinking this summer is gonna be a lot of fun. I know of a few nice stockponds where a canoe and some light poppers will provide me with bluegill feasts fit for a king! I might even try flicking fleas at these panty-waist effeminate Black Hills trout. Be danged if I will wear the "just right" vest, waders, hat, etc....I am going in the creek with flipflops, cut off jeans, and a PBR t-shirt.
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I don't know JW, I've always heard trout prefer to be caught by someone with a proper hat ;)
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I don't know JW, I've always heard trout prefer to be caught by someone with a proper hat ;)
'Sides, I am such a flipping lowlife, I would just eat 'em.
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Yeah, they use those long out rigger rods in Ireland, and it is also called dapping, and the flys are like the size of a gnat! I am with you J.W. I just have a couple of Courtland reels, and one or two .....frrssszzztttcckkt...(Brain Fart) Seems someone reached into my book of memory, and tore a page out. Guess I shouldn't leave it in the out house..... It is a Japanese fly reel, but can't remember it. Bought it a couple of years, ago, and haven't use it yet. Still using the Cortland, and their rod, and sometimes the shakespear rod. I would like a nice G. Loomis, or my God, a Morgan, just to put poppers on and smirk at the multi thousand dollar outfitted fly fishing snobs. OH, yeah, by the way, pan fish flys, and poppers catch trout also! Some friends of mine were camping on the Clark Fork river, in St. Regis, Mt. and one had a few beers, when a float boat with a guide, and a man with his wife were in the boat, and she was not fishing, but he was, and he was all decked out with fanciest of everything kit, and he saw my Buddy, and asked if he was doing any good, he replied not too bad, and held up a stringer of nice and big browns, and the guy says, wow, what fly are you using? My Buddy, says, a number 7 red wriggler. the guy says, what is that? My Buddy, held up a Styrofoam container of worms, and pulled one out, and said this. The guy, says, oh.... YOU"RE ONE OF THOSE GUYS!..... My buddy, held up the stringer, and says, how many have caught today? The guys wife starts giggling, and the guy, just glares at her, and they go on down the river, with the guy trying to finesse his casts..... Ah....wait, the brain cell is starting to glow a bit.... the reel is an O.....something.... Well I am not going to go down to the shop tonight, just to dig it out of my vest....uh....Okuma...something like that. anyway, whatever it is I have one. That is as fancy as I have, and and I still have a ball, and catch fish. Like I said, I have a five dollar Kmart reel, and low on sale, rod, wally world, or Kmart, and Courtland line, that I used to catch Sea Trout, in the grass beds, in the Intra Coastal waterway, in Florida, and just might try it salmon fishing. I simply could not see paying $250 -350 or more for a salt water reel, and then that much and more for the rod, some coming to over a thousand dollars, when I can catch just as many sea trout as they can on my cheap rod. There is no super duper hyper machining that is any different than that used to produce my aluminum reel, versus their brass reel. Any way, you don't need the outfit used by Mr. and Mrs. Got Rocks, to be successful, and have fun fishing.
Some of the stuff, can make a difference in the ease of casting, and presentation, and such, but I have never been able to afford those things, so I would not know how much of difference it would be for me, I just know that what I am using, is far superior to what was used in the nineteenth century, and they caught a car load of fish, and had a ball. For you northerners, and youngsters, that is a Southern term, referring to a train car, or box car. So I am happy as can be with my outfit. Just clarifying that. As for plain ol most fun fishing, no matter how fancy, and scientifically made fishing outfit, you still cannot beat a simple cane pole, and a can of worms, for shear simple fishing pleasure, and means of getting a stringer of blue gills, stump knockers, sun fish, and other pan fish. Now add a Sub Way, Italian,whole wheat sub, with extra pickles, Jalapenos, and black olives, tomatoes, onions,and American, and Swiss cheese,salt pepper, oil and vinegar, and an ice cold PBR, aww man, it just doesn't get any better. Crap now I am hungry again, and I already had supper, and my PBR for the night! Just get a rig, and go fishing, you will get your finese along the way!
Wayne
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Are you thinking of Okuma? That is what I use. Works great for what I do and for the price.
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Yep, that is it. Halfway through my post, my lone brain cell lit up, and I remembered it. Thanks.
Wayne Are you thinking of Okuma? That is what I use. Works great for what I do and for the price.
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Went ahead and went with the Redington PATH combo and amazon has a box of 100 flies for 30 bucks that's the best seller in fly fishing. Luckily I saved my amazon gift cards from Christmas! Thanks for all the help guys!
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That combo will do you just fine, The Orvis Encounter is right in the same ball park.
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4 reasons led me to the PATH over the Encounter. The reel is metal, the line is better quality, the case is for rod AND reel, and it has a lifetime "unconditional" warranty on everything in the kit. Where the encounter has a plastic reel, cheap line, case for the rod but only a fabric pouch for the reel, and the warranty is only for factory defects with the rod. Both good rods from everyone I've talked too, just the kits are totally different
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I was just in my shop, changing out a chainsaw, chain, and went into the bedroom, there, and I saw my fly rod, and remembered that I also have a couple of Martin reels. Been pleased with them also.
Wayne
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I learned to fly fish beside my graddady 7,8 I guess.
My advice is this WALLMART 6 weight,8 foot 4# leaders floating line. Pack of cheap brightly colored pack of flies. You can up grade as you improve.
Start out by finding a big lawn and practice casting a few times untill your getting the hang of it.
Go find you a farm pond with open banks keep your casts short to 12,15 feet and learn as you catch perch. You learn better when you haveing fun. You'll learn to cast better (longer) as you catch perch. I started both my boys like this as well as some of the boys the hung out with.
You learn better if your haveing fun.
They both love fly fishing.
Read (learn) all you can about rod weights, Flies learn what kind of flies to fish for what fish and when (best time of day), or time of year and how to float the fly in different waters. Learn to tie knots you'll need. Sounds like a lot to learn. It's not really just start with farm ponds and perch. Enjoy and move forward when you fell like it's time.
I'm a hunter and the idea go's hand in hand with fly fishing. You have to hunt your fish ,you must know this habits as he grows. What he eats (what flie hatchs are comeing off (hatching) the water. And what time they uselly come off. How to get close to him.
You need to know all you can about you target fish. Just like gobbler or buck hunting. I you have any other questions PM me.
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So in primitive fly fishing, would a selfrod be a cane pole?
I have a friend who recently started to make short (5-6 ft) and light (aftma 3-4) fly rods from Phyllostachys bamboo stalks that he harvests in people's gardens (after asking for permission). Not glued together or so, just a naturally tapered stalk, lightly heat treated. Really nifty primitive and each one is unique. He locates the eyes/guides at the knots, customizes a handle and off he goes. Good for trout fishing here (nothing really big around here, 40 cm is a big one), as long as you don't need to cast very far.