Your 2024 Fly Fishing Ambitions

jifigz

jifigz

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
Messages
4,201
Location
Miff-Co, PA
Hey PAFF,

I am curious as to what everyone's 2024 fly fishing goals and/or resolutions will be. I have never been one to make "New Year's Resolutions," but I have two things that I would like to give effort to and accomplish in my upcoming season of 2024 fly fishing.

#1 - Simplify fly fishing. In recent years, I feel that I have started to carry too much stuff. Gone are the days when I would hit the water carrying like 5 or 6 patterns. While I do not want to get back to that few of patterns, I do really want to shed gear, minimize my fly selections, consolidate boxes, etc. I have flies I have a lot of confidence in, so they will definitely be making the cut, but I realize that I neglect 90% of the crap that I carry most of the time which brings up the question: why am I carrying it?

So that is goal #1. Simplify and carry necessities only. Return to the "KISS" principle and just sit back and enjoy.

#2 - Explore new mountain streams in the dead of summer. I want to find and explore new icy cold waters and just scratch that itch to see new places that I have never wet a line. I am not looking to go far or travel many states away, but I am looking to explore more and more of my uncharted waters within my home state of PA.

So, what are your upcoming ambitions for 2024?
 
Well, for the last two years I swore I was done fishing Jeans Run, because all I was getting were dinks. It's a very tough stream to access to only catch small natives. It's basicly a mile hike to access it, wether from the top, or the bottom. Sooo, I'll give her another shot in 2024. It's always been the first stream I fish to start a new season. I find it really hard to break tradition.
 
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wildtrout2 said:
Well, for the last two years I swore I was done fishing Jeans Run, because all I was getting were dinks. It's a very tough stream to access to only catch small natives. Sooo, I'll give her another shot in 2024. It's always been the first stream I fish to start a new season. I find it really hard to break tradition.
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Don't ever give it up. Maintaining ambition is what keeps life good. Hell, it might even be what keeps ya living.

Jeans is a stream I have never fished, but from what I know about it, it seems like the kind of place I would like to go.
 
wildtrout2 said:
Well, for the last two years I swore I was done fishing Jeans Run, because all I was getting were dinks. It's a very tough stream to access to only catch small natives. Sooo, I'll give her another shot in 2024. It's always been the first stream I fish to start a new season. I find it really hard to break tradition.
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I have always wanted to fish that. If you are looking for a "buddy," let me know.
 
jifigz said:
Don't ever give it up. Maintaining ambition is what keeps life good. Hell, it might even be what keeps ya living.

Jeans is a stream I have never fished, but from what I know about it, it seems like the kind of place I would like to go.
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It really is the epitome of a native brook trout stream. Just beautiful, with a few real nice water falls as well. Over the years I've caught a lot of real nice natives there, including my personal best to date, at 13.5". It just hasn't been producing for me like it once did the last number of years. One time, I saw a big sow black bear with three cubs, which I actually got some really good video of. That was a day I'll never forget.

It holds sentimental value, so I just can't bring myself to turn my back on it, regardless of the dinks. :)
 

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So my goal the past 2 years was to fish at least every month (between work and life this felt attainable) and I was able to meet that goal. Last year I started keeping a journal and that was pretty interesting to do for the first time. I realized that I don’t get skunked as much as I thought.

This year I have two real “goals”. I want to dry fly fish more. The past 2 years I haven’t had as much time to do that and it truly is my favorite way to fish. My other goal is to work on my streamer technique. I don’t often streamer fish and I know it’s more situational, but I just have to be more intentional with it.

So here’s to 2024, tight lines everyone.
 
My goals

- attend the spring Jam for the first time
- fish 5 new streams
- Jan to March, go through my fly boxes, remove ratty looking flies, tie new replacements. (I haven’t done this in years). Somehow those ratty flies are still catching just enough fish to delay the fly box overhaul.
- possibly transition from a fly vest to a sling pack. This is an emotional charge. I’ve used a traditional vest for 49 years and I’ve only had 2 vests in my lifetime. Seams have been re-sewn more than a few times. I have every nock and cranny stuffed and I know where everything is.
 
*fish in NY,,MD,WV,TN,NC and SC twice as much this year as I did last year.

*Fish in Maine once or twice this year

*Sell off unused equipment
 
My goal is pretty simple. I want to get out more locally and catch some native brookies and browns in surprising places. Fish more with my brother and friend. We have a trip in place to Penns in April. I would love to actually be able to use some of my early season flies that have been accumulating in my fly box for forty years. Honestly I have really never fished a grannom, hendrickson, or quill gordon hatch. Finally, put in motion a trip out west.
 
My goal was to get out as much as possible especially in May and June. After a lifetime of fulltime work I finally, at age 63, was looking at having the time and enough money to consider spending a month or more just fishing. It looked like everything was falling together for this spring. Unfortunately I am now facing stage 4 cancer and multiple surgeries and chemo etc. so it is going to be unlikely. So it goes. Live your life. You never know what's around the corner.
 
caddisflyer said:
My goal was to get out as much as possible especially in May and June. After a lifetime of fulltime work I finally, at age 63, was looking at having the time and enough money to consider spending a month or more just fishing. It looked like everything was falling together for this spring. Unfortunately I am now facing stage 4 cancer and multiple surgeries and chemo etc. so it is going to be unlikely. So it goes. Live your life. You never know what's around the corner.
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I'm sorry to hear of your situation. It will be a tough road to travel, but I hope somehow you'll be able to get out and do some fishing at some point. Best of luck to you. I'll keep you in my prayers.
 
Try to ALWAYS keep " junk" flies
( SanJuans & Eggs) with me at ALL times.

Do better keeping supply of Aquel with me.

Fish more Hopper/Dropper.
Fish more terrestrials.

Keep drinking K GALLOUP'S JerkStrip KoolAde

Tie on my CRAWFISH patterns on first & EVERY SINGLE TIME OUT

Continue to improve my tying skills and keep fishing what I tie.🍀
 
Catch a native brookie over 10 inches, and catch a fish out of the fly fishing only section of the falling springs. My first goal is gonna come down to plain luck but with my skillset the second goal is near impossible
 
An over-slot striped bass in the surf would be nice, one of the pigs that eat my 8 inch pencil poppers...
 
Jemoca75! said:
My goal is the same as last year, 100 days on the water. I got low 80s this year and have no idea where I'm gonna find 20 more but I'm gonna try
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I only did 64 and counting for this year, but I have done 125-130 a few times. It is definitely that last 20 that is the challenge. Surely must embrace the winter and the warmwater species! Or not live in Philly suburbs like myself. A lot easier if you can walk out the back door after work and find a spring creek (y)
 
Nymph-wristed said:
I only did 64 and counting for this year, but I have done 125-130 a few times. It is definitely that last 20 that is the challenge. Surely must embrace the winter and the warmwater species! Or not live in Philly suburbs like myself. A lot easier if you can walk out the back door after work and find a spring creek (y)
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I live in northwestern lancaster county close to the susquehanna and the river wasn't an acceptable level for wading or kayaking much of the later summer, that took a bunch of days away
 
To fish more in general and use some of the new combos I bought last year but never got on the water...

Almost two years ago I had a total hip replacement. Before the surgery wading was a real challenge. After the surgery & PT things were really looking up until this summer when my knee on the OTHER leg started giving me trouble. That really curtailed my wading & fishing for the rest of 2024.

The good news based on a visit last week with the surgeon who did my hip is I am nowhere close to needing a knee replacement. PT for the knee starts next week and if that doesn't work, possibly a little arthroscopic procedure to clean things up and I should be fine.

Here's hopin'... ;)
 
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