no fish for me

[Stevie-B]

enfausn,

You may know a strike indicator by it's, ahem, other name.. "bobber". But you didn't hear that from me. It can actually be anything from a colored mark on your fly line to moldable floating clay to pinch on foam dots. It is a way to "show" where your leader is drifting and how it's drifting, especially when using nymphs and subsurface flies. Some people dislike using them others swear by them. In your case I would recommend trying it out.

Steve

 

[albatross]

This page link shows a variety of styles of strike indicators (or bobbers grumble-grumble). Unlike a traditonal Bobber, they are designed with flycasting in mind.

The "Thingamabobber" seems to be the latest greatest evolution of the strike indicator, I know they are my favorite. Any of these styles can be bought at your local fly shop, a big box store, or many places online.

I'm not pushing the site I linked to, they just happened to have a page showing a nice variety.

 

[enfausn]

thanks a lot guys.........I'll give it a go and see if that helps out. Just asking questions and reading here a couple of times a week have probably cut a few years off the learning curve for me.....LOL. Thanks to all!!!

 

[philfisher]

Hi everyone -

Thanks for the encouragement for us beginners, and all the tips and reports. I used to fly fish a bit in the midwest, mostly for sunnies, but decided to pick it back up recently and go after PA trout. I live in Philly. Here's a summary of my results so far, as best I can remember:

February- visited French Creek FFO area off Sheeder Mill road. I read on this board that it had been stocked recently, but I did not even see a fish much less catch one. Also tried the Wissahickon, with no luck.

March- tried Ridley creek FFO area. Walked way back on this stream and fished what looked to me like very fishy water with nymphs, but again no fish. Walked back to the bridge and then noticed that that's where all the fish are. I guess they just dump em in there when they stock it. Spent an hour getting my Griffith's knat repeatedly rejected while a dozen fish ate midges off the surface. Another angler caught fish using the same fly I was using.

Tried Ridley again a week later. This time I stayed close to the bridge. Had a fish on briefly on a nymph but he got off. Otherwise no luck, fish were rising again but refusing my offerings.

April- tried the Wissahickon on opening day. Water looked like chocolate milk and it was super windy. No fish on the fly, switched to spinning gear and caught two.

Last Thursday afternoon - went back to French Creek C&R FFO area. Fished for like four or five hours in the afternoon, explored a lot of the creek. Was a lovely, lovely afternoon to be out. Finally caught a trout!!! A rainbow, about eight inches, off a tiny copper john in a riffle. The most beautiful trout I ever saw. Mostly because my fly rod is no longer a virgin. Then another guy started fishing below me in a pool and catching a bunch of fish while I caught nothing.

In conclusion: 6 trips, one eight inch trout. This fly-fishing stuff is pretty hard. In particular, I find it hard to tell what I'm doing wrong. When I can see the fish, as in Ridley, it's a bit easier. But in the other streams I'm just casting to likely looking pools and hoping there's a fish in there.

Just wanted to share this, in solidarity with the other beginners who are having a hard time catching fish. You're not alone.

 

[osprey]

I'm probably going to take some flack here but why not start out fishing bait on your fly rod?
the old timers who taught me how to control a fly rod all used bait, red worms, minnows (strung up with a notched needle) , wax worms, crickets (live) it's just a suggestion, you will catch fish so you won't be bored and you will learn how to control a fly rod, eventually you will be drawn to fly fishing i'm sure, and when you get good at that you will probably abandon the bait , but it sure is a great way to begin to learn.

 

[Maurice]

philfisher wrote:
.....In conclusion: 6 trips, one eight inch trout. This fly-fishing stuff is pretty hard. In particular, I find it hard to tell what I'm doing wrong. When I can see the fish, as in Ridley, it's a bit easier. But in the other streams I'm just casting to likely looking pools and hoping there's a fish in there.

Just wanted to share this, in solidarity with the other beginners who are having a hard time catching fish. You're not alone.

Keep doing what you are doing....thats what I do. SOmetimes it works, sometimes not...sometimes I know there must be fish in there and keep changing tactics and flies and weight and drifts until I get one to cooperate. Sometimes they do not.

Bottom line is you are putting in the time which is what it takes to get better. That and maybe a trip with a more experienced fly fisherman who is open and willing to share with you...provided you are the type who can take constructive criticism.

The other day Fritz and I beat the water for hours in some very likely holding areas beofre getting to the fish. And at the end of the night Fritz pulled 5 trout from a run that I had beat to deathe with weenies, san juan worms and buggers. He put on a partridge and orange and everytime I looked upstream I saw his rod bent. Son of a gun found the fly at the right time of the day and for no good reason....they were taking it like it was the last supper.

Its those days that will get you through the skinny times. Until then, hang inthere. Your day will come.

Find that friend...at least you will be able to share you disgust with someone or turn the tables.

 

[WannaCatch]

Yea no doubt. I'm sittin here smiling because I was wearing those "can't catch a trout to save my life" shoes just a short time ago. And yes, even when you kind of know what you are doing, you will still have days when you can't get a strike. But they are less frequent after you learn the basics.

Match the hatch is the main point to this FF'n game. Trout are Soooo picky, just a slight color difference even if it's the right fly, will turn them away. That is what kept me out of this sport for the longest time. Now I'm up to the challenge. There is still so much for me to learn. But I have the BWO and Sulphur class credits.

I've been going to TroutNut.com. That's a great place to learn about bugs. That guy takes some amazing pictures. And of course I have my friend Joe who has taught me so much, and these people on here. So don't be afraid to ask questions, on here or the stream. If they are a good person they will offer you some advice. Some times you just need to stop and watch to see if you can tell what flies the fish are rising for and keep tying until you find something close enuff for them to take. I'm still a little cloudy on the nymphing thing. You just need to know what bugs are around and whay they look like. I prefer to just keep throwing dries, but I'm sure that will change in time.

So good luck to all us new people. :-D :-D

 

[WannaCatch]

Ok, so now I'm amazed again. Like I said B4, I was amazed that trout could take or even SEE a size 14 whatever. Now Skipper and I were out on the Lil J yesterday, 6/6, 09 and couldn't catch a fish to save out life. He noticed that the psuedocloens were laying everywhere. And they are a size 20-22!! YIKES
It's going to be tough hooking and fighting even a 14 - 16"fish to the shore.
Do ya'll keep your fishin hats on at this time of year, or do you go for something else and not even fuss with these super small flies?
I'm a glutton for punishment, so I guess that means I'll be out there slingin flies.
LATER

 

[Chetty82]

Hit up a stocked stream around you that will keep your spirits up. It did for me I was out at the little juniata and got frustated didnt get a bite all evening. Then I went out to a local stream here in huntingdon and got into a mess fo smallmouth, rock bass, and sunfish. Best day with three wooly buggers black, brown, and green. Actually the black I barely used but the brown and green killed them last night.

 

[littlelehigh]

If you were catching fish getting take back in March/April but not now sub surface fishing remember water levels are alot higher now you need more weight. That's been my problem which I hope to over come next time out.

 

[Chetty82]

A buddy of mine called me a retard cause I put a split shot on my nymphing setup. I told them a lot of people do. Am I right or wrong?

 

[giantsjim]

When I first started fly fishing I bought books, I talked with other fishers, and I read a ton on the internet. To learn knots I had some string I kept by my desk and practiced while I was at work. I also took a beginner FF class at the local school for around $25. The last class was a field trip to the Little Lehigh outside of Allentown. Worth every penny as I picked the instructor's brain and had him work with me on presentation.
Biggest thing to getting better is to get on the water as often as possible. Different situations demand different strategies. Learn to read a stream. If you were a fish, where would you go to conserve energy, get a good food source at the same time and be protected? If I couldn't get on the water I would practice casting in my yard. If you can afford it, get a personal lesson or two. It could save you a lot of frustration and halt bad habits before they begin.
The folks on this board can give you tons of suggestions which is awesome. Nothing like real world experience though.

 

[JackM]

Chetty82 wrote:
A buddy of mine called me a retard cause I put a split shot on my nymphing setup. I told them a lot of people do. Am I right or wrong?

A lot of people do. I tend to use much less weight when forced to nymph than I ever did fishing bait. My splitshot are much smaller and except for the fastest water, I usually only use one.

 

[albatross]

You have to use enough weight to get to the depth the fish are feeding at. I think most nymphers err on the side of too little weight.

 

[WannaCatch]

Yea. Skipper(Joe) wants me to go walleye and striper fishin. And I actually picked up my first fly rod when I was 14, and went fishin with my best friend for bass and bluegill. (MAN that was a long time ago!)
I always enjoy catching smallies, either on a spinnin rod or a fly rod. EXCITING!