# Fly Fishing Novice info



## nubs (Apr 26, 2011)

Hi all,

I have wanted to get into fly fishing for quite a while now but have been apprehensive for 2 reasons.

1: absolutely no idea how to...which is fine as I'm happy to learn. 
2: accessible areas to fly fish...I live on the sunshine coast and was wondering areas that would be worth a go here for a novice?

Also can anyone suggest a good all round setup to start with?

I guess this is the starting point for more infomation about a very cool side to the fishing game.

Thanks in advance,

Matt


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## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

nubs said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I have wanted to get into fly fishing for quite a while now but have been apprehensive for 2 reasons.
> 
> ...


Matt, I have been down this road myself recently and would offer a couple of ideas...

1) Run, run for the hills -- the fly is addictive...

2) OK, not running... if at all possible try to find a GOOD casting teacher and have a lesson or two. Take note that the best caster isn't necessarily the best teacher as teaching and doing are different animals. Its not hard to learn but it does take a lot of practice to hone the skills and get a good feel for the line. I taught myself from reading books but it took a long time and a few "I give up" moments before it all came together.

3) I am too far removed from your area to even guess on the specific issues of where to fish but you should be able to find both salt and fresh water options reasonably close by. In the salt you will use more streamers, or fish imitations, than the traditional trout type insects but as ever its a case of finding and using flies that will attract and catch your target species.

4) I've always done things as cheaply as I could simply because I had no other choice but with fly gear look around for the best value for money. There has been a big shake up, particularly with fly rods and the biggest names don't necessarily mean the best deal. If money is not a problem there are big names like Sage and Loomis but if you are on a budget then take a good look at TFO (Temple Fork Outfitters). I tried to get the cheapest I could find at the start and have learned that the balance and feel of a fly rod makes a HUGE difference to casting. Good quality fly line also makes a big difference and if you have to save money anywhere, save it on the reel. In the beginning the reel is basically there to hold the line and you can upgrade to a better reel later but make sure you start with a quality rod and line. Fly lines are 100 feet long and you will need both backing line and a tippet which you can either buy ready made or make up for your self.

The specific rod and line weight will really depend on your own style of fishing, if you prefer to fish with heavier lines you will probably go with the bigger numbers but if you are a light tackle junkie then start thinking smaller. 4wtfanatic has already been mentioned and from his avatar you can easily guess that he fishes light. I started off with a 6wt combo and now have a 9wt, two 6wts and a 4wt. Two for salt and two for the fresh. In both cases I gravitate towards the light end of the scale but when targeting big fish you will need to use realistic equipment. I doubt you would stop a big tuna on a small outfit. I use the 9wt fished deep when chasing snapper but a 6wt when targeting flathead and other estuarine species. I would go down to the 4wt but its too nice to risk mucking it up with the salt... Chasing trout I pretty much stick to the 4wt as the rod is just a pleasure to wave around...

cheers

John


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

G'Day Matt all good advice above especially John and Chris. You will find the Sunshine Coast fly fishers are out there always looking to fish and with the recent reactivation of our local club (Sunshine Coast Salywater FlyFishers) we are trying a few more accessible venues to fish locally generally targetting bread and butter species e.g bream,flathead,mullet,gar etc. We recognise that not everyone has a boat nor the time to invest in putting it in for short sessions but alot of people can spare a couple of hours locally in the afternoon for instance. The club meets the first Mon. of the month at The Yacht Club Mooloolaba starting at 7.30 pm but a few have a meal there prior from 6.00 onwards . This coming Mon. 4th of June I will be tying a few flies for the local species mullet and bream in the estuaries and some bass vampires for the impoundment fishing ahead. Discussion will be had on organising a social bass/toga comp next spring and also a social fish up at Lake MacDonald in the coming month(s) targetting schooling bass with deep fly hence the Vampire fly tying !! Anyone interested in seeing what the club is about feel free to join us have a beer and chat fly fishing. Cheers Pat.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

indiedog said:


> Hi Matt, I'm no expert but to begin with I'd suggest a floating line as it's easier to get into the air again over an intermediate or sinking line. Youtube has some great stuff on it and I picked up some good points on a Roll Cast from there. Anselmo on here has some good info and he may chime in at some point or if it works out I may have some videos you can have. Busy as hell at the moment so may take a while...


viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49940&start=15#p511041

a good place to start from a casting perspective


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## Richie (Oct 6, 2011)

The fly fishing club would be a great place to start.

There is also Tie'n'Fly at Mooloolaba do casting lessons as well as charters. They might even give you some advice on where you can fish as well.


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## nubs (Apr 26, 2011)

Thanks for the replies guys. Looks like I have some homework. Finally.....homework i WANT to do, I never thought I would see the day!

Cheers,

Matt


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

I concur with John. I don't much believe in forking out big money for tackle unless it's needed. In fly fishing, it's needed. A cheap rod will only make you give up in frustration. Look on Ebay for bargains, but you will probably need to spend $300-$500 second hand. The same with line. You are looking at $100 minimum for something decent. If you are good then you can cast with crap. If you are crap then you can only cast with the expensive stuff. I went for 20 years without knowing this and decided it was too hard for me. It's still hard, but I can get by now.

JUst be glad you don't need breathable waders, wading boots, trout flies, etc or you'd be taking the spend up over $1000. :shock:


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

The yearly run of 3 x 2 garfish (another fisherman's exagerration :? ) have appeared in the basin on the right side as you go out to the breakwalls at Mooloolaba these guys are alot of fun on the light gear. I target these with small bread flies and white/tan gurglers #10-12 hooks stripped fast, Another fly that has been successful for the gar also stripped fast is a small brookes blonde - silver mylar shank,white wing ,orange tail #10-8 hooks. The basin is a good spot to fly fish with a sand bank dropping off into the channel,heaps of clear room for backcasts but you must have the wind coming out of the SE to E direction (especially if you fish light) otherwise a cross wind will kill your casts. This time of year we get the SW to S direction more often and this really funnels through the area. The fish usually stick around till late August and move between the basin,the boat moorings and the pontoon area at the Kawana ramp but are best targetted while concentrated before they disperse and in the basin they come real close. I've dropped flies in front of fish 2-3 feet from the bank and hooked up so you can actually cast to individual or small groups of fish. They have keen eyesight so I fish a rod length leader tapered to a tippet of half a metre of 4 lb Floating fluoro carbon. I generally berley them up wilh bread crumbs mixed with a little tuna oil then introduced small bits of bread around the size of the fly. Here's what to expect. If you fish bait at all especially offshore keeping a few is worth it apparently snapper love a bit of gar. Personally I don't think they taste as good as the pencil or red beaked gar from down south which could be attributed to the warmer water up here. Cheers Pat.


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## nubs (Apr 26, 2011)

Hmm, I think my fears have been confirmed...I take it there is absolutely no point in buying a cheap starter kit to get into this? Unfortunately I don't have the kind of money being suggested (300-500 + line etc) especially for something that i'm not too sure about. Surely there is a way to get into this sport on the cheap? (cheap = up to $200) or will I just resign myself to continuous frustration a la Ado, and have a unnatural hatred for fly-fishing that I will pass along to all and sundry? I know I will be happy to spend the money later on if this turns out to be something I enjoy but I just can't justify thoes prices to myself let alone the wife.

Cheers,

Matt


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

nubs said:


> Hmm, I think my fears have been confirmed...I take it there is absolutely no point in buying a cheap starter kit to get into this? Unfortunately I don't have the kind of money being suggested (300-500 + line etc) especially for something that i'm not too sure about. Surely there is a way to get into this sport on the cheap? (cheap = up to $200) or will I just resign myself to continuous frustration a la Ado, and have a unnatural hatred for fly-fishing that I will pass along to all and sundry? I know I will be happy to spend the money later on if this turns out to be something I enjoy but I just can't justify thoes prices to myself let alone the wife.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Matt


Find someone else that's into it and borrow their gear. Many people have multiple outfits and will gladly lend you one.


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## Thegaff (Apr 19, 2011)

Im in the same boat as you, i've never done it and am not sure i will even like it. Motackle sell a gillies set up for around $120 i think off memory and i plan on buying it shorty just to see what it's all about and if i do like it then i will upgrade and if i dont then it's just a cheaky $120. I understand that the better quality gear you have the better quality experince your going to have but would you buy a bmw for your first car then relise you'd rather take the bus?


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

If you buy a full setup new for $120 then you are virtually guaranteed to hate it. Save your money.


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## clarkey (Jan 13, 2009)

I've got a Rovex 7'6 4wt from Mo Tackle that i bought for $99 and a Rovex Radison reel and love it,
only use it in the skinny stuff for bass,i don't need to cast far.
My next rod will be one of these freom Cabelas,not pricey but get good reviews,
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/ ... t105573780


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## flyonline (Sep 29, 2011)

I'd suggest you head along to the fly club and see what's what. Have a cast with as many rods as possible before shelling out your money if you can - there are many different actions, lengths, weights (phyiscal weight of the rod, not just 6wt) etc. so picking one off the computer screen won't necessarily get you something that will work for you. The other thing with buying a quality brand rod is that many come with a decent warranty (lifetime etc.) and if you find you don't like it as much as you thought, you can probably sell it on and make less of a loss than buying an el cheapo kmart special and throwing it in the bin later.

Have a chat with as many of the guys in the club as you can stand, and don't be afraid to tell them you're starting out and are interested in 2nd hand gear. Many people have more rods than they regularly use, so you might be able to pick up something that is of decent quality for a good price, and get to have a cast with it before you buy. Unless your chasing pelagics, save your money on the reel first up. I've got a cheapo reel that I've had for over 10 years now that's still going strong and it's been tested on some big carp.

Or if you find something you like but not the price, keep an eye out on the classifieds section of places like flylife.com.au there are many good deals on 2nd hand stuff to be had.

Welcome and have fun!

Steve


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

The club has members from of all abilities from FFF casting instructors to very novice "can't cast well" newbies but none are discriminated against. We are trying to remove the percieved image that fly fishing is an exclusive sport that only is interested in "trophy" fishing when in reality bread and butter fishing is accessible to all prepared to get their toes wet walking the bank. I have several rods a #4,#6 two #8's and a #10 weight and probably 90% of my fishing is using the #4 with the #6 & #8 being used for bass or chucking clousers for flatties. You are welcome to come out one day and try them out. The two #8 weights are quite different in their feel so as Steve mentioned above what may be comfy for me to use may not be for you. A balanced outfit is pretty important as alot of casting is had between fish so you want to be able to swing it for a while without getting too tired. Tie 'N Fly Outfitters are closely involved in the club (Gavin Platz, Stuart (President) and Marne) will be in attendance at some meetings as well as other well travelled and accomplished fishers like Snow and Andy. I really do recommend that if you do take a liking to the sport get some tutition to avoid ingraining bad habits of which I've got heaps to share :lol: and don't be fixated on trying to just land a big fish. Fishing for the bread and butter species will help improve your casting in different conditions (especially wind) so like anything the more time you spend practising on the water (as opposed to in a park) the more likely you will get a feel for what's required. Social fun with the added bonus of learning from the more experienced is our main aim so come give it a try you won't regret it. The next meeting is this coming Monday 4th of June at the Yacht Club Mooloolabah,Parklyn Parade at 7.30 pm . A few will be meeting earlier to have a meal. All welcome to come and see what we are about. Cheers Pat.


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## Oldman (Apr 14, 2009)

Don't need expensive gear to start imo. It's the practised action of casting, particularly your wrist, elbow & shoulder combo. that'll determine casting success. Get down to an oval & practice with the whole rig less a fly. I taught my son the basics & he became obsessed - (A few on here know him well.) - practised at the local footy field every afternoon 'till dark - often 'till his hands became blistered & bled. Set up targets & you'll perfect your distance & accuracy. Rowan has gone on to become a very talented fly tier, fresh & saltwater fly fisherman. Once you get the hang of it you WILL become addicted. Good luck, Cheers, Mark


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Casting a fly rod can be pretty frustrating until it just clicks one day. I've got a couple of outfits, one is 7/8 weight 9.5 ft heavy as anything and was annoying to learn with. I then got a 6/7 weight 9 ft carbon fibre rod and found it easy. If you want a play around with them before you buy give me a shout, I live on bribie but work in maroochydore so can meet up if you want.

To start with I'd say go with either a 6/7 or 7/8 weight that's either 9 ft or 9.5 ft that's carbon. This will get you up and running to see if you like it. The line weight is a bit of a compromise for off shore work, but is ideal for Bream, Bass, Whiting and the like in estuaries or dams. The length is good to work with for a beginner and will allow you a bit more height above the water if you want to use it on the yak until you learn how to cast.

For a reel, you'll need something to get the fly line plus 50-100 metres of backing on it. There's heaps to choose from but I'd go for something you can get reasonably cheap spare spools for (or buy two cheap reels). Reels aren't as important as rods as they generally just hold the line. Yes you can get drag systems and funky bits but there's really no need when you're learning.

For fly lines it depends on the rod, for a 6/7 rod go with a WF7F, weight forward 7 weight floating or if it's a 7/8 rod go a WF8F or weight forward 8 weight floating. Matching these lines with the rods allows the rod to load up properly when casting which is important. Using the lighter line can make casting for a beginner more difficult.

I've had a look around the Aus websites and everything seems pretty expensive for what you get for a beginners outfit. The best and easiest place I've used is an online mob from the UK called Mullarkeys. They've got what look like really nice stuff and it's cheap. Have a look at this: http://www.mullarkeys.co.uk/game-fishing/rods-(includes-kits-and-combos)/Kits-and-Fishing-Combos/1/
I'd go for the 9.5 ft 7/8 rapport deal for 36 pounds as a really basic bit of kit, delivery to Aus should be pretty cheap. A mate of mine in the UK bought the 79.99 deal and I used it when I visited him, was impressed with the quality for the price, but you won't generally need all the "crap" that comes with it like flies, bag, net, etc.

While you're there have a look at the mill end fly lines. They're very cheap and great value for money for beginner, generally great quality lines, just slight seconds or slightly shorter than the should be: http://www.mullarkeys.co.uk/fishing/lines/mill-end-and-budget-fly-lines/0/mullarkeys/2928/
They're pretty good lines to begin with while you thrash the water to bits to start with. Also get some braided leader loops to attach to the end of the fly line, makes connecting the leader to the fly line simple.

No affiliation to Mullarkeys, have used them and would recommend them though.

Couple of hints & tips, When you learn to cast, tie up a 7-9 ft leader onto the fly line leader loop and tie some wool to the other end to prevent whip cracking, don't use a hook! Also, always wear sunnies or glasses when casting, a fly in the eye isn't a good look :shock: 
Cheers......Nick


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

indiedog said:


> anselmo said:
> 
> 
> > indiedog said:
> ...


Apologies for dragging up an old thread but

Blessed be the motherinlaws who give you vouchers for xmas
I got one of these with mine: http://www.redington.com/fly-fishing-ge ... -game-rod/

I'm a fair to middling caster and practice would help, but time and space is usually an issue
but this will help


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