2021. 100 % FF

[hunter1]

This year, I'm only using a fly rod for all my fishing. Trout, Bass, saltwater, Fly rod for it all. I'm sticking to this resolution this year. So, no surf fishing, head boat, Inlets and bay's here I come for saltwater. I live on a river , for the Bass and Stripers, and I have PA, MD, and DE for my trout. No matter what water I hit it will be with Fly rod. I'm going to love 2021, God willing. :-D

 

[allthingsfishing]

Sounds like a plan. Do you have many rods to cover all the types of water and species you want to target?

 

[coyoterahn]

Interesting resolution there Hunter. Good luck.
As for me, all of my trout fishing is with flies and some of my bass fishing too. But I got to tell you, if I couldn’t throw soft plastics and some other specialty lures for smallies, I’d feel like I was missing something! Plus, it is a bit of a pain sometimes to use the fly rod off of my boat while navigating rocks on the Suskie when it is low.

 

[Baron]

I did that last year with the exception of three meat runs for Perch. I love the flyrod except when fishing deeper than 10-12' .

 

[Floggingtrout]

Great resolution however big fish in the salt is going to be tough. Having spent a a bunch of years trying the fly rod over conventional. Especially summer! Only a few scenarios where fly is effective for me. I suggest getting after carp for your big fish tussle. I even fish top water hardbaits on 10 weight for blues. I get lots of strange looks

 

[hunter1]

I have plenty of Fly rods to handle all waters I'll run into. Yeah, surf is probably out, but the inlet's and back bays will be fine. I'mbusy this weekend, but I might hit the GP next weekend. I'm gettinh a new euro set up, so I can practice also. Sold my boat, so I don't have to worry about fishing from it. But it could put a damper on my Striper fishing on the river. Thank's guys.

 

[afishinado]

hunter1 wrote:
This year, I'm only using a fly rod for all my fishing. Trout, Bass, saltwater, Fly rod for it all. I'm sticking to this resolution this year. So, no surf fishing, head boat, Inlets and bay's here I come for saltwater. I live on a river , for the Bass and Stripers, and I have PA, MD, and DE for my trout. No matter what water I hit it will be with Fly rod. I'm going to love 2021, God willing. :-D

^ Doing it for 30+ years and counting!

I don't own any spinning / baitcasting outfits or lures (except a UL spinning rod for my wife or young nieces and nephews to use on occasion).

All FFing for saltwater, muskie, bass, steelhead / salmon, trout, etc. wading, boat or kayak.

It can be done and I have a ball doing it.

I believe the only way to learn to FF in all conditions and for all kinds of fish is to just get out there and cast. Switching to other tackle when things are tough doesn't allow you to learn and improve your FFing. So if your don't FF in the wind, or high water, or cold water or whatever, you will never learn FF under those conditions.

It's not always easy....but it's always rewarding.

Good luck.

 

[Floggingtrout]

I struggle in the salt for stripers when they are on clams in cold water or when they transition to bunker. During summer they are usually down 25 to 40 where I fish in ny bight. Schoolies are no problem to catch. Any recommendation for bunker flies or ways to get down deep would be awesome. Not at all an expert on the fly in salt. Checked a few charters and they focus on schoolies in the back bay shallows.

 

[Baron]

Immersion method. I do switch flies allot until I have hits.

 

[hunter1]

afishinado wrote:

hunter1 wrote:
This year, I'm only using a fly rod for all my fishing. Trout, Bass, saltwater, Fly rod for it all. I'm sticking to this resolution this year. So, no surf fishing, head boat, Inlets and bay's here I come for saltwater. I live on a river , for the Bass and Stripers, and I have PA, MD, and DE for my trout. No matter what water I hit it will be with Fly rod. I'm going to love 2021, God willing. :-D

^ Doing it for 30+ years and counting!

I don't own any spinning / baitcasting outfits or lures (except a UL spinning rod for my wife or young nieces and nephews to use on occasion).

All FFing for saltwater, muskie, bass, steelhead / salmon, trout, etc. wading, boat or kayak.

It can be done and I have a ball doing it.

I believe the only way to learn to FF in all conditions and for all kinds of fish is to just get out there and cast. Switching to other tackle when things are tough doesn't allow you to learn and improve your FFing. So if your don't FF in the wind, or high water, or cold water or whatever, you will never learn FF under those conditions.

It's not always easy....but it's always rewarding.

Good luck.

This is how I would like it. After 2020, I'm no longer in it for the fish eating aspect of fishing. But your right about all you said. I always released trout anyway. Thank you.

 

[jifigz]

It's easy to do..once you start fly fishing you never look back. The only thing I ever use any of my spinning or baitcasting rods for is to take people fishing that don't fish or for catfishing. Otherwise, it's all fly fishing until the day I take my last breath.

 

[troutbert]

I've been flyfishing 100% for quite a few years.

But recently I've been thinking about fishing for bluegills with a bobber and worms.

That's the first fishing I ever did, and it was a lot of fun.

 

[barrybarry]

I hit the river a lot and I love throwing medium weight nymphs and wooly buggers. (7 weight 9 foot) But throwing anything heavy is the job of a spinning rod. I've tied quite a few heavy streamers but I hardly ever fished them. Too much work. Started throwing them with a spinning rod and now they get used. My patterns spend much more time in the water and less in the air.

 

[jifigz]

Troutbert, I agree, that does sound like a nice change of pace..I took a kid fishing last year like that. When she hooked the fish and could feel it pulling she dropped the rod and ran..ha.

And Barry, I've fished some heavy patterns and never had any problems with a 6 or am 8 weight. I also only fish fiberglass, for the most part. I find it's easy to pick them up and cast them with one back cast, which keeps my "bait" in the water even more than with spinning gear..I've had enough of fancy spinning equipment and hand pouring jig heads and soft plastics. We used to crush so many nice bass, but it just doesn't do it for me any more..

 

[Baron]

troutbert wrote:
I've been flyfishing 100% for quite a few years.

But recently I've been thinking about fishing for bluegills with a bobber and worms.

That's the first fishing I ever did, and it was a lot of fun.

I've been re-building these marvelous antiques all winter. Can't wait to fish them with a bobber during one my 3 or 4 freezer runs that we have. During these April and May exploits we put three of us into a 12' drift boat and use spinning gear instead of my normal flared. With three in the boat its just too tight to cast fly rods. These old pushbuttons should be a blast.

 

[wbranch]

I fish with the tackle I feel will most effectively cover the water I am fishing. That means virtually all my trout and steelhead is with the fly rod. Pretty much all my smallmouth is with a spinning rod and a mix for inshore salt water.

 

[jifigz]

Wow Baron. Spincast. I have never used one of those that I liked.

 

[Baron]

Jif , I basically only fish Fly gear but the exception is these old reels and they're much different than todays spincast in that they are all metal, machined and highly fitted for tight and direct operation. nice drags. Casting distance is more limitted but they are fun for a bit and leaves you with feelings of nostalgia.
In the fly reel world a comparison would be to compare them to Medalist reels.

 

[afishinado]

barrybarry wrote:
I hit the river a lot and I love throwing medium weight nymphs and wooly buggers. (7 weight 9 foot) But throwing anything heavy is the job of a spinning rod. I've tied quite a few heavy streamers but I hardly ever fished them. Too much work. Started throwing them with a spinning rod and now they get used. My patterns spend much more time in the water and less in the air.

Agreed, when a fly is too heavily weighted it is difficult to cast with a fly rod. I suggest, rather than trying to cast heavy flies, switch to lighter flies and sinking line to get down to the fish.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

I few of my friends don't flyfish and don't seem to have any interest in learning. So I will continue to fish with multiple fishing rods, reels, etc.
Maybe one day - they will take me up on getting coached with a fly rod.