I'm surprised they're no fly fishing threads in the lounge
 

So, I'll start one. I recently received some Orvis gear and took it fishing in Utah. Total blast, but I broke my rod. Looking to replace it, maybe with a glass rod. What do you fish and where do you fish it?

This thread isn't getting any bites so far.

Alex Smith likes fly fishing. That is why.

Got one!

Fly fishing is about the only kind of fly fishing that I do. I'm not a huge fan of Orvis rods. Just don't like the feel. I like Loomis and Winston. I have a 6 wt Winston, an 8 wt Winston for salt, an 8 wt Loomis I built on GLX blanks I use for large trout and salmon, and a 10 wt Loomis NRX for salt. I've used Scott, Sage and Thomas rods as well. I like Scott and Sage.

Used to use Ross reels but I heard they were purchased by Shimano and aren't as good now. Got a Hatch reel recently and really like it. I've got a Nautilus for my 10 weight for large fish.

I fly fish in Alaska for rainbows, char, lake trout, grayling and some salmon. I also fish salt for bones, permit and tarpon, usually taking a trip to Belize or somewhere in the winter. I got a good tarpon on a fly January this year in Belize. Picture is in the fishing thread.

Best rainbow: 33", about 11 pounds, on the Naknek River. Large rainbows (25+") are a blast. Nice thing about Alaska fly fishing is your casting skills don't have to be as good as they do for salt.

This is a good rainbow from a few years ago off the Naknek river in southwest Alaska.

Missouri and Kansas have a lot of lakes. Good bass and crappie availability

Aw, You seem nice.

When I was a teenager a PBS fishing show had a show where he floated around in a belly boat fly fishing for pan fish and bass. Looked like a blast, but never been.

I have a 5 weight Sage Z Axis and a 5 weight Sage Circa. I mostly do trout. The closest place here is Lower Mountain Fork in Oklahoma, but I've taken multiple trips to Taneycomo, Current River, and various spots in Colorado and New Mexico. I've done a pontoon fly-in to a mountain lake in BC. I plan to do the Truckee River later this summer when we go to Tahoe.
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Awesome. I was supposed to go to Alaska this June for a trip, but my schedule wouldn't allow. Good thing as it rained or dropped sleet almost the entire trip. I don't mind the occasional rain, so long as it's mostly sun or high cloud cover.

I used the battenkill reels I have...they seem fine for trout. May look for a CFO, but my threshold issue is glass vs. graphite. The Orvis I had (graphite) snapped at the tip of the butt end. Bummer, but I wasn't that thrilled with its touch which is why I'm thinking glass as a replacement.

On my Utah trip, I was just out of sorts on the big fish. Was fishing 5x tippet and lost a couple of 18-20" brown snapping the line. Need to be less hamfisted.

Those sound like nice rods...everyone I've talked to mention those as great trout rods. When you're in truckee...go to the Mountain Hardware store on Donner Pass...they have a great fly fishing section and will give you the most up to date info on what's eating on the river. You might look at other nearby streams, as the truckee river east of truckee gets pretty warm toward the end of summer. Either way, that should be a blast.

Thanks for the tips! We are going in from Sacramento, so I'll pass right through Donner Pass...maybe the wife will feel like stopping for a quick break so I can get a fishing update. I was planning on hiring a guide, as is my tradition when travelling to unfamiliar waters - maybe the'll have suggestions on better water to fish. Maybe the Little Truckee? Or should I just do the lake trout thing?
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Donner pass = the highway 80 summit. Donner pass road (where Mountain hardware is) is the main road in truckee...I should have been clearer. It's not in the downtown area...it's about a half mile outside of downtown, right at the highway 89 turnoff from 80. When you take off, go under the overpass and its right in front of you. http://mountainhardwareandsports.com/

Little truckee is one choice. The truckee itself may be fishing well still...but I would rely on the guys at Mountain Hardware for what's current. They can guide you to lakes etc. and tell you what to use. A guide is a great idea as well. There are so many spots, and they'll try to get you where the fishing are biting.

For something different, you could try Pyramid lake, which has the massive Lahontan cutthroat (which also get up the Truckee river at some points in the summer). It's shore fishing, but they catch massive fish out there.

I don't know how often you get to the area, but it is pretty warm in the summer, with occasional thunder showers. Dress accordingly!

I considered taking a trip to Pyramid solely for fishing, but I was talked out of it by members of my local fly fishing message board. They said that the monsters are mostly gone now and it's some boring, cold fishing (I think you aren't supposed to fish for them in the summer because of the water temps). Anyhow, this is a family vacation, so a trip over there would be a bit much.
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If it is a Orvis Rod they probably will fix or replace for free.

I mostly fish with St. Croix stuff but I have a couple of Scott rods as well.
I fish with my fly rod for anything, from Carp to Trout.

They're going to replace it with a NOS Helios (1st gen). Not sure whether I'll be happy with that, which is why I'm fishing for feedback. How do you like the St. Croix? Do you fish any fiberglass.

I have an old school fiberglass 3 weight that is mindblowing fun with slab bluegills and really crazy if you get a 15-20 inch largemouth on it. Used to take a 9 weight to Canada and fished big streamers for Northerns.

Kansas also fist you in the ass to pay a God damned trout stamp. **** YOU Kansas

Hmm... well I would fix or have it replaced no matter what.
I really like St. Croix Rods. The customer service is awesome. I have 2 St. Croix Legend Elites (5wt and 3wt) and they are perfect. And I have a St. Croix Avid 7wt that I use when I go carp fishing.
I don't spend big money on the reels, usually find clearance shit. But I will spend the money on the Fly Line.

I am sorry I can't give you any feedback on Glass Rods. I do however have a friend in Japan that I meet up every year in Wyoming at the Miracle Mile and he fishes Glass rods exclusively.

Come to Iowa. They make it super cheap for out of state license. So cheap it pisses me off when in the winter all I see is Minnesota and Wisconsin plates at the Stream parking.
Iowa has some good streams

I love Winston. Haven't had to use their customer service but I started fishing them after trying one that a friend had. They're very light for their weight but they have some muscle. Fishing in Western Alaska inevitably involves wind and rain.

I've got this rod in both 6 wt and 8 wt:

https://winstonrods.com/products/boron-iii-x/

I've got a 10' 5 weight and I don't care for it. It's Loomis but I don't like the way it feels. I'm looking to sell it. I might grab a 5 weight again but I haven't decided. I'm leaning more to either a 7 or 9. I will drop some money on a reel in part because a large rainbow or silver will push your gear. Saltwater will really push your gear so once you've dropped the money for a high-end reel, it's far easier to get a spool and throw freshwater line and use the high end reel.

I'm headed out to fish in Western Alaska in mid September. Weather is usually bad. I've had to knock ice out of my guides before at that time of year. And the wind can howl. But char and rainbows are putting on weight and there are few people out there. It's good to come off the cold water and into a warm scotch.

Never fished glass. I've had a few friends that had said they don't care for it after going to graphite.

If anybody ever wants to come up to Alaska to fish, PM me. Alaska is huge. You won't get how huge it is until you actually get here. What most Outsiders don't realize is that Alaska fishing is driven largely by salmon runs. Those are inconsistent in terms of timing, quantity, and location. The Nushagak, for example, gets a silver run in late July/early August. Kodiak rivers, such as the Afognak, can get a silver run in September. Southeast is a lot more ocean fishing than stream fishing. SouthCentral has a lot of tourists because of the road system. Fly into a remote stream and your fishing goes up but so do your costs. Because of this, you might use streamers and flesh flies at one part of the year and beads another part of the year, depending on what stream you fish and when. So PM me and I'll be happy to steer you toward good fishing. Odds are you'll swing through Anchorage. If you do, I'll buy a beer and we can discuss fishing.

We're too drunk to fish.

Thanks for the feedback...I'll definitely take what they give me, but I'm not sure I'll hang on to it. I've never fished a St. Croix, but they are everywhere so I was a bit curious.

Most of the guys I fished with in Utah had the Boron IIIx...they love the feel of it. One guy had an Epic 6 wt., fiberglass. That think bent like crazy with a 20" trout on it.

Alaska sounds awesome...I'll bookmark this thread should I venture up there anytime soon.:D

Well, I fished at Tahoe last week. I ended up doing a private reservoir named Sawmill Lake. It's managed by one of the local fly shops and it's catch and release only, with a maximum of 4 anglers per day. Needless to say, almost every fish in there is 20+ inches. I had a great time stalking cruisers along the shore in super shallow water. I threw foam ants, griffith's gnats, beetles, and damsel nymphs. It's just awesome to sight fish.....casting to a crusing fish, watching it nose up and check out your offering, and seeing it sip (or reject at the last second) your fly.

Some of the more found lost Amazonian tribes speak in awe about a fish in the Amazon River called the "Pacu" (or something like that). Anyhow ... according to these found lost tribes, if a man goes swimming in the water (and honestly, what other classical element would you swim in?), this "Pacu" fish will bite off your testicles.

I should like to respectfully suggest that you catch all these bastards and leave their bleached bones to dry in the sun.

FAX THE ENVIRONMENTALIST WITH RATIONAL IDEAS

They should do like Michigan. Here, they did away with the stamp and just included it in the base license and made the total price $26.

They screwed around with the hunting licenses alot more though. Now you have to buy a "base" license, which is essentially your small game, in order to buy any other hunting license. Then they jacked the prices up on most licenses.

Not terrible... Base/Fish/2-Deer Combo is $76.
Of course, everything else is an add-on, like turkey $15 (spring and fall ea), waterfowl $12, fur $15, bear $25 (plus app fee), elk $100 (plus app fee).

dont you have to leave your basement and go outside for that?

Almost every fish is 20".....

except that last one I caught and posted a picture of.

I was fly fishing near Estes Park last year. It was the first time that I’d ever fly fished and it was really hard. Really didn’t catch much besides the stocked rainbow trout in the river behind our hotel.

Because that one was notable because it was a brown and it was the only brown I caught that day

I went to the mountain hardware stofe you mentioned. The place cracked me up....it's an Ace Hardware around the edges with a bass pro crammed in the middle. And when I say crammed, I mean it. That store is packed full of stuff.

My favorite rods Winston.

https://winstonrods.com/product-category/fly-rods/

Favorite reels Galvan: http://galvanflyreels.com/fly-reels/

Favorite fishing area Cooke City, MT :

https://www.yorkphoto.com/Imaging/Ge...87037696530000

https://www.yorkphoto.com/Imaging/Ge...87015878800000

https://www.yorkphoto.com/Imaging/Ge...87038953070000

Great to see fly fishing thread and thanks for posting.

I currently run Winston Boron III 6wt. with Orvis Clearwater reel. I plan to upgrade to higher end reel but have not decided which way to go, suggestions more than welcome.

I usually go on white river tailwater below Bull Shoals dam or Norfork tailwater those are easy access from KC and most of my fishing buddies don’t have budget for further trips.

I went last year on Owyhee River in Oregon, couple hour drive from Boise Idaho, and Grey River out of Alpine Wy. I had some business clients in those areas however that set up changed this year and don’t travel there on business.

I would like to get into some groups going on other trips to Alaska and such so if anyone has trips planned and has space for another I will be interested if my schedule allows. I’m ok on skills where I usually fish but outside of that I might pick your brain for skills for those areas.

If you want a great feel, get Hatch. I got a 7plus for bonefish and I really enjoy it. I’ve got a floating line on it now but I’m going to get a spool with an intermediate sinking. I have to go to Tampa in November so I’m adding a day or two to go after reds and snook in the salt.

And if you’re coming to Alaska, let me know. I’m happy to give tips, suggestions or advice. I’ll buy a beer if you’ve got a night in Anchorage.

Thanks, Hatch is on my list almost picked one up last year at flyshop in Boise.

What model would you recommend? I do mostly trout, keep in mind average smaller here than in Alaska 18-28”, but would also like something that can adapt up for larger trout or salmon if I get chance to go fishing for those. It may be I can’t get both with same reel may need two rigs, my rod may not handle it as well.

You could get a seven plus. A seven weight line on a six weight rod helps to cast, particularly in wind. If you’re headed for salt or a place with larger fish you can get a spool and throw heavier lines one. My bonefish setup is a Winston Boron IIIx in 8 weight with a hatch 7+ and a 9 weight line.

A five plus would be a good reel but wouldn’t be as flexible in the higher end as a 7+.

I see several people here like Winston rods. I just heard they’re discontinuing the Boron III and going to a model they call “AIR” or something. Anybody else hear this?

It looks like they may have discontinued the Boron IIIx which is what I have as well. It no longer listed on their site. It looks like they have Air, Pure, Boron Super 10, Boron III Plus and Boron TH

This thread isn't getting any action. Should we have it merged with the general fishing thread?

I have a 7'6" 3wt orvis super fine and its a fun little rod. I have 11 fly rods which are sage, scott and custom built rods from 0 up to 8 weight. For reels I have sage, ross, orvis and have a few cheap SA reels spooled up with lines that I don't use often. For fly line I like Rio.

Mostly fish Arkansas trout streams because they are close to home and I like to go often. white, norfork and little red river for trout, and crooked creek and the buffalo for smallies.

May want to look into G. Loomis NRX Lite rods. Very comparable to the IIIx.

I was in SW Alaska last week. I missed KC/LAC game so I didn't see Mahomes debut. But I caught lots and lots of rainbows that were similar to this size.

Niiiiiiice! :thumb:

I live in Sacramento but haven’t done fished truckee yet. I just did the Sacramento River up above Shasta and it was great! We were catching a fish on every other cast.

The Truckee is supposedly quite difficult with low concentrations of fish, but you have a good chance at large fish

A decent 7 1/2 minute documentary the local news station just did on the R.L. Winston Rod Company.

https://ktvq.com/under-the-big-sky/2...r-the-big-sky/

Very nice. I really enjoyed that. Winston are some of my favorite rods, although I just broke my 6 weight in my last trip. It’s headed in now for repair.☹️