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[JunkiCosmonaut]

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Edited August 22, 2020 by Mseals22

[DWARREN123]

Many good books and videos out there but I have found it best to have a mentor to help get started.

[JunkiCosmonaut]

8 hours ago, DWARREN123 said:

Many good books and videos out there but I have found it best to have a mentor to help get started.

Ive been binging the orvis series on YouTube in my spare time. The guy at the little river fly shop in Townsend spent a lot of time teaching me casting and a lot of other tips to get me started. I might try to find a local group or something that goes out and see about joining them.

[xsubsailor]

If you have an Orvis store near you, I understand they have a great class which includes a field trip. If you have a Basspro or Cabelas the person working the fly fishing section might be able to turn you on to an instructor. 

Slight thread drift:  Don't, no matter what you think, decide to tie your own flies to save money. 

[owejia]

Back in my high school days had a 7 ft bamboo fly rod and learned how to cast by practicing in our front yard, learned how to cast and roll the line with no hook on the leader. Still have several fly rods but don't fish anymore. Always enjoyed catching shell crackers and big ole blue gill on those rubber legged popping bugs.

[DWARREN123]

Get some cheaper flies and cut off the barbed end and practice using these. Gets you up on how the fly acts/reacts to the line.

Also practice trying knots used to join the fly line to leader and making up leaders, good to know even if you buy pre-made leaders.

Edited July 27, 2020 by DWARREN123

[Handsome Rob]

Best advice I could give would be to take a half day guided trip. Most guides are super helpful with new fly fishermen & four what it costs, I promise you'll lem more in 6 hours than you will in 3 years of trying to teach yourself. 

Not just about casting. The casting is the easy part. A guide will teach you how to read water. Which part of a riffle or eddy is most likely to hold fish. They'll teach you why, how & when to put a mend in your drift. How to deal with current shifts & changes. Fly selection. Tippit & leader selection etc. How to finish different flies. Retrieval techniques & tests etc.

Everyone thinks that casting is the be all. I promise you, I can teach a 6 year old to throw a respectable line in 15 minutes. Learning WHERE to throw the line is far more important! 

[leroy]

I used ta love ta fly fish... It's the only " real " fishing i think... I'm too old n wore down to do it now, but i would offer ya the same advice an old fishing buddy offered me 50 or so years ago:

1... Dont worry about how far to cast, just get the line out there.  Ya will finally learn how to do it by practicing.  Just get the bait out there.

2... If you can look into a pool and see a fish, he can look up abd see you.  They are wily, so you need to " hide" from them as much as ya can... 

3... Your bait needs to look natural and like its not attached to anything.  Cast it and leave it alone.  The big ones are smart, they know the difference.

4... This one is completely illegal lotsa places... Use live bait if ya can...HEHEHE... The lesson is that whatever fly ya use needs to look and act " real "...

5... To practice, there is nothin greater than catching bluegill on your fly fishing rig..!  Its fantastic, and teaches ta lots about fly technique.

6... Pay attention to where ya wade n walk.  Poison snakes like the water too.

Have fun..!  Its a great hobby, and the absolute pinnacle of the " fishing craft "...!

Heres to great fishing adventures...

" Lunker " leroy..

[Lumber_Jack]

I love fly fishing.  I will echo what @Handsome Rob said above.  Don't spend any more money on gear or flies and spend that money hiring a guide for a full or half day.  Then you can better understand what you might want or need moving forward.  

Where in East TN region are you located?

 

Aslo Little River Outfitters is a fantastic business.  I buy as much from them as I can.  What rod and reel did you buy.  That looks like an Orvis Mirage but cant tell for sure

Edited July 28, 2020 by Lumber_Jack

[JunkiCosmonaut]

28 minutes ago, Lumber_Jack said:

I love fly fishing.  I will echo what @Handsome Rob said above.  Don't spend any more money on gear or flies and spend that money hiring a guide for a full or half day.  Then you can better understand what you might want or need moving forward.  

Where in East TN region are you located?

 

Aslo Little River Outfitters is a fantastic business.  I buy as much from them as I can.  What rod and reel did you buy.  That looks like an Orvis Mirage but cant tell for sure

I live in the loudon county area. 

That's where I purchased my stuff from, those guys were great. They gave me a crash course In everything from tying on tippett and leaders to casting techniques. I got a package from them that had an orvis clear water 8.5 ft 5w rod. I'm not sure what the real is but its included in that combo. I've been fishing (spinning and casting) for as long as I can Remember, but this has really reignited my interest. I'm gonna try to go pond hopping for bluegill one weekend. I checked guide service pricing and I think a freind of mine and I might do a half day on the clinch.

[Lumber_Jack]

1 minute ago, Mseals22 said:

I live in the loudon county area. 

That's where I purchased my stuff from, those guys were great. They gave me a crash course In everything from tying on tippett and leaders to casting techniques. I got a package from them that had an orvis clear water 8.5 ft 5w rod. I'm not sure what the real is but its included in that combo. I've been fishing (spinning and casting) for as long as I can Remember, but this has really reignited my interest. I'm gonna try to go pond hopping for bluegill one weekend. I checked guide service pricing and I think a freind of mine and I might do a half day on the clinch.

yeah thats a great river to fish.  after that you'll be keyed in to wading the area as well.  Lots of good trout streams in our area. Clinch, Holster, Tellico, all streams in GSMNP, the theres Hiwasee down south and South Holsten, Watauga up in Tri cities

[DWARREN123]

These something about fly fishing that sets it apart from other types of fishing.

Good luck and have fun!

[JunkiCosmonaut]

1 hour ago, DWARREN123 said:

These something about fly fishing that sets it apart from other types of fishing.

Good luck and have fun!

there's nothing quite like it that's for sure!

thank you!