[Chad Lewis]

at fishing moving water. Just wanted to get that off my chest.

 

[Mumbles]

I had not fished for trout in moving water until this January. With some open seats, guide trips and a lot of days with friends on the water I'm totally hooked on fishing for trout in moving water...but I know that I suck horribly at it.

 

[writer]

I seldom fish anything BUT moving water , and most of the time I'm sure I suck at it, too (I really suck at still-water fishing!). Fortunately, I frequently run into sympathetic and/or stupid trout that take my fly regardless of how unnatural the drift/drag.

Case in point. I had one nasty seam to work yesterday on the Yakima. Standing in FAST waist deep water, casting over a slow tongue and another fast riffle, into a slow-water rock garden at the head of a pool. Big fish feeding in that bouder-strewn pool, but I could only manage about a 3-second drift before line-drag ripped the fly(s) away. It took awhile (45+ minutes) but I was able to pull out one big cutthroat (15+ inches) on a dry (a #14 Crippled Purple Haze) and three rainbows (12 to 15 inches) out on a hopper-dropper rig (all hit the small #18 purple-sparkle bead head nymph). The key to fast water, for me, seems to be being patient enough for the stupidest fish to come out and see my dragging / unnaturally-drifting fly.

Fortunately, as many of us former (former?) geeks remember from high school, the biggest and burliest are sometimes the stupidest ones in the school....;^)

 

[little rod]

You don't suck. I'm OK you are OK.
But really you probably did suck and I just had a weekend where I sucked! So you are in good company.

Lov ya man!

 

[Lugan]

I suck at fishing still water for trout or salmon, fresh or salt. I used to be great at catching warmwater fish in lakes in the Midwest, but that hasn't transferred here.

 

[Salmo_g]

Chad,

At least you know what you need to work on. And since it's fun, it won't seem like work.

Sg

 

[Alexander]

I suck at fly fishing salt water! But that isn't going to stop me! I just got started and I ain't quitin'. I love fishing rivers, I think rivers are easy, still water for trout is a bit challenging I think, but there are some real lunkers in there and I've had moderate success on still water.

 

[JesseC]

There's nothing more entertaining to me than fishing a challenging seam or swirling back eddy across a fast little section of water. Every new slice of water is a new challenge that if solved with a little bit of elegance might pay off with the reward of a fish walloping your fly. I can honestly say there are few things I find more thrilling.

I spent the weekend on a high mountain stream and learned a couple new casts out of necessity; Casting short so the line hit the water with a nice J built in to get a couple extra second of drag free drift, casting with a circular loop at the end to reverse the J, side arm casting under a log that only gave me three feet to work with, using a spey style cast that a forum member showed me to cast without using any backroom.

All good fun times. I love the moving water

 

[Brookie_Hunter]

at fishing moving water. Just wanted to get that off my chest.

Me too but that doesn't stop me either...

 

[Steve Call]

I've been fishing moving water since I was a kid and I find it a challenge every time I go out. That's why I love it. There is always a seam, a back eddy, a spot behind a rock on the other side that I'm reaching for and where I'm sure there's fish, working for that almost impossible drag free float that will draw a strike. When it all comes together, regardless of whether I get a fish ...... well, that's what its all about.

Don't worry about it. Just keep fishing!

Steve

Steve

 

[Skysoldier]

I seldom fish anything BUT moving water , and most of the time I'm sure I suck at it, too (I really suck at still-water fishing!). Fortunately, I frequently run into sympathetic and/or stupid trout that take my fly regardless of how unnatural the drift/drag.

Case in point. I had one nasty seam to work yesterday on the Yakima. Standing in FAST waist deep water, casting over a slow tongue and another fast riffle, into a slow-water rock garden at the head of a pool. Big fish feeding in that bouder-strewn pool, but I could only manage about a 3-second drift before line-drag ripped the fly(s) away. It took awhile (45+ minutes) but I was able to pull out one big cutthroat (15+ inches) on a dry (a #14 Crippled Purple Haze) and three rainbows (12 to 15 inches) out on a hopper-dropper rig (all hit the small #18 purple-sparkle bead head nymph). The key to fast water, for me, seems to be being patient enough for the stupidest fish to come out and see my dragging / unnaturally-drifting fly.

Fortunately, as many of us former (former?) geeks remember from high school, the biggest and burliest are sometimes the stupidest ones in the school....;^)

I'm with you Dan and love to work out a problem like the one you described above, I will also stay with it until I catch the fish or put them down and have to move on.

 

[Ppppp]

S#!t fish just hate me.

 

[KerryS]

I know I suck at fishing moving water. That is why I only fish for searun cutthroat and steelhead in moving water. Everyone knows they are a myth and don't really exist and because of that it doesn't matter that I suck.

 

[Bob Jones]

It doesn't matter what I fish for or what kind of water, I don't catch many at any time and that's my talent, because I still love to be out there and see the country and I'm not harming the fish or country. Wife says "Have fun! Don't bring anything home.." So I have a great time with whoever I'm with and get to enjoy the scenery. I can watch moving water for hours and don't have to get my fishing gear out unless I feel like it, I usually do. as for still water I'd need to fish because I don't enjoy it as well other wise. As much as the countryside it's about the comradship of the people I've met and get to fish with. Never have been much about fishing alone. That's when I don't allways fish, just scout the country. So it doesn't matter if i suck at fishing it's still great fun.
'

 

[Richard Torres]

I love fishing dries in pocket water but suck major air turbulence when it comes to wets and nymphs.

Here's what I think.

All of us that suck at a particular fishing method should gather at a place people claim to catch fish, fish there and BS about how bad we suck...

I know I could always use some constructive criticism on my overhead casting...

And if the fishing sucks I'll bring my favorite brew along, kick back and maybe learn something from you fellow anglers......

 

[Gone]

It's OK to suck as long as you don't get stuck in a state of perpetual suckage. Give it time and due diligence, and before you know it you will suck less.

 

[Big E]

 

[Matthew Gulbranson]

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:Holy shit that is good! Thanks for the laugh!! I can always remember, 'at least i'm not that guy!"

 

[Gary Thompson]

Ya don't have to be faster than the bear, just faster than your buddy.
It sucks to be your buddy.
I don't suck at fly fishing, but I'm sure glad you guy do, more fish for me.

 

[Ppppp]

It seems that there are just so many aspects of flyfishing that it is hard to get good at all of them. Along with that sometimes it is easy to wish you were "That Guy" We just dont see the time and energy that "that Guy" put into getting good at what he does. Last few years trying to catch steelhead with the spey rod has been quite humbling, compared to still water, or local salt water.