26 inch beautiful brown caught in Michigan. I think this is my fish of a lifetime.

I first picked up the fly rod in early July this season, inspired by my grandfather who was an avid fisherman and fly tier (passed away at 60 when I was only 5 years old), having left my family a massive stockpile of his gear I felt it was a way to become closer to him and an opportunity for him to live on through the materials he once held and created with his own hands. So I set up one of his old rods and grabbed a few flies from some of his boxes, not yet knowing anything about the entomology nor having practiced the techniques. The first two or three times I went out I caught nothing and hadn’t really done any research about my area but I was eager to feel the tug. Of course the timing of when I started coincided with a micro flood so the fishing was slow due to the higher water levels and lower visibility of a usually crystal clear mountain stream that I live by. One day I was out chucking an attractive burgundy fly with gold foil wrap, effectively wet flying a dry fly but not knowing any better and something grabbed it! I became excited as I stripped in the line and saw a very sizeable westslope cutthroat trout on my line. I managed to net him and once I got a good look at the beautiful patterns of this fish I was hooked. Ever since then I have been putting all my free time into fishing, probably more than is healthy but I regret none of it because the feeling of catching fish on my grandpas flies will always bring me the utmost joy. So here are some of the highlights that I’ve caught up until now, a week from the season closing.

Fish caught include: westslope cutthroat trout, brown trout, bull trout, brook trout and cutbow trout

Cheers everyone

Ben

P.S. the first photo is the first fish I caught on a fly

I posted this boat about 6 months ago when I bought it. It had never been in the water. Ended up repairing quite a bit of delam in the floor from years of sitting. Painted it with Kirbys, built oak oar blocks, built a bilge system, created a DIY roller trailer. Most importantly... It floats! Help me name this drift barge. I posted most of the repair work over on our Instagram page foundryfishing.

I’ve done plenty of fly fishing but usually only for panfish or stocked trout, yesterday I made my first trip to fish some wild trout and I couldn’t have a had a better time! From what I can tell the first is a brown trout, then rainbow, then brook, and finally a nice water size wild Rainbow. If so, that’s my first of all but those species aside from the rainbows. So glad someone here told me about the spot, gave me an amazing experience I’ll never forget.

Hey guys,

Just recently went to the soo and Pere Marquette river where I was introduced to fly fishing for the very first time. Had an absolute blast and fell in love with it. With that being said I was using a buddies fly set up and require some assistance in purchasing my first.

I will be primarily fishing the Great Lakes tribs for browns, steelies, tics etc.

Have about a $500 CAD budget for just rod and reel. Is this too little to get a decent set up?
Should I buy nice once?

Any and all help is appreciated, thank you!

Not totally on brand for this sub, but was a super fun fish! Been fishin a lot of Texas water bodies recently to get really for some trips I have this winter (working mostly landing larger fish). Was a super fun little surprise and was curious if yall catch many cats and drum on the fly? Thought yall would appreciate!

Spent four nights backpacking and fishing. Before I headed out on the trail, I stopped in the fly shop to pick up a couple flies. After some rapport building with the shop worker and a quick bathroom break I was ready to go out there alone. Before I reached for the door to exit the shop he said, “now’s the time of year to move a big brown.” Even though he said it seriously and quite mystically, I wasn’t confident. I said, “I sure hope so!” and was on my way.

After a decent first day catching a 13 incher, I was content. Then day two rewarded me with 2 giants. The first came up from under a rock to hit a hopper and the second took the elk hair caddis three hours later. I’d estimate the biggest one was pushing 19 inches. Amazing feeling catching fish like that, in a relatively small stream in a gorgeous setting.

I just started using these twist clips on my streamer set up. I thought it would be fun to be able to change out streamers quickly and really work a section with different flies.

Does anybody else out there use these? I just started using them and I did catch a little brown trout, so it didn’t scare it away haha.

Caught this bad boy today first fish on a dry while wading! Lamson Radius with a Lamson Guru S 5 weight. Fly was a parachute Adam’s purple haze!

I got this when I was 10 ? 12

Came with my Shakespeare fly rod from Kmart.

I had no idea what I was doing......( I still don't). But I wound up catching a crappie in waist deep water in lake nockamixon in PA while tying the fly directly to the floating line and whipping that water into a froth basically.

Outside of the poppers. No idea what these flies are supposed to be.

Good for bluegills I suppose.

This was back in '84

A few days ago, u/TableBandit commented on a post about a local lake that mousing works well there, so I gave it a try yesterday and was surprised at how well I did. It had never occurred to me to try mousing on stillwater. I missed so damn many because I couldn't get my brain/hands to strip set; I'd get too excited.

For those who know the location, the chop started very early and I did best between 9am and 4pm in the back bays. At around 2pm the action slowed down, so I put on a hot pink salmon popper and caught a ton of small rainbows, but these guys would just swirl around it and wouldn't do much more than that frustrating nibbling on the tail thing that they do.

Thanks u/TableBandit, you just opened my eyes to a new way to enjoy that lake and for others to come.

Even though its on sale this would be my most expensive rod yet. I have a free #8, a $5 scientific angler 6# from garage sale, a redington #5 got on sale. I get skunked a lot and would like to try euro nymphing to get more experience handling trout, specifically in the Truckee river. Thoughts? Thanks!

Thoughts? Open to advice..

How many people fish traditional-esque style patterns?

Gonna try this for coho this weekend, hopefully!

My local lake was stocked with trout about two weeks ago, and I’ve been trying to catch them on the fly with no luck.
I’ve seen quite a few people catching them on minnows
around 3–4 feet deep.

So far, I’ve tried a balanced leech, worm, and flashy nymph under an indicator. I also tried a white Woolly Bugger with a slow-sinking Polyleader.

I’ve noticed a lot of trout jumping and breaking the surface, so I switched to a Parachute Adams and Royal Wulff, but still nothing.

Any advice on flies, depth, or techniques would be greatly appreciated! I can also post a map of the lake if that helps.

Thanks!

I love fly fishing.

But it takes some serious skill to catch trout like this, 😂😂😂

brookies and rainbows everywhere! this was the best spot in the Bighorn National Forest I've been to so far.

they were tearing it up on a Black/White Parachute Adams and a Sparkle Dun

I’ve been fly fishing for just over a year and I’m starting to consistently get decent fish (for New England). Super stoked! Next up is learning to tie my own flies.

Caught some Bonefish in Belize on my first saltwater fly fishing trip. The tug is the drug.

I’m planning a trip out west this summer and looking at Montana or northern Wyoming. For various reasons I’d like to start out in Bozeman if at all possible, so these areas are top of the list. My initial plan was to rent a truck with a rooftop tent and be super mobile. With the El Niño outlook, a light snowpack, and low flows that is looking line a pretty good approach. With that in mind, two questions:

Both of my prior trips out west have been in late July/early August to catch the hopper season. That seems ill advised. I’m thinking about the last full week of June or maybe the first full week of July. Any thoughts on river flows, fishing, hatches, etc during that period is appreciated.

Any thoughts on areas that might be more resilient to a drier winter? Other than maybe one guided float trip I’ll be exclusively wading. I’m not afraid to walk a few miles to get where I need to be, but I’ll also be solo a good part of the trip. Tailwaters are the obvious choice, but some are less accessible for wading than others. Definitely not trying to blow up someone’s secret honey hole. But any general guidance is also appreciated.

Tight lines, fellas. Many thanks in advance.

They were munching today. Smashed a white and chartreuse deceiver I tied up with a sculpin head to get down a little faster.

I want to buy a reel rod combo I was thinking about the risen genisis 7.6 foot 3 weight rod. But I’m not sure if it will be to light or not the ideal setup for me.
I want to fish relatively smaller streams for trout native and stocked and possibly small mouth bass. What’s the limitation on casting for a 7.6 foot rod compared to a 9 foot.
I’m very much a beginner only having fished a 8 weight for steelhead.
Any advice given would be greatly appreciated I will be fishing smaller flies on the 16-30 sizes.