Fly Fishing Section

[eyedaddy]

I'm glad a few people are interested here. I plan to begin trying to learn to tie my own flies this winter.

Free State Fly Fishers of Maryland meet up in Davidsonville on the first Saturday of the month for Fly tying class at 10:00am till about noon. Mark and myself belong to the club so come on up and join us sometime. We have several Excellent instructors that belong to the club and cover everything from Trout to Rockfish and beyond. Free coffee and snacks are provided.

[Mark]

Free State Fly Fishers of Maryland meet up in Davidsonville on the first Saturday of the month for Fly tying class at 10:00am till about noon. Mark and myself belong to the club so come on up and join us sometime. We have several Excellent instructors that belong to the club and cover everything from Trout to Rockfish and beyond. Free coffee and snacks are provided.

Yes...It's an excellent group.

We have a website: http://fs-ff.com/

And a Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FSFFMD

One thing of note is that the FSFF has its own clubhouse: http://fs-ff.com/index.php/clubhouse-location/ It's a very welcoming atmosphere.

The Saturday fly tying sessions are a winter activity and will end soon. But the club also sponsors monthly guest speakers and numerous outings during the year. Indeed, some of the presentations and outings are kayak oriented. The website and Facebook page highlights those activities.

I'd encourage all interested in fly fishing (and light tackle angling) to visit us.

[Bigbev67]

I agree a fly fishing thread would be great. I go to other forums now like stripersonline to get good info. I use my 8 and 9 weights all over the bay on my kayak and more info from a like minded group would be great. Been gnawing at the bit to get out there again following those 70 degree days we had last month.

[dirtyjake237]

So any chance we can get a Fly Fishing section on this great website?

I'll add my name to the petition for a paddle powered fly fishing forum. Count me in.

[HeaveToo]

I too would like to see a fly fishing category.

I never considered fly fishing from a kayak that technical. There are tricks here and there but it isn't rocket science. Keeping your area clear is one solution and be mindful where you strip your line.

Most of my experience is on the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers in Virginia. I have fished the Potomac some but I have guided on the Rappahannock for a few trips many years ago. I do tie my own flies and prefer tying larger flies.

I look forward to seeing some of the other fly kayak fisherman this season in NOVA!

[silasvirus82]

In my opinion if you had to buy one fly rod for the bay it would be an 9' 8wt. Yes you might be a little under-powered for a monster flats fish, but lets be real here, they are hard enough to catch with traditional equipment, the likelihood that you hook into one is extremely small. A quality 8wt will handle a fish that size if fought properly, you just need to chase them around a bit more. I never buy equipment that is meant for the biggest fish out there, I buy for the average fish knowing I can handle the big boys with care. For me I get more enjoyment out of using lighter weight tackle and I particularly like the added sensitivity and delicate presentation. My go-to small stream/river dry fly trout rod for this area is a 7'6 3wt which is perfect for your average 8-10" trout. Most guys use 4-5wt which is fine, but I prefer the mobility of a shorter rod and the extremely delicate presentation I can achieve with a light stick. I've landed fish up to 13" on that rod no problem, and feel confident I can handle almost anything on the east coast. To each their own, just my $0.02.

[Mark]

I think an 8 wt. is indeed a good choice for the Bay. I use one here in the Chesapeake and also in Tampa. I also use a 9 wt. occasionally here, not so much to catch large fish, which I normally do not do, but to battle the wind. Sometimes a heavier rod is actually less tiring to use for prolonged periods than a lighter rod that you have push into the wind or strain to throw larger flies with.

But like most of us who use conventional tackle and have more than one spinning or baitcasting rod, I have a number of fly rods, from a 4wt. to the 9 wt. I mentioned above. I often carry two -- one strung with a streamer and one with a surface fly. For the Bay I typically carry a 5/6 wt. and an 8/9 wt. For smaller waters I drop back to a 4 wt. and a 7 wt.

Lastly, stay tuned. A designated fly fishing thread is coming to this forum. I'm glad for that and pleased to see the topic gaining momentum on Snaggedline.