[hunter991]

all,

I am just starting to fly fish. I recieved a nice St. Croix rod over the weekend and would like to give it a try. I have been fishing for many years but mostly musky and other fresh water so that is where my experience is.

I don't have a clue on how to fly fish. I just picked up reel for the new rod but i have no idea what kind of line to use.

I am hoping someone can tell me some basics to start with. I remember the line being coated with something when i have seen people fish in the past. Can someone help me get strung up so i can give this a shot this coming weekend? Any other tips would be most helpful. don't want to look to foolish doing this for the first time.

[Frank Whiton]

Hi hunter991,

Your best bet is to get a good book or video. The Casting videos will drastically cut your learning curve. A local fly shop can be a big help. If you buy the fly line from them they will usually set up your reel for you. You will need a Weight Forward, tapered, floating line. Scientific Anglers, Rio, and Cortland all make good lines. Don't buy the cheapest line. A good line will be in the $60 range. You need backing, leaders and flies.

Here is a site with some good information for a beginner. I don't agree with every think they do but it will help you get started.

Also try this RIO site.

[error4o4]

search for the phrase "fly fishing lesson" on youtube. i'm not being a jerk, there are a series of lessons that are very helpful. i'm also new to fly fishing, and these helped me tremendously. they're not the most in depth, but will surely give you a general idea of the concepts involved in the basics of casting.

[Flyfisher for men]

Welcome to the board!

Another good site for info is Fly Anglers OnLine, Your Complete Internet Flyfishing Resource.. It has a great beginner's section entitled "flyfishing basics".

I'm not to far from being a newbie myself, so I won't try to give you a lot of technical information. There are people who are much more knowedgeable on the board than I am. What I will do is summarize the mountain of advice given to beginners. I've necessarily read a lot of it recently.

I'll say it very simply, then explain. Floating, weightforward line in a size that matches the rod.

It's very important to match the line weight to the rod weight (it should be written on the rod). What is the weight of the fly rod?

As far as line type, virtually every piece of beginner's advice I've seen suggests a floating line as an initial set-up. It is indeed coated and is considerably thicker than a piece of monofilament. You can get sinking lines, or sink-tip lines, but they are for getting the fly down. They are something people tend to graduate to as they learn/get more into flyfishing (if you're like the rest us, you'll be an addict in no time). A floating line will handle the bulk of your fishing situations. If you're going after bass, bluegills, trout, etc. that's what I'd get.

Most beginner's advice suggests a weight forward design. That is simply a way of saying the taper of the fly line is such that it places a greater percentage of the line's mass toward the business end. It is easier to cast, and that is good for beginners. Once a while some book or article will suggest starting with a double taper for a beginner, but they are in a small minority. I fish bass, bluegills, crappies, and an occassional trout. Floating, weight forward has been just fine.

If you have a flyshop nearby, this is the place to go. They can explain it to you and show you how to get everything tied together (knots are very important in flyfishing). Frank's suggestion to get a book is a good one. I'd add this: be sure it has a good section on knots. When I started flyfishing a couple of years ago, it was easy to forget how to tie a particular knot. With a book, you can take that information streamside. That's a plus over websites.

A few leaders are also important to have, but people will need to know more about the type of fish you are trying to catch.

[BigCliff]

Good advice here, Welcome to the group!

[tbrillinger223]

hunter991,

welcome to the group.

your local fly shop is going to be a great place to start. they can help you choose the right backing and line for the type of fishing you will be doing. they will also be able to assist you on your casting technique. there are also some veterans on this forum that will be able to help you along in your journey through this wonderful sport. please keep us posted on your progress.

[Fishstick]

Sage advice from others and nothing to add but Welcome Aboard....

[Matttrick]

Yes, welcome!

I'm a newb here too, but it's been great so far.