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Joined: Jun 2007
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Lunker
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Ok, now that the mods have founds us a home and Dwight has us formatted in place, lets move forward, having read Dusty’s excellent What You Always Wanted to Know About Fly Fishing, But Were Afraid to Ask - A Fly Fishing FAQ
I continue to believe it best to keep the tackle thread separate from technique so let’s all start at the beginning with tackle and learn and re-learn as beginners. First of all, as a beginner, I would find it helpful to find a good fly combo kit, with rod, reel, fly line, and leader - a case would be handy.
Let’s have everyone’s idea of what kind of tackle you would choose for fly-fishing your pond? Gonna fish for BG - Bass? Bluegill only – maybe a 5 wt? BG and Bass – how ‘bout a 6 wt? How much money you wanna spend? (OK I know you experienced guy already have fly tackle but your ideas are important.) This stuff can be a hole in the water that you throw money in and we don’t want to go there…
OK, let’s get this beginner tackle thing moving - then I’ll tell you what beginner set I bought my grandson-in-law for his Christmas present. Thanks, George Glazener
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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I have a hard time remembering how to tie knots. Can I use one of these instead?
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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IIRC 2-3 wt for BG, 7 wt for LMB. Floating fly line. I like WF line. Real tapered leaders are nice, but I'll also tie on straight mono.
George, care to explain how to translate "X" weight (or size) tippets into something that a beginner can understand? If using a real tapered tippet, now much can you shorten it before you have to replace it?
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I am fortunate to have a father who gets superb discounts at Orvis and frequently gifts me when I have a want (Yes, I am pretty spoiled). That being said, good used rod/reel combos can be had at auctions or yard sales. I use a 4 wt for blue gill, and they seem to hit anything I tie on, small ant or spider flies, poppers, small wooly buggers, nymphs. Nothing like a 10" bg on a 4 wt rod. I use heavier leaders (10X) due to lots of underwater structure. One thing that can run into money is not using tippet materiel. You lose a bit of leader every time you retie a fly, tapered leaders can add up buy tippet spools in different sizes to extend the life of your leader. For LM I mostly use a 6 with many of the same flies, just bigger (and don't forget the tippet). Use a drop rig (large popper with a nymph tied 2-8" below) for the chance at a double, lm with bg or maybe two lm!! If I only had 1 fly rod, it would be the 6, bg are still fun, and large bass or other predator fish are possible. But bass are my target, would probably stick with the 4 if bg were target. If you are fishing from shore, a small box that can be comfortably carried on your body to hold flies and tippet materiel in along with a pair of hemostats are very useful. If you are close to an Orvis store, they give free basic fly fishing instructions at many of the stores. If you are near Richmond VA, ask for Dale and tell him his daughter sent you.
CMM
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Essentially the last few feet of mono before your fly.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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I have a hard time remembering how to tie knots. Can I use one of these instead? Scott, thick fingers make for difficult knots for me. I've pretty much good to the Double Surgeon's knot for the leader/tippet connection. It's easy to tie, and because of that, I rarely screw it up. You can use it for line to line connection, or just to make a loop if needed. Fly line to leader? I just get furled leaders that have loops at both ends. There are several good companies to buy them from, but I get mine from Robin's Custom Leaders. Backing to fly line? I have one of those cheap pressed steel nail knot tools, and it works great. Cheap to buy, and rarely am I retying that knot anyway, so I can do it on my desk with plenty of light. As far as actual tippets, with the water color we have here, I use none. George got me started using regular mono fishing line, and it works well. If you have gin clear water, then a real tippet may be needed, but I hate to pay for 10' of line when I don't really need it here.
AL
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IIRC 2-3 wt for BG, 7 wt for LMB. Floating fly line. I like WF line. Real tapered leaders are nice, but I'll also tie on straight mono.
George, care to explain how to translate "X" weight (or size) tippets into something that a beginner can understand? If using a real tapered tippet, now much can you shorten it before you have to replace it? Scott, don’t overthink this stuff or make it complicated – that’s what runs potential fly fishermen nuts – Forget about the xxxxx’s on the leader package - use lbs just like you always do – forget about that fancy connector – that’s for a trouters – learn the knots…. Dusty told you already, but arbor knot around the spool axle – Albright knot to connect backing to fly line – nail knot fly line to leader – knots you always use to tie to a hook. Goggle is your friend – good knot tyin’ instructions! That’s why I recommend a COMBO FLY RIG - all the knots are already tied for you. We doin’ redneck pond fishin’ remember – let’s keep it simple, G/
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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Joined: Sep 2011
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I have a hard time remembering how to tie knots.
And to go along with this, does anyone know of a good link to add here for the knots you guys are talking about? Perhaps it might contain diagrams and something to show how they are done?
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Joined: Sep 2011
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How much money you wanna spend? (OK I know you experienced guy already have fly tackle but your ideas are important.) This stuff can be a hole in the water that you throw money in and we don’t want to go there…
Thanks, George Glazener And then there are the guys like me who have inherited the tackle and may not need to buy anything. It may be good "hand me downs", ...or not. How do we start identifying what we have and whether it's any good. For example: the fly rod I have. Is there a way to identify it when comparing it to what you recommend? In regards to WT mentioned above; I am assuming line weight, not flyrod?
Last edited by fish n chips; 01/16/14 09:03 AM.
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FnC, I use Grogs for knots. They even have a phone app. Grogs
Last edited by FireIsHot; 01/16/14 07:52 AM.
AL
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Lunker
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Lunker
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I'd love to get into fly fishing. I plan on fishing for bluegill and bass and I'd spend around $100/$150 to get started just to see if I like it as much as I think I would. Seeing that I know absolutely nothing about it but I'm a quick study.
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
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Cisco, you can absolutely get started for that amount. YouTube Lefty Kreh to get a feel for casting technique. He's just an amazing guy who makes fly casting very easy to understand.
AL
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Lefty huh? That's good cause I'm a lefty! I will check it out as soon as I get time. Thanks for the tip Al.
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 121
Lunker
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Lunker
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I have multiple fly rods and reels and for someone who wants to give it a try going to Bass Pro or Cabelas and getting one of their outfits would be a good choice. Comes with everything you need at whatever price point that you choose. I have a White River outfit (Bass Pro) that I bought for my boys to learn with and it cost $100 and I will use it just as quickly as I would my Sage or St Croix outfits. The White River outfit is actually quite good for bluegill or small bass.
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Lunker
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How much money you wanna spend? (OK I know you experienced guy already have fly tackle but your ideas are important.) This stuff can be a hole in the water that you throw money in and we don’t want to go there…
Thanks, George Glazener And then there are the guys like me who have inherited the tackle and may not need to buy anything. It may be good "hand me downs", ...or not. How do we start identifying what we have and whether it's any good. For example: the fly rod I have. Is there a way to identify it when comparing it to what you recommend? In regards to WT mentioned above; I am assuming line weight, not flyrod? Fish n chips, I was hoping someone would ask this question – thanks.. The first thing I would do to ID manufacturer and specs is to give the fly rod a good cleaning so you can read the info on the butt section of most rods ….if not see if you can determine if it is graphite of fiberglass construction. The cleaning goes for the reel and fly line as well. Clean the reel like any other – just some WD40 and a toothbrush and cloth for wiping. Clean the rod with warm soapy water with brush for guides and reel seat, dry and spray on 303 protectant – wipe down. Fly line cleaning requires special treatment – if it has a lot of memory and wants to coil up like a “slinky’, tie it between two posts or you will have a tangled mess. Examine it for cracks – if cracks buy a new WFF flyline to match the specs on the rod. Tie between two posts (I’m talking old fly lines) and take a cloth with soapy water, run back and fort a couple of times, rinse and let dry. Then go to your favorite Auto Supply store and have them you order (if they don’t have it in stock): 303 Aerospace Protectant – this is the best stuff I have ever used to restore or service fly lines – special formula for carbon-fiber and vinyl materials. DO NOT USE ARMORALL! Fly lines are engineered to match the designated rod weight. To determine the fly line specs you can weigh the first 30 ft of fly line on a powder loading scale measured in grains. If all I have done is to confuse you – answer the questions as best as you can and take pictures – some of us may get lucky and help you out. George
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Scott, it's all the same stuff to the best of my knowledge. Just get the smallest container available - a little bit goes a long way. G/
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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I have multiple fly rods and reels and for someone who wants to give it a try going to Bass Pro or Cabelas and getting one of their outfits would be a good choice. Comes with everything you need at whatever price point that you choose. I have a White River outfit (Bass Pro) that I bought for my boys to learn with and it cost $100 and I will use it just as quickly as I would my Sage or St Croix outfits. The White River outfit is actually quite good for bluegill or small bass. Bill, the consensus on starter fly rigs from the majority of folks appear to be the Bass Pro and Cabelas combo units. I cannot comment on any of these, not having cast a single one. My only recommendation would be to purchase a six weight for ponds BG and Bass. I went another route for my first pond fly rod as well as the starter combo fly kit I bought my grandson-in-law for Christmas. Let’s have a bit more chatter regarding starter rigs before I divulge my addiction? George
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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Lunker
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I have multiple fly rods and reels and for someone who wants to give it a try going to Bass Pro or Cabelas and getting one of their outfits would be a good choice. Comes with everything you need at whatever price point that you choose. I have a White River outfit (Bass Pro) that I bought for my boys to learn with and it cost $100 and I will use it just as quickly as I would my Sage or St Croix outfits. The White River outfit is actually quite good for bluegill or small bass. Bill, the consensus on starter fly rigs from the majority of folks appear to be the Bass Pro and Cabelas combo units. I cannot comment on any of these, not having cast a single one. My only recommendation would be to purchase a six weight for ponds BG and Bass. I went another route for my first pond fly rod as well as the starter combo fly kit I bought my grandson-in-law for Christmas. Let’s have a bit more chatter regarding starter rigs before I divulge my addiction? George Yes let's do because I'm going to get something and practice alot before spring!I have looked at various starter kits at BassPro but have no idea what I might need.
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
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OK guys, I'm seeing 2 pc, 4 pc from 6'6" to 9'. reading the reviews are 1/2 good, 1/2 bad on most of them. I'm seeing one from Hobbs Creek that might fit but......
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
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Fingerling
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Fingerling
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Dwight - Because leaders are tapered, everytime you cut off a fly and tie on another, it gets shorter AND the end where the fly is tied gets thicker. Tippet is thin, non-tapered line that you tie onto the end of a used leader to add length back and to reduce the diameter of the line at the fly again. You might add 18 or 24" of tippet and after a while when that gets short, cut it off and replace with new tippet.
The smaller the fly you are using, the thinner you want the line to be at the fly end so the fish don't notice it. I might buy 6 or 7 foot 6X leaders and they are great for small flies for BG. When they shorten up some, I either add 6X tippet (and continue using for small flies) or use them for throwing bigger flies for LMB.
Managing the line is all about fooling the fish. Fly line is big and obvious and will spook fish. A tapered leader is less noticeable to the fish and gets the fly away from the spooky flyline. When the leader gets shorter and the end gets fatter, it becomes more noticeable, so you tie on tippet.
Cisco - I don't see an advantage to 4 piece rods unless you're stuffing them into a backpack to access remote water. I've got one 4 piece, but now that I'm a bit older and less ambitious, it just sits in the closet.
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Mark, when I first emailed virtual friend George about my desire to return to fly fishing after a 25 year absence, he recommended a TFO Signature Series II. I got a pair, and I practice with them all the time. I bought a couple of cheap Echo Ion reels, IIFC around $35 and I was ready to go. Although I tend to be a bit unkempt at times, I'm anal about my fishing rods, and that includes my fly rods. I had a lot of trouble initially with the slower taper on these rods, but as I got better, I realized that these rods were perfect to practice, as well as fish with. The rod's slower action forces me to wait on my back cast and let the rod load. After that, all my fly rods seem easier to cast. It took me a while, but it was worth the effort. George will set you up good, but if you want to get the expensive stuff, you'll need to hide it under the car seats like I do. OK, my turn…. When my son Jeff built “our” pond in about 2002, we had all kinds of ideas abut what fish we wanted to stock. I had about 10 years experience fly fishing striped bass on Lake Texoma and salt water species with appropriate tackle – Loomis 8, Sage 9, 10, and 12 weights – all hand crafted with affordable components, rigged with the best reels I could afford. I did not have a suitable fly rod for pond fishing, so I began my search. The big box combo units just didn’t suit my fancy. I found local fly rod manufacturer Temple Fork Outfitters to be the solution to my problem, discovering the owner was a long time acquaintances from the fishing world, with outstanding reputation. I have been an avid fan of TFO every since, so I may be a bit prejudiced. TFO does not sell direct, so IIRC I ordered a TFO 2pc, 6wt Signature fly rod from an on-line fly retail fly shop - one of the best med/fast fly rods I have ever owned – rigged it out with an inexpensive reel and fly line. With some 10 years fly fishing experience I was capable of making good decisions. That is a problem for folks getting started without reliable guidance, I just bought a TFO NXT 5-6 wt combo set with a fly rod, reel, fly line, leader and case Christmas present combo “starter” fly kit for my grandson-in-law. My answer to folks seeking recommendation for pond fishing starter fly kits is always a TFO 2pc, 6wt Signature fly rod for about $100 bucks and rig it out yourself with reel, line and leader, or a 5-6wt TFO NXT combo fly kit for about $200.00, that includes a 4pc fly rod with reel, fly line, leader and case. Temple Fork Outfitters provides a no-fault, no questions asked lifetime guarantee for repair or replacement with fast turn-around – they are good folks and friends of mine. These are just my thoughts on likes and dis-likes so do your homework and select the fly tackle that pleases you best. Good luck, George Glazener
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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I have a 6wt for bass/bluegill.
I prefer just using spinning tackle and baitcasting stuff for most bass lures, but I will throw a woolybugger big enough to catch some small bass from time to time.
I like a small beadhead nymph in my pond. It gets down fairly quickly and catches all the size fish in my pond (which is usually my purpose for the fishing I'm doing since our pond is new).
Most of the time in a lake I like finding the fish with my fly gear so I'm not wasting bait then catching the bluegill with bait once I'm on a nice bed.
I've got a BPS combo. I've gotten one rainbow on the reel, but otherwise I've not really cared about it for my fishing to be able to comment. I have a 8'6" 6 wt. fwiw.
I prefer to just use my trout dry flies and wet flies for bluegill vs. poppers sold for bream. I find you miss too many on them, and even though the strike is nice, I catch more of the fish that hit on my other flies.
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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FWIW, I was in Cabelas this evening and a guy tried to collect on the "lifetime" warranty that was on the fly rod that he bought from there. He actually bought it from another Cabelas, but he was here on vacation and fishing in one of the local streams for steelhead.
Basically, they told him that since he didn't buy it at that store, AND he didn't have his receipt, he was SOL. The Cabelas store where he bought it is about 3 hrs away.
Just a word of warning.
He wasn't a happy camper.
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