Fly Fishing

[KEV0044]

Fly Fishing

Andy was keen to start a topic on this - so here it is

I've been into Fly Fishing for a long time now and I've been teaching Fly Casting for around 20 years so if you have any questions about it , this is the place to ask them .

Please Note - Nobody (including myself) can make any claims to be any kind of 'Fly Fishing Expert' .

Getting a good style of casting is important and there are different styles available - but none are outside the average person with good coordination abilities .

Fly Fishing is very much a shared learning experience and you can learn things from even the most inexperienced anglers that are giving it a go

cheers ,

Kev .

[Mick-Kelly]

Love fly fishing and have three fly outfits 2 salt and 1 fresh. Took lessons in casting from Rod Harrison a few years back now. Havent had time to wave the long wand for a while now though. Always take my gear when i head down to see the parents in Tassie. Have to say my favourite catch so far has been a trevor followed by flathead down at the pin.

[bblaze]

couple of questions
How do I keep the fly out of my ear?
How to I keep the fly on the line and not crack it off ?
Just kidding really
I have 2 outfits- 1 fresh 6 weight and a 9 weight (I think) for salt.
Not very experienced and have done the above but not regular.
Best fun to date would be 6lb aussie salmon on 2lb tippet out of the boat, not one but probably 15 over a 4hr period floating around with the school at Stanley. Have also tied a few roughies that have caught fish.
Must dust them off again
cheers
blaze

[KEV0044]

I noticed your from Tasmania Blaze
That's a great place to live - If your into Trout and Fly Fishing
Some of the best Trout waters in Australia are in Tasmania .

[Trout]

I know I will probably get shot down for this.....but I don't know what the big deal with casting is. I am not a good caster by any means and I was basically self taught but I dont think it has really stopped me from catching fish (trout). I think if you are fishing for trout on streams it is more important to cover lots of water with your casts and get a natural drift. Sure a poor cast will spook a few fish and a little extra distance would be nice but just move on to the next pool.

[hiline]

i want to know how you know your using the right fly
if you cant catch any to start with

[KEV0044]

i want to know how you know your using the right fly
if you cant catch any to start with

In rivers and streams it's best to 'Match the Hatch'
The emergence of aquatic insects on trout waters is known as the 'hatch ' .
To match a fly in your tackle box to what the trout are feeding on is called 'Matching the Hatch' .
Close observation of the water your about to fish in is a good start to choosing what Fly to use .
Have a look at the bugs and insects that are landing on the surface .
Trout are fussy - so they may only be taking one or two species off the surface .
For 'Wet' Flys or sub surface fishing I carry a small closely weaven yabby scoop .
I then scoop the underwater areas to see what aquatic food is present in the water I'm about to fish .
Matching the insects and other aquatic life in the area your about to fish in is a good way to select a Fly to try first .
Changing colours and even sizes of the Fly your using can also make a difference to your catch rate .

[KEV0044]

I know I will probably get shot down for this.....but I don't know what the big deal with casting is. I am not a good caster by any means and I was basically self taught but I dont think it has really stopped me from catching fish (trout). I think if you are fishing for trout on streams it is more important to cover lots of water with your casts and get a natural drift. Sure a poor cast will spook a few fish and a little extra distance would be nice but just move on to the next pool.

I don't think anyone should be 'Shot Down' for voicing their own opinion about a topic - 'Each to his Own' -
I do however disagree about your opinion in regards to getting a good casting technique together as a starting point for Fly Fishing .
Learning how to cast and use your gear to maximum advantage is a huge bonus .
I would think it's a much better alternative to just banging down a Fly in every spot you find to have a cast and then after walking kilometres of river bank - coming back with a poor catch rate per kilometre of walking .

[KEV0044]

Fly Fishing for Australian Bass
Fishing for Aussie Bass on a Fly Rod is an absolutetly fantasic experience
You need to up-grade your gear for Bass Fly fishing compared to Trout fishing .
These tricky fellas fight hard and go straight for the snags in any water conditions .
Best catches for me were on surface popper Flys - Early morning - at Sunrise

[wardy1]

whee are you based Kev?