Wow, I'm ****ed. I only know how to tie one type of fishing knot.

It's a lake, not a stream.

plus you need to learn how to turn over the leader properly.

Don't worry, they are super easy. The surgeon's knot is probably the easiest.


My above statement still applies. Sometimes you let it sit, sometimes you strip it in fast, sometimes you creep it in.

I've tried a billion moves with flies and don't recall any of them ever really working, although it does work with wet flies. Hits come with the right choice in fly and being sneaky imo:D

Donger, go to the library and check out a book on fly fishing basics.

Perhaps, but I don't even know the name of the knot I know how to use. It's the one where you make a loop, wrap the line around itself eight times or so and then back through the loop.

Thanks.

What TUW said.
If you’re using poppers, small jig, wooly worm or something similar you want to give it some action but something like dry flies you let sit and drift.

That sounds like a clinch knot. It is used for attaching hooks and lures to standing line.

Cinch knot.

Heh, clinch cinch. Tomayto tomahto.

Great, so I have to learn a new knot?

I only know/use cinch knot & nail knot. The ****ing fish don't give a shit what knot is on that fly, they only care about what fly is on the knot:D

The knots aren't hard to learn at all and they may offer increased line strength and ease of tying. I'd rather fiddle with a surgeon's knot than a blood knot while standing in the middle of a river in low light conditions.

Does this look correct?

http://mofishing.net/images/Knots/Surgeons%20Knot.gif

The biggest difference between knots is how much strength they cause your line to lose. As the knot is being cinched down it rubs against itself flattening, fray, even slightly cutting the line. Some knots are worse about this than others. Seems like the cinch knot retains around 80% line strength but I’m pulling that from memory.

I use these for attaching my leader to my line. They are cheap, super quick, don't affect casting, and they slide through the rod guides easily.

http://www.flyshack.com/images/items...Connectors.jpg

http://www.basspro.com/Fly-Line-to-L...ct/2460/108038

Just be glad that most leaders and lines now already have loops in them. Nail knots and perfection loops aren't much fun.

I used to use the loop to loop connections, but that was before I discovered those connectors I just posted. The connectors are sleeker and I feel like they don't hinge as much.

I like the Double Uni knot for tying leaders together.

http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/double-uni-knot/

True dat, you guys talking about knots and integrity etc. I have lost a few because my knot wasn't worth shit. It happens from time to time, fishing late etc. But I've probably lost more fish on snags and impatience:D


Also, when I go to a new area I shop for flies there. That way I don't have to research what the hell the fish in that area feed on. I enjoy talking with local fly fishermen too, so it's always a great experience shopping for flies. Also, there are some really great craftsmen in some areas that make incredible flies, sometimes I meet them in the shops by chance and it's great just listening to them talk about the materials they use to make their flies and all that kind of stuff.

I missed fly fishing this season, I like stream fishing in high country. I will get out there next spring.

You should start making your own flies. There's not much more satisfaction from fishing than catching fish on a fly you just tied a few minutes ago at streamside.

Awesome. I might be too impatient for that, but cool idea:D

Rapala knots would also fit into the not much fun category. Pain in the butt and probably more difficult than the perfection knot.

http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/rapala-knot/

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/techn...break-analysis

Pretty interesting how the Palomar knot works well with a lot of mono but is horrible for braided lines.

No wonder fishing is confusing:

http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/palomar-knot/
lol

Palomar knot is simple

How 'bout you go practice this knot?

http://defendingcontending.files.wor...2/02/noose.jpg

I was talking about all the contradicting information, more than the difficulty of said knot. It does look pretty easy.

I used to love fishing when I was younger, but lost track of it over the years. Trying to get back into it now, but I'm way behind the curve. Suggestions on how to get past the "beginner" stage? I know enough to be dangerous, but not enough to be successful on my own.

I'm contemplating a fishing kayak, though I haven't figured out how to haul it around yet - my bimmer coupe doesn't quite fit the bill, lol...

Caught a 5 lb 2 ounce and a 3 lb 8 ounce Bass today.:thumb:

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...43401497_n.jpg

The takes on this video are probably some of the most intense I've ever seen. The camera work to capture the fish as they pursue the fly is just ****ing awesome. I might just give my left nut for a day or two of fishing like this.

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/49735462" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/49735462">REBOUND</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2813283">SHALLOW WATER EXPEDITIONS</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

The Jack take and run at 3:24 on that video is just freaking sick.

As is the school of reds at 4:20 or so.

Anyone catching anything?

I should be fishing, ribs are good enough to walk around and some light activity, Maybe next week... Crappie should be hitting hard with these 40 and 50 degree nights here.

Crappie have been hitting but that’s about it.
It’s been so warm and dry we really haven’t had a good pre-winter feed.

I caught about 25 rainbows on a 3 day trip to Beavers Bend Oklahoma last weekend. Things were pretty slow because a cold front came through on Friday night. Friday night I got a few on San Juan Worm and Near Deere. Saturday day was slow, but I got 2 on zebra midges. Saturday evening a cahill hatch happened and they were taking white comparaduns until it got dark. Sunday was slow once again but I took a few on peach egg patterns.

sonny-boog jr ,, caught a 42 lb flathead last weekend in the lake on limblines .. think they'll start feeding up now .....

I'm heading down to Norfork Tailwaters for a 4 day trip late next week. This is my favorite time of year to fly fish.

Caught a 2 pound smallie in a small creek not far from here that feeds off the illinois river, extremely rare to find them this far south.

Even have photo proof that i'll throw up soon.

Any tips on getting started fly fishing? No one in my family does and I'd like to start. Or at least I think i do. I have never been before. I'm working on Cabela's Fly Fishing University right now.

What do you want to know?

Well casting seems intimidating. My experience with fly casting was in the movie A River Runs Through It. Casting is a life long art in that movie. I just want to learn how to cast correctly and I don't have anyone to teach me.

You don't need a river runs through it cast to catch fish. As long as you have the general idea, you will be fine. I can teach someone how to cast where they are catching fish in about 10 minutes. Do you have a rod and reel yet?

No. I have been looking at some cabelas stuff. Not too sure on what I should get. I was thinking a 9' rod. Probably 6 weight. I would wait until I get an employee pricing coupon in the mail so I could spend a bit more. I would rather spend the money now rather than later.

A 6 WT is the best all around weight in my experience. What is your budget for the rod and reel?

Looks like a good course :thumb: Personally fishing streams it's good to be alone but it is nice to have somone that can teach you the basics. It's like anything, start with the fundimentals and get them down or else when it's game on, you'll be just another monkey hoeing cabbage.

You'll enjoy the journey if you get out and fish. good luck.

250

That will work for a good starter combo. I will tell you this, if you decide you like it and move up to a nicer rod and reel, it will blow you away. You will never pick up the first one again, I swing Winston rods with Galvan reels. My go to set up is a winston Boron 5 WT with a Galvan T5 reel. It doesn't feel like swinging a fly rod, it's feel more like an extension of your arm. The action on that rig is out of this world.

http://www.winstonrods.com/category/rods/

http://www.galvanflyreels.com/index....-Arbor-Series/

How much coin did you spend on the combo? How long have you been fly fishing?
Also do I need any other gear when first starting? ie waders, net.

Fly fishing 25 years. I paid around $800 for the rod and reel and yes, I would get waders. I like waist waders made by Dan Bailey. https://www.dan-bailey.com/Via/index.jsp

Whatever you buy, get something breathable.

Most of the time I don't use a net and you should look into a fly fishing vest. I like Simms, but that isn't something you need right out of the gate.

http://www.simmsfishing.com/

If you are going to step up on one nice peice of gear right out of the gate, make it the fly rod. I would rather have a nice rod and a walmart reel than the other way around. Like I said before, action and feel is everything. It's so much easier to cast with a rod with nice action. Skimp on everything but the rod if you have to.

Bwana obviously has lots of great experience and advice. You can't go wrong following it.

I'm another data point.

I started with a flyrod when I was 9 or 10 and I haven't looked back. Grew up in St. Louis, but had relatives in southern IL. Mostly panfish then. Got into trout when I was a teenager, and my mom was glad when I got my drivers license because I could take myself to the Maramec and Montauk, etc.

Went to college in Rolla, MO, just a short blip from several great fishing areas. Had an extremely small fly-tying business while in college.

Lived in Nebraska for 14 years after college, with a heavy dose of bass fishing with a flyrod. My job took my all around the world, too, so I was able to wet a line on many coasts. Salt water is oh so fun to fish.


All that is to say that I'm by no means an expert, but I've done my share of fishing.


Fly-fishing can tend to have a high-dollar following, and like golf or home fitness can attract men who don't end up pursuing the hobby after their initial (speedy) purchases.

Thusly, you can find some really great deals on the used market. Rods that have barely been flexed. Waders seldom used, etc. Check craigslist, and the bulletin board at your local flyshop.


There are advantages to high dollar equipment, but if you can't cast the cheap rods, you can't cast the spendy ones.

Don't confuse expensive equipment with skill. Skill is attainable. You can do it. Read up. Ask friends and experts for help.

You should easily be able to outfit yourself stem to stern for $200 with very basic equipment. Likewise you can spend 10x that with better.

If you're set on buying new, I'd go with a cheap starter set from a reputable place. When I was growing up, you never found Orvis dipping into the low-end market, but nowadays, almost all of the high end brands also have low-end models. They're cheap, but the fundamentals never change.

You haven't really said what you'll be fishing for, but that will guide your equipment as well.

Several flyfishermen here, so I'm sure we can all chime in as you have questions.

It's not as hard as it looks. Look for any local fly shops and almost every one will offer some sort of casting lesson. Once you learn how to manipulate the line, it's easy to make all kinds of casts.

I rarely use a normal full cast. Most of my casting is roll casts or little flip casts.

Rolla eh? So I assume you hit up the Current pretty often. I love that river.

Edit: Duh, you mentioned Montauk in your post.

Agreed. I don’t know about the areas you guys are fishing but around here unless you’re in a boat there isn’t normally enough room around you for a full cast.

Look at some Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO) rods. They are right in your price range and they are quality rods. They also come with a complete no fault warranty, so if you break your rod for whatever reason you just send it in with $25 for shipping and they fix or give you a new rod.

Also, you don't need much for a reel when you start out. For the most part, unless you are working for large ocean fish, the reel just acts as a line holder. You'll end up playing most fish with your hands by stripping in line.

Spend your money on a good fly line. It should cost around $60. Scientific Anglers and Rio lines are both good.

As for rods, TFO is a good brand. Mde overseas though if that matters to you. I have two of them.

^ This.
I like the TFO Rods. I have one for a backup/loaner/messy creek fishing Rod. They are well built and cast nice. St Croix has a similar program for the no fault warranty. I usually seem to break a rod once a year (car door or stupid friends), and the no fault or upgrade deal is very nice. Plus I like St. Croix Rods.

Often Sierra Trading Post has blowout deals on Fly Rods.

Crappie are biting in small lakes here in SE Kansas .. medium size tho ....

I'm just getting into fly fishing too, I looked for a conversation just like this about 2-3 weeks ago, but didn't start one up then when I didn't see one.


I have most of the gear taken care of now. The rod came from the guy I am going with, he is letting me use the one he used to use since he just got a new one, so that cost is avoided for now.

I got some waders from bass pro on gift cards I got for Christmas. Ended up with white river stocking foot waders and white river wading boots as well. More than I would have spent, but I had an assload of giftcards anyhow.

Instead of a vest I got one of those orvis sling packs. From hunting I always disliked vests and lots of pockets in front of me, so I went for the sling pack so I could easily get the bulk behind me.

I've only used the rod once in the back yard, but the casting didn't feel as awkwards as I thought it would. It is a lot easier to understand what I heard of in videos once I could feel the weight of the line from the rod. I also figured out how easily leaders break since I broke it several times just in the back yard when it twisted around dormant grass stems.

We are set for going to Bennett on opening weekend, looking forward to it.

Yup, seen a few guys out hitting them.

That’s cool, I think its Lzen that makes that an annual trip too.

Casting feels a bit different (and is easier) when you actually have line out on the water. The water gives a bit of tension and helps load up the rod on the initial backcast, whereas the lawn just lets the line slide so it doesn't load the rod as much.

Be sure to clean your line after using it in the yard. Dirt and dust get on the line and make it not float well and not shoot well.

Man, you couldn't pay me enough to go to one of those opening weekend events. If there's one thing I can't stand it's other fishermen. I have to be away and have my space.

Snagging for spoonbill would drive you crazy. It’s shoulder to shoulder with guys slinging 8 oz. sinkers with treble hooks the size of your fist. Fights even break out over it.

Dude I don't even like bait fishermen anymore...I saw that I'd probably have a heart attack.

Anyone have experience with cast nets? Looking to try and get shad for catfishing this spring. Recommendations? Areas to try? Any information would be appreciated

Speaking of Fly fishing, I'm heading to the White in Arkansas in two weeks for our annual February trout trip. We caught fish right and left last year and the weather was great. I bought some "skulpin head" weights that I'm gonna use to tie some gnarly sculpin flies in the hope of catching a big brown this year. Last years biggest was 20 inches.

It’s a big part of why I don’t do it anymore. That and you snag one spoonbill and you’re done. That's a lot of hassle and expense for uh fish.

Fishing below the dam?

They put out a memo this year that the horn they use for the dam flow opening up is being tested all the time. Told us not to pay attention to it.

If you hear what used to be the warning horn for them opening up one of the gates, you no longer need to head to higher ground. You can just keep on fishing.

Good luck!

What a terrible idea. Don't get stuck out in the middle and drown because you thought it was just a test horn.

I don't fish there much due to so many people these days. twenty years ago you could be the only guy there, not so much now. I go down to Cotter shoals or even farther down, all the way to the confluence with the Norfork branch.

Party pooper.

Don't listen to that guy.

I think Papa John's bought the siren. They're just sounding the "hot pizza" alarm. Don't you worry.

What's the worst that could happen?


(Just to clarify to new fishermen, or new to the White River fishermen: These large dams have great fishing below them, but when they need to let water through to adjust levels, it can cause rapid and death-inducing floods no matter how good a swimmer you are. Therefore, they sound an alarm/siren/horn to let people know that "it's a comin". Ignore the alarm at your peril)

several years ago we were fishing on the norfork branch and I had a buddy that hadn't been there before. he waded across the river. I noticed the water was rising slowly and yelled over to him, but he didn't listen and just kept fishing. He ended up having to swim across with his rod in his mouth and ended up about 500 yards down river.

Doh. I'm reeruned. Sorry.

I will be down there as well, Mar. 1-3.

I've had a fly rod for several years and have never caught a trout on it. I can be right next to my buddy, and he'll be catching the shit out of them. Even with the same fly tied on. I just can't get the hang of it. I have no problem casting for the most part. I guess my presentation just sucks. But I try it every year, get frustrated and go back to my ultra-light.

Amen, i dont go out to the woods to stand around with 30 other people.

:doh!: I’ll bet you’re the one I’m thinking of. Sorry, no idea how I got you mixed up.

Isn’t the water on opening day usually pretty high?

Honestly, we don't fish in the park that often and definitely not on opening day. We fish in the river and catch plenty of trout without the crowds.

I saw pictures of opening day at Bennett from my buddy and it looked like they were literally shoulder to shoulder, but he said that was the opening horn and they make a big to-do of it. Hopefully it won't be nearly that crowded the whole time. We will be there the day before opening, through March 4. Although I have to make a run to Warrensburg on Saturday to watch my kid sing in some district honor choir, so I am hoping that day is nice and cold and rainy or something, but it will surely be the most picturesque day of the trip.

I don't know the area, I know we will be in the park (that is where all the zones are right?) but not sure if he typically moves out of the park on trips, or stays there the whole time.