How Many Years of Fly Fishing Experience Do You Have?

[Gregg Machel]

I'm just curious how many years of fly fishing experience all of you have.

[Hairstacker]

Hi Gregg! About 4 years total for me, if I include the time I spent over 20 years ago before I took a 20-year or so break. Which, I know, is almost nuthin' compared to others on this board. Which is why I still consider myself a newby of sorts, which you'll note right away when you see me flogging, er, casting my fly rod. :lol:

[MSP]

I built my first 2 fly rods in 1982. Only fished bass in the local lakes living in San Diego. (what did I know) Moved to Colorado in 1984 and you can guess the rest of the story. So what about 23 years or so. Not bad for a 26 year old! :wink:

[DonCooksey]

I grew up fly fishing summers in Michigan on the AuSable River. My grandfather bought an old fly fishing club (now used by our extended family) on the Main Stream in the 1940s that I still try to get back to once each year, especially during Hex season. Love hooking into a big brown in the dark. :P

[Tony Buzolich]

Almost 50 years for me. I started with my dad fishing shad under the old Fair Oaks bridge when it was still being used. Used to walk over and watch the river and the salmon from the business 80 bridge when it was being built before Cal-Expo was even thought of. About that time, my dad got me a Heddon Tackle Tyer Fly Tying Kit for a brithday or Christmas and I've been tying ever since. Still have the original vise somewhere.

Nice to reminis (sp). Geez, I'm getting old!
TONY

[Rick J]

Been dabbling in it since I was a kid in one way or another but got hard core in 1975 and been my main passion ever since

[mike N]

I recently broke the 20 year mark. I am proud to say that I have been FFing for more than 1/2 my life. :-)

Mike

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think I was kind of hacking at bluegills and small bass with a fly rod around 1960 @ about 15 years old.

Actually got really going in 1965 when I started working at a big sporting goods store @ about 20. Got my first Fenwick fiberglass fly rod (FF805) with a Pflueger Medalist 1494 fly reel and a Cortland 444 Peach line.

Was 60 today so about 40 years.

I still learn something new every day.

[David Lee]

I've had a spinning rod in my hands since age 3 , but only fly for 10 or 11 years now . Seems like a lifetime sometimes !! David

[Mario]

I feel like a rookie! I've been using conventional tackle since I was a kid, but just started using a fly rod a few years ago. I am becoming quite addicted, but my commitment to veterinary school gets in the way. It's torture to sit in a classroom all day and try to focus on the reproductive cycle of an armadillo, when I know that I could be fighting a feisty Yuba river rainbow. I do figure out ways to get out a few times a month and have begun tying my own flies. I guess that will have to do for now, but I know I'm hooked and will continue to search for bugs, look for a new riffle, and enjoy traveling the world in search of the next bite.

[Adam Grace]

11 years.

I started when I was 15.

11 fun years :!:

[jsteinson]

I started about 19 yrs ago when I was 12. Broke 2 of my Dad's fly rods in one year and that ended my short fly-fishing experience for a little while. Picked it back up when I was out of high school and never looked back. Moved from PA to MT in search of the "great rivers" and college education. Well, I found some great rivers. :lol:

[Jay Murakoshi]

Do you remember the Flintstones? Actually not quite that many years.
I have been fly fishing for 32 years and loved every minute. My first rod and reel combo was a Martin fiberglass rod kit that I purchased with three blue chip stamp books. I'm sure Bill remembers those. Shortly after that, on Valentines day, my wife gave me a fly tying kit and that's how I got into fly tying and then commerical tying. I haven't stopped since
My first commerical account was Orvis (150 dozen size 14 Adams)

See ya on the river

Jay

[Langenbeck]

Started when I was 10. Read everything I could as a young kid on the subject and still learning 54 years later.

[Darian]

Jay,.... might have you beat. Jurasick Park was real when I started. I was about 13 years old when I started using a spinning rod to cast my home made flies. Bought my first fly rod (Southbend Glass, 7 wt :?: ) about age 17 and a Shakespeare Automatic fly reel (still have both 8) 8) ) It was lined with a floating double taper line..... Remember all of those wierd line numbers :?: :?: (HCH, etc. :roll: :roll: ) Didn't really take it serious until I mved to the Bay Area in 1968. Then became one of the vagabonds, roaming the coast every weekend in a 1970 VW Camper Van....

Met Art Dedini at the fly shop in his garage at Ferndale..... 8) Watched Bill Schaadt on the Russian, Hal Jannsen on the Eel and Frank Bertainia (hope that's spelled right) at the Park Hole on the Smith..... Many more, too, all while fishing those places during good times.

Ate dinner at the old Gualala Hotel many times..... Lotsa Oysters :roll: at Tomales Bay, etc. 8)

WOW :!: :!: , time flies.......

[gryhackl]

I have fished as far back as I can remember with a cane pole and bobber or bait casting or a spinning rod. I began fly fishing for yellow perch and bluegill with my dad in the early fifties. About that time he joined a trout fishing club called Rockwell Springs Trout Club in Castalia Ohio. It was, and still is, a private property with stocked streams and clubhouse where I was introduced to fly fishing for trout. When I moved to Sacramento in 1975 one of the first things I did was to look up fly shops in the phone book and found the closest shop to be The Fly Hutch, where I met Bill Kiene.

[Jay Murakoshi]

Darian,

I might of seen you in the lineup on the Smith or Chetco. I fished the area in the late '70's early "80's. Way to many people for me but the fishing was good at times. I remember Bill S. pulling a rookie trick on me my first time on the river. Do you remember someone they called "Hollywood". Alot of my friends still go there every year.


Great memories

Jay

[Darian]

Don't recall anyone by that name but..... Frequently, I can't recall my own name :roll: :roll:

I remember Grant king had a place up there somewhere.... saw him drift fishing with roe..... Used to drop by his shop in guerneville where he gave me many tips on tying comet and Boss patterns.... That was one of my favorite places to stop. Too bad he's gone. :( :(

I do recall one very dark morning trying to get to the piling hole by driving to the north bank in a VW. The road looked like it had a hump in it in front of a large barn. I hit the hump doing about 35 MPH and discovered, too late :oops: , that it was a pile of cow dung :shock: :shock: :shock: that was washed out of the barn onto the road.....

Ever ridden in an air cooled engine vehicle with the underside covered with cow dung :?: :?: :wink: I spent the morning in Brookings at the car wash trying to get that s____ out of the air vents, etc. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Adam Grace]

Funny signature Darian :!:

Well here goes.I got my first steelhead in 1941 in that big backwater across from the log hole. Not long after that spinning rods came into the picture and I switched for several years. I remember trying to tye Royal coachmen at age 12. How time flies when you are having fun.
Bill,You are right,we learn something new every day. Don't even have to try. Sturm

[Darian]

Sturmer,..... You da man :!: :!: :!: I was born a year before you caught your first Steelhead :shock: ..... You are the man :!: :!: Fly Fisherman age like fine whiskey. They just get better with the passage of time 8) 8) 8)

Yeah Darian
My method is to deduct a day off my years each day I go fishing. Tha'ts way I go a lot. Seems like I get younger every Week. :lol:

[Bob Scheidt]

Took the Fresno Fly Clubs free casting lessons in 1973. First fly rod was a Fenwick FF807, Pflueger 1495 reel and a Cortland peach 444 line. So 32 years I guess this April. Tyin for 31 years.
Got checked by a warden on a bicycle last Sat. He wasn't dressed like a warden. This guy down in Fresno is the real deal.

Bob Scheidt

[Gregg Machel]

I should have added a couple more categories on this poll like 30-40 and 50+
Very impressive, I hope to be there some day!

[flygolf]

Started when I was about 7 (40) now. Born and raised in Tahoe and fished the Sierras with my older brother. First rod was a Abu Garcia Fiberglass with Pfuger medalist reel (couldn't afford the Fenwicks) purchased at the Outdoorsman. Been learning ever since.