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hof52

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Feb 4, 2013
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hello this is my first post here figured id sign up so i can learn as much as i can before spring time. Im 15 years old and do pretty good trout fishing but im just starting out with the fly rod. So for my first post would you guys say is your go to trout fly(s) on the pa streams i no its a broad question but im just trying to learn some rigs for this spring.
thanks for the advice
adam
 
hare's ears, prince and pheasant tail nymphs, wooly buggers, green weenies

For dry flies it depends on the hatch or time of year but BWOs and caddis are a good bet as well as terrestrials (ants,beetles etc)in the summer.

If you can,attend the newbie jam in March. Details are in the events forum
 
CathyG wrote:

If you can,attend the newbie jam in March. Details are in the events forum

X2. Ill be there instructing.
 
Dear newbie:

Your thread will rapidly grow into a mutliheaded dragon, and it will be filled with lots of people desperate to help you. Its very nice of them, and they mean well and they know lots and lots of things but all its really going to do in teh end is confuse the hell out of you because none of it matters, you just want to catch a fish on this stupid thing, right?

So, allow me to get on the ground floor before it becomes chaos. Everyone's "goto flies" don't matter. None of it does. Especially since you just want to learn. So do this:
Goto your local sprotting goods store and buy:
A couple of 9' 5x leaders.
A spool of 5x tippet.
Lots of size 14 pheasant tail nymphs.
A handful of size 14 Adamases.
A little tin of those itty bitty "fly fishing" split shot.
Some foam indicators, or whatever.

Then go fishing. Learn to "cast" about 15' of fly line, plus that leader. Congrats, that's good enough.

Tie the pheasant tail on.

If the water is swift and deep, use one of those stupid splitshot 8" above it. If not, don't. Or do. -shrug- The mysteries of life.

Think, "this water is maybe a 18 inches deep." Put indicator on 3' up from fly. I'll allow this rule, "1.5x the depth of water." Its good enough for now.

Go cast it up from you, and watch it come back down. When the foamy thing goes under, pull line. Catch fish. Delight in your accomplishments.

What? They're on top? Cut off heavy crap and remove foamy thing, tie on Adams. Throw in front of them. Expect nothing, delight in every win. Keep pace with the current, if it drags you've failed. That's the only rule you need to learn, and even that's a lie, sometimes.

Like cake. Always a lie.

When you cut back 2' of the 9x leader, tie 2' of the tippet on.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Expect to waste tippet. Its "cheap." Expect to go through leaders. Expect to lose flies, good thing you only bought two different kinds, right?

There. Enjoy your first year.
 
Check out the hatch chart and this will give you some great information on what type of fly to use and when.
I like using a dry fly as an indicator and attaching a Bead head prince on 2lb test. Where I'm at, I run it about 2 1/2 to 3 feet from the indicator shaft.
 
As someone who scoured the entire internet for advice, and took it my first year, take gfen's post to heart. I read one of his (I believe) posts that outlined which flies you need.

Yes, you can make this sport a science, but you learn to CARE about the science with your little victories along the road. For now, you'll get disheartened if you don't experience at least a HINT of success. It took me 6 or so day-long trips to pull a trout out (which ended up being 3 inches long), but getting a few of the variables right helped keep me going. Looking back, I now know that I was trying to use too many opinions. This sport can be pretty simple if you cut it into what you've read above. After you've learned to float then you worry about stroke form
 
Great advise from Gfen, don't complicate it before you even get started... There will be plenty of time for that later. :) But it's all good.
 
Gfen thanks for the advice i really appreciate it. I already got the gear you mentioned. I would attend the show but im from the pittsburgh area. Thanks for making it simple. thanks for the help every body
adam
 
Yes, yes. To Gfen you listen.

Don't make it harder than it is, not yet anyway. Heck, I've been doing this for almost two decades (a sprout compared to many on the site, and my knowledge in ffing is still limited) and I still fall back on much that gfen suggested.
 
gfen wrote:
Dear newbie:

Your thread will rapidly grow into a mutliheaded dragon, and it will be filled with lots of people desperate to help you. Its very nice of them, and they mean well and they know lots and lots of things but all its really going to do in teh end is confuse the hell out of you because none of it matters, you just want to catch a fish on this stupid thing, right?

So, allow me to get on the ground floor before it becomes chaos. Everyone's "goto flies" don't matter. None of it does. Especially since you just want to learn. So do this:


There. Enjoy your first year.

Gfen's back and in mid-season form! :)

But the advice is great and given with a nice touch of humor.
 
Gary speaks the truth. Its only as complicated as YOU want it to be.
 
Adam,
Welcome to Paflyfish ("PAFF") and our online community. If you haven't already done so, take some time to scroll through the Beginner's Forum. There are a bunch of fellas new to fly fishing (FFing) who hang out there and countless questions being asked and answered every day. I think you'll find that many of the things you're wondering about are already answered there. We have a nice crew here who are happy to help newbies and young folks. The Beginner's Forum is the place to ask questions (such as this one). FFing is a complex sport with it's own jargon and traditions. Questions that are specific are easier for us to answer.
Enjoy.
 
Any bead head tyed with hot pink! Otherwise elk hair caddis. But like I have heard before anything brown and fuzzy haha
 
3 things.

color

drag free drift

and size

when you hit those three things nothing will stop you from catching fish
 
Can you explain "drag free" drift
 
"Drag free drift" refers to a natural drift of the fly with the current, just like a real insect would float/drift along. Drag is the fly drifting in an unnatural (usually faster, but can be slower or not moving parallel to the current too) manner. It is caused by the varying currents in the stream bed pulling on your fly line and leader, and then in turn your fly. Fish can tell when a fly isn't drifting naturally and will often refuse to take it if this is the case. Good advice above about not focusing as much on fly selection and focusing more on proper technique to start...The wrong fly with the right presentation will catch more fish than the right fly with the wrong presentation.
 
Drag Free Drift- You want your fly pattern to float or drift in the water as if it is not connected to any line. If it is not moving exactly the same speed as the current, it will be ignored (unless its a wooly bugger!). The line tends to bow in the current and tugg on your fly unaturally.
 
LISTEN TO GFEN!!!
 
My advice is to slow down. Look and listen. Then slow down some more. And quiet down. Slow down and quiet down enough to be able to spot fish in the water.

It's advice I'm still trying to take. It's completely opposite to most of the signals sent in the world of modern humans- society, work, cyberspace, traffic.
 
Just do it.

Our society is so hyper focused on being a so called expert that people are afraid to try anything. I learned through trial and error and frankly I wouldnt have it any other way. I learned what worked best for me and I feel I can fly fish any water anywhere with the best of them. So try it all and keep at it. The old phrase "its fishing, not catching" really applies. This is a learned activity not necessarily an instant gratification one.

Get out there, be persistant, and youll be "hooked" for life!

 
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