Help Me Pick My First Fly Outfit

[snagged in outlet 3]

I've recently been thinking about buying a new rod just for boat fishing the tailwaters. Something real fast to throw a heavy drift rig, but cheap. My buddy had a Sage XP sucked into the prop last year. Of course they repaired it but it's not the same as before.

You know like a workhorse rod for a hundy.

SIO3

[ozark trout fisher]

I should know if I like the fly fishing thing by this fall. I am excited about this year. Last year my goal was to learn Springfield Lake and by time Fall rolled around I had confidence everytime I took my boat to the lake. My goal this year is to learn how to warm water fly fish. Hopefully I can have some success this year as well.

Warmwater fly fishing is one of the great joys of the sport. Not sure about down there, but up here it'll only be a month or so until it gets going.

[OzarkFishman]

I finally broke away from the spinning reel and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Took the waders to a place that I can catch bluegill and sunfish pretty easily (as long as accurate casts are made).

Tied on a straight 8' Floroclear (8#) leader and a black wooly bugger with a little bit of red. After remembering that the cast should be smooth not forced, I was ready to catch some fish. This place has some good holding spots for panfish, but most of them are under trees OR between two overhanging trees. This means that stray casts will at the very least pick up some leaves, if not get caught in the trees. It was a challenge for a novice like me, but rewarding in the end.

The first fish of the day (and most of the fish) came while letting the fly slowly fall next to cover. The longear below is that fish (my first fish on my first fly outfit)!

After losing that fly to the tree monster, I tied on an olive wooly bugger and it was on. In the next 45 minutes I caught 9 more fish. Then, tree monster struck again (tried beating the tree monster, but he won by filling my waders with a little water ).

I switched to a beadhead prince and picked up a nice bluegill, then it was time to leave.

Thank you to all of you that have helped me through out this process.

Have a great day,

OzarkFishman

[ness]

Looks like a lot of fun. Congrats on giving the fly rod a try. That's a big door you opened up there -- hope you enjoy it.

[Flysmallie]

That's a big door you opened up there -- hope you enjoy it.

More like a money vacuum.

Nothing beats some warm water small water action. Get you some small poppers and have a blast.