Hi name is Chris, I just turned 41 I’m debating on getting into fly fishing, something to past the time when I’m not chasing deer or turkeys. Been looking at all the gear an other things that are involved with fly fishing an it’s overwhelming to say the least lol . Hunting is so much easier to learn an read sign. Just wondering what got you guys into fly fishing an how many years you’ve been at it ? Thanks
Headed into my 50th year of fly fishing. My dad was a big fly fisher as were many of his friends, he was buddies with Al Troth and Chaunce Lively, among others. He taught fly tying classes in the 70s and I used to go with him and hang out there and make the wildest looking things on hooks. It was a time when a young kid could roam the streams on opening day, bug the old guys, get some instruction from strangers and have a blast.
My suggestion, before you start laying out tons of cash, is to hook up with someone who has been FFing for a while, maybe borrow a rod and reel for a day, and see what actually works on the stream where you will most likely fish. Same for flies. A seasoned angler (not just FFer) can shorten your learning curve considerably - just imagine if a new hunter went out with you how much you could teach and cut years off his learning curve.
Learning how to cast, spot where fish lie in the stream, what bugs are coming off, what temps fish are active, is kinda like patterning deer - feeding areas, bedding areas, etc.
many modern fly rods are under-rated regarding line size so if you want to fish a 5 wt line don't rule out some rods labeled 4 wt - you just gotta try them with the line you will fish with at the distances you will fish. Again, getting help from someone who already has this gear will be a great help. For me there is a big difference between casting a rod in the shop parking lot and casting to a fish with brush, currents, etc.
I also chased deer and turkey for many years but the hunting scene is kinda becoming "been there done that" for me lately with CWD, Lyme, EHD, etc.. FFing is a great pass time you can do for the rest of your life.
Also - don't get too overwhelmed at first - think of it as bait fishing but using flies instead of worms and you'll probably catch some fish.
Edit - I always start new FFers on bluegills at a local pond - you can actually catch some on surface flies and get positive feedback