New to Fly Fishing

[thinhorn_AK]

I used to not be a huge orvis fan, and I still wish I wasn’t a big orvis fan, but dang they make it hard not to buy their rods.

Helios are just as good as an NRX or asquith, and you can get a new Rod section ASAP without sending in the broken rod. I will admit orvis’s new design language is not my preference. I have had great experiences with gloomis rods( IMX pro-1, NRX pro1, IMX pro-M) and love my Scott Radian, but orvis customer service and warranty on their newest generation of rods is tough to beat.

I have heard their warranty program is great. I’ve yet to experience poor customer service with any rod brand though. I had a Scott rod where the cork sort of loosened up and would squeak if you squeezed it. Scott initially wanted me to pay their 65.00 fee but I talked with them and let them know the rod was brand new and had been taken on one trip to ascension bay, I literally caught 2 permit, 3 bonefish and a small tarpon and the handle was like that. They replaced it for free, it took about a month.

I’ve got a Scott centric 7wt rod now which seems great but has t been in the water yet, I’ll see how it compares to my f&g zone 7wt.

 

[ianpadron]

G Loomis IMX pro 7 wt, Lamson Guru, Airflo streamer max, 3-6 feet of maxima UG...rocket ship with anything you'd fish Trout with

What is your 7wt streamer setup?

 

[Dos XX]

Orvis has some decent upland hunting stuff, too. I like some of their shirts and pants and jackets. At least they are pro hunting.

All that said, I only own one Orvis flyfishing item, a Battenkill reel from 20 or 25 years ago. It was on the first fly rod I ever bought, a Sage DS II weight.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Watch a River Runs Through It. You’ll be a pro in no time.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

G Loomis IMX pro 7 wt, Lamson Guru, Airflo streamer max, 3-6 feet of maxima UG...rocket ship with anything you'd fish Trout with

Very cool, is your IMX the 8’9 streamer specific rod?

I’ve gone through a progression from a redington predator/redington behomoth reel (still have it but just use it for pike) to a T&T zone with a Tibor backcountry reel and SA anadro 1.5x heavy line to a Scott centric 7wt, hatch 5+ reel and airflow shovel head line. I have not really used the centric yet because it’s winter.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Watch a River Runs Through It. You’ll be a pro in no time.

Just remember to put your smokes in your Indiana Kobe’s hat before you go swimming, you definetly won’t lose the hat and your cigs will stay dry.

 

[Ferrulewax]

G Loomis IMX pro 7 wt, Lamson Guru, Airflo streamer max, 3-6 feet of maxima UG...rocket ship with anything you'd fish Trout wi

Very cool, is your IMX the 8’9 streamer specific rod?

I’ve gone through a progression from a redington predator/redington behomoth reel (still have it but just use it for pike) to a T&T zone with a Tibor backcountry reel and SA anadro 1.5x heavy line to a Scott centric 7wt, hatch 5+ reel and airflow shovel head line. I have not really used the centric yet because it’s winter.

If you can find one, the one piece imx pro 7 and 8wts are the best streamer rods I have ever used.

 

[ianpadron]

Very cool, is your IMX the 8’9 streamer specific rod?

I’ve gone through a progression from a redington predator/redington behomoth reel (still have it but just use it for pike) to a T&T zone with a Tibor backcountry reel and SA anadro 1.5x heavy line to a Scott centric 7wt, hatch 5+ reel and airflow shovel head line. I have not really used the centric yet because it’s winter.

Mines the 9 footer...which as a guy who spent almost a decade fishing 12-14' spey rods in WA state already feels tiny in hand ha!

 

[ianpadron]

If you can find one, the one piece imx pro 7 and 8wts are the best streamer rods I have ever used.

The whole IMX pro series is fantastic. No bells/whistles, super durable, just a tad heavier than the flagship rod lines

I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for a 1 piece, would be a fun boat rod

 

[thinhorn_AK]

If you can find one, the one piece imx pro 7 and 8wts are the best streamer rods I have ever used.

I have heard that before, getting one piece rods to Alaska is tough though, the only ones I’ve really seen are ones that guys brought up in shipping containers when they moved up.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Mines the 9 footer...which as a guy who spent almost a decade fishing 12-14' spey rods in WA state already feels tiny in hand ha!

Right on. I’m still on the fence with some of the shorter rods, I’m sure they are great. Thomas and Thomas just came out with that Exocet 88 8’8 rod. It looks pretty sweet.

 

[displacedtexan]

I agree with what several people said about going in phases with what you enjoy doing.

But also try stuff. I know people who have fly fished for a long time, and are very proficient. In one or two things.

Try everything, figure out as much as you can from it. Even if you don't really like fishing nymphs/big water/tiny creeks, a little bit of experience and time out of your comfort zone will make you a better overall fly fisherman.

 

[butcherboy]

Welcome to a new addiction! In all honesty, I just don’t understand this idea of shortening the learning curve. Nothing of great value is earned on the fast track. Best way to learn is to talk to others at fly shops and on the river. Take that knowledge and apply it. Once you learn the basics then you can tweak it to work for you. Lots of practice on land and water. I started on my own at 17 yrs old with my older brother. We learned at the same time and hit our local water (San Juan river Quality waters) every chance we got. Learned how to nymph fish first then moved on to dries. We grew up spin fishing and bait fishing on mountain streams and creeks so we could read water pretty well. Used that same knowledge and applied it to fly fishing. My favorites are always small streams and creeks. The action is fast and always moving. So much fun catching cutthroats on fast moving water. My favorite rods are TFO, Redington, Scott. I tie all my own flies and use only 2-3 for dry flies since it’s fast moving water and those trout don’t have time to be picky so they rise for anything. They are flies of my own creation that mimic a lot of bugs.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Welcome to a new addiction! In all honesty, I just don’t understand this idea of shortening the learning curve. Nothing of great value is earned on the fast track. Best way to learn is to talk to others at fly shops and on the river. Take that knowledge and apply it. Once you learn the basics then you can tweak it to work for you. Lots of practice on land and water. I started on my own at 17 yrs old with my older brother. We learned at the same time and hit our local water (San Juan river Quality waters) every chance we got. Learned how to nymph fish first then moved on to dries. We grew up spin fishing and bait fishing on mountain streams and creeks so we could read water pretty well. Used that same knowledge and applied it to fly fishing. My favorites are always small streams and creeks. The action is fast and always moving. So much fun catching cutthroats on fast moving water. My favorite rods are TFO, Redington, Scott. I tie all my own flies and use only 2-3 for dry flies since it’s fast moving water and those trout don’t have time to be picky so they rise for anything. They are flies of my own creation that mimic a lot of bugs.

I grew up fairly near the San Juan River, I used to go there with my dad fairly often. We didn’t have a drift boat but for his birthday lots of times we’d hire a guide and fish from a drifter. Actually the only times ive ever fished from a drift boat.

 

[Dos XX]

Dave Whitlock books. He was an Okie, but he lived in Arkansas a long time. His books are worth it for the illustrations. I don't know which book it was in, but his written description of swinging flies paired with his hand drawn illustrations may the best overall description I have seen.

 

[RocketRob16]

Welcome to a new addiction! In all honesty, I just don’t understand this idea of shortening the learning curve. Nothing of great value is earned on the fast track. Best way to learn is to talk to others at fly shops and on the river. Take that knowledge and apply it. Once you learn the basics then you can tweak it to work for you. Lots of practice on land and water. I started on my own at 17 yrs old with my older brother. We learned at the same time and hit our local water (San Juan river Quality waters) every chance we got. Learned how to nymph fish first then moved on to dries. We grew up spin fishing and bait fishing on mountain streams and creeks so we could read water pretty well. Used that same knowledge and applied it to fly fishing. My favorites are always small streams and creeks. The action is fast and always moving. So much fun catching cutthroats on fast moving water. My favorite rods are TFO, Redington, Scott. I tie all my own flies and use only 2-3 for dry flies since it’s fast moving water and those trout don’t have time to be picky so they rise for anything. They are flies of my own creation that mimic a lot of bugs.

Appreciate the advice! I think you may have misunderstood what I meant by shortening the learning curve. I didn’t mean cheating the system so to speak. However, it’s an endeavor with a seemingly endless catalog of techniques, terminology, and nuance that is a bit overwhelming to a beginner such as myself. The insight as to booking a guide, hanging around fly shops, tuning into to various YouTube channels and reading certain books is exactly what I was hoping for to set me on the right track. It’s easy for a rookie to waste a lot of time and money going down an unfruitful path and I was hoping to avoid that as much as possible.

 

[RocketRob16]

Dave Whitlock books. He was an Okie, but he lived in Arkansas a long time. His books are worth it for the illustrations. I don't know which book it was in, but his written description of swinging flies paired with his hand drawn illustrations may the best overall description I have seen.

Is it the LL Bean Ultimate Book of Fly Fishing by chance?

 

[Dos XX]

Is it the LL Bean Ultimate Book of Fly Fishing by chance?

It could be. It has been a long time since I read the book it was in, like 20 years or so.

 

[Dos XX]

Striper on the fly.

 

[butcherboy]

Appreciate the advice! I think you may have misunderstood what I meant by shortening the learning curve. I didn’t mean cheating the system so to speak. However, it’s an endeavor with a seemingly endless catalog of techniques, terminology, and nuance that is a bit overwhelming to a beginner such as myself. The insight as to booking a guide, hanging around fly shops, tuning into to various YouTube channels and reading certain books is exactly what I was hoping for to set me on the right track. It’s easy for a rookie to waste a lot of time and money going down an unfruitful path and I was hoping to avoid that as much as possible.

Don’t worry so much about all the different techniques and terminology. Just get the basics down for what you fish the most and the rest will come. Heck, I’ve been doing it for over 30 years and don’t know all the techniques. I cast well, mend the line, roll cast, tie a few knots and that’s it.