Lessons Learned

[Bruno]

I like to read this forum because it makes me remember at ton of mistakes I made when I started. So what would the experienced guys out there say was their greatest lesson learned?

Mine was fishing a trib of the Loyalhanna in the winter. I fell in under my head wearing cheap rubber boot foot waders. Soaked to the bone and a good hike back to the car. I was hypothermic by the time I got back to the car, shivering uncontrollably. I drove home naked that day with the heat on full the whole time.

Lesson learned – always pack some dry clothes for the ride home.

 

[osprey]

Mine was to always carry something to remove the hook from the fish , yeah you can pinch a hook out with your fingers but , not only does that ruin the fly (waterlogged) even with the barb pinched down , but it also overstresses the fish if you intend to release them , carry a pair of forceps or small needle nose pliers , you can remove the hook from a fish with the right tool without even having to remove it from the water , much easier on the fish and the fly.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I build my own knotted leaders. I only carry the last two spools in my vest because they are the sections you are most likely to lose. The rest I leave in my vehicle. I learned my lesson one day when I lost the last four sections of my leader. I did'nt want to walk all the way back to the car so I just made two extra long sections out the spools I had. The leader would'nt turn over correctly but I fished with it anyway. Now I carry all my leader spools with me! You never know when you might have to rebuild an entire leader.

 

[jayL]

WildTigerTrout wrote:
I build my own knotted leaders. I only carry the last two spools in my vest because they are the sections you are most likely to lose. The rest I leave in my vehicle. I learned my lesson one day when I lost the last four sections of my leader. I did'nt want to walk all the way back to the car so I just made two extra long sections out the spools I had. The leader would'nt turn over correctly but I fished with it anyway. Now I carry all my leader spools with me! You never know when you might have to rebuild an entire leader.

Same happened to me. I just got a leader wallet and built a half dozen leaders. Much less to carry!

 

[jaybo41]

I've been at this fly fishing thing for a little over 10 years and one of the best things I've learned is that you really never stop learning. Sounds somewhat trivial, but the group here, and this particular forum is an outstanding resource. Learning from other's experiences is huge!

A recent experience comes to mind. When going on a destination trip--or one above an hour +/- (you make the call) MAKE A LIST! I made a trip to Erie last Thursday AM, had the Jeep packed the night before, was there early, had my boots on, getting ready to lace up the rod and discovered that my reel was at home on my desk. Lost a few hours of AM fishing and had to pick up a new reel, the drive home to get my reel wasn't worth a return trip.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Jayl I would do the same but I don't like welded loops on my flyline so I cut them off and attach my leader with a nailknot and then waterproof it with superglue. Then I just replace the sections I lose. Sounds kind of old fashioned huh?

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I forgot my waders one time and had to drive home to get them. Wasted about 1.5 hours fishing on that one! LOL.

 

[jayL]

WildTigerTrout wrote:
Jayl I would do the same but I don't like welded loops on my flyline so I cut them off and attach my leader with a nailknot and then waterproof it with superglue. Then I just replace the sections I lose. Sounds kind of old fashioned huh?

Ah, ok.

What about nail knotting the butt section, then pre-tying the rest of the leader in a leader wallet?

 

[jayL]

I learned that I am not too young and nimble for a wading staff. I started using one within the last few years, and find it to be incredibly useful, particularly for tight line nymphing and buggering fast water.

Many people see the wading staff as a safety blanket. I see it as a tool to get me to places where I couldn't normally go, and to concentrate on fishing and covering tons of water when I get there. It's also great for fishing something like the green drakes in the broad waters. It's simply impossible to safely wade there at night without a "feeler". As I get older, it'll be relegated to safety blanket duty.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Jayl now that's something to think about. I have a leader wallet around here somewhere. Thanks.

 

[goodfortune]

- ALWAYS carry a spare car key! Don't ask how I would know this...

- Use laundry baskets to store and carry fishing gear, including boots, waders, vest/chestpack, etc. When carpooling with fishing buddies, you'll have everything in one place, making it much less likely to leave something behind.

- Lists are good; the most useful ones are made the day before, or earlier.

- Be sure to carry water and some sort of energy food with you

- Its a good idea carry at least a few attractor dry fly patterns (Stimulators, Wulffs, etc.) on every outing.

I'm sure I can think of more to add later...

 

[Acristickid]

Boneheads unite! I have done all of these things.

Put a fly on my tippet off the reel before I even strung up my rod!!! hahaha

Tied flies on with my reel on the rod but the line not strung up through.

Forgot to put my toothpick indicator after tying my nymph rig on. booo...

Have not exhibitied line control or had my rig secured after rerigging from a bad tangle and getting another tangle before I made another cast.

Lost a flybox with out my name and address, phone number inside it, in the faint hopes that some kind gentleman or lady might return it.

Blewoff taking a headlamp (or walking back sooner to get it) thinking I would be done long before dark only to spending forever trying to tie on a new fly or fining my way back out in the pitch dark.

Lost a top section of rod because I put all the line back on the reel- this having the rod unstrung up- thus preventing from sections getting lost . Did find it though.

Also, would make stupid choices by casting into a brushy area will little room for error or not taking the extra second looking behind me and getting snagging in a tree. Nowadays I might pass it up.

-Tip, dont be suprised if you fly line gets all tangled up if you just pull all your fly line off. It might be possible to spend and hour to get the line detangled.

Guess many things can only be learning by experience. hahahah

 

[wsender]

- Carry an extra set of clothes.

- I live by leader wallets. Have one for steelhead/salmon, one for nymphing, one for dry flies.

- When going on big trips, make a detailed list days in advance.

- Keep a roll of TP in the car.

 

[Rolf]

I wrote this a while back so please forgive me if it's been posted before. It's all true though......

Lessons Learned

A Wooly Bugger will not float regardless of how much floatant you spray on it.

Waders leak only in the early spring and only after you’ve hiked at least one mile in to where you want to go.

8X Fluorocarbon tippet is a scam. You can’t see it, you can’t feel it. It’s not unlike buying a litter of Puka’s, (Large invisible rabbits usually named Harvey), in that it is an act of faith.

Fish found under a bridge are easily spotted and never caught.

Golden Retriever hair makes lousy fly tying material.

Mink coats make great fly tying material.

No one fishes wet flies anymore and that’s a shame.

To most of us the average hatch consists of black bugs, brown bugs and white bugs; in that order. How many folks out there actually saw a #24 Sulphur float to the surface around nine fifteen at night?

Given the cost of equipment and not factoring in Catch and Release regulations, the average cost of any trout is at least $1634.18 per pound.

Given the right circumstances, it is entirely possible to tie a dropper to itself.

When even considering the purchase of a new fly rod, you have all the moral fiber of a dog in heat.

Brook Trout are God’s way of reminding us everything is going to be alright.

Yes, you can tie a weight forward line onto the backing backwards. Twice actually.

You only appreciate de-barbing hooks until you have one in your nose. You look really stupid too.

After two years, your vest, regardless of who makes it, does not have enough pockets.

If you tie your own flies you will save lots of money. Yeah, right.

Always carry a net and a whistle. You may feel you may never need them. You will. And you will be glad you have them.

Despite what my wife says, you cannot cast a fly 1214 times over a trout and convince it there is a hatch going on. She can. You and I cannot.

The lessons you remember the most are from those you have met on the stream.

 

[jdaddy]

Imodium

 

[WildTigerTrout]

rolf, love your post. It's so funny because it's true.

 

[wsender]

jdaddy wrote:
Imodium

I might have to try this in lue of the aforementioned TP....

 

[jdaddy]

I might have to try this in lue of the aforementioned TP....

They work amazingly well in combination.

 

[jayL]

Imodium is pretty much mandatory. Bruno taught me that trick. My digestive system gets unruly when I wake up early, especially if I eat right away. Imodium has saved many a tree from an ugly fertilization job.

But when imodium isn't enough... watch out.

 

[Fredrick]

jayL wrote:
Imodium is pretty much mandatory. Bruno taught me that trick. My digestive system gets unruly when I wake up early, especially if I eat right away. Imodium has saved many a tree from an ugly fertilization job.

But when imodium isn't enough... watch out.

I have thought of this but never went threw with it . I might have to pick up some tomorrow