fieldwanderer

Today.... it happened my life is over.... it will now consist of tying flies, talking rubbish endlessly about fly fishing or either visiting waters or fishing them Anyway, the story starts maybe 25 years ago trying to catch the trout in a local river (in south wales) with maggots on a hook with no weights, float or anything much else, of course it didn't work but my "thing" was course fishing anyway so I wasn't too upset. I'd have been about 9 years old but soaked up all things fishing like a sponge so I already understood the principle of fly fishing. It's been burning away slowly, I've spent a while match fishing, tried sea fishing and, more recently, moved into carp fishing but still - fly fishing has always held a certain romance for me, especially after my father bought me a book by John Bailey called "travels with a two piece" years ago.With a little help from you guys. I've watched hundreds of videos and read a lot too and got out practising my casting a couple of times.Today was the day, off I went to Cleatham. Now, I'd been a week or so beforehand and the guy came across as such a miserable *ahem* that I found myself dreading approaching him for a second time. As I assembled my rod and got everything organised, I noticed my hands shaking! However, it seems I must have caught the owner on a bad day when I visited as now he was very approachable. I tucked myself away from other anglers as best I could and set to work. I tried every fly in my little collection (about 12 ) but drew a blank, the owner and another angler both gave me a fly that they thought would work but still no good despite me now being the last man standing. During the day, I'd missed three takes and my new plan was to move and use nothing but those three flies. I'd almost given up hope, I was on my last fly and there wasn't much in the way of fish rising. I made a reasonable cast, and squatted down to hide myself a little bit -I'd naturally started doing it on the first cast, probably after stalking carp with bits of floating bread. I still expected a couple more hours of fishing as the website said dusk is closing time. I was shaking again but this time because the cool wind had finally got the better of me and I started to consider packing up early.As I watched the little orange/brown fly on the surface, I noticed the owner walking down the bank towards me - my heart sank, I'd have liked to have caught just one, just because it would make my first time extra special. A nose appeared, a swirl, I struck and my first ever trout was hooked! And it was a nice little scrap, just how I would have wanted it to be.I struggled a little with my new net as I hadn't extended the handle enough but the owner netted the fish for me and I was quick to knock it on the head to be as humane as possible. Sadly, I didn't give myself a chance to notice that it was full of eggs but he didn't seem bothered by that, I assume normally they'd be returned in this case?So, I'm chuffed to bits with my first trout - a rainbow at just under 2lb. Sadly no photo's but a day I'll never forget.

Very grateful for this, thankyou I'll admit, I'm making progress very slowly with the casting but I have a book on the way so I'm hoping to be able to jog my memory - it's certainly a lot easier with an instructor talking you through it.......

Turns out last year's still has about a month to go been a good day really!

I'm almost all set! I just need a license but I'm leaving that as late as I can so I get every bit of use I possibly can out of it And some flies, I'll ask what's working at the fishery and buy a few there but any suggestions would be very welcome (dry flies please, I have a small selection of wet flies ready to go). Am I right in assuming all buzzers are wet flies, even the furry ones?

Placed my order, now the next question(s) is about etiquette.... I've been a coarse fisherman for more than 25yrs now and consider myself to be better mannered and more considerate than most so my behaviour itself shouldn't be a problem at all. It's a lack of understanding that may let me down - the only real example I have so far is cleaning your fish, is there an area and/or bins provided usually or should they be taken away whole and cleaned at home (dubious in summer if you ask me) or is there some other arangement? Any other practicalities you can think of?

I have a reel but I'm not sure what wt it's intended for so I'll give yours some thought, thankyou What I have in mind at the moment; Daiwa trout fly rod £35 on ebay 9' #6 but I could have a 9'6" #7 for the same price - wouldn't the lighter, shorter rod be more of an all rounder? #6 wf floating line and backing line £10. I'm not expecting miracles from it but it'll get me started (#7 if I go for a heavier rod?) Also a couple of packs of leaders and assorted flies £9 £55 in total if I use my reel, not bad I think. I can make a priest while it all comes through the post. I have course fishing nets that should work ok on a pond until I get a proper one. As always though, please say if you can see a better way

Thankyou, it'd be on ponds because that's about all there is nearby and I went a little heavy because the one fishery is a reservoir - it's closest to me out of the few available but I'd rather go to the smaller ponds. Tell me if that's the wrong approach though

Where to start....... A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a long (ish) casting lesson but a new job forced me to postpone taking the sport up but, I happened to handle a very cheap shakespeare rod the other day and have decided it's time I actually gave it a go but on a bit of a budget to start with. I've done a bit of reading up and shopping around and think I'm settled on a rod but wanted some opinions just to be sure. I'll then need a little bit of guidance about my first outing. For now though, much as I like the idea of little slow, crystal clear streams. There looks to be nothing but lakes nearby, one reservoir (toft newton) which doesn't really float my boat. Am I right in thinking a 9' #6 with wf6 floating line would be a good place to start? It's a medium-fast action apparently and I intend to start out with dry flies.

I moved over to steel from c&g last summer (cheap as I can, for pigeons) I've been using 5s for years now and decided to stick with that. They do seem bigger though - I vaguely remember reading that if you'd use lead 6s you'd want steel 5s for the same result..... Is that what c&g have done?

Thankyou, I'd looked at age uk and social services but hadn't even thought about the council!

I'm scratching my head a little bit here so wondered if any of you might know; My parents are in their 70's but an older neighbour keeps coming to them for help, my old man in particular will do anything he can for anyone so they're doing their best but it's well past the point where this old lady should be getting professional help / in a home. As far as anyone knows, she only has a daughter and she's (much to everyone's disgust) not interested at all! So, I'm trying to help several people here, is there any way I can report the situation and get someone out to help her without her family/doctor's say so?

You do know you have to cross her palm with silver, don't you? It's unlucky to be given a gun clever these ladies hey?

With the foxes, their chests are often wide open when I retrieve them but they don't drop stone dead on the spot like the .22/250 used to. I did try some other hornady which seemed to be an early version of vmax 129gr if I remember right. I was given a hundred or so but couldn't get a decent group with them. Have been considering a soft bullet for the deer though, maybe even barnes tsx it's just the time and expense of developing yet another load for the rifle that puts me off.

That's what I was about to say, the sort for getting tangles and clumps out Have ended up picking it out with a needle before though......

Think a .204, .223 etc and what I have would be as good as anything. To be honest, I'm not getting on as well with the .260 as when the rifle was a .22-250 - most of the foxes I've had with it have still struggled to get back up despite massive damage to the chest area yet the .22-250 dropped them much cleaner on the spot (hornady eld-x and sst). I've only had one roe with it so far, with berger vld hunting but expansion was next to non-existant and I had to take a follow up (first shot must've missed the heart by about an inch and the second found it's mark, both exit holes under 1/2"). I suppose the question really is do I change cal. or keep looking for a bullet that I'm happier with in the .260?