Newbie to Fly fishing

[donistook]

Well, greetings from Fort Worth.  I must admit, it has been 51 years since I went fly fishing.  But, I recently retired from professional auto racing (Porsche’s and Audi’s in endurance racing)...and...I have been wanting to do this for a while.  I have some new gear that the kids gave me, but need to add to it.  I think the Broken Bow area might be a nice place to get my feet wet (literally) and take up this new adventure.  I reckon I’ll drive up sometime in late January or February and scope out the area.  If anyone has a few tips for me, don’t hesitate to email me at:  [e-mail]
thanks!  Don Istook

[huntnfish2much]

I went to Beavers Bend today. Fishing was pitiful at best. Never have I seen so much fishing pressure on the stream.

A week ago, I had one of the best days of catching trout that I have ever had on the LMF. I even caught a few on BWO parachute flies.

With the numbers of people fishing, the stream gets fished out pretty quickly.

Two things I will carry with me from this day forward.... I will NOT fish the LMF around Thanksgiving. I will NEVER visit that fishery again between Christmas and New Years Day.

It was a zoo! What a beautiful place Beavers Bend is.... if you look past all the trash that everyone leaves laying around.

JR

[jonbo]

donistook: If you want to take up fly fishing, the best thing you can do for yourself at this point is to call the Beaver's Bend Fly Shop and hire a guide for the day. This will move you up the learning curve further than a dozen trips to the river will or that buying the same $$'s-worth of equipment will. I'll bet you'll realize that so much you'll hire one again. I'm serious. I'm not affiliated with them in any way except that they've seen me and I them enough that we say hi to each other. I always wish I'd hired a guide a few times when I started. Those I know who did tend to have better technique than I do.

huntnfishtomuch: The river ain't "fished out". There's plenty there. I don't know why they won't bite this week. It could be that fishing pressure has made them more spooky. But who knows why they'll bite one time, not another. I fished around the 11th with Gui and Smallfry at Cardiac Hill. They were biting. We all were hooking up. I went again Christmas week, this time to Evening Hole and below the bridge. They were biting that day, too. I landed a quite large rainbow and several other nice ones, plus some recent-stocker-looking ones. This was in the rain and sleet which always seems to make the fish relaxed.

So, I went again this week, same week as you. I got to the Evening Hole about 7:15. I had it to myself. I was the only fisherman on the whole stretch, but I couldn't get a bite. The fish were there. I could spot some in the water. I saw an occasional rise, just no bites. Gradually it filled up with fisherman. When I left about 9:30 it was someone fishing every 75 feet on the river, the way it will get. But they weren't biting when there was no one there, nor when there was a lot of fishermen. It could be the pressure all week, or it could be something else. I just don't know. I then went up to Cardiac Hill again. Same thing. I could see plenty of fish but couldn't entice them with anything. There wasn't any other fishermen anywhere close to me. Finally, I was able to coax 2 rainbows and a brown. I don't know why sometimes they bite anything you throw and other times they're very finicky. This last week they were very finicky. The rest of the month it seems they were hungrier, easier to entice.

To anyone: Are they going to pull the stop-logs this year, at all?

[rando101]

I decided last night that I was going to fish today regardless of the crowds and weather. I'm glad I did. Had about 20 for the day with best being an 18" bow. I thought after the rain with the off colored water that I could finally catch some on bigger nymphs, which to me are easier to fish in the fast water. Nope, I only caught 2 on 12-14. Every thing else came on unweighted tag in 18-20. Color and pattern didn't matter much, as long as it was natural. Unweighted, no flash or beads.

[greenman]

Donistook,

Welcome to the board.
Listen to Jonbo, his advice is right on the money about a guide. They will be able to give you better advice on technique than most.

huntnfishtomuch,
I agree with you on the level of new crowds on the river during the holiday seasons. I was there on the tuesday before thanksgiving, will try to never do that again.

Tight Lines to All.

[ct]

Hi Don! I'm in Hurst... not far from FTW. Looks like we are on the opposite ends here. I've been fly fishing in broken bow for about a decade or so now and I am just now getting into Porsche racing... thinking of trying a relay race next year. I don't know that I'm that great at either (ha!) but happy to help or point you to a few spots on the river. I've always enjoyed going during the week. You will hit less traffic on the river. Evening hole is always an easy spot to fish and can be fun on a dry fly. Best of luck!

[b2flyer51]

Don,
I'm over in N Arlington and would be happy to share info that might be useful on the journey. Guided in Colorado for several summers, lots of gear to experiment with, and all of the other "stuff" that is in your future. Let me know if this has any interest . . .

Just don't ask me about fly tying . . . please. Life is too short, too many places to fish!

Bob Barton
[e-mail]
817-908-6362