The Fly Fishing Thread
Discussion
There is something marvellous about a new book, and even more is when it’s a fishing book.
And the simple fact the seller took the time to wrap it in brown paper, with proper corner folds and neatly presented makes it even more so!
And the icing on the cake is the rather simpler, but equally nice trout themed picture bookmark too!
And the simple fact the seller took the time to wrap it in brown paper, with proper corner folds and neatly presented makes it even more so!
And the icing on the cake is the rather simpler, but equally nice trout themed picture bookmark too!
nigelpugh7 said:
Bonefish Blues said:
Coch-y-Bonddhu?
Yes indeed!And the insert of a whole slew of fishing books for £1 each has piqued my interest too!
That's my sometimes-quoted "trip to the bookshop" to browse there. Takes about 2.5 hrs on some lovely roads.
A few more bits and bobs turned up today.
Bank bag,his and hers caps, and eyeball hooking protectors:
Also vests x2:
Plus various tippets, fly line, flies, forceps, clipper multi tools. It's like bloody Christmas here. The better half looks like a force to be reckoned with in her gear.
We've been practicing in a newly stumped, fenced and barbed 2 acre field ( as of yesterday, by me and my cousin. I'm feeling a little bit creaky today), which will hopefully contain an as yet unridden, quite large, boisterous young Welsh Cob. And sheep. More fields next week, yay.
As is the way of the world, I've bought this stuff, and.... work has gone through the roof, so I'm taking my new stuff on the road. Look forward to repeated posts of 'can we fish here' , and ' Are there any decent swims near -insert trunk road-'.
Anyway, first world problems . Again, thanks to everyone for all your experience and advice. I check into this thread every day, even if I'm down the road, and will continue to.
Cheers!
Bank bag,his and hers caps, and eyeball hooking protectors:
Also vests x2:
Plus various tippets, fly line, flies, forceps, clipper multi tools. It's like bloody Christmas here. The better half looks like a force to be reckoned with in her gear.
We've been practicing in a newly stumped, fenced and barbed 2 acre field ( as of yesterday, by me and my cousin. I'm feeling a little bit creaky today), which will hopefully contain an as yet unridden, quite large, boisterous young Welsh Cob. And sheep. More fields next week, yay.
As is the way of the world, I've bought this stuff, and.... work has gone through the roof, so I'm taking my new stuff on the road. Look forward to repeated posts of 'can we fish here' , and ' Are there any decent swims near -insert trunk road-'.
Anyway, first world problems . Again, thanks to everyone for all your experience and advice. I check into this thread every day, even if I'm down the road, and will continue to.
Cheers!
One Amp Andy said:
A few more bits and bobs turned up today.
Bank bag,his and hers caps, and eyeball hooking protectors:
Also vests x2:
Plus various tippets, fly line, flies, forceps, clipper multi tools. It's like bloody Christmas here. The better half looks like a force to be reckoned with in her gear.
We've been practicing in a newly stumped, fenced and barbed 2 acre field ( as of yesterday, by me and my cousin. I'm feeling a little bit creaky today), which will hopefully contain an as yet unridden, quite large, boisterous young Welsh Cob. And sheep. More fields next week, yay.
As is the way of the world, I've bought this stuff, and.... work has gone through the roof, so I'm taking my new stuff on the road. Look forward to repeated posts of 'can we fish here' , and ' Are there any decent swims near -insert trunk road-'.
Anyway, first world problems . Again, thanks to everyone for all your experience and advice. I check into this thread every day, even if I'm down the road, and will continue to.
Cheers!
Nice to see all the kit Andy, and as you say, it's just like Christmas. As always, finding the time when you're still working is always the issue and is why I avoid fishing at weekends no matter how tempting, to let those who are only able to fish Sat/Sun the opportunity to bag a beat! Surprising how many retired members will still expect to fish at weekends despite having the whole 'working' week to cast a few lines.Bank bag,his and hers caps, and eyeball hooking protectors:
Also vests x2:
Plus various tippets, fly line, flies, forceps, clipper multi tools. It's like bloody Christmas here. The better half looks like a force to be reckoned with in her gear.
We've been practicing in a newly stumped, fenced and barbed 2 acre field ( as of yesterday, by me and my cousin. I'm feeling a little bit creaky today), which will hopefully contain an as yet unridden, quite large, boisterous young Welsh Cob. And sheep. More fields next week, yay.
As is the way of the world, I've bought this stuff, and.... work has gone through the roof, so I'm taking my new stuff on the road. Look forward to repeated posts of 'can we fish here' , and ' Are there any decent swims near -insert trunk road-'.
Anyway, first world problems . Again, thanks to everyone for all your experience and advice. I check into this thread every day, even if I'm down the road, and will continue to.
Cheers!
Not sure how often you are down the A30 into Devon but the Arundell Arms at Lifton isn't too far off that route?
https://www.arundellarms.com/
The Tinhay Lake is a good place to practice.
https://www.arundellarms.com/fishing/tinhay-lake
Edited by pequod on Monday 13th July 18:51
Looking for a small stream fly rod ? I have just bought a Shakespeare Agility 2 Rise 6ft 3weight and it is just superb. It replaces a Greys Streamflex 6-6 3 weight and it is immeasurably more fit for purpose .I like Streamflexes and own three others , 8ft, and 10ft 4 weight , and 8-6 5 weight and they are all lovely rods . But the 6-6 is a flop pole, with a comically slow action and an inability to play even an 8-10 inch fish with any control - fun perhaps , but hopeless when a very accurate cast is needed , or bigger fish is hooked .
I'd heard good things about the Shakespeare , which belied its very low price, and found it meets my purposes exactly - I fish some very small overgrown streams. I fished a favourite yesterday and had a great day ,with 23 trout to 12 inches and 6 grayling , the biggest a nice fish of about a pound and a quarter. All on a 16 goldhead PTN , on a 11 ft leader with a 0.11mm point. Some might be surprised at such a long leader but it enables you to fish much better and doesn't present any casting problems with the right technique. I can't tell you what it is ,as I am self taught and can't analyse technique like those blokes in the magazines. But I can say that short range casts were much , much more accurate, that roll casts were child's play , that longer cast of 10-12 yards were easy and that even a very lively wild brown was easy to control in fast water .
And here's the thing - we all know that much of sales pitch of fly fishing kit is part snake oil, and part Emperor's New Clothes, with absurd prices being charged for rods and reels.The Greys was OK at about £180 , at least by the standards of the usual suspects from the ...err. .,,prestige brands . The Shakespeare cost ... £55 and I doubt you'd get a nicer, or better finished rod for ten times as much .
I'd heard good things about the Shakespeare , which belied its very low price, and found it meets my purposes exactly - I fish some very small overgrown streams. I fished a favourite yesterday and had a great day ,with 23 trout to 12 inches and 6 grayling , the biggest a nice fish of about a pound and a quarter. All on a 16 goldhead PTN , on a 11 ft leader with a 0.11mm point. Some might be surprised at such a long leader but it enables you to fish much better and doesn't present any casting problems with the right technique. I can't tell you what it is ,as I am self taught and can't analyse technique like those blokes in the magazines. But I can say that short range casts were much , much more accurate, that roll casts were child's play , that longer cast of 10-12 yards were easy and that even a very lively wild brown was easy to control in fast water .
And here's the thing - we all know that much of sales pitch of fly fishing kit is part snake oil, and part Emperor's New Clothes, with absurd prices being charged for rods and reels.The Greys was OK at about £180 , at least by the standards of the usual suspects from the ...err. .,,prestige brands . The Shakespeare cost ... £55 and I doubt you'd get a nicer, or better finished rod for ten times as much .
Edited by coppice on Friday 17th July 09:23
Oh , it's nothing remotely technical . Like most aspects of flyfishing , technical stuff is given far too much emphasis. After 45 years of fly fishing , I realise it's 40% about technique(including presentation) , 50% watercraft (including observation and location) and 10 % about tackle and fly pattern .
FWIW my leader yesterday started life as a 7.5 foot Orvis tapered job, with a 4.4 lb tip. The leader is tied on to a bright green braid loop , sleeved and superglued to the flyline tip. After various abuses I fished yesterday with what was probably a 4 ft Orvis leader , with a couple of feet of 0.15 Reflo water knotted on , then a couple of feet more of 0.13 and then 0.11mm (3lbs 6oz bs ) The top 5 feet of the leader are very liberally greased with green Mucilin, and frequently regreased as takes on subsurface nymph are , as you know , sometimes very subtle indeed .The remainder of the leader is pulled through a blade of grass and /or mud to reduce shine
Some folk love Fluorocarbon and I do too, but only for light lure jig fishing , where its stiffness is an asset. I hate the stuff for river fly fishing - it is too thick , awful for presentation of small flies because it's so bloody thick and sinks like a brick. Some think you need a sunk tippet when dry fly fishing , but you really don't . If you use one you just miss takes as you have to drag the fluoro back from underwater , rather than lift it off the surface .
God, I have gone on a bit ., sorry
FWIW my leader yesterday started life as a 7.5 foot Orvis tapered job, with a 4.4 lb tip. The leader is tied on to a bright green braid loop , sleeved and superglued to the flyline tip. After various abuses I fished yesterday with what was probably a 4 ft Orvis leader , with a couple of feet of 0.15 Reflo water knotted on , then a couple of feet more of 0.13 and then 0.11mm (3lbs 6oz bs ) The top 5 feet of the leader are very liberally greased with green Mucilin, and frequently regreased as takes on subsurface nymph are , as you know , sometimes very subtle indeed .The remainder of the leader is pulled through a blade of grass and /or mud to reduce shine
Some folk love Fluorocarbon and I do too, but only for light lure jig fishing , where its stiffness is an asset. I hate the stuff for river fly fishing - it is too thick , awful for presentation of small flies because it's so bloody thick and sinks like a brick. Some think you need a sunk tippet when dry fly fishing , but you really don't . If you use one you just miss takes as you have to drag the fluoro back from underwater , rather than lift it off the surface .
God, I have gone on a bit ., sorry
coppice said:
Some folk love Fluorocarbon and I do too, but only for light lure jig fishing , where its stiffness is an asset. I hate the stuff for river fly fishing - it is too thick , awful for presentation of small flies because it's so bloody thick and sinks like a brick. Some think you need a sunk tippet when dry fly fishing , but you really don't . If you use one you just miss takes as you have to drag the fluoro back from underwater , rather than lift it off the surface .
God, I have gone on a bit ., sorry
...and of course, for my branch all of that is an asset (albeit I invariably tie my flies on a loop to ensure they have movement) so I think FC's wonderful stuff God, I have gone on a bit ., sorry
coppice said:
Oh , it's nothing remotely technical . Like most aspects of flyfishing , technical stuff is given far too much emphasis. After 45 years of fly fishing , I realise it's 40% about technique(including presentation) , 50% watercraft (including observation and location) and 10 % about tackle and fly pattern .
FWIW my leader yesterday started life as a 7.5 foot Orvis tapered job, with a 4.4 lb tip. The leader is tied on to a bright green braid loop , sleeved and superglued to the flyline tip. After various abuses I fished yesterday with what was probably a 4 ft Orvis leader , with a couple of feet of 0.15 Reflo water knotted on , then a couple of feet more of 0.13 and then 0.11mm (3lbs 6oz bs ) The top 5 feet of the leader are very liberally greased with green Mucilin, and frequently regreased as takes on subsurface nymph are , as you know , sometimes very subtle indeed .The remainder of the leader is pulled through a blade of grass and /or mud to reduce shine
Some folk love Fluorocarbon and I do too, but only for light lure jig fishing , where its stiffness is an asset. I hate the stuff for river fly fishing - it is too thick , awful for presentation of small flies because it's so bloody thick and sinks like a brick. Some think you need a sunk tippet when dry fly fishing , but you really don't . If you use one you just miss takes as you have to drag the fluoro back from underwater , rather than lift it off the surface .
God, I have gone on a bit ., sorry
Not at all, it's good to read how others create a leader and the various techniques we all adopt. FWIW my leader yesterday started life as a 7.5 foot Orvis tapered job, with a 4.4 lb tip. The leader is tied on to a bright green braid loop , sleeved and superglued to the flyline tip. After various abuses I fished yesterday with what was probably a 4 ft Orvis leader , with a couple of feet of 0.15 Reflo water knotted on , then a couple of feet more of 0.13 and then 0.11mm (3lbs 6oz bs ) The top 5 feet of the leader are very liberally greased with green Mucilin, and frequently regreased as takes on subsurface nymph are , as you know , sometimes very subtle indeed .The remainder of the leader is pulled through a blade of grass and /or mud to reduce shine
Some folk love Fluorocarbon and I do too, but only for light lure jig fishing , where its stiffness is an asset. I hate the stuff for river fly fishing - it is too thick , awful for presentation of small flies because it's so bloody thick and sinks like a brick. Some think you need a sunk tippet when dry fly fishing , but you really don't . If you use one you just miss takes as you have to drag the fluoro back from underwater , rather than lift it off the surface .
God, I have gone on a bit ., sorry
There is something marvellous about a new book, and even more is when it’s a fishing book.
And the simple fact the seller took the time to wrap it in brown paper, with proper corner folds and neatly presented makes it even more so!
And the icing on the cake is the rather simpler, but equally nice trout themed picture bookmark too!
And the simple fact the seller took the time to wrap it in brown paper, with proper corner folds and neatly presented makes it even more so!
And the icing on the cake is the rather simpler, but equally nice trout themed picture bookmark too!
So quick update on our trip out today.
We only managed three hours as it was so hot, 29C for most of the afternoon.
As we walked down to the river our little friend the Kingfisher was right there in front of us, it was like he was waiting for us to show up!
Sadly didn’t have my camera today, or even my iPhone I left it in the Land Rover where we parked!
Tom was using my little Normark Rod, I spent a bit of time with him working out the best angle to cast, then left him to it.
I moved upstream, and found a nice little swim, which looked like it had some nice deeper pools, which I’m
Sure was where all the fish were on such a hot day.
I was using the new Greys reel with the pre installed line on my Greys Travel rod, oh my gosh this rod is superb, I can’t believe how far I manage to cast with it, the line just flys out of the end of the rod at such speed, it’s an absolute joy to use.
And once again I can’t believe how good I have become at casting, my guide book has really helped, I’m using roll casts, side rolls and repairs and only got hooked up in the nettles once as well.
I also ventured into the shallow water as it was so clear and all stones, didn’t have my waders just my waterproof Rockport shoes, my god the water was cold even at shin height, but it did let
Me create lots of space for casting, I was getting further and further with each cast, in the end I cast so far I was almost at end of the line about to start using some of the backing!
That’s the furthest I have ever cast, it was such a precise and pleasurable experience, I was casting over and over, pick the point on the water where I thought I could see some action, and getting it placed almost dead centre of my target point each time too, what a pleasure to use a matched rod and reel like this.
As I moved further down stream I could see Tom, he was casting Into a nice little Pool with a great little back eddy on it, I thought he’s going to catch one before I do!
Sadly we both drew a Nil Point, I had just the one touch, I think the fish were deep, and just nudging the flies, Tom reckoned he had 3 or 4 little bumps but nothing again.
We also had friends for most of the session too, the Sheep with some grown up lambs needed a drink so we just backed around the bank a bit more and they all plied in for a drink, not bothered about us at all.
On the way home Tom exclaimed he enjoyed the trip out and said he wants to Catch something for sure next time.
One proud dad! Happy days out!
We only managed three hours as it was so hot, 29C for most of the afternoon.
As we walked down to the river our little friend the Kingfisher was right there in front of us, it was like he was waiting for us to show up!
Sadly didn’t have my camera today, or even my iPhone I left it in the Land Rover where we parked!
Tom was using my little Normark Rod, I spent a bit of time with him working out the best angle to cast, then left him to it.
I moved upstream, and found a nice little swim, which looked like it had some nice deeper pools, which I’m
Sure was where all the fish were on such a hot day.
I was using the new Greys reel with the pre installed line on my Greys Travel rod, oh my gosh this rod is superb, I can’t believe how far I manage to cast with it, the line just flys out of the end of the rod at such speed, it’s an absolute joy to use.
And once again I can’t believe how good I have become at casting, my guide book has really helped, I’m using roll casts, side rolls and repairs and only got hooked up in the nettles once as well.
I also ventured into the shallow water as it was so clear and all stones, didn’t have my waders just my waterproof Rockport shoes, my god the water was cold even at shin height, but it did let
Me create lots of space for casting, I was getting further and further with each cast, in the end I cast so far I was almost at end of the line about to start using some of the backing!
That’s the furthest I have ever cast, it was such a precise and pleasurable experience, I was casting over and over, pick the point on the water where I thought I could see some action, and getting it placed almost dead centre of my target point each time too, what a pleasure to use a matched rod and reel like this.
As I moved further down stream I could see Tom, he was casting Into a nice little Pool with a great little back eddy on it, I thought he’s going to catch one before I do!
Sadly we both drew a Nil Point, I had just the one touch, I think the fish were deep, and just nudging the flies, Tom reckoned he had 3 or 4 little bumps but nothing again.
We also had friends for most of the session too, the Sheep with some grown up lambs needed a drink so we just backed around the bank a bit more and they all plied in for a drink, not bothered about us at all.
On the way home Tom exclaimed he enjoyed the trip out and said he wants to Catch something for sure next time.
One proud dad! Happy days out!
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