First red with fly

[JayTX]

Made the first trip out with a fly rod Friday. Not great conditions high winds and low tide in early afternoon. Went to a back lake in the marsh where I had found some reds the week before. Luckily I had practiced a little that day casting while sitting in the kayak lets just say that was an eye opener. I saw a couple of fish bust the shoreline but no other signs to track them down. As I was sitting there a redfish tail popped up about 30 feet in front of me. Took 2 casts to get it right in front of him but once it was he nailed it and off he went directly toward me. I was shocked the fly ended up in front of him and even more shocked he was hooked up. I was stripping like a mad man trying to keep up and he went right past me heading out of the lake back I to the main lake. I forgot to give him some slack once he needed to take line and he broke the fly off. Couldn't believe I did that and was kicking myself in the butt for a while, rookie mistake! That was the only fish of the day but was a great learning experience. This was a newer spot I hadn't fished much and its looking like it'll be great in the fall when the tides are lower.
Hopefully the winds will be down this Friday there's a spot usually holds good fish on shallow flats this time of year.

Jay

 

[flyminded]

When they run at you it’s difficult ...but try to get them on the reel ASAP ....but before you even get in the kayak, make sure your drag is set right ....in our waters, the first run is normally the long one after that it becomes more of a tug of war game until they get close and see you then maybe one more short surge.

 

[karstopo]

A redfish can sure snap the tippet. What pound/size tippet were you using?

Anyway, nice going on the cast and getting the eat. Those redfish encounters are memorable even if they don’t end up as planned.

 

[JayTX]

I can only think of maybe one or two reds to run directly at me while sight casting to them. What are the odds my first one on a fly rod would do it hahaha...

I'm using 15 lbs flourocarbon tippet. The seagaur flourocarbon was supposed to be .015 but what was shipped is .011 I dont like how thin it is. I'm going to use a knot that will double the line at the fly eye, which is where it broke, until I use all of this and buy some that is a little thicker. The flourocarbon leader I use for all of my other inshore fishing is another brand of 15 lbs flourocarbon but its .016 thick and I 've never had any issues with it on conventional rigs. Losing the fish was user error no doubt if I would've dropped the rod tip and let the fish take some line he would've taken up the slack I had left and I could've gotten him on the reel.
Learning how to fly fish and everything that goes along with it is tricky but I cant imagine learning to fly fish along with learning how to fish out of a kayak and learning to chase reds on the flats or marsh all at the same time. That would be enough to drive you crazy.

 

[mcnerney]

Jay
Congrats on getting that cast in the correct spot to get that fish to eat, especially in windy conditions. Loosing a good fish always hurts, but it's a good learning experience and it keeps us coming back.

 

[pnc]

Learning how to fly fish and everything that goes along with it is tricky but I cant imagine learning to fly fish along with learning how to fish out of a kayak and learning to chase reds on the flats or marsh all at the same time. That would be enough to drive you crazy.[/QUOTE]
Congrats on the hook up & what it took to do so.

Simple trick..... don't dwell on any of it. Just absorb what you see or learn. The more fishing done the faster it all becomes second nature. And you , become part of the equation.

Saw mention of break being at hook eye. Can you describe what end of line looked like ? Don't want to speculate on break.

........... pc

 

[flyminded]

Did you lubricant the knot when you cinched it ? One common cause of tippet break at hook eye.

 

[JayTX]

The line broke at the loop where it went thru the eye and the knot was still on the line when I looked at it. That was the weakest point with this thinner tippet material. If I had done my job it wouldn't have broke more than likely. First redfish on a fly so I was more excited than thinking what I needed to be doing. Locking the line down when the fish is running on a loaded rod something will give.

Yes I lubricated the knot before I cinched it.

 

[pnc]

Thought I'd ask first.
Odd place for line to break. May have been hook eye.

....... pc

 

[denver1911]

Exciting stuff!