Saltwater fly fishing... help
 

I have only just decided to start fly fishing this year. I have tied flies
since I was young and up to this point most of my fly use has been done by
rigging them on spincasting reels or clumsily lobbing them out with my one
fly-rod.

This year I want to do it right. I have flies I KNOW the stripers will like
and want to bring them in on a fly rod.. and maybe even practice on
Mackerel.

What do I need to do to this fly rod? I have it set up with backing,
floating line and a leader (5lb I think) it's a largemouth type set up I
believe. I'm really struggling with the knot tying thing and I'm just
getting myself frustrated and confused. I'm not even sure of the purpose of
a tippet.

All I have been doing up to this point is ---trying--- to get the flies out
with a leader and my bulky messy knots. Is there an easy way to do this? I
need a good basic how-to-fly fishing 101 site. Will this leader even hold
onto a modest striper?
How is this done sually?

I would really appreciate any suggestions?

--
_______________________________
Everything from fishing to Freaks
www.sprattoo.com
_______________________________

On 3/12/05 11:39 PM, in article ,
"sprattoo" wrote:

I have only just decided to start fly fishing this year. I have tied flies
since I was young and up to this point most of my fly use has been done by
rigging them on spincasting reels or clumsily lobbing them out with my one
fly-rod.

This year I want to do it right. I have flies I KNOW the stripers will like
and want to bring them in on a fly rod.. and maybe even practice on
Mackerel.

What do I need to do to this fly rod? I have it set up with backing,
floating line and a leader (5lb I think) it's a largemouth type set up I
believe. I'm really struggling with the knot tying thing and I'm just
getting myself frustrated and confused. I'm not even sure of the purpose of
a tippet.

All I have been doing up to this point is ---trying--- to get the flies out
with a leader and my bulky messy knots. Is there an easy way to do this? I
need a good basic how-to-fly fishing 101 site. Will this leader even hold
onto a modest striper?
How is this done sually?

I would really appreciate any suggestions?

You need at least a 7 weight rod (I have a 7 and an 8 weight for sal****er)
and a 9 ft leader with a shock tippet. Bluefish and Mackerel both have teeth
and I have lost many of these fish after a few seconds into the fight. Even
after getting the knots right and the wind knots out of your leader the
biggest challenge with sal****er fly casting is keeping the fly out of your
earlobe. A strong gust of wind at the most inopportune time will make it
seem like you are throwing a seagull tied to a clothesline! It's not
uncommon for the fly to pass by your head opposite your casting side. But
it's all worth it when that huge Redfish, Snook or Tarpon is racing your
reel down to the backing.

There are many sources on-line for common knots. Use a nail-knot to ties the
tippet to your leader. Use a surgeons loop to attach the leader to your fly
line. The tippet is the last 3 feet of your leader. As you change flies and
break off on fish the leader gets short. You tie on an extension (the
tippet).

Finally, when you get a strike, DON'T lift the rod tip to set the hook. Your
fly rod will snap immediately. Set the hook by making a sharp pull on the
fly line (just like stripping the line during retrieval) with the fly rod
pointed toward the fish.

Good luck!

-Greg

"Gregory Dean" wrote in message
...
On 3/12/05 11:39 PM, in article
,
"sprattoo" wrote:

I have only just decided to start fly fishing this year. I have tied
flies
since I was young and up to this point most of my fly use has been done
by
rigging them on spincasting reels or clumsily lobbing them out with my
one
fly-rod.

This year I want to do it right. I have flies I KNOW the stripers will
like
and want to bring them in on a fly rod.. and maybe even practice on
Mackerel.

What do I need to do to this fly rod? I have it set up with backing,
floating line and a leader (5lb I think) it's a largemouth type set up I
believe. I'm really struggling with the knot tying thing and I'm just
getting myself frustrated and confused. I'm not even sure of the purpose
of
a tippet.

All I have been doing up to this point is ---trying--- to get the flies
out
with a leader and my bulky messy knots. Is there an easy way to do this?
I
need a good basic how-to-fly fishing 101 site. Will this leader even hold
onto a modest striper?
How is this done sually?

I would really appreciate any suggestions?

You need at least a 7 weight rod (I have a 7 and an 8 weight for
sal****er)

I have a rod that says 7-8

and a 9 ft leader with a shock tippet. Bluefish and Mackerel both have
teeth

Whats the difference between a regular tippet and a shock tippet?

and I have lost many of these fish after a few seconds into the fight.
Even
after getting the knots right and the wind knots out of your leader the
biggest challenge with sal****er fly casting is keeping the fly out of
your
earlobe. A strong gust of wind at the most inopportune time will make it
seem like you are throwing a seagull tied to a clothesline! It's not
uncommon for the fly to pass by your head opposite your casting side. But
it's all worth it when that huge Redfish, Snook or Tarpon is racing your
reel down to the backing.

Thats something else I have always wondered. I'm used to brook trout or
browns 10" or so. When spin casting you fight the fish in. on fly fishing
should I really just let them run and tire them slowly with steady
pressure/easing them in?


There are many sources on-line for common knots. Use a nail-knot to ties
the
tippet to your leader. Use a surgeons loop to attach the leader to your
fly
line. The tippet is the last 3 feet of your leader. As you change flies
and
break off on fish the leader gets short. You tie on an extension (the
tippet).

Finally, when you get a strike, DON'T lift the rod tip to set the hook.
Your
fly rod will snap immediately. Set the hook by making a sharp pull on the
fly line (just like stripping the line during retrieval) with the fly rod
pointed toward the fish.

Good luck!


I could use it... Thanks Greg!

-Greg

On 3/13/05 10:52 AM, in article ,
"sprattoo" wrote:




"Gregory Dean" wrote in message
...
On 3/12/05 11:39 PM, in article
,
"sprattoo" wrote:

I have only just decided to start fly fishing this year. I have tied
flies
since I was young and up to this point most of my fly use has been done
by
rigging them on spincasting reels or clumsily lobbing them out with my
one
fly-rod.

This year I want to do it right. I have flies I KNOW the stripers will
like
and want to bring them in on a fly rod.. and maybe even practice on
Mackerel.

What do I need to do to this fly rod? I have it set up with backing,
floating line and a leader (5lb I think) it's a largemouth type set up I
believe. I'm really struggling with the knot tying thing and I'm just
getting myself frustrated and confused. I'm not even sure of the purpose
of
a tippet.

All I have been doing up to this point is ---trying--- to get the flies
out
with a leader and my bulky messy knots. Is there an easy way to do this?
I
need a good basic how-to-fly fishing 101 site. Will this leader even hold
onto a modest striper?
How is this done sually?

I would really appreciate any suggestions?

You need at least a 7 weight rod (I have a 7 and an 8 weight for
sal****er)

I have a rod that says 7-8


Hopefully 9-10 ft range

and a 9 ft leader with a shock tippet. Bluefish and Mackerel both have
teeth

Whats the difference between a regular tippet and a shock tippet?


A class tippet is the same weight as the tag end of your leader. So, in
other words, a leader tapers from the heaviest weight (at the fly line) to
the final class weight at the tag end. A shock tippet is typically a tippet
that's last 12" is 20#, 40# or even 60# mono. I have even used braided wire
for the really toothy species.

A good recipe for a leader-tippet:
Tie 6 feet of 30# mono to your fly line with a nail knot. Tie a bimini loop
on the other end and attach it to a 2' class tippet (15-20#). Finally tie on
12" of either braided wire or 40# florocarbon (smaller diameter than mono).
Make sure you use triple surgeons knots to attach the 12" of heavy line to
the class tippet. And, viola,... You have a shock tippet.

and I have lost many of these fish after a few seconds into the fight.
Even
after getting the knots right and the wind knots out of your leader the
biggest challenge with sal****er fly casting is keeping the fly out of
your
earlobe. A strong gust of wind at the most inopportune time will make it
seem like you are throwing a seagull tied to a clothesline! It's not
uncommon for the fly to pass by your head opposite your casting side. But
it's all worth it when that huge Redfish, Snook or Tarpon is racing your
reel down to the backing.

Thats something else I have always wondered. I'm used to brook trout or
browns 10" or so. When spin casting you fight the fish in. on fly fishing
should I really just let them run and tire them slowly with steady
pressure/easing them in?


You are going to get them on the reel as soon as possible and let the drag
do the work. You can't reel as fast as the fish can swim towards you so you
will be stripping the line and letting it fall into your stripping basket or
at your feet. Get the line spooled back on the reel quickly because if the
fish changes direction you could find yourself managing the line from the
ground, through the eyes of your rod and out into open water with the only
thing you can use for drag is a steady pressure between your fingers as the
line passes through.


There are many sources on-line for common knots. Use a nail-knot to ties
the
tippet to your leader. Use a surgeons loop to attach the leader to your
fly
line. The tippet is the last 3 feet of your leader. As you change flies
and
break off on fish the leader gets short. You tie on an extension (the
tippet).

Finally, when you get a strike, DON'T lift the rod tip to set the hook.
Your
fly rod will snap immediately. Set the hook by making a sharp pull on the
fly line (just like stripping the line during retrieval) with the fly rod
pointed toward the fish.

Good luck!


I could use it... Thanks Greg!

-Greg