First time Fly fishing

[black_co]

Lets start this off right, I AM A COMPLETE NOOB to fly fishing. With that said. I have been fishing for several years, just not fly fishing. I caught my first trout when I was 6. We were in the panhandle of Idaho, all I really remember was a crystal clear lake with mountains in the background and I caught it on cheese. My dad cleaned it and we cooked it on the grill for dinner. That was my first and only trout until last spring when I went trout fishing with spinning tackle and decided that I wanted to learn how to fly fish.

So I bought a fly rod and a reel, some line and flies. I spent about a year trying to figure out how it all works. I figured out that I bought a bigger and heavier rod than I needed(10ft 7wt). So I got discouraged and put it all on hold.

This spring rolls around and we head back to Arkansas for spring break(daughter is out of school and wife works for a school so she's out too) to do some more trout fishing. It rained for a day and a half. The park ranger said that they were letting water out of Beaver Lake dam at a rate of 237,000 gallons per second(no trout fishing).

On a whim we take our daughter to kids weekend at Roaring River State Park. She takes a short fly casting class, after about 10 mins and she's done. The instructor walks up to me and states that she's pretty good, with BOTH hands. Now I figure that she will want to learn to fly fish, so I really need to learn how so I can teach her. I do a little spin fishing and catch a couple little rainbow trout.

My wife schedules another trip. With this trip coming up I purchase another rod(8ft 5wt). I do a little backyard casting practice. I think I am getting the hang of it.... We head to Arkansas, I'm not expecting much since its been raining in the Ozarks since early April. Table Rock Lake is so flooded that Beaver Lake Tailwater is 15 ft high at the dam(no trout fishing). So we go above the dam and she worm dunks for some bluegill and I start casting on water.... I catch nothing, but got some casting practice in. She catches one fish, a 3 inch green sunfish, after about an hour it's too dark to see her bobber. The next day was scheduled for more fishing and then head home. With the water level so high that kills the fishing plans right....wrong, Roaring river is only 10 miles away and on the way home. So we go back by there. The water is up about a foot, but still very fishable. Well, it's free fishing weekend in Missouri and the river is pretty packed, she is using a spincaster and meps lure, and hooks into a nice rainbow early. It saves us the trouble of unhooking it at the bank and releases itself. That is the only bite for 6 hrs when other people are catching fish all around us. I have tried fly fishing, spinning, even jigging and I cannot even get a bite. So we pack it in and are ready to head home when I remember the fly only area. I think that maybe the fishing will be better there, less people, less pressure. After 30 minutes I end up getting a bite on and orange attractor ball(not sure what its called, maybe it mimics and egg?). Never saw the fish, it released itself. A little later I hook into another one, this one I land, 14 inch rainbow. My first fish on a fly rod. I net it and on the stringer it goes. About 15 minutes later i hook into and land another one, 11 inch rainbow.

With a 3 hour drive home we pack it in. Needless to say I am hooked. But, without any trout fishing areas near me, I guess I will work on my fly fishing skills catching panfish for now.

From a bulletin board lurker that had to share my experience...

Thanks for listening,

Black Co.

[Eric-WD]

Welcome to the addiction, update your profile with your location, perhaps one of us is living close to you and can give you some pointers, flies or other help.

Eric

[JohnScott]

Black Co -

Welcome and greetings from SE Idaho.

Enjoyed your tale of PERSERVERANCE !!

With that kind of attitude, you are bound to succeed.

John

[loufly]

Casting flies to panfish is the best way. I used to have a video made by Cortland line company Jack Dennis and Leon Chandler hosted it. The line that has always stuck in my mind was when Leon said that Bluegill fishing it the best way to get a start in fly fishing. Give it heck.

[Clay]

This site has some good info for you here: http://www.flyanglersonline.com/beginnermenu.php

I love to trout fish too but most of that water is a couple hours away. If you are going to catch something to eat the panfish will be great fun. If you want something to pull on the end of your line with a big pull that you are going to release anyhow, try fly fishing for carp. The fishing will be close to home and will develop skills that you can put to work for you on other species. Here is a fantastic primer that you can listen to on your IPod or on your computer.

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/sp.../brad/brad.cfm

Glad that you got the whole family involved.

Rick

[CaseyP]

the fellow who taught me to flyfish said that bluegills and their cousins the sunfish are God's gift to children and fly anglers. they live in handy ponds not too far away. they bite anything with enthusiasm, so casting practice is a lot of fun. and every once in a great while you'll catch a really large one... i've never eaten one, but i understand they're palatable enough that children who catch them can have them for supper.

[cycler68]

Keep at it black_co! Sounds like your first time catching trout was a good one. The only other thing I can add is if you get a chance to fish with a guide or go to a fly fishing school go for it. It might be kind of spendy but the instruction you can get from a good teacher is well worth the bucks. I once went to a fly shop to try a fly rod and mentioned to the owner that I didn't know how to double haul. In about 5 minutes he showed me how and I was on my way. I can only imagine how much I would have learned had I spent a whole day with him.

[Flyrod49]

I am from Ft Smith Ar and have fished the White river , North Fork and Beaver tail waters.
I also fish the Lower Illinois in Okla near Gore at Tenkiller lake. If you are from this area I would suggest the Illinois, there are always a lot of people flyfishing this 7 mile streach of river and most are willing to help a new comer in any way they can from tips on what flies to use to giving you the fly you need.

[perch]

Along with the other fokes here let me throw in , Welcome aboard.
If you are three hours from roarng river than you aint all that far from a bunch of other good fishing. Arkansas will most certaily get your attention. Pan fishing in little ponds if you cant get away very often to fish for trout is fun I have been told ( ok, so I just got my first pontoon boat to try pond fishing).
This site is a gathering place for a lot of very knowledgeable folkes and the advice that can be had here is very valuable. Any angling questions , just throw em out. You'll get good answers.
You have now embarked upon a very pleasant addiction.
It doesnt have to be expensive either. You can start small and work your way up..
Just wait till you have the notion of tying your own flies to save a buck!
That is a whole 'nother bunch of fun.
Best wishes
Perch
K.C. Mo.

[Lake Erie High Ball]

Welcome aboard. Its tough once you drink the cool-aid there is no going back..
Enjoy the site it's a good bunch of people.

Sean