New Fly fisherman!

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Deadbolt401
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2008/01/03 15:16:40 (permalink)

New Fly fisherman!

So, I'm new to fly fishin'. Got tired of seeing everyone catching 17,934 steelhead while i accidentally snag one's tail. Woot!

Anywho, I got myself a Redington 7 wt Crosswater 2 piece rod, and http://redington.com/aimg/x2_RDT5-3019R001.jpg that reel with RIO Mainstream WF7F line i think.

I've burned my eye sockets out searching the internet at 3 am for websites showing instructions and whatnot, but I still think a mans word ( or womans) is best.

So my questions are, what is the best way to fish a jig? Is it cheating If i catch my first fish on this rod on a minnow? And for my steelhead setup, is it basically the same ( floatwise, split, and flie) setup as my noodler!

I'm not being one of those guys, i know the best way for me to learn is get out there, but for now it's 10 degrees, Any websites or anything could help too, I'm sure I havent found them all..

Thanks to all !!!

#1

24 Replies Related Threads

    SilverKype
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/03 15:52:24 (permalink)
    "Is it cheating If i catch my first fish on this rod on a minnow?"
     
    Do YOU think it's cheating ?
    #2
    Deadbolt401
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/03 16:10:27 (permalink)
    Kind of yes...
    #3
    mxdad66
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/03 17:10:04 (permalink)
    Depending on the size of the jig & water flow you might not need any weight.If you do add a few small split shot a foot or so up from your jig.No float,maybe a small strike indicator,basically same as the noodle rod.Donot hesitate to ask any flyfisherman for help on the stream, everyone will help you out. As far as the minnow,if it work's,use it.
    #4
    smallhook
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/03 22:02:39 (permalink)
    Heck know thats not cheatin, thats fishin.  I got my first real flyrod this year and for over 10 days I couldn't catch any fish on a fly.  I put a minnow on one day and it fueled my summer long addiction of swingin bait with a flyrod.  You have to careful slingin minnies.  When pitchin minnies any distance you need to wait for the rod to load properly on your backcast before you sling the minnie forward.  If you push forward too quick the minnie rips off the hook.  Slingin minnies help teach me how cast right.  I finally learned how to catch bass on flies but nothing beats the way a smallmouth slams a minnie on a #6 octopus hook.  As far as steelhead are concerned this year I had equal success with hand tied suckpawn and eggsacs on a hook.
    post edited by smallhook - 2008/01/03 22:07:56
    #5
    kyler16
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/03 22:47:01 (permalink)
    deadbolt Ive caught plently of trout and steelhead on my fly rod with emeralds. but recently Ive learned to tie flies and have also learned the proper way to fly fish with nymphs and other flies. One day on the yough below ohio pile a guy was throwing minnies and having no luck I talked to him a bit then switched to a zonker and sure enough I was catching trout right where he threw a minnow. Dont get frustrated. Learn to switch tippets and leaders. trail and error has been my word of advice I can give. Heck I was catching just as many steelhead this past week on small nymphs as some were catching with minnows. but then you can say to yourself how hard is it really to trick a fish to hit a minnow compaired to a nymph that you tied yourself? 

    "If you kill it, eat it. If you eat it, cook it right."
    -Steve Rinella
    #6
    krott243
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/04 00:23:11 (permalink)
    The best way you can learn is from mistakes, get out there and try it.

    The Lord has blessed us all today... It's just that he has been particularly good to me.
    #7
    mossy oak
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/04 03:36:00 (permalink)
    Just stay away from Krott and 71GTO....they are bait fisherman and will lead you down the path of darkness.
     
    MO

    so save your breath I could not hear, I think I made it very clear...


    #8
    fishenfool46
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/04 04:04:30 (permalink)
    dead you try out flyanglers online.com? lots of great info.

    I didn't say these are the ten suggestions
    signed God
    #9
    Bowhunter
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/04 08:56:28 (permalink)
    Deadbolt,
     
    I wouldn't say it's cheating, but at the same time if your using bait, then your not fly fishing.
    There's plenty of times I've used bait on a fly rod, I just don't call it fly fishing in that case.  But what the heck, I'll catch fish anyway that's legal.
    #10
    spoonchucker
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/04 10:35:47 (permalink)
    It's not cheating, and I've flung some bait with the flea pole when the fish were not taking my flys. The question I have is, if your going INTENDING to use jigs, and, or bait. Why not just take the noodle rod which is more functional for that type of fishing? It's not the fly rod that's catching all those fish you see being caught. It's what is at the other end of the line, and how it is being presented.

    Get Informed, Get Involved, And Make A Difference.

    Step Up, or Step Aside


    The next time you say "Somebody should do something", remember that YOU are somebody.

    GL
    #11
    Deadbolt401
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/04 12:23:24 (permalink)
    Well, your right spoon. But I just basically just want to get my first fish on a fly rod outta the way. And my question about jigs, was there because I never knew it was that simple to fish them.

    I guess the only advice is experience.
    #12
    silverman47
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/04 20:47:09 (permalink)
    Deadbolt,
     
    If it helps any i landed my first steelies on a flyrod probably about 12 years ago fishing jigs, i hammered them that afternoon.  As far as you fighting the steelhead to long, ignore those smart alecks, you had every right to fight it as long as you needed to.  As a tip though, like other guys have said side pressure action works fantastically in helping to land a steelie.  I experimented with this several years ago, and what a difference in landing time, plus it helps the steelies survive better if your releasing them, last latic acid build up.
     
    great luck to you and keep on enjoying this great steelhead fishing!!!! 
    #13
    pafisher
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/05 01:47:55 (permalink)
    As far as using bait with a fly rod.....I remember the time that there were no spinning rods and reels....so everyone was using a long rod and many were using bait.....when spinning tackle was introduced to the US from europe everyone became a fisherman and it went downhill from there...the amount of new bees that is.....don't take this wrong,I use spin tackle but really enjoy the long rod.In case you're wondering when the spin gear came to the US,I remember it being in the late 40's or early 50's.
    The only real way to learn to fish flies is to get out there and do it.
    #14
    PeteM
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/05 02:23:05 (permalink)
    Have fun and try not to catch too many trees.
     
    Would a woley bugger be the fly equivalent to a jig? Cause those are fun to fish, and the trout seem to attack them.
     
    #15
    go-n-fishn
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/05 20:07:03 (permalink)
    I guess it goes back to your first sentence "fly fishing" if your using a fly rod to bait fish thats "fishing bait" . Its not the what kind of a rod your using its whats on the end of the line. So your not fly fishing your bait fishing. You just happened to be using a "fly rod" to do it with. Thr only way you could be cheating is if your snagging. Then thats cheating.

    There will be days when fishing is better than ones optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home.
    **Roderick Haig-Brown
    #16
    avidangler
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/05 20:48:35 (permalink)
    Flinging minnows w a fly rod isn't cheating, but it can be a real pain and not as easy as you think.  I would say leave the minnows at home and stick w flies.  Don't get me wrong I fish minnows every trip but i'm chucking a centerpin and theres no roll casting or flinging.  Jigs on the other hand would be a great thing to use, they will stay on and can be abused alot especially seeing as your starting out fly fishing.  I fly fish for trout alot, steelhead almost never anymore.  Strike indicators would come into play when fishing a jig as it will suspend the jig above the bottom.  I still use Sucker spawn and glo bugs alot as well as small nymphs and have many days that they will fish with or sometimes even outfish minnows and eggs.  I would start out with these flies and stay away from bait on the fly rod.  It will make for an easier fishing experience and u may suprise yourself on how easy they can be to fish.  Good Luck...
    #17
    Deadbolt401
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/06 13:58:13 (permalink)
    Thanks everyone for the feedback.

    Fishenfool thanks for the website, its great!

    I'll stay away from minnies, now that i've casted, theres NO WAY ill be able to keep one on a hook.. lol.

    I got some good flies thanks to bughawk, and am really looking forward to hitting the streams for my first trip, i may hit elk later this week.

    So what are the good colors of wollybuggers? Black and Olive? Hell, do they come in more colors?
    #18
    doubletaper
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/07 13:46:53 (permalink)
    i've done my best with olive buggers and did well on white. i'm sure guys have caught steelies on other colors too. don't be affraid to use a bugger off a rock shelf even in cold weather. good luck.  

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #19
    PeteM
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/07 15:38:14 (permalink)
    I can't speak for steelhead in particular, but I've done very well with dun(grey), black, black and gold, black and blue, done with crystal chennile. They seem to like the shiney.
     
    They're fun to tie too, but thats a whole other obsession in itself.
     
     
    #20
    vinestbrew
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/07 16:20:47 (permalink)
    I have had luck on sucker spawn ...better yet crystal meth in Chart. white and pink
    *******you might want to learn to roll cast makes things easier in those smaller streams
    #21
    elephanthead
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/07 18:32:58 (permalink)
    Take it all. Fish it all. Just put a bend in that rod......  Dave
    #22
    matsif
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/07 19:42:52 (permalink)
    I do my best on 16 or 18 sucker spawns or crystal meths in varying colors.

    also done well on black, brown, and olive buggers, and some nymphs tied with bright estaz or other flashy materials
    #23
    Deadbolt401
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/08 12:22:17 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: vinestbrew

    I have had luck on sucker spawn ...better yet crystal meth in Chart. white and pink
    *******you might want to learn to roll cast makes things easier in those smaller streams



    I'm trying a roll cast. Slowly getting better at it.
    #24
    fishnabarrel
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    RE: New Fly fisherman! 2008/01/15 19:58:31 (permalink)
    i think the roll cast is the easiest cast to make it still took me some time to learn it tho
    #25
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