View Full Version : I've always wanted to start fly fishing.
I've been facinated with fly fishing since I was a young bait caster, but never had the chance to do it. I even have a tying setup that's over 15 years old, just life got in the way and never got the rod and reel.
I'm seen quite a few video's and I have two people who fly fish that sit next to me at work and are willing to help educate. Should I just get a cheap starter 6wt set, or buy the 9wt from the get go? :) Any recommendations would be great, I'm really at a point in my life where I want to take my fishing to a new level. My primary fishing would be on the Clack and Eagle Creek.
Also, I'm in Hillsboro so I figured if I ever wanted to just get out and practice (without disappointment) I could just head to Hornings Hideaway for an hour or two.
stephan009l
07-09-2009, 10:02 AM
Well I taught myself how to flyfish on the Little Nestucca for the occasional summer/winter steelhead and ofc the jumpin' sea run cuthroats :) And I used 2 live in Hillsboro, and the place your talking bout I dont remember at all, but if your intrested in learn I would say try fishing small streams with somewhat slow water, clack would b good, Personally the Nestucca I think is the best to fly fish even if your a beginner, its always a blast!!:cool:
giggsy70
07-09-2009, 10:52 AM
Glad to hear you are thinking of taking up the passion of fly fishing. I would start witha 5 or 6 wt, definately not a 9 wt. a 9wt is for salmon and that is about it. where as a 5 or 6 wt will give you plenty of options. You will be able to go after trout, bass, summer steelhead, shad. If you go to the old Sportman's Wharehouse now Outdoor Wholesale they have a good selection a economical type would be WW Griggs they go for 49.99, they also have TFO in various models ranging quite a bit in price. If you can go to a BI-MART you can sometimes find a Lamiglas Cascade series for 70 something and that is not a bad rod. If you live in the Portland area there is a fly-shop in Welches run by Marc Bachmann they have a good selection of higher end rods, they do offer some Echo rods and they are very nice. If they do not have the model you want Echo is based out of Vancouver and I am sure they could have it next day. Another option is to by the Reddington set which includes rod,reel,line and backing you just attach a leader and go. Good luck and try not to get addicted.
Glad to hear you are thinking of taking up the passion of fly fishing. I would start witha 5 or 6 wt, definately not a 9 wt. a 9wt is for salmon and that is about it. where as a 5 or 6 wt will give you plenty of options. You will be able to go after trout, bass, summer steelhead, shad. If you go to the old Sportman's Wharehouse now Outdoor Wholesale they have a good selection a economical type would be WW Griggs they go for 49.99, they also have TFO in various models ranging quite a bit in price. If you can go to a BI-MART you can sometimes find a Lamiglas Cascade series for 70 something and that is not a bad rod. If you live in the Portland area there is a fly-shop in Welches run by Marc Bachmann they have a good selection of higher end rods, they do offer some Echo rods and they are very nice. If they do not have the model you want Echo is based out of Vancouver and I am sure they could have it next day. Another option is to by the Reddington set which includes rod,reel,line and backing you just attach a leader and go. Good luck and try not to get addicted.
Thanks! I'll take yours and others recommendations of a 6wt. Possibly swing by the Hillsboro Bi-Mart this evening and see what they've got.
Well I taught myself how to flyfish on the Little Nestucca for the occasional summer/winter steelhead and ofc the jumpin' sea run cuthroats :) And I used 2 live in Hillsboro, and the place your talking bout I dont remember at all, but if your intrested in learn I would say try fishing small streams with somewhat slow water, clack would b good, Personally the Nestucca I think is the best to fly fish even if your a beginner, its always a blast!!:cool:
I could definatly work the Nestucca, I make trips out the coast often since my parents are in Otter Rock (just south of Depoe Bay).
Horning Resivior is north of Hillsboro, it's a U-fish place that allows fly fishermen to fish catch and release for $7/hr. I learned about it from Matthew's thread about Ed Fast's Nuclear Trout (http://northwestfishing.info/showthread.php?t=87).
seamslayer
07-09-2009, 03:56 PM
I wouldn't fase out the 9 weight completley. The rivers I fish on the Olympic Peninsula are frequented by nine weight fly rods. The bennifit being able to turn over heavily weighted fly's on huge sink tips, and to turn large fish in heavy current, makes this nessesary. If your rivers have similar traits, and if you intend to target coho as well I might go with the 9 weight. Or you could just be like me and become so addicted to fly fishing that you quickly acquire both and then some.:D
Arctic
07-09-2009, 04:13 PM
I would also learn the Wilson. It is pretty productive, and for a river I know next to nothing about, I catch alot of fish in it. It is also a blast to flick big bugs at. The steelhead will rise to tie one on. Not off of the surface, like OP fish, but they will move a few feet up in the column to slam bugs.
I used an old 6 wt., purple wrapped Lamiglas a few times, and an 8/9 TFO for the majority of my Eagle Ceek Coho last year. Mind you this was the bastardized drift gear deal, but the 8/9 was nice. Little heavy for fish that average 8 pounds, but luckily they were giants freekin pigs last season! The 6 wt. just buried to the cork and stayed there until you brought them in. I was just up in Woodland last week to pick up a twice busted rod, and I did see alot of fly outfits for less than 75. A G200, or somethin, 9', 2 piece, 8 wt., was 54.99.
Chinook SSSF
07-09-2009, 05:31 PM
I do agree with all of this that a 6 weight is a good size to learn your casting on without strain but when it comes to coho......I would step up to a strong 8 or an average 9 weight so YOU do not get worn out buy big red bucks....lol I have broken both 8 and 9 weight fly rods on coho and its not because they are so big but rather how much brutality a fly rod can see during just one day of "on fire" coho fishing.
Does not matter what fly rod I use my wrists give out after bout 3 days on eagle creek..........for that alone IM glad to have the 9 weight to work for me and not putz around with the fish.
Thanks to everyone for the advise. I was at Sportsman's warehouse this afternoon and picked up an Okuma 9' 8wt 3 piece combo. ($85, and there's another one on the shelf if anyone cares)
I haven't had a chance to play with it because I was drifting the Clack this afternoon (1 trout), but I figure I'll start out with a piece of yarn on the end of it and go in the back and setup a 4'x4' tarp to hit....bucket will come later :)
As for picking up another rod, let's see how long I can last and which direction I go once I get rolling :) Bet it won't take long.
I tried the upper Wilson in the middle of last month, started at the hole right by the mouth of Ceder creek and moved down, had no luck at all. Was I just there at the wrong time?
stephan009l
07-10-2009, 07:32 AM
Thanks to everyone for the advise. I was at Sportsman's warehouse this afternoon and picked up an Okuma 9' 8wt 3 piece combo. ($85, and there's another one on the shelf if anyone cares)
I haven't had a chance to play with it because I was drifting the Clack this afternoon (1 trout), but I figure I'll start out with a piece of yarn on the end of it and go in the back and setup a 4'x4' tarp to hit....bucket will come later :)
As for picking up another rod, let's see how long I can last and which direction I go once I get rolling :) Bet it won't take long.
I tried the upper Wilson in the middle of last month, started at the hole right by the mouth of Ceder creek and moved down, had no luck at all. Was I just there at the wrong time?
Btw, just a heads up for every really but mostly you, theres a bit of a secret on the nestucca river if your gunna fly fish it. Theres some campgrounds out in the mountains(only certain people will know where i'm talkin bout) and if you can find that portion of the stream, youl have an awesome chance for summer steelehad, and 22" cuthroats. I'l advise you use Elk Hair Caddis fly's when u fish the the tail end of the current, and for the deep pools mix with up with an black ant fly 4-6" above the end of ur leader, and at the bottom attach a small orange or pink egghook( i think some call'm globugs???"
But anyways you do that an i'm sure youl catch both the steelies and sea run trouts!! Good luck!!:D
Btw, just a heads up for every really but mostly you, theres a bit of a secret on the nestucca river if your gunna fly fish it. Theres some campgrounds out in the mountains(only certain people will know where i'm talkin bout) and if you can find that portion of the stream, youl have an awesome chance for summer steelehad, and 22" cuthroats. I'l advise you use Elk Hair Caddis fly's when u fish the the tail end of the current, and for the deep pools mix with up with an black ant fly 4-6" above the end of ur leader, and at the bottom attach a small orange or pink egghook( i think some call'm globugs???"
But anyways you do that an i'm sure youl catch both the steelies and sea run trouts!! Good luck!!:D
Nice. I have a LOT to learn. I couldn't sleep last night so around midnight I got up and spent over 30 minutes trying to figure out how to change the reel to right hand......finally found the instructions bound up in the rod bag. :o
Fun part was removing the bearing casing. As soon as I got it out of the spool I thought this line should be added to the instructions:
"Caution: Sudden release of bearing case from spool can cause it to go flying behind your spider infested workbench"
stephan009l
07-10-2009, 08:27 AM
Nice. I have a LOT to learn. "
Ha! Dont we all:p Thats why i'm always on here trying to sneak a peek at the latest news from matt, ed, and the others :D KEEP'M COMING GUYS!!!:D
Chinook SSSF
07-10-2009, 10:04 AM
If you thought steelhead fishing was a never ending journey, wait till your hooked on fly fishing......If the runs still fished the way they did in the old days with high numbers I would certainly spend a majority of my time fly fishing. IM not talking about the basterdized methods I commonly use nowdays either....IM talking real fly fishing...Love it!
If you thought steelhead fishing was a never ending journey, wait till your hooked on fly fishing......If the runs still fished the way they did in the old days with high numbers I would certainly spend a majority of my time fly fishing. IM not talking about the basterdized methods I commonly use nowdays either....IM talking real fly fishing...Love it!
HAHA, I wouldn't call it "basterdized"....modified, it's all about adapting and changing with the river right? :) But yes, I do understand what you mean about "real" fly fishing though. I have this image in my mind from last year, my bro-in-law and I were drifting the Cowlitz and as we came around this one bend, there was a fly fisherman all lit up from the sun that had peaked out, but the background was still shaded from the clouds, he was wading about 5 feet off the bank downstream on the next bend, he probably had about 60 feet of line in the air in that picture perfect bend, and it just reached out and settled perfectly into the river. He made it look so effortless, I just thought it was so peaceful.
This image kinda gives you the idea.
http://standupforamerica.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/night-fly-fishing.jpg
stephan009l
07-10-2009, 12:24 PM
Well put, my cousin is almost able to do a 70ft cast with his 9wt and its almost breath taking just watching him making it seem so easy hahaha, but we all gotta learn something new right?? "basterdized" or not:p
seamslayer
07-10-2009, 01:04 PM
Just wait until you get the urge to fish a two-handed spey rod. Now that is cool. 14' of graphite whiping around, shooting a line over 100'. It's an addiction.:D
Just wait until you get the urge to fish a two-handed spey rod. Now that is cool. 14' of graphite whiping around, shooting a line over 100'. It's an addiction.:D
HEHE, oh yeah already dreaming about that wooshing sound.....and it looks like I'm gonna need to buy another set already
http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss219/Spaded_Z/P1050817.jpg
stephan009l
07-10-2009, 07:53 PM
Awesome fly pole, is that Dacron leader??
Arctic
07-10-2009, 08:09 PM
The orange/red looking stuff? That is the fly line. Probably a weight foward sink tip, floating variety. Common for beginner set-ups.
And those matte blank, gloss wrap Okuma sticks are pretty nice. I have one, the NxNW rod in a casting, 6-12 variety, and I love it for Steelhead drift fishin. You should be very happy with the quality!
The orange/red looking stuff? That is the fly line. Probably a weight foward sink tip, floating variety. Common for beginner set-ups.
And those matte blank, gloss wrap Okuma sticks are pretty nice. I have one, the NxNW rod in a casting, 6-12 variety, and I love it for Steelhead drift fishin. You should be very happy with the quality!
It's the Dacron backing :) It was spooled for a right handed fisherman so I had to run the entire line out and then spool it the right way. I also noticed the knots weren't up to my spec and the fly line was nicked from the factory right where they trimmed the excess for the backing so I just retied all the knots :) The fly line is a white WF8-F, I don't know if there's a sinking tip though.
I've already come to the conclusion I need an arbor reel :) This one's standard.
Glad to hear the quality is decent...for sure it's not one of those crazy $800 rods but, it'll be fine for me for a while I think.
seamslayer
07-10-2009, 09:05 PM
[QUOTE=Spade;4888]it looks like I'm gonna need to buy another set already
Thats the right attitude. A person can never have too many rods.:D
stephan009l
07-11-2009, 06:25 AM
[QUOTE
Thats the right attitude. A person can never have too many rods.:D[/QUOTE]
AGREED!!!:D hahaha
Well, I took the misses and the kido to Horning's Hideout this morning for a nice stroll and to check it out. THere's a $3 entry fee per person over 6 years old, but that counts toward anything you do there, and fishing is $4.25/lb. I figured I'd bring the gear and just catch our entry fee. Turns out, my wife DOES like to catch!!!!! :) She even told me "yeah, I think you're going to have to get me a pole" then shortly there after, fish on! She was really excited.
She doesn't like the killin' part so I told her I'm going to have to get her a fly rod. Told her they hook more in the mouth than lures and bait, and that gives the fish a better chance of surving. (if I don't get my hands on it before she releases it that is :p) Oh yeah baby!
I guess now we'll both take a fly fishing class together. :D
Fingers are crossed she doesn't change her mind.
Chinook SSSF
07-11-2009, 01:23 PM
Speaking of Hornings and fly fishing...they have a very reasonable catch & release fly fishing only rate.....Ed Fast and I have done this....alot of fun on a 3 or 4 weight and some of those fish in their a toads........like Ed Fasts famous Nuke trout....
http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/hostedimages08/edstroutsm.jpg
stephan009l
07-11-2009, 01:47 PM
Speaking of Hornings and fly fishing...they have a very reasonable catch & release fly fishing only rate.....Ed Fast and I have done this....alot of fun on a 3 or 4 weight and some of those fish in their a toads........like Ed Fasts famous Nuke trout....
http://www.smallstreamsalmonfishing.com/sssfimages/hostedimages08/edstroutsm.jpg
:O thats a trout!? that looks like a cross from a bluegill, a bullfrog and a trout hahaha
Chinook SSSF
07-11-2009, 02:39 PM
Yea crazy crazy fish! Might still be in there....
Speaking of Hornings and fly fishing...they have a very reasonable catch & release fly fishing only rate.....Ed Fast and I have done this....alot of fun on a 3 or 4 weight and some of those fish in their a toads........like Ed Fasts famous Nuke trout....
Your post about that fish actually told me about Hornings. So thank you very much!!! The bummer is fly fishing catch and release is not allowed during the summer. Oct-Jun only. No biggie though, I'm already looking for a class for us to take together. Any suggestions let me know.
Ed Fast
07-12-2009, 11:53 AM
Spade,
I do offer fly lessons. On the water basics, from setup to actual fishing, are the norm and I can take up to 6 people.
Horning's is a good place, but the CnR is not an option in the summer. The secret to that place is to go when the weather sucks in the off season and there won't be another soul in sight! If fishing is a little slow, by the way, it is a good thing. Otherwise, it's too easy! During the catch and kill season (now), just pace yourself, or hope the bite is off. When this is the case, you actually have to pick the right fly and present it properly. Yes, you have to keep what you catch, but they are reasonably priced and you can stop when you get a mess of them. What I do is try to get them to take a fly that is wrong for the conditions. Getting them to hit a big dry is more satisfying than hooking up on every cast with a nymph, anyway.
For trout basics; rigging a 5 weight or similar trout rod, dry and wet fly fishing, indicator nymphing and actual on the water catching, a 1/2 day trip is all you need to get started. I promise you will be casting like a champ in no time! Regular back casting and roll casting are the methods we'll key on.
For on stream fishing, it'll be the same kind of deal. You can choose between trout or steelhead fishing, or both, it's up to you. I offer half or full day trips for those.
Let me know if you're interested.
Good luck!
Ed
Yup, I'm interested! Gotta ton of questions and your Inbox is full :)
Wife and I are sorting things out here but, it looks like we may have to wait till the 3rd week of Sept.
Chinook SSSF
07-12-2009, 11:23 PM
Your wanna go in the first week :D of Sept.
Your post about that fish actually told me about Hornings. So thank you very much!!!
Sweet! Glad to hear!
Your wanna go in the first week :D of Sept.
Yup, I thought about that while lying in bed thinking about fishing. :) Chances are I'll be making my first trip without her. I cannot have this rod sitting around not being used. :)
Ed Fast
07-13-2009, 09:34 AM
I cleaned out my PM box.
sorry about that!
Ed
I cleaned out my PM box.
sorry about that!
Ed
No worries about that. :) I could have just called ;)
YAY!!! My wife kicked my arse fishing last night at McIver with Ed. :) She had the 6wt fly rod with a tiny bead head nymph in her hand for less than 2 minutes, stopped to ask Ed a question....ZIIIIIIIIIII.....haha, she didn't know yet to keep tension on the line and it spit the fly. Ed and I start talking about working for steelies and hear her from down the bank "fish on". That's all I heard for the first few hours, decided it would probably be best to give the trout a try and no kidding minutes later, "fish on". No keepers last night but we had more than enough catching. Didn't keep track of the total numbers but had a blast. Rainbows, White fish, and Squaws were the biters.
Now I have to get a 5wt setup for this weekend :)
coho crazy
08-02-2009, 06:51 PM
hey, if your looking for a decent rod to look for, get a lamiglas 8 wt. and for reels, match it up with a good smooth as butter reel. i own a pflueger trion. great reel so are the g loomis venture fly reels :D