Well seasoned Newbie

[jbogg]

Hey fellas. I’ve been on the forum for a good long while, but never visited the Fly Fishing neighborhood. I discovered Chattahoochee National Forest around ten years ago, and it’s kind of become my church. I try to get up there at least once a week year round for scouting, backpacking, and hunting in season.

My passion has become bear hunting, and I’ve realized that I’ve been missing a huge opportunity by not breaking up my scouting trips by trying to catch some specs in those high mountain streams that I am constantly crossing. I frequently find myself climbing/crawling through a rhodo thicket bordering some of these hard to reach streams, and as a result I just ordered a Tenkara Tiny Ten 2 in hopes of landing some of those colorful little fish that I see darting around.

Anyhow, this should be a fun little learning curve, and I hope to report back with some success. See ya on the mountain.

 

[trad bow]

Cook a couple of those specks stream side and you’ll never go in those high places again without it.

 

[1eyefishing]

Something i've been interested in for a while also....
Did a little bit of trout fishing last year and found that even a medium sized stream is too small for me (novice) to fly fish.
I can cast fairly well in an open area, but with bushes behind me and around me just forget it. I quickly switche to spinning gear.
One thing I saw on my online research was a style where people were using little tiny 3-4' rods with a fairly heavy line just to flip it out there and work the fly.... in small loops and strokes. Some used spinning reels to coil the line and had very light drags so they could strip the line off like a flyreel. Others had modified rods with an actual flyreel.
Good luck!
I'm finding that my bad knees are my weak link to this activity.
Also i'm torn between going light (and coming out wet) Or packing in breathable waders and boots and having to change in and out on site.

Interested in what other people boo have to say about this...

Watching...

 

[trad bow]

Wading seems to spook the specks so I try to stay out of the water if possible. A small fly box, my rod and a light rain jacket will be all I carry that’s not in my pack. Inside my sling pack a first aid kit, a water filter, change of socks and a couple of energy bars. This is for a day trip. Overnight trips require more equipment than day trips, mostly a change of clothes and sleeping gear.

 

[jbogg]

Something i've been interested in for a while also....
Did a little bit of trout fishing last year and found that even a medium sized stream is too small for me (novice) to fly fish.
I can cast fairly well in an open area, but with bushes behind me and around me just forget it. I quickly switche to spinning gear.
One thing I saw on my online research was a style where people were using little tiny 3-4' rods with a fairly heavy line just to flip it out there and work the fly.... in small loops and strokes. Some used spinning reels to coil the line and had very light drags so they could strip the line off like a flyreel. Others had modified rods with an actual flyreel.
Good luck!
I'm finding that my bad knees are my weak link to this activity.
Also i'm torn between going light (and coming out wet) Or packing in breathable waders and boots and having to change in and out on site.

Interested in what other people boo have to say about this...

Watching...

OK Corbett. Let’s learn this high-altitude spec fishing together. The rod I ordered is called a Tenkara tiny ten. It is used without a real. It comes in a 5 foot, and an 8 foot length. For small streams with a lot of overhanging rhododendron, I discovered what’s called the bow and arrow casting method. That’s what the tiny ten is designed for. Point the rod with one hand, and pull back on the fly with the other, bending the tip just enough to shoot it under the branches into whatever hole you are aiming for. In theory it should work, but I will update after giving this a try.

 

[trad bow]

I forgot to say but us old geezers need a couple of hiking poles

 

[trad bow]

OK Corbett. Let’s learn this high-altitude spec fishing together. The rod I ordered is called a Tenkara tiny ten. It is used without a real. It comes in a 5 foot, and an 8 foot length. For small streams with a lot of overhanging rhododendron, I discovered what’s called the bow and arrow casting method. That’s what the tiny ten is designed for. Point the rod with one hand, and pull back on the fly with the other, bending the tip just enough to shoot it under the branches into whatever hole you are aiming for. in theory, it should work, but I will update after giving this a try.

Same cast used for dock shooting

 

[NCHillbilly]

Something i've been interested in for a while also....
Did a little bit of trout fishing last year and found that even a medium sized stream is too small for me (novice) to fly fish.
I can cast fairly well in an open area, but with bushes behind me and around me just forget it. I quickly switche to spinning gear.
One thing I saw on my online research was a style where people were using little tiny 3-4' rods with a fairly heavy line just to flip it out there and work the fly.... in small loops and strokes. Some used spinning reels to coil the line and had very light drags so they could strip the line off like a flyreel. Others had modified rods with an actual flyreel.
Good luck!
I'm finding that my bad knees are my weak link to this activity.
Also i'm torn between going light (and coming out wet) Or packing in breathable waders and boots and having to change in and out on site.

Interested in what other people boo have to say about this...

Watching...

That's headed in the exact wrong direction, and crippling your effectiveness. You want a longer rod, not a shorter one. A 3'-4' rod would be worthless for getting line on the water, and for holding enough line off the water to keep the fly from dragging. Most of your "casting" on those small streams in roll casting, bow and arrow, or just flipping it out there. or sticking your rod tip with a couple feet of line dangling back under a rhodo bush. A longer rod is 100000000000000000000000000x more effective and 100000000000000000x less frustrating in those situations. And, you don't need to cast a long ways. You can control your drift and catch trout 10' away much easier than you can 50' away.

I don't own a rod shorter than 8', and that's my shortest one. I usually use a rod anywhere from 8 1/2'-10'. Yes, on the little creeks, too. Especially the little creeks. Forget that classic Brad Pitt standing upright and shadow casting. That doesn't happen on real life much, unless you're out west on the Yellowstone or Madison, or some of the Smokies streams with the wide flood scour zones.

 

[NCHillbilly]

OK Corbett. Let’s learn this high-altitude spec fishing together. The rod I ordered is called a Tenkara tiny ten. It is used without a real. It comes in a 5 foot, and an 8 foot length. For small streams with a lot of overhanging rhododendron, I discovered what’s called the bow and arrow casting method. That’s what the tiny ten is designed for. Point the rod with one hand, and pull back on the fly with the other, bending the tip just enough to shoot it under the branches into whatever hole you are aiming for. In theory it should work, but I will update after giving this a try.

Yep, that works good with a long rod, not so good with a short one. With the 5' one, your maximum bow and arrow cast is going to be about 5'-6'. With a 9' rod, it's going to be close to the teens.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

Bow and Arrow casting takes some practice. Voice of experience says careful not to hook your finger when letting it go.

 

[jbogg]

Something i've been interested in for a while also....
Did a little bit of trout fishing last year and found that even a medium sized stream is too small for me (novice) to fly fish.
I can cast fairly well in an open area, but with bushes behind me and around me just forget it. I quickly switche to spinning gear.
One thing I saw on my online research was a style where people were using little tiny 3-4' rods with a fairly heavy line just to flip it out there and work the fly.... in small loops and strokes. Some used spinning reels to coil the line and had very light drags so they could strip the line off like a flyreel. Others had modified rods with an actual flyreel.
Good luck!
I'm finding that my bad knees are my weak link to this activity.
Also i'm torn between going light (and coming out wet) Or packing in breathable waders and boots and having to change in and out on site.

Interested in what other people boo have to say about this...

Watching...

Yep, that works good with a long rod, not so good with a short one. With the 5' one, your maximum bow and arrow cast is going to be about 5'-6'. With a 9' rod, it's going to be close to the teens.

That’s what I figured so I ordered the Tiny Ten 2 which is 8’ long.

 

[jbogg]

Bow and Arrow casting takes some practice. Voice of experience says careful not to hook your finger when letting it go.

I’m from the school of hard knocks, so I’m guaranteed to impale my hand with a hook at some point.

 

[1eyefishing]

That’s what I figured so I ordered the Tiny Ten 2 which is 8’ long.

I've got ever-dang thing I need except knowledge, skill, and experience... maybe knees, too.
And i've got this florida thing going that takes away from my mountain time. It took me 2 years afterI pulled out of fish camp to get back down there with a spot for my camper and boat. That just happened in April tho, and I have had two week long delays in getting back down there recently. Got some catching up to do.
BUT...
For a few years now, I've wanted to just kill one more bear before my knees couldn't let me do it anymore. But killing that bear last fall did not cure me. It only lit the fire worse.
Usually my Florida fishing is over by July 4th as it gets about too hot to fish and I start going to the mountains alot more. Trout fishing time blends in with scouting time and then bear hunting time. Then the rut in central ga takes from mountain time on the back end of bear hunting.
This fall I've found someone to take over my fifteen year presidential duties (and writing that big check every spring) for my hunt lease. I'll continue for now as a regular paying member but will probably have a lot more mountain time.
I'm also considering selling my bayboat if my fishing time doesn't greatly increase and soon. New fish camp will dtermine...
John are you still doing those monthly wilderness spike camps with your buds? I'm trying hard to get my equipment and skills back so I can overnight on the mountain. Got to camp out of my truck once or twice first, but its on the agenda...

 

[NCHillbilly]

That’s what I figured so I ordered the Tiny Ten 2 which is 8’ long.

You ever get up toward the Smokies, holler at me, and I'll put you on a trout.

 

[jbogg]

I've got ever-dang thing I need except knowledge, skill, and experience... maybe knees, too.
And i've got this florida thing going that takes away from my mountain time. It took me 2 years afterI pulled out of fish camp to get back down there with a spot for my camper and boat. That just happened in April tho, and I have had two week long delays in getting back down there recently. Got some catching up to do.
BUT...
For a few years now, I've wanted to just kill one more bear before my knees couldn't let me do it anymore. But killing that bear last fall did not cure me. It only lit the fire worse.
Usually my Florida fishing is over by July 4th as it gets about too hot to fish and I start going to the mountains alot more. Trout fishing time blends in with scouting time and then bear hunting time. Then the rut in central ga takes from mountain time on the back end of bear hunting.
This fall I've found someone to take over my fifteen year presidential duties (and writing that big check every spring) for my hunt lease. I'll continue for now as a regular paying member but will probably have a lot more mountain time.
I'm also considering selling my bayboat if my fishing time doesn't greatly increase and soon. New fish camp will dtermine...
John are you still doing those monthly wilderness spike camps with your buds? I'm trying hard to get my equipment and skills back so I can overnight on the mountain. Got to camp out of my truck once or twice first, but its on the agenda...

I’m not going as often as last year, but I camped opening weekend for Turkeys on NF, and hope to do a mini backpack hunt for hogs in the next week or two before the season closes at the end of May.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

That’s what I figured so I ordered the Tiny Ten 2 which is 8’ long.

Now true tenkara flies have the hackle facing or flaring foward just opposite of regular trout flies. that way when you twitch it they flair out instead of being flattened back.

A couple examples

 

[turkeykirk]

I’m from the school of hard knocks, so I’m guaranteed to impale my hand with a hook at some point.

I ain’t fishing if I don’t hook myself!

 

[jbogg]

Now true tenkara flies have the hackle facing or flaring foward just opposite of regular trout flies. that way when you twitch it they flair out instead of being flattened back.

A couple examples

View attachment 1305541View attachment 1305542

Interesting. First I’ve heard of that.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Interesting. First I’ve heard of that.

Also, they tie flies starting at the front of the hook working to the back. We do the opposite.

 

[Scripps]

That's headed in the exact wrong direction, and crippling your effectiveness. You want a longer rod, not a shorter one. A 3'-4' rod would be worthless for getting line on the water, and for holding enough line off the water to keep the fly from dragging. Most of your "casting" on those small streams in roll casting, bow and arrow, or just flipping it out there. or sticking your rod tip with a couple feet of line dangling back under a rhodo bush. A longer rod is 100000000000000000000000000x more effective and 100000000000000000x less frustrating in those situations. And, you don't need to cast a long ways. You can control your drift and catch trout 10' away much easier than you can 50' away.

I don't own a rod shorter than 8', and that's my shortest one. I usually use a rod anywhere from 8 1/2'-10'. Yes, on the little creeks, too. Especially the little creeks. Forget that classic Brad Pitt standing upright and shadow casting. That doesn't happen on real life much, unless you're out west on the Yellowstone or Madison, or some of the Smokies streams with the wide flood scour zones.

This. My success rate on small mountain streams went way up when I learned to wade "slow and low" to get close to likely trout holding lies, and then use a long rod to dap the fly through the run or hole. I rarely have the leader completely out of the rod tip on small streams. Even on big western waters like the Madison or Henry's Fork, I try to wade as close as I can to my target area to reduce the length of the cast as much as possible. Better drifts, better hooksets, better everything.