Help Getting Started?

[LadyFisher]

In by email, how about helping Bill get started on the right foot?

This is my first year attempting fly fishing. I've been regular fishing for panfish, bass and northerns for years and thought it would be fun to incorporate using a fly rod fishing for these types of fish. Here's where I need your help. I'm not fundamentally opposed to spending money on good fishing equipment, but I don't want to go overboard with my initial fly equipment in case I don't like it. I would like to buy 1 rod with a reel that has an extra spool, flies that would work for both smaller fish (panfish) as well as larger flies for the bass and northerns. Could you give me a laundry list of potential combinations of equipment I could purchase in order to get started. I am a life member of the North American Fishing Club, so if you are aware of any retailers that offer discounts for members, please include those names in your response. Any help and advice you could offer is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely

Bill Nalipinski

[white43]

5-6 wt. rod. A gurgle pop for top, a nymph for below, a wooly bugger for show. As basic as you can get. LIne rod with one weight class over and get some 4 lb test mono for leader material. find a pond. JGW

[tea stick]

Bill,

Give me you addy and I'll send you some flys, FREE of course.

One less thing you'll have to buy at the beginning,

My email is: unggung2002*at* yahoo (dot) com

Scott

[Greg Hunsicker]

Bill

I would think that you could find a name brand starter outfit with rod, reel, line, backing and a rod and reel case for between $150.00 and $250.00. Not in any order of preference, Bass Pro, Cabellas, Orvis, Temple Forks Outfitters, St. Croix, Reddington all have good qualility starter outfits. I would'tbuy the cheaper outfits that can be found for less than $100.00 because you may outgrow it too fast.

If your not opposed to spending good money on good equipment feel free to spend a little more. You'll find that you are going to loose interest in you spinning and bait casting outfits anyway so you can go ahead and sell it to pay for the new fly fishing equipment because you are going to need to feed the adiction.

Tight Lines

Greg

[Eric-WD]

Bill,
Take a couple of casting lessons from a local shop, its easyer to learn right than break the bad habits.

follow Greg's advice and spend a little more on a rod etc, then if you find that you hate fly fishing you can always sell it on the board here and make most of it back. but if you become addicted you will have a rod to use for a long time.


and Let us know where you are, perhaps someone can assist you in person.

Eric

[Sagittarius62]

A nice little starter combo from Cabelas
[url=http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20431-cat370003-cat600231&id=0031342318122a&navCount=6&podId=00313 42&parentId=cat600231&masterpathid=&navAction=push &catalogCode=UG&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat6 00231&hasJS=true:8377a]Click Here[/url:8377a]
Includes backing, line, leader, case, and even an instructional DVD. Pretty much everything but the flies....and waders, nippers, forceps, vest, floatant, sinket, extra spools, more line, more and more leaders, tippets, lanyards, chest packs, ...........MORE RODS!!
Of course Cabelas has others for less $ and defintely some for more. Also there are many other sources for equipment, brick and mortar, and online.
Pro instruction would be helpful and fun. Otherwise, the folks here hold a WEALTH of knowledge, and are willing to share it. The net is full of other sites devoted to fly fishing, for all types of fish, casting, fly tying on and on and on....


Welcome to the fun.

[Gardenfish]

unless you are fishing for dink pike and bass or monster panfish I think you will hve to target one or the other. Five weight rod will serve you for panfish and small maybe medium bass, but a pike of decent size will be a bit much. I would not fish for pike with anything less than an eight weight rod. I hope you come to enjoy flyfishing. Then you can purchase a few rods to specifically target a range of species. Have fun. Having fun is primary.

[Big Bad Wulff]

I just got into fly fishing this past Summer. I trout fish, bass fish and blue gill fish with it(them). I bought a Redington RedFly 6wt combo and like it enough. The fly line that came with it pretty much sucks(tons of memory). I also got my girls a closeout Orvis Streamline 5wt rod for $27.00 and got a Ross reel with Cabelas Prestige line(MUCH better line). I spend most of my time using the Orvis rod but if I think I may get into larger bass I use the Redington.
For most applications the 5wt is plenty of rod. And a 'cheap' rod is plenty also. Both rods do extremely well. Spend $$ on good fly line!

Waders: I also got some Redington Barrierflex waders on closeout ($79.00 )and they are great. Very heavy-duty and comfortable. Don't be afraid to spend a little $$ here if anywhere.

I also got a basic flytying kit from Bass ProShops for Christmas and it is adequate to get you going. Pretty decent materials with an OK but kinda cheap vise. The vise is working fine however. It does it's job........it holds hooks firmly. I'd buy flies at first and research them............mainly just to learn the names of them and the terminology BEFORE thinking about tying any.

In all I love flyfishing and I seem to use my flyrods more than my spinning rods..............EVEN when I have the bass boat out!

[Gigmaster]

Send me your mailing address and I'll send you some flies to get started with.

I'd recommend a Scientific Anglers 9' 5-6 wt rod, and a Scientific Anglers Concept 58 reel with disc-drag (available as a combo from Wal-Mart-$45.00). I've never outgrown mine and I've had it for 15 years. Add a # 6 Weight-Forward, Floating line, some tapered leaders of varying diameters (3X, 4X, 5X and 6X) and lengths (7'-9'), and a spool of 3x, 4x, and 5x tippet material, and you should be good to go for panfish, trout and bass in mostly open water. You will want a vest to hold extra tippets, leaders, fly boxes, etc. I use an Eagle Claw, purchased at K-Mart 25 years ago. I think I paid $12.00 for it. It looks a bit ratty these days, but I just can't seem to part with it.

Other things that are good to have are fly boxes, hemostats, line clippers, and a creel. None of these have to be expensive, and can all be bought cheaply at Wal-Mart. I use the inexpensive Plano plastic fly boxes. They cost around $6.00, as opposed to the $20.00-$100.00 boxes I see in catalogs. They work fine.

You may want to get into fly-tying later. If and when that happens, I am sure we'd all be happy to help you get started.

Beware....Fly-Fishing and Fly-Tying are very addictive. It can almost ruin you from regular fishing.

Semper Fi!

[perch]

Bill,
Your intentions are now in the right place since you have made the decision to start fishing correctly. I think that you may have a bit of a task to find a rod that will multitask for pan fish up to pike.You can get two rods at a reasonable price. Not every one learns with a Ferrari. The fellow that said that you may as well sell of your spinning gear was in all probability correct . Havent touched mine in three years.Above all get on the net and look around. Look at this sites sponsors. E-mail those same sponsors. Most of them will respond back. Keep asking questions. Ask questions on the banks of the rivers (not in mid cast though). Most fly anglers are very generous with their help and time(except during a hatch) . Look for a local fly angling club near where you live.The other guys were right to say get a few lessons.they dont cost much and are worth every cent. This aint like when you picked up a spinning rod .Its difficult to spot mistakes that you make. Sstart out right you and you wont get frustrated and think it aint worth it. This is more fun than making your own beer.
Lord help you if you get to the point that you think that you want to tie your own flies. That is a whole new dimension (been doing that for a while and its more fun than learning how to make your own hard liquor!!!!!!) to this sport.
My offer is the same as some of the other folkes. Get your stuff,send a P.m and I will send you some flies too,free(they dont weigh much so Ill cover postage too).
I wish I was up there with ya, cause your fishing is much more of what I want than the fishing that I have.
Follow these folkes guidlines and...
I guarantee you are going to have a ball.
Perch