Need to buy first fly
 

Hello forum friends.

First post on this forum, just joined this week, as a matter of fact, just bought my first fly rod and reel this week. Super stoked.

I have no flies, so before I start thinking and looking, I wanted to get some first hand knowledge and suggestions.

The area I live in is San Antonio texas.

I'm gonna use a 9ft 5 wt rod. Targeting LMB, some glue gill and what ever other pan fish. In creeks and guadalupe river. I am just so excited to catch anything on a fly! (Containing my excitement)

Water is mostly clear. Tell me, what shape profile of fly should I use, weight, and color pattern? I'm not looking for secret patterns or anything, I just really have NO CLUE what to throw. So to narrow it down, I'm asking for help from anyone on this forum that by chance has fished waters around my area.

Thank you so much I advance for responses pertaining to my questions.
Alex

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Re: Need to buy first fly
 

This is almost one of those "if I could only use one fly, what would it be" threads!

If I had to pick just one, I would probably pick a natural color clouser minnow. Gray over white, brown/white, etc.....

I would aim for a size 6 or 4.

Aside from that, you have to realize that there is no one perfect fly. You have to find flies that imitate what the fish eat.

If they eat crayfish, buy a crayfish pattern. If they are hitting minnows, buy a minnow pattern. If they are hitting frogs, buy a top water pattern.

Its just like fishing with regular gear...different lures will work depending on conditions.

Re: Need to buy first fly
 

I very much agree with the previous post, but since you're just getting started & sounds like you don't have any casting experience, I would stay away from Clouser Minnows for now. They are made with barbell eyes of various metals & if you hit your rod with one while attempting to cast, they will break the rod.

I've never fished in that area, but have a friend (Kelly Watson, Texas River Bass) who guides in that area. He fishes the Blanco River mostly. From pictures I've seen of those waters, you probably don't need weighted flies, or at least not heavily weighted like a Clouser Minnow. Clouser Minnows with bead chain eyes will work there, but still be careful of hitting the rod with them.

For a surface fly I would start with large foam type hoppers. Perhaps a size 6 or 4 Chernobyl Hopper, or Triple Decker. Black & yellow would be good if you can find them, but other colors will work. I once tied some large locust flies for Kelly in those colors, as he indicated the local locust where black & yellow.

For subsurface, try Woolly Buggers or one of the many variations. Black, olive, rootbeer brown, & white will all work on bass. Again, I would go with size 6 or 4 since you're fishing with a 5 weight.

These are Clouser Minnows. Notice the eyes!
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...9/100_4521.jpg

Woolly Buggers:
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...9/100_4292.jpg
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...9/100_4291.jpg

Re: Need to buy first fly
 

I just want to say welcome, and you really do need the super secret pattern :thmbup:

Re: Need to buy first fly
 

Welcome to the forum!
And the secret is ------- Bunyon Bug----Stonefly#2!!!
Just kidding! There is no secret fly only the right one !

Re: Need to buy first fly
 

Bunyon Bug, love it...

x2 for what BigJim said. Bass on a popper is a blast and they seem to have a hard time turning down a black wooly bugger.

Welcome!

Re: Need to buy first fly
 

If I was stuck on an island with a Bass/Panfish pond with only one type of fly it would be:

Wooly Buggers
Wooly Buggers
Wooly Buggers
Wooly Buggers
Wooly Buggers

All great recomendations so far but I think a wooly Bugger is the most versatile fly you could use, especially in still water. Strip it fast and it will look like a minnow or a sculpin, let it drop and twitch and it's a dead ringer for a leech or worm.

Re: Need to buy first fly
 

Welcome to the fourm Alex. I'm just up the highway from you near Austin.

Get you some foam hoppers, it's a fun productive way to fish - especially just getting started. The fish will come to you instead of just blind casting all day. The bream love them.
When those aren't working use baitfish imitations - bigger wooly buggers, clouser minnows (though like mentioned, the weighted eyes can do some damage to the rod if they hit). Once it gets cooler around here crawfish patterns will do good. Those cypress knees on the Guad hold some big bass.
You have a Bass Pro Shop there in town and they should have a good selection.

The guadalupe hybrids and Rio Grande cichlids love flys with legs hanging off, like the "big ugly" patterns.

When you catch some fish post up some pictures of the Guadalupe River, that's a beautiful place.

Good luck,
David

Thanks everyone for your input in terms of what to start with and what to avoid, great advice. Starting to learn the terminology and types of flies is awesome. I'll have to head to the local bass pro and start browsing their selection. But first, gotta learn the casting...

@David in Austin, thanks for your advice. PM sent.

Alex


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Re: Need to buy first fly
 

Welcome to the forum Alex

It wasn't that long ago when I was first learning to fly fish and still haven't forgotten the experience and just how pumped I was to start catching fish. I also remember after my first day on the water how frustrating it was. No fish, ceaseless wind knots and getting hung up on my back casts. I quickly retreated to my backyard and began learning the basics of how to cast, on my next journey to the water I managed to catch 1 fish and spent less time working knots out of my tippet and leader. I hope your first outing goes better than mine, but if it doesn't, don't worry about it as we have all been there.

Dave