It doesn't have to be difficult

[Lance]

Their always seems to be a couple myths about fly fishing/tying. Fly fishing is snoby and expensive and fly tying is difficult.

I think I laid out some pretty affordable views and choices in the thread for Cardiac Kid that will dispell some thougths about how expensive it is. Heck the gear for steelhead is the most demanding you'll need in Ohio and bass fishing will cost you a lot more by the time you ANY kind of boat into the mix.

On that note I thought I'd see if there is any interest in some step-by-step fly lessons? I can provide some step by step approaches to some basic patterns that can get you on the water catching fish. It doesn't matter if it's steelhead or bluegills. Shoot a pattern request on here and I'll post it in a step-by step process.

I've got materials for about anything! :)

[coonskinner]

bass fishing need not be xpensive...first off you dont need a boat for bass fishing,same can be said for any kind of fishing...i have caught two bass over 8 pound in ohio...weekend warrioring and walking the bank using minimal fishing tackle and a medium priced ambassduer i found in a dumpster...i have caught some very nice gills an bass on clearence priced flyfishing outfit i got at meijrs in columbus for prolly bout 30$...in fishing its where you fish at...not the price of your boat or rod$reel...i had fishing permission at a golf course in athens...where 8 pounders and above could be caught every day...especially if you were using large minnows as bait or bluegill...personally i caught them on artificials...but not as many as the minnow users did...:D

[hoot gibson]

i have fly fished all my life it seems , my unkle used to fish canada several times a year . and showed me how to cast a fly . ifn i remember rite i was in the 3rd grade when i started , i also remember breakng the tip off of my dads bamboo rod , my bottom was sore for a long time , used a 7 wt rod for most of the time , but graduated to a 4 wt. i use it in my pond , i am not a fly fisherman by a long shot , never tied my own flys. now most of my fishing is at my pond , earlie morning , or when im mowing and need a break , the last flys i had a guy tie for me was dog food flys . i feed the catfish dog food , and decided to have him make me some flys , they work perty good , nothing funner than a 10 lb channel cat on a 4 wt . unless it was when i used to fish buckeye lake for carp when the mullberrys were droping . didnt take long to get hauled around in the cannoe when you hooked a big one . when i meet you saturday lance i will tell you about my claim to being the worlds greatest trout fisherman .. lol. ( at one time) hoot

[paw paw]

Please show me your best blue gill patern, I have a 4wt fly rod and love to fish for gills. I started fly fishing when I was 15, that is the only way my uncle would let me fish. He tied his own flies and we fished for bass. I quit fly fishing for alot of years. I'am now 63 and started fishing with a fly rod when my youngest son bought me a 4wt fly rod that was made in scotland. I have a vise and tools but mostly I have only tied sponge spider flys and they have caught fish. but I would like some other advise and ideas thank you OLE PAW PAW

[Lance]

I can do that! I'll put it together the beginning of the week.


I've got a fishing trip on Saturday and taking my daughter to see a T-Rex skeleton on Sunday, pretty cool weekend if I do say! :)

See ya Saturday Hoot!

[Lance]

Experiencing a slight delay on posting the picks. I didn't take into account that my wifes birthday is tonight! OOOPS!!:whistle: :hide:

[paw paw]

Thanks Lance for responding to my request. when you get the time will be just fine. Take care of the wife first, fly fishing later. OLE PAW PAW

[Cardiackid74]

Lance I would love to get some lessons for my son and I to get started. Let me know where at. I am free on Saturdays and Sundays most of the time. During the week I am in Michigan.

[Lance]

We should be able to work something out, althought the last two weekends of this month are looking very bad. PM me and we can work it out.

[Cardiackid74]

Lance,

I see now that you were talking about tying flies not fly fishing. I was looking at some casting lessons on a river. Proper presentations. Good catch and release techniques. Maybe we can get together sometime and you can give my son and I a starter course.

On the other hand. I have been sufing the web on tying and it seems that with some basic skill you can tie a decent fly. I see these kits range greatly in price. I am sure the cheapest is mostly junk. On the other hand the multi hundred dollar kits are probably more than I would need starting out. What kits are a good starting point and what materials would I need to start tying the flies I will need for steelhead and bass in Ohio waters?

[Lance]

I'd love to get you guys out on the water and show you the ropes. Timing could be the only problem on that right now. The last two weekends of the month are looking like a train wreck.

As far as picking up tying goes, personally I'd stay away from the kits. It's much more cost effective to get decent tools then purchase a small smattering of materials focussed on the types of flies you would like to start out with. Materials like saddle hackle, chennile, Maribou, goose biot, rubber legging and flash are all pretty inexpensive to purchase and will last you a while when buy them in their own packages. You can pick up a inexpensive quality vice like a Thompson A that will last for quite while or you can try some of the others such as a griffin. You'll quickly find that quality materials make it MUCH easier to tie flies.

[Ohio Sportsman]

I've never really tied flies, but I do re-vamp my jig collection when the skirts fall apart after extended use or age as long as the hooks are in good shape and not all rusty. The fly materials also work in the bass jig arena also, adding some different twists to all an already effective bait.

[paw paw]

Lance did you survive the birthday party?? just wanted you to remember about the gill patern that you said you would post, if you don't want to I will understand I have alot of time just wondering. OLE PAW PAW

[The Wood]

I could never understand what folks get out of constantly throwing those Fly Fishing lines all over the place when you could just bait your line, toss in, and catch fish! Even when Lure Fishing your line is in the water more than out!

But, as I said I am not knocking anyone for what they love to do. To each his own, that's what makes the world go round. I guess that's like my Dad not understanding how I can be on the Playstation for hours at a time and I can't understand how he can sit there and put puzzles together for hours at a time, but it's all good when it's time for hunting and fishing, we are always on the same page then.

So Good Fishin to you guys, and being that you all are Fly Fishermen, would it be to much to ask for you guys to save me some of nice Rainbow Trout! Yummy, yummy! :D

Fish on fellas,

Woody

[Lance]

Yep PawPaw I survived it! Sorry, lifes been pretty crazy and 90% of the time I've been able to hit the computer lately is from work. :whistle: They are sending me to Vegas for a conference also so trying to get things "ok" around home before I go has left me with my hands full. I've definitely not forgetten your gill pattern and will get it together as soon as I can. I feel pretty guilty about making the offer to post some patterns then choking on finishing my offer in a timely turn around.

The Wood,
Yeah there's times that I'm sure I could catch more fish with bait but there's also times I can really put the hurt on on the bait and hardware guys as well but in the end it's not about numbers for me anymore. I've been flyfishing/tying for more than 30 yrs now(Man that sounds old!) and I just enjoy fishing that way more. It doesn't matter if it's bluegills or time on my favorite trout streams I do it for me. I like the challenge. I'm that way with everything. I bow hunt, use a hawken M/L, even during regular gun season. I also bird hunt with a 16 ga. I even started steelhead fishing muddy conditions this year some with the fly rod just to see if I could still catch fish, and I caught several!

Tight lines! :)

[paw paw]

Hi Lance I understand completely, take your time and have fun in vegas, I have been retired for 8 years and it's hard for me to get things done. no hurry you'll get it done sometime and thats soon enough. I wont bug you anymore. get your work done and get out fishing thats the most important thing any way. have a good day OLE PAW PAW

[archer 58]

Any more room for a new guy to fly fishing to get lessons ,i`ll need everything,i have not a drop of fly equipment.When? were? how much?

[Lance]

I'm back and only a few dollars poorer! I'll have my feet back under me by Thursday night and I should have the gill pattern up by the weekend. :)


As for taking some rookies out on the water, it will depend a little on what the weather brings andwhat days everyone is available? Saturday this weekend may or may not be an option depending on the flows and if I can get someone to come in to work and cover Saturday morning. I'm also open to some week nights if we're doing in the Cleveland/Akron area. Next weekend I'm heading to PA for the weekend to enjoy the trout opener.

As far as lessons on the water I'm not looking for money, just give you guys a hand/share a little experience. :)

[paw paw]

glad to hear you have some money left. hope you catch some trout in pen. like I said before get your things ready for those trout. that fly tying patern for gills can always wait. do it when you have plenty of time, no rush OLE PAW PAW

[Lance]

Not a problem I've got plenty of trout flies on hand already!

I tied about 40 buggers in the hotel room on my trip. That's part of the reason I still haev some money! lol :)

[DigDoug]

Check out the Miami Valley Fly Fishers http://mvff.tripod.com/ They also have lots of links to other sites with free patterns and other fly fishing related resources...

[Isaiah Edwards]

my one brother got my other one a fly rod... and might take me and my girlfriend fishing.. i'll stick with my baitcaster

[Lance]

Guy's I've got pics taken and have had them ready to post, should be up later this week. One dry for gills and one wet for gills.

My home PC went south so web stuff from home has been off limits. The new one's coming today and I should have it loaded back up to where I can play online this week. My only time online has been while at work. :whistle: :)

[Isaiah Edwards]

what kind of computer did you get

[Lance]

Got a Dell XPS410 series machine. 2 gig of Mem expandable to 4 and a very nice video card. It should last me awhile. ;)

Just running into a couple quirks installing my old software as it's running Vista. I'm not usually one to run a fresh OS like this, it makes me nervous!

[paw paw]

HELLO lANCE STILL HAVING COMPUTER PROBLEMS? i AM LEAVING FOR mICHIGAN FOR A WEEK OF FLY FISHING FOR GILLS. STILL LOOKING FOR THOSE GILL FLY INSTRUCTIONS. OLE PAW PAW MAYBE YOU WILL HAVE THEM WHEN I GET BACK

[Isaiah Edwards]

dell is a good computer... have troubles call them

[paw paw]

well Lance I,am back from Michigan and the gills were on beds. I had alot of fun catching them, but would still like to see some of your gill paterns. I caught mine on rubber spiders that I tied myself. They sure were a blast on my 4wt fly rod which was made in scotland, hope your computer is up and running. OLE PAW PAW

[Lance]

Cool, sounds like a great trip!

I'm finally up and running for the most part. I just need to get onto my old PC to copy all my links over and I'm back 100%. I'll have fly picks up for sure this weekend as well as some pics I took while over in PA a couple weeks ago. :)

[paw paw]

Hey Lance just a little reminder on the gill flys, thought maybe you forgot. hope you are well and still fishing. I caught some nice gills this week in Michigan on rubber spiders. OLE PAW PAW