Got a fly rod, now what...

[leeaspell]

Was walking around crappy tire and seen a fly rod package. Only $50 so I know it ain't the best but figured I'd grab it. So got home, watched some videos and practiced in the back yard. Got the basics of casting down but have no idea on what king of flies to use. Planning on trout and grayling to begin. Any tips or tricks for a fly fishing virgin.

Anyone done any fly fishing around whitecourt?

[fish gunner]

wade in to knee deep water, start flailing. after a few hundred hours of undoing tangle practice. you can then start to practice removing hook from trees, grass, fence some times your self. one day many many years from now you will have learned how to cast, then you can start to understand the ten million flies. hopefully one time in the far far future the stars will be in alignment and you will hook a fish which you will promptly lose due to your inexperienced actual dealing with a fish on a fly rod. jk welcome to the quite (humbling ) addition.

[leeaspell]

That's actually how I pictured it going. Lots of flies left in trees lol

[fish gunner]

first you have to work on line tangles, before you can get a fly to travel far enough to snag a tree. jk. start small at stocked trout pond or on a slow open stream. only fish with the wind blowing the line to your strong side L-R for a right handed person. start practicing with a reasonably large dry fly with the hook broke off. work on casts of maybe 20' trying to maintain a consistent loop and casting stroke. in time you will work out how to change your cast timing to gain distance. if you plan to fish small streams, accuracy will be the skill you will have to work on most. a good stream fishermen may never cast more than 30',yet be able to place his fly on a dinner plate 80-90% of the time. a lake oriented caster may hit 50-60 ' in unfavorable winds and be capable of hitting say a car hood every time (allowing for some error due to the distance.) the best tip I received, get a yarn rod for practice in the house or garage.

[fish gunner]

whoopsy

[leeaspell]

What's a yarn rod?

[fish gunner]

they actually make such a thing. I suggest the top section of an old rod. wrap some medical tape a hands width to the bottom. then attach 6-8' of bright yarn to the bottom most eye . run the yarn through the eyes. presto one indoor fly rod for practice. lots of vids on you tube, giving better discription. this will help you understand timing, loop control, the fast stop,pause,drive,fast stop. 10 and 2 ,10 and 2. getting late, will return to thread on the morrow.

[FlareKing]

Originally Posted by leeaspell

What's a yarn rod?

I got mine with a instructional vid I ordered from New Zeland I got this past winter. I have decided to make myself use my fly rod from here on out.

[BGSH]

Pheasant tail Nymph.
CDC Emerger
these are great flies, give the a try if you have floating line.

[leeaspell]

I got floating line. I didn't even know there was sinking line lol. That's how ignorant i am to fly fishing. I tried watching a fly fishing show to learn some stuff, but it was Mariko Izumi, so i was more watching her than the fishing lol

[quiteeye]

Originally Posted by fish gunner

wade in to knee deep water, start flailing. after a few hundred hours of undoing tangle practice. you can then start to practice removing hook from trees, grass, fence some times your self. one day many many years from now you will have learned how to cast, then you can start to understand the ten million flies. hopefully one time in the far far future the stars will be in alignment and you will hook a fish which you will promptly lose due to your inexperienced actual dealing with a fish on a fly rod. jk welcome to the quite (humbling ) addition.

That's really funny! But um, get 40 - 60 file try get a couple of each size and color start with basics nymphs, bead head nymphs, maybe streamers and stimulators. All depends on target! I don't know much about grayling. I'm going this weekend. For bows I fish them under the surface for the most part. Even emerges work well and have caught a couple on flies I don't even know the names of. I got into fly fishing in April of this year. No doubtingly caught over 300 fish on it since. Lol Northerns & rainbows. It's easy to get the hang of it when you fish every day