2021 Fishing Goals

[Current Angler 0]

I know I'm a little late to the game here, but I wanted to hear people's New Year's goals for fly fishing.  It's always fun to see what other people are hoping to accomplish, especially now when we're limited to our local waters.  Personally, I want to catch trout on a fly in a couple local rivers, catch a finicky rainbow or brown in the infamous Swift River, catch an anadromous shad on a fly, catch a pike and carp on a fly, catch a wild, native brook trout in Massachusetts at a spot other than the Swift, and catch a smallmouth over one pound (basically, not a dink) on a fly at Sebago Lake.

[Steeldrifter 0]

I don't really make fishing goals per se, but I guess I would say if there's something I want to do this year it's fish locally more. Still plan on doing my normal trips North to the Au Sable, but I did find a local stream here actually has a much better trout fishery then I ever thought it did so I want to hit that more this year.

[DFoster 0]

Hello and welcome.  I live in Central Mass and fish the Swift often, I also fish the Sebago Lakes region (that's in Maine if your not local) once a year.  The Swift is probably the best Brook trout fishery in the state but if you want to catch them on other water try the Still Water River or the Quinepoxet River.   Both rivers flow under Route 190 in the West Boylston/Sterling area.  One flows into the Wachusett reservoir and the other one flows out of it.  The Still Water is also loaded with dollar bill sized Salmon Parr so look close.  The forked tail will give them away.   There are plenty of parking spots and water access for both rivers.  The Rainbows in the Swift just might be the most picky in the country (arguably) to find out what they've recently been eating check out Ken's blog,  Millers River Fly Fishing. he's a guide and often post the flies, size and technique.  Good luck!

My 2021 Fly Fishing goals are:

1) Don't fall and drown.

2) FINALLY get a large land locked salmon into my net for a photo  (I hooked 2 and lost them both at my feet after long, glorious fights this October.  You don't have to believe me because there is no PHOTO).😆

3) Continue teaching my Grandchildren to tie flies and fish them.

4) Improve my tying and learn new techniques-

5) I would like to add a few more flies onto my fishing hat.  Every time I catch a new species or new personal best I retire the fly involved onto my hat.  It's always nice to pin a new one on......because right now there are two #$@&% salmon swimming around out there- one has my black Whooly Bugger and the other has my Royal Coachman streamer and EITHER fly would have looked really great on my damn hat!

 

 

[Philly 0]

Since I only got out once in 2020 due to covid and various health issues, main goal is to make for lost time and do more fishing.  I'd like to catch a bigger largemouth than the one I'm holding in my avatar.  If we get up to Ontario this year, the odds are looking better for the late August trip, is to catch a smallmouth over 20 inches.  I've caught several 20 inch fish, on both fly rod and spinning gear, over the years, but just can't seem to catch one bigger than 20 inches.  Other than that just enjoy myself.

[Current Angler 0]

51 minutes ago, DFoster said:

Hello and welcome.  I live in Central Mass and fish the Swift often, I also fish the Sebago Lakes region (that's in Maine if your not local) once a year.  The Swift is probably the best Brook trout fishery in the state but if you want to catch them on other water try the Still Water River or the Quinepoxet River.   Both rivers flow under Route 190 in the West Boylston/Sterling area.  One flows into the Wachusett reservoir and the other one flows out of it.  The Still Water is also loaded with dollar bill sized Salmon Parr so look close.  The forked tail will give them away.   There are plenty of parking spots and water access for both rivers.  The Rainbows in the Swift just might be the most picky in the country (arguably) to find out what they've recently been eating check out Ken's blog,  Millers River Fly Fishing. he's a guide and often post the flies, size and technique.  Good luck!

My 2021 Fly Fishing goals are:

1) Don't fall and drown.

2) FINALLY get a large land locked salmon into my net for a photo  (I hooked 2 and lost them both at my feet after long, glorious fights this October.  You don't have to believe me because there is no PHOTO).😆

3) Continue teaching my Grandchildren to tie flies and fish them.

4) Improve my tying and learn new techniques-

5) I would like to add a few more flies onto my fishing hat.  Every time I catch a new species or new personal best I retire the fly involved onto my hat.  It's always nice to pin a new one on......because right now there are two #$@&% salmon swimming around out there- one has my black Whooly Bugger and the other has my Royal Coachman streamer and EITHER fly would have looked really great on my damn hat!

 

 

Thanks for the advice! I caught my first salmon in MA earlier this year out of the Stillwater, and boy did it put up a good fight. I’ll have to try it out this spring for some brookies. Good luck on that LL!

[skeet3t 0]

Worthy goals all around. We get out salmon at the seafood counter, frozen foods or in a can. Love grilled or broiled wild salmon!

1. Fish with the grandkids and introduce them to the fly rod. We have a creek running through town that is loaded with bluegill. What could be a better way to learn? Their subdivision had a pond with bass, bluegill and crappie. Local boy has taken a bass of 8 lb.; pond is about an acre.

2. Fly fish for carp. Got one last summer but life interrupted any outdoorsy stuff.

3. Scout of deer season this fall. Will be able now that interruptions are out of the picture.

4. Build a couple of rods that are on the shelf.

[niveker 0]

Like Steeldrifter, I'm not one to set fly fishing goals either, sounds too much like work,  but if I had to it would be to get out on the water just a little bit more than I did in 2020.   

 

[Chris_in_Louisiana 0]

2020 shifted my perspective a bit regarding fly fishing goals.  Previously my goals had always revolved around specific trips with specifc targets, but I had to switch things up this past year as I found myself stuck close to home.  The result was significantly more time dedicated to exploring local waters and targeting new species.  I ended up finishing the year with 19 Species on the fly rod (all but two caught locally), a number of which were lifers.

This year, I plan to stick with the theme and am hoping to achieve the following:

1. 25+ total species caught on a fly rod.

2. Catch at least one new species per month.

3.  Catch the following lifers on a fly rod: Pickerel (either species), Grass Carp, & Bowfin.

Of the three, I think the first is the most attainable.  A little more time in the salt can hopefully help bridge the gap between my 2020 total and my goal.  The second may prove a challenge if I don't travel much.  I tend to catch all the easy species early in the year, so I'll be struggling with some less common species during the heat of summer more than likely.  The third are species I had on my short list that just never happened. 

Chris

[RickZieger 0]

I want to find another fly fisherman in this area.

 

Rick 

[richmce 0]

my goal is the same as last year  learn how to post a fly photo

[dflanagan 0]

1: Muskie on a fly.

2: Carp on a fly.

3: Hybrid striped bass on a fly.

4: Fish the Wisconsin driftless.

5: Fish all the wild trout streams in Missouri.

6: Somehow get the kids interested in doing some of these with me. 

No particular order. Fishing has really been put on the back burner for me the last few years, 2020 especially. Not sure how it happened but this year is so far looking like I might be able to get more time on the water to accomplish some of these goals. 

[Guest]

12 hours ago, DFoster said:

I would like to add a few more flies onto my fishing hat. 

Didn’t know peeps still did that...

 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Last year... most of my phone calls were cancellations... This year I'm  hoping to turn that around and get my guiding business back on its feet.  My only other goal is to stay healthy enough to keep on keeping on... On the plus side I'm still in good enough shape to pole my skiff all day long (and did so yesterday down at Flamingo with two anglers aboard...). 

 

"Fly anglers wanted".... 

[flytire 0]

my goal would be to be pain free so i could stand in a river for longer than 15 minutes

back pain sucks!

[mikechell 0]

I used to make resolutions.  Never actually stuck to any of them.  So, I haven't played that game for the past 2 decades or so.