I hope this doesn't stir up a can of worms, this being a fly fishing forum. As a background, I did learn to fly fish for trout on a local stream with wild fish over 30 years ago. I really took to it with a beginner's obsession, got into tying flies which I thoroughly enjoyed, had a seine to capture insects, and had a decent amount of success at it. Mostly midges, caddis, and nymphs. I did it heavily for about 4 years, especially when I became laid off and was collecting unemployment - that was my initial learning period. Somehow I got away from it after that though I would occasionally fly fish for bluegills and still do.
Fast forward to the present. I did try terrestrial fly fishing last year and did ok with that, enjoyable. I'll probably just stick with that. I find as I've gotten older I just don't have the patience to deal with changing tippets, flies, presentations and weighting, etc. My eyes are not what they used to be nor my hands as steady. I bought a pair of those clip on magnifying glasses for my hat but have found that the glasses are so far forward it's hard to focus. I think a pair of reading glasses put on when I don't have my prescription sunglasses on would do better.
Finally I may take some flak for this, but I like to use my spinning rod to throw jerk baits (plastic) for trout and I do well overall. I'll say that I might see more trout that are in the stream, because they love to chase and the jerk bait will draw them out. It is within the rules and regulations where I fish. I mash down my barbs and give the trout some time to rest in the net submerged before releasing them. I wish I had more patience, or maybe more specifically, more facility, to match the hatch and fish the smaller stuff. I will say that my method involves a lot of casting and moving along where I see fly fishing as a more static stay in place kind of thing where you can really spend some time and pick things apart before casting.
I see older gents out on the stream ( I'm 67 now ) that move slowly, but it's the perfect thing for them to slowly fly fish and take their time. I was fishing on a pool the other day where an older gentleman with a straw hat and a pipe, was fly fishing in the pool above me and he was curious about what I was doing. I caught one trout and then another. He sat on a log and looked at me. It was more than a casual watching, more of a stare and glare. I don't think he liked it, and I moved on because I don't like people staring directly at me unflinchingly while I'm fishing.
I hooked a giant of a trout during May of last year that I believe would have gone over 25 inches, lots of fight with a necessary loosened drag. My mistake was focusing too much on the netting part, and not enough on playing him properly and leaving the net in the water until it was finally time to get him in.
I'm not advocating that anyone take up spinning or fish the way I do. I want to give the fly fishing a go again with some simplified ideas. I will definitely fish the terrestrials again as just having a single fly and working from run to run is not that bad. Maybe there are similar ways to fish other flies that don't involve so much of the tippet and fly changes so often. I see a lot of older guys fly fishing and I wonder what their "system" is. Any input is definitely appreciated. I put an image in of that big trout from last year. Sure would love to get one on a fly.
