The Fly Fishing Thread

[otolith]

I've spent a fair bit of time coarse fishing chalk streams out of the trout season (and fishing the upper Thames) and the spotty hooligans are a nuisance. And back when they used to chuck rainbow trout into coarse stillwaters to enable them to open all year round all the fish would be caught and knocked on the head on the first weekend! But restrict yourself to fly fishing for them in season and they become a worthy adversary, that's what I was getting at. And likewise with small perch, too easy on bait, but great fun on soft plastics.

From the other side, try dry fly fishing for dace, for a challenge!

[One Amp Andy]

nigelpugh7 said:

If I was looking at a rod to buy new again, I would probably choose something like this.

https://www.garryevans.co.uk/hardy-demon-smuggler-...

The whole stealth and small package really appeals to me, and it would fit nicely in the Caterham too, so I could enjoy a drive around the Derbyshire dales and then some fishing too!

OK, that rod is in my basket, what do we think for a reel? May as well get them from the same site. Now on to reels....say £200 limit on a reel? Or is that a bit overkill to start with?

[otolith]

The rod comes in a range of weights, what sort of fishing do you think you will be doing?

[Last Visit]

Excellent thread.

I'm in my mid 40s now and in Suffolk but my childhood home was the Yorkshire Dales and I learnt my fly fishing skills mainly fishing the river Nidd with a few still water lakes and reservoirs too (Fewston and Swinsty). Some of my favourite t8mes fishing have been on the Nidd, a summers afternoon fishing with a dry fly upstream. Great memories.

I don't fish as often now as I'd like to, work, kids etc getting in the way. But I have over the past 2 years made the time more.

[Bonefish Blues]

What O said.

What are you planning on fishing for, and on which waters?

The juxtaposition of bull and gate is noticeable

(And yes, I've got absolute stloads of tackle)

[One Amp Andy]

otolith said:

The rod comes in a range of weights, what sort of fishing do you think you will be doing?

I'm up on the border of Lancashire and the North Yorkshire moors, literally on the border, so I have a wide range of rivers, reservoirs, lakes..... I dunno? What do you think? Maybe get a few different weight rods?

[One Amp Andy]

Bonefish Blues said:

What O said.

What are you planning on fishing for, and on which waters?

The juxtaposition of bull and gate is noticeable

(And yes, I've got absolute stloads of tackle)

This is now becoming exponentially dangerous to my wallet. My wife just commented on how I have a penchant for fking expensive hobbies. This hasn't been helped by the ongoing virus stuff, which has hit my business quite hard ( haulage). I have worked my socks off for the last twenty years, away from home frequently, not much time to do anything...... To really enjoying where we are lucky to live, and changing my outlook to really get outdoors again like we used to!

Edited by One Amp Andy on Friday 26th June 18:44

[otolith]

Just to illustrate the difference between basic and serviceable and high end, these are perfectly usable, just not as nice.

https://www.fishingmegastore.com/fly-rods/shakespe...

https://www.fishingmegastore.com/fly-reels/daiwa-w...

or if you want interchangeable spools

https://www.fishingmegastore.com/fly-reels/greys-g...

Keep in mind that fly lines are expensive - I like these;

https://www.snowbee.co.uk/webshop/fly-fishing/fly-...

But you can get serviceable ones for less.

[Bonefish Blues]

Join this Forum. Occasionally fractious, but lots of beginners at the moment, so you'll find lots of info:

https://www.flyfishing.co.uk/

[otolith]

One Amp Andy said:

otolith said:

The rod comes in a range of weights, what sort of fishing do you think you will be doing?

I'm up on the border of Lancashire and the North Yorkshire moors, literally on the border, so I have a wide range of rivers, reservoirs, lakes..... I dunno? What do you think? Maybe get a few different weight rods?

I think I would want something like a 3/4 weight brook outfit and a 6/7 weight for the lakes and large rivers, but others might suggest more or fewer outfits!

[Bonefish Blues]

That's about right, save going 2 weight if small brooks, then a 4 for rivers, and then your 6/7 for stillwater - but there's a thousand different views and I used to fish stillwaters for good 'bows up to 6-7lb with my ancient 8ft8" 2-weight Scott Powr-Ply

[nigelpugh7]

Bonefish Blues said:

Join this Forum. Occasionally fractious, but lots of beginners at the moment, so you'll find lots of info:

https://www.flyfishing.co.uk/

Indeed!

You will find me there too!

[One Amp Andy]

nigelpugh7 said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Join this Forum. Occasionally fractious, but lots of beginners at the moment, so you'll find lots of info:

https://www.flyfishing.co.uk/

Indeed!

You will find me there too!

Me too! As of twenty minutes ago

[One Amp Andy]

I haven't bought anything yet, except the recommended books, as we've had a BBQ and I've had a 'few' beers....I shall review and buy tackle tomorrow. If I get stuff tonight I'll probably wake up £2-3k lighter from what I've seen

[pequod]

Haven't had any complaints with my Snowbee Diamond rods in a range of sizes and weights, although my goto stream rod is my 8' #4 with Greys reel and Snowbee lines, although the7' #3 is fun in tight locations.

Lake rod is a Greys although I seldom fish lakes as I prefer the whole experience of wading small streams and rivers, as amply shown in the previous photos, which is a mixture of fly fishing and wildlife spotting!!

Catching a Brownie or Grayling is a bonus as far as I'm concerned, and if I am only rewarded for my efforts by an enthusiastic 'tiddler', that's fine by me.

[One Amp Andy]

Love the advice and experience shared on this thread btw. Thanks everyone.

[Bonefish Blues]

Just remember that they are fishing rods, not just casting cannons (latest ultra-mega-super-galactic-faster-than-the-fastest-nano-carbon-mega-sticks) Leave that for the saltwater boys who (allegedly) need that capability

[otolith]

Bonefish Blues said:

That's about right, save going 2 weight if small brooks, then a 4 for rivers, and then your 6/7 for stillwater - but there's a thousand different views and I used to fish stillwaters for good 'bows up to 6-7lb with my ancient 8ft8" 2-weight Scott Powr-Ply

I once broke my reservoir rod at Farmoor and ended up getting my #3/4 out of the car and fishing that. Big rainbows like you were catching. Interesting thing is that they were coming in quicker on the lighter rod.

[One Amp Andy]

Bonefish Blues said:

Just remember that they are fishing rods, not just casting cannons (latest ultra-mega-super-galactic-faster-than-the-fastest-nano-carbon-mega-sticks) Leave that for the saltwater boys who (allegedly) need that capability

That's why I'm leaving the buying 'til tomorrow! Genuinely made me laugh that.

[otolith]

Bonefish Blues said:

Just remember that they are fishing rods, not just casting cannons (latest ultra-mega-super-galactic-faster-than-the-fastest-nano-carbon-mega-sticks) Leave that for the saltwater boys who (allegedly) need that capability

^ this

Also, some really fast action beast that a really good caster could chuck to the horizon with will usually be really unforgiving of less than perfect technique.