old f--ts with flyrods

[rgfixit]

Fished a bit after work this morning. Used my little spinning rod. Caught a few crappies and gills. Scratched the itch any way…even though it was raining.

I’ll be back out with a fly rod tomorrow. Might take the 10’ 6 wt this time and toss some bigger bass flies.

[oatkasut]

Good luck with the 6 wt. I just acquired a Battenkill reel with 3wt. line on it, so light I can't believe it. I am going to use it with my 3wt. bamboo 6.5 ft. rod Sat. early for some brown trout tossing small dry flies, like griffith's gnat, BWO,  little sulfur, and caddis size 16 and smaller. Getting in practice for the tricos;can't wait.In around 3weeks or less.

[rgfixit]

The boo is the last rod I’ll fish. South Bend #59.  A lot of love there. I actually have 2. One is a salmon rod gifted to me that I just can’t bring myself to fish. A dying friend gave it to me. I would have preferred it stayed with his family but he said none of them would understand. It was his Grandfather’s. It’s an H. Leonard 10’ 3 piece. Probably a 9 wt. Heavy as sin. He said they’d just sell it.

I really should put a line on it and go catch a carp in his memory.

[lowaccord66]

Good luck with the 6 wt. I just acquired a Battenkill reel with 3wt. line on it, so light I can't believe it. I am going to use it with my 3wt. bamboo 6.5 ft. rod Sat. early for some brown trout tossing small dry flies, like griffith's gnat, BWO,  little sulfur, and caddis size 16 and smaller. Getting in practice for the tricos;can't wait.In around 3weeks or less.

Trico season elludes me....

[myemmy]

shopping a little for butt extensions the mud hole has some nice ones.

[rgfixit]

I quit dealing with mud hole when I ordered $5 worth of line guides and it cost $12 to ship it. Try Janns Netcraft.

[SeanP]

I use to buy from Hook and Hackle Company in the past with good results...

SeanP

[rgfixit]

Fly Shack has them as well. My go to store.

[62 & Done]

I keep making a mess in my line on top of my strike indicator. (The little football type) Will a braided leader indicator reduce some of that ?  I just bought some of those adhesive dots, but I think the results will be the same,
  I know I'm not a great caster yet, just trying to bet some of the issues.

[oatkasut]

I use to use the strike indicator putty but  but have learned to fish without an indicator with improved results. You might try the putty if it still is available since you can control the size of the indicator. It worked fine. Good luck.

[rgfixit]

If you’re using the furled leader. Coat it with payette paste. It’ll float. The tippet can float or sink. Trick is to see the hit watching the for the line to move. It’s an experience thing I guess. At this point I can sort of sense when there’s a hit……or not. It’s not a science. It’s a feel. Different from seeing the rod tip jump using bait or the heavy feel of a bite casting a lure.

Sometimes the line just stops moving as you retrieve it. Other times they smash it.

Give it time. Take your time. Don’t set it too fast. Just lift the rod or  It’ll end up hooking your ear or tangled around the rod and you.

[62 & Done]

Haven't hooked my ear yet

[rgfixit]

I usually wear a big straw hat.

[lowaccord66]

I keep making a mess in my line on top of my strike indicator. (The little football type) Will a braided leader indicator reduce some of that ?  I just bought some of those adhesive dots, but I think the results will be the same,
  I know I'm not a great caster yet, just trying to bet some of the issues.

An airlock indicator may help.  The adhesive indicators are kinda a pain and leave adhesive on your leader.

Floating the sighter or in this case a furled leader is a good idea, especially in shallow water where the splat of an indicator will spook fish. 

When I was a kid id practice my cast in the yard.  Just fly line, leader, no fly.  Might be worth giving that a shot with an indicator on. 

[rgfixit]

We keep on learning  as we go..
That’s fly fishing