An Introduction from a beginner Fly Fisherman....

Greetings everyone,

My name is Mike and I just became a member here on FAOL. I have been fishing for over 35 years (fresh and salt water) and am essentially an addict when it comes to fishing. One aspect of fishing that I have never been exposed to is Fly Fishing. I always thought it was something that was too hard or complex to learn so I stuck to what I knew how to do.

Health issues forced me to stop fishing a few years ago (also corresponded with my retirement) and I have been through the gamut of doctors over the years. Fortunately for me, I have some very compassionate doctors! One of them mentioned to me a program that I was not aware of, Project Healing Waters. I was told that it is a program for Veterans that teaches folks how to fly fish! This was something I was very interested in but thought that I could not actually do it.

I made a phone call three months ago and I was so happy to talk to the people in the program. They have literally changed my life for the better since that call! I am now in the process of building my own 9' 5wt fly rod! It takes a lot of patience and attention to detail but I have found that when I am wrapping guides and attempting to put some creativity into my rod, I am essentially pain free while doing this! It is very therapeutic for me.

I am learning tons each day and am very excited about actually building my very own rod and then learning how to fly fish with it! My next step will be learning the art of Fly Tying soon!

As with anything in life, this will take time and a lot of practice.

Thanks for letting me become a member here in this community! I have been reading TONS here and am picking up things as I go along.

Best wishes,

Mike :)

Welcome and thanks for your service.
FAOL Beginners Fly Swaps signup is in October, swaps start in November. I was in last year, it's a great way to learn.
Parnelli (Steven) will help you a lot.

Bob
:D

Welcome aboard, Mike! This is a GREAT site with a lot of GREAT folks lurking about. Never be afraid to ask questions. Everyone here LOVES to help budding flyfishers!

Oh, and thanks for your service to our country! Project Healing Waters seems to be a great organization!

Royce

Welcome, Mike!
Hope you'll be posting pictures of your fly rod build soon. :)

Welcome to FAOL!

Glad to hear you hooked up with Project Healing Waters. They are a great organization.

Welcome to FAOL from TN! Stick with Project Healing Waters. I am volunteer for them and know first hand what all they do for disabled vets. It is a good group.

WOW!!!

What a WARM welcome!!!!! It took me a bit to get signed up here....might have been an issue on my end...who knows? LOL

I really love the folks in the Project Healing Waters program here in Colorado. While I may not be a Fly Fisherman "YET", I am bound and determined to help out wherever I can with the program. Fortunately for me, I have a loving and VERY understanding wife who is probably more happy than I am for discovering Healing Waters. It keeps my mind occupied and off of my pain so anything that does that is a GOOD thing!

I was brought to tears after my first contact with the members from the program. I am NOT a person that asks for help or things like that. It took a TON of effort on my part to even make the first call. I am sure that there are folks like myself that are in a similar situation. Now I am determined to get fellow veterans involved (if they are interested).

You all don't even know just how much this has helped me. Even in just a couple of months it has given me a sense of pride in making something! Heck after the first rod building class I made my very own rod wrapping jig from some oak I had in the basement. The one I was using was simply too small and unstable for my hands and the one I made is doing well! I even put the Healing Waters emblem on both ends of it! It may not be perfect but it is perfect for ME!

I will be certain to ask for help here if I have questions. Something that I used to be very hesitant about...asking for assistance.

Mike :)

Ask...then ask again....and then once more, till the answer you got sounds right to you in your understanding.

I'm glad you found us. You'll feel right at home here. Ummm, you did bring donuts, didn't you?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FishnDave

Welcome, Mike!
Hope you'll be posting pictures of your fly rod build soon. :)

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Dave,

I am really cruddy at taking pictures but here is a shot of some of the guide wraps thus far. I put a coat of color preserver on them and the pictures don't show that I think.

The single bands were a pain and I have a couple of practice rods I am using that were damaged in shipping to and from overseas.

The rod blank is a really nice blue/teal (depending on lighting) and the thread is matched well when in good lighting.

For my first try I am pretty satisfied but I will most likely re-wrap them tonight as I can see where things aren't even.

Attachment 12732

Not certain if I uploaded the pictures correctly but this one seems to go through :)

Mike

Your wraps look wonderful, Mike. We'll look forward to seeing the finished project. Thank you for your service, and welcome to FAOL

MikeCo

My name is Wayne Cook and I have found two places that will have all the info you will need in your adventure with fly fishing and all its aspects. They are Healing Waters and FAOL. I have been with Healing Waters program for a year here in Middle Tennessee and I will be making my first fly rod next week. At the first meeting I ran into a man there that has turned into my mentor, Warren Patterson. I found out this man can teach me all I need to learn about fly fishing and more if I would only listen to him and retain everything he is trying to teach me. If you ask Warren, he will say that this is one of my down falls. I have a hard time retaining anything. Warren says that if I tilt my head to one side everything falls out of my head. LOL, I Think. Glad you found Healing waters and FAOL and I know you will find joy for your life from both. Thank you for finding US and for your service to your country. Nice job on the rod wrap. When I get mine done I will post a picture.

WayneC
(Newbee)

Nice rod wraps, Mike!

Mike you have made my day! Fly fishing is a wonderful pastime and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. One of the best things about fly fishing is there is always something new to learn. Welcome.

Thanks everyone!

Wayne....finding a mentor is WONDERFUL! It truly helps a ton! I will find one soon but I am hesitant, as mentioned earlier, to ask for help. I simply do not want to impose on folks.

After re reading the FAOL FAQ 101 on here yet ANOTHER TIME there are things I simply do not know. I will be honest (probably not the first to admit this :) ) but I only comprehend the LINE weight and the rod!....I have that down pat now (unless I chase a rabbit and see that there are some folks that "mix" some lines)......

I have to go back to my bass fishing days.......I started in a club in Florida and learned a ton. When I actually started fishing tournaments (club ones at first) I realized I had a LOT to learn. After fishing with the "regulars" for a year or so in all conditions, I figured out SOME folks only fish with what they "like". Other folks tried everything on just about every cast/spot. I was totally confused. BUT after doing this for a few months I picked up on certain things that made "sense" to ME. Bass and trout IMO are different "animals".....the techniques are different but some things are the same. Cover, changes in habitat, etc seemed to work for me in my attempt at trout (I am a blasphemer here when I admit to catching browns, cuts, even rainbow on Berkley PowerBait!) But I was fishing for a different reason back then.

Now I am older, wiser, still a kid when it comes to fishing, and look at fishing from a different angle. A lot of the "thrill" of fishing for me is in the preparation...the "build up" when going to a stretch of water with friends (or alone) makes me happy!

I haven't even grasped the Nymph vs Dry vs Streamer thing yet.....but as anything involved with fishing I will learn and understand! I can relate a Bass Fishing analysis from one of my first outings for a tournament. I was always "good" at plastic worms.....However we had a launch at daylight and a new to me boat partner started fishing top water baits. WHAT? I never knew they even existed..... He snagged two bass around a flat of hydrilla and I was left empty. As a young 20 something I was befuddled......I never fished in the dawn hours for bass. I took that knowledge and packed it away.

For my next outing, I tossed some topwaters on a couple of my rigs and lo and behold I caught my FIRST TOPWATER BASS!!!! The thrill of seeing it inhale my lure was something that I will NEVER forget.

I think that trout fishing will be the same. At least I hope so!

Oldster.....I am happy to have made your day! I am not certain why I did so but I am glad I did. Can you explain?

Mike :)

PS..... If I come across here in a forum as being "strange" or "mad" or "weird" I truly don't mean to do so.....I don't get online a bunch and I am not a kid so some of the things said here might be new to me. I apologize for that but I will learn.

Mike welcome to the forum. You will learn a lot here. I will second getting involved in the beginners fly swap if you start learning how to tie flies. I am involved now and its fun and educational. Just look about half way down the main forum page and find the fly swap link.

Remember above all else have fun.

Welcome aboard Mike. Keep up the good work.

Hi Mike. Hope you enjoy yourself here; lots of decent folks willing to share what they know.

Regards,
Scott

Welcome Mike, there are a lot of folks here who are knowledgeable about catching trout and warm water species with a long rod. The dry fly - nymph - streamer thing, think Pop R or Hula Popper - plastic worm / jig & pig - Rattletrap / willow leaf spinner bait. It's not rocket scientist, it's similar but different. To me the bigger difference is moving water vs still water is one of the biggest differences. There are a lot of folks here who know a lot more about trout fishing than I do, bream and bass too, as far as that goes

Don't worry about being embarrassed about asking what you think is a dumb question, most of them has been ask before. Most idea tying flies, I have learned, have been tried before also. There is a ton of stuff in the FAOL "library"

Mike,Welcome aboard.There are alot of Vets here.Don't be hesitant to ask.This is a great group of people willing to do anything.The site has made my life a lot easier.Good people

Hello Mike, Welcome to FAOL from SoCal. Jim

:oHi Mike, Welcome to FAOL. Be sure to look at the rod building and fly tying sections in the archives. There are many experts here who can answer any question. Remember that the only "dumb" questions are those you don't ask. Thanks for your service from another vet. You don't say where you are in Colorado, but there are a number of FAOLers here. If you are in the Denver area I urge you to join Cherry Creek Anglers or West Denver Chapter of Trout Unlimited. There are many mentors in those organizations who are overjoyed to be able to help a newbee as well as a vet and of course your vets recovery program is a great source as well. Use this forum and us its members as trusted friends and remember "New guy brings the beer"

"The beer"????!!! Wait a minute! Who's been holding out on us?? I only got donuts and coffee!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Betty Hiner

"The beer"????!!! Wait a minute! Who's been holding out on us?? I only got donuts and coffee!!

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And apples. Nobody should forget about your apples.
:p

Ed

Betty

If you ever get down this way, we...You, JackH, WarrenP, Liljoe, me.... can do some fishing on the Elk and I will buy the Beer that I owe you, Jack, Warren, ETC

WayneC
(Newbee)

Thanks Everybody!!!!!!

This has to be one of the WARMEST welcomes from a website that I have ever seen!!!! :)

Paddy....I live up on Monument Hill. I am working with the Denver Project Healing Waters group. The folks there are INCREDIBLE!!!!! I am still trying to get used to asking for assistance and to be honest it has taken me a LONG time to do so.

I just learned about "weaving" for making letters and symbols on rods. I have been practicing a TON today and I think I am ready to attempt a trout on my rod. I had several letters unravel on me today and it was frustrating but when it happened I simply walked away and took a DEEP breath! LOL.......

I have to be honest that I am really excited to finally make my own Fly Rod......The folks at Hook & Hackle donated the materials for us and it was the luck of the draw on what blanks we got. There are seven of us in the rod building program. I got a blue/teal colored blank and was tickled to receive it.....matches my USAF colors :) I can't say enough good things about the folks at H&H....Eric is a great guy that shipped me a replacement top (fourth part of the blank) as mine was damaged. They have a customer for LIFE!!!!

I'll have to check out the other areas of the site such as the rod building areas.....I'm not great at websites but I'll figure out how to get there soon!

:)

Mike,

Here's another excellent rod building site; like here, lots of very talented people willing to help.

http://rodbuilding.org/list.php?2

100% agree on your experience with Hook & Hackle; great customer service.

Regards,
Scott

Welcome Home Mike!!

Steve Perry, project lead of PHWFF (Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing) at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs will be the focus of the next podcast on Ask about Fly Fishing. I don't know if this is where your program is but I thought I'd post the podcast here for those that want to listen in. I have a connection with Fort Carson since I was assigned there for several weeks during the 1970's when I was serving in the USAR as a medical officer at the hospital.

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/

On of my good friends, Bob Gartner is the project lead of the PHW program in Ft Belvior and his friend Marty Laksbergs runs the Quantico Marine Base program. I've been tying flies for PHWFF at Fort Belvior and Quantico. You can PM me if you have flies you want to donate. All flies are will be given to wounded warriors in the PHWFF program and shared between the two programs.

https://www.facebook.com/BelvoirPHW

https://www.facebook.com/QuanticoPHW

Of note is the new commander at Ft. Belvior, Col. Gregory D. Gadson, who directed the Wounded Warrior Program before taking command at Ft. Belvior. Col. Gadson is a double amputee and PHWFF participant.

http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/imag...os/6612_tn.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikeCO

matches my USAF colors :)

:)

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I've heard USAF vets are the best kind

If you don't mind me asking, what was your AFSC?

Thank you for your service!

Hi guys,

Sorry for the delay in responding....been wrapping and re-wrapping the rod. The number four section really kicked my butt!

Dan, I started out as an AC-130H Gunship Navigator and then cross trained to the MC-130 after about 9 years. After a fun stint in the Pacific I headed to Kirtland to teach at the schoolhouse. Did a tour down at 19 AF at Randolph and then finished up as the MC/HC130 simulator program manager.

Silver, I will have to take a look at your website and see if I can't hear the podcast. I am doing my Healing Waters work up with the Denver Program. I have all my medical care up in Denver so I wasn't even aware of a Healing Waters program in the Springs area until after I started in Denver.

I already have a thin coat of epoxy on two sections in my rod turner. Getting ready for the final coat tonight then I will finish the last two sections up with epoxy.

Thanks again to everyone for the warm welcomes!!!! I am getting excited about hitting the water in a couple of months. Hand surgery in a week and a half will put a slight damper on early fishing for me!

Mike :)

That last section really gets a lot tougher, especially the last guide. Hope your hand heals fast and you are able to fish soon.

It sure does HF!

Well I actually got it completed!!!! It is being sent off for a contest with Project Healing Waters so I won't see it back until the end of April. That is OK because I won't be able to do much for a month due to the hand surgery. Perfect timing actually :)

Here are some pictures. I don't take good ones and really should have taken some closeups but they should do.....

Attachment 12785Attachment 12786

When the rod returns I will take some better pictures of it...tough to see the details from my camera on the cel phone.

Mike :)