[Hoochee]

I celebrated my 40th a while ago. :cheers: My father gave me a 9ft Sage 590 RPL graghite rod and a Lamson 3 reel with two spools. I have always wanted to get into fly fishing and am registered through a local shop for the next scheduled Fly 101 course they put on. It seams to be taking a while. I have fished my whole life, but never done the fly.
My questions are what is this setup targeted for. It seams a bit light for stealhead. Second, where would you go (lower mainland / Fraser valley area) as a beginner that would be forgiving, give you a chance of catching something and where you would not bother the more accomplished flyfishers that may be present.
I will be getting a book, reading the internet, and taking the course, but am just looking for a few quick tips to start.

 

[PumpingIron]

Yes a 5wt is way too light for steelhead.

Where are you located? It would give us a better idea on where you should go.

 

[Hoochee]

I'm located in Coquitlam.
Thanks

 

[HOOK]

try basically ANY of the interior lakes they should be on fire right now gearing up for ice on ;D

 

[flyguy]

I'm located in Coquitlam.
Thanks

Try Lafarge or Buntzen ( if you have a very small boat or canoe). They where stocked in October and are your best bet to try the new gear on something small.

 

[eimaj]

I tried the "Fly 101" course, they sent me back to "Remedial Bobber fishing "


I'm a bit of a hack, but I can chuck a decent line. Don't hesitate to give a shout sometime if you want to learn how to cast that thing....nice set-up by the way. :thumbup: And don't worry about bugging the experienced guys, they're usually happy to see other guys chucking flies :beerchug:

 

[professori]

I celebrated my 40th a while ago. :cheers: My father gave me a 9ft Sage 590 RPL graghite rod and a Lamson 3 reel with two spools. I have always wanted to get into fly fishing and am registered through a local shop for the next scheduled Fly 101 course they put on. It seams to be taking a while. I have fished my whole life, but never done the fly.
My questions are what is this setup targeted for. It seams a bit light for stealhead. Second, where would you go (lower mainland / Fraser valley area) as a beginner that would be forgiving, give you a chance of catching something and where you would not bother the more accomplished flyfishers that may be present.
I will be getting a book, reading the internet, and taking the course, but am just looking for a few quick tips to start.

You are pretty well set up there for trout and dollies, both river and lake. You should have one of your spools loaded with a good weight forward floating line and the other with an intermediate sinking line. These two lines will let you cover most of the conditions you will get to. I can only encourage you to take a few lessons in fly casting, but you are now embarking on a life-long learning experience. There are many steep learning curves ahead and just as many comfortable plateaus that you will get to. Hit Buntzen, Mike or any other lower mainland lake to try to entice a bite. When I was first learning to fly fish , I would spend much time on the Coquitlam river. I never took catching fish on that system very seriously, but I spent many hours practicing my casts and learning how to drift a dry fly over flowing water. I recommend practice on the water and if that practice is not interrupted by fish, you will progress faster. :happy: :happy:

 

[steve]

A good stand-by during the next few months is the fraser river back water for cutties and whites. There is lots of room to practice swinging and a few fish that can provide a lot of fun in the process. Most of the best places are here in the chilliwack area from the vedder river up to hope. a simple spratley pattern works well and are easy to tie if you are learning that aspect as well! Slow varied retrieve works best in slow water. As the water drops there are more streaches of nice water to fish and they are more and more accessable by car. Good Luck!

 

[PumpingIron]

The Stave will be a great place to go once the gong show is gone. Once the chum are gone you can have days with the river all to yourself. TONS of room to cast.

 

[newsman]

My advice to you is Whonnock Lake. Good stock of Cutthroat and loads of willing Crappies. I oftain have students in my fly fishing classes ask where they can have 50 fish days here in the lower mainland. My answer is always Whonnock. The Sun Valley Trout Park is also good; top rod in last Sat, in our three hour class, landed 29. Sun Valley offers three hours of C&R for $20 no licence needed.

 

[flyguy]

My advice to you is Whonnock Lake. Good stock of Cutthroat and loads of willing Crappies. I oftain have students in my fly fishing classes ask where they can have 50 fish days here in the lower mainland. My answer is always Whonnock. The Sun Valley Trout Park is also good; top rod in last Sat, in our three hour class, landed 29. Sun Valley offers three hours of C&R for $20 no licence needed.

Hey where is sun valley. Sounds like a great place to take my son to practice with his fly rod.

 

[Hoochee]

I am overwhelmed with the response from everyone. :thumbup: Great information to get me going. I have been lucky enough to have had many days on island rivers (float fishing steelies) without more than a handful of people, and prefer less in the way of crowds. Funny thing, when I was growing up my family bought me many fly fishing books by Roderick Haig Brown. I grew up and fished on the river he wrote about and lived on the banks of, but never read the books and never fly fished. Hitting middle life I am now starting to read the books and am going to start enjoying this sport. No more procrastination. I just need to get out and get my first day under my belt. I think I may start in Whonnock (sounds great) or Sun Valley. It sounds like a good place to take my fishing kids. I see the signs for Sun Valley Trout farm off of the Lougheed between Maple Ridge and Mission if I am not mistaken.
The reels two spools both have line. One lighter floating, and one darker sinking, so I should be good to go. I have a 16ft bowrider but have winteredized it. Contemplating selling it for a more fishing oriented Aluminum family boat, but that is for the boat discussion forum.
Thanks again for the tips and I will post my first experience once I am out.

Bright Fish Bright Waters (RHB)

 

[PumpingIron]

Dont sell the big boat just buy another boat. I have 3 boats :thumbup:

Newsman is right Whonnock is a great starting place.

 

[newsman]

My advice to you is Whonnock Lake. Good stock of Cutthroat and loads of willing Crappies. I oftain have students in my fly fishing classes ask where they can have 50 fish days here in the lower mainland. My answer is always Whonnock. The Sun Valley Trout Park is also good; top rod in last Sat, in our three hour class, landed 29. Sun Valley offers three hours of C&R for $20 no licence needed.

Hey where is sun valley. Sounds like a great place to take my son to practice with his fly rod.

Just east of Silverdale and at the east end of the flats before you climb the hill into Mission. Take a left off the highway at the sign.

 

[flyguy]

My advice to you is Whonnock Lake. Good stock of Cutthroat and loads of willing Crappies. I oftain have students in my fly fishing classes ask where they can have 50 fish days here in the lower mainland. My answer is always Whonnock. The Sun Valley Trout Park is also good; top rod in last Sat, in our three hour class, landed 29. Sun Valley offers three hours of C&R for $20 no licence needed.

Hey where is sun valley. Sounds like a great place to take my son to practice with his fly rod.

Just east of Silverdale and at the east end of the flats before you climb the hill into Mission. Take a left off the highway at the sign.

Do the Lehman's still own it.

 

[newsman]

Yes they do.