Hello all,
I'm a total novice fly fisherman - I'm reading furiously to try to get up-to-speed but there's so much to learn, and I'd like to thank all the posters on this great forum for the many tips they've passed on.
For my first post I wanted to tell a bizarre but true story about my first solo fly fishing outing.
I've had one great lesson with the highly-respected instructor John Milne at Lawfield trout fishery in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
So, last week I drove over to Middleton trout fishery on the hills above Largs, Ayrshire, where the guy who runs the fishery, Gary, gave me a very warm welcome and some helpful advice.
The trout were sitting deep, and Gary recommended fishing a lure under a bobber so I would know more easily when I had a strike - it felt a bit like cheating but, hey, I'm new to this and I'll take all the help I can get.
It was a blustery old day and initially I was really struggling with my casting.
In truth, I got in a right mucking fuddle several times and was cursing the accident of birth that left me with ten thumbs, but I persevered and was rewarded after an hour with a lovely rainbow trout.
Shortly after my first success, another fish took the lure - but it was a feisty one and it snapped the (6lb) line, making off with the lure and bobber.
Disgruntled, I popped another on and kept trying, to no avail.
After a break for a bacon roll and a brew, I noticed a few fish breaking the surface so decided to switch to a dry fly - a CDC cadged from a mate - and worked my way around the water.
After a while, and at the furthest end of the lake from where I caught my first fish, I saw a bobber - my bobber - floating on the surface!
Then, amazingly, it began to move and eventually went under - it was like the barrel scene in Jaws!
I thought 'You cheeky sod" so I dropped my dry fly right over the fish's napper - and after three of four casts it took it, and put up another almighty fight.
Just when I thought I had him, he slipped the hook again (the one that got away TWICE!) - but my bobber flew through the air and landed at my feet. Honestly!
I'm assuming my line must have caught the old line and unhooked it somehow but to be honest, I was laughing so much I didn't care.
I was going to go back into the cafe and tell my fishy tale but I thought - nah, they won't believe me.
Later I landed another lovely rainbow, bigger than my first one, to round off a smashing first fly fishing trip.
To say I'm hooked is the understatement of the year.
Tight lines!

Nice story.Welcome to the forum.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Welcome to the forum congrats on your "day out" hopefully one of very many to come!

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an interesting mix of apathy and panic

Clive M

I believe you, and well done making the successful transition from 'lure under a bung' to dry fly fishing so quickly!

Welcome to the madhouse, before you know it you'll be spending a fortune on rods and reels, in various weights, multiple fly lines for each, obscure feathers, furs, threads and tinsels to tie your own flies and outdoor clothing to allow you follow this mad obsession in all weathers.

It's an unavoidable cliché but you are hooked!

SharkeyP

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Often thinks not travel widens,
Stay at home the Trout obliges.

Poor soul thinks HE caught the FISH!

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an interesting mix of apathy and panic

Clive M

Don't I know it - I'm already having to sneak Sportsfish purchases past the missus... thank god they come in plain brown packaging!
I'm trying to keep it light at the start - just the basic gear to get me out and about, but it's hard when you're a bloke resisting all the gadgets and gear... we're so weak!
A follow-up question, if I may: Do you guys have any recommendations re waders - are bootfoot better than stockingfoot+extra boots, and what materials are the most hard-wearing/wearable?
I don't have much money and I don't want to buy the wrong thing.
Cheers,
Red Devil

1st of many great tales in what I suspect will be a lifelong hobby now, congrats on the first solo day out.

I had a similar situation many many years ago and only have my brother as a witness to it. We were both out on a boat at Morton Fishery on a evening session. I cant remember the flies I was using but I had two on, one was bought from the shop and the other I had tied myself. As I had just started tying my own flies and at the time I was not too confident they were good enough hence always having a shop bought one on.

Late on in the evening it was starting to get dark when I got a hefty take. Feeling it was well hooked I started to reel him in hoping it had taken my own tied fly, first fly (shop bought) on the dropper came out the water and I went YEEES! it has taken mine. At this point I could not see the leader line because of the low light, then my fly came out the water with no fish on it. Spooky cos I could still feel this fish fighting and I couldn't see the line. It was only when the dropper got caught in the top ring on the rod I could see a length of line wrapped around the barb on my hook, the rest I had to pull the rest in by hand.

Turned out a rainbow of around 2lb had a buzzer in its mouth with around ten feet of line dragging behind it had somehow got wrapped around my hook, It was a spooky experience in the dark. I unhooked the fish and returned him as he deserverd a second chance.

Steady on TIGER! buying the wrong thing may be inevitable if you decide so quickly what you "need" after one outing

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an interesting mix of apathy and panic

Clive M

Good story, Welcome to the forum, fly fishing and a lighter wallet

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Eddie
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation."
Voltaire

Didn't he say he's married?

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an interesting mix of apathy and panic

Clive M