With the game season due to end soon, I wondered if anyone has done any fly fishing for coarse fish, with bait, like maggots?

I'm thinking of the options available, does anyone have any thought's?

I don't want to put the fly rod away too soon?

I quote..... "I wondered if anyone has done any fly fishing for coarse fish, with bait, like maggots?"

Fly fishing for course fish is one thing.... Fishing with your fly rod/line but using bait is another!

prepare yourself for an ear bashing!

Oh Dear.

I can hear the ducking stool being wheeled out and the rack for the heritic being oiled.

all the best

OTT

__________________
'If you didn't waste your youth, you never had one!'. Bloke in the public bar circa 1970

I don't see much difference between fishing for roach, chub, carp etc with coarse fishing gear, that with a fly rod. So cannot see why anyone would have a problem with it. It's just the tackle that different!!

My passion is with useing a fly rod. I would not be fishing for trout, or grayling.

It's just my river would be closed, as it's a game river. But plenty of others are open, as well as small ponds and lakes.

I think it would be great fun catching roach for example on a 3# brook rod in winter from a small lake. Better than sitting at home watching TV?

I wont think you will have much luck with maggots as a bait and a fly rod, the casting action will rip them from the hook, why not tie some maggot type flies and try that instead?

9ft 5wt rod, small spinning reel, 8lb line to a small swivel, 4lb hooklength, size 12 hook and a nice fat lobworm in a fining-down river........ Priceless!

There is no problem targeting course fish with your fly fishing gear. This is good fun. If you can tie flies that specifically pick up course fish, let me know what you have success with as i will tie some up myself.

Fastening maggots on the end is where i think you may as well hang up the fly rod and go ledgering or float fishing.


From your last post i am wondering whether your question is misunderstood?

Are you asking whether you can use your fly rod for course fishing methods, eg, float fishing, ledgering etc.. or are you actually thinking of fastening a maggot to the point of your GRHE!?

Bait will come off as already stated.

Just use your normal flies/nymphs for course fish. They'll take them as readily as any trout and it's great fun. Get out now for some big chub/daddy action.

You could consider Grayling fishing over the winter using nymphs?

Good question.
The water I fish locally has a very mixed bag when it comes to fish species and although I fish primarily for the trout/sea-trout that are in there, fly fishing for the many coarse fish in there is also great fun and provides hours of entertainment when the trout aren't fishing well and I'll be fly fishing for coarse fish when the trout season ends as long as they keep rising.

You ask about fly fishing or should we say casting baits with fly rods and reels in the fly casting style - yes it can be done!
Before the invention of the fixed spool casting reels, normal gear was all most people really had but, it's certainly not quite as easy as casting an artificial fly and is a skill like everything else which you have to learn.

When I was younger we often took a fly rod & reel and fished brooks or small rivers for trout with bait and using maggots or worms as the bait with fly gear isn't nearly as difficult as is made out. I also don't see any reason why you can't fish for coarse fish that way too.
Of course, you may have to change your casting style slightly to avoid 'whipping' the bait off the hook every time you cast out which is easily done but, it can be done with practice and patience and on small or narrow river stretches, casting the bait that way is probably more accurate than with a fixed spool reel etc, providing you have the room behind you to make your cast or you fish it upstream while wading up the river.
Of course, if you really want to coarse fish with bait properly, then it's better to have the right equipment but have a go at using your fly rod if you wish..as long as you are careful, you shouldn't damage anything and very little to lose by trying.

Tony