My First Fly Fishing Trip

[BamaFan]

I headed to the river this afternoon determined to catch my first fish on a fly rod! I’ve been practicing my fly casting in the yard and at the park. The winds today were supposed to be light and it looked like it would be a perfect opportunity. I have a 5/6 weight setup and used 8lb Yozuri Hybrid for the leader. I started with a small Chartruese Popper and stuck with that fly all afternoon. I know my casting was anything but good and I wasn’t using a fly that I tied myself, but I had a blast. I see why everyone says fly fishing is addictive. I ended the day with 19 panfish and the 2 smallest bass I’ve ever caught. I did use spinning and casting gear during the afternoon and caught 2 nice spotted bass and one gar, but catching the panfish on the fly rod was so much more fun than catching the bigger bass on regular tackle! I can’t wait to use the fly rod at the Cahaba River later this month.

My first fish on the fly and some other fly rod fish from the trip.

[flyfisher]

Nice job!!

I love catching some sunnies on the fly rod. There are times i take the 3wt along just for those slow times because they are always eager to cooperate

[airbornemike]

And that my friend is exactly how most of us started with a fly rod, very nice

[vakayakangler]

I love fly fishing, regardless of what I'm catching.

[flflash]

Fun stuff I very seldom go out on the water without a flyrod. Pretty soon the Bream will be getting up on the beds and it's non stop action....I'll have to admit sometimes the serious Bass fishing gets pushed to the side but then there's always that 3-4lb bass that will sneak up and sip in your little popper Now Thats FUN!

[BamaFan]

Fun stuff I very seldom go out on the water without a flyrod. Pretty soon the Bream will be getting up on the beds and it's non stop action....I'll have to admit sometimes the serious Bass fishing gets pushed to the side but then there's always that 3-4lb bass that will sneak up and sip in your little popper Now Thats FUN!

I learned quickly that having too much gear in kayak was a big pain. I had 3 other rods and a net. I couldn't put them in the rod holders because they would be way too easy to snag. I was really hoping a 2-3lb Spotted Bass would nail that little popper. That's the main reason I was using an 8lb leader. I can't imagine trying to land a 3lb hard fighting spot in the current on a fly rod. The bass at the Cahaba pull extremely hard and grow BIG. I'm so anxious to try and catch one of those.

Is a bigger popper what I should cast for bigger bass or do I need a sinking type of fly? Is it hard to detect the bite on a Wooly Booger or Clouser type fly when fishing in current?

[oubassman]

congrats on the first fly trip. I think you did ok

[Steelyak]

Awesome, popper fishing is hands down my favorite type of fishing.
I love catching bluegill on the flyrod.........except when they are SO small that I pick them up on my backcast and they go flying by my head!

[vakayakangler]

Awesome, popper fishing is hands down my favorite type of fishing.
I love catching bluegill on the flyrod.........except when they are SO small that I pick them up on my backcast and they go flying by my head!

I have done that too.... even done it with a rainbow, in the smokey mountains.

[nitroceciljr]

Well this gives me some more confidence lol.. I have a new fly rod that I go for Christmas “from cobra”

I need to go try it! But it looks like a pain in the butt . Have always wanted to learn how to do it … Congrats on the success!