Home Forums Fishing Flyfishing How did you learn flyfishing?

Catching chubs for catfish bait....

Check to see if there are any fly fishing clubs in your local area. In my experience the club members are enthusiastic to help a new member in their ranks. YMMV but there were more offers from members to take me fishing than I had time to fish. Welcome to fly fishing. Best wishes.

I'm much like you in that I have fished since I was very young but wanted to try flyfishing. I fish for sunfish a lot and fly fishing lends itself to that very well. I bought a used cheap reel and a cheap 8' 5wt rod about 5 or 6 years ago and went to town. It came pretty easy for basic casting and roll casts but when I wanted to learn more I went to youtube. I would like to take a class and one day I probably will. I have more trouble mending line in steep mountain streams than casting.

I would suggest you look at some introductory lessons. Good places to look would be at local orvis outlets, community college adult Ed classes, YMCA , etc. as someone said a basic course will get you off on the right foot and like golf its best if you don't have to do unlearn bad habits.
I would also suggest buying a decent matched outfit from someplace like Cabelas , LL Bean, Orvis, reddington et al. These run about $120 for a 81/2 or. 9 ft 5wt or 6 wt and will get you a good outfit to learn on . Even if you upgrade later these will be good outfits to keep handy in your car trunk , truck or cabin.
I have a friend that hosts a lot of dove and deer hunts , and recently he hosted a intoductory fly class at his farm give by a local pro. He didn't have a rod so I ordered him a 6wt outfit from LL Bean as a thank you for all the invites and it turned out to be a nice outfit.

My 72nd birthday is coming up in a few weeks; still learning. Just caught my first fish on a fly in June: 24" rainbow trout!

That is a heck of a start!

I'll say that is a heck of a start.. Hope it gets better..

Come on out to Montana and I will give you free instruction. It is too complex to figure out on your own...

There is a most excellent fly fishing forum here:
http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/
...with separate forums for virtually every aspect of fly fishing. A very likable bunch.

Fished for a few weeks with a friend who has a home in Utah, this past June/July. He has many years of fly fishing experience, so was a terrific guide and mentor.

My biggest fish, so far, on a fly: 26" carp that took over 1/2 hour to bring to net, on a 5wt.




Very good casting clinic. Scroll down to middle of page; click on video links.
file:///C:/Users/andy/Downloads/JOAN%20WOLF%20R.L.%20Winston%20Rod%20Co.%20_%20Video%20_%20Instructional%20Videos%20(1).htm

Yikes, those flyrods are not made to hold the shaft like that with a fish on. You are lucky your rod didn't shatter where you were holding it with your right hand...

And graphite in your hand sucks. Stop that.

Yeah, I get that a lot from that photo. Truly a tribute to a very early Orvis 2-pc graphite 5wt.

A buddy of mine who kills em every time we go out, which has been one too many years now. He also got me going on bamboo rods and now my favorite set up is a cane 8.5-ft 5 or 6-wt. I always tell people who are starting that in order of importance it's the line, rod and then the reel. Get good line as you will never learn to cast with cheap crappy stuff. Cortland 444 double taper is my go to line, but Scientific Angler makes a decent low end line for around 25-bucks. Get a rod that works, one with enough backbone to throw the line, and use any old reel for starting. Remember, all the reel does is hold your line. I like the older American made Pflugers, preferably the 1494 1/2. Best of luck.

Self taught since 1974. Been tying flies since then too. Most addictive past time I have found although wing-shooting is a close second.

I was living in Newfoundland at the time, walking distance to some fun brook trout streams and a really cool pond. Actually had a small creek across the road from school. Was easy to be late for classes but the principle always knew where to find us! Could bike to a decent salmon river a few miles from home.

I spent many hours casting to very cooperative brookies and the odd salmon felt sorry enough for me that I kept at it. It is now the only way I fish, with only flies I have tied, not to elite but because it is a blast!