# Fly Fishing Ain't Magic.



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

<SPAN class=postbody>Fly Fishing AIN?T Magic 
By Capt. Ken Roy 

If you believe everything that is written about fly fishing today, you are probably intimidated unless you have mighty deep pockets that you don?t mind digging into. For the average guy though, $400 for a rod, an additional $3-400 for a reel, $60 or more for a line and $50 or more for backing just to see if you might like fly fishing is a little ridiculous. I think that a lot more folks would get into fly fishing if they weren?t steered wrong by snobby writers who would never be caught dead using anything but Scott, Winston, Sage, or G. Loomis that they most likely get free just for pushing them in their articles. I?m here to tell you, it ain?t that way at all. 

Several manufacturers have beginners packages for both fresh and saltwater fishing that are perfectly adequate for anything I?d expect a beginner to target. I can think of several nice outfits that you can buy for about what you?d pay for a mid range spinning outfit and less than you?d pay for an ?Over the counter? Grouper rig. Let?s say $150 tops for a rig that is light years above anything available on the market as little as 20 years ago. I?d suggest an 8-wt for both fresh and salt. Light enough for Bluegills and heavy enough for most fish up to 30# or so. 

There are at least a million standard fly patterns and dozens of personal variations on each of these but a half dozen or so flies will catch every saltwater fish normally found on this coast. Perhaps later, we can tie all of these on T&T. BTW, fly tying AIN?T magic either and it doesn?t have to be expensive, regardless of what you?ve read. 

I am not going to go into casting. There is a heck of a lot better stuff written about casting than I could ever write. Remember one thing when it comes to casting: If you can cast 40 feet accurately and consistently, you can catch plenty of fish. 
NOW LET?S LOOK AT ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF FLY FISHING. 
The logical way to start would be to explain the advantages and disadvantages of fly fishing. 

The biggest advantage of fly fishing is its stealthy and natural presentation of a lure that simulates critters that specific fish are targeting as food. Simply put, you can fish a lure (fly) that closely matches the size, shape and color of natural food and present it so lightly that fish in mere inches of water aren?t disturbed. The delicate presentation cannot be matched with spinning or bait casting gear. 

If you drop a jig, spoon, or plug within 3 feet of most fish in really shallow water, most will rapidly depart. Casting beyond a fish and retrieving the lure close to the fish works pretty often but, lots of times, your lure is intercepted by a fish you haven?t seen and, most often don?t want to catch. Casting beyond the fish isn?t always possible and there are the times your lures snags on the bottom. Often, you can drop a fly within striking range of a fish without spooking him and, for most saltwater fish species I target, refusals are rare. Kinda neat to see your target, make the presentation and then watch him stalk or crash your fly. That, in itself is another advantage, excitement. 

If, for some reason, you don?t hook up, you often get another shot because fish don?t always spook. Simply cast the fly again. This cast should be duck soup because you already have the correct amount of line out. 

In areas where you have a distinct grass line, bank, oyster bar, or any area where fish are congregated, fly fishing is often more productive than any other technique because, once you have the right amount of line out, you can make multiple casts to the area with total control. 
Flies that are properly weighted can be fantastic in a chum line. Darn few other artificial lures can achieve the correct sink rate. Spanish mackerel, Mangrove snapper and Spadefish shy from a lure that sinks too fast or too slow. 

Properly tied flies, especially those tied with weed guards, seldom snag and can be fished through weeds, rocks and oysters that seem to reach out and eat jigs and plugs. This is a huge advantage. If you snag a $5 plug right in the middle of a bunch of fish, you go get it and spook the fish or break it off and still may spook the fish and loose a $5 lure to boot. 
If you are a fly tier and lots of fly fishermen are, there is great satisfaction to catching a fish on one of your creations that cost mere pennies to tie. 

There are a few more disadvantages than advantages to fly fishing. 

WIND is the biggest buggaboo of all. There is a way around this though. Pick up your spinning rod or bait caster or try to find an area where wind isn?t a problem. Finding an area with wind protection isn?t always an option on salt water. A spinning rod can be a trip saver if you aren?t too hardheaded to use one. 

A fly rod isn?t much of a ?Searching? tool. On open flats, a spinning rod or bait caster has a great advantage. You can cover huge amounts of water with relative ease compared to what a fly fisherman can cover. For scattered fish, the spinning rod is by far the best option. 
Under perfect conditions, I can occasionally send a fly 90 feet. Under fishing conditions, 60 feet is a long cast for me and for practical fly fishing, 40 feet or less is much preferred. Actually, it is kinda cool watching a fish take a fly 20 feet from the boat. If fish are striking 60 feet from the boat, I try to get closer or just pick up my spinning rod. 

When fish are feeding deep, anything beats a fly rod---even a hand line. Yes, some folks use lead core fly lines and weighted flies but, in my opinion, this is trick stuff. Lots of big bottom fish have been caught by fly fishermen but why not use more suitable tackle? Nobody ever accused me of being a purist when it comes to fly fishing. I?ve been known to hang a hunk of bait on a fly. 

When you are fishing for fish that demand a fast retrieve, with a fly rod, you are limited by how fast you can strip the fly. This is best accomplished by holding the rod under your arm and stripping with both hands. Imagine what happens when a Bonita or other really fast fish grabs your fly and the reel handle tangles in your shirt. I?ve had this happen at least 3 times. With a fast retrieve bait caster or spinning reel, high speed retrieves are simple. 

Now for the Meat of this Article: 

At this point, let?s assume that everybody can cast 40 feet with reasonable accuracy and repeatability. If you are used to fishing spots at a range of 80 to 100 feet, you must realize that you are going to have to stay low and be quiet because fish have a much better chance of seeing and hearing you at close range. Clothing choice is a far bigger concern when you must get close. Bright stuff just doesn?t get it when you have to get close and personal. 

Your approach is often dictated by wind and tide. With the sun at your back, you can see fish further. Unfortunately, they can see you better also. In this situation, stay low and use side arm casts if possible. Conversely, with the sun in your face, you can?t see nearly as well. The fish can?t see you as well but, they can see the sun reflected off bright objects. (Your bright yellow shirt or shiny fly rod for instance.) Stealth is of utmost importance. If you can?t approach fish unnoticed, chances are you aren?t going to catch much regardless of how good your other skills are. 

Ok, There is a likely looking spot. 

I don?t see a fish but there is good current moving over a rock creating a little ripple. It looks like a fishy spot. The depth up stream of the rock is possibly 5 feet and the rock is about 2 feet under the surface. Since I haven?t seen a fish, the first cast should always be up current of the rock. This is based on the inclination of actively feeding fish to be on the up current side of obstructions, facing into the current or directly on top of the up current edge of the rock. I drop my fly several feet up current, the distance determined by the current speed. If the current is really ripping, I may cast 8 or 10 feet ahead of the rock. 

We?ve made our cast. Now what? 

This next part is all important---TAKE NOTES!! The instant the fly touches the water and before the leader and line hit, drop your rod tip all the way to the surface and point it at the fly. There is a good reason for doing it this way. With the rod tip high, the heavy fly line sags and drags the fly back toward you and away from where the fly should be. It must have taken me 20 years to understand what was causing my fly to swim toward me when I really didn?t want it to. Keep the rod tip low and you can maintain control while you pick up any slack with your line hand. I try to remove the slack with minimal fly movement. Now you have control of the fly with the line, leader and rod directly in line with the fly. Your fly should be right where it hit the water. If there is an instant strike, you can hook up with a short jerk of your line hand (NOTE: This only takes an instant and soon becomes almost automatic.) 

Now let?s talk about line control. I mentioned ?Line hand? in the preceding paragraph. Maybe I got ahead of myself. Holding the rod in your right hand, your line hand is your left hand. The forefinger on your right hand is of utmost importance. This finger pinches he line against the fore grip between each strip of the fly and is first to detect a strike. If you are casting a lot and catching fish, quite often you will need protection on the right forefinger. Line burns and cuts are common. One wrap of adhesive tape can prevent or at least minimize problems but it always interferes a little with the sensitivity needed to detect a soft strike. Most line cuts and blisters are right between the first and second joint. 


<SPAN class=postbody>Now let?s talk a little about rod and line handling beyond basic casting. I?m right handed so I cast with my right hand. Many right handed casters mount a fly reel to crank with their right hand. This necessitates switching hands to fight a fish or reel in line. I understand that this is the recommended way but I mount my reel to reel with my left. 


The Retrieve or Fishing the Fly---ANIMATION. There are many types of retrieves. The retrieve type and speed is dictated by type of fly and the prey it imitates, the species you are seeking, water depth, current speed, and possibly other factors. 

We described the spot and made our cast a few paragraphs back. A slow sinking weedless streamer that matches prevalent baitfish in size, outline and color should be a good choice. 
In this case, I?d let the fly sink a foot or so before starting my retrieve. I base this on water depth and clarity for the most part. In reasonably clear water, a fish should be able to see or detect your fly from several feet away. In this type spot, I expect to find Redfish, Trout, and Jack Crevalle. If you are in a brackish area, you might catch a Largemouth. 

My favorite retrieve for a streamer is 2-6? strips and a short pause. (This same retrieve works equally well with a Clouser minnow.) Strip-strip-pause, strip-strip-pause, etc. When fishing along a bank where the water drops off pretty fast, I seldom work a fly out more than 6 to 10 feet. Ok, where is your rod tip---STILL RIGHT AT THE WATER LEVEL AND POINTED RIGHT AT YOUR FLY. As you strip, the index finger of your rod hand cradles the line, pinching it against the rod when you need to reach forward to catch more line with your left hand. This gives you positive control of the line at all times and allows you to set the hook instantly. 

With a shrimp imitating fly, I generally fish it with a slow, steady pull for about 2 feet, stop for a second and pull it slowly another 2 feet or so. Popping bugs and Sliders are among my favorites. I like them because they are productive and you get to see the fish take them most times. I usually let either style sit a few seconds then give them a hard 6? jerk. The Popper chugs loudly and the Slider darts forward 6? or so. I then twitch them at about 3 second intervals. Again, I seldom fish these flies more that a few feet past the targeted area and then cast them several feet down current of the previous cast. 

Another top water fly that I use frequently is a personal creation I call a Walker Dog. It is basically a slider type that sits at about 45 degrees tail down at rest and comes to horizontal when jerked. I fish it in 3? jerks with only a tiny pause between jerks. Basically the rhythm is jerk--jerk--jerk--, etc. Jack Crevalle try to annihilate this fly. 
With your rod tip held low and pointed at your fly, your fly reacts instantly and exactly with the movement of your line hand. You control the rhythm. Any slack reduces the effectiveness of your stripping as does lifting the rod tip.You can comfortably moveyour line hand about two feet. After that, pinch the line against the handle with the first finger ofyour right hand, then reach forward and grab the line right at the rod and start another 2-foot retrieve. All the while, you maintain constant and consistent action for your fly while being ready to set the hook. If you try to move the fly with by moving the rod tip, you loose control of the fly because you will, invariably, cause slack line. If you use hand pulls, you are always in control.

<SPAN class=postbody>
Strikes, Bites, Nibbles, Etc.--- REACTION AND HOOK SET. 
Back to our scenario: Our fly is about a foot below the surface. It perfectly obeys the strip- strip-pause, strip-strip pause cadence of our left hand because we are holding the rod tip low and in alignment with the end of the floating fly line. Perhaps we see a flash as the fish eats the fly or just feel a heavy tug. Our reaction should be a fast strip of line with the left hand while raising the rod tip to about 30 degrees above horizontal. For lack of a better term, let?s call this a ?strip-hook set.? When you use a ?strip-hook set,? you move the fly about 2 feet or so. If you miss the fish, he will often charge and eat the fly a second time. You seldom miss a hook up when the fish is enraged. If, however, you strike with the rod and miss the hook-up, the fly comes out of the water and you have to cast again. 

<SPAN class=postbody>There is an even more compelling reason why the strip-strike is more effective. Up to this 
point, we?ve been meticulous about maintaining a straight and tight line from rod tip to fly to maintain control. The strip strike conveys the pull straight down the line and we are still in control and tight to the fish. Conversely, striking with the rod requires lifting the line, which certainly eliminates the straight-line pull, wasting a lot of the strike energy because of friction caused by dragging the line sideways through the water. The bending of the rod tip causes an additional loss. At this point, our rod is way out of position, making it hard to control the fish. If the fish happens to be a Bass or Snook, he is already headed toward cover. 

The term ?SCREWED? comes to mind.<SPAN class=postbody>


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## Maps (Apr 18, 2008)

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I've just got to weigh in on this one. Every timeI read an article or see a show, fly-fishing is presented as an expensive, elitist sport. Ya wanna know how I got started? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">CHEAP!<o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Uncle Sam sent me to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">England</st1lace></st1:country-region> and I naturally looked about for fishing opportunities. The local streams had trout and I wanted in on the action. In order to do so, the rules required fly-fishing gear. I called home and had Dad mail me the ?walmart special?. I taught myself how to cast and cleaned up on those trout. Did I look out of place? Yes. Did I care? No.<o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">(I did some research and found out that folks pay a ton of money to fish those Cotswold chalk streams, so thanks Uncle Sam.)<o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Now that I?m home I fly fish the salt waters almost every day with a cheap scientific anglers 8 weight combo. When I find the fish I do great and when I don?t find them I have a great time. Someday I?d love to have a really nice setup but with 2 little boys who want to learn?well, I?ll stick with the cheap stuff for now.<o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I guess my point is that fly-fishing is a wonderful way to spend time on the water and no one should be intimidated by the costs. Shop around and realize that while that cheap rod will never cast a nice as the expensive one, you will still enjoy the sport.<o></o>


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## flynurse (Oct 9, 2007)

i totally agree. it doesn't have to be expensive to get started. now i will admit the high end rods and lines cast like dreams and the reels are smooth. but they don't catch fish any easier or better then the less expensive ones. i have a TFO that was not expensive, i wouldn't trade it for the world. 

no matter what you cast, it takes practice, practice and more practice. fly fishing doesn't make me better then anybody else. i love to fish no matter what i'm using. even a cane pole!!!


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