Rod Length: 9'-0" or 8'-6"

[McGnat 0]

Try to practice on grass or a pond. Pavement is hard on your line.

[Freddo 0]

Well - I thank you guys for the ideas. I like them all. I'll get a fly tied for practicing with but I WILL remove the hook portion for this newbie out casting for the first time in 40 years. And I'll wear a hat too (a nearly hairless critter that I am, my head doesn't offer any natural protection; not that hair is better than a hat anyway).

[Dave G. 0]

Just wrap some chenille on a hook, tie it off, call it good enough. You can flatten the hook bend against the hook shank with a pair of pliers. Really you just need something on there so the tippet doesn't keep cracking like a whip !!

[Freddo 0]

Great idea Dave, I like it! I'll tie one in "red" so it's easy to see out there.

[Adam Saarinen 0]

Freddo! The water, any water is better than then lawn, even a BIG puddle that only has a frog living in it! It's key to help you learning to pick that fly up off the water with out any kind of splash if you are keen on fishing the dryfly! I go to the water in earlly season to get a grip on things, testing! And i'm usually never the only one! Just remember that when the season starts, you don't want to be the guy out there testing! In some places, sometimes, it can be a war zone! Thats why i like to fish mornings on weekdays before work on lateshift weeks! Now on weekends, i take the float tube out in the sea! I had people in one place when the seatrout & salmon are coming, cast in front of me, start casting in behind me, one kid even said out load fish, i said that's my WADERS! Even seen people wade out in front of me and start casting a backcast at me! I love dry fly fishing & the eticate i belieave that comes with it, if someone else is already there, i wont go, or talk with them & ask, see how much area they want? But if i'm there first & someone comes along, dosen't even say anything, just starts flogging the water with a weighted fly, i get angry! Remember it's a jungle out there! But not always, theres also a lot of really really nice people & thats just another thing that makes fly fishing great! Or is it grate? Wouldn't want the spelling & grammer gang in this forum to get upset & start hunting me down!

[Freddo 0]

Thanks Adam... [spelling as "great" is correct.]

 

I understand practicing on the water as a plus but can't see any harm done starting on grass as well to at least get some sort of feel for fly casting. Right now I haven't got a clue and cannot remember back 40 years which is probably a good thing because I'm sure I wasn't casting correctly back then. As far as it being a jungle out there: I prefer the peace and know not all fisherman are peaceful and could be quite territorial. That might be the reason I attached myself to fall/winter trout fishing. However, I'll be out there during the spring/summer to get used to the new fly fishing gig for sure. I'm not over-thinking the territorial guys, I'll just steer clear of them (they're not fun folks anyway most likely).

 

We live by a lake too and I expect to have a blast there.

[portlyjoe 0]

He's Absolutely correct: it can be a zoo! sometimes fishing is a contact sport! I tend to find spots away from other people, not because I cant play with others, but because other people tend to be "butt nuggets." In Montauk,and Oswego, I have seen fist fights, screaming, cursing, line cutting, etc. It just makes my time less enjoyable. I will fish with two or three people at max unless I know the people around me arent going to go postal if someone makes a mistake. I also tend to fish late night; you avoid a lot of jerks.