(semi OT) help make me a fly fisherman!

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Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Dec 29, 2014 - 04:15pm PT

WTF! RE your question?

Fritz just curious why you think sending a noob out to steelhead is any different than sending them out to fish for anything else.

Fritz shuffles his feet and gazes out at the sky.

Sigh.

Ain't never caught me a steelhead on a fly rod, despite a few days of trying on Idaho's Salmon River. Years ago I caught two in a day, while on a driftboat on the Salmon, but my knowledgeable friends would not allow me to fly fish out of their boat.

I also have suffered so much elbow tendonitis caused by day-long casting of heavy saltwater flies, with big rods, I just can't imagine going steelheadin these days.

Sigh.

madbolter1

Big Wall climber

Denver, CO

Dec 29, 2014 - 04:31pm PT

I've been a fly fisherman for many years, always barbless (I say that in an unmitigated effort to pound my chest for what a bad-a55 fly fisherman I really am). And I can tell you that any talk you hear about skill and a "light touch" and the fly "settling lightly" on the water and all other such talk is worthless nonsense.

I've tried for years to develop this fabled "light touch" etc., and I can tell you that you really want to develop the opposite skill. To whit....

I swing the rod violently like a tree trunk, trying ONLY to avoid hooking myself in the face (or more painful body parts) on the back stroke. If I can manage to get the fly going forward with sufficient momentum to actually get past me (and not hook me in the butt or more painful part) out in the general direction of the water (otherwise thought of as "the broad side of a barn"), the "landing" is the least of my worries, emphasis on "worries!"

My typical "landing" proves that velocity is the squared term in the impact-force equation. It's astounding how a tiny, tiny fly can make a splash sufficient to soak me even from the distance I have managed to get the fly "forward" from my position.

However, that impact appears to get the attention of the fish! My present theory is that they simply can't be suspicious of such an impact, trained as they are to run away from the "settling lightly" approach that (the very few) actual fly fisherman employ. When MY fly goes crashing into the surface, the fish sit up and take notice: "No WAY is that some fisherman! That must be the real deal, and brother it sounds BIG! I'm going for it!"

So, I highly recommend my approach, as I do catch fish (and ultimately release, usually just before I'm able to get a hand on them). Especially going barbless gives you a great excuse to perpetually come home empty-handed: "I caught bunches, but I always fish barbless so that I can release them with no harm done." And you will surprise the fish with your sheer ineptitude! Just flail away as I do, concentrating ONLY on not hooking yourself (you'll fail in that effort, so thank God that you're going barbless). IF you occasionally get the fly out into the water, be prepared for the fish to violently attack it, as they are completely unprepared for such a heavy-handed approach to presentation and delivery.

wilbeer

Mountain climber

Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,

Dec 29, 2014 - 05:05pm PT

What I have read here is not only accurate ,but very good reading for the aspiring fly fisherman.Take heed.

For one of my best memories has been my dad [son of Scotch fly fisherman],telling me as a very young fisherman;

"Try hard to fool the trout,not to scare them"

Something he told me I would not understand till I was much older.

dave729

Trad climber

Western America

Dec 29, 2014 - 05:36pm PT

Rockclimbers are like gods as fly fishers are like assassins
(of water borne protein)

wilbeer

Mountain climber

Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,

Dec 29, 2014 - 05:40pm PT

WTF,I totally agree about Steelheads,I go after brookies now,one or two ,for a nice dinner.
Same for Atlantic Salmon,they are finally coming back,literally.

Chief

climber

The NW edge of The Hudson Bay

Dec 29, 2014 - 06:51pm PT

I'm somewhat concerned that my enthusiasm for occasionally harassing trout is being misconstrued as expertise on the subject.
I've been trying to fly fish for fifteen years now.
My attempts at stealth scare everything on the river including a lot of NICE FISH!
I spend most of my time retrieving hooks from the trees and foliage because I don't pay enough attention to my backcast.
I don't tie my own bugs and my presentations are more often than not, arrivals.
I cast downstream and catch as many fish stripping a drowned bug back as I do drifting a mended line.
But……every once in a while, all the cosmic forces align and I'll execute the right cast, land the right bug in the right spot for the right fish and set the hook on that split second flash of gold and achieve the great deception.
Then I'll do my best to avoid overplaying a nice cutty to shore, marvel at it's beauty, pop the hook and gently let it go feeling a mix of pleasure at my success and guilt for traumatizing the fish.

I did reply to supafly via PM.

Go to a reputable fly shop, buy a starter kit and hire a guide/instructor for your first few outings.

I'm not good enough to flyfish the Squamish (or any big BC river) summer or winter and couldn't imagine a harder place to learn.

G_Gnome

Trad climber

Cali

Dec 30, 2014 - 12:08pm PT

Give me a non-fisherman and a day on a creek with some trout in it and I will have them catching fish. Give me a week with someone and I can make then a reasonable fly fisherman if they listens to me. Pretty casts are out! Make it ugly but get the fly downstream of the line with some slack and you will catch fish. A good drift is 90% of the battle, although sometimes Louie's slam it down approach is perfect too, especially with hoppers. I am entirely self taught. I have been fly fishing for 35 years and I just never understood why everyone thinks it is so hard. It just isn't, anyone can learn.

dave729

Trad climber

Western America

Dec 30, 2014 - 12:43pm PT

Fly fishing suks donkey dik in the CA sierra. Back casting never happens because of all the trees, brush and marmots to snag the hook on.
So its 'roll casting' or nothing.
And the crystal clear waters pose a major problem because the fish can see you better than you see them.

The typical scenario for catching fish you're going to eat on the spot is
roll cast from carefully chosen shadows of concealment, trees, bushes, or large boulders. Lay down in the soggy turf if you have to.

Set the hook with a small jerk then launch the trout out of the water
to fly so far inland it cannot flop back to safety.

Gut it, flour, salt, stove, fry pan, cook, eat.
A short 10minute process. Repeat as needed.
A beautiful experience.

guyman

Social climber

Moorpark, CA.

Dec 30, 2014 - 01:11pm PT

G_Gonome....

Give me a week with someone and I can make then a reasonable fly fisherman if they listens to me. Pretty casts are out! Make it ugly but get the fly downstream of the line with some slack and you will catch fish. A good drift is 90% of the battle, although sometimes Louie's slam it down approach is perfect too, especially with hoppers. I am entirely self taught. I have been fly fishing for 35 years and I just never understood why everyone thinks it is so hard. It just isn't, anyone can learn.

G_ ..... thanks for spending that week with me. You forgot to talk about hiding behind the boulders.

And Dave... Gonome and I have walked down many an overgrown creek in the Sierra.... walk down the middle, punch the line straight up if needed... the Trout are not used to people fishing this way. Eat the Brookies, free the Browns.

ryankelly

Trad climber

Bhumi

Dec 30, 2014 - 06:12pm PT

watching fly fishing videos on YouTube is proof you can learn something from the internet

Lurking Fear

Boulder climber

Bishop, California

Dec 30, 2014 - 06:35pm PT

I'd be willing to give you an hour or two to impart what little I know about fly fishing here in Bishop or Mammoth. I know it's way out of your area, but I think we have pretty good climbing too. I'd even loan you a sage five weight rod. Won't cost you a penny. We have plenty of year round spots.

Chief

climber

The NW edge of The Hudson Bay

Dec 30, 2014 - 06:44pm PT

Get yourself a switch rod and learn to use it. It's a great tool when your back casting is tight or nonexistent.

No thanks.
I bought a 4 piece Sage XP #5 early on and can't imagine fishing with anything else.
Except my 4 piece Sage XP #7 when targeting bigger fish.

Chief

climber

The NW edge of The Hudson Bay

Dec 30, 2014 - 07:28pm PT

WTF

All good.
I take my #5 weight down into the Gorge on my far too infrequent climbing trips there and it's bit like using a sledge hammer on a thumbtack for those little browns.
A wee #3-#4 weight would be nice.
The Gorge is a gnarly place to try and fish with the thick brush and stinging nettles but well worth the effort.
I'm convinced there are monsters in that big hole below the Failsafe Wall but reckon you'd need a bigger bug on a sinking tip to get down in that faster water.
Next time.

supafly

Trad climber

vancouver, bc

Topic Author's Reply - Apr 10, 2015 - 03:37pm PT

I'm sorry I totally forgot about this thread, which has now turned into a gem for me! Thanks all for the feedback, Perry I'm not sure how to view the message you sent me, there doesn't seem to be a private message option that I can find.

So this is how it's gone down so far!

I went to Canadian tire and bought an 8 weight rod and a reel that cost $25 and of course a line. I took it to my local fishing shop here in North Van and they were really helpful in getting the backing on, the leader attached and giving me some pointers in where to get started.

My wife bought me some neoprene waders for my bday from good ol' Canadian Tire which seem to be doing the job OK.

I even got a friend to join me in this mission as well, he has a similar setup and a 6 weight rod.

We started out in the park and got the cast "mastered". We then headed to the Seymour to practise casting on the river, which was great. We then headed one early morning to the Capilano to hook us some early minnows from the hatchery.

All of this is to say, I haven't actually hooked anything, or even seen a fish, or even had the idea that there may be a fish in the area. We are fishing mainly quiet waters, I guess it's still early season though.

So gentlemen! How will I go about hooking a trout? What fly should I use? (the fishing shop guy sold me some woolly buggers or somesuch) Floating line? Where do trout like to hide out? How do you know that they're there? Is it mostly guessing?

Thanks for all the offers to take me fishing, Vancouver area would be great but I am headed down to Yosemite via Highway 1 end of April/into May - so if anyone is keen to head out somewhere along that route that would be great.

Thanks again for all the insight so far and apologies for not noticing this thread earlier.

pocoloco1

Social climber

The Chihuahua Desert

Apr 10, 2015 - 03:53pm PT

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheridan_Anderson

Buy a copy of "The Curtis Creek Manifesto" by Sheridan Anderson

-angler,artist,wander,eternal foe of the work ethic

I like your style...keep on fishing

christoph benells

Trad climber

Tahoma, Ca

Apr 10, 2015 - 04:18pm PT

man fly fishing is sooo lame.

it's the cool-new-old-thing that's already played out.

I KNOW WHAT FISH LOOK LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PULL THEM OUT AND SHOW THEM TO ME!