Overwhelmed with starting out
- Thread starter JSOutdoors
- Start date
Acristickid
Well-known member
Go out with an experienced angler- that’s worth thousands in gear.
JSOutdoors
New member
Yes I think that is the best thing I can do. Researching and doing all these YouTube videos is exhausting. I learn best when someone is teaching me. I'm pretty busy in the near future but if anyone lives around Lancaster County I am willing to drive up to an hour to hour 1/2 away to get some fish.
Getting out and fishing is the key. With someone, without someone, it don’t matter just get out and start figuring it out. That’s what most of us did before YouTube, instagram, GoPros and influencers. My dad gave me the basics but it was me and my friends out everyday figuring it out while our dads went to work. At ten years old we were catching crap tons of trout on very rudimentary gear. Just go out, KEEP IT SIMPLE, and fish. If you desire, you can over complicate the process later in life. Talk to people on the stream, most people are more then willing to share their knowledge with others. It’s not difficult, if ten year olds can figure it out so will you but one way or the other you have to be out there.
Dr.J 1952
Active member
As far as flies go, you have to get info on a particular stream you are fishing. See what insect life is prevalent. If I fish a fertile stream as Spring Creek or other limestone streams, I’ll use natural imitations. Learning when the different species of mayflies and other aquatic insects hatch helps cutting down on guessing. I nymph / wet fly 90% or more of the time. I usually don’t go to dry flys until I see fish actively rising. I’ve been doing this long enough that I recognize hatches. If you fish stocked streams that don’t have a lot of insect activity, as we do in SW PA, go with green weenies, mop flies, San Juan worms, honey bugs, sucker spawn etc. Wooly Buggers are a good streamer to start with. I use a lot of Euro flies with a normal trout set up usually with a strike indicator. I’ve just been doing it that way for so long that I have become very adept at it. I do usually fish 2 to 3 flies at a time. I’ve caught lots of trout, even steelhead, on a Red Dart. Sometimes you have to show them something different even if it’s a junk fly. I also say the smaller the stream, the smaller the fly. Same with slow water. As far as weight goes, if you aren’t getting snags, you aren’t getting down deep enough. I tie my own flies so I don’t mind risking a snag. If you’re snagging all the time, reduce the weight.
WWKimba
Active member
Welcome to the site from a born and bred central NYer, I've been tying flies for over fifty years and hosting fly swaps for the past 13+.If you'd like to learn how to tie or sharpen your skills a swap is a nice option (for learning there is really only 2 other options: a fly tying class and/or sitting with an experienced fly tyer). In fact in 2020 (or the year that was lost to COVID!) I ran a 5-part, 6-month long swap JUST for beginner tyers (since the other 2 options were not viable then) with great success. Also, with swaps you get new patterns to try (and build your personal pattern database) on your local water INCLUDING a fly to test drive and give the fish a chance to vote on!
As far as what you should tie on the end of your line, the BEST place to find out is at a fly/tackle shop on/near that water - they tie flies to sell so they will have the hot flies in stock. Pick-up some needed tying material and tie your own.
I look forward to your future posts and if you have any questions on swaps I'll be most happy to help out.
Kim
As far as what you should tie on the end of your line, the BEST place to find out is at a fly/tackle shop on/near that water - they tie flies to sell so they will have the hot flies in stock. Pick-up some needed tying material and tie your own.
I look forward to your future posts and if you have any questions on swaps I'll be most happy to help out.
Kim
tomgamber
Well-known member
Just go fish. Pretend you know what you're doing. Then take note of everything that works and everything that doesn't. Then discuss it with someone who's been doing it longer. Take every bit of advice as no more than that and only pay attention to what works. Dont dpend more than you can afford
Stream time and discussion is a much better value. Have fun.
Yes, it is very helpful to have someone teach you the basics.
The person should not be just experienced and skilled, but also willing and able to teach.
There are many fly fishers who are very skilled, but who aren't good at teaching.
Acristickid
Well-known member
Funny to me.
Cause most of my mentors were not great teachers for the fact the at they wanted to fish more than I did and would bark a few tips out then busy themselves with fishing.
Figured most things out with experiences any other way to gain knowledge, books, here, videos. When I started out in mid 90’s , internet really wasn’t a thing.
WWKimba
Active member
There are two GREAT days when you go fishing - the days you catch fish and the don't!
I don't think I saw this mentioned before (or I was cleaning my glasses!) 🤓, but one option not oft mentioned to someone new to an area (but nearly always mentioned when traveling to a new area to fish on vacation) is to look up and hire a guide in your area. A good guide can teach a lot AND a GOOD guide focusses on YOUR fishing needs NOT theirs!
Just a thought.
Kim
Another bonus is that GOOD guides like to tie their own quick and effective patterns to fish - their job is to keep you fishing AND catching as much as possible or they are not soon long for this profession!
I don't think I saw this mentioned before (or I was cleaning my glasses!) 🤓, but one option not oft mentioned to someone new to an area (but nearly always mentioned when traveling to a new area to fish on vacation) is to look up and hire a guide in your area. A good guide can teach a lot AND a GOOD guide focusses on YOUR fishing needs NOT theirs!
Just a thought.
Kim
Another bonus is that GOOD guides like to tie their own quick and effective patterns to fish - their job is to keep you fishing AND catching as much as possible or they are not soon long for this profession!
JSOutdoors
New member
I was out at the Tulpehocken today to test out my fly fishing rod for the first time. Got snagged up a few times but after maybe 20 casts I finally got the hang of it! It was a lot of fun. Even though I didn't get a single bite I learned a lot and got to test out my Zebra Midge, Hare's Ear, and Wiggly Red San Juan Worm.
I find that the Tulpehocken gets hit very hard. I've been there twice and probably saw 15 total fisherman, where I'm used to seeing maybe 1 max on the local streams I go to.
If anyone is in the Lancaster PA area and wants to go out some weekend please let me know. I could use all the help I can get at this point!
I used a strike indicator about 6' up and put a few tiny split shot on maybe 18" up from my nympths. It was pretty quick moving water but I got my nympths into the right section, just not sure why I didn't get bites. I know it could've been just the area I was in, but I feel like I should've gotten at least one bite!
I find that the Tulpehocken gets hit very hard. I've been there twice and probably saw 15 total fisherman, where I'm used to seeing maybe 1 max on the local streams I go to.
If anyone is in the Lancaster PA area and wants to go out some weekend please let me know. I could use all the help I can get at this point!
I used a strike indicator about 6' up and put a few tiny split shot on maybe 18" up from my nympths. It was pretty quick moving water but I got my nympths into the right section, just not sure why I didn't get bites. I know it could've been just the area I was in, but I feel like I should've gotten at least one bite!
tomgamber
Well-known member
Just go as often as you can. It's the best training there is.
We all have days were we feel like we should at least had one bite. Thats fishing. Like Tom said, keep going out. If you want to make it easy just find a small native Brook trout mountain stream. Those things are as easy as it gets and affords you the right to cast shade on stocked trout.
