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First Fish on Fly


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Hi all,

This is my first post about fly fishing as I have only recently been introduced to it and taken a liking, so by all means please comment with your thoughts.

I am interested in both fresh and salt water fly fishing but am limitted by my gear at the moment. I have a 7wt rod topped off with 8lbs fluoro that I intened to use for a salt water set up.

So after a few days of practicing my cast spread across the last fortnight I decided the trip I already had planned to the yorks would be the perfect chance to wet a fly for the first time. The beach we were staying at has a low water level for about 150 meters so I put on a pair of waders and started covering some ground. I worked my fly in all sorts of spots of differing depths and structures but the fish were very thin. I recall only seeing one sizable fish but quite a bit of small bait jumping around at times. The afternoon tide was a bit dodge at this beach and as the sun started to go down so did my hopes. I was about to call it quits as I lost visibility but then one of my mates kindly offered to run and grab me a head torch so I decided to give it another few minutes... and luckly I did. After turning my light on and walking back out it was about 5 minutes before I got my first bite and I was hook up. After a short struggle and alot of splashing around I landed a small tommy roughly 15-20cm long. Not a monster but you always remember your first 😉.

I was a little surprised that I didnt see or catch more fish as I know its a quiet area that doesnt see to much pressure. I was hoping that some of you could offer me some advice or tips (e.g do people use burley?) for future trips, or even if someone would be keen to head out some time with the fly rods.

Keen to hear some feedback, Cheers,

H.

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Sorry Harrison22 but I don't know anything about fly fishing except only what I've seen on TV fishing shows.

Hope there is a few here that might be able to give help/advice for you.

I would think burley would help in the at least the sea to pull some fish towards you and would like your chance might improve.

But I look forward to hearing of your future sessions though.

Good luck :)

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Cheers for the reply Doobie, I have heard mixed reviews about burley (wont go to into pros and cons) but my initial thought would be that it wouldn't make it harder to catch fish at the least haha.

I'll definitly be trying to get out there again soon and hopefully next time have my phone handy for a sneaky pic.

Thanks again. 😁

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I use a 5wt for trout, and 8wt for salt. A 7 will be fine, you may find it hard to cast a heavy fly tho. Not sure if your using a tapered leader then tippet. - ( another leader) that might help with your casting. Snook is a good target to start off with. Abundant and agressive. Personally i would do a few lesson with an instructor. I have a number if you want it. Theres more to just casting. Line management etc.

Il meet you for a trout session in the hills if your keen. Got comfortable waders ? 

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2 hours ago, Hunter69 said:

Not sure if your using a tapered leader then tippet.

Cheers for the reply Hunter, Yeah I'm pretty sure it is tapered.

I have been getting lessons from a mates old man, he has been fly fishing most of his life and I feel he knows quite a lot.

Do you need to cast from a boat for snook? (I don't own my a boat myself but a close mate does so I might be able to work something out) 

No, I am actually in the market for some new waders. Any suggestions for a good buy?

For sure I would love to go for a fly some time. 

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1 hour ago, Hunter69 said:

From a low jetty youl have the opportunity for snook, Blue lines on a medium tide. Rocks/break water around metro ? 

How would casting go from that height tho? I dont think i have see a jetty low enough for that, any suggestions? And rocks I know a few good places but wouldnt that be hard with the line hitting the rocks?

Wow just looked them up, maybe a little out of my price range haha, any a bit cheaper that are still good?

Will do thanks mate.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Your a few years to late for me to help you . I was a crap fly tyer but my flies caught bream and salmon trout .. it took me two months to catch my first bream then better fly  fishers helped me . Me I went and went and went and just went totally using flies. I never fly fished in the fresh . But if you live near West lakes try every beach that you can fish at that's what I did . You need sinking line for sinking flies . Or if you find Whiting Popper flies you need a floating line . 

Good luck

Don't do any other Style of fishing when you fly fish and keep moving . And I was using a 6 wt .

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  • 9 months later...
On 31/01/2019 at 5:13 PM, Hunter69 said:

I use a 5wt for trout, and 8wt for salt. A 7 will be fine, you may find it hard to cast a heavy fly tho. Not sure if your using a tapered leader then tippet. - ( another leader) that might help with your casting. Snook is a good target to start off with. Abundant and agressive. Personally i would do a few lesson with an instructor. I have a number if you want it. Theres more to just casting. Line management etc.

Il meet you for a trout session in the hills if your keen. Got comfortable waders ? 

I am a young keen fly fisherman but am struggling to find anywhere in freshwater with decent fish in SA, what strategies do you use to find spots? Do you use google maps, ask farmers to go on private property? just curious as just returned from a once in a lifetime trip to New Zealand catching some 10 pound plus fish on fly. any information would be gladly appreciated. 

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