practicing

hey everyone. i posted this message in the northwest pa forum also. i plan on starting to practice fly fishing this summer before the steelhead season heats up. i dont want to sound picky but could anyone suggest some places to practice fly fishing. i would like to go to a place where i can catch any size fish and any species consistently if at all possible. i mainly need to practice setting the hook and landing a fish with a fly rod and reel.

mattsha... the size won't be the same, but if you aren't wanting to specifically practice on moving water I would suggest heading to a rural area and stop and knock on a few doors of farms with ponds. If you politely explain what you want to do you may get permission to do some practice on their pond. I haven't ever found a more cooperative group for biting than farm pond fish!


I see cbeagler beat me to my answer while I was typing

If you want a feel for the stream then, go down to Walnut and and practice your drifts at the Stop Sign Hole at Walnut Creek Access. When you come into the access the first stop sign that you come to. Play around with it, that is how I learned. Right across from the port o johns. Small ponds abound, or you can try the head of the bay, misery bay, the lagoons anywhere on the Peninsula.Have fun.

ORIGINAL: kingnuke32

You don't need to fly cast for steelhead in Erie, flip the line out with a bobber just like a spinning rod, snag fish in South mouth with sucker spawn and tangle everyone elses lines. Oh ya use 2# test and be amazed when fresh feesh break it. Welcome to the Thunderdome.

Love it.

Just go out on Presque Isle and find some shallow water and start casting with buggers or poppers. There are plenty of panfish in those waters and you might even catch a "toothy critter" (Pike/Gar). Casting for steel really isn't important, as stated. It's getting the 8-10 feet of smooth drift that's important. So go to some moving water that you can see thru, and practice with your fly, weight location, and float till the fly seems to be moving with the water column. If it drags . . adjust till it floats smoothly. Oh yeah, and practice. For the "feel of Steel' find a pond with some 4-5 pound carp and see if you can hook a few on a fly. One of my favorite "carp flies" is a 1/2 to 3/4 inch pom-pom stuck on a hook (or tied on like a big salmon egg) and soaked in cheese whizz, or oilve oil w/garlic. Carp love it! And they fight really well, , , for carp.

ORIGINAL: kingnuke32

You don't need to fly cast for steelhead in Erie, flip the line out with a bobber just like a spinning rod, snag fish in South mouth with sucker spawn and tangle everyone elses lines. Oh ya use 2# test and be amazed when fresh feesh break it. Welcome to the Thunderdome.

haha im still sorta new to this site but that even makes me laugh

ORIGINAL: mattsha

thanks for the help everybody. i started fishing for steel last fall and got absolutely nothing. i wanna change that this year

Then don't fly fish, get a noodle rod, some egg sacs and learn how to drift properly.

ORIGINAL: mattsha

thanks for the help everybody. i started fishing for steel last fall and got absolutely nothing. i wanna change that this year

If you just want to catch steelhead, don't use a flyrod. Use a noodle rod with single eggs, minnies, grubs, wax worms,or egg sacks.