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New to flyfishing

1K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  coloradobob 
#1 ·
Been spin fishing for many years - decided to give fly fishing a try this year. I'm taking a beginner work shop in the near future to learn the knots, casting, etc...

What are some good flys to start with? Any suggestions would be appreciated ;D
 
#4 ·
theo9805 said:
my most versatile fly is a bead headed wooly bugger in black, brown, or olive. you can dead drift/stick it or work/twitch it like a jerkbait. smaller streams like bear creek look at size 10-12, the south platte or ponds you can probably go a bit bigger. works for bass/trout.

nymphing, zebra midges following an egg stimulator have worked best for me this winter.

royal humpies for dry stream patterns worked for me last week at a small stream.

i'm still kind of teaching myself, learning what i can here and there, but this is what has worked for me.
Thanks - my fly fishing knowledge is very minimal at this point, but I've heard good things about wooly buggers for bass... I appreciate the info, I prop pick up a variety when I go to the work shop...
 
#9 ·
So I took an intro to flyfishing workshop recently - and learned the basics

I didn't have a ton to spend, but I picked up a couple wooley buggers #10 in black and olive...

I noticed they had some "lifecycle" fly kits for nymph, mayfly etc... are those good to have to match the hatch?

Not sure if it matters but I have a 9ft 6weight rod
 
#10 ·
Those lifecycle kits aren't too bad to have, but here are some things to keep in mind.
1) when matching the hatch, size is as important, or more important than any other thing. So is color. Things like Hares Ears, Pheasant Tails, etc are natural colors, and will often work. But it won't help much if you have a size 16 PT and you need a size 20.
2) trout do about 80-90% of their eating sub surface. It's only when we get lucky do we get to catch fish on dry flies. For that reason I have way more nymphs than dry flies. Others' fly boxes look a bit different, depending on the type of fishing they prefer to do.

For these reasons, I prefer to buy flies I use more often than to buy kits (actually for the last year or so I've been tying my own flies, but that's a whole different ballgame). Kits are good for trying out quite a few different flies that you haven't played with before to see if you like them though. My favorite kit so far has been the Orvis trout fly kit. I think it's $9.95 the first time you buy it and you get 20 different flies. I just found the link for you. http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=76TK

Have fun!
Eli
 
#11 ·
The way I did it was to go to a fly shop close to where I's be fishing and as them to sell me some flies that would work now. It changes with the water and the month. I kept a diary of these purchases for the following years. Some fly shops also have websites with current best flies recommendations.

After I took up tying, I began trying to match hatches with flies that were different than those the trout normally see. I can't tell you that this has increased my catch rate -- or decreased it. I just find it interesting in a perverse sort of way.

I do think I do better with an Infamous Pink Worm than with a standard San Juan. But I can't back that with reliable statistics.
 
#12 ·
For the S. Platte:
1. Black Beauty Sz 20-24 (year round)
2. RS-2 18-22 (Spring through Fall)
3. BWO emergers Sz 18-22 (Spring, Fall)
4. Golden Stone fly nymph Sz 12-16 (Summer)
5. San Juan worm (Spring through Fall)
6. Any egg pattern (Spring, Fall)
7. PMD (Summer)
8. Red Hot Midge Sz 20-24 (Year Round)
9. Parachute Adams Sz 18-26
10. Terrestrials (Grass hoppers, ants, beetles,etc) summer

I fish S. platte a ton and this is the meat and potatoes of my fly box. A good tip would be to get a hatch chart for the specific section of the S. Platte. Blue Quill Angler has good fishing reports for the Platte. Google it. Go to the library. South Platte Tail waters by Pat Dorsey is a great book. Landing the Trout of a Lifetime by Landon Mayer is a great book. Or one of the best resources you have is this forum. Just ask whats hot at any time. I'm sure everyone will give you thier "expert" opinion.
 
#13 ·
codogg81 said:
For the S. Platte:
1. Black Beauty Sz 20-24 (year round)
2. RS-2 18-22 (Spring through Fall)
3. BWO emergers Sz 18-22 (Spring, Fall)
4. Golden Stone fly nymph Sz 12-16 (Summer)
5. San Juan worm (Spring through Fall)
6. Any egg pattern (Spring, Fall)
7. PMD (Summer)
8. Red Hot Midge Sz 20-24 (Year Round)
9. Parachute Adams Sz 18-26
10. Terrestrials (Grass hoppers, ants, beetles,etc) summer

I fish S. platte a ton and this is the meat and potatoes of my fly box. A good tip would be to get a hatch chart for the specific section of the S. Platte. Blue Quill Angler has good fishing reports for the Platte. Google it. Go to the library. South Platte Tail waters by Pat Dorsey is a great book. Landing the Trout of a Lifetime by Landon Mayer is a great book. Or one of the best resources you have is this forum. Just ask whats hot at any time. I'm sure everyone will give you thier "expert" opinion.
Awesome, thanks for taking the time to help out! ;D
 
#14 ·
On warm sunny days in July & August for me it's a Joe's Hopper in a size #10 or #12. Hands down the most productive fly I've found during that time of year. On overcast days I'll tie on a dropper. Usually a Gold Ribbed (no bead) Hares Ear Nymph or a Barrs Emerger in a #16 0r #18.

Once the fly fishing bug has bitten you as it has most of us you'll be tying your own and your biggest problem will be what to cast not what to buy. But be careful .................., tying like fly fishing becomes an addiction. Ask any of us junkies.
 
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