Fishing Flies w/spinning Gear?

[Kev-mo]

A friend of mine from out east is a fly fisherman. We got to talking and I asked him to try to tie me some flies for FNF. For whatever he never got around to it but he did end up sending me a bunch of flies. He mostly ocean fishes for stripers and bluefish. Some of the flies are about 4-5 inches long and most of them have some weight as they have the barbell eyes tied in. They sure look like they would catch some bass. I was wondering if there was anyway I could try to use them with spinning gear?

 

Yes I should probably just take up fly fishing but not financially ready to try that even buying used or cheap gear as I need other things first.

 

If anyone has any ideas please share. Thanks.

[Joe D]

it absolutley can be done. I fish alot of flies under a float with my centerpin. while a pin is the best way to do this a spinning set up could be used. if you want to use dry flies they do make a casting bubble. it looks like a clear oval bobber. you attach it to the line and then use a leader off the back of it to your fly. you can partially fill it with water for added weight so you can cast it. and yet another way is to fish it like a lindy rig, a slip sinker, swivel with about a 18" leader to the fly. dont be afraid to try new things!!

 

Joe

[asherman]

A weighted salt water fly could be fished with a light to medium light spinning rod depending upon the weight of the fly and size of hook. There isn't much difference between a 1/16th or 1/8th ounce hair jig and a fly tied on a similar hook with lead dumbell eyes. If the hooks are larger hooks, you need a spinning rod with sufficient backbone to set the hook. Using Fireline or some other non stretch line would help to get good hook sets with a spinning rod and heavy gauge hooks.

 

I saw a Larry Dahlberg fishing show on TV a few months ago where he was fishing ice out pike someplace in Canada using bunny leeches and spinning rods. He was fishing in windy conditions with three people in a boat and he explained that in those conditions, it was safer and more effective to fish the bunny leeches with a spinning rod instead of a fly rod. He caught some huge pike on medium light action spinning rods in that episode.

 

 

[Gregg S]

I grew up fishing flys on spinning gear using clear plastic bubble 3 to 5 ft up the line for weight. It worked great. I still use it and it works in lakes for panfish and bass. Since joining the ISA I have tried it in current. The bubble and the fly tend to move at different rates creating problems with slack line or not knowing where your fly is. I believe this is why Jonn Graham recommends wighted floats for the FNF technique; to try to equalize the rate of movement between the float and the bait. I have also pinched a little split shot above a fly and casted it with spinning gear. For river fishing, this works better than the bubble, but it procludes dry fly fishing, which is half the fun of the bubble & fly technique.

Gregg

[Kev-mo]

Thanks guys! Just trying to find a way to use these things. They are shiny and pretty and despite being free caught me

 

Joe,

I bought a rod and reel off a Joefly from another site in early 2007 that was really getting into centerpin fishing. Was that you?

I'm trying to branch out a bit...

 

Gregg,

I've seen those clear plastic bubbles before. I saw two of Jonn's FNF presentations and have some of the weighted floats. I just have to get some flies to try the FNF.

 

Asherman,

Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about. I'll have to weigh the flies to see how heavy they really are. The hooks look to be

1/0 or a little smaller and I believe he uses Mustad. They aren't super thick or anything. They seem pretty sharp...

 

If I find that the flies do not weigh enough what might be the better method to help that? I thought about split shot on the line but I feel that weakens the line even if you pinch lightly. I suppose it wouldn't with braid but I use McCoy. My other thought was a split shot on the hook shank. My last thought was a leader coming off a swivel to the fly with bead and a bullet weight above the swivel. Two more thoughts; suspend dots or wrapping wire or lead around hook shank. Although anything around the shank may interfere with a hookset since the hooks aren't that big.

 

Thanks, Kevin

 

[Joe D]

kevin, YES that was me and I have really gotten into centerpinning alot!! I have a second pin in mind and as soon as I can get the $$ I'm gonna buy it. I dont remember which fly set up I sold you was. I got rid of alot of stuff I wasnt using back then. I still do alot of flyfishing and tying, I still have 5 or 6 fly set ups. I'd be willing to help you out with fly fishing if you need it. I'll be concentrating on steelhead in the creeks all winter and until spring if you want to give it a try we can hook up and go. that is really where my pin shines, in the creeks. man I love that kind of fishing. I chase carp with my fly rod all summer, along with the occasional bass and gills too.

 

Joe

[Guest rich mc]

i throw flies withmy spinning gear alot. double bunny, clousers cast well. since i tye my own most i will add lead wire to the hook shank for weight. the chennile wonder worm also casts well when it is wet. rich

[Kev-mo]

kevin, YES that was me and I have really gotten into centerpinning alot!! I have a second pin in mind and as soon as I can get the $$ I'm gonna buy it. I dont remember which fly set up I sold you was. I got rid of alot of stuff I wasnt using back then. I still do alot of flyfishing and tying, I still have 5 or 6 fly set ups. I'd be willing to help you out with fly fishing if you need it. I'll be concentrating on steelhead in the creeks all winter and until spring if you want to give it a try we can hook up and go. that is really where my pin shines, in the creeks. man I love that kind of fishing. I chase carp with my fly rod all summer, along with the occasional bass and gills too.

 

Joe

 

Hey Joe,

Actually it was a shimano baitcasting set up which has served me well! Thanks again. It would be great to try some fly fishing. I don't have any gear so if you would be willing let me use a rod and give lessons... What's your guide fee? Let me know.

Thanks

 

[Kev-mo]

i throw flies withmy spinning gear alot. double bunny, clousers cast well. since i tye my own most i will add lead wire to the hook shank for weight. the chennile wonder worm also casts well when it is wet. rich

 

Thanks Rich. Where can I get lead wire if I go that route? I believe he sent me one of those chenile worms. Said it was pretty good too. I'll have to give it a try.

[Gregg S]

split shot on the hook shank probably a good idea, but I have had success with it on line too.

Gregg

[Guest rich mc]

most fishing shops that have fly material have wire try to match the thickness of the hook with the wire . rich

[Joe D]

if you are gonna use shot I would put it about 18" in front of the fly. also a neat trick is to use very tiny shot and space them out rather than having one big ball of lead. I use this technique to fish live bait too and its worked great for me. I have caught alot of browns in WWD's on the big lake using minnows. its great for bass as well using a whole night crawler with the hook threaded through with a baiting needle. I think the reason it works so well especially on fuzzy fish is that as they pick up the bait they dont feel all of the weight right away because the shot is spread out. still giving you the weight you need to get the bait down and to cast it. this is something I will be talking about at the shabbona lake sportsmans club meeting on sunday the 14th of dec.

 

Joe