Buzzer Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 I think that I might go and do a spot of fly fishing this weekend if the weather keeps up. Going to use an intermediate line as I need a new dry line. Thinking of getting me a Cortland 444 as they are supposed to be the dogs (bits) Have any of you fly fishing chaps got any better suggestions for a dry line? or is Cortland the best. All the best Buzzer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
columbus Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 Buzzer its been a few years now since i bought a fly line but at that time cortland were the dogs dodaas. I dont think you can get a better fly line. But with the nights being as cold as they are i would go for a sink tip or an intermediate fished very slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 I have never been that concerned about the "name" on my fly lines. I have used all sorts, at all prices, over the years and couldn,t honestly say that I,ve noticed much difference between them. Taking columbus,s point about cold nights, it might be worth going mid to late afternoon, when the water is at its warmest. I would also fish something small and black, near to the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean johnston Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 Hi buzzer.The cortland lines are superb,i use the cortland lazer lines and i personally can tell the difference between a mill end and a quality line.You can't go wrong with the cortland lines.I use a weight forward 6 on the lakes and tarns and a double taper 7 for salmon and sea trout fishing on the river.We should have a run of sea trout in about 8 weeks time so i will be doing a bit of rainbow trout fishing untill they arrive. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 Buzzer, give Greys lines a try. I have used cortlands and have few complaints, but last year I switched to Greys and they are superb, smooth casting and stand abuse. I use a wf 6 for general fishing, wf 8 for big waters. I do still have a 444 on my little 7 ft 4 weight river/brook rod all of my lines are floaters, but I'm in search of a fast sinker for the 8 weight and a intermediate for the 6, any suggestions welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
columbus Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 One thought! a lot of people say they fish fly. When in fact they are spinning with a fly rod. Anyone who puts on a sinking shooting head sticks a cats whiskers,etc on the end,casts for the horizon, and procedes to pull the line back as fast as they can,can in no way claim to be imatating a fly.They are spinning with a fly rod. I am not saying that its wrong i am only saying that they are fooling themselves. They are not learning anything about fishing they may learn how to catch stocked fish,but that is not what fishing is about. With the prices that they charge on these stock ponds as every put and take fishery is, They run it as a money making exercice,they have a markup on every pound of fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 Dead true columbus, you can't beat fooling a wild trout with a well tied immitation of what they are feeding on. These days I can hardly even be bothered with fishing nymphs, much prefer the visual approach of dry fly. Certain days though obviously I have to fish nymphs, but last season i had three times more fish on dry flies as I did nymphs. Unfortunetly the rise of flies such as the fritz and cats whiskers has allowed the rise of the instant trout angler, though the majority of these anglers do tend to stick to over stocked fisheries which isn't a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 I agree that there is a great deal of satisfaction in catching a wild fish, on a fly. But, I think that feathered lures, nymphs, dry and wet flies are all weapons in the pursuit of "fish". Whether those "fish" are stocked rainbows, wild browns ,sea trout, pollack, bass or thin lipped mullet etc. There is an appropriate method for each "fish". I enjoy them all, just some better than others. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted March 21, 2003 Report Share Posted March 21, 2003 I agree with Cranfield, I have certainly done enough stocky bashing in the past and will in the future, but personally I am much happier catching wild fish or at least over wintered fish. Its what the individual is happy with, but personally I'm not happy pulling lures all day long its to much like hard work, when the trout are tuned into naturals its also futile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean johnston Posted March 21, 2003 Report Share Posted March 21, 2003 Got to agree that lure fishing is hard work, but at the begining of the season when the temperature is low you do need to fish deep and slow and sometimes lures are the only thing that will catch fish.I much prefer to fish small buzzers and CDC's close to the top when the weather warms up. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
columbus Posted March 21, 2003 Report Share Posted March 21, 2003 Sean i know that the water is cold and fish bieing cold blooded dont move about much, but they still feed on natural food. Ask NTTF where he breaks the ice to fish. So you can still fish a natural imatation and catch fish. Course if you wish to spin thats up to you and good luck to you. If you are paying 20 to 30 pound a day i suppose you want to go home with something to show for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted March 21, 2003 Report Share Posted March 21, 2003 Last year I was catching Rainbows on dry flies in february, in fact dry flies were my first choice on any water last year from then on. Lots of trout anglers go with the fish deep and slow approach, but on occasions I feel theory from angling litreture is influencing the decision, it is not always the way to go as I have found out on many occasions. Last year I fished a small syndicate water which has a good head of over wintered browns and rainbows ( catch and release in force ). During June/July many people struggled to catch on nymphs fished deep when I was averaging up to a dozen per evening on dry flies. Apparently the water was too warm, it wasn't it was merely the trout were looking at nothing but tiny buzzers, and pond olives on the surface. It was a bit hard trying to explain the fish were catchable to other anglers until the owner came and watched me hammer them one evening including a fine cock brownie that had baffled many anglers on many occasions over the past couple of years. It only weighed 2 1/2 lbs, but a finer trout you couldn't wish to see. It took a size 18 black midge with cdc wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean johnston Posted March 21, 2003 Report Share Posted March 21, 2003 I am not saying fish can't be caught on the surface when the weather is cool as i have caught them myself but i tend to catch more when the weather is cool by fishing an intermediate line and phrehaps a montana nymph.I don't fish the big lures like dog nobblers etc as they are hard work.Oh and columbus i dont think you can class using lures on a fly rod as spinning. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzer Posted March 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 Im of to do a spot of flicking tomorrow, and yes I am going under the surface with somthing I made up last night. I do perfer to fish the top with drys and like you Supergame seem to catch more fish on top. You just have to pay attention to what the fish are coming up for and as they say......Match the hatch Tight lines Buzzer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 22, 2003 Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 I agree, you have to be careful not to be too influenced by "perceived wisdom". The best thing about fly fishing is, that its so proactive. Which means you can try different lines and methods throughout a session. I nearly always make up two outfits to start with. One will be floating line and one, slow sinking line. I,ve fished a few waters where the local "perceived wisdom", has been proved wrong. You turn up, the chap at the Lodge tells you they never take anything "on the top until June". So, nobody fishes on the top until June. The "perceived wisdom", become a "self fulfilling prophecy". Fishing is full of examples of this phenomena. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergame Posted March 22, 2003 Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 Sean I ceratainly wasn't aiming my previous post at you fella, no offense intended. I was merely carrying on the topic. During the early season if the fish are not up near the top i will opt for a damsel or montana. This season I'm waiting a little longer before starting to hammer the trout, probably because I'm to busy shooting pigeons, though I am getting the urge to have a flick very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzer Posted March 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2003 Thought that I would let you chaps know how the fishing went last Sunday... After tackleing up with a pale hares ear I walked down to the lakes edge, couldnt see in the water due to it rippling with the slight breeze so I flicked out blind, as I started a slow figure 8 retrieve a 4lb rainbow fell to the hares ear. So after that I tied on the fly that I made after a few casts one more rainbow was on the bank of just over 3lb so I had to go and buy another two fish ticket!!! This time I thought that I would try a single silver stoat with in 10 mins another 3lb rainbow was put in to the bass bag!!! 1 more to get ... this time I used a diawl bach with a touch of geen in, this time 20 mins later a 4lb 8oz was playing like a good'n' but he never got away!!! They were all caught on a WF6 intermediate line Going again this sunday to a differant lake, hope it wont be to easy this time!! any one else started yet? Tight lines Buzzer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain dead Posted March 28, 2003 Report Share Posted March 28, 2003 never tried fly fishing before but would like to give it ago some time. just wondered if any1 went to the nec fishing show or if anyone is going? Friend Redstagg iss taking me on Sunday for first time :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 28, 2003 Report Share Posted March 28, 2003 Buzzer, were you fishing the stock ponds ? They certainly appeared to be feeding well. Its always nice to get a few fish early in the season, does wonders for the confidence. :unsure: brain dead, as I have already posted elsewhere, on the subject of the Go Fishing Show at the NEC, I have been before and didn,t enjoy it. Don,t forget to let us know what you thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzer Posted March 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2003 No I wasnt fishing the stock ponds Cranfield just as well had been, to easy there !!! All the best Buzzer :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain dead Posted March 28, 2003 Report Share Posted March 28, 2003 not sure what i will think off it but as i get in free at the mo i may as well see what its like before i have to pay for it!! :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean johnston Posted March 29, 2003 Report Share Posted March 29, 2003 A few of us are going to kentmere tarn a week on monday,it is supposed to be fishing really well at the moment.Had a few hours at the vice this afternoon tying some gold head hares ear's' and some buzzers.I am really looking forward to it,i will let you know how we get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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