New to flyfishing, want to catch 'gills

[drew03cmc]

Would you suggest starting with a 3wt or something like a 4 or 5wt? I understand playing the fish, as I currently seldom use anything bigger than 4# line, but I was just wondering what you thought would be a nice setup! I would be interested in one of the Cabela's combos that come with EVERYTHING. The Genesis outfits, in a 4wt but it's and 8*6" rod and I don't know if I need anything that long in the waters I normally fish (smaller ponds and rivers). Would I be able to get away with a 7' or maybe 8' or so? Thanks for the input!

Fly selection is next as well as location on structure.

Flies, poppers, and what else?

Fished in structure or near structure?

Thanks again!

[Rangersedge]

I have a 9' Cortland Combo 4-5 weight. For panfish only, I'd go with something like a 2-3 weight - maybe an 8' or so. Don't ask me which one as I've been looking too and haven't found it. Most combos seem to be 4-5s with good reason. On flies, I've had good luck with hares ears and some of the similar ones. In fall, I've had good luck with grasshopper and cricket imitations. In the evening, some of the dry flies work well for bluegill and crappie. I'm a novice though. Here is a good site.

http://flyanglersonline.com/

[deathb4disco]

I'd go with a 5wt, no shorter than 8'6". It's a little more versatile.

I'll echo the FAOL website as a great resource. They have a bulletin board devoted to warmwater plus special panfish and warmwater features everyweek. You'll find lots of good fly recommendations, also.

For starters, try some basic nymphs and scuds plus a few small poppers and dry flies.

[dixieangler]

One of the best deals I've seen for a fly rod combo for a beginner is from an FAOL sponsor. Its a 8.5 foot 5wt. 2-piece with everything but the flies to get a beginner started. It would be a good all around fly rod for trout, bream, specks, and bass. Cabelas might beat this deal but its worth a look. Scroll down to the "silvertip fly rod combo". $66.95. Lighter weight rods (like 4wt. or less) are okay under "ideal" conditions meaning low wind. I have a 6.5 foot graphite 4wt. I really like but it can be tough to cast in high wind. So I use a heavier 8 foot 7wt. fiberglass rod for high wind conditions.

http://www.dorber.com/flyrods.html

I'm sure that most any fly combo from Cabelas or BPS (Bass Pro Shops) would be fine also. It would probably be best for you to try a rod out to see how you like the feel of it first before buying if possible (make a few casts). Most combos have a booklet on knots and setting up your combo. I would try to make sure I had one of those booklets that usually come with the flyline.

There are a lot of flies for bream. Many will fall under the fly selections for trout but there are also flies specially tied for bream (hard to find these). Small poppers with rubber legs are always good to have on hand, especially yellow ones. White spongy spiders, scuds, small wet flies (#8-#12 usually), small wooly bugger streamers and bucktails, small dry flies, nymphs, and so on.

I fish surface and subsurface structure. Weed beds and edges of shoreline, docks, fallen trees, stumps, lily pads, and so on. Sometimes in the structure but mostly near the structure within three feet of it. You will most likely lose a lot of flies. Just part of it.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. That's how we learn. Someone will know or make a suggestion. The bottom line is to do what works best for you, not me or the next guy. You might find a better way yourself. Best of luck.

Here are a few beginner links:
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/beginnermenu.html

Fly Fishing 101
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/begin/101/

[S.S.Tupperware]

I like a 4 wt 8' I also do best with foam spiders I tie myself, the trick for the big ones is cast and let it sit...

[drew03cmc]

Wow thanks. I appreciate the help! I like the look of the Silvertip! Thanks for that, cheaper than most everything else I have seen. Do you know what they charge for shipping? Just curious because I can get a Redington combo here in town for 69.99 with everything but leader, well thanks again!

[dixieangler]

Here is the contact page:

http://www.dorber.com/contact.html

I went to their order page for that combo and shipping from $35.01 and up is $9.95. Arkansas adds 8% sales tax. $76.90 total it looks like. If you like the feel of the Redington (cast it a few times if you can) and it meets your needs, then get that combo. I would get the outfit that I like the feel of when casting and meets my own needs. You may have other needs. Its ultimately what your needs are for your type of fishing where you live. Good luck and have fun.

[pescatore]

[deleted

[croppy1]

A Black fly. Or a small spinner with a Black Fly. Anything black. Or flick out the fly line with live bait on it.

If you want to catch a lot of fish, and I mean good fish, don't limit yourself to just a flyrod. It's a fun, but specialty item for bluegill. And is probably the least effective of all methods, under most normal conditions, that I've experienced. But if you enjoy it, try a Black Fly with a tiny speck of red somewhere on it. The best is to put it where it comes naturally.

Don

[SwampHunter]

There are alot of really good and inexpensive combos out there. I have the SA combo from Wal-mart. It's a 5-6 wt and is actually a really great entry level rod. It comes with rod, reel, backing, fly line, and leader. I think they run about $50.00 for the combo.
Wal-mart also has some really inexpensive wet flies, popping bugs, and bream bugs. I think the wet flies are around $4.00 for 24 flies, the popping bugs are about $8.00 for 8 bugs and the bream bugs are about $6.00 for 8 bugs.
If I was just starting out for bream on the fly rod this is the way I would go.
You can also buy some micro buggers, micro jigs and bream killers.

I really like fly fishing for bream. Around here it is one of the more effective methods for bream fishing. We will often run a two fly rig with a dry or popping bug and a wet fly or bream killer about a foot from that. It's not uncommon to catch two fish at once alot of times. In fact I will take fly fishing for any species over any other kind of fishing. You can offer a fly in alot more and realistic presentations than you can with other gear.

Bream often hang around structure, but that doesn't mean you will be able to see the structure. Most folks think that they have to see the structure(like trees, weeds, and such) themsleves before there will be fish there...... which is simply not the case. There is all kind of structure under the water where bream live. Don't limit yourself to fishing right under the brush.

As you go along you will learn all kinds of new things that will help you be a better flisherman and allow you to catch more fish on the fly. I learn something each time out and fly fishing has taught me alot of new things about the fish I chase.