Posted: 2/12/2003 7:02:06 PM EDT
| I started flyfishing last summer. And really I cant get enough of it. I already have 2 poles and am eyeing a couple more. I am checking out Redingtons NTI series rods. I want the 5 weight. But I also want to get a 8 foot 3 weight. Preferably in a 5 peiec or so. that way I can pack with easier. What do yall fish with? |
| I have 2 setups both 5 weight. A Pfleuger with a St croix rod and a sci angler with a St croix rod. As you can tell I am a big st croix fan. I used to fish the connetquot river here every week but havent been there since august. No kill season starts in a few weeks when the nice 10-15 pound sea run trout make their way up the river to the hatchery. I havent had the pleasure of catching one of them yet. BIggest on the fly was an 8 pound bow at beat 13 at connetquot. Took a black size 12 beadhead nymph on a 4lb test leader (i dont like tippets) |
| Well the Connetquot is a stocked river with most fish in it atleast 3 pounds. You pay for a session and can keep 2. Many fish over 12 pounds are caught there every year. I also fish up in the catskills on the willowemoc river and the beaverkill where most fish average 8 inches with the occasional 2 pounder coming along. I enjoy catching the small ones just as i do the large ones. I prefer dry flies just to watch the surface strike. That is the most exciting part IMHO |
| Winston LT 5 wt, Orvis PM-10 3 wt that I line up to a 4 wt, Sage RPLXi 8wt, whenever he gets around to building it a 5wt cane by Ron Kusse, and when my dad figures the cane thing out, I'll have one of his (to start). My dad had the winston 3 wt, and it was a dream on the small streams in NH. Dad has now switched mostly to cane for freshwater, and has a little 5.5foot 3 wt for that stuff now-and fortunately, I get to use them every now and then. You can't have just one cane!! If budget is a concern, then redingtons are good rods for your needs. Try Hunter's Angling in New Boston, NH. A lot of good guys work there, and they'll set you up right. |
|
I tie my own flies and have built a few rods for myself and others. I do have a couple of high-end sages along with ross reels. I love fishing, and especially fly fishing. My Simms gore-tex wadders are the cats azz! I just went ice fishing this weekend and caught a 4lb Cutthroat Trout. I fired up the hibachi and watched him squirm on the grill. That is the best! ps: Check ebay for good deals on rods & reels. |
|
I used to love fly fishing! I had it all. I taught myself with books when I was 14 (I'm now 30). I used to travel with my grandparents during the summer all over the US and Canada. I had a Sage 2 weight and a couple of Orvis rods (4 and 6), along with mostly Orvis gear and reels. I really enjoyed the lightest line possible and moving water only. I finally got tired of it after I no longer got to travel and had no one here to go with. Arizona is really crappy for fly fishing, despite what some say, so I sold my Sage, which I wish I hadn't simply because of the cost, but oh well, I never go. I also don't like the trendiness of it either. Everyone and their brother is a "fly fisherman" now, yet a true fly fisherman is a sportsman who catches and releases and doesn't use spin and reel or live bait. There was a time when it was rare even in popular places to see fly fisherman who knew how to cast and "play the game", not anymore. Enjoy the sport, but please stay true to it's convictions. |
| I'm selling most of my conventional stuff, because all I do now is fly fish. I've got quite a few rods now, and they're all G. Loomis GL3's. You can't beat the rod for the money. Hands down, it's the best rod in it's price range. I've got 'em shod with either Lamson (on the light stuff), or Bauer (for heavier rods) reels. There's nothing like taking my 7ft, #4 to my favorite creek, and landing 1lb smallies all day long. It's just great. I'll never fish with conventional tackle again...Unless I hit the salt water that is. |
|
Damn sport got to be too frustrating for me. Fly fishing is either heaven or hell, there's no in-between. Ever have the experience of laying out an elks hair caddis perfectly in front of a nice 18" rainbow in a beaver pond, only to see a thought balloon form over the trout's head with the words "Screw you, buddy" in it? Damn fish didn't even pause to look at my fly. One day I got back to the cabin and threw all my fishing gear outside. Haven't been fly fishing since. |
|
Quoted: Damn sport got to be too frustrating for me. Fly fishing is either heaven or hell, there's no in-between. Ever have the experience of laying out an elks hair caddis perfectly in front of a nice 18" rainbow in a beaver pond, only to see a thought balloon form over the trout's head with the words "Screw you, buddy" in it? Damn fish didn't even pause to look at my fly. One day I got back to the cabin and threw all my fishing gear outside. Haven't been fly fishing since. [LOL] That was my dad when I tried to teach him. He was pissed! |
|
I'm with Joe on this. Gave it a try and it was way too much work. I kept losing the damn flys, snap. You ever try float fly fishing. Sometimes I will take an ultralight, put a fly float line on the end, hop in my canoe, and just float it out the back as I sip my beer. Works great! Besides, I kind of have a preferance for BIG fish. It's more fun to me but understand you fly guys like the challenge. |
|
I have a small collection of various rods of different lengths and weights. Two bamboo rods...one 6-1/2 foot 4 wt and one 7-1/2 foot 3 wt. I have an Orvis 1wt and I have a St Croix 9 wt. I have every weight in between (last count I have close to 16 different rods and at least 20 reels with a few extra spools in there as well. I won't bore you with makes and models. I have some high end and some Cabelas entry level stuff. The one I use the most is a 3pc 7-1/2 foot 3 wt Cabelas with the cheap Cabelas reel (click pawl....no drag). I am most comfortable with this one...unless it's windy. I have caught all kinds of WI trout, Great Lakes salmon, small and large mouth bass, all pan fish, some walleye and one cat fish (that was a surprise). Northern Pike, Muskie (just one) and carp. I also help teach younger kids to cast and tie flies. Am a member of Trout Unlimited and Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF). I have helped build trout habitats, re-structured rivers to aid in habitat and helped stock trout in these rivers. |
|
Old Fenwick pack Spin/Fly thats ridden in the back of the car and on almost all vacations for ages. Isn't the greatest for either but hell a bad day fishing is still a good day overall and you never know when you might get a chance to fish. Feels like a stick compaired to Dad's 9.5' St. Croix 5wt though. For real fishing trips I use a 9' St.Croix. Trick is to not to forget that a bluegill on a flyrod can be as much fun as a trout especially when your looking for your fishing fix. |
|
St. Croix Premier 7' 4wt is the berries for bluegills and the small bass we have in our local streams. With no trout (where I fish) I've found the best fly is the white foam ants from Wally World. I just clip the legs shorter, and cut about half the body off so they sink oooh so slow. Seems like most of our fish won't come all the way to the surface, but if the fly is sinking, they'll bite. I'll never give up my baitcaster or spinning tackle, that's a lot of fun too. Besides, have you ever tried flyfishing in the dark? Catch and release for me too. Jimno |
|
I'm really going to horrify some folks with this post: I own a fly rod. Bought it at Walmart about 10 years ago, and a little 12 pack of flies. total cost was around 19$. Have no idea of weights, I do know it's a 9 ft rod. Taught myself with the little instruction booklet. Best damn live bait gathering rig you have EVER seen. I can practically fill the boat with piggyperch or pinfish, just about every cast will bring in something. I have brought in more bait with the thing than I have with a cast net. |
|
I flyfish, but dont know as much about it as my father. He is amazing. I just attempt to try and mimic what he does. He probably has 30 different poles, most would be considered collectables as he pretty much only uses bamboo. A few years ago he gave me a wonderful backpacking set up that I have used alot. I love using a fly rod for spawning Bluegill, on small ponds, will perhaps get back into river fishing since there are so many in my new AO. |
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.