Beginners- what were'nt you told?

[PACOFRANSICO]

On the subject of pre fishing foods. Might i recomend the southwest bagel at the country fair. AKA the Sh*t n Git on the way up to erie. It takes 5 min to eat it but you taste it all day!

 

[miltiades]

I was mostly self taught, but learned pretty quickly. I spent lots of time in the backyard before ever goin out. Read lots and lots and paid attention to other fisherman when I made it on the water.

My one piece of advice I wish I'd have had was. When you see an overhanging branch or patch of brush that has about 500 flies stuck in it. Just walk away, Your not the ONE guy that can cast around it.

I was always the guy that made it 501 flies. LOl

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I must say when I decided to try flyfishing I had a couple of very good mentors to help me along. They both helped me alot. Much of the info I received would literally take years to learn on your own. I feel very fortunate to have had two experienced flyfishers willing to show me the in's and out's of the sport. I started tieing flys my second year and also building my own leaders. The hardest part for me was learning all the flyfishing terms. Some were really confusing ie. Dun. A color, but also a stage in the Mayflys life cycle. Trying to learn the names of ALL those different bugs and when they hatch. I must say I studied alot of hatch charts and did alot of reading. As my friend and mentor Old Lefty has told me a number of times. "Flyfishing is a lifetime sport and no matter how long you do it you never really master it." Their are always new things to learn." I guess that's one thing I really like about it, we are always learning and I love it and always will. My one regret is not discovering flyfishing sooner in life.

 

[Foxgap239]

WildTigerTrout wrote:
I must say when I decided to try flyfishing I had a couple of very good mentors to help me along. They both helped me alot. Much of the info I received would literally take years to learn on your own. I feel very fortunate to have had two experienced flyfishers willing to show me the in's and out's of the sport. I started tieing flys my second year and also building my own leaders. The hardest part for me was learning all the flyfishing terms. Some were really confusing ie. Dun. A color, but also a stage in the Mayflys life cycle. Trying to learn the names of ALL those different bugs and when they hatch. I must say I studied alot of hatch charts and did alot of reading. As my friend and mentor Old Lefty has told me a number of times. "Flyfishing is a lifetime sport and no matter how long you do it you never really master it." Their are always new things to learn." I guess that's one thing I really like about it, we are always learning and I love it and always will. My one regret is not discovering flyfishing sooner in life.

Our paths are eerily similar!

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

I wasnt told anything, I never had a kinda mentor persay. Two years on brooky creeks in the Quehanna area pretty much humbled me & taught everything thing I know. Now after looking back I have a greater satisfaction buy learned on my own. But the knowledge you can obtain from just observing and talkin to guys in your local fly shop is invaluble. The shop I frequent in Clearfield theres guys that are into steelhead and browns. The switch rod guys and the dry fly purists. And even us musky guys. So its nice when somone comes in with a question theres a shop regular that into it.

 

[Paulson]

In my limited experience...

1. First thing you should do when you get to a creek is find a secluded spot to watch the stream and do just that. I usually watch for about 10 minutes to get a gauge of what the fish are doing or more importantly, what they are not doing.

2. Stealth

3. What are fly are you using? Floating line, no strike indicator, 9 ft 4x tapered leader and 6 ft of 3x....

4. Watch some more, they tell you what they want, not the other way around.

5. Talking to the guys at my local shop has helped me a lot

 

[pcray1231]

9 ft 4x tapered leader and 6 ft of 3x....

Either typo, or that doesn't make much sense. The tippet should not be weaker than what it's tied to. When you break off you'd be losing your whole tippet.

 

[Paulson]

Truth, was a typo....the point of that was presentation.

 

[steve2u42]

I am trying to be positive here. Have not gotten out near as much as i would like to. Lack of knowledge...!!!!!
I hear alot of people saying about going to a fly shop for information. Been there done that but left the shop with less information then i went in with. These guys don't seem to be very personable. Glad they don't need my money but someone will get it. shop is dead and still no time to talk to a beginner i guess. strike one for me.
Wish i knew what flies to use. I look to see what might be hatching, if there is a hatch and knowing the time of year and what fish should be biting on but best i can do is get close to what i see. And i'm a guy who went out and spend all that money to have alot of flies and sizes to choose from. Strike 2 for me.
took a beginners class at local fly shop. casting on ground is so much different than it is on the stream. Current speed and having current go from left to right/right to left and not sure how to get my fly line back up to where i need it. Strike 3.
Glad i just love being in the open waters to enjoy the peace and quiet. I will keep on plugging at it. Someday, it will all come together. I HOPE

 

[csoult]

It will, stick around here. You will learn a ton. Very knowledgeable people.

 

[tocar]

csoult wrote:
It will, stick around here. You will learn a ton. Very knowledgeable people.

+1. Once you know the basics (how to cast, tie knots, rebuild leaders, etc), reading this forum will reveal all kinds of tips that you'll pick up without realizing it until you're on the stream. As an example, the posts titled "how would you approach this section of water" (or something similar) usually get lots of responses from members of all levels of skill. While it may seem confusing reading the responses, when on the water it starts to fall into place. If you false cast and spook fish, you might recall reading about making fasle casts away from your intended target. Lesson learned.

peace-tony c.

 

[Coughlin]

Ditto dryflyguy. I wish I had gotten casting lesson at the beginning. I do fine now (20 years later) but have a nagging thought that I'm really doing it all wrong.
Coughlin