I’m thinking I’m gonna get a 8wt 9ft setup. What line floating, not floating, color and anything else I should know about would be great.
This should be good.
I honestly cannot tell the difference between brands within a given price class. In the SC lowcountry, due to frequent fights with wind, I’d definitely use a weight forward line. I’d also use a floating line as fishing the high grass flats with a sinking line would be impossible. To get the fly to go a few feet down sometimes, I add a sinking leader. I can’t tell that color matters. I’m sure others will disagree.
The more significant factor for me with line performance is keeping it clean. After a day of fishing, pull the entire line back and forth through a wet paper towel a few times. Then, hit it with some line dressing every few cleanings. Keeps the line sliding nicely through the guides.
17’ Henry O Hornet w/ Johnson 88 spl
26’ Palmer Scott project hull
14’ Bentz-Craft w/ Yamaha 25
Personally I like 9 wt and I always overload the line so I use a 10 wt line. Floating, intermediate,’or sinking( casting from boat to shore) the critical thing is learn to cast as to hold your false cast to no more than one or two.
I have 3 9wt rods. My Sage Xi3 is a rocket. Loomis CrossCurrent GLX a little softer but the ferrules drive me crazy. I have to remind myself to check them or the darn tip or midsection comes apart. Older rod but this shouldn’t happen. I also bought a Scott Tidal as a backup but haven’t fished it much. Not the rocket the other two are. Whatever you can afford really. The fish don’t know or care.
2015 201 Bay Scout
150 Yamaha
Thanks a lot this is the type of input I was hoping for. From the newb perspective there were a lot of little things I was reading about but none were specific to our area. I plan to fish for pretty much everything from trout to bonnet heads and everywhere from the freshwater to the flats and beach.
How long should my leader be and what types should I use. Any brand recommendations or brands to stay away from would be helpful as well.
I plan to learn to cast in a field without a hook so I don’t get hung or hook my self till I feel more natural with my motions and then move to pond fish and creek fish. I’m definetly not going straight to the flat or beach. I can usually find fish on the flats or in the grass but I very rarely catch them.
If you haven’t yet, read my reply to your rod selection inquiry first. The line should compliment the rod being used.
I’m in agreement with both Palmerscott & Flat Fly n. I have several lines in various weights for various rods, and frankly see little difference for the use I give them. Color doesn’t matter to me, as long as I can see the line when I need to see it.
There are “specialty” lines, and a range of prices, with some being quite costly. It’s highly doubtful at this point being new to fly fishing you would benefit from such lines.
With that said, still select a WF for floating and a taper suited for the type & size of the flies you expect to be using. That means a “trout” (freshwater) line or general purpose line is not what you want if you’re fishing for Redfish or similar coastal species. I have Tarpon, Bass, Salmon taper & other lines & see little difference for my use. The Tarpon line is a better line for casting longer distances, but I don’t do that a lot. These are all specific purpose lines, but each purpose is similar enough, ie: casting larger size flies generally 50 ft or farther, and in less than ideal conditions, which for the coast is dealing with wind, so that I can use any of these lines interchangeably for my fishing.
Plus, I have different brands among them & don’t see any difference in how they cast.
What Palmerscott said is extremely important, keep your line clean. A clean line will cast 100% better than a dirty line and if the line maker recommends a specific dressing, then use it.
Practice what Flat Fly n mentioned too. You will have to learn false casting to learn basic casting, but as much as you can, work on casting with as few false casts as possible, and one or two is best if you can do it. This will not be like casting a dry fly to rising trout that you read about. A lot of time the fish you target will be moving & quickly & if you have to false cast a lot to get the distance needed, those fish will be gone before you even make the cast. Also work on you
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Learn to double haul. You will need it for the wind and it will minimize your false casts
“Ships and Sailors Rot in Port”- Admiral Nelson
Thanks a lot.
My first stop would be to Lowcountry Fly Shop and talk to one of the guys there. They can help get your cast started and help with a good line to rod match. When I was getting started I got a cheaper Echo Ion XL with Rio Redfish Summer 8wt line and it really helped me develop a descent cast.
East Cape EVOx
general class of lines will be rio, scientific angler, wulff, couple others in WF floating packaged specifically for redfish or flats fishing. some of these are more specifically for warm water, which we dont have all the time, so keep that in mind.
to narrow down any more than that w/out trying them on a rod is very hard. like bigjim said, ideally youd cast each line/wt/price pt. on your rod w/ your stroke and you could tell easily what you like best. I’ve been doing this for 3 or 4 years and i still couldnt tell you if the lines i have on my rods are great or so-so b/c i have nothing to compare to.
bottom line–best info is personal experience; second best is experience of others you trust; third best is what’s on the package coupled with common sense.
quote:
Originally posted by 40inchredsI plan to learn to cast in a field without a hook so I don’t get hung or hook my self till I feel more natural with my motions and then move to pond fish and creek fish. I’m definetly not going straight to the flat or beach. I can usually find fish on the flats or in the grass but I very rarely catch them.
Take a class. CA has done them in the past, but I don’t know if they still do or not. Its a lot easier to learn a technique correctly once. Its more difficult to unlearn bad habits that you teach yourself when trying to figure it out on your own.
“Another poon dream splintered on the rocks of reality.” --Peepod 07-25-2017
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Agree with 23 100% on this. Look in upcoming events forum, has a whole list of dates for classes. Or, find someone that knows what they’re doing to help you.
Ya know, it must be nice living in Neverneverland. Remind me to come visit you, when I need a break from reality.