UKSWFF.co.uk

Avid stillwater fly fisherman here who's been feeling the itch to get back to see fishing for years (but who finds stringing 10" worms up the line lacks a certain finesse.)

The whole concept of casting a fly on the beach still seems a tad bizarre, I have to admit. But if there's a chance of finding a bass/mullet on the end of the line I figure it must be worth a fling. I suppose even a pollack/mackerel (?garfish?) would prove stimulating.

So I've started putting together some kit. Come summer I'll be there, deo volante. Frankly I have no real belief I can pull this off. But if anything the sheer impossibility of the task makes me all the more determined: there's nothing like the rush of adrenaline when the line tightens long after you've given up hope...

Welcome aboard fellow nutter!!
You'll certainly get some strange looks thats for sure swffing on the beach.Worth getting some good sunglasses... so no one will recognise you. Might be worth trying to find someone around your area to show you the ropes. You won't generally catch as much fish on the beach but when you do and however small the sense of satisfaction is bl**dy marvellous.This is proper wild fish.Your then hooked :D (incurable optimist/nutter) That about covers everyone on this forum. :D

Hi. Warm welcome very much appreciated!



O-oh: I generally only catch say 2-3 fish per 12-hour stint.

(I am a glutton for punishment, though as I tend to head for the largest, wildest reservoirs.)

I know what you're saying about the satisfaction, though. I've never quite understood this whole 'Pay 30-odd quid to fish a pond so you can boast about the (tame, 2-day resident) clonkers you pull out' thing. What I need is WILDERNESS. The sound of water lapping the shore, a blue/yellow/orange sky and dreams of wild fish



Sounds like I might fit in(!) Well at least once I've got the shades...

Believe and the fish WILL come

Welcome to the forum

Yes indeed! Getting the salt in your veins is definitely worth it; in fact flipping between the salty world and the rivers is such a fantastic contrast in every respect, it just keeps everything uber-fresh. One day i'm on my knees in a brook with a 6ft 2wt, willing my little hares ear emerger into the path of a small, rising wild brownie, the next I'm cursing my casting ineptitude as a shoal of bass teeter enticingly out of range of my 9wt in waist-deep clear seas, or I'm on the edge of a deep drop-off on a vast flat rock ledge coaxing pollack out of the kelp.... ah, happy days one and all!

(Incidentally - look at my sig below....you'll see some similarity!)

Thanks for all the warm welcomes!

Well I'm beginning to believe.

So what do 'teetering' bass look like? Fins out of the water?

(I'm tempted to start asking a few tackle questions as well, but I'll post in the appropriate forum.)

Incidentally, another benefit I see in the fly angle is that you are presumably immune to dogfish?..

Oh yes!!! And catching Mackerel becomes massive fun rather than an industrial bait gathering exercise! You get a few weird looks from the bait boys at first, but get it right and you can outfish them 10 to 1.....then you just have to ensure you leave looking incredibly smug and then run away before they key your car and let the tyres down.....

and as for teetering bass? Well, now your hooked by the whole swff thing, the very next time you're in a tackle shop, or online on a site proffering a truly beautiful and mesmerising saltwater reel (which despite being made of machined barstock aluminium, nonetheless seems to have developed 'come-to-bed' eyes and is gently cooing "buy me, buy me" in your ear, whilst all the while visions of your missus are looming in the background as she says " if you buy one more bloody thing for this swffing malarky")....that point, that very wavering point, on the knife-edge of temptation....? The way you look just then? That's what a teetering bass looks like.

Welcome to our world!

posting.php?mode=reply&f=26&t=3163#

That just about says it all. (Doesn't do much good to my faith level, though.)

The reason I ask is that I've seen fish going round in circular-type movements - close in - but presumed they were mullet.

TBH I'm loving the sound of this, be it mackerel, pollack or whatever.

As for mesmerising tackle, I'm trying to resist. I want to protect my non-saltwater specific reels/rods without splashing out. Just acquired a Snowbee Prestige reel:

Machined from solid bar stock aluminium
Anodised finish
Corrosion resistant stainless steel internal parts suitable for saltwater use.
Large Arbor and wide spool for maximum line capacity and fast retrieval rate
Teflon disc drag with micro adjustment
Left or right hand wind
Silent or disk option on drag setting
Reel bag
Capacity up to WF9 and 200yds

with a 9-weight saltwater F/I for a song on ebay. I'm a tad concerned part of the internal mechanism looks like plain metal, but presumably it's been anodised (-can you tell?). As for the rod, not sure yet. It's a while till I expect to go to the beach, so I've got time to mull it over.

Been reading up on backing & beginning to wonder whether the 20lb (150 yds) micro backing I wound on might be a liability with rocks in the vicinity. Perhaps I should uni-knot on 30+ yards of something like braid?

Sounds like I could do with some light gear for the mackerel too. Presumably the rings on a trout rod wouldn't take the salt, so I suppose there must be rods with a light AFTM rating designed for saltwater fishing?

This is all extremely helpful, guys. (I presume it's guys. No offence intended.)

All I need is enough knowledge to guarantee that warm, smug feeling you describe (in the presence of nay-sayers).

cool breeze

Depend where your going to fish but 9# 9ft fast taper rod floating line and Orvis 30lb backing would be my recommendation for fishing around North Wales. You will be over powered for Mack's but there are some good Bass and Pollock about and some big tides and currents to deal with (and seals see viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2842 ), especially around the Swellies. Having said that you trout gear will get you started just remember to wash it when you get home. You will catch fish typical 2 - 5lb if you fish the right marks.
Send me a PM with you address and I will send you some flies that I know work around N Wales to get you started.

Cheers


Kevin

Can't argue with that. Thanks mate!

I read the rod rings would likely rust up in no time on a freshwater rod. I'm happy to take you at your word, though. I see no reason I couldn't transport a large bottle of freshwater to wash things down at the end of a session. I've got an old reservoir rod or two I could use when starting out - though they're more suited to a no.8 line than the 9 I happen to have acquired. (Not unresolvable.)

I suppose all that's left now is to acquire a simple no.6 rod for the mackys. And some serious specs.

Roll on summer.

Don't worry about the 6 wt Catch'em on the 8 wt.They won't know the difference i promise you. :)

I'm a bit of a light tackle freak.

If the rod don't bend proper I feel like a trawlerman. I just kitted out with a 3-weight rod/line as the 5-weight gear I was using for my favourite 1lb brownie venue felt like total overkill.

I wonder what a kipper would feel like on that.

dunno.....maybe I should try it on my 2wt gear!

I hear kastonfly knows a thing or two about being a trifle underspecked (-check out the link in his last post above). He flunked the opportunity of a lifetime: the catch to end them all. (Serves him right for using a bass livebait.) I hear he's never without a gaff these days.

On the other hand, the February edition of 'Flyfishing & Flytying' has an article in which the author describes an oddball outing on the Vaal River (South Africa) on the hunt for the somewhat exotic-sounding yellowfish...

Basically on first contact the beastie took 40 yards off the reel then smashed the 10lb tippet.

Then comes this:

"Ed [a local guide] by his own admission has an unhealthy fetish for super lightweight rods. He was very disappointed that the triple 0-weight rod that he was having custom built had not arrived for the trip. Secretly, I was relieved as I had never cast anything lighter than a four-weight before and the thought of breaking Ed's new 'twig' didn't sit lightly. Regardless he still handed me a 0-weight cane rod..."

So, Mr Polite, I trust that - sporting man that you are - you generally reserve the 2-weight for yellowfin tuna?

meh.....I think this gentleman has gone one better......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJq3mMqtASE

Well if I can try having not fished for a number of years you should have no problem....
Looking forward to hearing how you get on and if you have some good locations you don't mind sharing on the North Wales coast I would be very interested

Thanks, NW_Fisher - I appreciate the warm wishes! My first catch gets posted here. Just don't hold your breath. (First trip probably in June sometime.)

Polite - I have got to get me a barbie rod. :O

Guys

Cool breeze, NW_Fisher happy meet up in North Wales and point you in the right direct - late
May (when I get back from Cape Cod ) or early June dependent on weather. Keep in touch

Cheers

Kevin

kevin im based in cheshire and would like to join the hunt in the salt if possible billy p

No problem I will contact you end of May to make arrangements

Cheers

Kevin

As I'm up the road from BillyP what about a NWales Bumble?

David

That's five of us then flicking fluff in North Wales end of May start of June.

Cheers

Kevin

I'd be up for a chuck if its before June, as I'm off to Kos at the beginning of June. North Wales is only a couple of hours from me, depending on where you're thinking of.
Cheers Dave

End of May I'm tying at the Dutch Fly Fair... (name dropper that I am! LOL) (June sometime then)