The Anglers Rest - A plaice :-) for fishy tales - it was HOW big !!

Doc Farrell · 11-07-2009 11:40pm #1

I have a problem. At the end of a stressful week I need to buy something from a tackle shop. This doesn't sound like a problem until you realise that its being going on for two years now. thats a hundred visits to tackle shops.

I have 9 rods, six reels, four lines, 80 flies, 40 books, 10 dvds, 2 fly jackets, 6 bags, 3 leader spools, 2 sets of waders, 15 hats (including baseball caps),8 pairs of sunglasses, 100 magazines (50 of which came from a poster here), and a half dozen penknives.

Today I bought 3 dry flies and some leaders, the type you have to pull up the end of the line, anyway I was looking at the small reels, for 4-6 lines, for small rivers. They are gorgeous. The dealer said I dont need them, nor the rods, nor the lines, just the flies, and not dry ones either as I'm not good enough to use them. He said come back when I break one of them.

I intend to spend what few euro I have left in his shop. I know reverse psychology when I hear it! I'm a used car salesman for christsake!

There's one other point I need to make. This one is genuinely crinegeworthy but fukit, i've had a nice bottle of wine and it might help others. Since April I've fished for 100 hours, 20 of them in the last two weeks. So here's the confession: i've never caught a fish on a flyline.

There, I've said it, I'm the worst angler in Ireland. Tomorrow i intend to reinforce my status by fishing for a few hours on a flooded muddy stream with a nice little 8th foot rod that cost me 30 euro, on a weird little reel that cost me a fiver, on a 5 weight line thats curlier than a curly-wurley, with some aldi special tippet and a couple of nice flies.

(by the way, it turns out that the aldi fly rod is considered not bad, or it could be lidl, not sure, but the line that comes with it is wrong for the rod. The rod needs a 7-9 line, not a 5-6! Also, if you use a line in saltwater or a few times in algae rich freshwater and don't wash it then you won't ever cast it well. obvious advice, but hard earned here)

the tackle dealers name is phil. he's a young man. i won't tell you where he works. but i hope he doesn't disappear anytime soon. i intend to put his kids through college with all the crap i'm gonna buy!

my goal before the end of the fishing season is to catch one fish. i will release it if i do. i've spent so many hours in the company of splashing fish this year i hope i haven't become too sentimental to eat one!

SeaFields · 12-07-2009 12:40am

Thanks Doc. I think this may be the beginning of that never ending thread that I mentioned in the splitting the forum thread. I hope it is

I am also after more than one bottle of wine this evening.

Some advice - stop buying tackle!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heres some more advice...there two types of fly anglers I know.

Theres the expert. He confidently pulls up in his fancy 4WD to the rivers edge. Slowly draws his Sage (i own one :eek:), Hardy, or Loomis rod out of the tube. Skillfully puts on the matching reel with overly priced fly line on it and draws the line through the eyes. After tying the leader onto said line with the latest knot out of the popular angling magazine he chooses his flies out of the dozen fly boxes in the boot. Every pattern is there, in every size and a dozen of each just in case. Complete with chest waders donned, and with the latest, fashionable angling bag thrown over his shoulder he proceeds to confidently make his way down the river. With casting techniques perfected by the most expensive angling guide he perfectly throws his cast of flies into every known spot in search of the fish. Each trout caught is greeted with a look over the shoulder - ensuring the other anglers on the river can see his success.

Sitting on the bank watching our expert is the real angler. The real angler doesn't need to set up his gear. It has been set up since Paddy's day ( he doesn't fish before then - tis a personal rule) and won't be taken down til September. He couldn't tell you the make of the rod - the manufacturers markings have been well worn off over the decades but it cost a "few bob" in its day and has more than paid for itself. He smiles as the expert passes him down the bank - the real angler knows its too early to start fishing. The hatch hasn't started and the trout are a bit lazy. Still though - is there a better place to be than sitting on the rivers edge? Surveying the river the real angler could tell you everything about it. How it changed over the years, stories of big trout taken and the bigger trout lost ( the latter mostly in the local pub). He plans on asking the Lord for an evenings fishing every now and again after he has passed - and often jokes to the young lads that he'll still be fishing the river long after he's in the ground. As the sun goes down he ambles upstream. He saw a few nice trout in the mill pool that day and is sure one could be tempted. He gently wades to his knees in his patched up thigh waders. Why wear chest waders in a 3 foot deep river he asks. An hours fishing will produce plenty of fish and as the darkness sets in its time to head home. Theres a trout in the bag for breakfast and the rest were returned to the pool. On the way he sees a group listening to stories being regaled by the expert as he points to strange concoctions of fur and feather in the fly boxes - he politely greets the group. Shur there only half a dozen flies that will produce the goods at this time of the year on the river - none of them are in any book.

Aim to be the real angler Doc.

Doc Farrell · 12-07-2009 12:49am

great post, u write like a 'trout bum' John gierach.

gonna try like charles jardine in the last two paragraphs of this post :

http://www.fishandfly.com/articles/rutland-water

i met mr.jardine at an angling thing last year and he is the man.

thanks for the moral support! damn trout! :mad::D

pullandbang · 12-07-2009 10:20pm

Perseverance, Doc, perseverance!

Keep at it 'cos no matter what, you'll enjoy trying.

Doc Farrell · 12-07-2009 11:16pm

thanks pullandbang,

well, guess what?

the curse has lifted! I caught my first trout on the fly at 8pm this evening!
now, when I say caught I don't have a picture for you because while i was trying to net it and fumbling for my camera phone, with a quick kick she was away! however since i had on a fly with no barb and was gonna put it back anyway I consider it a success! only the cruelest angler would deny me my prize.

I used a dry fly not because I expected to be good enough to fish it properly but because it was a lovely evening after the rain and dammit i wanted to dry fly fish. I even dipped the fly in some floatant but it tended to sink anyway which is just as well because this trout took it from about a foot under water.

The fly has a yellow foam body, I took a picture of it! I'm going to retire it now. The trout was about a pound and a stocked rainbow, not one of the tiny brown trout the Nanny usually holds.

A point i need to remember is that if the trout see me then I won't catch them, they're not like their brazen Dublin cousins on the Dodder.

The fly looks ridiculously gaudy but I wanted a fly i could see because I was really just practicising my cast but i guess this trout was hungry after the rain. He really was a beauty, pity I didn't get chance to photo it - you'll just have to take my word. I felt a strange mix of supremely confident and wanting to poop my pants when he took.

the little ten euro metal reel balances lovely on the eight foot 4-5 rod, i didn't bother with any backing on the line as it wouldn't fit anyway. i'm 100% certain that the if i hadn't had spent a few quid getting some decent lessons and then dozens of hours wrapping the leader in every bush until i sorted out my cast, then there's no way I could have hit the jackpot tonight.

I tracked a couple of other fish but they heard, saw and probably cursed me before bolting.

so, off and running, about bloody time!

thank you god and the fishing pixies on the Nanny!

i'll post a picture of the fly when i look it up, its not like me to use a Disco Stu looking one at all.

edit: i'm having trouble uploading the pic of the fly (not the most exciting picture admitedly) anyway i looked it up on the net and it's a sedge with a yellow foam head, most likely a hare's ear sedge, about size 14. i''ll ask my drug (fly) dealer later in the week. thanks, still fired up from the experience, hope the trout has recovered ok, he was jumping again a few minutes later.

pullandbang · 13-07-2009 9:44am

Great stuff...well done!

Now you're a confirmed addict and you'll be visiting your dealer on a more regular basis.

bernard0368 · 13-07-2009 10:15am

Doc Farrell wrote: »

I have 9 rods, six reels, four lines, 80 flies, 40 books, 10 dvds, 2 fly jackets, 6 bags, 3 leader spools, 2 sets of waders, 15 hats (including baseball caps),8 pairs of sunglasses, 100 magazines (50 of which came from a poster here), and a half dozen penknives.

Stop buying and learn to use what you have.

Congrats on the first trout, the addiction only gets worse.

Steffano2002 · 13-07-2009 11:10am

I'm the opposite! I'm a fantastic fly-fisher (lol - I only went 3 times in my life!) but I have absolutely no tackle whatsoever...

Went fishing 3 times in the last 4 weeks (twice in the Liffey, once in the Boyne) and caught fish each time (4 in the Liffey, 1 in the Boyne).

I depend on a friend for waders and rod-reel-flies etc. He taught me how to cast and after a few hours I was able to cast decently. I'm getting better and better and my presentations are getting cleaner and cleaner.

But now I really have to get my own tackle as I feel bad using my friend's all the time...

My advice to you: find people who know what they're doing and go fishing with them. Ask a billion questions! I didn't bother with books, mags, videos (yet!) and so far I have 100% success rate!

Fly fishing is AWESOME!

SeaFields · 13-07-2009 2:47pm

Doc Farrell wrote: »

the curse has lifted! I caught my first trout on the fly at 8pm this evening!
now, when I say caught I don't have a picture for you because while i was trying to net it and fumbling for my camera phone, with a quick kick she was away! however since i had on a fly with no barb and was gonna put it back anyway I consider it a success! only the cruelest angler would deny me my prize.

Well done Doc. The first fish on the fly is always remembered. No need for a picture - it can be your own private moment. Now that the duck is broken they will come by the dozen.

Thanks for setting up this thread - its exactly what the angling forum needed.

I hope I'm not over stepping my mark- I'm relatively new to boards and even newer to the angling forum but may i suggest the regular users of the angling forum introduce themselves - types of fishing pursued, interests, part of the country they fish etc....

I'm based in Cork but do most of my fishing in Kerry. My favorite river down there is mentioned in Peter O' Reillys book "rivers of ireland" - and I quote him "best give it a miss..." . Last season I had one salmon out of it, sea trout to 2lbs amd brownies to 3/4lb.

to you POR! Was involved in plenty of Clubs over the years but had to give up all responsibilities last year due to college exams. Try to do a bit of sea fishing too but still a learning curve for me - only really taken it up seriously in the last two or three seasons. Have been told I'm handy at the fly tying too but don't get around to it that much these days.

Finally, my favorite little river is flooded today. Biggest flood I' ve ever seen on it. Sea trout will be hoping on it when it goes down. I hope it stops raining soon - want to get out this evening:eek:

coolwings · 13-07-2009 4:08pm

Doc Farrell wrote: »

... I caught my first trout on the fly at 8pm this evening!...

It's a special moment, isn't it?
You feel like doing a victory dance on the riverbank when number one on the fly comes in to be landed!

When you want to start picking up on the other casts, let me know and we can get together on the water if you like.

Doc Farrell · 13-07-2009 6:01pm

thanks lads,

coolwings, i expect a full report on the Sandymount expedition!

i think the idea of a nonsense sticky like this is great,except that my embarressing disasterous approach to flyfishing is now stapled to the top of the page! ah well, hopefully it'll give others resolve.

the one bit of advice i would offer to complete amateurs is simply to cast to jumping fish and not to pools where you think they might be, unless someone you respect is literally pointing there saying, fish here now.

ok, here's my first question not worthy of a new thread. i want to move out of Dublin to West Cork within 18 months. anybody know of any jobs. i'm getting out of the car game, too many gangsters in dublin, literally. Ideally i'd like to be a ferry boatman between the islands. but i can't sail. any ideas?

and thanks, mr. moderator for taking seafields advice and giving this a shot!

no fishing tonight, everything is flooded. tomorrow for 2 hours - 7pm-9pm.

stevenmu · 13-07-2009 6:57pm

Congrats on the fish Doc, the first one is definitely an amazing experience. And fair play to you for keeping at it.

I think it was a good idea to try the dries, I know people say it's a harder way to fish but tbh I've been finding them much easier, you get to see the fish take it and know exactly when to strike. Maybe I just need to practice the nymphs more, but the dries keep working for me so it's hard to not use them

Tinytony · 14-07-2009 11:06am

Seemingly there are bass coming in on the tidal part of the river I fish. I never realised there was anything in the tidal part of the river (bar mullet) but apparently they are coming in on the high tide with the mullet. It's nice bit in the Shannon Estuary. Would this be right?

coolwings · 14-07-2009 12:58pm

If you're finding nymph fishing difficult, fish wet flies downstream and across in the faster water. The good news is the water's flow lifts the flies up under the surface and you see and feel the takes. The bad news is you will prick and lose many of them.

I have no hesitation is saying that upstream nymphing is far more difficult than dry fly, and may be the most difficult aspect of river trouting with a fly. Ten years from now you will still find upstream nymphing very challenging, but rewarding when you get it right.

This is mainly due a combination of difficult things coming together:
Not seeing excessive drag, (though unlike dry fly, some drag is ok with sunken fly)
and
Not seeing the underwater takes until too late and the trout is rejecting it.

To ease upstream nymphing, I suggest use of a dry fly on dropper or tail, with the subsurface fly in the other position.
The dry fly acts as a visual strike indicator for takes unerneath to the sunk fly, and brings you up to speed. It will also sometimes do the business itself (though that's not the main plan).
Start with a well oiled Grey Duster fuzzy buzzy type pattern on top dropper, and a light beadhead Gold Rib Hares Ear nymph below in the tail position.
Afterwards, graduate to lesser dry flies and lighter nymphs. Like two wet spiders on droppers with a dry on the tail.
Finally, later on, when you have got into the swing of things, move onto the single unweighted or weighted nymph targetted at single fish in the dry fly fashion. When you learn about something called the "induced take" and can do it, you have arrived.

SeaFields · 14-07-2009 1:04pm

No reason why there shouldn't be Tony. I'm not the most accomplished sea angler but i think the estuary is a handy enough spot to pick up bass. Location dependent obviously.

After several fruitless trips after bass a few summers ago, one of my angling buddies proclaimed that bass were a fictional fish- the perfect sea fish, powerful and beautiful made up by tackle dealers to sell bait and gear! I thought it was a nice way to put it! (he has since become a handy bass angler

)

Finally I lost a salmon this morning :mad:. It would have been my first salmon in a couple of seasons. Water was perfect and third or forth cast into one of the pools and I hooked a small grilse - between 2 & 3lbs. I'm disgusted. He came off after 2 or 3 mins - my little nine foot rod couldn't hold him in the current and after the last of half a dozen jumps clear of the water the fly came out. Bar of silver tho.I cant wait to get back out this evening. Fishing must be great all round since the rain has stopped.

Tinytony · 14-07-2009 1:37pm

SeaFields wrote: »

No reason why there shouldn't be Tony. I'm not the most accomplished sea angler but i think the estuary is a handy enough spot to pick up bass. Location dependent obviously.

After several fruitless trips after bass a few summers ago, one of my angling buddies proclaimed that bass were a fictional fish- the perfect sea fish, powerful and beautiful made up by tackle dealers to sell bait and gear! I thought it was a nice way to put it! (he has since become a handy bass angler )

Finally I lost a salmon this morning :mad:. It would have been my first salmon in a couple of seasons. Water was perfect and third or forth cast into one of the pools and I hooked a small grilse - between 2 & 3lbs. I'm disgusted. He came off after 2 or 3 mins - my little nine foot rod couldn't hold him in the current and after the last of half a dozen jumps clear of the water the fly came out. Bar of silver tho.I cant wait to get back out this evening. Fishing must be great all round since the rain has stopped.

Unlucky, hopefully the rain keeps off here and I'll get out for a while myself this evening. The water level in the river had gone very low so it was welcome drop of rain.

I was just a bit sceptical about the Bass as I'd never heard of anyone catching them locally before, but maybe they had been and were just keeping it to themselves

SeaFields · 15-07-2009 1:55pm

The fishing Gods have conspired against us today... water levels in the rivers are perfect after the recent flooding yet the sun is splitting the stones for the first time in a couple of weeks!! Nearly 20 degrees here.

And the tides are wrong for bit of sea fishing in this part of the country.

And I'm working for the rest of the week and weekend so wont see any fishing!
:mad:

Tinytony · 15-07-2009 2:02pm

SeaFields wrote: »

The fishing Gods have conspired against us today... water levels in the rivers are perfect after the recent flooding yet the sun is splitting the stones for the first time in a couple of weeks!! Nearly 20 degrees here.

And the tides are wrong for bit of sea fishing in this part of the country.

And I'm working for the rest of the week and weekend so wont see any fishing!
:mad:

It's supposed to cloud over a bit in the evening time, so I think tonight could be a good 'un. The one thing I like about the levels being low though was the fact I could hope across rocks to the far bank of the river and fish the runs that usually can't be reached!

stevenmu · 15-07-2009 2:09pm

Thanks Coolwings, I'd been thinking of trying a strike indicator alright, although more from the point of view of keeping the nymph a little off the bottom. Everything I've read says that the trick is to get the nymph down to the bottom as quick as possible, but I've always had the opposite problem of getting caught on the bottom and thinking it's a take, which is probably then making me miss any real takes

I saw the "induced take" on TV before, looks like a great trick to have at your disposal.

SeaFields · 15-07-2009 2:24pm

Tinytony wrote: »

It's supposed to cloud over a bit in the evening time, so I think tonight could be a good 'un. The one thing I like about the levels being low though was the fact I could hope across rocks to the far bank of the river and fish the runs that usually can't be reached!

One of the pools in my local river has been totally transformed after the floods. Was up there yesterday afternoon. The flood carved a fierce deep channel right through the middle of it. Made the pool a lot better I reckon.

This evening is out for me too. Gotta spend some quality time with herself...I'd be well in the bad books if I tried to get out of it.

Do they not realise how good the conditions will be like....! :rolleyes:

Doc Farrell · 18-07-2009 7:41pm

was changing the back box of an exhaust and noticed the owner had stuffed a full wig in the hole. first thought was: i wonder if i could use that hair to make flies?
thankfully i didn't keep it, not that sick just yet!

waiting for a half dozen john gierach titles that cost 3 dollars each from www.betterworldbooks.com waiting 2 weeks now, one more to go!

Tinytony · 20-07-2009 3:16pm

Caught a nice trout last night, caught it with only my 3rd cast on a red sedge, but then didn't even get a bite for the rest of the night.

Doc Farrell · 20-07-2009 9:04pm

caught a lovely pollack, about a pound and a half. took a picture, hopefully can post it from my phone.
then i slipped, pulled a muscle in my leg and lost 3 sets of feathers and got a good soaking in a squall.
still, worth it.
i let the little fella go, thinking i'd get another half dozen, but, what the hell, good karma for the next trip

Tinytony · 22-07-2009 5:25pm

Coarse fishing question:

http://www.cfb.ie/fishing_in_ireland/catchofweek.htm

On here it shows a fella with a huge bag of bream, then it says he returned them all. How does that work? Do you keep the bream in a big net in the water or something?

Dusty87 · 23-07-2009 8:57am

Tinytony wrote: »

Coarse fishing question:

http://www.cfb.ie/fishing_in_ireland/catchofweek.htm

On here it shows a fella with a huge bag of bream, then it says he returned them all. How does that work? Do you keep the bream in a big net in the water or something?

Yea called a keep net. Some say that it causes stress to fish and can kill them. Although i used one a few times a few years ago and never had a dead fish. Only used it a few times though.

Dusty87 · 23-07-2009 9:09am

Il post this here seein as its for story's. I was out on the canal a couple of years ago wit the simple float set up for perch and roach. The float i was using was see through wit an orange top on it. I was fishin for about 3 hours and they just were not takin the bait. So i was just castin out, waiting, reeling in and so on. I started doing it without thinkin, just boredom and relaxing i suppose, not paying attention to the line being reeled in. About two foot from the bank i looked at the float as i was just about to lift it out. When out of no where a pike about 5 pound took the float (im guessin because of the orange tip), he held on to it for about 5 seconds. Actually leaped out of water. Took the heart out of me, actually made me jump. Wasn expecting it at all

Itsdacraic · 24-07-2009 2:58pm

Do you need a state licence to fish for sea trout like you do for salmon?

stevenmu · 24-07-2009 3:02pm

Yep, I'm pretty sure it's the same license (i.e. a migratory species license)

Itsdacraic · 24-07-2009 3:41pm

stevenmu wrote: »

Yep, I'm pretty sure it's the same license (i.e. a migratory species license)

Thanks, I don't have a salmon licence as the river I fish doesn't have any (as far as I know) but I believe there may occassional be a run of sea trout in the summer. I've never caught one but I have heard of people who have. I will investigate locally if it would be worth my while trying for them. No point buying a licence if there aren't any sea trout there to catch.

Doc Farrell · 27-07-2009 9:52pm

At 6.30am on friday i will be driving to west cork to fish in the following places

Friday
Roaring Water Bay - sea fly
Schull pier - mackeral strips
Barley Cove - frozenish bait and feathers on the beach
Crookhaven - last of the bait and feathers

Saturday
a few local lakes - fly
Dunmanus Bay - sea lures and feathers
night fishing back in Barley Cove

Sunday
Unionhall, Castletownsend, The Long Strand near Rosscarbery
pints in Goleen or Crookhaven

Monday
a few hours in the best of the above spots.

need to get a kelly kettle and some tackle.
any pointers, advice welcome.

very very excited. no more breaks till September so this is my big summer break!

Doc Farrell · 27-07-2009 11:09pm

i'm addicted to watching fishing videos on youtube.

on this one the guy's rod breaks about 18 minutes into it. incredible fish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0ZD85OjjTA&feature=fvw

now i'm watching 'fishing with john' which has tom waits and willam defoe in it.

The Anglers Rest - A plaice :-) for fishy tales - it was HOW big !!

Comments