I went to bible college for 4 years and never missed a day even though I had to drive almost an hour each way. I was dedicated but every day I drove by a number of great trout fishing streams, brooks and rivers. It was tough on those perfect fly fishing days but I never once stopped to wet a line.

It seemed that all my off time was studying and working to pay for college.

The college sat on a hill top overlooking a valley that had streams full of brookies and even some salmon criss-crossing the landscape. About half my classes had a view of that valley and called to me daily until finally I couldn’t take it any more and went to the main office where I explained that I had never missed a day, even when students that lived on campus missed days because of bad weather.

And then I asked for a day off to go fly fishing for trout. Well the profession I was talking to laughed and told me that he had to fight that urge during classes, but that he lived right there and was fly fishing every evening for an hour or two.

Then he not only said that I could have any day off I wished, with his blessing. He also added that he knew of some great hot spots that he would share with me if I promised not to share these spots with anyone for 4 years.

For a minute I was thinking he was pulling my leg but he wasn’t. I agreed.

The next day I went fly fishing and had a great day. I think I was blessed with the perfect day, maybe because I never gave in to temptation during those months of classes.

The professor I was talking with did take me fishing, in some of the areas I already fished but he showed me how to catch the big trout, 16 and 18 inch brook trout. And I kept my promise not to tell anyone for 4 years. At that time I took my best fishing buddy, who I told about this promise from day one, so he waited 4 years to get this same opportunity.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Joy of Fishing Streams For Brook Trout (thejoyofflyfishing.com)

I never enjoy getting a hook stuck in me. I really don’t know of anyone that does, although my son might like it as he really enjoys getting tattoos.

Over the almost 50 years of fishing I have had a few hooks stick various places in my body, from my foot to ears but they were all self inflicted. However this story isn’t about me hooking myself. This is about my buddy Roland, who I haven’t fished with for a few years, nothing to do with him hooking me though.

I always were a fishing hat as it keeps a lot of hooks from nailing me in the head when I am fly fishing on those windy days. I wear glasses because I have to if I want to see but I would wear glasses as a safety feature even if I didn’t need them to see. I have only ever ripped my glasses off once but better my glasses than my eye.

Back to my buddy Roland.

We were on Grassy Lake, it’s more of a big pond than a lake but we have pulled many tasty speckled trout from that little lake. Although the year Roland started using a fly rod he only managed to get two trout, on the fly rod that is. And he wasn’t casting at the time, he was just letting the line drag behind the canoe while I was paddling across the lake. He was a great sport about it and never got upset when I teased him about his first year.

Oh yeah, he did how one fish while he was casting. Unfortunately that fish was me. Right in the side of the neck at the speed of sound. Instantly Roland’s face went right into a look of horror and then he couldn’t look at me again.

It was so fast that it didn’t even hurt, no pain at all but of course I could let him know that right away.

Roland was of no help at all as he was too busy looking away and begging me to forgive him.

I tried for a few minutes to get the hook out of my neck but just couldn’t get it to come out and Roland couldn’t look at me so I just left it in my neck and cut the line. He was going to have to tie on a new trout fly.

I fished the rest of the day and when we returned to the car later than evening it only took me about 1 minute to get the fly out of my neck once I could see what I was doing in the rear view mirror.

I should have taken a picture so I could show his wife how he tortures me when we going fishing.

It’s great fun getting out on the water in my float tube to do a little fly fishing for pickerel here in New Brunswick. Especially with a friend. It’s well worth getting out of bed long before day break so we can get there by day break.

I like to keep my fishing gear ready by the door so that when I get the call to go fishing I’m not the one holding us up. The only thing I need to do is make something to bring along to stuff in my face every few hours and I’m good to go. That takes about 4 minutes.

I don’t care to fly fish in the wind, especially when we are fly fishing the weeds for pickerel. It makes it tougher to get to the spot you want and when it’s windy the pickerel in the weeds tend to shut down. It’s the top water action I get from fly fishing pickerel that keeps me coming back.

So I always get excited when we arrive at the spot we are going to start fly fishing from when the water is as smooth as glass.

I have been fishing for almost 50 years and still I am so eager that I am usually the first one in the water fishing. The younger guys seem to drag their butts a bit so they are the last in.

I can’t tell you just how many pickerel I have caught in the fly but I can tell you that the flies don’t last long when I’m fishing chain pickerel. They rip them to shreds after just a few strikes.

Sure glad I tie my own flies or I would be spending a lot more money than my wife would like. I wish I could get her hooked on fishing.

I don’t take many pictures when I am fishing alone so it’s nice when I have a friend or two with me fishing as we can take pictures for each other.

The picture above is from a different day on the water than the one I am referring to but I thought I would use it to show you what the water was looking like and a little pickerel that put up a great fight.

It doesn’t take much to tie flies that pickerel will go after. I am sure I could tie on a coke can and they would still smash it.

I tend to go for the big Bass type deer hair bugs. They don’t seem to get caught up so much in the weeds but when the pickerel strikes that deer hair gives a bit and BAM – FISH ON.

If you haven’t given chain pickerel on the fly then give it a try.

Note: They can slice through a leadline pretty quick. I used to use steel leaders but now I just use some tough braided line and lose very few due to them cutting my line. It still happens but then again I have lost a few steel leaders over the years because of near sighted pickerel.

Right from the start I have to say that I never really get tired of fishing. I get very tired from fishing but that’s cool, a night’s sleep and I’m ready to get right back at. But for others it’s not that simple, some people just get tired of fishing. I guess they haven’t tried fly fishing also known as fishing on the fly.

I spent the first 25 years of my life fishing whenever I could and never tired of it but once I was introduced to fly fishing I put the spinning gear away for a few years. Yes, fly fishing is that much fun.

My grandfather was an avid fly fisherman for many years before I was ever born but I didn’t get to meet him until I was in my 20s and he was no longer able to get out fishing. He learned it from his father back in the early 1900s, who came over here from England.

Fly fishing just seems to put the fisher in closer contact with the fish being hunted. Not quite the same with a spinning rod. There’s just something about tying some feathers and fur on a hook and throwing it out to a fish using only your fly-rod and fly-line, not heavy lures or weights required.

Match The Hatch

I remember the first time I heard the phrase ‘match the hatch’, it just sounded so cool and made so much sense.

I learned to fly fish in about 10 minutes and was immediately able to catch fish, yet I have been working on my fly fishing technique for the past 25 years and it never gets old. If I hadn’t been shown how easy it is to learn I would likely have gone another 20 years without ever giving it a try.

Fishing changed my life as a depressed 8 year old foster kid with little hope in life. That’ why I tell people all the time that they need to take a kid fishing.

Well I would say that fly fishing changed my life as well. Heck it may have even saved my life. It’s a long story but to make it short, the joy of fly fishing drew me away from drug abuse and into a life free of that. I ended up moving from where I was living to where my roots were in New Brunswick Canada.

When people interested in the topic fly fishing start looking at prices they sometimes need to sit down. Yes things can be that expensive but I have never paid those prices for any fishing gear, fly fishing or otherwise.

My first fly fishing setup was all of $30.00 for both the rod and reel. I did have to spend another $25.00 on fly line but that setup is still working just fine today,  about 25 years later. Costs may have gone up but you can still find great deals and remember what you buy for a rod and reel can last you for years to come making it a worthy investment.

I have never bought a fly rod or fly reel on ebay but that’s because I already have my gear. I buy a lot of other things from ebay, including everything else to do with fly fishing. I think that if you are on a budget you should check out ebay and see what’s there. But first be sure you do some research before buying.

When I look at things on ebay, fly fishing or other hobbies and interests I like to look at an item and then go and find the web site for the company that makes the products so I can see about the quality and features.

Try Tying Your Own Artificial Flies

I’m telling you that I was blown away with how easy it was to get started with my new fly fishing hobby all those years ago but even better than that was learning about the flies I was using to catch brook trout, Atlantic salmon and even bass and chain pickerel.

Before long, probably less than a month after I started fly fishing I just had to try my hand at tying my own flies. I was fortunate enough to have a brother-in-law that showed me how to fly fish and he showed how to tie my first fly.

Well like I said it’s 20 some years later and I still can’t get enough fly fishing. Heck I even have my fly tying bench setup in my office where I work at home. It’s great, and I personally recommend giving fly fishing a try, you may just find a renewed love for fishing.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Things You Should Know When Departing On Your First Fly Fishing Adventure (thejoyofflyfishing.com)

I really enjoyed fly fishing from my canoe here in New Brunswick although it was a really easy canoe to tip so I had to have good balance all the time, but it was worth it.

I have taken a few friends fly fishing in my canoe and they usually tell me it was tough fishing as they have either fished from a more stable boat, like a bass boat with a platform to stand on or that they have only ever done their fly fishing from the river or lake bank.

At the beginning I found that the water seemed a little to close for fly fishing when I was in my canoe, but then I went fly fishing from my float tube where my elbows almost drag in the water. Fly fishing from my canoe was much easier after that.

Once I over came the balancing issues and had casting so close to the water I was able to get to fish most others would pass by. Especially where I fish for Chain pickerel. They will fight so hard they turn the canoe around, which has disturbed a few of my fishing buddies.

I may not be able to move as fast as a boat with a motor but I don’t mind. They are usually all over the place, just because they can, so it’s seldom they come close enough to bother me. I end up with all the honey holes that they couldn’t get to with their big fancy boats.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Fly Fishing For Pickerel in New Brunswick (thejoyofflyfishing.com)
• Fly Fishing For Pickerel (thejoyofflyfishing.com)

My granddad worked for the railroad here and had a great edge on most fly fishers. He could just jump on a train and they would stop anywhere along their route to let him off for a day of fishing. All he had to do was stand by the tracks again when he wanted to be picked up to go home. Pretty cool fly fishing.

Formerly anglers and rod makers could draw fine distinctions between male and female Calcutta and Tonkin ” canes,” but under present conditions good Calcutta is very rare and the word ” Calcutta ” is becoming merely a trade term. Good bamboo of all kinds is more difficult to obtain and a good piece of Tonkin is better than an indifferent one of Calcutta. Male Calcutta, however, is supposed to be superior to either the female or Tonkin. The cheapest split cane is known as steel vine or African cane. It is light colored and makes up into good, inexpensive bamboo fly fishing rods.

Six Strip and 8 Strip Bamboo Fly Fishing Rods

We assume that you know that bamboo is split and then glued together in order to utilize the hard outer enamel and reduce the diameter of the pieces. Some rods are made of bamboo split into six sections and some in eight (octagonal) but the six strip construction is more often used. Some makers claim that the eight strip, being more nearly a true cylinder, possesses better action but this seems to be more theoretical than practical, while the tiny tips of an eight strip rod are likely to be ” soft” due to the comparative amount of glue necessary to hold the pieces together. Eight strip rods cost more than the six strip and if the angler wants a round bamboo fly fishing rod they are preferable to the six strip planed down as planing certainly must injure a rod. As a general rule a well-made six strip rod leaves little to be desired.

Special Feature Bamboo Fly Fishing Rods

A novelty in bamboo fly fishing rod making is what is known as the ” double built ” rods which are made of two layers of split and glued bamboo, one within the other. They are heavier and strong, and it is claimed, hold their shape better, than ordinary rods and are popular for sea and salmon fishing but unnecessary, I believe, in single hand fly rods. An English innovation is the steel center rod which consists of a fine piece of well-tempered steel running as a core through sections of regular split bamboo. The makers claim this construction gives a rod of superior casting power with only of an ounce added weight. Friends who possess rods of this kind are enthusiastic admirers of this construction for heavy fishing.

Related articles by Zemanta

• A Guide to Selecting a Fly Fishing Rod (thejoyofflyfishing.com)
• Things You Should Know When Departing On Your First Fly Fishing Adventure (thejoyofflyfishing.com)
• Fishing For The Best Fly Fishing Gear (thejoyofflyfishing.com)

A species generally encountered in the northern fresh waters of the globe, pike is a favorite catch for many hobbyists, myself included, although here in New Brunswick we have Chain Pickerel instead of the Northern pike, but they are still a lot of fun.

The maximum length one pike can reach is 1.83 meters and its weight can go up to 35 kilograms, whereas the chain pickerel is smaller it’s still a power house when it comes to fighting.

Many people who are taking up fly fishing as a sport and hobby just have to give pike fishing on the fly a try. Before concerning themselves about what flies and accessories to use, it is good to find out about the eating habits specific to the species so you can match the hatch as they say, or give them an artificial fly that looks like what they feed on.

Usually I use artificial flies inspired from this toothy monster of the shallows’ diet which covers just about anything that moves, above, on or below the water surface.

Pike feast on shoal fish and they sometimes prey on their smaller kin. They also love insects and amphibians and would not say no to mice or moles or even ducklings if they are really hungry. You could almost just tie a feather or two on a hook and they will still pounce on it.

Flies That Attract Pike

I love using top water flies. I tie them to look like mice, frogs  or small birds. It can make casting a little tougher but once you get that strike the almosts rips the fly rod from your hands it’s all worth the effort.

Of course I catch pike and pickerel on flies that are just regular trout flies but I enjoy using the big bad flies, even if my arm is worn out by noon.

I also use my Atlantic salmon flies. They look just like minnows and pike and pickerel just can’t seem to turn down a free meal or two.

What it really comes down to, when fly fishing pike, is to have something to throw at them and then look out because you’re in for some great fun.

Fishing Etiquette – Taking out your Line

Common courtesy dictates that you take your line out of the water for any angler who has a fish on the line. This is so that they have plenty of space in order to land their fish. This rule is very important if you’re fishing down-river from the other angler. Make sure that you never step into the space of an angler who is releasing or landing a fish on the bank.

Fishing Etiquette – Silence

Whenever you’re fly fishing you’ll need to be as quiet as you can…and this means leaving your dog and the radio at home. There are two reasons why you want to be as quiet as possible: (1) you don’t want to spook the fish, and (2) you don’t want to disturb other fly fishers. Many people enjoy fly fishing for the peace and solitude that it affords them.

Fishing Etiquette – Lend a Helping Hand

Always be willing to help out other anglers. This can be as simple as helping them retrieve something that has floated down-river or lending them something that they need, such as extra line. You’re all there for a fun day of fly fishing so helping each other out just lends to the experience.

Wading with Safety

When you’re wading make sure that you follow a few basic rules: (1) never fish by yourself on remote lakes, rivers, or streams, (2) wear a good pair of wading boots, (3) use a good wading staff that is flexible yet strong, and (4) know the area where you’re wading. Wading is a great way to get access into those places that you couldn’t otherwise reach.

Tackle Boxes

Tackle boxes: A tackle box is a necessity so that you can keep all your “stuff” with you in one organized place. Some of the things to keep in mind when you use a tackle box and want to avoid overfilling include:
· Keep your worms and soft plastic bait in a small container away from your other lures. This will keep the soft plastic lures from creating a chemical reaction with the materials that other baits are made of.
· Buy two or more small tackle boxes to hold certain categories of lures. For instance, buy one tackle box to hold your worms and another to hold your spinnerbaits.
· Buy seasonal tackle boxes that you only use at certain times of year. In the spring you can have a tackle box that contains jigs, plastic worms, and minnow lures. And in the fall you can have a tackle box that is filled with fall lure, such as topwaters and crankbaits.

Keep your Fishing Vest Organized

If you use a fishing vest to carry around your tackle and lure you’ll want to keep it as organized as you can so that you’re not fumbling around looking for something when you need it. If you’re not going to be using something leave it home so that you only take along the essentials.

Carry a Wading Staff

When you’re fishing in water that is rough or unfamiliar you might want to carry a wading staff to keep you stable and give you better footing.

Wear Good Shoes

A good pair of wading shoes will let your grip the bottom that you’re walking on. Choose shoes that have soles with rubber cleats since these are ideal of bottoms that are made of mud, fine gravel, sand, or soft silt.

Take Along the Sun Block

Although it may seem like a small tip to mention, taking along the sun block is one thing that you don’t want to forget. After standing in a sunny stream for eight hours you’ll be glad that you remembered to bring along some protection.

Use Polarized Glasses

Wearing polarized glasses is one of the best things that you can do. You’ll be able to see beneath the water so you can keep an eye on your fish. Don’t forget a hat to reduce the amount of glare that you experience.

Discouraging Insects

If you want to discourage insects you’ll want to avoid wearing clothes that are red, yellow, black, white, or navy blue. These colors can attract black flies, deerflies, gnats, and mosquitoes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louis_Dale

Related articles by Zemanta

• Explode Your Excitement Level With Largemouth Bass Fishing (thejoyofflyfishing.com)
• Study Fly Fishing Basics Before You Buy Expensive Gear (thejoyofflyfishing.com)

Fly Fishing Flies (Orvis Fly Fishing School)

Traditionally, fly fishing has been used to catch salmon and trout, but today fly fishing can catch a variety of other fish species from smallmouth and largemouth bass, to your larger saltwater fish species, such as marlin and tarpon. Unlike bait fishing where live bait is used to catch fish, artificial fly fishing flies are used to catch fish when fly fishing. The equipment used for fly fishing also differs from fishing equipment used for bait fishing. For fly fishing it is important to select the correct fly line, fly rod and flt reel before you start fishing. It is also extremely important to use the correct fly fishing flies to match the species of fish you want to catch.

An Introduction to Fly Fishing Flies

Artificial fly fishing flies are commonly used in fly fishing. Artificial fly fishing flies are available all over the world, and many companies produce fly fishing flies. Fly fishing flies come in great varieties with respect to size, shape and even color. Fly fishing flies are made from materials such as fur, feathers, hairs and other materials. These materials can either be natural or synthetic. Many fly fishing flies available today imitate the food that a particular fish may eat. You also get fly fishing flies that don’t imitate anything in nature.

Fly fishing flies are made with the aquatic appearance of local fish and insects in mind. If you are trying to catch a fish in a particular location, the fly fishing flies you use must match a food that the fish eats in that particular location. You can also change the patterns and colors of fly fishing flies that you purchase so that these flies are a more suitable match for the particular location you are fishing in. Many fly fishermen make their own fly fishing flies for fishing or as a hobby. To meet the different specifications of fly fishing flies required all over the world, gifted experts are employed all over the world to create artificial fly fishing flies. It is actually quite a fun and rewarding hobby to create your own artificial fly fishing flies. Synthetic materials are more popular when it comes to creating flies.

If you are looking to purchase a quality fly fishing rod, check out the Sage fly rod range.

Categories of Fly Fishing Flies

There is an incredible variety of fly fishing flies that are available. Fly fishing flies can be broken down into the following categories:

• Dry Flies – Designed to float on the water surface and imitate the adult stage of aquatic insects, or land-based insects that have fallen into the water (such as ants or beetles).
• Wet Flies – Designed to float just below the surface of the water and imitate immature aquatic insects, or drowned insects.
• Nymphs – A type of wet fly that imitates the larval form of aquatic insects.
• Streamers – A type of wet fly that imitates minnows or small fish which are the prey of larger fish.
• Surface Lures – Surface lures are designed to look like mice or frogs. Are usually very colorful, and are fished in a way to create a commotion to attract large predatory fish.

If you are looking to purchase a fly fishing float tube, check out the Outcast float tube guide.

For more information about saltwater fly fishing gear, take a look at the Feedest.com news feed for Fly Fishing Elite.

Related articles by Zemanta

• An Introduction to Fly Fishing For Smallmouth Bass (thejoyofflyfishing.com)
• A Guide to Selecting a Fly Fishing Rod (thejoyofflyfishing.com)
• Fishing For The Best Fly Fishing Gear (thejoyofflyfishing.com)

While fly fishing is conceived to be one of the most relaxing hobbies you’ll ever engage in, there is still a decided amount of skill requirement in order to be successful. You might have heard so much about the cast and about tying your own flies and may wonder how to really improve your fly fishing techniques in order to improve your catch broad. There are just a few simple things you can remember in order to affect your time on the water a more enjoyable experience and to just plain old catch more fish; let’s review these few simple things to remember about your fly fishing techniques.

Being gentle with your cast is important and probably the most important of all fly fishing techniques. Many anglers make the error of attempting to force their project the direction you do with regular fishing. Remember that you’re not trying to achieve too far ahead of you and certainly don’t want to sink your bait the way you do with average fishing. Your target is to just skim or flit your fly over the top of the water. You also want to remember that with fly fishing, the fly is virtually weightless and the line is heavy, so the line pulls the fly and not the different way around. If you give your line just the smallest bit of guidance you’ll see how it pulls the fly behind it and how the fly then skims the water. Practice your cast as part of your fly fishing techniques as much as you can. You can stand in the yard and just apply a line without a fly. Aim for about ten or fifteen feet in front of you and keep exercising until you can hit it perfectly.

Other ways to improve your fly fishing techniques is to get sufficient with working the line. With typical fishing you commonly have no slack in your line but with fly fishing, that slack is essential for when you pull the line up for another project. Getting used to how it feels to control the slack with your secondary hand may take some practice. As you exercise your project, practice covering that slack so that it doesn’t get tangled up in the line and so that you have enough slack overall. Both hands are going to be important when it comes to your fly fishing techniques so get used to how the line feels to you and what it takes to control it.

While you’re exercising your fly fishing techniques, remember not to get too taken up in instructions and the “proper” way to cast. If you do, you might find that you’re lost on the enjoyment of fly fishing overall. Anglers have been successful with fly fishing for hundreds of years without fancy schools or teachings, so you don’t need to worry too much about these matters. Do the best you can with your own fly fishing techniques and remember to enjoy

Related articles by Zemanta

• Beginner Fly Fishing Tips (thejoyofflyfishing.com)
• An Introductory Guide to Fly Fishing Casting (thejoyofflyfishing.com)
• Fly Fishing For Pickerel in New Brunswick (thejoyofflyfishing.com)