It's harder than I thought

[Tinker]

Went out for the first time yesterday morning and got semi-skunked. Had three, lost all three. Set the hook too vigorously the first time and probably gave the little guy whiplash. Fumbled-around trying to find the line too long on the second and lost it. Not sure what I did the third time, but it was there, then it was gone...

On the up side, I didn't hook anything I wasn't trying to catch, didn't fall in, didn't drop the flies all over the bank, and I didn't break anything (gear or me). Didn't get a sunburn and the mosquitoes left me alone. Admittedly, the wind came up pretty early yesterday so I really don't know what mischief might have befallen me if I'd stayed a few more hours.

So it's not just how to cast and present a fly? Rats!

 

[TimberTodd]

Sounds like a good day even though the fish were not cooperative.

 

[hobster]

Not bad for the 1st time, fly fishing isn't the easiest way to fish! Stick with it, it takes time but is very rewarding. It'll help a lot to find someone who knows what they are doing to guide you along. Good luck!

 

[igquick]

Yes it was ABNORMALLY windy yesterday! I went fly fishing as well at an undisclosed location and the wind kept getting worst throughout the day!

Fly fishing is usually not that hard, until that wind came along. I've never had a hard time casting, but I guess it makes it worst when all your casts are headed directly towards the wind. I read the wind report and it only said 6mph, MY BUTT!

The wind did kick up early right?! What's up with that! This is my 3rd time fly fishing by the way and definitely the worst one. It's good you didn't stay longer, because the wind got worst.

Was it just me, or was it really windy yesterday?!

At least you hooked 3, I hooked none!

 

[Tinker]

Yes it was ABNORMALLY windy yesterday! I went fly fishing as well at an undisclosed location and the wind kept getting worst throughout the day!

Fly fishing is usually not that hard, until that wind came along. I've never had a hard time casting, but I guess it makes it worst when all your casts are headed directly towards the wind. I read the wind report and it only said 6mph, MY BUTT!

Our reports said winds at 5mph with gusts to 10mph, but by the time I called it a day, the wind was whipping sand off the gravel bars hard enough to sting when it hit me. That's a lot stronger than 10mph.

I can't cast farther into the wind - even a breeze - than I can spit, and I have a lot of trouble casting when the wind is directly at my back, but if I get just the right angle to the wind, I can still land a cast softly. Was watching a video about using a casting motion that's nearly side-arm, but I couldn't figure it out and will have to practice, practice, practice before I try it agian.

I've been studying this section of the river for a long time, and fished only in slow-moving water where I had wide banks and didn't have so much to think about. And I got lucky. I don't think there was much size to any of them, but I don't know how to guess how small a fish is when using fly gear.

I got a lot of useful information when I asked about flies for a first-timer, and tons of good advice from GungasUncle. I've asked around town and no one knows of an active fly angler. Someone is considered a fine fly fisher, but they've retired from fishing. If I ever knock-down most of my Honey Do list, I'll try travelling further and see if I can find someone in the water who appears to know what they're doing and annoy them with a boatload of questions, or meet up with one of y'all who's willing to waste a morning with me.

The jury's still out on this fly-fishing experiment. Choosing flies and fly lines and learning to cast and stalking around the banks and mending the cast and the drift and learning to tie on itty-bitty teensy-tiny hooks... and you don't just set the hook and start reeling in!? Do you know how much stuff I'll have to forget just to have enough room to remember all of this?

Were you fishing for trout? I can't imagine how one would fish for carp with a fly rod, but it would make for a mighty interesting catch, wouldn't it?

 

[igquick]

Lets just say i was trying to catch something big in chest deep water with no waders and some shorts lol

 

[mezzfin]

If you got fish to rise to your presentations, then you are doing something right! I only got 3 to hand on about 9 takes on the Big D last week using pinched barbs. Landed pretty much everything that I hooked on nymphs, but there's something about a 16" redband coming straight at you creating a pile of line at your feet that takes some getting used to. If you have room in your head for another thing to remember, I offer you (and me) "line management" :lol:

 

[Tinker]

If you got fish to rise to your presentations, then you are doing something right! I only got 3 to hand on about 9 takes on the Big D last week using pinched barbs. Landed pretty much everything that I hooked on nymphs, but there's something about a 16" redband coming straight at you creating a pile of line at your feet that takes some getting used to. If you have room in your head for another thing to remember, I offer you (and me) "line management" :lol:

"Line management"? Crap! Out goes my Dad's middle name. I think it might have been the same as my Grandfather's..?

I've had a long, long time to sit on the banks and watch where the fish are rising during off-season, but didn't know that getting three to take a fly was all that special. Really? Cool.

I was using a dry fly with a trailing nymph. Only the second one took the dry fly, and it shocked me so completely that my left hand couldn't find the line to try to manage anything!

 

[Tinker]

Lets just say i was trying to catch something big in chest deep water with no waders and some shorts lol

Well, that's smarter than me. I get into water too deep for my waist-highs. Thinking I'll leave the waders at home and just use jeans and my Chuck Taylor All-Stars... :lol:

 

[igquick]

Same here, the first time i fish took my fly, i was so suprised i didn't even know what to do...i was practicing casting, and when i raised my rod to do what i think they call a "back cast" at the same time i saw a fish take my fly. So my back cast became my hook set, and it took me by suprise

 

[Tinker]

Same here, the first time i fish took my fly, i was so suprised i didn't even know what to do...i was practicing casting, and when i raised my rod to do what i think they call a "back cast" at the same time i saw a fish take my fly. So my back cast became my hook set, and it took me by suprise

I'm not alone...