Just a quick couple, 1 buy good second hand rod, reels are on the bay but as a learner overline the rod, you will find casting easier & it will slow your action down, hard back/easy forward, you are energising a spring on the back cast & releasing the same on the forward.Best of luck.
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the Daily hi thread
Fly fishing
- Thread starter Trumpetier
- Start date
Lee71
Member Extraordinaire
Lee71
Member Extraordinaire
Those foam monstrosity ones are for when the trout are fry feeding and work well on the surface when the trout are smashing into the frySome monstrosities in the last picturei limited myself to one box of dry, one wet, one lure/sea trout and one for saltwater(sea trout)
@Trumpetier to answer your original question, from your first post you obviously know quite a lot about fishing already and as you said you know your way around a rod. My suggestion to you to get a decent used rod and not a starter kit comes from this and I see @guzzicat has also suggested the same.
Starter kits are great for someone just starting out fishing and they are not sure if they'll like it, but I would suggest that an experienced fisherman who will soon want to progress, for me, they are restrictive. I've tried several including my next door neighbours Orvis kit which is supposed to be a fast action rod but found it just a tad sloppy and the line like something one should use for drying washing and certainly not like one of their better rods. Cheap kits tend to be made to a price.
Also, if you find yourself not using it as much as you'd like, a good rod bought at the right price will sell again easily for roughly what you paid for it.
The trout season has finished now so you've got until March to buy something, although Grayling are still available until March and of course you can still fish most lakes for trout if you wish.
As a good all rounder for river and lakes a 9' 5 weight will suffice with a weight forward #5 line. Although a 5 weight won't cast a massive Zonker lure as easily as say a #7, it will present a dry fly well and cast most nymphs a small lures well.
I'm sure you are aware, a fly rod casts the line whereas course and sea rods cast weights, lures or floats. I would suggest a fast action rod for someone who knows their way around a rod, this will eventually give you good distance and great presentation and better casting in windy conditions. Again, as you may know when you watched Mortimer and Whitehouse, with fly fishing you will make many more casts than course of sea rods. Consequently a light #5 can be used all day without giving you tennis elbow.
I would also suggest you study a little entomology via YouTube or Google, you don't need to become an expert over night but understanding when to use which type of fly will help. This can be a minefield but for now I'll leave it at that.
Certainly looking at Lee71's collection it'll help to recognise the Buzzers, Emergers, Zulu's, Damsel Nymphs, Ants, Bloodworms etc in his boxes and when to use them.
I looked to see if there are any fishing shops in Middlesbrough and found Keiths Sports in Saltburn which you may know as he sells guns as well. Might be worth paying a visit to see if you can try a rod or two.
Starter kits are great for someone just starting out fishing and they are not sure if they'll like it, but I would suggest that an experienced fisherman who will soon want to progress, for me, they are restrictive. I've tried several including my next door neighbours Orvis kit which is supposed to be a fast action rod but found it just a tad sloppy and the line like something one should use for drying washing and certainly not like one of their better rods. Cheap kits tend to be made to a price.
Also, if you find yourself not using it as much as you'd like, a good rod bought at the right price will sell again easily for roughly what you paid for it.
The trout season has finished now so you've got until March to buy something, although Grayling are still available until March and of course you can still fish most lakes for trout if you wish.
As a good all rounder for river and lakes a 9' 5 weight will suffice with a weight forward #5 line. Although a 5 weight won't cast a massive Zonker lure as easily as say a #7, it will present a dry fly well and cast most nymphs a small lures well.
I'm sure you are aware, a fly rod casts the line whereas course and sea rods cast weights, lures or floats. I would suggest a fast action rod for someone who knows their way around a rod, this will eventually give you good distance and great presentation and better casting in windy conditions. Again, as you may know when you watched Mortimer and Whitehouse, with fly fishing you will make many more casts than course of sea rods. Consequently a light #5 can be used all day without giving you tennis elbow.
I would also suggest you study a little entomology via YouTube or Google, you don't need to become an expert over night but understanding when to use which type of fly will help. This can be a minefield but for now I'll leave it at that.
Certainly looking at Lee71's collection it'll help to recognise the Buzzers, Emergers, Zulu's, Damsel Nymphs, Ants, Bloodworms etc in his boxes and when to use them.
I looked to see if there are any fishing shops in Middlesbrough and found Keiths Sports in Saltburn which you may know as he sells guns as well. Might be worth paying a visit to see if you can try a rod or two.
Lee71
Member Extraordinaire
Good advice@Trumpetier to answer your original question, from your first post you obviously know quite a lot about fishing already and as you said you know your way around a rod. My suggestion to you to get a decent used rod and not a starter kit comes from this and I see @guzzicat has also suggested the same.
Starter kits are great for someone just starting out fishing and they are not sure if they'll like it, but I would suggest that an experienced fisherman who will soon want to progress, for me, they are restrictive. I've tried several including my next door neighbours Orvis kit which is supposed to be a fast action rod but found it just a tad sloppy and the line like something one should use for drying washing and certainly not like one of their better rods. Cheap kits tend to be made to a price.
Also, if you find yourself not using it as much as you'd like, a good rod bought at the right price will sell again easily for roughly what you paid for it.
The trout season has finished now so you've got until March to buy something, although Grayling are still available until March and of course you can still fish most lakes for trout if you wish.
As a good all rounder for river and lakes a 9' 5 weight will suffice with a weight forward #5 line. Although a 5 weight won't cast a massive Zonker lure as easily as say a #7, it will present a dry fly well and cast most nymphs a small lures well.
I'm sure you are aware, a fly rod casts the line whereas course and sea rods cast weights, lures or floats. I would suggest a fast action rod for someone who knows their way around a rod, this will eventually give you good distance and great presentation and better casting in windy conditions. Again, as you may know when you watched Mortimer and Whitehouse, with fly fishing you will make many more casts than course of sea rods. Consequently a light #5 can be used all day without giving you tennis elbow.
I would also suggest you study a little entomology via YouTube or Google, you don't need to become an expert over night but understanding when to use which type of fly will help. This can be a minefield but for now I'll leave it at that.
Certainly looking at Lee71's collection it'll help to recognise the Buzzers, Emergers, Zulu's, Damsel Nymphs, Ants, Bloodworms etc in his boxes and when to use them.
I looked to see if there are any fishing shops in Middlesbrough and found Keiths Sports in Saltburn which you may know as he sells guns as well. Might be worth paying a visit to see if you can try a rod or two.
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mitch21
Member Extraordinaire
How impressive is that but totally practical for every eventually, mitch21
Lee71
Member Extraordinaire
That's only a few boxes
some people think a £500 rod is a lot to spend, try and buy 500 well tied flies on best quality hooks for that, not a chance.
mitch21
Member Extraordinaire
Again I think it's brilliant, and if you take your examples it's a thing of beautyThat's only a few boxes
Ratman72
Super member
Hello, If your only fishing rivers your only need 20/25 types of artificial flys , Lakes maybe same,
Lee71
Member Extraordinaire
I reckon you would get away with about 8 different patterns on either.
mitch21
Member Extraordinaire
When I lived near Bristol early 70s had a week off work fished Chew,Blagdon,and some small rivers used only black nymphs or dry flies did very well it was an experiment that was a talking point for a good while, 
Lee71
Member Extraordinaire
If ever I'm struggling with catching to rising fish a Shipmans buzzer or Griffiths gnat usually gets a take or two, they are 2 flies I wouldn't be without, like a Hares Ear they are not specific flies but can immitate a lot of things.When I lived near Bristol early 70s had a week off work fished Chew,Blagdon,and some small rivers used only black nymphs or dry flies did very well it was an experiment that was a talking point for a good while,
mitch21
Member Extraordinaire
One nymph I tried without any success was the Sawyer Pheasant Tail supposed to be good in flowing water,but not for me,did have the pleasure in meeting Frank Sawyer the esteemed river keeper in the late 60s 
Blackrider
Super member
Fished all my life Dave initially coarse then fly later. It’s fly only nowadays especially since relocating to Scotland. Miles of rivers and Lochs of all sizes to go at !
I can’t offer as further advice to what’s already been said so all I can add is just go out and catch them !!
Tight Lines Mate !
J.
I can’t offer as further advice to what’s already been said so all I can add is just go out and catch them !!
Tight Lines Mate !
J.
Trumpetier
Member Extraordinaire
Maybe a lesson at the bash next year in one of the ponds ?
