- Wait until you know the fish are biting to try a new place. You want to give it your best shot because you might not come back to it again if you don’t catch anything.
- A palomar knot is the very best tippet to fly knot, bar none. I’ve never had a Palomar knot slip.
- It’s bad luck to catch a fish on the first cast is a myth.
- Wind out of the East, fishing’s the least is a myth.
5.If I only had one fly to fish for WW fish it would be a Wooly Bugger. Tie the tail long and it’s a bait fish. Tie it short and it’s a bug. I haven’t found a WW fish that will hit an artificial that won’t take one even a striper if you tie it white with a long marabou and crystal flash tail. - Fish the smallest weight fly rod you can throw your fly with. Light weight rods and lines are way more fun.
- The wind is your friend. Wind is a pain for flyrodders but fish love wind. Learn to fish in the wind.
- A swirling, changing wind seems to be the toughest condition for stillwater fishing.
- Start on the surface & work your way down the water column in stillwater.
- Make sure you buy a float-tube for your cousin who has a low capacity bladder…beats the H*$$ out of sharing a boat with him!
Mike
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That a Royal Wulff can catch ANYTHING.
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Taking a crap with a pair of 5mm Neoprene waders around your ankles during a snow squall while winter fishing for steelhead in Alaska will take 1 year off of your life, TRUST ME.
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Always wear underwear, they make great toilet paper when you are 500 yards from your pack and the morning coffee has kicked in (see #2 above).
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ALWAYS try something new. We so often trap ourselves in familiar patterns and habits.
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Bimini twists are easier tied after a fifth of whiskey.
(Of course I realize that # 2 doesn’t fit in with Warmwater fishing, just consider it a safety warning.)
[This message has been edited by Fishcreek (edited 16 March 2005).]
Fishcreek,
I almost died laughing at your #3. I’m glad to know I’m not the only knucklehead that’s had to use his underwear for toilet paper, which is a very good reason to buy the cheapest you can find. That’s too funny. You’re #3 is indeed wisdom to live by.
Robert, your #7 would be my top learning piece, especially this time of year. Look for ponds that have shallow water in the north end that warm up early because of prevailing strong south wind. But as a rule wind is always a good thing.
#2 Use anything white and flashy this time of year, esepecially in stained water.
#3 Match your rod and line weight to the size and weight of the pattern you’re throwing NOT to the species of fish you’re fishing for. I’ve used everything from 2 wt. to 9 wt. for both bass and trout and each has been appropriate at certain times depending on what I had to throw to catch fish. I too will use the smallest weight rod possible, but sometimes that means using a 7 weight for crappie.
#4 Always look for coontail vegetation for largemouth bass. I love fishing that stuff.
#5 Around here, in clear water, tie on something with the old fire tiger color combination (orange, chartreuse, yellow, green, lime etc.) especeially in buggers and Clousers. We have so many sunfish varieties that make this a killer pattern for predators.
#6 For bass, experiment with the speed of your retrieve. Sometimes the fastest I can strip is the most productive presentation.
#7 Always look for leafy vegetation that floats on top of the water along the shoreline for largemouth. I love fishing that stuff too.
When all else fails go the rip rap and troll something white (Clousers and bead head buggers work great). Many fishing trips have been saved by taking my kick boat to the nearest rip rap shoreline and trolling back and forth using different patterns. You never know what you’re going to catch on rip rap. I’ve caught largemouth bass, drum, white bass, catfish, walleye, all while trolling.
- Watch local livestock or your cat and dog. If horses are frisky and jumping around, somethings up. Usually fish.
- Work the shoreline. Work the shade.
- Remember your last successful retrieve. Was it fast? Slow? A two inch strip? In other words, be aware of what you’re doing.
- Always go into the bait shop with the person who’s driving. Buy a container of worms and a pop. Drink the pop. Give the worms to the driver without smirking.
- When casting black hair bugs in complete darkness, use a sidearm cast. If you hear an explosion, raise the rod tip. At night with LMB you don’t need a hard set. Typically the fly is deep in the mouth. They take no prisoners in the dark of night.
- If you’re using a new fly and you’re with a minnow fisher, take a minnow and rub it on your fly. Works quite well on nymphs. Really.
- Call your wife with your cell as soon as you’re off the river or lake. Wrangler got me started doing this and it is always appreciated. For some odd reason.
- If fishing alone, and especially if your fishing alone, wear a life vest.
- If you want your dog as a fishing companion, take them when they’re puppies and grow them into it. If your fishing partner is a converted walleye guy, fish alone. It’s much less stressful.
- Be on the water before dawn.
- Watch FAOL for Robert’s questions. Man, I’d hate going against the guy in court!
JGW
I agree with Fishcreek’s #4.
If you’re not getting hits, change something: different pattern, hook size, retrieve.
Let the fish tell you what they want.
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If you buy a 44oz founatin drink at the gas station and drink it on the way to the lake, DO NOT go out too far in the float tube unless you can kick back in fast.
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Watch that guy down the bank who is catching some and see if you can get e little help on the retrieve.
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A Dremmel is for oh so much more than I EVER imagined!
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There are other fish than trout, and they are every bit as much fun to catch,if not more.
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That line, a little ways out from the bank on a windy day, you know, where it goes from less waves on the surface to more waves on the surface, That is a good place to work a fly through.
Don
Since we are EYEtalian we have to KISS. 
1. Big fish eat little fish and
2. Fish edges…where ever you are fish edges.
The edge of the water and the sky. The edge between the water and the ground. The edge of weeds. These are simple and easy, but even in the ocean (which is sometimes concidered big and vast) the edge of warm water and cooler water can collect the bait and thus your targets.
…lee s.
JGW,
Not to worry, I’d go easy on you. You’re too nice a guy to be mean to.
Lee S.,
Fish edges, I couldn’t agree more. Why didn’t I think of that. The edge factor is soooo important whether it’s fishing or hunting. It seems most game fish and game animals relate to edges whether it’s the edge of a flat (ie a drop off) a weed bed edge, the edge of where the shadows meet the light or the edge of the thermocline. Same with game animals. Deer run the edge where the forest joins the fields. Quail hang on the edge of weed and brush plots. Edges are where it’s at.
Poke, you’re always preaching “fire tiger”. I’m definitely going to tie up something in fire tiger this year. It’s a good crankbait color around here. I don’t know why it wouldn’t be a good color for a clouser.
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ALWAYS try to take a little one fishing!!!
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NEVER tell the little one they can’t go fishing!!!
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ALWAYS remember that we fish for fun, and that it is not work!!!
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Listen to and follow your instincts while fishing, more often than not they are right!!!
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Always remember that it is not how big or how many you caught today … because no one is going to believe you when you get back anyway!!!
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Last but not least, have fun and ALWAYS try to take a little one fishing!!!
Just my thoughts,
Reg
Lee…I can’t believe I missed “edges”…the absolute key to structure of ANY type! Thanks!
Another important one I forgot in my earlier post…NEVER pump gas prior to fishing!
Mike
- Never go south with a 1wt, to compete with 12wt’s… aaarrrggghhh ( could wind ya up in Davey Jones locker)
- When they ain’t bitten, keep changing flys until you get on what they are. (And Technic)
- No matter what’s going on in your life, take time to set on the bank, look at the water, and try to see what’s going on, without getting frustrated!
- DON"T FRUSTRATE THE YUGIN!!!
( He/her may not want to come back anymore) - 4 Is easier said than done, when you want the yugin to get what’s going on and catch fish, remember it’s your world you are taking him/her into, so, they gotta see you enjoying it, then maybe they will too…
Spelling and Grammar not subject to judgement… 
[This message has been edited by Grubb (edited 18 March 2005).]
I havn’t learned much in my life but I hold the following to be true:
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Fish the area that you are tempted to wade before you plunge in.
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People who laugh at you for using a wading staff are all wet or will be very shortly.
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When you are asked to demonstrate a tying technique at your local fly shop, you will cut your tying thread accidentally.
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Waders don’t leak until the water temperature falls below forty degrees or the wind chill factor dips below twenty degrees.
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Fish every cast with strained attention even when the fish aren’t biting. Your one strike of the day will come when you’re watching a kingfisher fly across the river.
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Never go anywhere without a compass, personal space blanket, matches, whistle, small flashlight and a couple of candy bars in your vest.
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Spin fisherman are nice people too (99.9% of the time). They are usually very curious about fly fishing and are often strongly tempted to give it a try. Encourage them! 8T
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.
Tom Newbauer Outdoor Wisconsin local PBS
The three rules of fishing.
“1.Fish are dumb.
2. Fish will strike when hungry or PO’d.
3. Fish are dumb.”
Sometimes the simple statements are the most true.Hmmmmmm.
- have a container for trash, mine and the stuff other folks have left.
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You can cast other things on your fly rod besides flies. Give spinner blades, small spoons, and soft plastics a try.
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Jigs or woolys tied on jigs are 200% better than a standard wooly bugger. You get better action, it sinks better, and most importantly it won’t twist your leader.
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The fish will spawn/run/bed earlier than you would think. Be persistant, it’s better to fish earlier than later.
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Sun block is your friend.
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Learn to cast and fish sinking leaders, they are your friends.
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Sandbass and walleye will hit other colors than white and chartreuse.
Mike B
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Learn the rules, guidelines and wisom of fishing!
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Soon as you learn the rules, the fish will change them.
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“Big fly, big bass” is a sound tactic, no doubt. Best bass ever was on a #12 Jitterbee, though.
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Don’t clatter things in the boat, yell at your partner in the back or down the stream, scream bloody murder when you get a hook-up…but it’s not a monastery, either.
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As mentioned above, spin and bait fisherman are 99.9% good folks that may be interested in what you’re doing, so be nice about it. If they’re not interested, don’t preach.
[url=http://www.native-waters.com:27575]http://www.native-waters.com[/url:27575]
The only things that I find are truths in fishing:
- Don’t spit into the wind. [This applies to other things as well.]
- As soon as you get into your waders and are at least 1/4 mile from a shore where you can get out of the water that LARGE cup of coffee you had to wake up this AM on the way to the lake WILL arrive!
- Same applies when you get into your waders and have gotten to the middle of the river.
- When you need to use your underware for TP you will find you have forgotten your pocket knife!
- When you drop the waders down to your ankles you will find you didn’t really push them far enough forward.
- Other “fishing truths” tend to just last for the morning or afternoon that you discover them.
Donald
1.If you stuff a couple of old hankies in to the back pockets of your vest they will always come in handy. And cheaper than your underware.
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The day you don’t back rain gear. is the day you wish you had.
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Fishing is not life and death, it’s more important than that.
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When things in your life are going wrong and you are really really stressed out. It’s time to go fishing.
Every day that I wake up and everything still works. Is a good day.