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easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/2/2008 7:46:25 PM   
TransAmWS6

 

Posts: 703
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: West Mifflin
Status: offline 		Ive been flyfishing about 10 times and ive caught fish each time but only on drifting egg patterns,  what are some of the easier flies to use when starting out?  Does nymphing take more skill or is it pretty much drifting?  ive done alot of reading and flyfishing seems so complex with different insects and everything.  what are some of the basic flies that catch fish year round?  thanks for the advice. 
Post #: 1
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/2/2008 9:26:02 PM   
Cold


Posts: 724
Joined: 3/27/2008
From: Latrobe, PA
Status: offline 		Wooly Buggers!  Easy to tie, easy to fish.  In fact, its the only fly I've landed trout with.  Black, White, and especially olive.  Got a gold beadhead?  So much the better!

(in reply to TransAmWS6)
Post #: 2
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/2/2008 9:35:01 PM   
dru2112


Posts: 202
Joined: 10/24/2007
From: indiana, pa
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Cold

Wooly Buggers!  Easy to tie, easy to fish.  In fact, its the only fly I've landed trout with.  Black, White, and especially olive.  Got a gold beadhead?  So much the better!




yep, not to get too complicated but buggers, egg patterns and things that look like worms like san juans.  that's about as basic as it gets

(in reply to Cold)
Post #: 3
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/2/2008 10:10:16 PM   
Random Hero

 

Posts: 15
Joined: 11/29/2007
Status: offline 		Black stone flys have been good to me over the years!! IMO indie fishing is a very good way to start off!! 

(in reply to dru2112)
Post #: 4
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/2/2008 11:39:55 PM   
theBamboozler

 

Posts: 5
Joined: 8/30/2008
Status: offline 		Pick up a steelhead fly assortment from Fishusa.com.  Those are some good flies to get started with.  You can pretty much fish any of those flies all season with some good results.

(in reply to Random Hero)
Post #: 5
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/3/2008 9:19:19 AM   
indsguiz


Posts: 2033
Joined: 3/24/2005
Status: offline 		TransAmWS6,
    I noticed that your post was about fly fishing in toto not just for steel, so here's my take:  By now I'm pretty sure you understand the basics of fly fishing and the best way to get better is by  practice.  Now for a good selection of flies, In my opinion:

     Streamers:  Wooly bugger  -  Olive, white, black
                      Marabo Streamer  -  Black, White,  Pink
                      Muddler minnow  -  Elk hair

     Nymphs:   Bead head peacock
                   Hares ear
                   Stone fly - black, brown
                   Caddis  -  cream, black
                   Copper john

     Dry Flies:    Mosquito
                     Adams
                     Pale Sulfur
                     Royal Coachman  -  one of the best all-around flies
                     Black ant  - fuzzy

    Speciality:   Single egg  -  orange, pink, cream
                     Sucker spawn  - orange, pale orange
                     Grasshopper  -  Joes' hopper
                     Soft hackle brown body

    Nymphing is basically little different than fishing a piece of worm or actual egg you just shorten your presentation and watch/feel your line for the hit.   Nymphing is usually the best way to start fly fishing, then move up to the dries.  Should take you about a week.
    If you don't already have gear  -  Start out cheap or borrow some from a friend to learn the basics.  Don't blow a lot of money on gear, you might not like it.  But do try to get some good flies.  Fish USA has some nice flies and some knowledgeable people who can help you.

< Message edited by indsguiz -- 10/3/2008 4:29:29 PM >

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Illigetimi None Carburundrum

(in reply to theBamboozler)
Post #: 6
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/3/2008 10:24:36 AM   
doubletaper


Posts: 1025
Joined: 10/15/2007
From: clarion, pa
Status: offline 		to add,
brown woolly buggers are good in dirty water
dry= caddis are on almost every stream and river in p.a. have different shades and sizes.
nymph= latex caddis, looks just like a maggot and are a killer fishing pellet heads

_____________________________

beer and whiskey makes me frisky
but it's fly rods and trout streams that excite me

it's not luck
if success is consistent

(in reply to indsguiz)
Post #: 7
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/3/2008 12:21:03 PM   
anadromous

 

Posts: 1951
Joined: 11/16/2006
Status: offline 		Pick up books and read,read, read....

(in reply to doubletaper)
Post #: 8
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/3/2008 12:57:34 PM   
Esox_Hunter


Posts: 486
Joined: 8/2/2006
Status: offline 		Books are god but, there is absolutely no replacement for time on the water. 

Nymph fishing is not that hard to be proficient enough to catch fish, however mastering it can and will be a life long task.  For the most part entomology is not that important for steelies and stocked trout.  As long as you can distinguish between mayflies, caddisflies, midges, crustaceans, and stoneflies you pretty much have PA covered.  By doing some quick searches on them you will find most of them are easily identifiable.  There are tons of generic fly patterns to represent the various forms of aquatic life.  Pick up a rock, see whats on it, and match it with something that has the same general profile, size, and color.  Aside from spring creeks and some wild trout fisheries in PA that is the extent of entomology you need to help select the "proper" fly to use. 

These guys already gave you lots of ideas for flies to try.  Good luck on your soon to be newfound obsession.

(in reply to anadromous)
Post #: 9
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/3/2008 2:19:35 PM   
Cold


Posts: 724
Joined: 3/27/2008
From: Latrobe, PA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: doubletaper

to add,
brown woolly buggers are good in dirty water



On that note, I usually switch to white in the late evening to help me pick out my bugger in the water.  My success rate seems to always drop off in the late evening, though too.  Is this because white isnt a good color in twilight, or because the fish are sleepy?

(in reply to doubletaper)
Post #: 10
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/3/2008 3:40:05 PM   
TransAmWS6

 

Posts: 703
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: West Mifflin
Status: offline 		indsguiz, thats a pretty good list.  can i use all those flies year round or are some completely out of the question during certain times of the year?  thanks

(in reply to Cold)
Post #: 11
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/3/2008 4:44:52 PM   
indsguiz


Posts: 2033
Joined: 3/24/2005
Status: offline 		TransAm,
   Now I don't get into entomology like some but I'll usually observe the creek and see if there are any fish rising.  If there are, I'll first try a mosquito especially on small streams for brookies.  If I can observe any hatch coming I'll try to get as close as I can and then go for it.  Sometimes though, deliberately going against the hatch can be effective.
   Terrestrials or speciality flies can be used well almost all the time.  Terestrials: Hoppers, ants, crickets, bees; are usually targets of opportunity for fish and they will hit one (properly presented) almost any time since hoppers are big, and big flies mean less energy to get more food.  I once found a spot by a creek where a honeybee tree overhung the creek.  I tied on a bee pattern and had a great time.  You see bees will dump their dead out of the hive and the entrance was over the creek.
   Spawn type flies can be very good almost any time but are very effective when any species of fish is spawning.  That's when some fish put on the feed bag and hit hard.
    Your streamer type flies can be very good in moving water and when fished in a retrieve.  The muddler minnow, weighted and fished deeper under creekside structure can be a killer.
    I would advise buying a good book and just reading because all the information I have and others on this board have could occupy a post for days.
    I hope my little bit of info helps.   Dude just experiment and go for it.  Some of the most fun is when you get something to work when it shouldn't.  One of my best days was a day when the fish were hitting a tiny brown bug.  I didn't have any of the bugs so I just tied on a experimental coachman and I killed the fish; caught about 20 in 2 hours.  The rise and the strike are all it for me!.  Especially when I fool a big fish.

_____________________________

Illigetimi None Carburundrum

(in reply to TransAmWS6)
Post #: 12
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/8/2008 4:09:33 PM   
razmatazz05


Posts: 229
Joined: 11/17/2006
Status: online 		i'll show you some new stuff on saturday TA!  mending, droppers, swinging streamers, bring the 4 weight!  i've got most if not all the flies indsguiz mentioned.

_____________________________

I'd rather snag a thousand flies in trees than go to work today.

(in reply to indsguiz)
Post #: 13
RE: easiest way to start flyfishing - 10/8/2008 4:11:29 PM   
TransAmWS6

 

Posts: 703
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: West Mifflin
Status: offline 		good cuz ill be wanting to try them out. lol, im pretty sure i mend my line already, lol just didnt know there was an actual word for it.

(in reply to razmatazz05)
Post #: 14
RE: easiest way to start fly fishing - 10/8/2008 6:13:45 PM   
beerman


Posts: 3672
Joined: 1/14/2002
From: Key West, Florida
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: anadromous

Pick up books and read,read, read....
 

A good book to read is "Fly Fishing for Dummies" 
I've referred to it often.

< Message edited by beerman -- 10/8/2008 6:14:25 PM >

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changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes....nothing remains quite the same

The Beerman ~ Greg

(in reply to anadromous)
Post #: 15
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