Fly Fishing - Help a brotha out?

[dboyd101]

Hey guys,

I have had a fly rod for about 3 years now and still have the line on that I started with. I need some advice on good fly line and leader that will help me nail some slob bows in the slamapo/pequannock/wanaque.

Any advice on what I should be using? I'm not particular on tapers, I just don't even know where to start since all the sites I look at online are pompous trout fishers that don't like to share even the basics - lol...

Thanks in advance for the help!!

-Dave

[Wilson]

Hey guys,

I have had a fly rod for about 3 years now and still have the line on that I started with. I need some advice on good fly line and leader that will help me nail some slob bows in the slamapo/pequannock/wanaque.

Any advice on what I should be using? I'm not particular on tapers, I just don't even know where to start since all the sites I look at online are pompous trout fishers that don't like to share even the basics - lol...

Thanks in advance for the help!!

-Dave

That's why I only fish spin stuff...much more friendly;)
I suggest you PM Leif on this site. He'S into fly fishing among his many other interests.

[Capt. Lou]

Hey guys,

I have had a fly rod for about 3 years now and still have the line on that I started with. I need some advice on good fly line and leader that will help me nail some slob bows in the slamapo/pequannock/wanaque.

Any advice on what I should be using? I'm not particular on tapers, I just don't even know where to start since all the sites I look at online are pompous trout fishers that don't like to share even the basics - lol...

Thanks in advance for the help!!

-Dave

First off what weight is your fly rod? What type line do you have on reel now,albeit a sinker , floater DT WF ?
The basic fly outfit that I have used for the better part of 50 seasons consisits odf a 4 or5 weight rod 7' to 7.6 with a matching DT float & a sink tip line.
This outfit will suffic in 95% of our local trout streams as you described. Ld length is 4ft for UW, 7.5 to 9.0 for top or streamers.
If you drift nymphs under any type of float system I usually go with a 7.5 leader add tippet as required!
Most streams very small in our area casting is limited in scope to lift & drift.
If your local to a TU group go to a meeting or two plenty of help will be availabel I'm sure.
What I've described above is the basic system I've used successfully others may go another route.

Good luck!!

[surfrod]

most trout fly anglers get too complicated for NJ... as Capt Lou states
"Most streams very small in our area casting is limited in scope to lift & drift."

If you have a basic setup, you may have a Weight Forward N Floating line, such as WF5F or you might have a double taper like Capt Lou. Both are fine for everything except the deepest hole/fast current situations where a sink tip would help.

Get some tapered leaders, as Capt Lou said, 7' or so, with a 4x end. 4x is ok for streamers but you will want to go smaller for nymphs or dries, so get some 6x tippet. Around here that should do.

Get an assortment of Caddis, dries, wets, nymphs, some woolly buggers of various types, with and without bead heads. And some basic streamers, like mickey finns, black ghost or other feather streamers in trout sizes.

You'll do fine... get out and fish ! :D

[Ely]

One more thought on the matter just to complicate things a little further. Consider going 1 line weight heavier than your setup. So if you're fishing a 5 wt, go with a no. 6 line. Today's rods tend to be a little stiff and going heavier will help the rod load properly. It's made a tremendous difference for my casting both in distance and accuracy.

[calbo]

I fish a 5-weight double-taper flosting line. I've found this can handle most situations in our area and can fish drys, nympths and streamers/buggers. I'll add a couple of small split-shot when I need some depth - and for winter/colder months fishing if I want to stay deep I use removable sinking tips. Used to carry an extra spool with sinking line or sinking tip line, but found the removable tips more convenient - and a lot cheaper than buying extra spools. You can pick ups sink-tip kits (Effingers or on-line at Ovis or Cabela's) with different sink rates for less than $20 vs. $75-150 for a spare spool.

[Tony Cav]

Hey guys,

I have had a fly rod for about 3 years now and still have the line on that I started with. I need some advice on good fly line and leader that will help me nail some slob bows in the slamapo/pequannock/wanaque.

Any advice on what I should be using? I'm not particular on tapers, I just don't even know where to start since all the sites I look at online are pompous trout fishers that don't like to share even the basics - lol...

Thanks in advance for the help!!

-Dave

Go fishing, watch others, ask questions, talk to other fisherman, read magazines. It will take time.

[dboyd101]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the help. Trust me, Tony, definitely have put the time in ;)

[gypsy]

Listen, and follow advice, bad habits are hard to break. Go with a weight foward line, floating being you will be stream fishing most of the time, learn to roll cast, watch you tube, too many trees along brooks in NJ to have a backcast, if nympthing cast upstream and let it drift back to you, use a strike indicator, watch indicator if it stops or goes against current lift rod fish on lol, don't set hook like you would with spinning tackle, add enough weight to tic bottom once in a while, if fishing streamers or wet flies cast down and across, let fly swing with current, then twitch back to yourself. A hot streamer is the white marabou with just a little red for gills (hint) my favorite streamer, killer in streams and round valley from shore. Also learn the blood knot, if your leader breaks or gets too short, tie in a piece of tippet material, but you must taper it down, 6 lb, then 4 lb, then 3 lb, this way you don't have to keep buying leaders. Ask and people will help on this site

[dboyd101]

Thanks, Gypsy - the input is much appreciated!

The streams are tight and filled with branches around here, but I think I've gotten the roll down pretty good.. thanks again for the tips :)

[surfrod]

don't forget a bow and arrow cast for a very tight spot if you see fish working under overhangs.

it works just like it sounds and ... it works :D

[dboyd101]

Very interesting! I actually showed my guide in Aruba a slingshot type cast to get under docks... etc. Sounds very similar! I'll be giving that one a shot, that's for sure.

Thanks for sharing! :)

[surfrod]

slingshot is probably a better name for it anyway :)

I'm sure you were doing the same thing... just a reminder that it's *very* useful on brushy NJ streams.

[Tony Cav]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the help. Trust me, Tony, definitely have put the time in ;)


3 years?........That's a start no doubt........

[flatcreek]

Oh yea, don't stand in the middle of the hole I think it makes some guys angry.

[dboyd101]

Yeah - I'm there to catch not scare th3m Away!!

[Capt. Lou]

One more thought on the matter just to complicate things a little further. Consider going 1 line weight heavier than your setup. So if you're fishing a 5 wt, go with a no. 6 line. Today's rods tend to be a little stiff and going heavier will help the rod load properly. It's made a tremendous difference for my casting both in distance and accuracy.

I've found that if you have to upload a light weight fly rod to make it perform better, then the rod you chose might not not be suitable to your use. The faster tapers belong on the upper DE & out west, soft parabloic taperd are the way to go in our region. If the rod is marked a five the action should be semi paraboic & load properly with designated line if it's a five then it should not perform better with a six! Most std fives should cast very easily out to 50' or so with a # 5 line agsin most casts are well under this distance. It's more important that the rod load & cast accurately with ease close in then farther out. If it's not doing this then it's not what your looking for to fish local!