2025 Fly Fishing Ambitions

[SmittyTheSquatch]

Yeah, my recon reveals that "prime" fishing months here do not equate to the same out there, largely due to snow melt. It seems surreal to think that prime trout fishing in a place would be July/August, but in that area it seems to be. I'm sure stretching the legs and exploring on lesser known streams is the way to go, but I'll likely end up keeping it within an hour or two of Denver. Still early in the planning stages, so anything can happen, but life is flying by, so it needs to happen!

Just moved here from out that way. Cheesman is gorgeous to fish, but it can be tough on days. Be glad to give you some insight if you want to message me.

 

[SmittyTheSquatch]

My goals for the year:

- Get the raft out on 5 of the bigger trout rivers in PA this year with 2 or 3 overnights.
- Learn how to smallmouth fish
- Start exploring blue lines

Had a solid 2024 of fishing. Looking forward to the new year to explore here.

 

[hooker-of-men]

With a 2 year old and another arriving soon my goals are pretty basic. Find time to fish and continue this path I started 2 years ago on the most rewarding hobbie I’ve ever picked up. It’s quickly become a lifestyle.

As someone who has had 2 young kids (now 7 and 9) for pretty much the entire time I've been heavy into fishing, I take the "fishing as lifestyle" concept seriously.

A buddy was recently talking about a friend and was like: "He must have abandoned his family! He's getting 50 days a year on the water!" I'm sure that 50 marathon days makes for some productive fishing, but that's got nothing to do with what I do. I fish a silly number of "days" more than that - sometimes every day of the week, when things are good - but I put in the effort to weave anything from 30 mins to full days into my schedule of work and family any opportunity I have.

Rods are always rigged up in the vehicle. Many of my outings are an hour of morning stillwater before work, two hours of quick hiking on a brookie stream when the family is busy, a long lunch break mission at a stream really close to work, etc. Hell, I probably walked my carp spots an hour or two taking casts here and there almost 50 "days" this year - and I didn't even get a carp!

I have no idea how this translates to "days on the water" - I don't really care to compare - but I just wanted to stand in solidarity with you that this sh!t is what you make of it, even with a packed schedule. I don't see fishing as something that competes with the other facets of my life but rather a part woven into the whole.

 

[Duriensbane]

20+ Brown on either nymph or streamer
Any brown on a full sized dungeon
River small mouth on a fly rod
Snakehead on fly rod
Hit Pine, Lehigh, and Lil Lehigh.
Attempt to improve my dry fly game as i suck at it completely.

 

[jtdubber]

Do a couple overnight hike and fish trips. Learn as much as I can about finding and catching wild trout.

 

[wildtrout2]

It's my ambition every year, to beat my PB native, a 13.5" on June 24th 2010. That isn't likely, but I'll keep trying. Coincidentally, that's the same year I caught my one and only wild tiger trout.

 

[Andrwhite610]

As someone who has had 2 young kids (now 7 and 9) for pretty much the entire time I've been heavy into fishing, I take the "fishing as lifestyle" concept seriously.

A buddy was recently talking about a friend and was like: "He must have abandoned his family! He's getting 50 days a year on the water!" I'm sure that 50 marathon days makes for some productive fishing, but that's got nothing to do with what I do. I fish a silly number of "days" more than that - sometimes every day of the week, when things are good - but I put in the effort to weave anything from 30 mins to full days into my schedule of work and family any opportunity I have.

Rods are always rigged up in the vehicle. Many of my outings are an hour of morning stillwater before work, two hours of quick hiking on a brookie stream when the family is busy, a long lunch break mission at a stream really close to work, etc. Hell, I probably walked my carp spots an hour or two taking casts here and there almost 50 "days" this year - and I didn't even get a carp!

I have no idea how this translates to "days on the water" - I don't really care to compare - but I just wanted to stand in solidarity with you that this sh!t is what you make of it, even with a packed schedule. I don't see fishing as something that competes with the other facets of my life but rather a part woven into the whole.

Spot on and I had to figured that out quick. The fishing addiction, Marriage, home ownership and kids all came at once pretty much. My life was vastly different even 4 years ago.

I’d say I got roughly 30 Sunday mornings fishing untill about noon in 2024. That’s my juice. I mentally plan for those mornings all week and take that time very serious and it usually pays off. As long as all streams aren’t blown out or frozen it’s going down. Those days also are when I can drive up to an hour and a half away. The rest of the time is committed to life stuff. However there is that “in between” or “bonus” fishing.sometimes an hour or if I’m lucky up to three. Sometimes 30 mins. Sometimes 3 outings in a week or none. In May when the days begin to get long into the summer I can get out an hour+ in the morning before work while everyone else sleeps in at home. I have a couple class As, stocked waters, special regs, a lake and smallmouth river all within 10 minutes from home. My work is positioned on a steam that’s givin me a PB wild brown on a 30 minute quickie. Plenty of quick opportunities. Friends, family and coworkers all know the deal. Hell the other day on the way to a stream I broke both of my rod tips( not gonna get into how but like an idiot). I quick turned and burned home got my Brookie stream rod and went back the same direction to a different stream. I was up early enough that I lost no daylight and didn’t just give up and go home. I also manage the time I get very well. Plan in place, rods rigged, gas in the tank, snacks, coffee and gear in check. I park, gear up and go. No goofing around.

I imagine most that are committed play this same game. Unless of course they are single without kids, professionals or retired. I’m also sure everyone’s significant other has a different idea of what an acceptable amount of time fishing is. So yes the goal is continue to manage that time the best I can.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

My goal is to get more short opportunistic trips in. I get a handful of full day long excursions on wild trout streams, and a camping trip or 2 since I have had kids. This past year with having 3 now has made it challenging. My oldest will be 6 this spring, so hope to do a lot more with her even if its mostly panfishing at the lake. I need to get more serious with night fishing next summer, that is likely my best opportunity to consistently get on the water.

 

[hooker-of-men]

Spot on and I had to figured that out quick. The fishing addiction, Marriage, home ownership and kids all came at once pretty much. My life was vastly different even 4 years ago.

I’d say I got roughly 30 Sunday mornings fishing untill about noon in 2024. That’s my juice. I mentally plan for those mornings all week and take that time very serious and it usually pays off. As long as all streams aren’t blown out or frozen it’s going down. Those days also are when I can drive up to an hour and a half away. The rest of the time is committed to life stuff. However there is that “in between” or “bonus” fishing.sometimes an hour or if I’m lucky up to three. Sometimes 30 mins. Sometimes 3 outings in a week or none. In May when the days begin to get long into the summer I can get out an hour+ in the morning before work while everyone else sleeps in at home. I have a couple class As, stocked waters, special regs, a lake and smallmouth river all within 10 minutes from home. My work is positioned on a steam that’s givin me a PB wild brown on a 30 minute quickie. Plenty of quick opportunities. Friends, family and coworkers all know the deal. Hell the other day on the way to a stream I broke both of my rod tips( not gonna get into how but like an idiot). I quick turned and burned home got my Brookie stream rod and went back the same direction to a different stream. I was up early enough that I lost no daylight and didn’t just give up and go home. I also manage the time I get very well. Plan in place, rods rigged, gas in the tank, snacks, coffee and gear in check. I park, gear up and go. No goofing around.

I imagine most that are committed play this same game. Unless of course they are single without kids, professionals or retired. I’m also sure everyone’s significant other has a different idea of what an acceptable amount of time fishing is. So yes the goal is continue to manage that time the best I can.

Love it!

As my friends have always said: smoke em if you got em!

 

[wgmiller]

Just moved here from out that way. Cheesman is gorgeous to fish, but it can be tough on days. Be glad to give you some insight if you want to message me.

I'll likely take you up on that as I get closer to the date. Sounds like there are a lot of options in the Denver metro - you just have to "pick your poison"!

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

Plan to visit a stream about 40 miles north of me that has very little in the way of intel, that might be recovering from logging 30 years ago. Also want to hit the Metolius for bull trout, and lastly, take my SIL to some trout havens he should know about before it is too late.

 

[NetWork]

I try to have something that I focus on each year. 2023 was tightline nymphing, 2024 was nymph fishing under a dry. For 2025, I plan to spend time improving my ability to fish dries tight to the banks.

 

[td566]

Continue to explore the Laurel Highlands streams
Find a warm water stream close by and enjoy some short trips
Catch a few more steelhead this Winter/Spring
A return trip to Bedford County during cicada time
Be on a stream when a hatch is occurring (or just having multiple fish rising to something)

 

[Kms]

Fish more, improve my casting, only fish flies I have tied (or from paflyfish swaps, 👍 @JimNovo). I got Charlie Craven’s Basic Fly Tying as a Christmas gift, so planning to work my way through that, and will do the Main Line Fly Tyers intro class starting this month.

 

[caddisflyer]

The number of hours we spend surfing this forum should be subtracted from our possible days on the water.

 

[wildtrout2]

The number of hours we spend surfing this forum should be subtracted from our possible days on the water.

Unless it's winter time, when cabin fever is a very real issue. I spend much more time on my computer during the cold months.

 

[The Rodfather]

I want to run into a 20+ inch brown. I've had a couple on but never landed one.

Also, I want to explore more streams.

 

[wildtrout2]

I want to run into a 20+ inch brown. I've had a couple on but never landed one.

Also, I want to explore more streams.

I've seen exactly one wild brown in my life that was over 20". It was actually a 22" wild brown, caught by a PAFF member. Might have been a tad bigger, I forget.

 

[Copper_John]

• Catch a trout on the West/East Branch of the Delaware on a dry fly. So far in 3 trips up there I've only managed two catch 2 trout and they were both sub-surface.
• Improve my dry fly fishing in general (become more comfortable casting long leaders, reduce drags in drifts, improve fly selection)

 

[nd1001]

Catch a 20” wild brown.

Catch trout in a new state (planning trips to West Virginia, hopefully Wyoming).

Take my dad brook trout fishing for the first time.