Introduction

Hello all.

I'm new to flyfishing and have been lurking this group for a couple
months anxious to ask a few questions.

Last June me, my wife, and my Chocolate Lab Tater went to Wyoming and
fished the North Platte and Encampment around Encampment, Wyoming.
Had some luck on the North Platte close to the Colorado border.

Then we went up to the Miracle Mile. The first day nothing. The
second day was starting to be a rerun of the day before and I figured
I just didn't have the right stuff on the end of the line. So I went
to a little store there and a lady pulled out a big assortment of flys
and she gave me four Wolly Buggers. Yikes, I pulled in bigger
Rainbows than I had caught around Encampment. No Browns though.
Successful trip. Anxious to go again.

So I'm looking for advice. I live in Ohio but love the western
states. When I bought tackle about a year ago, I think I got stuff
that would be better suited in the eastern waters. These Wolly
Buggers were a lot bigger than what I had, so far as size goes. It
seemed like all of the flys she had were bigger than what I had. So
the question is, what size should I get for western fishing?

The other novice question I have concerns the monofilament leader. I
bought 5 lb line. When I used it the end was very thin, it is a
tapered line. I'd get strikes and end up pulling in a blank end. In
other words the fish were snapping the line. Once I got down to
thicker line, I started to get at least some of the fish. The problem
is that it also gets harder to get the line through the eye of the
fly. Also... once some of the mono gets shortened, I cast better. A
heckuva a lot better. So please advise. Am I missing something? Do
you pro's shorten the mono?

My next trip is in the planning. I have been reading up on the Green
River. The headwater up in Wyoming sounds like a good trip. We sleep
in the back of an SUV and don't like crouds. Any advice for that area
would be appreciated. Other areas as well. We are open to
suggestions. With a trip of over a 1,000 miles we want some success.

Hope these questions aren't too much for a first timer. Thanks...

AL


AL
From Eastern Ohio.

Pipes are occasionally of extraordinary interest.
Nothing has more individuality save, perhaps,
watches and bootlaces. -- Sherlock Holmes