Now into my 7th decade on this marble, I decided to learn to fly fish. Anyone else learned this late in life? My son is a you tube devotee. I tried that with golf and I can now almost hit the ball every swing. There's got to be a better way.
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New Skill for Old Guys
- Thread starter Black_Fly
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If you stick with it you will be learn(ing) to fly fish the rest of your life. You will never learn how to fly fish. I’ve been learning to tie flys and fly fish for 30 years now, 300+ days a year at one point. I would spend 4 hours with someone who can teach you basic casting and if you still have interest you’ll be off. Books and YouTube will make a lot more sense then. Good luck.
barry
barry
I have been fly fishing my whole life, but have never been really good at it. My Dad claims I caught more fish in 1954 at the age of 4, than any other year so far. The secret to becoming a good fly fisherman is to find people with skill to go with, get enthused and learn from. There is no substitute for practice. You can use a bare line in the backyard and practice landing in a tire. You can read all about what fish eat and how to fool them, but there is no substitute for having a mentor and getting out and wading.
I'm planning on taking up the actual act of canoeing again in my old age, instead of just reading, writing, recollecting and dreaming about it. I finally got my canoe van fixed this summer, but too late to go anywhere warm. Next is to clean it, my Duluth packs and tent.
And then to spend $5,000 on a new but unnecessary canoe for next season!!!
Maybe.
And then to spend $5,000 on a new but unnecessary canoe for next season!!!
Maybe.
One of those things that is as easy or complicated as you want. No need for fancy gear to get started. Enjoy the time and don’t get frustrated- you will figure it out with time spent.
Bob
Bob
To make it easy at first, make sure your line is weighted forward, greatly enhances the ability to shoot the line out there. It can become a sickness, like canoe building, because if you like it, you will start tying flies and muttering about the price of premium rooster capes. Before you finish up, you will spend several thousand dollars. Have fun!
I started out several years after retirement. I really didn't worry too much about being really good at it. I aimed for some minimal level of proficiency. I caught fish. That was enough to make me happy. I have not done a lot of fly fishing, I mostly did it when backpacking in the Sierras. I fished the tiny streams where the trout were hungry and plentiful. I bought an inexpensive outfit from Cabellas some flies that were commonly used where I would be fishing and basic stuff. I didn't spend all that much. Heck the sticker shock for the non resident fishing license was a bigger shock than the gear was. The bottom line would have been worth it if it had all been for one trip out west. My education amounted to watching a few videos and then seeing what worked.
I recently received an inexpensive fly rod and reel, and was gifted some really nice flys and streamers so my plan is to go slowly, “mainely” fly fish from my canoe and see how it goes. I’m not sure how far I’ll take but I’m optimistically looking forward to some good times.
Some good advice in the previous posts in this thread.
Some good advice in the previous posts in this thread.
Good plan. Enjoy. Do keep in mind that you don't need to really go down the rabbit hole unless you want to. It is easy to forget that. You can casually have fun at it or you can let it become a full on obsession. I am sure either can be fun. I chose and enjoy the former.
The secret to fly fishing is to go somewhere with a lot of fish that have not been caught before. Pack trips and raft trips have allowed access to wild country where few people have fished before. Then even average equipment and beginning technique can be successful. I can remember catching 4 different species of trout in the same lake, catching golden trout every other cast, and catching all the fish we could eat lots of times, but not near the house, near a paved road, or near anything.
The fishing in BWCA was good for smb, walleye and giant northerns especially after about 8 portages.
The fishing in BWCA was good for smb, walleye and giant northerns especially after about 8 portages.
Well, that's encouraging. I'll have to go to Cabelas and see what seems reasonable. I'm sure there's a fishing store in Hayward that can give me some advice.
Headed out next week for some fall lake fishing. It is a simple form of fly fishing I really like. Find 8-10 feet of water near inlet streams and fish woolly worms with a sinking tip line. We will be using size 12-16 in olive, cinnamon and black. The big rainbows don't know it, but they are in trouble. We will use a drift boat with an 8 hp Honda to access the north end of the lake and then travel with oars on the fishing grounds. A drift boat allows great freedom of movement and standing up on a stable platform that makes it great for fishing. Boat dog Ruby Begonia will be along to help locate fish.
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In our town there is a few guys that give workshops, and there is always one or two avid fly fisherman/woman that are more than happy to initiate new people to the “sport”! Try to get in touch with such person and man you will cut your learning curve/time in at least half!!
I am really no good at fly fishing but others who do do it say that being there in the river is what counts and catching some fish is the bonus. Fish can sense that I'm no good, that's transmitted through the rod, through the fly line, the leader and the fly, where the fish picks up on that and will not bite.
Having said that, I've enjoyed flyrodding for smallmouth bass with poppers out of a canoe and there's nothing better than that. Jonathan Kelly's recent vid to Quetico produced some great SMB for anybody lucky enough to go there.
Having said that, I've enjoyed flyrodding for smallmouth bass with poppers out of a canoe and there's nothing better than that. Jonathan Kelly's recent vid to Quetico produced some great SMB for anybody lucky enough to go there.
It has always seemed to me that the art of fly fishing was made out to be much more difficult than it is, probably to keep people off the streams heh, heh. There are a million books out there (now videos) that show just how you should do it. I think it causes people to overthink it and frustration sets in. A million years ago I jumped in - looking back now it wasn't that tough - I just made it that way.
Take a 1 day class at any fly shop.
Buy an inexpensive 4/5/6 weight rod/reel. They are everywhere. My first fly rod was $65 at Cabelas and I traded a pair of ski boots for a reel.
FOR TROUT -
Get a used copy of the Orvis Flyfishing Guide and Tom Rosenbaurs (sp?) Prospecting For Trout.
Don't worry about matching hatches and all right away. Tie on a #16 Hendrickson dry (or whatever the guy at the shop tells you) and go start casting.
Trout doesn't want to fight the current, but he wants to have food sliding by at all times. Find spots that break the current but where the trout can hang out and watch stuff drift by.
Cast to these spots.
Catch your first sizable fish (10") and you'll either be hooked or not. If you're not, put the rod over the fireplace in the den and the books look good on a coffee table.
If you are hooked, be prepared. It is very difficult to find a better way to spend time than on a fall stream when the leaves are turning and the fish are hungry.
Bass, pike, salmon and everything else are out there for you. I love casting for rock bass on a 3 weight rod.
Take a 1 day class at any fly shop.
Buy an inexpensive 4/5/6 weight rod/reel. They are everywhere. My first fly rod was $65 at Cabelas and I traded a pair of ski boots for a reel.
FOR TROUT -
Get a used copy of the Orvis Flyfishing Guide and Tom Rosenbaurs (sp?) Prospecting For Trout.
Don't worry about matching hatches and all right away. Tie on a #16 Hendrickson dry (or whatever the guy at the shop tells you) and go start casting.
Trout doesn't want to fight the current, but he wants to have food sliding by at all times. Find spots that break the current but where the trout can hang out and watch stuff drift by.
Cast to these spots.
Catch your first sizable fish (10") and you'll either be hooked or not. If you're not, put the rod over the fireplace in the den and the books look good on a coffee table.
If you are hooked, be prepared. It is very difficult to find a better way to spend time than on a fall stream when the leaves are turning and the fish are hungry.
Bass, pike, salmon and everything else are out there for you. I love casting for rock bass on a 3 weight rod.
