Clueless about everything Fly Fishing

[galveston_angler]

Guys, I've looked through all this forum's postings but can't find the following information.

I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT GETTING STARTED ON FLY FISHING!!

Do you recommend any good websites/books/videos/etc. on how to learn the basics of fly fishing? The lingo, the technique, etc. I'm an avid SW fisherman with no idea of fly fishing, but am eager to get started.

Please Help. SOS, whatever.:dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

[razorz]

Pick up a copy of Lefty Kreh on Fly Casting the video. Read as many magazines as you can get your hands on and get the best fly rod/reel combo you can afford and PRACTICE.

It takes a LOT of patience to get the hang of fly fishing and most people never actually master it.

As far as rods and reels go, you are no longer working with # test numbers as with conventional gear.

Rod and Reel weights:
6wt and under are for freshwater stuff.. bass, trout, etc. Some larger species can use a 9wt or so, but in general the 4-6wt stuff is for trout/bass

7-8wt is for bonefish/permit/redfish/trout/etc inshore
9-12wt is for tarpon, snook and larger inshore species
12+ wt is for offshore fishing.. billfish, tuna, marlin, etc

The term 7 weight is actually referring to a "grain weight" where a 10wt's first 30' shooting head has a grain weight of like 240.. I could be wrong, but it's pretty close.

Your setup will be determined by what species you are targeting and their fighting style. For bonefish you want a bit of backing behind the flyline. For tuna you want a very deep spool that will allow you to retrieve line quickly and hold a LOT of backing.

As far as learning how to cast, if you have a Bass Pro Shops near you, check out their free casting lessons. This will teach you the basics and you can proceed from there. It takes months to get the hang of casting properly and takes many years and hundreds of thousands of casts to master.

My best advice to you is do not get discouraged. You will feel inept at first. I did, most of us did.. but it will catch on. Start practicing in your back yard or at a park on non-windy days, or cast with the wind. If you cast into the wind while learning you will hate the art of fly casting.

Good luck and I hope this helped a little bit.

Oh, PS.

The setup of a fly line is this:

Reel -> Backing -> Fly Line *100ft'ish* -> Leader/Tippet

:gr_cheers: :thumb:

[Shadowcast]

Razorz hit it right on the head! All that info will get you going. He did forget one thing, though.........subscribe to Fly Fishing in Saltwaters Magazine!!! The written word is invaluable because it allows you to get the information, visualize it in your mind, and turn it into reality.

[razorz]

....subscribe to Fly Fishing in Saltwaters Magazine!!!


:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

[jdo]

if you are an avid sw fisherman already, you have a tremendous start. Go to a respectable fly shop that offers fly casting lessons and tell them you want to learn, they should be willing to let you use a rod to take some casting lessons, if you tell them you want to buy a rod and reel I would think most shops would be willing to give you a free lesson or two. Especially if you head over to one during a period where they are not real busy there is usually someone hanging around most shops who doesn't have anything else to do and would happily spend half and hour or so giving you a lesson in order to sell some stuff.

Once you are set up, head out to where you usually fish w/ your spinning rod and instead of throwing your usual lure to the fish, you are now going to cast a fly to it.

Most people act as if fly fishing is some kind of mystical pursuit but a saltwater fly is really just a smaller lure. The method of delivery is just a little different.

[razorz]

Also, pick up a book called "Fly Fishing in Salt Water" by Lefty Kreh. I've read it cover to cover twice and pick it up every so often at work just to glance. Very informative and inspirational plus it does give you quite a few tips.

Another great but pricey book is "Bonefishing." This is an $80 black hardcover book with TONS of technical details on flats fishing and more beautiful pictures than you can shake a stick at. Check it out at your local fly shop.

If you are looking for a great fly shop in the SouthEast Florida area give me a PM, I know of 2 that help me out a great deal.

[Captain Jake]

I cant really call myself an expert but I did see everyone else recommended video, I would try YouTube, GoogleVideo, or if you want specifically fishing video myoutdoortv.com. I only mention them to give you another free option to get in as much instruction as possible.

[madhatter]

my teacher always said to bring only your fly rod when fishing...you can't learn to fly fish casting a convenetional outfit...saw Lefty in Tampa this past sunday and he is teaching casting from the side rather than overhead...he is a must see... hope he is doing well as he sort of sprained a ligament or two...don't break your wrist more than 1/8th of an inch....and then only when going forward...keep your elbow on a level plain horozonally...don't twist your wrist because this will tend to twist your flyline...put your thumb on top of the grip and choke up close to the forward section of the cork handle...keep each stroke purty much the same speed....if you are right handed put your left foot ahead (I think) and so on....

madhatter

[ucfsae81]

galveston where are you located? i just started myself and the videos give you a good idea but i personally don't think they help much. Like someone said yearlier just go to a fly shop and tell them you want to learn. listen to what people say but don't take everything to heart b/c people get pretty biased after fly fishing for awhile. i would suggest getting their the combo setups that either bass pro or cabelas offers. Just because this sport is expensive and i still don't know why, the rods are just a few feet longer and your average inshore rod and cost 3 times as much. but when you make a "great" cast for the first time and watch your fly in the water, you'll never fish with regular tackle again. just wait till you start tying your flies too, its a never ending sport

[Steve Gibson]

Also, pick up a book called "Fly Fishing in Salt Water" by Lefty Kreh. I've read it cover to cover twice and pick it up every so often at work just to glance. Very informative and inspirational plus it does give you quite a few tips.

Another great but pricey book is "Bonefishing." This is an $80 black hardcover book with TONS of technical details on flats fishing and more beautiful pictures than you can shake a stick at. Check it out at your local fly shop.

If you are looking for a great fly shop in the SouthEast Florida area give me a PM, I know of 2 that help me out a great deal.

I bought Lefty's book in the early 1970s and learned just about everything I know about the sport by reading it. We didn't have any fly shops around town in those days.