Buggin’ for bass...

[Triple C]

Stopped by the new property early yesterday morn where we are building our final home. Grabbed the fly rod and a few foam bugs and headed to the pond. At 64, I’ve taken up fly fishing and absolutely love it. I’ve got a 7wt Sage rod and Tibor reel my boss gave me in 2017 following a fly fishing trip to Alaska. We’re going back there nxt month. But, that was a guided deal where the guide did everything but cast for me.

I’ve spent hours on YouTube the last 3 months consuming fly fishing vids. Actually starting to learn a lot about. Ordered me a cheap 3 wt rod/reel combo off of Amazon for $108 and been having a blast throwing foam bugs n poppers at the pond on the new place.

 

[Elkaddict]

The fly fishing bug is not unlike habitat management....it’s addictive. The next evolution is fly tying. You’ll find the satisfaction of tying your own creations really fun. In some instances, you can’t buy the most effective patterns for a given situation....but you can make them!

 

[Triple C]

The fly fishing bug is not unlike habitat management....it’s addictive. The next evolution is fly tying. You’ll find the satisfaction of tying your own creations really fun. In some instances, you can’t buy the most effective patterns for a given situation....but you can make them!

Thx Elk! I’m still learning about leaders n tippets and building both of those. I’m getting there. Tying flies seems a bit intimidating right now but I’ll get there. Loving all the YouTube vids and particularly the vids from Mad River Outfitters.

Right now I’m just ordering cheap foam bugs and poppers off of Amazon. Just got 6 black wooly buggers and will give those a cast when I’m back down.

 

[Gator]

I’ve been pretty absent but I must ask about this new property? Pond at least so my kind of place


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[dogghr]

Pretty cool Triple. I do some fly fishing but this year been tough as everyone been off work with shutdown and governor gave 2 months free fishing for all residents and no license needed. Result is its tough to find a spot to fish unless you boot it well upstream. I got tired of fighting crowds and just fly cast in my yard for fun. Neighbors already think I've lost it anyway.

 

[Drycreek]

I got into fly fishing at one time, although not with flies. I was using cork bugs for bass. Even the yearling bass are fun on a fly rod, and if you happen to catch a two to four pounder, well.........

 

[Triple C]

I’ve been pretty absent but I must ask about this new property? Pond at least so my kind of place


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Gator - I've never posted any pics of the place on here. Retirement is looming closer and closer with no set date in mind. We knew we wanted to end up back where it all started with the kids and have been looking for either a house or piece of property to build. I was hoping to find a house on a few acres or even a big lot but as fate would have it, a very nice tract of land came on the market one mile from our son, Brooks and his family, and a mile in the other direction from our daughter, Ashli and her family. Kinda right in the middle of them. 56 acre old farmstead with a late 1800's log cabin and a turn of the century farm house that we could not save. Bout 7 acres of pasture out front, 15 acres of planted pine in the back and the balance in mature hardwoods along with an old 1 acre pond back in the hardwoods that is spring fed. Pond is full of bass and bream. Not sure how old it is but it's been there a long time.

We're building the house on a little knoll about 400 feet of the road behind an old orchard of mature pecan trees. We're building a modern farm style house and should be in around mid September. Place is surrounded by other large tracts and loaded with deer. Brooks took a 4.5 yr old buck off the place last fall. It's about 30 minutes from the other farm. Here's a few pics.

Here's the style home we're building.


Here's progress as of last week.


Log cabin


Pond where I'm honing my fly fishing skills.


Hardwoods

 

[Triple C]

Pretty cool Triple. I do some fly fishing but this year been tough as everyone been off work with shutdown and governor gave 2 months free fishing for all residents and no license needed. Result is its tough to find a spot to fish unless you boot it well upstream. I got tired of fighting crowds and just fly cast in my yard for fun. Neighbors already think I've lost it anyway.

dogghr...You should see my here in the burbs of Atlanta with my fly rod out in the green space. I feel a bit weird and pretty sure the neighbors peeking out their windows are thinking I've lost my mind fishing in the grass. Got one old timer in the neighborhood gives me a thumbs up.

 

[Buckly]

That’s going to be nice. You’re thinking right getting out into the country a bit. I can see lots of enjoyment happening there.

 

[Mitch123]

Best kind of fishing! Nothing like fighting something on the fly rod, big trout and big bass are hard to beat! Get a vice and start to tie flies, talk about addictive!

 

[DocHolladay]

I used to fly fish regularly. I was half way decent at putting the fly where I wanted and mending my line so that it floated how I wanted. I also tied enough flies to use up a deer’s worth of hair and feathers. My two favorite to use were the caddie fly(various sizes) and the turks tarantula(my favorite to tie). I liked tying and fishing with scuds too. It’s a fun hobby.


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[Baker]

I like everything about this thread. Good for you!

I get a kick out of fly fishing but am absolutely horrible at it. Still at the stage where I need a guide for everything. But have been on a bunch of epic fly fishing trips that are a highlight.

As retirement becomes reality here are a couple ways to spend your children inheritance.
1) Nemo Bay in BC--Over the top in every way
2) Patagonia River Ranch in Argentina--Owned by a guy out of Jackson, Wy. Next door neighbor is Ted Turner. The super bowl of fly fishing.

We are off to Idaho later this month for a little fly fishing. All is well.

 

[Triple C]

I like everything about this thread. Good for you!

I get a kick out of fly fishing but am absolutely horrible at it. Still at the stage where I need a guide for everything. But have been on a bunch of epic fly fishing trips that are a highlight.

As retirement becomes reality here are a couple ways to spend your children inheritance.
1) Nemo Bay in BC--Over the top in every way
2) Patagonia River Ranch in Argentina--Owned by a guy out of Jackson, Wy. Next door neighbor is Ted Turner. The super bowl of fly fishing.

We are off to Idaho later this month for a little fly fishing. All is well.

Thanks Baker! We're headed back to Newhalen Lodge in Nondalton, AK on July 6th for another fly fishing adventure. I'm committed to being in the class of an intermediate fly fisherman and making darn good progress at getting there, now that I have a pond to fish. It is a very frustrating thing to learn to do right with confidence but I swear, after hours of practicing, watching vids and learning, this past weekend it was like it all came together while fishing at my pond. Casts were effortless and loops were much tighter. Even learning to build my own leaders now.

Here's a few pics from our AK adventure in 2017

 

[Baker]

Newhalen Lodge just made my bucket list. Had my sights on an Alaskan fishing adventure for a while just haven't made it happen. Your pictures inspire.