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Bluegill Fly Rodders

If you love to nail a big bluegill or shellcracker on a fly rod, this is your group.

Members: 305
Latest Activity: Jun 29, 2020

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Good fly rods for kid beginners? 9 Replies

Started by JBplusThuy. Last reply by Ray Ditzenberger Mar 1, 2018.

Recent move from FL to MD 2 Replies

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Blue Gill Antics That You have Experienced 18 Replies

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Comment by chris on May 19, 2012 at 8:19am

Thanks Leo.again you are a welth of information.

I have been watching youtube. I think this is how I got the bug for trying fly fishing.

Comment by Leo Nguyen on May 18, 2012 at 4:55pm

Been there Chris. Been there. There are quite a bit of opinions on what to start out with from the flyrodding masters here, but here's my $0.02. I started out with heavy weight flyrodding when I was a kid. Heavy enough to wrestle with a shark, so to speak. However, once I found the impressive market of flyrods in the U.S. as I visited the local sport store for the first time, my eyes glistened. Talked to various veteran flyrodders out there, they suggested beginners to stick with the 5/6wt setup. So, I spent my hard earned highschool cash on 5/6wt combo by Shakespear back in 1990, roughly 7' in length, beside the bamboo rod that I received from my uncle which he got from the local flea market, which was a 10'. Let just say, these rods have been provided me years of fun and experiences. So, to answer your questions:

 

1. 5/6wt. Can put up major abuses and tolerance if  you have those Herculean arms that don't know how to be gentle with ultralight lines.

 

2. Tapered line, such as the main fly line, go from the larger diameter to a smaller diameter near the beginning to the end of the line. An example is, I like to use Float Weight Forward line, which has a short segment of a smaller diameter a the beginning, then it becomes large for a nice long stretch. Near the end of the line, it becomes small again like the beginning for a short length. The tapered line allows you to select the type of kenetic energy to throw your line during a false cast. The lesson for false cast can be found all over YouTube as you learn how to cast your line.

 

3. The leader, or tippet, that tie directly onto the main fly leader, you can use either Orvis tippet knot, blood knot, or surgeon knot. For me, I don't use tippet. Rather, I go cheap by using just the regular flourocarbon lines, 4 to 6lbs test, and use the blood knot.

 

4. Rather than a book, go to YouTube to learn visually for casting and tying. A picture worth a thousand words. A short film segment worth a book in info. I wished I had someone to teach me when I was young, or at least, YouTube. Everything was self taught and learned.

Comment by chris on May 18, 2012 at 4:06pm

I have some questions hopefuly you all can answer.

I have never tryed fly fishing, I have fished with a fly rod. I just put my spin casting reel on it and used it like a regular rod.

Today while in the sporting goods section of wallie world I looked at the 3 different fly rods they have there.

all of them were 5/6 wt. rods with tapered line.

now for my questions.

1, what wt. rod should a beginner start with ?

2, what is tapered line ?

3, How do you tie a leader to the plastic orange line that comes with the rod and reel ?

4, is there a book you would suggest to help me learn ?

TIA looking forward to any and all replys.

Comment by John Sheehan on May 16, 2012 at 1:08pm

Ah I see! Brilliant!

 

Comment by Leo Nguyen on May 16, 2012 at 12:53pm

Yep. Pine Rosin. Melt it down, mix it up with veggie oil, stick it on the hook then stick it onto a critter, and voila. Instant local insect living fly. Muahahahaha.

Comment by John Sheehan on May 16, 2012 at 12:49pm

Rosin?

Comment by Leo Nguyen on May 16, 2012 at 12:37pm

I need to do the same with my bike cam. Need to rig it up so I can record the fly casting with live crickets and worms using the rosin. Perfect for sticking local insects that you find laying around.

Comment by John Sheehan on May 16, 2012 at 12:33pm

Gotta rig  a Hat camera  up, as wading with a flyrod/Catching Gills and picture taking  was too much all ayt once for me today so I bagged most of the camera work  and enjoyed learning about Flyrod Gillin'.

Comment by Flyboy on April 29, 2012 at 7:27am

Dale, I usually go with Wilson's sponge spiders (http://thebluegillpond.com) for top water action.  My go to fly has been a #12 gold bead head hare's ear nymph.  That little guy seems to catch fish when nothing else is working for me.  I also like gbh pheasant tail nymps, prince johns, and Wilson's bully spider.

Comment by Steve Crowder on April 27, 2012 at 10:43am

Orange/brown and orange/yellow woolly buggers are becoming my favorite bluegill fly.  

 

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