Your 2024 Fly Fishing Ambitions

[Javelin389t]

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.

Cancer sucks ! Just remember caddisflyer. Never Give Up !

 

[Harry3]

My #1 goal is to vastly improve my fly casting after the lessons I am going to take,
Goal #2 is to fish more streams, more often than my local Lake Ontario trib. I want to get back down to the Catskils and fish the Beaverkill and Willowemoc.

 

[krayfish2]

To get Swattie in my boat and prove that catching trout over 12" is a lot of fun 😉

 

[jifigz]

I’m just looking forward to spending as much time as I can sharing experiences, memories, flies and maybe a flask with some good bourbon with good friends on the stream.

Also, I don’t have any kind of watercraft but I would love to catch my first snakehead on the fly in 2024, I honestly think I have a legitimate chance to do it.

Hey John, have you caught a snakehead on a spinning or bait casting rod? Or will this be your first snakehead ever?

 

[Swattie87]

To get Swattie in my boat and prove that catching trout over 12" is a lot of fun 😉

If we do the Lehigh, I’m gonna need your personal guarantee that I won’t need to wade!

And I’ll also need you to sign a liability waiver for any injuries resulting from my errant casting. (I’m an insurance adjuster remember.)

In all seriousness that does good, and hope we can make it happen. I do actually have a 9’ 6wt and 10’ 5wt, believe it or not. Would love to get my butt kicked on the D. (But don’t want to get my butt kicked by the Lehigh, if that makes sense.)

 

[krayfish2]

If we do the Lehigh, I’m gonna need your personal guarantee that I won’t need to wade!

And I’ll also need you to sign a liability waiver for any injuries resulting from my errant casting. (I’m an insurance adjuster remember.)

In all seriousness that does good, and hope we can make it happen. I do actually have a 9’ 6wt and 10’ 5wt, believe it or not. Would love to get my butt kicked on the D. (But don’t want to get my butt kicked by the Lehigh, if that makes sense.)

You want to do it, just let me know. If you're saying 'no Lehigh ' based on your past experiences there, don't sell it short. Seeing it during a hatch will change your opinion. As for the D, if I'm up there, 'come get it son' 🤣. It could be a day you'll never forget or the most brutal curb stomping you've ever experienced.

No waiver needed for casting. You can't hook me any worse than I've been hooked 😁. Double pheasant tail rig into my mouth while telling the caster to keep an eye open for risers on the right bank. 😳. You need to sign a waiver because you could be in the boat for 10 hours if it gets hot. Never leave rising fish 👍. How's the nymph game? I enjoy it from a boat but not so much on foot.

 

[dc410]

Hey John, have you caught a snakehead on a spinning or bait casting rod? Or will this be your first snakehead ever?

No, I’ve never caught one yet. When I stick my first one I just really want it to be on a fly rod.

 

[jifigz]

No, I’ve never caught one yet. When I stick my first one I just really want it to be on a fly rod.

Yeah, I've been meaning to go catch one for about the last 20 years. Never made the effort yet, though.

 

[Javelin389t]

You want to do it, just let me know. If you're saying 'no Lehigh ' based on your past experiences there, don't sell it short. Seeing it during a hatch will change your opinion. As for the D, if I'm up there, 'come get it son' 🤣. It could be a day you'll never forget or the most brutal curb stomping you've ever experienced.

No waiver needed for casting. You can't hook me any worse than I've been hooked 😁. Double pheasant tail rig into my mouth while telling the caster to keep an eye open for risers on the right bank. 😳. You need to sign a waiver because you could be in the boat for 10 hours if it gets hot. Never leave rising fish 👍. How's the nymph game? I enjoy it from a boat but not so much on foot.

 

[wbranch]

At 80 years old to still be able to launch & row my Hyde. I know I can no longer get it back on the trailer by myself. Fortunately i have many friends who help me.

 

[krayfish2]

At 80 years old to still be able to launch & row my Hyde. I know I can no longer get it back on the trailer by myself. Fortunately i have many friends who help me.

Matt, have you ever considered a power winch for getting your boat back on the trailer? I'm changing mine out this spring to a two-speed with a huge mechanical advantage. My boat's pretty big and I have trouble getting it up and on the last 5 ft because it weighs so much

 

[Fredrick]

Matt, have you ever considered a power winch for getting your boat back on the trailer? I'm changing mine out this spring to a two-speed with a huge mechanical advantage. My boat's pretty big and I have trouble getting it up and on the last 5 ft because it weighs so much

You're not 80 get your but to the gym

 

[DO_inthewoods]

1. Explore Southern Tier of NY
2. Explore Northern Tier of PA
3. Fish DELMARVA more including all of the bays, inlets, coastal creeks and surf (started this in '23 and was reborn)
4. Finally move later in the year pending drop in interest rates.

DM me if you want some NY intel! Grew up there and was there last weekend fishing in the blizzards. Didn't land anything but rolled some nice fish on streamers

 

[afishinado]

You're not 80 get your but to the gym

Matt works harder and gets out there fishing more than anyone I know at his age.

Wait 50 years Fred, and see how much you can do in your 80's.

 

[falcon]

I have floated / fished with Matt. He is a good fisherman, fly tier and a good guy. Knowledgeable too.

 

[krayfish2]

You're not 80 get your but to the gym

Why do you have to hurt me like that?
I'm definitely noticing my age when I'm trying to launch, retrieve or row.

 

[wbranch]

Matt, have you ever considered a power winch for getting your boat back on the trailer? I'm changing mine out this spring to a two-speed with a huge mechanical advantage. My boat's pretty big and I have trouble getting it up and on the last 5 ft because it weighs so much

Yes, I have given it much thought. I did a lot of research and talked to a guy I know with a larger 17' drift boat. I also spoke to my boat mechanic at Hawghead Marine and they both said those electric winches are very slow. I know how anxious guides are at the take-out ramp to get going. I'm afraid they would be getting cranky and giving me crap to get moving. They are also pretty heavy and you could hard wire it to your car battery or mount another battery onto your trailer. As long as the river levels are high enough that I can get the rear end of the trailer submerged I can still get the boat back onto the trailer by myself, it just takes me longer because I'm lame. If the water is low and I can't get the back roller under water I float with someone who can give me a hand.

 

[wbranch]

You're not 80 get your but to the gym

Funny guy. Some ramps are steep and just gravel. It's tough to winch that 400# plus boat up a steep slope.

 

[wbranch]

Matt works harder and gets out there fishing more than anyone I know at his age.

Wait 50 years Fred, and see how much you can do in your 80's.

If I didn't have the Hyde and the Lowe Roughneck my fishing would likely be limited to sitting in a chair at some lake with a spinning rod and a bucket of minnows. I was "only" 79 in this picture.

 

[tomgamber]

I just want good weather at the right times.