Fly Fishing

Does anyone fly fish? If so where do you go? What species do you fish for? Any tips for a beginner wanting to learn? (In the Louisville area)

My father-in-law takes a trip to upstate New York every year in Sept or Oct to fly fish for salmon. There are tons of websites that will offer advice on guided or nonguided trips, as well as lodging options. He usually stays in a hotel, but last year, he tent camped and loved it.

In KY, some of the most fun I have ever had was fly fishing for bluegills using "poppers" or small rubber bugs, spiders or wet flies. It is a great way to learn to cast and retrieve and get a feel for the mechanics of it. And you can start out with an inexpensive rig that won't break the piggy bank.

In KY, some of the most fun I have ever had was fly fishing for bluegills using "poppers" or small rubber bugs, spiders or wet flies. It is a great way to learn to cast and retrieve and get a feel for the mechanics of it. And you can start out with an inexpensive rig that won't break the piggy bank.

In KY, some of the most fun I have ever had was fly fishing for bluegills using "poppers" or small rubber bugs, spiders or wet flies. It is a great way to learn to cast and retrieve and get a feel for the mechanics of it. And you can start out with an inexpensive rig that won't break the piggy bank.

That would be great FKW.

You will find there are a lot of variations in fly line and you may have more success with a floating, weight forward line starting off. The WF line makes it easier to cast and I always use a floating line when bluegill fishing because I can see the line better than the fly.

One warning, it is addictive. :thumb:

That would be great FKW.

 

You will find there are a lot of variations in fly line and you may have more success with a floating, weight forward line starting off. The WF line makes it easier to cast and I always use a floating line when bluegill fishing because I can see the line better than the fly.

 

One warning, it is addictive. :thumb:

While I was at the park yesterday catching bluegill on small jigs there was a guy there fly fishing. I became addicted just watching him and couldn't resists sparking up a conversation afterwards. I may head over to Bass Pro later today.

Good luck. You may not want to buy any additional fly line until you've had a chance to practice with the line that comes with the kit. The WF line would only make it easier to shoot that line out further, but you probably will do just fine without it.

I like to fish the tailwaters areas of our lakes. The flowing water gives some good action. It's especially fun when they stock trout in the spring and fall. The Ky. Fish and Wildlife web site has a stocking schedule.

Watusi's advice on line is solid. My cheap Martin outfit has served me good for years. I also use a WF line. One word of advice, practice tying those knots. There's nothing worse than being in on some good action and fumble around trying to tie on a fresh fly.

I took your advice and got a WF line, went out to the lake in Cherokee today, and my casting skills are somewhere between bad and criminally awful. :lol: :lol:

Probably going to get up at daylight tomorrow and go at it again though!

Biggest mistakes I made when I started was trying to control the line instead of the rod, and rushing the cast.

Remember, you can't push a rope, but you can pull one pretty easily. When you bring that rod up to 12 or 1 o'clock, you have to pause there and wait for all that line to pan out behind you before you drop the rod again out in front of you. It takes practice, but you have to be deliberate, but not jerky, and don't treat it like a whip. If your line is well out behind you before you bring your rod back forward, it will float out there in front where you want it. If you start your frontcast before the line pans out behind you, you will be "pushing a rope" and it will be ugly (and you might catch yourself in the ear, trust me).

My uncle taught me when I was about 12 yrs old. He would have me stand out in the yard and when I backcasted, he had me let the line lay all the way out on the grass. Then he would have me frontcast it and let it lay all the way out in front of me. It taught me to feel the weight of the line.

I haven't flyfished in a few years now, but this thread is giving me the fever. :banana:

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Check out The Beginners NetGuide to Fly Fishing

The sectin on knots is invaluable and the section on casting is good advice with illustrations.

Not making that pause at the top is something you have to conciously think about doing till you get it to be a habit. I still sometimes fotget to do it.

Check out The Beginners NetGuide to Fly Fishing

 

The sectin on knots is invaluable and the section on casting is good advice with illustrations.

I caught my first fish this morning!!!!:dancingpa