Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: RedLeader on November 25, 2009
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I'd like to get into fishing - I've been fly fishing a few times but never really got the hang of it. I'd like a more sedate type of fishing, preferrably something like spinning - bait fishing doesn't sound so exciting. Anyone any advice (don't want to have to spend too much)?
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Game Sea or Coarse ?
Andy
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Game Sea or Coarse ?
Andy
Any really. If it were possible to get gear suitable for both coarse and sea that would be ideal.
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Ok .. first thing you are going to need is a game rod license .. I think they are about 18 quid
This covers you for coarse fishing as well ... A license for the sea is not necessary unless you are fishing for sea trout
You may also need a DCAL angling permit to fish certain waters .. list here (http://www.dcal-fishingni.gov.uk/index/fishing_locations_in_northern_ireland_.htm)
Other waters may be Run by clubs and the purchase of a day ticket will be required
Some waters may be fly fishing only , others may only allow spinning and bait at certain times of the year
That's the licensing .. briefly
Rod .. an eight to nine foot spinning rod designed to cast a 10g-30g lure
Reel . depends on your budget ,, but no matter which reel you buy they are not saltwater proof and will need cleaning after use in the sea
Line .. I prefer braid to mono .
Lures/spinners/plugs.. depends on what you are fishing for
you can of course use a small spinning rod as a bait rod for trout etc
Andy
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hmm i think the answer lies in your post mate, you said you never really got the hand of it? thats the problem right there.
theres nothing worse than whipping about a flyrod without the line going anywhere but round you,your rod and everything else about you.
i can assure that with a little proper tuition and some practice there is no fishing that remotely comes close to the `art`of flyfishing.
it can be relativly cheap for your gear or bloody rediculously expensive.all depends on how much of a tackle tart you become ;D
id say you could spend fifty quid on a rod and reel and a few flies and be catching 3lb rainbow trout by the end of the day.
you should hook up with me and Andy some time we`re out on the yaks.you could use my spare yak and Andy can show you the finer points of fly fishing.
dont forget that its not just trout fishing on the fly. we fish for pike,perch,pollock,mackeral and any other predatory fish in fresh water AND saltwater.
trust me,after mastering the fluff chucking you,ll be watching lads spinning and thinking......bloody amateurs` ;)
oh yeah,you can also spend hours and hours tying your own flies when your not casting them.
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I used to spin and bait fish ... until I went on a salt water fly fishing course run by a Guide in Wexford
It opened my eyes to a whole new method of fishing ,, I was hooked ( excuse the pun )
Over the winter of that year I practised my casting on the local playing fields ,, surprisingly an adidas clad spide is great craic on the fly ;D
The following year .i returned to Wexford on a three day guided fishing trip
I hooked and landed 36 Bass ( all returned ) including this fish of a life time 12 1/2 lbs
(http://www.shore-angling-ireland.org/forum/images/andy_bass_speci.jpg)
when I got home ... I sold all my beach casters, spinning and plugging rods and reels ( well I kept one beach caster and reel)
That was quite a thing for me as I used to cast for Ireland in tournaments, but they all went and I havnt looked back since
I also tie salt water flies now ..semi commercially . mostly for guides here and across the water
some of my work
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/shop/products_pictures/4.jpg)
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/shop/products_pictures/rays_fly_med.jpg)
(http://www.chasingsilver.org/shop/products_pictures/tutti_fruity_flat_shop.jpg)
fly fishing can be difficult to learn ..but once you master it.. and you will with practise its very rewarding
Andy
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I already did a mornings fly fishing tuition as well as a few days out with a competition fisher and just never really got the knack. I'm okay on a still day but of there's any wind my casting goes out the window.
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have you ever caught a fish on the fly? that can be the deciding factor. especially something like a five or six pound rainbow.
my biggest so far is an eight pounder from what used to be springwater meadow.
but ive caught some cracker pollock from the sea too(http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/720/pollockpic.jpg)
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if you want the best chance of catching fish do sea fishing in the spring and summer as the mackeral are in
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Any Mackeral in at the minute? I heard they were in short supply this year. :(