About a dozen years ago I decided that the fly rod would be the only way I fished, be it for largemouth, stripers, weakfish, redfish, and of course, cold water trout. Have caught large specimens of each of these species as well as Robalo, Toro and Pargo on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Bought into the thinking that big fish of all species require big flies to take.
Long story short: Obtained skill beyong the “duck and chuck,” but wore myself out every trip, except on the cold water trout and did so with them when I resorted to Volkswagen-sized streamers better suited to the salt.
Casting a fly line provides 50% of the pleasure I get on the water. I prefer it above spin cast and bait cast tackle, BUT I’ve concluded that the enjoyment is greatest casting a 3 up to 5 wt. rod with a dry fly never larger than #12, and infrequently a dry with a nymph dropper.
I didnt use my 8 wt. rod at all last year and the 6 wt. only once and didn’t miss them.
Anybody else reached the conclusion that fishing “flies” that represent “flies” (and not baitfish, crayfish, crabs, giant squid, shrimp, etc.) is the way to go?
But I would also guess the enjoyment factor would tend to go up, the lighter the tackle you can use to subdue your targeted quarry, without playing them to death.
For a recent fishing trip I took, I had read varying advice that suggested anything from a 5wt on the low end, to an 8 or even 10 wt. on the high end…for the same size/species of fish. I waffled back and forth, and eventually settled on bringing 2 rods, a 5wt, and a 6wt. I used them both, had no break-offs, and enjoyed every single fish. I’m glad I chose against the 8wt.
But that isn’t to say an 8wt doesn’t have its time or place!
I agree that fishing smaller sized flies is the most enjoyable way to go as far as casting is concerned. I’ve even scaled down the size of some of my streamers so that they still feel good to cast on a 5-weight, if that’s what I happen to be using. But I also enjoy other types of fly fishing such as bass bugging and saltwater. But in these cases the enjoyment comes from the catching much more than the casting.
I got bored of chucking huge flies with heavy rigs years ago and as a result now do most of my fly fishing for trout. I also fly fish for smallmouth bass some of the time and I do like fishin’ for sunnies with a light fly rod.
But almost 100% of the rest of my fishing is done with baitcasting & spinning tackle and I like baitcasting 1000 times more than flyfishing for largemouth bass.
I fish the way I do because of the enjoyment the act of FISHING brings me not because of any convoluted sense of what’s more sporting or any of that BS. Like you, fishing with dry flies or small nymphs at moderate distances with a light rod makes me happy. The same goes for flippin’ a Senko under a boat dock with my baitcasting rig; it just feels right to me.
But if throwing 3/4 oz flies with a 12 weight makes you happy go for it! I just don’t enjoy it.
I like the small stuff and its good—but i like to get spooled with 300 yds of backing on a 10wt too, see all the loose line disappear in a couple seconds and hear the drag quivering.
But most of all—I like to hear the question “Are ya ready for another one?”
:D:D:D
I do both ends of the fly sizes, love the intence midge work , but still throw 1/0 bunny flys
for Muskies. My fav. is wet fly work (the old cast of three) in big runs and fast pocket water.
By the way had a nice Musky grab a size 6 black woolybugger on Schuylkill River run ,while
smallmouth fishing.
I haven’t given up with big flies. With the artificial materials available, it’s not difficult to come up with flies in the 5-7 inch range than can be cast with a 6 wgt which I use for a lot of my fresh and light salt water fishing. I don’t like heavily weighted flies, I prefer a light weight fly fished off a sink tip or full sinking line.
I don’t know about different areas but in BC there are several species of trout that are regularly stocked. Most species are know to feed on minnows with one exception. The penask lake species focus almost entirely on insects. When fishing lakes stocked with penasks, throwing a large fly doesn’t make sense. However when fishing In lakes stocked with the other species it makes sense to toss the big flies and drag bucktails.
