Thread: Learning to Fly Fish

Originally Posted by MB

Taught myself as a kid. I can throw a line, but have some bad habits that are hard to shake. If you're serious about it, a little tuition would go a long way.

My best mate told me how he just practiced in the back yard as a kid and still has it down. sadly my brain is a lot less malleable now. Think I'll go for a few lessons with an expert...

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Fly fishing is about as peaceful as golf. Pros make it look easy. Us mortals will spend countless hours unwinding lines, detangling birds nests and slapping the water till the fish laugh themselves to death. FYI, these are the fish most anglers take photos of, or bring home to eat. Death by derision.
Seriously though, Hastings Anglers Club is about as good as it gets. They have lots of classes etc to get you up and running. Look for them on Facebook. I can help you to get in touch otherwise.
Be aware, the rivers in HB have been given an absolute hiding after Gabrielle. The Tuki and upper Mohaka will fish ok but I'm certain that the Tutaekuri and other low lying rivers and streams will be years from returning to a decent fishery. The silt has smothered all life to near extinction so even if fish are released they will have a hard time until the aquatic invertebrates return.
The headwater fisheries are great fun but need to be cared for. Some like the Maropea need a special licence to fish as they are fragile if hammered too hard. Fortunately trout taste like shit so few people with with any taste keep them.
I suggest you buy yourself something either good secondhand or new entry level stuff like Echo, Reddington or Primal in 6 weight with a floating line. Get some nymphs and leader and give if a whirl. See Jake at Rivers to Ranges as he's a good rooster and will help you get started with gear. Most rods are 4-piece so you can pack them down small enough to tramp in with. Don't get 2-piece (I doubt they're even still a thing). If you see something on TM or the likes put it here and im happy to give you my 2c if it looks worth your while.
I'd offer to take you out but I'm so time poor at present I think I'm possibly no longer getting older, stuck in something like a NZ version of Groundhog Day.

Will drop a line to Hastings Anglers Club, didn't know it was a thing!

Sad to hear about the damage to the rivers. I've been working on some stopbanks recently and the amount of silt is no joke. Like you say, It probably will take years to return to normal. There's metres of the stuff in some places, even the mildly affected spots have about 600mm (from what I've seen).

how much would a beginner setup cost to get going? After a quick browse on Trademe I'm seeing a lot in $5-600 bracket

Those airflo packages deals in the green shed at 399 are great. Sporting Life in Turangi have a package for 379.

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Originally Posted by Roy G Biv

My best mate told me how he just practiced in the back yard as a kid and still has it down. sadly my brain is a lot less malleable now. Think I'll go for a few lessons with an expert...

I used to practice on sports fields (yeah, I was that weird kid). Often got asked if I'd caught anything

you DO NOT need to spend $5-600 for a flyrod set up...... there are litterally thousands of unused unloved rods around the traps waiting for a new home...first rod for learning you far better off with something you didnt sell the grandkids to buy.... the 2 piece thing was mentioned earlier...well I have an old procaster 2 piece in 8-9 weight and have had it out against some pretty high end jobbies and it more than holds its own both for distance and presentation...and Im self taught to cast and are shit at it.... some lessons early on from a pro would possible pay for themselves in less lost flys and tangled traces.....
I have a 3 piece rod that is good to cart around but not as good as the old procaster LOL..still catches fish,as does the 6 piece #6 weight that came off trademe for under $100 as the tip section was broken........shock horror what to do??? get out ciggy lighter,heat the end ring off, tidy up shorter terminal end of last section and I now have a 5 1/2 piece 8'6" rod that is really nice to use...cant see what advantage that extra 6" would have given me lol. plenty of good reels around now....dont have to spend a fortune...line is dirt cheap compared to 40 years ago and quality is beyond next level better.

get something usable..learn,make mistakes,hopefully catch a fish or 3..THEN decide if you really want to splash out on a sage rod etc.... you may find just as much enjoyment with a less spendy set up.....

The Tools of Fly-fishing, instruction and reference manual by Jack Mackenzie. Absolute legend of a fishing guide, he's put all the essentials in a short A4 book with clear colour pictures. And the $150 fly rod packages on Ali-Express are actually exceptional for the price, they rival my air flo rod.

Five minutes of looking has (if you do Marketplace)

Nice setup. looks near new and close https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...4928294698105/

Cheap, decent and again nearby https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...3901337587068/

Again not too shabby. A little further afield https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...3581746287263/

FYI when referring to weight of the rod it means effectively the lower the number the lighter it is, so a 4 weight will be more delicate than a 10 weight but the 10 weight will have more power than the 4 weight. A 6 weight is a happy middle ground of being light enough to present files to fish without spooking them but have enough grunt to actually get the fly to the fish if there's wind or you need to get some distance.
The line should be matched to your rod so when buying a combo male sure the line on the real matches the rod or at least near enough. It used to be commonplace to over-line a rod (eg putting a 6wt line on a 5wt rod) but that's no longer necessary as many lines already run heavy.
Once you get a setup, if you want to practice in a park or backyard make sure you tie something like a small piece of wool to the leader end. It will stop your Indiana Jones impersonations (it needs a little weight at the end or will non stop be like a bull whip).

Once youv been fly fishing a while using cheap gear,treat your self to a nice 6wt sage fly rod and reel.Best floating fly line that matchs yr fly rod action.Your fishing will change,less effort on the casting arm and better presentation on the water.
Years ago i had 2x5wts Sages SPs and 2x7wt Sages Sps for the nor west winds.Clients loved them if they didnt bring their own rods along.The rods were 4 piece,medium action and could handle good size fish or make a nice presentation to a spooky fish.After walking many 1000s of ks on the river beds 18yrs later,my knees told me to give guiding up and sell all my rods and reels.Sad to see all my good gear go.Still got my very 1st personal sage 2 piece 6wt tip action.i brought it in 1988 for $680.Its got some horse power but still gives a nice presenting on a small stream.Its landed a 13 lb brown no problem at all.
Any how theres some good advice on here from others,just depends how you want to spend yr dollers.Join a fly fishing club and hire a guide for a couple of half days,easier of the pocket in the long term.