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| Oahe Smallie |
When I look at the fly fishing game today, it's no wonder it took me so long to finally invest my time and energy into learning the sport. Rods, reels, lines, leaders, tippet, tools, flies, snobbery...the list goes on and on. The thing that I was most afraid of as a child was not being accepted in the "fly fishing community". My perception was this elite group of people who knew they were better than you and weren't afraid to admit it. The reality: couldn't be more opposite. Are there pompous assholes out on the water? Yup. But they are few and far between. Most fly fisherman that I rub elbows with are down-to-earth, conservation minded nature lovers who just want to get better at catching fish. At the end of the day, fly fishing required confidence. You must understand that all situations are different, and there is always someone better out on the water. If you are willing and able to learn from every situation, and open minded to other fishing techniques/ideals, you will have an easier time putting yourself out on the water for others to witness. Trust me, you'll love it when people start asking you for advice. First, you need to start fishing.
After I finally got over my ego, I had no idea what gear to use or how to use it.
Gear you'll need to get started: Your first and last stop to acquire the goods should be Dakota Angler & Outfitter in Rapid City. They will have everything you need, and will even point you in the direction of some hungry trout. The first time I fished within Rapid City city limits, Dave Gamitt drew me a map and put me on a lot of browns. Don't worry, they won't scoff at you for being new to the sport. They will welcome you with open arms! Here is the gear you should ask for. If you don't want to do it in person, order it online.
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| Walleye bends the Echo 8 wt (Glory-a) |
#1 - Redington Crosswater/Path/Topo: Redington combos will give you the versatility to fish trout in Rapid Creek and Carp in your local honey hole. Get the 8 wt faster action rod to chuck and duck with 12" hang-time musky flies.
- Dakota Angler makes it even easier by putting a complete Redington combo together including the Crosswater, Redington waders and wading boots for $350. A great deal!
#2 - Cabelas Prestige or Three Forks Combos: I have prestige combo and it's caught more fish for me int he hills that I could ever imagine. Great rod and reel for the price.
#3 - Echo Solo and Ion combo. Ask the fly shop about this combo. It's under $200 and will give you a great starter set.
Fly Line: A good fly line will make a big difference in your fishing experience. I began with an old fly line and struggled to cast and catch fish. Once I cleaned it and eventually got a new line, casting became much easier. Don't fall for gimmicks, species specific line options. It's my belief that they do that to sell more lines with very little variation. To begin, get a WF (weight forward) floating line that matches the weight of your rod. You may need to get a heavier line for faster action rods. Some lines, like the Rio Grand, are designed for fast action rods and come a bit heavier than normal floating lines. Stick with Rio, Scientific Anglers, or Cortland lines to reduce headaches when starting out. Casting doesn't have to be perfect to catch fish, but it will make for a much easier time learning with quality line.
Leaders and tippets: As a beginner, don't get caught up in leaders and tippets. For trout get some Rio or Scientific Anglers tapered leaders in sizes 4x, 5x, and 6x. The larger the number with tippet and leaders (like with hooks, the smaller the line diameter. For all other fish, I tie on 20 lb mono to my fly line and attach a 8-12 ft piece of fluorocarbon by blood knot. Simple, easy, and very effective.
Knots to know: The only knots I use to attache my fly to tippet/line are the improved clinch knot (I tie mine with 4 twists) and non-slip loop knot. I use blood or double surgeons knots to attach two lines and a simple double overhand loop knot to connect my homemade leaders to my fly line. The perfection loop knot is fun to tie, but not as strong.
Waders and Wading boots: This is a tough one, because I will rarely use waders if it's not really cold outside. I would recommend getting a bargain set of waders online or ask the fly shop if they have any used items for sale. I started with an $89 set of waders that I still use today. To me, they aren't that important. Others will say otherwise. It's up for you to decide. Boots are a different story. A good boot can make a big difference in your wading experience. You won't find a great boot for under $100 (unless it is on sale), so don't be afraid to go with Simms, Redington, Korkers, or Chota on your first set and make sure they're not felt bottomed. That is not allowed in SD.
Flies: The flies you'll be using will depend greatly on the species you are pursuing. So many people automatically connect fly fishing to trout and vise versa. I'm trying to break that automatic connection. Below are my top ten flies and the species they'll catch. You can catch all of these fish with the WF floating line that comes on the starting combo.
- Clouser Minnow/Kreelex: Pretty much anything that swims will eat this fly. Always have some sparsely tied in your box. My favorite colors are chartreuse/white, and blue/white/red. For the kreelex, chartreuse/silver, gold/silver
- San Juan Worm: Pink and Red, Orange and red, or solid red. Invert the hook with dumbbell eyes for carp and cats (red).
- Hot Spot Pheasant Tail: A bright orange hot spot in place of the peacock herl of a PT has worked wonders for me. Pink also works well.
- Hare's Ear: Amazing all year round.
- Wooly Bugger: Touted as the most versatile fly ever tied. It's also one of the easiest to tie if you're into that. Will catch anything that swims.
- Murdich Minnow: This is in my box because of where I live. If you don't have easy access to bass and northerns it might not be in yours. If you hope to pursue bass and northerns, it needs to be.
- Adams: I'm not a big dry fly fisherman, but an adams imitates a number of South Dakota's adult mayflies very well.
- Soft Hackels: A versatile fly that works well all year round for various species.
- Elk Hair Caddis: There are few things as fun as skating a caddis across Spearfish Creek. The takes are frequent and exciting. A great fly from late spring to fall.
- Midges (all stages of life cycle): I'm cheating a bit here by calling this one pattern, but they are vital for catching trout throughout the year. Midges are actively hatching throughout the year, so they are always an option for hungry trout. Larva, pupae, stuck in the shuck and dry patters should all hold a place in your box. My favorites include zebra midge, skinny nelson, palomino midges, smoke jumpers and griffiths gnats.
Trout
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Walleye
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Bass (smallmouth, largemouth, white)
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Northern Pike
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Catfish
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Carp
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Crappie
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Perch
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Clouser
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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San Juan Worm
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Pheasant Tail
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Hare’s Ear
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X
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X
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Wooly Bugger
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Murdich Minnow
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Adams
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X
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X
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X
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Soft Hackels (of any kind)
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Articulated Streamers
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Midge life cycle
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X
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X
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Where to go: Any body of water that holds fish. You'll learn the catching part as you go. If you come to Pierre, let me know.
This is a lot of information, but don't let it deter you from getting started. Once you get the basics, and are able to get out on the water, things will begin to fall into place. Hire one of the guys over at Dakota Angler to expedite the learning process. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take, so get out there and make some casts!
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