New To Fly Fishing

[johngracewiebe]

Hi folks,

I am absolutely new to the world of fly fishing and am looking for some advice to get my self started in the right direction. I have fished with a spinning reel for pike, walleye, and trout with great success but am looking for a new challenge. I did receive a Fenwick Eagle GT 6W 9' rod and a Okuma Cascade reel with Cortland Sylk line WF 6 F (which stands for weight forward floating 6W if my research is correct.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[SanJuanWorm]

You've come to the right place. You have much searching and reading to do.

[Hawgstoppah]

Tons of options to get yourself started for sure. My advice, read a LOT. Practice your cast a LOT. Fly fishing is sort of like golf, do not expect great results with little or no effort, you will need to become "good" to really get on top of the fish. Take some lessons, hire a guide for a day, or join in on fishing outings by members of this board. All will help you advance.

 

We must assume you live in Calgary? If not, where are you at and what are the local streams/lakes?

 

Cheers.

[johngracewiebe]

Thanks for the the advice. Been reading anything I can get my hands on and when the weather warms up I will start with practicing my cast in the park for sure.

I live in Three Hills so my closest good trout water would be the Bow river in Calgary but I already do spend a fair amount of time in the area of Caroline, Water Valley, Canmore and Crowsnest Pass on the weekends when ever possible.

Is there any specific items that are especially good for a greenhorn like me to read? I have been grabbing any magazine, book etc that I can find which I am sure can not hurt but just wondering if there are any recommendations.

 

[Jayhad]

Try heading west rather than south, there is some sick water out that way.

As for books Jim Mclenna writes some pretty good ones that are region specific. Blue Ribbon Bow, Trout Streams of Alberta and Fly Fishing Western Streams.

[darrinhurst]

This was posted in a similar thread by one of our other members, weedy, which will apply to this thread as well.

 

As SJW said, you have come to the right place with a lot of reading to do.

 

Enjoy.

 

 

For the beginner:

 

 

Forums

 

http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?...gin&CODE=00

http://www.flybc.ca/forum/index.php?act=Login&CODE=00

http://www.flyfishingtechniques.co/

http://forum.nlft.org/index.php?act=Login&...mp;CookieDate=1

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/member.php?u=2335

http://albertaflyfish.createforumhosting.c...8bec5a3bb5c5e49

http://fishinalberta.setbb.com/ucp.php?mod...564d5218c5cc4f9

http://flyangler.ca/forum/index.php?act=Login&CODE=00

http://www.flyfishbc.com/forums/login.php?do=login

http://www.hookandbullet.com/fishing/

http://thedragfreedrift.blogspot.com/2010/...free-drift.html

http://www.catchmagazine.net/

 

MAGAZINES - TV SHOWS - VIDEOS

http://www.albertaoutdoorsmen.ca/

http://fishalberta.com/

http://www.totalvid.com/Fishing-Videos/1

http://www.flyfishamerica.com/

http://www.flyfishingwest.com/

http://www.flyfusionmag.com/main.asp

http://www.flyfisherman.com/

http://sfotf.com/main/Channel_Guide.7.0.html

http://sfotf.com/main/Home.10.0.html

http://www.thenewflyfisher.com/

http://www.flythebow.ca/Rock_Dodger_Outfitters_TV_Show.html

http://sfotf.com/main/Home.10.0.html

http://www.ariverneversleeps.com/

http://www.hook.tv/

http://www.drakemag.com/index.php?option=c...fBFQGcJTAM1MDQ1

 

BOOKS,ARTICLES, EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157188259...5Fencoding=UTF8

http://flyanglersonline.com/features/canada/archive.html

http://www.midcurrent.com/

 

CASTING

http://www.virtualflycasting.com/title.htm

http://www.questoutdoors.net/skills/spey/video/

http://www.alexivanovic.com/

 

Chironomid Fishing

http://www.wyomingflyfishing.com/buzzer.aspx

http://www.lawestvector.org/chironomid_midges.htm

http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/kpbrodersen/Chiropics.htm

http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angli...onfession.phtml

http://www.guidebc.com/articles/flyfishing...dtechniques.asp

http://www.thechronicflyfisher.com/HOME.HTML

http://www.theflybench.com/midge/midge1.htm

http://www.themightyfly.com/stillwater.htm

http://www.thechronicflyfisher.com/CHIRONOMIDS.HTML

http://www.chironomid.com/

http://www.geocities.jp/suimenuka/kapyupa.htm

http://www.zi.ku.dk/kpbrodersen/chironomid_video.htm

 

CLUBS & CONSERVATION ASSOCIATIONS

http://www.igfa.org/

http://www.nlft.org/

http://www.flyangler.ca/index.php

http://www.ab-conservation.com/

http://www.tucanada.org/alberta/key3.htm#fishid

http://www.fedflyfishers.org/

http://www.fesa-edmonton.org/

http://www.fedflyfishers.org/certification/castingcert.shtml

http://www.flyfishingcanada.net/links.php

http://www.fedflyfishers.org/

http://www.tuce.ca/

http://www.etfc.ca/

http://edmontontrout.ca/classifieds.php

 

ENTOMOLOGY,BIOLOGY,ETC

http://sunsite.ualberta.ca/Projects/Aquati...dex.php?Page=34

http://www.flyline.com/entomology/entomology_2/

http://users.eastlink.ca/~dryfly/hatchtax.htm

http://www.entomology.ualberta.ca/searching.php

http://www.flycraftangling.com/entomology.html

http://www.fishbc.com/adventure/angling/bugs/index.phtml

http://www.troutnut.com/

http://www.flyfishingentomology.com/index.html

http://people.virginia.edu/~sos-iwla/Strea...roKeyIntro.HTML

http://www.insectsofalberta.com/

http://www.flyfishalberta.com/entomology/mahogany.htm

http://www.usask.ca/biology/skabugs/webbug...quickguide.html

http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/fishing...,194565,00.html

http://www.troutnut.com/

http://www.westfly.com/ento/ento.htm

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http...6CA256%26sa%3DN

 

ENVIRONMENT

http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/wildfires/fpd/wi_wr.cfm

http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/water/basins/BasinForm.cfm

http://www.mywildalberta.com/Home/Fishing/...ingReports.aspx

 

EVENTS

http://www.sportsmensshows.com/Edmonton/

http://www.flyfishingevents.com/

 

FLY FISHING SITES

http://www.flyangler.ca/index.php

http://www.floattubefisherman.com/

http://www.flyfishalberta.com/rivers/index.htm

http://www.letsflyfish.com/index.shtml

http://hipwader.com/

http://www.about-flyfishing.com/

http://www.thenewflyfisher.com/nff_pages/index.htm

http://www.albertaflyfishing.com/

 

FLY PATTERNS TYING

http://www.danica.com/flytier/hweilenmann/cdcelk.htm

http://www.flytyingworld.com/classroom.htm

http://flyfisherman.com/ftb/bobclouser/

http://mikemonteith.tripod.com/flyfishingedmonton/id4.html

http://flyangler.ca/index.php?option=com_f...s&Itemid=42

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/

http://www.umpqua.com/flygallery.htm

http://westfly.com/patterns/patterns.shtml

http://www.about-flyfishing.com/cs/subject.phtml?cid=18

http://www.flytyingworld.com/index.shtml

http://www.flyfish.com/flybin/listing.php?id=21&page=1

http://www.flyguysoutfitting.com/flytutorials.html

http://flyfishalberta.com/boards/showthread.php?t=6624

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/whlutz/

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/

http://www.idylwilde.com/flygallery.html

http://www.akflyfishers.com/fom_prince_nymph.html

http://www.realisticflytyer.com/

http://stevenojai.tripod.com/flybox.htm

http://www.superfly.ca/

http://www.troutnut.com/flygallery/dryflies.php

http://www.virtualflybox.com/patterns/index.php

http://www.reelflyfishing.com/modules.php?...cle&sid=534

http://www.onlineflytyer.com/downloads.asp

http://hipwader.com/2005/evil-weevil-nymph

http://hipwader.com/flyfishing/oreillys-fl...g-fly-patterns/

http://hipwader.com/flyfishing/oreillys-fly-tying/

http://hipwader.com/flyfishing/oreillys-fl...erger-patterns/

http://www.gbflycasters.org/fly%20tying/fl...Fly_anatomy.jpg

http://www.sweetflies.com/FlyTyingTutorial...80/Default.aspx

http://learnflytying.co.uk/

http://www.progressiveflytying.com/SbS%20Page.html

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=jansiman

http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f18/usdu...rrent=Weave.flv

http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f18/usdu...huttleweave.flv

http://www.youtube.com/user/jansiman

http://www.flytyingworld.com/flyindex.shtml

http://www.tourcanada.com/previous.htm

http://www.omn.org/whats_playing/collectio...%26apos%3Bs+Art

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14091

http://www.completefisher.com/forum/viewto...b6c5d7d6bfe3520

http://sfotf.com/main/On_the_Bench.5.0.html

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_quer...p;search=Search

 

GUIDES

http://www.cpanel27.gzo.com/~bowriver/

http://www.bowriver.com/index.htm

http://www.edengleflyfishing.com/

http://www.flyfishalberta.com/

http://www.flyfishingtrout.com/index.html

http://www.hatchchasers.com/

http://www.mclennanflyfishing.com/

http://www.thechronicflyfisher.com/

http://www.silvertipoutfitters.com/

http://www.freewebs.com/flyfish-edmonton/

http://www.freewebs.com/stillwateradventures/index.htm

 

HATCH CHARTS

 

Lake Aeration

http://www.lake-aeration.com/Fish_Kills_In_ponds_lakes.asp

 

LODGES

http://www.kluanelodge.com/Photogallery.htm

http://www.daltontrail.com/index.htm

http://www.tincup-lodge.com/html/start.htm

http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explo...nfo/resorts.htm

http://www.pittriverlodge.com/fishing.html

http://www.caverhilllodge.com/lodge.asp

http://www.myflyfishinglodge.com/planning.php

http://www.britishcolumbia.com/fishing/res....asp?interest=1

http://www.infohub.com/Lodgings/fishing_lodge/index.html

http://www.rubyrange.com/english/luxuryTours/index.html

http://www.franceslake.com/

http://www.ganglers.com/pages/list.html

http://www.hihiumlake.com/information.htm

http://www.bartadesign.com/guide2005.pdf

http://www.inconnulodge.com/

http://www.langara.com/site/?pid=108

NWT

http://www.scottlakelodge.com/details/pricing.aspx

http://www.blachfordlakelodge.com/summer_activities.htm

http://www.kasba.com/main.asp

http://www.scottlakelodge.com/details/pricing.aspx

http://www.outdoor-resources.com/Fishing/f...=Canada+Fishing

http://www.fishingdestinations.com/

http://www.spiritnorth.yk.ca/

http://www.sportfishcanada.ca/pages/page_prov_yk.htm

http://www.douglaslake.com/recreation/twiggs.htm

http://www.fishingyukon.com/

http://www.lonewolfoutfitting.com/

http://www.daltontrail.com/yukonlodge.htm

http://www.tagishwildernesslodge.com/efishing.html

http://www.wolflake.ca/yukon-fly-fishing.htm

 

MAPS, DEPTH CHARTS,LAKE ARTICLES

http://www.anglersatlas.com/thankyou.php

http://mikemonteith.tripod.com/flyfishingedmonton/id30.html

http://www.sunsite.ualberta.ca/Projects/Al...teristics4b.php

http://mikemonteith.tripod.com/flyfishingedmonton/id3.html

http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/land/recaccess/contact/

http://www.abfind.com/Grande_Prairie_Fishi...embers_only.asp

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/topo/index.html

 

Mending Line

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/techniq...an_mending.aspx

 

Movies

http://www.winstonrods.com/winston_channel.html

http://www.drakemag.com/content/view/14/116/

 

North Sask River Info

http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/wp-cont...a-final-v16.pdf

http://www.rivervalley.ab.ca/

 

Photography-Fishing

http://homepage.mac.com/riverwader/tying/Personal24.html

 

PONTOON BOATS

http://www.eagleeyecanada.com/Water_Skeete...oon_Boat_1.html

http://tackletour.com/reviewezpacker.html

http://www.easypacker.net/index.html

http://www.shiftoutdoors.com/page/SO/CTGY/fly-boats

http://www.outcastboats.com/outcastboats/

http://www.creekcompany.com/faq.php

http://classicaccessories.com/dept.asp?d_i...913&l2=7173

http://www.waterskeeter.com/

 

Reading Water

http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/books/r...ding_water.aspx

 

REGULATIONS

http://www.albertaregulations.ca/fishingregs/

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/

 

Reports / Thesis / Data

http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/fieldoffices/prai...ters_Thesis.pdf

http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/fieldoffices/prai...report_2000.pdf

http://www.environment.alberta.ca/apps/basins/

 

River Conditions

http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/formnav.asp?lang=0

 

Rod Action CCS

http://www.superbob.org/CC.htm

http://www.superbob.org/CC_Data.htm

http://www.common-cents.info/

 

Rod Buiding

http://www.rodbuilding.org/read.php?2,2083...8351#msg-208351

 

 

SHOPPING

http://www.thefishinhole.com/

http://www.reelflies.ca/

http://www.wholesalesports.com/

http://www.countrypleasures.com/

http://www.bowrivertroutfitters.com/

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...eft*fly_fishing

http://www.flydesk.com/Merchant2/merchant....egory_Code=Misc

http://www.countrypleasures.com/

http://sporting-goods.listings.ebay.ca/Fis...ListingItemList

http://www.flyshack.com/DisplayCategory.aspx?CatID=2

http://glenbowflyfishing.com/

http://www.mustangsurvival.com/index.php

http://www.crowsnestangler.com/

http://www.thefishingcenter.com/

http://fishpondusa.com/yellowstone.cfm

http://www.williamjoseph.net/

http://www.mrfc.com/MadisonRiverShopping/SearchResult.aspx

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/d/1398_Fl...ses.html?page=2

http://thefirstcast.ca/

http://www.basspro.com/homepage.html?hvarA...00-_-2596186375

http://kenyanflies.com/

 

SHUTTLES

http://www.blueherronadventures.com/

http://www.canoeheads.com/

http://www.blueherronadventures.com/Shuttle_Web_Card.jpg

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/shuttles...ershuttles.html

http://www.lazyriverboatrentals.ca/index.html

 

STOCKING REPORTS

http://www.mywildalberta.com/Fishing/StockingReports.aspx

 

STILLWATER FLYFISHING

http://www.flycraftangling.com/

http://chironomid.com/

 

STREAM RIVER FLYFISHING

 

http://www.itinerantangler.com/podcasts/casting_lessons/

 

TYING MATERIAL

http://www.mustad.no/products/premium/sign...gnature1_1.html

http://www.dickblick.com/zz213/71a/

http://liquidlace.com/

http://www.whitingfarms.com/

http://www.soulseclipse.com/index.htm/

 

Reports / Thesis / Data

http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/fieldoffices/prai...ters_Thesis.pdf

http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/fieldoffices/prai...report_2000.pdf

 

ACCESS TO LAND

http://srd.alberta.ca/lands/recreation/acc...nd/default.aspx

http://xnet.env.gov.ab.ca/imf/imf.jsp?site=rec_access

 

[johngracewiebe]

Thanks for the info on the books. I will have to stop and pick them up. As for the streams out west I have fished the Raven and the Tay rivers west of Caroline with a spinning outfit for several years with great success so I thought that would be a good place to start when the season starts as I know the waters some what.

At some point I would like to be able to tag along with someone with more experience if someone was so inclined to learn some better fly technique but before that I will need to do some practice on my own.

Thanks for all the advice, I have a lot of reading to do.