Help me Not Stink at Fly Fishing?

[SBC]

I spent last summer trying to fly fish. Mostly on the Pike River of NE WI, but I did make it down to Black Earth Creek, just west of Madison, for one afternoon.

I never caught anything.
In fact, I never had a bite.

I never even saw a rise in the Pike River (I read that this formerly great stream has been unproductive for a couple years now, so at least I'm not alone in that).
On Black Earth Creek I saw many rises, but apparently I wasn't casting what they were biting, or I was presenting poorly, or whatever.

I've started making fly rods (including grips of stacked birch bark).
My kids have started tying flies.
Adding some successful fly fishing to the equation would be nice...

Now I've never regretted time on the water. I've told my wife several times that even if I knew I'd never catch a fish, I'd probably still stand in a stream fly casting, from time to time, just because it's one of the most beautiful experiences I've had.

I've watched Tom Rosenbauer's complete video series, read his book, and read several other books. But I don't know any fly fishermen, and I think that I need somebody to show me the ropes in person.

This spring, would any of you more experienced fly fishermen be willing to spend a day on the water with a fishing klutz like me?
You don't need to be great. If you sometimes catch fish, I've got a lot to learn from you.

I can compensate in fine tobacco and lunch.
Happy to travel anywhere in WI or thereabouts.

Feel free to PM me!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I just call it fancy boy fishing. I'm not about looking cool while doing it, I just bring home the fish for the grill. Let the fancy boys fly fish.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

This whole art of the fly shit... ha ha, I can put a hook on a square scrap of lumber, and fish will strike it. Doesn't even have to look close to being a living thing. Fish are stupid and strike anything. I'm not sure I understand this whole dancing fly thing. I've looked into it. Just looks like a money pit hobby like pipes to me.

 

[trouttimes]

Sorry but you are too far away from me. I do have two key things for you to think about.

1. Fish eat below the surface 90% of the time. Fish nymphs. To start. Smaller the better.

2. Learn to read water. You have to fish where the fish feed. Simple right? Look for feeding lanes where the water brings the food to the holding fish. If the fish has to use more energy to catch the food than the food yields, it’s not going to move to eat it.

 

[warren]

My advice would be, in order to save time "klutzing around", beating your flys to death is to find a club with classes over the winter. A club will have guys adept at tying, others who can teach casting, someone will understand checking/matching the hatch and so forth. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll learn some "hidden holes".

 

[kcghost]

I like to go catching a lot more than fishing so I can relate to wanting to actually catch something. Unfortunately if I were to go fly fishing you would find a lot of lures in the trees.

 

[Old school 33192]

1. Buy a very nice fly rod at least 8 feet long.
2. Drive to the lake
3. Get in the boat
4. Tie a jig on that pole and crappie fishing

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Spinner rod and Little Cleo.

most important is to go. Fish is a bonus

 

[Ahi Ka]

Buy a plane ticket and go visit @Ettrick puffer

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Book a raft guide down the Hiwassee this Spring on my raft.

 

[Strandsbeachlocal]

Sorry but you are too far away from me. I do have two key things for you to think about.

1. Fish eat below the surface 90% of the time. Fish nymphs. To start. Smaller the better.

2. Learn to read water. You have to fish where the fish feed. Simple right? Look for feeding lanes where the water brings the food to the holding fish. If the fish has to use more energy to catch the food than the food yields, it’s not going to move to eat it.

This is the correct advice, nymph from late October to spring. Tight line or euro setups are popular but it’s possible just to toss a nymph on enough tippet and hope for the best. You will not really get a rise in winter season. Make sure you’re nymph is bouncing across the bottom.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Many, many years ago I loved fly fishing for bass and panfish, tied flies, even made myself a couple of fly rods. When I moved away from farm pond country and started fishing lakes from a boat and going to Canada I completely got away from it - still wish I'd tried pike on flies.

Summer of 2020 my wife and I decided to take a trip to the Black Hills so I booked a guide for the day - had never fished a stream with a fly for trout in my life. It was worth every nickel to get some refreshers on casting, and to learn other things about casting, technique and presentation I'd have never figured out. The guide was a wealth of knowledge and had a blast.

So I agree with "hooking up" with someone with some experience like you are trying to do - can save lots of time and be a lot of fun!

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Are you hungry?

 

[AlanH]

Fly Fishing is a great way to catch fish! Occasionally it's the best way! For trout I would advise fishing small creeks, streams that don't get a lot of pressure. Stay away from big rivers and crowded places be content with small fish to start with. In the spring and summer a small fluffy dry fly will produce fish but as someone else said most fish eat underwater get a woolly bugger around a size 12 and olive are black. Make sure your tip it material is pretty small. Cast out then Small strips. Into you In the winter trout fishing with a fly rod is very hard unless it is a tail race behind a dam where the water temperature doesn't vary as much. Small nemphs are also a good way to catch trout with a strike indicator that helps a lot. Size 12 to 18. Or you can just come down south in the summer and get a popn bug and a big woolly bugger and wear them out

 

[AlanH]

This whole art of the fly shit... ha ha, I can put a hook on a square scrap of lumber, and fish will strike it. Doesn't even have to look close to being a living thing. Fish are stupid and strike anything. I'm not sure I understand this whole dancing fly thing. I've looked into it. Just looks like a money pit hobby like pipes to me.

That's because you are from the south and have only fished for bass and bream??. Trout are kind of crazy the ones out west and up north will let a huge calorie meal float by and only eat a hatch of bugs the size of a comma you can barely see.

 

[AlanH]

I guess because I am of the South while I enjoy trout fishing warm water is where my fly Fishing heart is it is way easier but also to me interesting in it's on way. ? ?

 

[Jack Straw]

My brother and I learned to cast Presbyterian-style, on a metronome. Four-count rhythm, between ten and two o'clock.

 

[AlanH]

My brother and I learned to cast Presbyterian-style, on a metronome. Four-count rhythm, between ten and two o'clock.

Great movie! You know our Presbyterian friends every thing is neat and in order

 

[Latakia Dave]

Watch Gary Borger tutorials . He is very informative and covers everything you will need to know on reading the streams, matching the hatch and presentation.
I started fly fishing 30 some years ago and I really got a lot from his videos. Have your kids tie some wollybuggers and some elk hair caddis for you and that will get you started good.

 

[ron123]

Great movie! You know our Presbyterian friends every thing is neat and in order

What are they biting on?
Huh?
[louder] What are they biting on?
The end of my line. [smirk]

Yeah, that movie is probably responsible for half the guys (me included), out there frustrating ourselves with this gear.

To the OP, It can cost a couple hundred, plus tip, but go out with a good guide and take a lot of mental notes where he's taking you, time of day (I have best luck in the AM and around dusk), and flies he's tying on. I'm sure you've heard of the Driftless region in SE WI...close to LaCrosse. Try the Driftless Angler in Viroqua. A couple of guys guide out of there and will do you right. Also, there is an apartment they rent out above the fly shop...stayed there many times...pricing is good, and you've got a full kitchen, etc. If you look in the WI Gazetteer (great map book/resource) there are tons of streams in this area, but a lot can be really small, like a couple of feet across...not all waters on the map are equal. When you find a spot that works, highlight it in the Gazetteer. This map book is worth it. You will probably find places closer to home as well, but I've never really tried NE WI, so don't really know. I'd offer to meet you in Viroqua next Spring, but I'm basically a hack myself.