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Topic: First fish caught on a fly  (Read 4283 times)

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calbear

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  • Location: Salinas, CA
  • Date Registered: Jan 2009
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Caught my first fish on flies this past weekend on the Truckee River and at Jackson Meadows Reservoir. I went on an annual church fishing trip (Santa Cruz Bible Church) to Jackson Meadows Reservoir with two of my brother-in-laws. We carpooled with a NOAA employee (who happens to be an avid fly fisherman). This year I brought my kayak as well. Tried trolling everything in the tackle box with no success. :smt012 On Saturday we went out to Truckee River. Dale (fly fisherman) gave me my first lesson with a fly rod. I have to admit it is a little tougher than I thought it would be, I had to train my arm to his specific movement instructions. Caught one small rainbow there much too my enjoyment and excitement. Had an awesome weekend, the following day I tried my newly acquired skills on the lake with my kayak, after trolling again with no luck. Caught an upgrade trout on a fly once again. Both fly caught trout were caught with wet flies in a midge pattern. Not sure yet of specific names, still learning. I know one thing though, I think I'm hooked to this sport (fly fishing). I see much monetary contributions towards equipment in my near future :smt003 Had a great time in an awesome part of California, and I can't wait to do it again. We had, once again, very nice company, these guys put together a great trip. Will post some pics as soon as I unpack my camera
Motorized boats are for the lazy limp d!%k$


bwodun

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awesome calbear, glad you got hooked on flyfishing, and had a great weekend, cameron


e2g

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glad to hear you found a new hobby and the economy thanks you and your future purchases :smt002
Winner 2011 MBK Derby
Winner 2009 Fishermans Warehouse Santa Cruz Tournament
Winner 2008 MBK Derby


fishabuoy

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Good job and welcome to another addiction :)  The Truckee can be a difficult river to fish, that you didn't get skunked on your first day out...the bar has been set :)


Sailfish

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Congrat on your first catch from yak fly-fishing.  I would like to try fly fishing from the yak someday.  Thank you for the report.
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."


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  • Location: The center of california
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Congrats on your first yakfly fish calbear. For the sake of your wallet and just pure enjoyment, I strongly suggest you take on the other half of fly-fishing namely fly-tying.
With just the basic skill you can tie a lot of the trout flies particularly midges you'll need,  not to mention the worlds most popular fly the wooly bugger. It's a great feeling catching your first fish on the fly, it's and even better on to catch one on a fly you tied.

Why Do I paddle a kayak instead of a float tube or a pontoon boat? I like seeing where I'm going not where I've been!
Paddle safe and wrap'em tight.
Rickey Noel Mitchell http://www.paddleandflies.com


surfingmarmot

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Congratulations. Fly fishing is addictive because of the feel you get for the fish but it need not be prohibitively expensive.

I think you can get by with a simple setup for streams/rivers and just a bit more for lakes--for trout that is.

1. 5/6 weight rod. Brand? (the fish don't actually care) Length should be 9 feet for all-around use. Shorter rods are nice only in small streams and then we are talking 3/4 weight rods and more spools for the reel ($$$$$$).

2. 5/6 weight forward taper floating and type three sinking (you'll want two spools for the reel--the reel isn't important for trout--good drag, 100 yds backing just in case you hit a lunker)

3. 7-and-1/2-foot leaders for stream, 9-foot for lakes--get 3x leaders and add 4x or 5x tippet is needed (you can always go smaller but never larger to keep "castability").

4. Lake fly box: a few sizes of : 1) Wooly buggers, and maybe some Wooly Buggers, and perhaps some more Wooly buggers. Seriously, start out learning to troll and slow fish a Wooly Bugger (black, olive, or rust--bead head or not) on the floating line letting it sink and rise as you pull up (like a Senko is fished) or on the type three worked deep hopped along the bottom. Half of the big Trout of the day in the Sierra are caught on Wooly Buggers--I swear I've seen clutch fishers come out and top us all in 30 minutes at dusk. 2) a few Midge patterns (Red, Zebra, Cooper John-type)--they are small but trout slurp them up--you can fish them deep off a floating line and just suspend them there or give a little twitch. Some people use a tiny float (bobber fishing we sneer-but use what works). 3) maybe a streamer imitating the local baitfish--Yellow Perch patterns slay them at Crowley for instance.

5. Stream fly box: a few sizes of: 1) Pheasant Tail, Bird's Nest nymphs (sometimes late season use them as a dropper on a high-floating Hopper pattern), 2) Yellow or Green body Soft hackles wet flies--learn to swing them--when there is no rising--they work, 3) Elk Hair Caddis dry, 4) Parachute Adams.

Oh, and for lake fishing with a kayak, an anchor is a must for fishing if there is wind 4 mph or more: I fished with Spike and the SoCal guys several years back on a Crowley trip in my Necky Dolphin (my first fishing kayak--still have it for the kids to use)-- Mike Allen gave me an extra anchor he brought--twelve trout in 3 hours. Why? Because fishing Midges (tiny insects requires a delicate presentation--one you cannot show with the wind drift of a kayak). The guys without anchors mostly didn't catch much until they got one.

That will get you started and cheaply. Each water has it's quirks, but usually one of those patterns will come through no matter what the fish are eating (but sometimes nothing will). But while the above works 90% of the time, the other 10% of the time anything will, nothing will, or just the one fly you haven't got but the guy just over from you who keep yelling "fish on!" has will. As Mooch says: "Welcome to the madness".


« Last Edit: July 31, 2009, 10:35:54 PM by Surfing Marmot »


piski

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WTG, bear! Flyfishing is a whole 'nother level IMO. Glad to hear you caught the bug...  :scratch:   :smt003
Catch & Repeat


sczlars

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hey calbear,

congrats.. it's a good bug to have :smt001

like Tom McGuane says, you can do it all with a 6wt and an 8wt.  And it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either; lots of good gear made these days and the 'budget' rods can be cast as well as anything.

BTW, the McGuane reference is from his "The Longest Silence", one of the nicest collection of stories ever..

best, --Lars


futhel

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Congrats on the fly fishing!!! My family camps up at Jackson meadows every year, great lake.  Lets hook up some time to fly fish.


Mike
Everybody should have the opportunity to fish


jefffms

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I remember my first day with Fly (not kayak). Got a nice 14 in brown up in the Stanilsaus.


Tote

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Your very first flyfishing investment should be the book titled 'The Curtis Creek Manifesto'.
I showed the book to a friend just this morning at a local grand opening of a sporting goods shop.
It almost looks like a coloring book. Easy to follow, straight to the point and comical.
After you read this book, all 48 pages filled with cartoon drawings, you will be a much more informed flyfisherman.
Here is an excerpt where the author discusses automatic reels.

AUTOMATICS

-Automatic reels are
 activated by a steel
 spring and a clutch
 device...Drop one in a sandy
 creek and learn something
 about applied mechanics...


That's the entire discussion about automatic reels from start to finish.
If you have ever seen it happen you can understand how funny and accurate that is.
<=>


icruzyaks

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  • Date Registered: May 2010
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new to this board just read your post.  How great to have another fellow fly angler congratulations, it is a wonderful sport.  I have flyfished for the last 14 years and have not looked back it is a great and relaxing time.  if you have any questions give me a ring i live near you and could meet for coffee and stories.  hope you have had more outings with your flyfishing rods.