Guns don't kill people, the gubbermint does.
Joined:
Dec 2006
Posts:
14325
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PA, USA
Posted: 7/7/2024 5:01:01 PM EDT
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Hey guys...so I'm thinking of taking up fly fishing as something to do. I know there's allegedly some decent places near me to do it. What would a beginner need to get into it? I've gone exactly one time in Montana where we were on a boat floating down the river. Any help would be appreciated in looking for some inexpensive gear to get started (I'm good looking at used rods and reels, I just have no idea what to get). I believe I'd be mostly fishing for trout. |
What a long strange trip it's been...
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Find a pond with panfish and bass... maybe perch. That's the easiest and most fun way to learn. Maybe a 5wt set with floating line. Some small panfish poppers and... I like Renegades. About five feet of pre-made tapered leader. This will work for trout too but will be much more fun and productive to start in a panfish pond.  Getting Started in Fly Fishing: Panfish on the Fly Info on panfish fly fishing in PA and more You could just get the basic rod and reel set from BassProShops in 5wt $100. It looks better than what I started with in 1976 and I'd still use that. Then get a decent floating line... like Cortland 444... or any decent to good floating line. Then leaders and flies and poppers. Fly fishing is really about the line... not the rod and reel. Looks like line is about $50 at min from BassPro. I'd probably spend more... like $70 to $100 for say a Cortland 444 DT5F or something better. Fly line can easily cost more than your rod and reel. |
But then again, I just need to get my post count up.
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You will be casting the line and leader. The fly goes along for the ride. I suggest you purchase a cheap carbon fiber #7 rod, some #5 WF line, backing and then get your leaders. The cheap #7 rod will be about as stiff as an expensive #5. Flouracarbon tippits are a must for clear water. Hand tied leaders turn over better, in my experience. Practice in your yard or at park without hook. You want the line to land tip of the leader first gently landing the remainder of the line. Practice until you can get close to your target. Keep rod hand wrist stiff, feel the rod load up during your back cast, don't crack the whip. Makes knots. Get your flys to match the local aquatic insects at your fly shop. |
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A little dated now - but look for a copy of "The Curtis Creek Manifesto" very good information on gear and setups for the novice fisher. The owner of the old fly shop I spent way to much time in once said 'buy the best rod you can afford, buy the best line available, buy a reel with whatever you have left'. I felt this was good advice unless you're stalking monsters where you have to get them on the reel. I built all but one of my fly rods from blanks. Enjoyable hobby, but eventually I bought a nice 9' 4 piece 5 weight Loomis nrx rod. I use it more than any of my other rods. I was fishing a couple weeks ago in a small lake with lots of 12" cutthroat- it was too much rod I wished I had brought a 4 wt (actually wished I'd brought a 3 wt, but I don't have a 3 wt) Also, there is a fly shop called 'The Yellowstone Angler" that does awesome gear reviews. Search for things like "yellowstone angler 5 weight shootout' they go in depth on several rods from cheap to $$$$ and tell you what they did and didn't like about them. https://www.yellowstoneangler.com/gear-review/2024-5-weight-shootout/ |
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Originally Posted By bigborehound: Go to TCO up in Reading or Bryn Mawr. They have classes with furnished tackle and can help you decide what to purchase. They can also give you tips for all of the PA waterways. Sounds like good info. Remember, don’t over think it and don’t over power it. Get some instruction before buying gear. A guided trip, if guide has gear, is a great way to learn your area and the gear specific to it. Also remember the fish doesn’t care if your outfit was $100 or $1,000. Cast as many rods as you can and you will find one that speaks to you. Remember to relax and enjoy. |
Guns don't kill people, the gubbermint does.
Joined:
Dec 2006
Posts:
14326
EE: 100% (190)
PA, USA
Guns don't kill people, the gubbermint does.
Joined:
Dec 2006
Posts:
14388
EE: 100% (190)
PA, USA
|
I have fly fished for 35 years and it can be a bit frustrating, but many times you will catch fish when you are least expecting it. Like mentioned find a fly shop close to you and go talk to them, take the free classes if offered and enjoy. Support them, but that said you can also find really nice rods on C,list once you know what you want and what you are targeting to catch. |
Guns don't kill people, the gubbermint does.
Joined:
Dec 2006
Posts:
14392
EE: 100% (190)
PA, USA
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Originally Posted By Bubbatheredneck: Well that's not what I wanted to hear!  Fly fishing is a great hobby and quite rewarding. I second the suggestion of going to an Orvis shop and taking their free classes. Yea...I suck I know. I have gotten in some pheasant hunting though. So that's good. Travel for work has just taken up a lot of time and projects around the house. Changing a diverter valve in the shower has turned into gutting the bathroom to the studs.
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What a long strange trip it's been...
Guns don't kill people, the gubbermint does.
Joined:
Dec 2006
Posts:
14525
EE: 100% (190)
PA, USA
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Well this is going back to the top. I was in Ohio two weeks ago for work and went on a tour of one of Ohio's trout hatcheries. Included was some fly fishing right there. I had a good enough time that I was thinking about revisiting this. Yesterday, I popped into Orvis, which was a bit disappointing. The guy explained a little bit to me, but seemed to lose interest rather quickly. Then another customer walked in, with the same exact questions I had, got more help and ended up purchasing, so I walked. Today, I stopped by TCO in Bryn Mawr (was down that way) and got outfitted with a used Orvis Recon (have to grab that from the location closer to my house) and a Lamson reel, fly line, leaders, tippet, a few flies, and one or two other small accessories. Was out the door for $700 which I think was not terrible. The guys at TCO were super helpful, explained everything, answered my questions, gave me things to think about for the future, etc. Awesome experience. Hopefully I'll be able to get out a little later this week and just stream for bass or something since apparently trout are a lot harder right now locally because of the water temps. Anyway, looking forward to trying to find some time to myself near the water to get a break from everything else. |
What a long strange trip it's been...
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Excellent! Remember to let the rod do the work. If you are putting muscle into it your timing is likely off. Very important tip: Your cast doesn’t BEGIN until the whole system is moving. If you try to cast and it fails you had one or a combination of: Slack in the system. Abbreviated casting stroke. (Normally due to slack in the system) Too much line with too short of casting stroke and or failure to transfer energy at the end of the stroke. This may be hard to visualize but you will understand once you feel it. Enjoy! |
Guns don't kill people, the gubbermint does.
Joined:
Dec 2006
Posts:
14527
EE: 100% (190)
PA, USA
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Originally Posted By SpeyRod: Excellent! Remember to let the rod do the work. If you are putting muscle into it your timing is likely off. Very important tip: Your cast doesn’t BEGIN until the whole system is moving. If you try to cast and it fails you had one or a combination of: Slack in the system. Abbreviated casting stroke. (Normally due to slack in the system) Too much line with too short of casting stroke and or failure to transfer energy at the end of the stroke. This may be hard to visualize but you will understand once you feel it. Enjoy! Yea, this last trip (only the second time) they gave a casting lesson for a bit, so I got to practice and felt a lot more comfortable doing it than on the float trip I did two or three years ago. I remember what the instructor told me about casting so I'll practice that some in the yard. He said I was doing well with it so that was encouraging. |
What a long strange trip it's been...