First time with the fly.
Robert from Oz
I'm thinking of taking my 10 year old son fishing with a fly for the first
time in the next week or so. (Been out quite a few times bait and lure
fishing with him. He prefers walking the bank chucking a lure and I think
he's ready to stalk some fish now.). Got the river picked out... a small
feeder stream about 10' wide, freestone with some large boulders (I'm sure
you know that river in your locale.). The stretch of river I have in mind is
just under a mile long, 5' water fall on the down stream side and the power
station outlet upstream. The water is Gin-clear so it's an extra thrill
seeing the fish take the fly. This little stretch holds wild trout!!! Hasn't
been stocked for about 15 odd years cos the powers down here see any species
of trout as varmin so they stopped stocking many streams to allow the native
species to thrive.... but the trout have become self sustaining much to the
dismay of the Fisheries Dept. Ha!!!!
I digress, sorry.
Anyway, my question to the group........
How did you introduce your son/ daughter/ better half/ friend to fly
fishing?
I'm thinking a beadhead nymph on an Adams indicator with about 10' of line.
Might even try putting the fly reel on his 5'6"spinning rod to make it
easier for him.
Any thoughts???
Rob.
Robert from Oz
David LaCourse
<exact...@optusnet.com.au> said:
> Anyway, my question to the group........
>
> How did you introduce your son/ daughter/ better half/ friend to fly
> fishing?
> I'm thinking a beadhead nymph on an Adams indicator with about 10' of line.
> Might even try putting the fly reel on his 5'6"spinning rod to make it
> easier for him.
>
> Any thoughts???
> .
This subject has been brought up numerous time in this nut house. I
have seen 10 year olds fly fishing and have helped a couple in my time.
Plus. I taught both of my older grandsons (when then were 13 and 14).
To me the most important thing was *make sure they catch fish.* I
introduced my grandsons to the wonderful sport on a fairly good size
river with lots of big brook trout and landlocked salmon.
We practiced casting on the lawn and from the dock/lake in front of the
cabin before getting on the river. While your son practices his
casting, you can practice your patience. You'll need patience and lots
of it. If you know the river, know what the fish are taking, your job
will be much easier. With half-assed casts both of them were taking
fish on dry flies. Before the week was over, they were casting as well
as me and catching lots of fish. They were hooked!
On additional trips to the river they learned line control and mending.
Mending was tough to learn for them, but they did get it. Both of
them have hooked and landed five pound brook trout on dry flies.
We enjoyed our summers together for many years, returning to the
original river and trips to Labrador and Idaho. However, once they
discovered girls, the fly rods stayed in their storage tubes. They are
now in their mid-20s and haven't fished since they graduated from high
school. <sigh>
Dave
DaveS
wrote:
Yes.
1. What Dave just said about catching fish right away.Definitly
important.
2. That fly reel on a short spin rod? That will not make it easier. It
is a formula for a disaster. Use a real fly rod. Pop for a low end
Cabelas and a real line.
3. Start him dappling a dry fly near that fall. Teasing the little
ones to visably take the fly. The point is to impress on the kid that
the fish really do eat insects.
4. Then switch to your beadhead nymph/Adams rig.
5. Show him, don't talk much. Im sure you know not to yell.
6. Put some light safety glasses on him and make sure all the hooks
are debarbed.
7. Bring the spin outfit. Don't be a purist . . . yet.
Good luck,
Dave
Wayne Harrison
"David LaCourse" <dplac...@aol.com> wrote
. However, once they
> discovered girls, the fly rods stayed in their storage tubes. They are
> now in their mid-20s and haven't fished since they graduated from high
> school. <sigh>
>
> lucky, as usual. sounds like the boys really have their priorities in
> order...
yfitons
wayno (now, about the emphasis on birth control...)
Bill Grey
"Robert from Oz" <exact...@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:4b36ad3a$0$3075$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
Good luck with your training of your son. I know the following doesn't
really answer your question, but I started fly fishing too long ago to
remember properly, but I know I was inspired by a book published here in the
UK - "Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing" . The book dealt with all soerts of fishing
including fly fishing. OK the book "told" me what to do, but the real
learning came with using a proper fly rod and fly line, then getting to know
what the rod/line combo was trying to do. I got to know the feel of things
and from then on I've always been able to cast a decent flyline.
To summarise, let him, after suitable basic instruction, get to know his rod
and line. I've always felt that you can't really teach someone to fly-fish
if they can't grasp the principles invoved.
Good luck and a Happy new year.
Bill in South Wales
Robert from Oz
"Bill Grey" <bill...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:eb6dnf1PyqPGvaTW...@bt.com...
Hi Bill,
> To summarise, let him, after suitable basic instruction, get to know his
> rod and line. I've always felt that you can't really teach someone to
> fly-fish if they can't grasp the principles involved.
...... so true!
Thanks.
Rob.
Robert from Oz
"DaveS" <sned...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:df00494b-38f5-4a72...@r5g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
Dave,
Thanks for the tips,
1. True
2. Will use a spare fly rod that I have.
3/4. Will do.
5. The "showing" technique is how he learnt to spin... I first showed him
with my spin rod and he was using his after the second cast! We fish to have
fun. At the moment we spend more time exploring, gathering fire wood,
building fires, throwing rocks, etc than fishing.
6. Didn't even think of this one... Thanks!
7. Always.
I had another thought as well, will try floating some real insects we can
catch down some little runs and watch them being taken... just to get the
juices flowing. It still works for me. Ha-ha.
All the best for the new year.
Rob.
Robert from Oz
"DaveS" <sned...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:df00494b-38f5-4a72...@r5g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
Robert from Oz
"David LaCourse" <dplac...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:2009122707512838165-dplacourse@aolcom...
Dave,
Thanks for your tips.
Hope your sons will be fishing next to you soon. Gee, how long can they more
interested in girls???
Tightlines.
Rob.
Giles
> ...I've always felt that you can't really teach someone to fly-fish
> if they can't grasp the principles invoved.
An interesting and provocative assertion, with which I happen to
agree.....provisionally. The trouble is that grasping, or
understanding (if you'll allow a paraphrase), the principles involved
is itself a pretty slippery concept. Does the autistic savant
understsand the principles of the instrument on which he or she
(actually, most of the examples I'm familiar with are males.....odd,
no?) makes music.....or of the music itself? I dunno. Did (does?)
the Sirens? The anglo-saxon scops? Arturo Toscanini?, Blind Lemon
Jefferson?, Jack the Dripper?, Richard Starkey?,
Frankendrippingbodyparts Reid? Well, at one level or another, yes,
indisputably.
I suspect that most of us, if not all, have, at one time or another,
known someone or other with an inexplicable understanding of one thing
or another. Someone with what can only be called an intuitive grasp
of something or other (it may or may not have been fly-fishing) that
he or she has no business understanding and that defies explication,
justification.....and understanding.
Then again, much as it pains us to admit it, we don't really "teach"
them much, do we?
giles
sorry, frank......um.....well, not really.....you know. :)
> Good luck and a Happy new year.
>
> Bill in South Wales
And may all the blessings and good things that can be accrued as a
result of the the best wishes of others fall upon your head and the
heads of those near and dear to you.
giles
in wauwatosa
Bill Grey
"Giles" <g_go...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:093ccfc5-23b3-4c17...@r24g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 28, 3:17 pm, "Bill Grey" <bill.g...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> ...I've always felt that you can't really teach someone to fly-fish
> if they can't grasp the principles invoved.
An interesting and provocative assertion, with which I happen to
agree.....provisionally. The trouble is that grasping, or
understanding (if you'll allow a paraphrase), the principles involved
is itself a pretty slippery concept.
In a nut shell - it would soon become apparent to anyone that it is
impossible to push a length of rope along the ground, but far easier and
more effective to pull a lenght of rope.. That is the basic concept IMHO.
Best wishes,
Bill