I need your advice / help. Please

Small Fry · 04-23-2003, 12:22 PM

My son is going to school in La grande and has finally found some time to do some Fly fishing. His birthday is coming up and I want to get him some fly's and gear. Here is where you guy's come in.
He has been fishing some smaller streams and lakes.

He has asked for one pattern. elk hair caddis size 14. Which I found several variations of.

What else dose every new fly fisher man need? Or what is the one thing you can't have enough of?

What size tippets? what other patterns might work? I'm at a loose here.

Please help. Small Fry

greenbuttskunk · 04-23-2003, 12:43 PM

Get a few colors of the elk hair, tan is most common and easy to see for someoone still learning. Pick up some adams, black ants, hoppers,
small stimulators, coachmans, comparaduns. I don't fish that ear but bushier dries probably work fine, terrestrials. for nymphs I'd pick up some pheasant tails, caddis, prince, hairs ear,
black stones, yellow stones. all pretty basic patterns that catch fish everywhere. Probably weight forward floating line 5-6 wt. 4 and 5x tippets. 5-6 wt. rod/reel.Just a little tip, there are some great
dry/nymph packages that I see on ebay (Search for trout flies) Usually come with a fly box, cabela's has a good combo assortmant package too.
Here's a link to cabela's flies assortment packages.
hope your son gets into some nice fish
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...=category&rid=

[ 04-23-2003, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: greenbuttskunk ]

Small Fry · 04-23-2003, 01:56 PM

Thanks GBS. So many choices. I guess I will need to get more info from the kid as to what he really needs as far as line weights and tippets.
Thanks again for your help.

Mad Mikey · 04-23-2003, 02:11 PM

Big hairy attractor patterns and you gotta have "hoppers" for Summertime. Most of the lakes and reservoirs are stocker fish and they aren't all that picky. I prefer a DT for most applications but in this field, anglers tends to be split over this issue and it can boil down to personal preference.
Give me an idea of his favorite haunts or haunts to be and I can help you get dialed in a bit better.

greenbuttskunk · 04-23-2003, 02:54 PM

mad mikey,
have you fished the Inamha (sp). I've always wanted to fish it, but it's such a drive from portland. Heard some good things, and I love bull trout.

Grantspastor · 04-23-2003, 03:17 PM

Small Fry...I agree with Greenbuttskunk. That assortment will serve him well. Most of the variations of the elk hair caddis work well.

Greenbuttskung...I have fished the Imnaha because I grew up in Joseph. That was a while ago, but I remember some great days on that river.

lilnorthfork · 04-23-2003, 03:31 PM

For small streams, humpies can be a great all around fly. Reds are my favorite (don't know why). Sizes 12-18. All else fails you could take him to a local fly shop with cash in hand and ask the gurus. Actually, that sounds like a good idea... now I know what to ask for next birthday. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

Artwo · 04-23-2003, 03:38 PM

Small Fry,
Maybe a nice fly box with a inscription engraved in it just from you to him............. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

JK

toonboater · 04-23-2003, 06:38 PM

Just one man's opinion but here's a short list.
Dry flys: Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams
Nymphs: Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear,Prince Nymph
Streamers: Wolly Bugger
In various sizes and colors these tried and true "old faithfulls" will catch fish in both streams and lakes just about anywhere.

Small Fry · 04-23-2003, 06:42 PM

Thank you to everyone. I have picked up about 20 flies and a new box.
( Note to self, flies are not cheap. Learn how to tie your own)

I'm going to let him order a reel off ebay, One he's had his eye on.

Thanks again. I really appreciate all of your suggestions.

Small Fry

Mad Mikey · 04-23-2003, 08:58 PM

Imnaha, great river. Best times are late Summer, early Fall. We used to catch a lot of big bulls in there but I was just a kid and we did not use fly-rods at the time. Split shots and a deeply sunken live hopper did the trick.
From Imnaha upstream you can find varied access to the river, many spots are private though.
They used to release stocker bows' in there and the holdovers could get pretty big, pushing 20".
Nowadays it is tougher for the big fish unless you hike the stretch down to the Snake where you can get the bigger bows' and steelhead if they are present.
My favorite stream is Hurricane Creek, South of Enterprise. No real big fish but lots of brookies above the trailhead and spooky native bows' in pocket water below where you get ONE shot at em' with a fly. If they don't eat it, move on.
Keep thinking "hoppers", best fly in the Summer......

greenbuttskunk · 04-24-2003, 07:51 AM

Yea, I'd love to explore some of that water over that way. We are still kicking around the idea of buying some land out by Joseph. Some really neat water out there. I love fishing hoppers to. Christ, those fish pound them don't they.

Ever fish those Dennis Hoppers? Them flies are CRAZY!!!