About me because the profile didn’t ask all the pertinent questions. Retired from USAF in 1980. Went to work for TWA and took early retirement at age 55. Now I am 67 and too old to sit in a bass boat in the hot sun all day. I have to change my style. I have been trout fishing at Bennett Springs in Missouri for the past few years. I can catch fish and I eat what I take. I have the basic equip but doubt if I am using it correctly. I found this site and have read some interesting articles. I have gone through flyfishing 101 and still have some questions. I have read some of the articles on the bulletin board forum. I am more than impressed. I’m not a whiz at these forums either but have been on a duckhunters forum prior to this. I will manage with help from others. My interest in flyfishin is growing because I can walk the stream in the shade to stay cool. I hate the heat of summer but I can’t stay in the AC all the time. I have to get out and do what I like to do. “FISH” I’m not afraid to ask questions so there will be some on the forum. When I see a guy catching fish in the stream I will go up to him and ask what he is using. I have already figured out his style. Not knowing if this is proper etiquette but usually I find out what I’m looking for and then some. Sometimes even free flies. My fly casting is not up to snuff so I have gone to the library to get a VHS tape of flycasting. I can get the fly out there but I want to do it with finess and no embarrassment. I have no doubt that when I ask a question there will be plenty of replies with all the options. All will be appreciated.
Welcome Redhook, You might enjoy me column this next week… 
Hey Ron,
Welcome to FAOL. Sounds as if your getting
a pretty good grip on how to approach this
flyfishing thing already.G For starters,
FAOL provides a lot of answers and
knowledgeable folks for us to query further.
I’m almost certain that we may have a member right in your neigborhood of Liberty,
though at the moment I can’t remember who.G By all means, jump right in, ask
any questions you may have, and share what
you can with those behind you. It’s a put
and take stream.G Welcome to the madness.
Warm regards, Jim
Welcome! Sounds like you’ll do just fine here.
There’s a ton of stuff in the archives. When I first started fly fishing I spent days going through them and learning. Every once in a while I had a question that I could not easily find an answer to. I asked those questions and every one was answered.
The collective wisdom of this board is amazing – as is their willingness to help!
Dear Redhook,
Improving your casting takes practice. The video is a good idea. If you have a decent sized lawn or a park nearby where you can practice spending 20 minutes a couple days a week working on your cast will yield results pretty quickly.
Don’t be afraid to spend some time fishing for sunnies and other panfish. They are good eating and often less sophisticated than trout making them easier to catch. At the same time you will be working on your casting, line handling, and fish playing techniques so that your trout fishing trips will benefit.
Welcome aboard and ask questions when in doubt. If it’s an oft asked question with an answer somewhere in the site archives someone will point it out to you.
Best Wishes,
Avalon
Welcome Redhook,
There are some great Trout waters in your neighborhood. One thing I would highly recommend to you for a learning experience is to book a day with a guide. Down in Arkansas on the White River there are some great teaching guides who will move your skills forward at an incredible rate. Last June I did just that, booked a day with a guide on the White. I fished with Jimmy T who visits this board occasionally and is also a moderator on the [url=http://www.flyfishingarkansas.com:1d814]www.flyfishingarkansas.com[/url:1d814] board. I felt I was a fairly competent fly fisher before that. I could cast reasonably well, had all the required gear and had caught pretty fair numbers of fish on previous outings. What Jimmy T did was a lot of fine tuning. Help with setting up a nymphing rig, how to spot fish, most of all mending and controlling the drift. A lot of things that someone who is watching you cast and fish can see that you can’t.
I will even offer to share my limited knowledge with you if you were to make it down to Bull Shoals Arkansas in August. I will be down there from the 9th to the 13th of August to do some fishing and vacationing with the wife and two girls. Hope to help my youngest daughter (12) catch her first trout on a fly rod during this trip. If you’d like more info e-mail me direct and I can try and answer any questions you might have. Also you might try and contact Night Angler either on this board, or over on the arkansas board I mentioned above.He’s from your area if I’m not mistaken.
Happy fishing…
These are the idle thoughts that posses a man’s mind when he’s not able to fish.
welcome fellow USAF vet. Practice, practice, practice. I went out yesterday and thought I’d use an old reel with old level line on it. At first you would have thought I had never picked up a fly rod. After about 15 minutes, the line started to shoot, the leader lay out and whamo a nice Bluegill was bending the little rod pretty good. Remember, everyone has to start sometime, no is as good as ever. Castwell has lots of good articles on casting, read them and try them. Jonezee
I learn more about the world while talking to myself when fishing alone
Red…welcome…
I’m the one Jack is talking about in Liberty.
I live on Glendale Rd. in Wilshire.
If I’m not gone someplace (retired too) I’m usually in the yard most days casting a fly rod…come on by we’ll toss a few and drink a beer (or whatever)
I have a few good bamboo rods, you can feel what thats all about and rods of almost every conceivable action from slow to very fast.
[This message has been edited by Buzz (edited 10 July 2006).]
Hey Buzz,
Nice offer you made to get together with
Ron.G I love it when a plan comes
together. The times I’ve been able to meet
fellow FAOLERS face to face have been
somewhat limited but most rewarding. Great
bunch of folks! But why did you call me
Jack? That makes about 6 times in the last
month someone has looked me in the eye and
called me Jack. Hise, is this your doings?
Arrgghh!G Warm regards, Jim
Sorry Hatch…Jake and Jack are Irish nicknames for friend.
Thanks for the welcomes! I have made contact with Buzz who lives not more than 4 or 5 miles away. This may be disappointing to the forum members that I may not have to ask too many questions. Buzz may be the answer to all my questions. I will still be reading the articles and BB for extra info.
Thanks to all that responded…
Ron…It was a pleasure meeting you today. I think you and I are gonna have a lot of fun.
Jerry
Hey Ron,
Tickled that you and Buzz were able to
hook up. It really helps a bunch if you
have someone knowledgeable in the sport to
demo things and bounce questions off of.G
Doesn’t mean you have to be a stranger on
the boards though. Jump right in.G Warm
regards, Jim
Redhook;
I’m about to be 67. Yes I’m the “Hise” that Jim Hatch has irrevently refered to! We are planning an invasion of his home water’s next year and you are invited! We will drink all his beer, eat all his food and go home!!
Welcome to the greatest site on the net for fly fishers. Just remember to wipe your feet and no cleats in the clubhouse!!
Don’t forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water’s of the Au Sable await you!!
Cactus