First fly rod lesson, Tying knots without touching the line!

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Get the feel with a small amount of line out. Fly lines are weighted for a 30 foot cast. Practice with 15 to 20 feet of line out, get the rhythm, and inch it out from there. You might not get much more than 30 feet out before you are working too hard.

 

Tournament casters are using special equipment. Don't expect to make 60 or 70 foot casts with that rig.

Amen, brother J-Bar.

 

Distance is not always your friend. Especially when fly casting. It is harder to mend and control a line at

long distance for you. A shooting head can reach across the river, but try to mend it.

[Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171]

I assume that as a first step I should be looking for a weight forward line of the weight written on my fly rod, is that correct?

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

That is correct but first tell us what the rod calls for in line weight recommedations.

[Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171]

The rod calls for "Line size 7"

Reads Wright & McGill

Trailmaster - 7 1/2 ft.

No. M4TMF- 7 1/2

Line size-7

 

It also is marked 2H under the Eagle Logo

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

OK, I looked at Cabelas as a guide to see what is available in 7 wt. lines.

I targeted floating WF 7 wt lines. Forget about the color.

Cabelas has a sale on their branded line for $45.00. I know nothing about that line.

I have never fished it or even seen it. I have used Scientific Anglers line and Cortland

but they run a bit higher in $$. Rio seems to be the hot ticket in the USA for lines as of now,

but I like the Airflo lines out of England. All will be almost double the Cabelas' price tag.

They seem to be very proud of their efforts to produce a fishing line.

 

Any of these selections should be a good choice if you want to spend the money.

 

Perhaps the others would have a better suggestion.

 

Once we get the line straightened out, we can look at the reel.

I have little trouble spending your money.

 

ED: Some bargans here.

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/floating-fly-line

 

Rio's Bass floating line is on sale and looks like a good choice.

Rio list it at $80.00 but they have it at $30 something. You can see

the markup.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

Bugs

 

next time you are at Wally World , ya might take a look there

 

I have not bought a line is at least 8 years , I tend to go with the SA , good enough for as bad as I am with one

 

I thought I had a couple in the shop , but failed to find em , have NO idea what I may have done with em

 

CB

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Hey Bugs, I was just jaw boning with CB over on the other thread when I realized that I have an 8 wt

line that I took off of a reel last fall. If you would like to try it, I will send it to you. Although your rod is a 7 wt I think it might work with the 8 wt line. They call that up lining the rod. Some do it all the time, including me. If it doesn't work, at least you would not be out anything.

 

A shorter 7 1/2 ft rod in a 7/8 wt would be just the ticket for small and large mouth bass and will also work well on Blue gill and Crappie fish.

 

Shoot me an email with your address and I will get it off to you tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[guitar_slinger]

Buggs, I have this line in 5wt version on one of my 5wt rods and it casts well, hard to beat for the money.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Bargain-Cave/Fly-Fishing/Rods-Reels-Line|/pc/105591780/c/105763680/sc/105764580/Cabelas-Prestige-Plus-WF-Floating-Fly-Line/1747705.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Frods-reels-line%2F_%2FN-1102797%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105764580

 

I can, when all is well in the universe, cast the entire 90' of fly line out. However =, 90% or more of the fish I catch are inside 40 feet on lakes and 20 feet on streams.

 

Some of the large tailwaters you can reach out there 70 -80 feet but even then, it's not usually necessary. Most of the fish I catch are pretty close in.

 

Back to lines, the above from Cabelas works well for me.

I also like Rio lines (Rio Gold).

 

If you want to "over lie" by one, this in 8wt is a good buy . I picked up a 5wt of it before they sold out. It is essentially Rio fly line (Rio and Sage owned by same company).

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Bargain-Cave/Fly-Fishing/Rods-Reels-Line|/pc/105591780/c/105763680/sc/105764580/Sage174-Ultimate-Performance-Taper/1884292.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Frods-reels-line%2F_%2FN-1102797%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105764580

 

 

 

GS.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

That is quite a find, GS.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

Y'all is gonna make me , find them takedown rods , set em up and get 1 in each truck again

 

y'all be BAD infuealances

 

ain't gonna be able to drive by water , without stopping to wet a line

 

CB

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

I believe our work here is done, gentlemen. CB has the bug.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

BMC

 

had it fer a LONG time ,

 

last time I traded trucks , stuff never got put back in

 

found a couple more pack rods , I had stuck back ,

 

relly need to theink about the orginazation thing

 

CB

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Thinking causes headaches.

[guitar_slinger]

Thinking takes up precious fishing time.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Thinking is not all it is thought to be.

 

And who fishes anyway?

 

Cold front moved through and put the fish down. Did notice

them working the surface when I came home this morning.

[Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171]

Stopped raining long enough to get out and cast a few. Caught a Bluegill bigger than my hand. Might have done better but the fly eating tree on the north side of my pond ate my fly on a back cast.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Trees will do that. So will bushes, some tall grasses and sundry and miscellaneous under growth.

How is the casting coming along? Let me know if you need flies.

I am trying to work on my panfish and perch patterns.

[Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171]

 

Trees will do that. So will bushes, some tall grasses and sundry and miscellaneous under growth.

 

How is the casting coming along? Let me know if you need flies.

I am trying to work on my panfish and perch patterns.

 

 

I just bought some tree food at Wally World. Cheap chinese flies but I'd hate to feed that tree some of those $12 hand tied Bass Pro specials. Casting is coming along much better than I expected. If I keep my mind on what I'm doing I've even had the fly landing at the end of the leader rather than next to it. Now if I take my mind off of casting to try to determine where I want the fly to land I get things all screwed up. Keeping the rod tip between 10 and 2 is a challenge but when I do it I'll be darned if it don't work like it is supposed to.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Love it when a plan comes together.

The fly and leader thing could be a balance thing. Depends on how big the fly is and how big the leader end is.

Leaders are measured in X sizes. Don't know why, but that is the way of things. But you can use the 3 Rule.

 

The fly size is usually 3 times the number on the tippet of the leader. So if you have a size 4X leader, it will

usually work with a size 12 hook/fly. 4 x 3 = 12. If the leader/fly are balanced the fly will roll out to the end of

the cast and should settle gently on the water. That is pretty much a dry fly thingy, and really doesn't matter

too much with wet flies, nymphs or weighted flies. Then the length of the leader and size are more relevant

to what you are fishing for. Bass will kill you on a 6 or 7 X tippet.

[J-BAR #18287]

A beginner's trick...

 

Grip the rod firmly enough that your wrist won't break backwards on the back cast, and extend your index finger directly on the rod pointing at the tip. These two things will make you use your whole forearm to make the cast. Try to minimize shoulder movement, just practice with a short line and using the elbow to back cast and forward cast. It will be hard for you to get the rod past vertical on the back cast, and that's the whole idea.

 

Once you convince yourself that the rod tip is capable of getting all that line behind you, and then back forward again, you can loosen up.

 

The line will follow the rod tip...it HAS TO! Bring the tip to vertical briskly on the back cast and that line will flow back behind you horizontally just like you want it to. Make your forward cast a short horizontal punch with your hand, rather than a downward sweep, and the forward cast will stay high and roll out straight.

[Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171]

Thank you J-Bar I'll give that a try.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

It is OK to look over your shoulder to see when the line is going to straighten out.

Grip the rod handle like you are going to shake hands with it, and then place you

thumb on the top of the rod handle. This will give you power in the forward cast

and help with the back cast. I have never tried J-Bar's suggestion with the fore

finger, but I think it is a good one. At least until you get the rhythm down pat.

[guitar_slinger]

Not only is it OK, it is recommended, at least until you get the pace down and can learn by feel when the line is straight out behind you.

 

Also, looking over your shoulder helps keep from feeding flies to the trees. Won't stop it. I was in my kayak last night and lost one of my flies to a tree branch on the shore.

 

Something I've learned fly fishing,

When a fly is hung in a tree:

1) your leader always needed to be 1X heavier

2) no matter the case, your arms needed to be 1" longer

3) leaders are worthless for pulling leg thickness branches down to where you can reach them.

4) the leader always snaps right when your fingertips touch the branch upon which your fly is hung.

 

Lots of other truths learned over the years like your know will never slip when you have a dink on the line but it waits until the fish of a lifetime is on the line and will break your heart every time.

When you're casting to a rising fish, some kid will chuck a brick into the water right in front of you.

Bring an empty jug with you in the kayak, especially if you also brought a thermos of coffee (you can figure this one out for yourself).

Barbless hooks are not truly appreciated until you decide wearing a fly for an earring is the latest fashion trend.

 

GS

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Not only is it OK, it is recommended, at least until you get the pace down and can learn by feel when the line is straight out behind you.

 

Also, looking over your shoulder helps keep from feeding flies to the trees. Won't stop it. I was in my kayak last night and lost one of my flies to a tree branch on the shore.

 

Something I've learned fly fishing,

When a fly is hung in a tree:

1) your leader always needed to be 1X heavier

2) no matter the case, your arms needed to be 1" longer

3) leaders are worthless for pulling leg thickness branches down to where you can reach them.

4) the leader always snaps right when your fingertips touch the branch upon which your fly is hung.

 

Lots of other truths learned over the years like your know will never slip when you have a dink on the line but it waits until the fish of a lifetime is on the line and will break your heart every time.

When you're casting to a rising fish, some kid will chuck a brick into the water right in front of you.

Bring an empty jug with you in the kayak, especially if you also brought a thermos of coffee (you can figure this one out for yourself).

Barbless hooks are not truly appreciated until you decide wearing a fly for an earring is the latest fashion trend.

 

GS

Oh so true. I am still trying to figure out why the hook manufactures do not make more barbless offerings.

They seem to want more money for them, for some reason. I would think leaving the hook barb off would

be cheaper, but what do I know.

 

Best solution for hanging flies in the trees is to fish where there is no vegetation or other obstructions. Only place that I have been able to find that is in the middle of a large lake. The fish are usually not in the same location on that very same lake and that very same time.

[guitar_slinger]

BMC,

I tie my own flies and the jaws of the vice make short work of mashing the barbs down. Not truly "barbless" but they do pull out of Guitar Slinger's body easier and they are easier to unhook fish too (and jeans and shirts, and webbing on fly vest, and anchor rope, and..... Oh I went on too long again).

 

If you are using bought flies, hemostats or needle nose pliers to mash the barb down works just as well.

 

GS.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Most of my offerings are smashed in the vise as well. But I do like to tie with

barbless. Maybe I am just lazy. Some of the waters have a restriction on

using barbless hooks and the WDFW guys are pretty fussy about remnants

of the barb on the hook. Hooks being soft will sometimes break in the effort

to smash the barb down. Or maybe I am just a gorilla with needle nosed pliers.

[guitar_slinger]

 

Most of my offerings are smashed in the vise as well. But I do like to tie with

barbless. Maybe I am just lazy. Some of the waters have a restriction on

using barbless hooks and the WDFW guys are pretty fussy about remnants

of the barb on the hook. Hooks being soft will sometimes break in the effort

to smash the barb down. Or maybe I am just a gorilla with needle nosed pliers.

 

BMC,

I missed a nice bass this week. Solid hit, solid hook up, 10 second fight. Fly came back at me. I always check the tippet and knot after a hook up just to be sure I wont lose the next fish due to a knot or a scuffed line. Well, I noticed the hook was broken at the bend.

 

OOps, must have been a bit aggressive in smashing the barb down.

 

I, too, like tying with babless hooks. I just don't like the price.

[Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171]

J-Bars trick worked pretty well this morning. got three bluegills before that darn tree decided it had a taste for Chinese and ate my fly. I'd quit fishing by that thing but there is a nice little hole there that bass like to hide in.

[guitar_slinger]

J-Bars trick worked pretty well this morning. got three bluegills before that darn tree decided it had a taste for Chinese and ate my fly. I'd quit fishing by that thing but there is a nice little hole there that bass like to hide in.

Bugs,

Now that you've mastered the overhand cast, try side arm cast to keep the line and fly below the tree. Same thing except side arm instead of overhead.

 

Just be careful about sticking yourself. It seems I'm more likely to have a hook in the back on a windy day casting side arm than overhead.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Wind is not your friend, Bugs.

But I reckon you have figured that out by now.

I don't like the price either GS, but I figure it is small in comparison to

the fine for having a delinquent barb on my hook and the cost of the other

accoutrements in fly fishing. Tapered leaders are going for around $5.00

a copy now. I tie some of my own but prefer the tapered ones because

they do not pick up as much surface junk.

 

 

ED: Good news. I just got an email from Sage assuring me that the five weight

line will work well on my SLT rod.

 

[guitar_slinger]

BMC,

Glad I live in Kentucky where we don't have all the different hook type regulations you guys in Oregon and Washington have. Here, about the only things illegal are explosives and electro shock and even those only if you get caught.

 

Our fishing season is open 365 days a year also. However, our warm water fish (bass, bluegill, crappie, blue catfish, and other sunfish) are very hard to come by from October to March.

[J-BAR #18287]

Bugs, glad it helped!

 

I'm jealous because I don't have a pond handy!!

[Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171]

I've learned to deal with moderate wind by roll casting rather than trying to cast overhand. it seems to work pretty well, up to a point. Right now a thunderstorm is rolling through with winds between 30 and 45 MPH and pouring rain. The thunder has the dog hiding behind the water heater in the basement. and I'm sitting at the computer watching the rain beat the surface of the pond flat.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

I've learned to deal with moderate wind by roll casting rather than trying to cast overhand. it seems to work pretty well, up to a point. Right now a thunderstorm is rolling through with winds between 30 and 45 MPH and pouring rain. The thunder has the dog hiding behind the water heater in the basement. and I'm sitting at the computer watching the rain beat the surface of the pond flat.

An ideal time to take up fly tying. Another fun hobby that suck money out of your wallet while you sleep and

cause your wife to complain about the mess you left on the dinning room table.

[guitar_slinger]

I've learned to deal with moderate wind by roll casting rather than trying to cast overhand. it seems to work pretty well, up to a point. Right now a thunderstorm is rolling through with winds between 30 and 45 MPH and pouring rain. The thunder has the dog hiding behind the water heater in the basement. and I'm sitting at the computer watching the rain beat the surface of the pond flat.

Bugs,

Don't forget, Graphite 9' lightning rod, grounded via wet line to water and thunderstorms are not a good mix.