New and what made you convert?
- Thread starter CopperJess
- Start date
Welcome and great fish!
My grandpa started working on me to pick up fly fishing and tying when I was around 12. He didn’t have to push very hard. I was already obsessed with fishing. But I didn’t really get focused until my early 20’s. I was living in Seattle and would explore the “S” rivers for searun cutthroat, salmon, and steelhead. Sometimes head east and camp on the basin lakes. Then I moved east about 20 years ago and got really into stillwater trout. I’ve caught some decent bass on the fly and have tried just enough warm water fishing to know there’s a lot to learn!
My grandpa started working on me to pick up fly fishing and tying when I was around 12. He didn’t have to push very hard. I was already obsessed with fishing. But I didn’t really get focused until my early 20’s. I was living in Seattle and would explore the “S” rivers for searun cutthroat, salmon, and steelhead. Sometimes head east and camp on the basin lakes. Then I moved east about 20 years ago and got really into stillwater trout. I’ve caught some decent bass on the fly and have tried just enough warm water fishing to know there’s a lot to learn!
Welcome
I began fly fishing at age 11, because my dad wouldn't fix the constant backlash tangles on my spinning rod/reel. Fly fishing was simpler and easy for me to troubleshoot. I kept fly fishing because it is so effective at catching fish in fresh and salt water. Today, I enjoy following the growth of fly fishing into new and challenging fisheries that were not imagined when I was a boy. Fly tying makes it even more fun.
I began fly fishing at age 11, because my dad wouldn't fix the constant backlash tangles on my spinning rod/reel. Fly fishing was simpler and easy for me to troubleshoot. I kept fly fishing because it is so effective at catching fish in fresh and salt water. Today, I enjoy following the growth of fly fishing into new and challenging fisheries that were not imagined when I was a boy. Fly tying makes it even more fun.
DanielOcean
Fart! : )
"Hello there"
Welcome and nice bass!
I used to think fly fishing was dorky AF. I wasn’t wrong but I got into it anyway!
Started going fishing for steelhead with gear and jigs with a crew of fly guys about 12 years ago I think. Wanted to try tying my own jigs and bought a shitty vice from Sportman’s. About a week later I bought my first fly rod set up off CL. I figured I might as well go all in since I bought the vice and all. YouTube and friends helped me figure out the tying thing and I became a full blown fly fishing addict.
I still use that shitty vice to this day and despite its lack of functions, bells and whistles it still holds a hook surprisingly well.
IMO fly fishing is a challenge that surpasses gear fishing. That’s my experience anyway. For me tying flys is ways more interesting than going to the sports place and buying plastic to dunk while you sit idle.
I used to think fly fishing was dorky AF. I wasn’t wrong but I got into it anyway!
Started going fishing for steelhead with gear and jigs with a crew of fly guys about 12 years ago I think. Wanted to try tying my own jigs and bought a shitty vice from Sportman’s. About a week later I bought my first fly rod set up off CL. I figured I might as well go all in since I bought the vice and all. YouTube and friends helped me figure out the tying thing and I became a full blown fly fishing addict.
I still use that shitty vice to this day and despite its lack of functions, bells and whistles it still holds a hook surprisingly well.
IMO fly fishing is a challenge that surpasses gear fishing. That’s my experience anyway. For me tying flys is ways more interesting than going to the sports place and buying plastic to dunk while you sit idle.
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I've never really given up on gear, just usually grab a fly rod (usually = 9 out of 10 times)....been fly fishing for about 30 years now.
Question for you:
If you had to pick one, do you nymph (with bobber)? Or do you euro nymph?
I'm constantly trying to sort out who my friends (those that "patriot nymph" with bobber) and who my enemies are (those that euro nymph, like @jaredoconnor who is essentially a fly fishing terrorist that thinks all nymphing should be done euro style and if youre thinking about streamer fishing you might as welll grab a gear rod)
curious if you're a friend or foe.
PS, that bass is freaking epic. Nicely done and welcome.
Question for you:
If you had to pick one, do you nymph (with bobber)? Or do you euro nymph?
I'm constantly trying to sort out who my friends (those that "patriot nymph" with bobber) and who my enemies are (those that euro nymph, like @jaredoconnor who is essentially a fly fishing terrorist that thinks all nymphing should be done euro style and if youre thinking about streamer fishing you might as welll grab a gear rod)
curious if you're a friend or foe. PS, that bass is freaking epic. Nicely done and welcome.
Welcome!
I didn't convert. My dad made me do it when I was about 10, as well as learn to tie flies because he lost so many of them (entire fly cases at times).
A clear case of child abuse, but 60 years ago the police couldn't be bothered to investigate such things.
I didn't convert. My dad made me do it when I was about 10, as well as learn to tie flies because he lost so many of them (entire fly cases at times).
A clear case of child abuse, but 60 years ago the police couldn't be bothered to investigate such things.
Welcome
My conversion to fly fishing can be traced to a single event. In 1956 (age 9) 2 buddies and I were sitting on a South Fork Snoqualmie log jam drowning worms in an effort to catch one of the trout that resided there. We saw an old man (most have been nearly 50!) coming downstream waving his rod in the air pausing regularly to play nice trout, bonk them with a stick and slide them into a wicker creel. In the hour or so that we watched him he caught more trout than the 3 of use had caught that summer. Turns out that exotic fishing method was "fly fishing" and I wanted to learn more. My father had stuck in a closet had a 20-year-old South Bend cane rod, with a silk line and automatic fly reel. After some badgering I was allowed to take the outfit to the river and after cashing my meager savings I bought 3 flies (peacock grey, yellow grey and royal coachman bucktail) at the local sporting goods store. A year later I had begun trying to tie my own flies within a decade nearly all my trout fishing was with flies and successfully expanded my fly fishing to include largemouth bass and summer and winter steelhead.
Now some 66 years later I still learning and hopefully improving my fishing and tying game.
Curt
My conversion to fly fishing can be traced to a single event. In 1956 (age 9) 2 buddies and I were sitting on a South Fork Snoqualmie log jam drowning worms in an effort to catch one of the trout that resided there. We saw an old man (most have been nearly 50!) coming downstream waving his rod in the air pausing regularly to play nice trout, bonk them with a stick and slide them into a wicker creel. In the hour or so that we watched him he caught more trout than the 3 of use had caught that summer. Turns out that exotic fishing method was "fly fishing" and I wanted to learn more. My father had stuck in a closet had a 20-year-old South Bend cane rod, with a silk line and automatic fly reel. After some badgering I was allowed to take the outfit to the river and after cashing my meager savings I bought 3 flies (peacock grey, yellow grey and royal coachman bucktail) at the local sporting goods store. A year later I had begun trying to tie my own flies within a decade nearly all my trout fishing was with flies and successfully expanded my fly fishing to include largemouth bass and summer and winter steelhead.
Now some 66 years later I still learning and hopefully improving my fishing and tying game.
Curt
Welcome aboard Jess, very nice intro.
Cheers
Cheers
Welcome aboard Jess
I got my intro in fly fishing from a girl friend when I was in my early 20's.
I bought my first fly rod and reel when I was 25. I didn't know anything about rod weight, line weight, leaders, tippets, I didn't know shit and to proud to ask.
But I kept at it cause it's the "bomb" when it comes to catching fish.
Today I can say I'm a proud member of PNW Fly Fishing.
I got my intro in fly fishing from a girl friend when I was in my early 20's.
I bought my first fly rod and reel when I was 25. I didn't know anything about rod weight, line weight, leaders, tippets, I didn't know shit and to proud to ask.
But I kept at it cause it's the "bomb" when it comes to catching fish.
Today I can say I'm a proud member of PNW Fly Fishing.
Welcome. Sounds like you have some fishy friends already, and the rest of this group shares some good knowledge as well.
I moved here to the eastside in '92. Grew up fishing little creeks around seattle and started fly fishing so we didn't kill every fish in the creek and could go back day after day.
I've gear fished quite a bit, and usually that's what family outings involve, but I would agree that fly fishing is more productive most of the time.
I moved here to the eastside in '92. Grew up fishing little creeks around seattle and started fly fishing so we didn't kill every fish in the creek and could go back day after day.
I've gear fished quite a bit, and usually that's what family outings involve, but I would agree that fly fishing is more productive most of the time.
Pink Nighty
Legend
I, for one, welcome our new bass overlord. I'd like to remind her that as a trusted forum member I can be useful in rounding up those who would rotenone a perfectly good bass lake.
Welcome and awesome ditch pickle! I think you'll find lots of stoke around here.
I've fly fished along with gear fished most of my life. I'd say 80-90% of my fishing through most of my 20s was a bass rod with soft plastics with the rest being cold water fish on the fly. About 5 years ago I had a thought about westside bass and the forage available to them and convinced myself that they eat a lot of bugs and smaller prey and not as many traditional bass foods. Started fishing buggers and big nymphs (and obviously shit tons of poppers) and my bass catch rate went way up.
Soon the spinning and casting rods were starting to collect dust. And they still are. Even my 5 year old daughters spinning rods only get used by her cousins, shes a fly girl now too!
Welcome aboard and keep those pics coming!
Welcome and awesome ditch pickle! I think you'll find lots of stoke around here.
I've fly fished along with gear fished most of my life. I'd say 80-90% of my fishing through most of my 20s was a bass rod with soft plastics with the rest being cold water fish on the fly. About 5 years ago I had a thought about westside bass and the forage available to them and convinced myself that they eat a lot of bugs and smaller prey and not as many traditional bass foods. Started fishing buggers and big nymphs (and obviously shit tons of poppers) and my bass catch rate went way up.
Soon the spinning and casting rods were starting to collect dust. And they still are. Even my 5 year old daughters spinning rods only get used by her cousins, shes a fly girl now too!
Welcome aboard and keep those pics coming!
Welcome. I agree, nice intro & bass.
I'm not one who ever "converted." There were times I fly fished a whole lot more than gear fished, but I've always considered myself an angler first, and fly fishing being one of the many ways I love to enjoy it. It also turned in to part of my career, so it's very much part of who I am, even if it's not the only way I like to fish. Especially where I live, I'd be missing out on a LOT of fishing opportunities that bring me a lot of joy if I stuck to one way of fishing.
Been fishing since I was like 3yrs old, and was an addict ever since (much to my parents' chagrin). Got my first fly rod at age 8. These days, most my fly trips are for invasives: bass, carp, shad. I do try to fit in at least a trout trip or two per year, but my time is limited and the good fishing is at least 2hrs from the Portland area for that. I also take the fly rods with me out on my trips in my boat on the ocean for albacore and coho.
We're happy to have you here
Been fishing since I was like 3yrs old, and was an addict ever since (much to my parents' chagrin). Got my first fly rod at age 8. These days, most my fly trips are for invasives: bass, carp, shad. I do try to fit in at least a trout trip or two per year, but my time is limited and the good fishing is at least 2hrs from the Portland area for that. I also take the fly rods with me out on my trips in my boat on the ocean for albacore and coho.
We're happy to have you here
Growing up, we didn't fish a ton. But when we did, it was mostly staring at a bobber in a lake. Which I always found to be boring AF. So when I started to think about getting into fishing as part of my outdoor adventures in my 20's, fly fishing rivers and creeks seemed like the logical way to go. Even if I wasn't catching anything, there was always something to do, you know? And the zen of getting a good drift/swing and then just settling in until it was time to make the next cast was (and is) awesome for my brain.
So I'm not sure I "converted" TO fly fishing in the same way as most folks. In fact, I probably went the other way to fish lakes and got into gear rods and senkos and swimbaits for bass. But these days, with @Billy's prodding, I'm even finally getting around to fishing lakes more on the fly because bass on poppers is absolutely not anything like staring at a bobber.
So I'm not sure I "converted" TO fly fishing in the same way as most folks. In fact, I probably went the other way to fish lakes and got into gear rods and senkos and swimbaits for bass. But these days, with @Billy's prodding, I'm even finally getting around to fishing lakes more on the fly because bass on poppers is absolutely not anything like staring at a bobber.
Welcome Jes! First, a word about that photo. Did you know that when you take a picture that way it makes your bass look big? Hope that wasn't something you weren't aware of. I see you've already met kindred bass spirit Billy Mac. He's a bass freak, and invited me to try it, but it was too hot for this native westsider. I still might give it a go if good bass temps in the water and good air temps for me match up.
Like some of the other posters, I didn't so much convert to fly fishing as just wanting to expand my fishing experience and opportunity. There had to be more to life than just drowning worms. Not to mention that fly fishing seemed cool, and as my friend Swimmy insists, chicks dig it. The key for me was learning to fly cast. I took to fly casting readily, and I was transformed, like I had been put on earth to fish with a fly rod. I guess I had no choice but to go fly fishing as often as I could. And been doing so ever since. The upshot is that I don't dislike fishing with spinning and casting gear. I just enjoy fly fishing more, so that's what I do. I still occasionally devolve and drag herring and or sparkly bling around the water hoping to catch a salmon for the simple reason that them's good eats. Welcome aboard; hope you find this community to your liking.
Like some of the other posters, I didn't so much convert to fly fishing as just wanting to expand my fishing experience and opportunity. There had to be more to life than just drowning worms. Not to mention that fly fishing seemed cool, and as my friend Swimmy insists, chicks dig it. The key for me was learning to fly cast. I took to fly casting readily, and I was transformed, like I had been put on earth to fish with a fly rod. I guess I had no choice but to go fly fishing as often as I could. And been doing so ever since. The upshot is that I don't dislike fishing with spinning and casting gear. I just enjoy fly fishing more, so that's what I do. I still occasionally devolve and drag herring and or sparkly bling around the water hoping to catch a salmon for the simple reason that them's good eats. Welcome aboard; hope you find this community to your liking.
Bruce Baker
Life of the Party
Welcome to the forum @CopperJess and I have been following your exploits on social media. I got into fly fishing in my mid-late 20s as a result of some talks with the family physician at the time. Unbeknownst to me, he was an avid fly fisher. The license plate on his car was "TRUTTA." During one of my visits we were talking about fishing and he offered to take me, but it would be fly fishing. I ended up getting an outfit, but things kept coming up in his schedule and he never took me. I was working at a NOAA lab near Atlantic Highlands, NJ and after work and on some weekends, would fish for snapper blues (juvenile bluefish) at a cove in the bay during the summer. I started out with trout gear, but I thought it would be cool to try flying for them. My first time was a total disaster because I did not know what I was doing. I was talking to a co-worker about it and he gave me a couple of lessons. I never got to try as soon after, I left for grad school in California. While in grad school I took a fly casting class and also a fly tying class.
For me, the joy is the take. I feel a much more direct connection to the fish when it take the fly via trolling, swinging, or retreiving. There is also joy in seeing a take on a well presented dry fly.
For me, the joy is the take. I feel a much more direct connection to the fish when it take the fly via trolling, swinging, or retreiving. There is also joy in seeing a take on a well presented dry fly.
Welcome! That is a Nice bass.
I drowned worms and salmon eggs with my dad and brothers as a kid but was probably too ADD to like (bait) fishing as a kid.
I started fishing again with spinning gear and caught my first fish in a creek just outside of McChord AFB when I got stationed there in 1972. I also did some bass fishing with a level wind reel & rod. I also liked hiking-backpacking-climbing and started fishing mountain lakes with a classic red/white/chrome Daredevel spoon and spinners (that many high lake anglers, and even the local fly shop owner at the time believe is more effective than a fly rod and reel). I soon read an article about using a fly (or a dry plus a wet fly or nymph) and a casting bubble with a spinning rod in high lakes. I gave it a try and found it worked very well; never failing to catch me fish.
In 1976 I was the avionics shop NCO when a new airman from upstate NY was assigned who had fly fished with his dad since he was a young kid. He convinced and taught me to fish with a fly rod and reel. I bought the The Curtis Creek Manifesto hot off the press and did a pretty quick transition to fly fishing in streams, as I learned more about how a fish's normal diet could be imitated using only thread, feathers, and yarn on a hook. I'll still use lures; now with a spinning reel on a med-fast action fly rod to save weight and bulk for high lakes, if I don't pack in my 3.2lb float tube, featherweight (coated) waders - shoes - fins - pfd...
I drowned worms and salmon eggs with my dad and brothers as a kid but was probably too ADD to like (bait) fishing as a kid.
I started fishing again with spinning gear and caught my first fish in a creek just outside of McChord AFB when I got stationed there in 1972. I also did some bass fishing with a level wind reel & rod. I also liked hiking-backpacking-climbing and started fishing mountain lakes with a classic red/white/chrome Daredevel spoon and spinners (that many high lake anglers, and even the local fly shop owner at the time believe is more effective than a fly rod and reel). I soon read an article about using a fly (or a dry plus a wet fly or nymph) and a casting bubble with a spinning rod in high lakes. I gave it a try and found it worked very well; never failing to catch me fish.
In 1976 I was the avionics shop NCO when a new airman from upstate NY was assigned who had fly fished with his dad since he was a young kid. He convinced and taught me to fish with a fly rod and reel. I bought the The Curtis Creek Manifesto hot off the press and did a pretty quick transition to fly fishing in streams, as I learned more about how a fish's normal diet could be imitated using only thread, feathers, and yarn on a hook. I'll still use lures; now with a spinning reel on a med-fast action fly rod to save weight and bulk for high lakes, if I don't pack in my 3.2lb float tube, featherweight (coated) waders - shoes - fins - pfd...
I still switch hit, but it's about 90% fly, with the rest being throwing jig and bobber for steelhead while floating between swing runs.
My conversion moment was playing golf in Central Oregon while visiting from out of state, looking down at the Deschutes and thinking that looked like good fly fishing water. Maybe I should learn. Which led me to want to move to Oregon, and here we are.
My conversion moment was playing golf in Central Oregon while visiting from out of state, looking down at the Deschutes and thinking that looked like good fly fishing water. Maybe I should learn. Which led me to want to move to Oregon, and here we are.