OK. For the first time ever I started. I bought a cheap rod and reel. Just to learn on. So I get down to the freshwater today just to throw a line in and bring the new set-up with me to set it up. I didn't bother to ask any questions or check any web sites for info on this. So I got my backing lin, fly line, and tapered leader shiiite. There is a 3x3 foldout of knots and approximate instructions. And I do mean approximate. So I proceed to tie on the backing and wind that up. There is an awfful lot of that shiiite. And then i try to tie that nail knot thing. OK. The loops cross and I end up with a C shaped piece of line. Try again. And again. And again. Good, got it right. Now wind that in. Now to tie the tapered thing to the fly line. Again. And again. Good. Got the clinch knot down in the dark if I need to. Nobody to teach or show how to cast. I've seen it done on TV a ton of times. Must be easy, right? Not so much. Caught a tree. Caught my jacket. Caught my hat. G-D fly fishing. After about an hour, I got something that resembled a 30' cast straight out.


It better be worth it

I taught myself fly fishing too four years ago. I admit, every cast I made, I was wrapped with the line. Thank God no one was around to see me. Fortunately I improved since then. What you said about hooking yourself, I think you're casting the rod too far back that it forms a circular loop rather than a tight loop. It'll take a while before you fine tune your casting ability, when you do, you'll never regret fly fishing. I know I haven't, I fly fish 90% of the time now with spectacular results. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or take a look at the fly fishing section. BTW, what weight is your rod? And are you gonna be using it for saltwater or freshwater fishing?

Yo Bassman18,
Nice to see another fan in these enemy waters. I have no idea what weight the rod is. It will only be used for sweet-water though. I got one of those Marlborough combos on e-bay for $8. I will be patient with it. I really needed to vent and had to do my best to keep it as clean as possible. Now I'm better and have checked out the fly boardd search option. If only I did that before I decided to become the greatest fly guy of all time.

And to all you sox fans, let's start early this time. Practice the following...

"Next year we will beat them!!!"

A yankee fan! the weight of the rod should be printed near the grip like shown in the picture (as you can see, it's a 2 weight rod). I just bought this rod, can't wait to try it out. Another great site to visit regarding fly fishing is www.flyanglersonline.com. It's the best site I have ever visited related to freshwater and saltwater fly fishing/tying. I highly reccomend that you use it to your advantage.

Good luck,
-Dave

Never expected this little guy to put up such a good fight

Now thats a sweet fish

flea flickin' and Yankme fans....
2 rule violations in Grump Phorum etiquette!
I phart in yer general direction... and --->
Ya both owe all us old Grumps 5 plugs each! :smash:

:huh: but I don't have any plugs :crying: but I got flies if you want them :D

Just try roll casting till you can get the other down.Nail knot easier if you do with small hollow tube even coffee stirrer and just slide end right up through tube.I use albright to tie lines together.Dont you just love the wind knots in the tippets

:af: :af: wind knots :smash: I lost a nice trout this summer to a wind knot :af:

Also, use the slip on leader loops that have heat shrink coverings to attach your leader to your fly line. It helps greatly and you don't need to use a nail knot.

Thanks for the advice most of you.
Karl,
I haven't started turning yet, but when I do, this summer, you will get one due to respect for those Sox.
Bawana,
Roll casting?

http://www.goulburnvlyflyfishing.com.au/Information/articles/Casting/roll%20cast.htm

I have that same Avid Rod, sweet stick, great for bushwackin in small stream stuff. Don't look for hero casts though..little small :D

Last year I had like 12 3-5 lb trout on the same rod while fishing the Colorado River in Az....SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET :D

That was a good link for the roll cast site --A guy in Maine showed me how to do this when he saw me struggling to learn to cast with a old split cane rod on a small trout pond.Then I saw a guy doing it at the Worchester Sportsman show years ago and he was real good at it.

Originally posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
I have that same Avid Rod, sweet stick, great for bushwackin in small stream stuff. Don't look for hero casts though..little small :D

Last year I had like 12 3-5 lb trout on the same rod while fishing the Colorado River in Az....SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET :D

niiiiiiice...good to know that rod can handle stuff like that. When I tested it at the shop, it sure felt good. Thankfully I'll be able to test it this weekend at the flatbrook river in Jersey and see if I can bag some trout :D

As for roll casting...took me a looooong time and many tangles to figure out how to do it properly, but it's one of the best techniques in fly fishing (especially in tight spots). If you master it well, it'll certainly help you greatly.

-Dave

I think the longest roll cast you will see with that rod is about 25-30' tops....too short for much use in that. It's actually a better dry fly rod from what I've found. Or small nymphs too.

Bassman, you're killing me right now ... :laughs: :laughs:

Originally posted by fishweewee
Bassman, you're killing me right now ... :laughs: :laughs:

:D :D it's got stripes, don't it? And it is the same family, sort of...

Salty, I'll probably be using stonefly dries, probably some size 18-20 dries/wets. Haven't learned how to use nymphs yet, but I seem to be doing pretty well on dries so far...:D Before I forget, which reel would you reccomend for it? I've already got some cortland 444 shooting taper ready to be spooled onto my argus flight 3 reel, but I'm looking for another one specifically for that rod. Thanks!

Best reel for that rod for balance etc is the Teton, forget the exact model # but it's like the smallest one they make, PERFECT balance etc.

Thanks, I'll look into it :btu:

Model 3

http://www.tetonflyreels.net/teton/productTeton.html

looks real nice, all I gotta do is find a job for this summer to pay for that reel...:soon:

Originally posted by denport
OK. For the first time ever I started. I bought a cheap rod and reel. Just to learn on. So I get down to the freshwater today just to throw a line in and bring the new set-up with me to set it up. I didn't bother to ask any questions or check any web sites for info on this. So I got my backing lin, fly line, and tapered leader shiiite. There is a 3x3 foldout of knots and approximate instructions. And I do mean approximate. So I proceed to tie on the backing and wind that up. There is an awfful lot of that shiiite. And then i try to tie that nail knot thing. OK. The loops cross and I end up with a C shaped piece of line. Try again. And again. And again. Good, got it right. Now wind that in. Now to tie the tapered thing to the fly line. Again. And again. Good. Got the clinch knot down in the dark if I need to. Nobody to teach or show how to cast. I've seen it done on TV a ton of times. Must be easy, right? Not so much. Caught a tree. Caught my jacket. Caught my hat. G-D fly fishing. After about an hour, I got something that resembled a 30' cast straight out.


It better be worth it

Laughing with tears in my eys, not at you but, that's about how I started, only I had someone suposedly teaching me. He just kept fishing and chuckling as I caught all those things you mentioned. Don't give up it will come and is worth the effort.

Pete

Originally posted by Karl F
flea flickin' and Yankme fans....
2 rule violations in Grump Phorum etiquette!
I phart in yer general direction... and --->
Ya both owe all us old Grumps 5 plugs each! :smash: :mad:

Just took inventory of the fly rods.

1- 9 FT 8WT Loomis GL3
1- 9 FT 9WT Loomis IMX
1- 9FT 8WT Thomas & Thomas Emerger
1- 9 FT 8 WT Orvis Silver Label TL
1- 9 FT 10 WT Penn International
1- 9 FT 7 WT Thomas & Thomas Emerger

All workhorse rods and all outfitted with Sci angler reels plus 4 Cortland Graphite series reels #100 and 120 for back-up

All reels have extra spools with Orvis depthcharge lines in 300, 400 and 600 depending on rod weight.

All reel have moncore lines as standard riggging.

Twoo extra spools in the 8 wt and 7wt class are rigged with floating lines as well . All moncore and floaters are weight forward lines.

I have over 500 flies I tied in deciever, clouser and hi-tie patterns as well as cinder worms and floating sandeels.

I always carry a flyrod or two when surfcasting. Just another weapons system for when the need arises.:)

sissy

doesn't anybody know how to read?! :af: :af: for the LAST time...I got no plugs:crying: :crying: :crying: well...maybe except these...but I could always use some more *wink wink, nudge nudge*

give me the rapala to the left in black and gold

it's only 2 2/8 of an inch...don't think it'll catch a lot of stripers for you :laughs:

I know how Big it is and wanna Bet it wont:D
been useing the J13 long long time
and other rapalas since 70's

sure, you might hook some stripers, but can you keep 'em on? If so, I'll take you up on that, but it's a plug if you can't :D