# New to fly fishing(need advice/help)



## Genoknave (Jul 2, 2007)

Hello, I've been fishing for most of my life, and always wanted to try fly fishing. Thing is, I don't know anyone that actually fly fishes. I live on the black river in elyria and do a lot of carp fishing. So I plan on just trying to wing-it out here . Gonna go to dick's and try to pick up a cheap combo later. Anyone able to give me some advice on what type of flies to use? Also, if you know of any good places online that could show me the basics, that would be great. Thanks


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

For great instruction & help on line, try www.flyanglersonline.com & also www.warmfly.com ...FAOL (the 1st site) is tha e largest & is the best going for instruction & help. BTW, WalMart has a Scientific Anglers combo for about $70.00 that is hard to beat, & SA is a great company for fly fishing. I believe the combo includes line as well.
Mike


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## ledslinger (Aug 24, 2006)

i live a bit downstream and flyfished since the early sixties---ive never targeted carp but got one to eat a clouser chartruse and white minnow that i was catching crappie with---by the way ---there is a local chapter of the fly fishing federation that meets monthly (except during the summer) in sheffied lake ---pm me for details if you are intrerested---great source of information and all skill levels---


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## Genoknave (Jul 2, 2007)

Thanks for the info, I picked up a combo at dick's for 60 bucks and it came with a mini dvd. Took the rod down to the river today and was having trouble keeping the bluegill on. Couldn't get the hook set, and they kept spitting it out. Got a 19 inch channel cat though, man did it fight. Took forever to land. It was beautiful though, I would of never realized how different the fights are. I think i'm hooked for life


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## MiCkFly (Jan 2, 2007)

Try to identify things that fish eat in the areas you fish. The Black River is pretty polluted so you wont see many insect hatches. Assuming you are trying for bass, try sculpin and crayfish imitations. Wooly Buggers and streamers are other good subsurface flys. If you see frogs along the banks try poppers.You can find these at Gander Mountain or the Backpacker's Shop. The BP SHop won't be cheap but they can tell you how to fish these flys.
Yeah the bluegill will nibble at just about any dryfly but they may inhale a fly that matches something they've eaten recently, try ant imitations and later in the summer and fall try grasshoppers. These may get a strike from bass but the hooks may be too small to hook a big bass mouth.
The fun in fly fishing is trying to present a fly that LOOKS like something the fish is accustomed to eating and just as importantly MOVES like it. Take the time to look around you. Unfortunatley around here that limits us to mostly subsurface flys if you want to fish dry flys (on top of the water) PA is a good place to go.
I hope this helps, mick


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## Pikemandu (Apr 4, 2005)

Welcome to the addiction. I would agree with the last poster. I fished a local creek for a whole year to learn it and using the same idea he said I naild 4 fish ohio rock bass that were within 2 inches of the state record. Most of my biggest fish I have caught (fly fishing or conventional) has been from casting a poper to a fish chasing a frog or a crank or clouser to those chasing minnows. You will learn after you get comfortable casting that it is more about observing nature, the more you notice the bigger the fish. That being said I would suggest always carry chartruse poppers, stonefly nymphs, wolly buggers in any color(mainly black and olive) and clouser minnows. With that selection you can cover any top water, crayfish, hellagramite and big nyphs that are essential to panfish/smallie and carp. A final tip would be to find a white bass run to learn on, they bite easy and often and sure are a blast to catch.


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## jfan (Aug 11, 2006)

If you want to hook more bluegill, go smaller on the flies 
(12 and smaller) and do your best to keep the slack out of the line.

What I did as a beginner was fish ponds that were loaded with bluegill...size doesn't matter at this point. Practice casting to them, presentation, retrieving, feeling the take, hooking, playing, catching and releasing. Use floating spiders, small poppers, small nymphs and a small streamer. 

Once you get a lot of practice in with these flies, you'll have a lot of confidence in your skills and equipment when you go after the bigger fish.


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## mazer (Oct 29, 2006)

Genoknave said:


> Hello, I've been fishing for most of my life, and always wanted to try fly fishing. Thing is, I don't know anyone that actually fly fishes. I live on the black river in elyria and do a lot of carp fishing. So I plan on just trying to wing-it out here .


too bad, i just moved from there three weeks ago! Would have gladly shown you the basics. Lots of different flies work in the Black. I've caught lots of smallmouth and some bluegill on hare's ear, pheasant tail, and partridge and yellow. Even caught a a catfish on a clouser (there should be a pic a few months back in this forum)

I really wanted to try for carp this year in the Black. I still have to go back to pack up in Elyria, so maybe there will be one more chance.


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## rweis (Dec 20, 2005)

With a fly rod, you don't have to slam home the hook. When you feel the strike simply raise your rod hand and pull with your line hand in the same motion.


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## wildlifecr13 (Jul 6, 2007)

Ive been fly fishing for about a year now, off and on.
This is what I have come across as good advice...
1. Work on casting in an open area, ie a grassy area in a park or whatnot, my neighborhood sidewalk has few trees close to it, so it works for me, and entertains my neighbors - oh, and no fly needed. This usually keeps you from hooking yourself (or others) and cuts down on knots and frustration.
2. ponds and bluegill are indeed a great way to start. that is all i did through july or so last year - and i did that quite a bit. a lot of chances to practice all aspects, and if you miss one, you arent quite so upset. i always felt that missing a small BG is less destructive than missing a fish ohio SMB. that would have me reaching for the spinning rod pretty quickly. no need for moral setbacks at this point in the game.
3. things like grass hopper and cricket imitations are easy to fish and produce with bluegill and bass in ponds. get them near an overhanging tree or bush and you can get some practice hitting targets, and catching fish.
4. keep practicing your casting... i am so rusty this spring it is sick.
5. find a friend to learn from. i met a guy from a fly shop in wisconson while on a business trip. this was his advice to me. he said someone who knows what they are doing can help you with technique, help you avoid common mistakes, teach you things versus reinventing the wheel, and perhaps even help you learn to tie a bit. i am working on finding someone now... if anyone in NW Ohio is looking for a good student, I am dying to get beyond novice.


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

Carp are harder to ctch than trout! Good luck ,and be stealthy if they are hovering in the water they are stressed and will not eat "normally" find them tailing and your in the money!


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

Wilmington, NC .. lol man I miss that college down there when I was younger .. lol ..


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## mazer (Oct 29, 2006)

steelheader007 said:


> Wilmington, NC .. lol man I miss that college down there when I was younger .. lol ..


Its a beautiful campus. But you know what living in Wilmington really means? Salt-water fly fishing! and all new fly patterns to learn


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## sevenx (Apr 21, 2005)

No need to add anything all the basics are will covered. All good advice. Blue gills can cover just about all the base's for learning, sight fishing, matching hatch, fighting fish ( a six inch blue gill will out fight most species that 10" as you likly know) They wont run you into your backing but still give the feel of how the rod reacts. Remember a key advantage of the fly rod is to use the length and light rod tip to protect those light tippets. Fly fishing is like golf. you arn't going to go out a shoot a perfect game of golf on your first day on the course you have spend time at the driving range and on the course. Fly casting and fishing is the same you have to practice to get it down. As was said in a earlier post get out in a park, yard, whatever and practice the basics. It will make your days on the water much more enjoyable.
Also add a little piece of yarn to your leader (the size of a fly) when practice it will give you a better representation of your cast laying out than just a leader alone. I guess maybe I did have something to add after all S


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