Fishing Flies on Spinning Tackle

[ccoke]

So please dont laugh me off of the forum, but I am looking for some good advice for fishing flies on spinning tackle (float and fly).  I am taking my son (8 yrs old) up here next week and am wanting to introduce him to some different types of fishing.  I typically fish with small inline spinners (panther martins) on ultralight tackle when I come to the river, which he is fine with, but would like to try a different technique also possibly.

Any tips or advice will be appreciated.

Thanks
Casey

[dannys]

My first use of a fly involved using a fly bubble (admittedly, a long, long time ago). It's a pretty simple method that allows one to use spin gear to fish with flies. If you Google "fly bubble fishing", you will get access to come good info including a video tutorial.

Not sure if Eddie carries the bubbles at the Beavers Bend Fly Shop, but he surely can set you up with some flies.

[ericb]

Interesting.  I have never heard of the fly bubble.  I just found this video on that rig.  I did use a spinning reel once on the LMFR and caught 5 nice trout.  Somehow I managed to swing two pieces of orange power bait on a small hook with no split shot and it was extremely effective. I'm trying to learn to be as successful with a fly rod..

[alv]

I've caught over a thousand trout, bass, crappie, bluegills and catfish using the float and fly in Texas. Particularly when the fish you are targeting are way out from shore. You need a clear spin bubble, and a duel swivel. Pretty simple rig. The length of your leader from fly to swivel can vary. I use 4 to 6' lengths. You can drift this rig in deep enough water or retrieve it slowly in shallower water. You have to be careful if you fill the bubble with water. On light line you can almost cast it out of sight. I primarily use my rig without water in the bubble as I can get all the distance I may need and the rig doesn't make such a big splash that fish for miles are spooked away.

It's fly fishing, sorta, just a different delivery mode.

[alv]

I have now fished two ponds that were recently stocked and the trout were staying away from the shoreline. In fact in both of these ponds we could see them on the surface way out of fly rod casting distance. This is where the float and fly rig rules. I will not say how many I caught and released or gave to the hungry using this method. Same thing for sunfish/bluegills in the summer months when they move to deeper water.

[newby]

So Roll cast. Does the bubble sink or stay on top of water as its drifting? The weight of the fly is enough to make the fly itself sink? Or is that the job of the spin bubble?

[stephenl]

I've done it, it works

[stephenl]

Walmart in Brokenbow carries them

[alv]

The spin bubble enables you to reach water that is too far out for fly rod casting. You need to experiment with either a dry fly or small beadhead fly. At Beavers Bend use the smallest clear bubble you can find and you shouldn't have to fill it with water for distance. An exceptional area wouold be down around Eddie's Fly Shop. Big, open water there. Perfect for the spin bubble filled with water for extra distance casting.

The bubble floats with or without water.

Almost forgot. Elk Hair Caddis around size 16 and 14.

[newby]

Thanks ALV. That will be very helpful to me. I think if i catch one i would be happy. So is this area blue? Asking do i fish this barbless or barbed ok. Also, mark my stringer with name and license no matter what?

[alv]

Newby,

I fish barbless whether I'm keeping fish or not. If you've ever had a freak accident that a fish caused and had a hook stuck deep in you, you'll appreciate fishing barbless all the time. As long as you keep pressure on the fish, they aren't going anywhere. On occasion, a fish will leap, do a head shake and free itself. Oh well. Pretty rare. If you intend to keep fish from the blue zones, your stringer must have your name and fishing license number on it. The only area you are required to fish barbless is in red zones (The Evening Hole area) in the park. Hope this helps.

I had 2 hours this evening to fish several ponds and took 5 sand bass (4 over 2 lbs.) and 8 largemouth bass. Fishing a Zoom Tiny fluke on a 1/16 oz. jig head. Barbless.

[slim]

Good job there Al.
Great report too.