Hello I'm New Here..

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shug11

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Stumbled across these forums and I knew I had to join. Seems like a very good place, with lots of good people. I'm still a rookie, even though I've been fly fishing for the past 5-6 years.

I went on a day trip yesterday down south to a local creek on the Kanakee River (Illinois) and I caught some hogs and probably my largest smallie ever.





And finally, meet Big Bertha..



All were released safely back into the waters.. :D

Tight Lines everybody!
 
stenacron

stenacron

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Welcome aboard shug11, and thanks for making me home sick for PA (I miss those river smallies). :p
 
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Liphookedau

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Hi Shug 11.
Welcome a good Friendly Place to Hang Out.
Brian
 
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shug11

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Thanks everyone for the warm wishes. This place does seem like a very good place with very good people.

Fred - I went ahead and added my location. I've only fished a few rivers/creeks (Kankakee River in Illinois, Brule River in Wisconsin, and a small creek up in the Great Smokey Mountains) But man I've had tons of fun.

RandomUser - The tackle store I got it from (wasn't very fly friendly) had it in a container that labeled it a helgramite pattern, but not sure how accurate it is. I was originally fishing a woolybugger, but they just wouldn't take it.

I knew the creek was filled with helgramites, so I said, why not. Then proceeded to slay these smallies.

And yes to all those that said they are good fighters, I definitely agree with you. My buddy who is pretty new to fly fishing, has never caught a smallie before, but the yell he gave when he finally hooked into one made me giggle like a school girl.

Man I miss fishing. Why work, when you can fish right?
 
random user

random user

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Welcome!

Rookie my posterior!

('Rookie' means you fish with people who have been fishing longer than you.... at 5 years if you found yourself fishing with a couple of people who were in their first season, you'd be the expert!)
 
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shug11

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random user said:
Welcome!

Rookie my posterior!

('Rookie' means you fish with people who have been fishing longer than you.... at 5 years if you found yourself fishing with a couple of people who were in their first season, you'd be the expert!)
Click to expand...
Haha, good point, never thought of it that way. My buddy who originally got me into fly fishing moved up to Montana. I just had my first daughter about 13 months ago, so visiting him won't be an option for a while. But the stories he shares with me (whether its fishing, or encounter with bears) is always a good laugh.

On a side note... I haven't gotten into tying my flies yet (my buddy from Montana has been begging me to start tying) so I have to go and actually buy flies, crazy I know! But of course being in Chicago, I don't have many fly shops I can visit. So I started resorting to buying flies online.

I just bought about 20 flies at theflystop, but I was wondering if anyone here had any recommendations on any online fly stores that has quality flies and is somewhat cheap? I was pretty satisfied with TFS, but just in case anyone knows of any other places, it would be helpful!
 
random user

random user

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Last flies I purchased I bought out of this sort of guilt reflex. I picked un interesting flies in a local shop, mentally dissected them and memorized them and put them back in thier correct little bins. After realizing I had everything I needed to try the new-to-me patterns I was going to leave empty handed because what I went there for wasn't available.

The one guy working there was genuinely friendly and amiable on my way past him to the door. I stopped and thought about it for a second, went back and picked up one of each of the flies I was going to copy. The guy looked at me a little weird; maybe because I was buying singles and had an odd little collection. He smiled and shook his head when I offered "Examples are a good thing to have, non?"

Anyhow, I am pretty sure your best-bang-for-the-buck flies are going to come from a local tyer or from a tyer how is willing to tie to suit for you. You'll pay more for the flies, but they will probably hold up and fish a whole lot better.
 
argail

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shug11 said:
Stumbled across these forums and I knew I had to join. Seems like a very good place, with lots of good people. I'm still a rookie, even though I've been fly fishing for the past 5-6 years.
I went on a day trip yesterday down south to a local creek on the Kanakee River (Illinois) and I caught some hogs and probably my largest smallie ever.

All were released safely back into the waters.. :D

Tight Lines everybody!
Click to expand...
welcome to forum... look this lines-marks, elegant fish...
 
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brucerducer

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You're a good fisherman Shug11. I only catch fish like that in my dreams.:shades:

Also, I wonder if you wouldn't do very well with some "Wet Fly" patterns?



.
 
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gzarboni

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:welcomean Welome to the forum. Nice fish. When I lived in Quebec I used to catch smallies like that everyday. They are pound for pound the best fish to fight.
 
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