# First attempt at Fly Fishing



## KPenny (Jul 31, 2014)

On Saturday i bought my first fly rod and i am beyond excited to try it out. After talking with some knowledable fella at Cabela's i went with a 9' 4 piece rod with 5# weight line. I've got a camping trip planned for this weekend where i'll be camped on a small river where i've had luck catching smallies and fingerling trout with a spinning rod last year. Does anyone know of a good youtube video or website that covers basic casting etc? I plan on practicing in the evening after work in the back yard with a small dummy weight. I figure that's much better then losing a bunch of flies or hooking myself a few times. Any tips or tricks are much appreciated.


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## tandem (Apr 20, 2004)

Orvis has some. Put small piece of yarn on the end of the line to see it better. Your fly line is your weight. Not like spinning reel we're the lure is the weight. Also check orvis site for free casting and women's fly fishing classes.


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

You don't need anything on the line. Just go out in the yard and cast.


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

This video ought to keep you busy for a while.


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## ejsell (May 3, 2012)

Check out the orvis Facebook page. Lots of videos linked from their Web page.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## Longhorn (Oct 26, 2014)

One of my all time favorite casting videos, and the one I used when I was just starting out is by Joan Wulff.
http://www.amazon.com/Joan-Wulffs-D...TF8&qid=1463449845&sr=8-2&keywords=joan+wulff

Mrs. Wulff is an amazing teacher!


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## RCFLY (Apr 1, 2013)

I would recommended first wearing polarized sun glasses it will protect your eyes from the fly if you have an errant cast. Next there are many different ways to present your fly to the fish I have enclosed a good article that should help. http://www.flyfisherman.com/warmwater/bass/smallmouth-bass/fly-fishing-for-stream-smallmouth/ Just one thing to remember there is a learning curve so don't get discouraged just have fun.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

If you practice in the yard do not attempt to try roll casting. It's a great way to break a rod in the grass.


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## Bwana J (Sep 12, 2010)

There's only so much you can learn from video's. If you can, try to get together with another person that's well versed in fly fishing and learn the basic's from them. There are a lot of bad habits you can pick up that will make fly fishing a real pain unless some one shows you the correct methods. A veteran fly fisher can get you started off on the right foot. If it's not possible to meet up with some one my best suggestion is to slow down when learning to cast. Keep your casts fairly short, distance will come with time. Let the rod do the work, don't try to over power the rod just keep it smooth. Once you can make short casts, maybe 20 ft or so get some small fly's and find a farm pond that has a bunch of blue gill's and have fun with them. They're pretty willing to do battle with you and will give you a bit of experience with the rod. Have fun and welcome to the fly fishing fold.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

When learning to cast, keep in mind you are trying to create line speed. Pull off 25 feet or so of fly line. (more line if you can't feel rod load). Rip your line back behind you for a backcast, stop at 2 o'clock, let the rod set, then from your elbow, release your rod forward with the same tempo as back. A river runs through it gave a good example of tempo. Most beginners myself included, the light goes on when you realize you have to make a solid backcast, to make your forward cast EASY! Don't practice all that false cast bull$hit. There is a reason for it but not when learning to cast. False casting is done to dry your fly in a perpendicular direction to your target. So you don't spook the fish you will cast to.

When you make a fast backcast, you can't help but succeed on the forward cast. If you want to start a good habit while on a stream, take your wallet, full of cash, stuff it under your casting shoulder between ribs and bicep. Now proceed to cast. YEA don't let the wallet fall into the water. Keeps you casting from your elbow and your rhythm is good. As you get comfortable, you can put your wallet back in your pocket and start to loosen your arm and shoulder to get more speed and distance. Then work on single and double haul motion as well. Try to practice casting the yarn on your leader, into a hoola hoop about 35' away from you. If you practice half a dozen nights on land, you will get hang of it for stream.

I purchased the Echo Micro practice rod a few years ago. We use it in the house to play with our cats. My daughters and even my wife had no idea they were learning to cast. Next time I took my wife out, (she is a real beginner  She didn't ask me once about how to cast and was side casting under branches and trees like a champ.

Rickerd


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Good video here.
He explains it all, "You wanna SNAP that rod. SNAP! SNAP! Then SPLASH! that fly!"
lolz.


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## nitsud (May 22, 2010)

Find a pond with angry bluegills, flail out a foam spider. Catch you some fish. Casting is really fun, and on that one out of ten casts that lands right, you'll feel it working. Then, come home and read and watch videos. I like Lefty's book "Fly Casting Fundamentals".


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## KPenny (Jul 31, 2014)

creekcrawler said:


> Good video here.
> He explains it all, "You wanna SNAP that rod. SNAP! SNAP! Then SPLASH! that fly!"
> lolz.


Now that was the fundamental video I was looking for!


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## trekker (Feb 18, 2013)

Don't forget to cut the point off your practice fly.


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## lunker23 (Jun 28, 2013)

Many people tend to teach the 10 and 2 method (in reference to a clock), which is fine. The 10 being your back cast and 2 being the front cast. 
The human mind is fine with the 2 o'clock portion of the cast because you're able to see the rod and line, so stopping the forward momentum is easier. Now the back cast is a different story. People tend to drop their arm past 10 o'clock because they can't see what's going on. This usually means the fly and lines ticks the ground behind them. This is when flies are lost and in some cases, the tip of the rod is snapped.
The way I teach people is 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock. The mind will anticipate stopping at 12 o'clock, but the rod tip will usually stop between 10 and 11. 
This is my method and it's not 100% correct, but it's worked for me and people I work with.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

[quota="nitsud, post: 2176155, member: 23365"]Find a pond with angry bluegills, flail out a foam spider. Catch you some fish. Casting is really fun, and on that one out of ten casts that lands right, you'll feel it working. Then, come home and read and watch videos. I like Lefty's book "Fly Casting Fundamentals".[/QUOTE]
What he said -Imo
Remember, it's just Fishing ! I see too many new fly fisherman make the process way to complicated and quickly become frustrated. Go slow and have fun. If you can get Access to a farm pond were cattle keep shoreline vegetation to a minimum or better a golf course pond you'll be in heaven. Have fun and learn as you go but don't worry so much about *Fly-fishing* that you ignore Fishing fundamentals.
Good luck and Good Fishing !


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## molts25 (Jun 5, 2016)

Always have a piece of yarn or something on the end of your leader when you practice. Obviously replicates a fly, if you dont your timing and how you apply power to your cast will be thrown off.


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## Longhorn (Oct 26, 2014)

If not yarn, clip the point off of an old fly for practicing.


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## KPenny (Jul 31, 2014)

So i finally got to go out and actually fish with the new rod, and WOW!
I'd practiced in the back yard for a couple of weeks until i was feeling well enough to go for the hike to my favorite little farm pond. In my first outing i managed to land a handful of smaller Crappie 6"-7", more little blue gills then i could count 4"-6" and then a beautiful 18" large mouth, i'd guess at 1.5#. The large mouth had my blood pumping for sure as it felt like a 10# fish with the fight it was putting up and being new to the fly rod. I can say for sure now that i'm hooked and will always carry my fly rod when fishing! 
This weekend i'm heading down to the Mohican River to go camping and will for sure take the rod and see what i can find in the river. Next weekend i'll be camping on the Clear Fork. I've got my fingers crossed i'm past the morning sickness and feeling well enough to put in some decent time and land a few nice fish i can get pictures of.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

lunker23 said:


> Many people tend to teach the 10 and 2 method (in reference to a clock), which is fine. The 10 being your back cast and 2 being the front cast.
> The human mind is fine with the 2 o'clock portion of the cast because you're able to see the rod and line, so stopping the forward momentum is easier. Now the back cast is a different story. People tend to drop their arm past 10 o'clock because they can't see what's going on. This usually means the fly and lines ticks the ground behind them. This is when flies are lost and in some cases, the tip of the rod is snapped.
> The way I teach people is 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock. The mind will anticipate stopping at 12 o'clock, but the rod tip will usually stop between 10 and 11.
> This is my method and it's not 100% correct, but it's worked for me and people I work with.


Which should lead to this: http://www.ginkandgasoline.com/fly-...anglers-should-be-watching-their-back-cast-2/

Watching the back cast and seeing everything work can do a lot for training yourself. It helps complete the picture so to speak of what is happening during a conventional fly cast.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Watch the backcast. Good point! Been doing it for years, started it when in a tight place to avoid brush & trees.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

Yeh, once a newbie got in line of my backcast, when I didn't realize he was there, and he never wanted to be my friend after that. Go Figure?


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

I would suggest you fish the upper Clear Fork in Bellville, instead of lower in the State Park. Trout do much better year round on upper. Go to the Gatton rocks nursery property, yes they let you fish it. easy wading. Start low and wade upstream casting upstream to "fishy" looking spots. cfrtu.org has good map and information.
Rickerd


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## tandem (Apr 20, 2004)

Gatton Rock is nice but if it hot out their will be a lot of people swimming and swing on the rope. We were there a couple weeks ago mid week. Fish coming up from the cliff to the bridge. Pass that forget it river is full of people panning for gold. Trout were hitting at the bottom of the dam in the park along with the smallies.


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