Totally inept

[pinstriper]

OK, so fair disclosure. My wife has decided I should take up fishing as a hobby. Apparently she thinks I need more time away from my chair/the computer/her/the golf course. And/or she just wants the fish, and wants me to do all the hard work.

I'm ok with it, as it is just an excuse to spend more quality time at Cabela's.

But here's the thing. The only fish I ever caught was on a guided sturgeon outing with some guys from the golf course. The guide hooked the fish and handed up the poles.

So I have no idea what I'm doing, other than what I've read.

I went out to the Wilson last week for steelhead. Sidled up to a fellow on the bank and said "hey there, Sport, I hope you don't mind me watching you and studying a bit, since I've never done this before." He replied "neither have I, and since I hate football this was as good a day as any to come out".

My fishing ambitions is pretty much bank fishing, as the last thing I need is a boat. Steelhead and Salmon, yum. I am also down with chasing trout or bass or other edible panfish here and there. I also fantasize about catching...I dunno what...off the jetty in Newport.

I am fully willing to pay a guide for the education. Any fish caught would be to their credit, not mine. Bonus.

I did run across another fellow who seemed to know what he was doing, and he looked at my sliding float and jig rigging, blessed it as legit. He said my casts were fine, and that getting some backlash 2 out of 5 casts was not bad at all for me. So I felt good about that.

I am not at the point where I have any expectations of getting a fish, so I don't view a fishless outing as a failure. Yet, I guess. At some point I'll feel like I should be getting fish.

So. All the above having been said. Here is the question:

Is it too pathetic for a full grown/middle aged man to go to some place like the St. Louis fish ponds to learn how to cast and catch his first fish, like an 8 year old ? I'm looking for accessible and forgiving places to self-learn, is the thing.

 

[jamisonace]

First, your wife is awesome.

As for your situation, go with Tanner and have him show you the ropes. I don't know anything about St. Louis ponds but I'd suggest practicing on flowing water if you want to learn technique for steelhead.

Good luck and if you're ever near springfield with time to fish, drop me a note.

 

[flocaster]

Not a dang thing wrong that! I'm not sure where you are but if you're in or ever around the Eugene/Springfield area I'd be glad to meet up with you to fish and answer any questions you might have. I don't do much steelheading tho

 

[flocaster]

First, your wife is awesome.

As for your situation, go with Tanner and have him show you the ropes. I don't know anything about St. Louis ponds but I'd suggest practicing on flowing water if you want to learn technique for steelhead.

Good luck and if you're ever near springfield with time to fish, drop me a note.

Beat me to the punch lol. Go with jamisonace, he knows his stuff!

 

[pinstriper]

Thanks, folks. I'm in outer southwest Portlandia. Due north of Newberg, due West of Sherwood.

I did wet the line, uneventfully, last year at Coffinberry Lake while we were camping at Ft. Stevens. Plus my trip to the Wilson last weekend.

I'm a bit of a gearhead, so no qualms about buying stuff, so long as I can keep to the cheap stuff until I know the difference.

 

[eugene1]

Hahaha,

If there were points to award posts, I'd give ya some (oh there is!).

Cool that you want to get into the sport!

Find locations close to you to get out to often and see how it goes. Searching the old posts on fishing forums is a good starting place for intel.

Take care and good luck,

 

[EOBOY]

Thanks, folks. I'm in outer southwest Portlandia. Due north of Newberg, due West of Sherwood.

I did wet the line, uneventfully, last year at Coffinberry Lake while we were camping at Ft. Stevens. Plus my trip to the Wilson last weekend.

I'm a bit of a gearhead, so no qualms about buying stuff, so long as I can keep to the cheap stuff until I know the difference.

Pin I sent you a PM.

 

[Camo]

Pinstriper,
Fishing is an old, time tested and mostly rewarding way to navigate through ones life from childhood to way past retirement. There will always be a new river to fish, lake to plunk or small stream to discover and fish with trout flies. The adventures will be countless. Every season has it's own challenges and rewards…..And all it takes is a stick, a piece of string and a hook.

In my humble opinion, fishing is the most diversified out door activity ever invented. Some look at fishing as a sport, occupation, hobby, sustenance and/or religion. ( I look at it as a good way to get the hell off the farm and into the woods for a few hours of direly needed seclusion.)

 

[pinstriper]

Ya Camo, I was kinda hooked at Ft. Stevens because I could tell Mrs. Pin "Shhhhhhh! You're scaring the fish !"

I would put my fishing interests (in no particular order) as:

1) Salmon
2) Steelhead
3) Beach/Jetty
4) Panfish (bass, trout, crappie/sunfish)

I'm not thinking about fly fishing, or getting a boat. I've got what the folks at Cabela's say are a steelhead rod, a salmon rod, and a trout/bass/panfish rod. So 3 so far.

 

[TimberTodd]

Great post pinstriper. Anytime you can get to be on the water is great for learning. I agree with jamisonace "your wife is awesome". My dad would put a bucket in the backyard and have me cast to it for practice. If you can't make it to the water that would be an option. Welcome to the sport of fishing.

 

[EOBOY]

I'm not thinking about fly fishing, or getting a boat. I've got what the folks at Cabela's say are a steelhead rod, a salmon rod, and a trout/bass/panfish rod. So 3 so far.

Pinstriper don't say no to flies. There is nothing quite like dropping a Dry Fly on a rushing stream early in the morning or just as the sun sets over a silent pond or lake. To see that Hunter barely make a ripple and put it's head down and head for the bottom is just amazing.

Dana

 

[Big3d]

Sounds like you are well on your way to successful fishing, watching, honestly, you could go play at st. Louis, but I agree it won't help much with the fish you're primarily targeting. As far as good places to work out the kinks just find a bit of wide open water on the wilson or another nearby river and practice. I don't use baitcast reels because I can't tolerate backlash, gets me all red n angry like... best of luck with your new adventure. Glad yiu have a positive attitude!

 

[DirectDrive]

First, your wife is awesome, as long as she doesn't have a boyfriend.

As for your situation, go with Tanner and have him show you the ropes. I don't know anything about St. Louis ponds but I'd suggest practicing on flowing water if you want to learn technique for steelhead.

Good luck and if you're ever near springfield with time to fish, drop me a note.

This ^^^

 

[ChezJfrey]

I would put my fishing interests (in no particular order) as:

1) Steelhead
2) Steelhead
3) Steelhead
4) Steelhead

Above is my humble suggestion

No, seriously! <from the diehard, fanatical, obsessed pool>

 

[pinstriper]

Sounds like you are well on your way to successful fishing, watching, honestly, you could go play at st. Louis, but I agree it won't help much with the fish you're primarily targeting. As far as good places to work out the kinks just find a bit of wide open water on the wilson or another nearby river and practice. I don't use baitcast reels because I can't tolerate backlash, gets me all red n angry like... best of luck with your new adventure. Glad yiu have a positive attitude!

My "salmon" rod, which they told me would be ok for steelhead, has a spinning reel. My "steelhead" rod, which they told me would be ok for salmon and jetty fishing, is a baitcast, and I only get bad backlash about 1 out of 4 casts. My trout/bass/panfish rod has a spincast reel. It is NOT the one with spiderman or my little pony on it, but it is pretty much the same rig.

 

[pinstriper]

Above is my humble suggestion

No, seriously! <from the diehard, fanatical, obsessed pool>

I'm kind of down with that. Bringing home a steelhead would please my bitter half.

 

[bagold53]

Depending on your work week I am hoping to get out at least 3 days this week. I took Mon and Tues off and dont have to be at work until the following Sunday. If you can spare a day during the week let me know. I am trying to get ahold of EOBOY to see if he wants to get out. Wilson is looking really good on the chart for Mon-Thurs. Maybe Tues -Thurs.

 

[pinstriper]

Pinstriper don't say no to flies. There is nothing quite like dropping a Dry Fly on a rushing stream early in the morning or just as the sun sets over a silent pond or lake. To see that Hunter barely make a ripple and put it's head down and head for the bottom is just amazing.

Dana

OK, it's just that my preconception of fly fishing is sitting at home with a much of mechanical gismos and magnifying glasses on stands, wearing a jeweler's loop on a headband, and it just feels like the guys who build ships in bottles. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I just don't have the eyesight, dexterity, or patience for it anymore.

 

[bagold53]

OK, it's just that my preconception of fly fishing is sitting at home with a much of mechanical gismos and magnifying glasses on stands, wearing a jeweler's loop on a headband, and it just feels like the guys who build ships in bottles. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I just don't have the eyesight, dexterity, or patience for it anymore.

You don't have to tie your own. I still haven't tied one, just buy them from my local Fly shops. Can get expensive though.

 

[pinstriper]

Depending on your work week I am hoping to get out at least 3 days this week. I took Mon and Tues off and dont have to be at work until the following Sunday. If you can spare a day during the week let me know. I am trying to get ahold of EOBOY to see if he wants to get out. Wilson is looking really good on the chart for Mon-Thurs. Maybe Tues -Thurs.

There is a non-zero chance I'll have a day to myself the last half of the last week in February. I have to be out of town and it depends on when I get back. I'll have to find a way to watch the weather and river conditions and call an audible at the last minute.