Fly fishing advice

[Weekend coaster 15]

Dear board members I have been fishing with spinning gear for many years now and was hoping to try fly fishing Lake Superior points and peninsulas for steelhead,trout etc. I was wondering if you guys could recommend the basic gear I would need for rainbow trout

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

I'm sure other will speak up as well, but I'd suggest a 7-8 wt with a large arbor reel, wff line, and streamers, egg sucking leeches, marabou streamers, clousers, bigger Mickey Finns. Wooly buggers. I've only done it a few times.

[Weekend coaster 15]

Thanks does the length of the rod matter ?

[flybum 95]

Does length matter... Hehehe...

A 10ft rod would probably do ya well.

[Weekend coaster 15]

I'm sorry if I sound stupid I'm just learning about fly fishing and I was wondering if you could fish a a smelt imitating fly on wff line of will it end up floating

[flybum 95]

You didn't sound stupid at all... You just can't hear my immature tone and childish giggle... I started fishing with a 10ft , 8wt combo. Wff is totally fine, it will be the most versatile for you. If you wanted to spend the buck and get a spool of intermediate and a spare spool for your reel, have at'r ! But wff would be your best bet. You. Can always attach a section if sink tip, plus your leader and tippet.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

You dont sound stupid at all, I'm new too, and I sometimes have questions I think sound dumb but that's part of learning. Good luck WC!

[Weekend coaster 15]

Thanks guys for your help

[Weekend coaster 15]

One more question this may sound odd but how do you know if you have a fish? Does the drag start going and the rod bends?

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

Line will stop and you'll feel weight, or he will smash it and be peeling line right away, your drag won't go unless you have all the loose line on your reel, unless he hits it when your line just landed, there will be loose line and the drag will essentially be your hand. Sometimes it's just a tap followed by a hard hit, either way, you'll know. My best advice is if you get a fish, get the loose line on the reel as fast as possible, and use the reels drag vs your hand, also your always better off with a light drag vs a tighter one. A steelie in the big lake will make his presence known, you won't be wondering if you have a fish or not, I can guarantee that.

[brookiebuster 117]

A 10ft 7 or 8 wt is ideal but you could get away with a 9ft. For a more versatile setup use wff line and add a sinktip. Add the sinktip when fishing streamers in deeper water/current and take it off for dries or shallow water/suspended presentation.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

I use a 6wt and when fighting a big steelie it's quite the challenge. A 7 would be nice. Also, sink tip suggestion is good. There is always a couple split shot and a Belgian cast (oval cast) option.

[kbrest 151]

The good thing about the fly rod is that theres usually no discrepancy when you have a fish, you can feel a big bump on small fish, Im talking 5 inch fish that take a fly you feel it lol. But a bigger steelhead if your drifting, it helps to keep your rod tip higher and try and keep in contact with your fly at all times to keep a natural drift and feel the "bumps". If your bottom bouncing an egg or nymph or something you will not feel a big hit, you will feel the line stop moving, or the slightest of bumps that feels very different then tapping bottom, at which point you can just lift the rod tip and if it stops, set the hook. I take the line in to the reel fast and regulate the drag with my finger on the line still, that way I can control how much line I want to let out or the fish to take. I guarantee you will lose your first one or two and not because of being bad at fishing or anything at all, just because it takes a lot of getting used to fighting a fish on this system rather than spinning gear. You will nail it down after some practice though, Last year when I started on the fly, i lost quite a few fish, only landed maybe 3 total in 2012 lol. I nailed down the drift, the leader length etc, but when the fish hit I really had a hard time getting used to fighting them on the fly rod. Catchign a bunch of suckers helped practice though too!

[kbrest 151]

I've only been fly fishing since last year, researched lots, read lots, watched countless videos and read countless articles and have been applying what I've learned and getting a lot of practice this year. I have gotten pretty sound at both dry fly, wet fly, nymphing, LOTS to learn and practice though, I still have trouble casting heavier streamers and am working on the oval cast. I figure in 5 years i will probably be at least an amateur still because you just never stop learning. It has been nice getting out with guys that are also relatively new and sharing information, but a good coaching session with a seasoned veteran would probably help a lot before going at it next year.

[spindilla1 42]

Why not just get a centre pin?

IMO they are so much better.........more versatile

I used to fly fish but after getting a centre pin I'll never look back........and if you really wanted to you can fly fish with a centre pin as well however its a lot more weight to swing around.......10ft is good for a fly rod but if you do go centre pin I would say 13ft+

Like kbreast said heavier flys are harder to swing with a fly outfit but easier with a centre pin but the light weightless flys are the issue with the centre pin....

Good luck with what ever you choose bud........

Oh yeah and if $$$ is an issue I would stick to a fly outfit......

[brookiebuster 117]

I like fly fishing because I use flies that I tied and I feel like I'm "one with the fish". Fly fishing and centre pins are totally different but both are effective at what they are meant to do.

[spindilla1 42]

These are all very good valid points that I didn't think of........

[spindilla1 42]

But you can still effectively fish flies on a centre pin but I guess with the OP starting out fly outfit would be the best start.

[Guest scavs]

You can mimic all centrepin techniques with fly gear as well, some fly anglers can whip out crazy long drag free drifts. I fish both both, but mainly keep my CP reserved for the spring steel

[kbrest 151]

Fly gear can be extermely versatile. But there is no question that considerable time has to be spent practicing and learning. But that is precisely what makes it so fulfilling.

Cheers to that. FWF and I enjoyed a nice day Fly fishing on Tuesday, and I took a good skunking while he got fish. But you have to get a good skunking here and there to really get your focus back, and it tends to really make the next outing or the next fish that much more exciting and enjoyable.

[Weekend coaster 15]

Fly gear can be extermely versatile. But there is no question that considerable time has to be spent practicing and learning. But that is precisely what makes it so fulfilling.

Cheers to that. FWF and I enjoyed a nice day Fly fishing on Tuesday, and I took a good skunking while he got fish. But you have to get a good skunking here and there to really get your focus back, and it tends to really make the next outing or the next fish that much more exciting and enjoyable.

What type of fish were in the Mckenzie when you guys went

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

The usuals, rainbows and brookies, and smallies at the mouth, as for the salmon, there may be a couple kicking around. Go take a look and let us know how ya did.

[kbrest 151]

Mackenzie? I thought it was The Jackpine near the mouth of the Current just down from Cypress that we were fishing.

[kbrest 151]

Was also a joke lol.....Weekend Coaster was busy at the time but was invited out to fish with us that day via PM messages, he is not being ignored. any advice would have been shared in person between a bunch of new fly fishermen.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

Just bugging him, all in good fun. Like Kbrest said I did invite him to come along with us, more the merrier.