How to learn fly fishing?

[onwind]

I am thinking whether I should learn fly fishing and where I can learn it. any suggestion?

[MuskieBait]

I learned to fly fish on my own.

1) Read everything you can on the internet. Especially read everything you can about fly casting and presentation. If you can't get you fly to the fish with the right presentation, forget about the rest.

2) Watch all the videos (YouTube, TV shows, instruction videos) you can about fly casting. Learn what it means (and looks like) to load the rod with the line, throw a tight loop, timing the movement and line speed...etc.

3) Take all that you read and watch to the field. Find an empty field and practice, practice and practice. When you think you practiced enough, review your casts, watch your motion, and go back to all the instructions you're read and watch about and compared how you've done. Then practice, practice and practice some more.

You can cut some of the learning curve by taking fly casting lesson, or learning from a fly fishing instructor, but after the lesson, you still need to practice until you can practice no more...and then practice some more.

Like I said, if you can't make a cast with the fly line and rod to the spot where you want to present you fly, the rest of fly fishing knowledge is pretty moot. So work on fly casting first and foremost. Learn a number of different cast that you need in different conditions and casting situations. Once you have them, then you can worry about actually trying to find fish and read the river to present to the fish.

Learning to cast well does not necessarily mean casting as far as you can, but learning how to use enough force and line speed to get the fly line and fly leader to unroll and straighten at the end of the cast, then allow the fly to descend gently into the water...that is what you want to achieve. There is also the difficultly of casting into the wind from different angles, and understanding how the wind affects your cast if it was coming from the front, side or back...and knowing how to throw your fly line loop into or with the wind to deliver your fly.

There is so much more after casting...like fly presentation, fly selection, mending the line during a drift, finding the right drifting lane, fly retrieve, setting the hook with different methods...etc.

It is a lot that you have to learn...but it is all these techniques that make fly fishing so very addictive.

[MichaelAngelo]

Nice reply!!!

And this is what I found most challenge when I tried briefly this summer:

(12-11-2012 11:22 PM)MuskieBait Wrote:  but learning how to use enough force and line speed to get the fly line and fly leader to unroll and straighten at the end of the cast, then allow the fly to descend gently into the water...that is what you want to achieve.

From a lifetime of spinning, I have the motion of a weak back cast and a strong forward drilled into my brain... and that's counterproductive when learning fly fishing.

[onwind]

I heard that fly fishing needs plenty of space for casting, where do you fly fish? the city pond, lake or river?

[MuskieBait]

(12-12-2012 12:35 PM)onwind Wrote:  I heard that fly fishing needs plenty of space for casting, where do you fly fish? the city pond, lake or river?

Yes, you do need space for casting. That's why a lot of fly fisher wade in the lakes, creeks and rivers to get away from shore to give them back casting space.

However, if you are fishing small streams for trout, a good roll cast is all you really need.

And if you get more specific and technical, spey rods and switch rods and spey / switch casting is essentially a really BIG roll cast...and using these casting methods and specific fly fishing rods can eliminate the need for back casting space.

I did say you need an empty field to practice your casting, right?

In practical situations, you can also use a haul or double haul to help accelerate line speed, so with the little bit of line that you are casting on the false cast, you can accelerate that fly line speed with a haul so that the rest of the fly line by your feet can be pulled out.

[OldTimer]

If youre an absolute beginner a good starting exercise on line control is to tie a 7 foot piece of heavy yarn (with its end knotted, or taped) onto the tiptop of the last 3' section of any fishing rod and learn to keep the yarn as close to dead level horizontal in the air as it goes forward and back above you- by doing the motions you see in on line videos or in sketches using this very short "rod"..... i.e mostly arm with a touch of wrist at the ends.

If the line falls down in front or back of you,...or if it hits you.... or if you "crack the whip".............. - youre doing it wrong. Watch the line as you practice.

It honestly helps get your timing better and helps you get the idea of casting the line - rather than casting a weight - much quicker.

I used this trick to teach my lovely lady how to cast a fly line very quickly.

This is a method that Ted Knott (of Trout Unlimited) used to teach all of his new students (including me) better timing and control.

Neat thing is - you can practice at home in your garage, or sitting down inside away from light fixtures.

It really does help..........

Cheers,

OldTimer

[onwind]

where do you get a heavy yarn? can I use the yarn for tying the egg patterns? is it too light?

[Giuga10]

(12-12-2012 05:48 PM)onwind Wrote:  where do you get a heavy yarn? can I use the yarn for tying the egg patterns? is it too light?

You can get fly line at Le Baron, Bass Pro Shops, or any dealer that sells fly fishing merchandise. You can't use fly line for tying flies or egg patterns as it is too thick, heavy, and the fish will definitely not go for it as it is too bright and doesn't look like a fly.

You can use any type of yarn for fly tying, and if you want to make a more technical and better fly, you can purchase hackle at Le Baron or Bass Pro Shops. I just tie my flies with yarn and make simple wings and a tail from a feather from the Dollar store or something like that.

Here's a video that should help you a bit in regards to spooling your fly reel.




Giuga10

[onwind]

Giuga, thank you for your reply, but what i am asking is to ask Oldtimer what's the yarn he used to practice casting in his post.

(12-12-2012 06:55 PM)Giuga10 Wrote:  

(12-12-2012 05:48 PM)onwind Wrote:  where do you get a heavy yarn? can I use the yarn for tying the egg patterns? is it too light?

You can get fly line at Le Baron, Bass Pro Shops, or any dealer that sells fly fishing merchandise. You can't use fly line for tying flies or egg patterns as it is too thick, heavy, and the fish will definitely not go for it as it is too bright and doesn't look like a fly.

You can use any type of yarn for fly tying, and if you want to make a more technical and better fly, you can purchase hackle at Le Baron or Bass Pro Shops. I just tie my flies with yarn and make simple wings and a tail from a feather from the Dollar store or something like that.

Here's a video that should help you a bit in regards to spooling your fly reel.




Giuga10

[Jeremy Ray Green]

(12-12-2012 07:09 PM)onwind Wrote:  Giuga, thank you for your reply, but what i am asking is to ask Oldtimer what's the yarn he used to practice casting in his post.

Im guessing just about any Yarn could Do Onwind...

You can goto any craft store and buy yarn from there, Micheals is one of these stores..

http://michaels.com

beads and yarn would be cheaper here than buying at a FLY Shop....

I think Old time was suggesting useing a HEAVY Yarn, which would jut be a thicker strand of yarn....


Hey Ill bring a fly rod to the river on saturday and you can try it out to see if you actually might like fly fishing.
Ill also be bringing my spinner rod Which i will be using to target the Species of the Day,

Big SteelHead/ Rainbow Trout...


~Jeremy.