Getting better at being a beginner

Looking back on all the questions I've posed on this site, I surely do owe you folks alot for saving me the humiliation of looking like a moron in front of skilled fishermen. From the beginning (Which end of the leader do I tie to the fly line?) to now, my mechanics have matured considerably. The problem is, still no fish. I mean none. At all. I'll fish for hours and see trout rise 20 feet, ten feet, 5 feet from my fly - not interested. Its seriously getting to the point where I'm thinking the sport isn't for me. But just in case, how important is it to get the exact right fly? I mean, I'll try ten different flies and still get nothing. I've GOT to be doing something wrong. All the people at the local shops say early black stoneflies are the way to go, but I don't see any hatches. When I do try them, nothing. Its starting to warm up and get sunny enough that I don't use streamers anymore, but nymphs and cressbugs don't help either. I mean, any suggestions? Fish just don't seem interested in what I've got to offer.

See if you can find somebody who knows more about fly fishing to go out with you, let you watch what they are doing and give you some tips. You may have to hire somebody from your fly shop for this, but it will probably be worth it.

Pay special attention to how they rig up, mend, control their drifts, etc.

Also keep in mind that fishing is slower and more difficult in the winter months. the fish won't move much to get food and the takes on nymphs can be very subtle. The fish will also tend to be fairly close to the bottom on moving water, so be sure you have your fly down deep enough to bump along the bottom.

Hang in there!

I have the SAME PROBLEM! It gets pretty annoying. I just keep a positive attitude. Then I moved to salt water and couldn't keep fish of my fly. But I am still pretty stumped about freshwater. And for flies, here's a secret, when all else fails, use a wooly bugger! Ha Ha. How's your presentation? Is the knot too big? ALOT of stuff can turn trout away from your fly. Scent is another one. Also what Oldfrat says, go FFishing with an exprerienced angler (I only catch fish with another person with me). DON'T GIVE UP!
-Fly_Fisher_12

You won't see a Black Stonefly hatch on the water, they climb out onto rocks on shore the hatch, try a stonefly nymph fished close to shore.

LetortRun:

I hope you're not fishing at your namesake because that place can be brutal at best. I have a friend who has accompanied me there for years and has NEVER caught a fish.

If you are in Carlisle go to the "run" that comes out of Children's Lake in Boiling Springs. Work the section where the wall is, above the footbridge and try some short line nymphing with an indicator. Try just about any nymph that tickles your fancy but change flies frequently if your choice doesn't produce. I have caught fish on just about any nymph I used with great success with nymphs that resemble the naturals for the Run. Try stoneflies, cress bugs, caddis and later on Sulphur Nymphs.

I GUARANTEE that if you stick with the "Run" and strike at ANYTHING that resembles a hit ESPECIALLY a slight hesitation of your indicator, you will catch a fish or three. I learned a lot about nymphing there in my formative years. Ignore the guys that congregate by the bridge and stay upstream. It?s tougher to cast up there so if you have a short rod use that. I typically use a 6?6? rod when I stop by there.

Later on in May and June try Clark?s Creek in Harrisburg. Fish the water with a #16-18 tan caddis or later in the summer a beetle and I guarantee you?ll go home happy.

Have fun, stick with it, and stay away from the Letort for a few years!

Letortrun, I'm new to this also, but if I may, try using #18,20,22 flys. How deep is the water your fishing?? Pheasant tail nymph in a 20 try it. get it down and relax, study the water, look for those magic holding areas. Don't forget to use a dropper if its legal. dry on top and put the PTN behind it. I'll be at Kettle creek 1st week in May to try my luck.

Hope aothers will jump in and help ya

Good luck and sound government

Philip

[This message has been edited by old geezer (edited 13 March 2005).]

LetortRun
If you are unable to interest rising fish in taking your fly and you are being very stealthy and not allowing too much commotion when you cast, I would guess wrong fly. Try a 20 to 24 Griffis Gnat. If they won't pay any attention to that then they may be sipping them before they reach the surface. Try a #18 or #20 Snipe and Purple tied on either standard or, preferably 1x short shank hooks. The bodies should be thin and extend from a point directly over the barb of the hook forward. The hackle should be from the underside of the snipe's wing about where the bird's wrist is. Starling has been a standard substitute but in my experience the Starling feathers are weak and break too easily. The tying thread should be purple and can serve as the body thread. Silk or rayon can also be used. If the little black stone flys are on, Same fly size 14 or 16 would be a good try. You will not be able to see the fly since it will be submerged but only a very little. You may see the hit but don't try to "set" the hook. You will be using a 7x tippet. Some guys use 8x but those who use it successfuly (few breakoffs)
are the experts of our sport. You ain't there yet and neither am I...and I've been at it for sixty years.

Try it, I think that it will work!

Ol' Bill

Dear LeTort Run,

The reason you don't see fish eating the Early Black stoneflies is because they don't eat the adults.

Try fishing a soft hackle wetfly made of peacock herl with a black hackle in a size 18. Fish the fly quartering downstream and let it swing in front of likely fish lies. Give it an occasional twitch and I'll bet you can catch some.

Stay away from the LeTort, it was way over-rated even when it was good, now it's just plain over-rated.

Regards,
Tim Murphy

The amount of flyfishing knowledge on this site alone is truly dizzying. Thank you for all your help; how do I know if its too cold to fish dry flies? Today it hovered right around 40 and some fingerlings were pretty active, rising and such, and the occassional larger splash, but I didn't see any hatches. Were they just jumping at mosquitos? I never thought I'd have to study biology so much!
Now thats its staying light longer, I have time to do more fishing, but wonder if its still too early to begin moving away from shrimp, cressbugs and streamers? Fish are definitely rising, but I'm thinking that doesn't necessarily mandate a dry fly.

The problems I've seen most (aside from the casting) is that people don't get the fly down deep enough when fishing subsurface and they don't pay attention to drag on their fly.

As for hatches, I always heard that insects generally hatch during the most pleasant part of the day.

But you may very well be on some tough water. Here's a site I like for hatching of specific species: [url=http://www.westfly.com/ento/ento.htm:7f195]http://www.westfly.com/ento/ento.htm[/url:7f195]

find a bluegill pond. You will laugh with joy at the first tug.

Dear LeTort Run,

Gardenfish's post above is excellent advice. Nothing beats bluegills for getting the hang of feeling a strike and hooking a fish.

It's still a little early for them now, but by mid-April you should be able to find some active 'gills. I'm not sure where you are from, but several lakes in Cumberland County are stocked with trout and have good panfish populations too. Once trout season opens head out to Pine Grove Furnace State Park with some wet flies. Practice casting and retrieving those wets and you'll probably get some trout and will surely get some bluegills. Oppossum Lake is another place worth trying.

Regards,
Tim Murphy

I too had this problem when I first started. The only advice I have is persistance. I caught a few early on, but when the caddis fly hatch came to my local water, i caught quite alot. I even outfished my dad who was slinging bait a few times during that hatch.

Good luck and be patient.
Ben

if they arent hitting what you can see, but are still rising, try adult midges or emerging midges on or near the surface. right now, at least out here, fish are getting really active, even though the "big" hatches (ie:caddis, brown mayflies, etc.) are still a month or two away. that means theyll readily take a midge when theyre hatching, even more so than during the cooler winter months.

also, if youve got the right fly, and are getting "glances" but not takes, check your drift. flip a subtle upstream mend to prevent drag. if the water is real fast, flip a less-subtle mend. typically if fish are looking, the fly is close enough. if they are turning it down, its probably the drift (unless youre fishing really picky fish where more exact matching is necessary).

Hi LetortRun,

I think that Gardenfish has a great idea. Don't give up on the trout but take a little break. Ask around you home area and find out where you can fish a good farm pond or two. Several dozen brim and a few good bass will boost your spirits and give you some hands on experience with some real fish. Also, from everything I have read, the Letort, your namesake stream, is a major challenge even for fly fishing experts with years of experience. It is clearly not the best place for a beginner to start chasing trout. 8T

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You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it's a real short camping season.

LeTortRun, I was in the same position that you are finding yourself in not long ago. I quit fishing for trout for a few years and concentrated on bass and other panfish. Of course, since I live in Kansas, this was almost decided more for travel reasons than for my inability to catch fish.
Now whenever I am trout fishing, I use a small dropper fly behind a dry fly, when it is legal of course. A small (#20-18) PT nymph, or a hare's ear seems to improve my chances. Good Luck and don't give up.

Letort Run,

I visited Carlisle last year and took the opportunity to employ a guide. A bloke by the name of Mike Heck, very impressive. However if you don't wish to go to that expense, then take "Bamboozle" 's advice and get yourself over to the yellow run out of Children's lake. Even I caught fish there. It was nice and clear and allowed me to consider when fish were rejecting the fly. Initial suggestions would be sow bugs or similar, down on/near the bottom and an indicator.

R

dave

Letort,
I too had that problem of no fish for quite a while when I started. Now I can't remember if it was months or years, but it was for sure.

Three suggestions.
1. Find/hire a good guide for a day, tell them your problem and have them guide you through to where you get the knowledge you need to hook up without them.

2. THe short line nymphing that was suggested above, using a pheasant tail ro hares ear nymph. They are as close to universal as you can find.

3. Find a beaver pond that is not fished much (or at all). They usually hold lots of smaller fish that are not too difficult to catch. It might be a good starting place to get some confidence.

4. Search the web for hatch charts in your area. That can give you an idea of what fly to use when.

5. Go to your local FAOL Fish-in. We'll help you!

good luck

Letort run I live in Boiling Springs, Pa about 5 miles from Carlisle. I would be happy to chat with you about fishing and maybe we could learn a few things together. I've been fishing these waters for over 25 years. shoot me an email at bamboo@pa.net
Best,
Bill