[6to8ftSeas]

My Brother suprised me with a fly rod last christmas. I did a little research and stopped at a couple tackle shops to get set up and tried it out in Feb at connetquot state park. I've always been more of a saltwater guy but I had a blast the one day I tried it out. During the bass blitz this nov I found myself wishing I had a fly rod in my hand instead of a spinning rod. So I'd like to get some practice in this winter and spring while the saltwater seen is still slow.

I had a great time last year at connetquot and I really got the casting down but I only hooked up with one trout (which I dropped) while the guys around me were pulling them in left and right. I was told by some regulars that my problem was that I was using floating line in the winter.

I currently have an 8' 4wt rod from Temple Fork Outfitters (not sure if thats any good or not) there is a dacron backing and 4wt float line with 10' of 10lb mono leader. And I have a small assortment of black, grey, and brown brass beed flies (don't know what there real names are).

I'll take any suggestions I can get on tackle and technique for fishing connetquot. I don't know if I should change the line or put on some type of top shot.

Also is there areas on LI other than connetquot that are good for fly fishing?

Thanks in advance guys!

 

[636943]

Floating line is fine in the winter, but you do wanna get your flies down deep to where the fish are. When you first start fly fishing, you go through a few leaders. Just happens in fresh water. So, I suggest picking up some 9' 5x leaders. The 5x stands for the diameter, which is what trout guys typically use instead of pound test. 5x is ~ 3 lb test.

Add some splits shot to your leader 8" above the fly and use a strike indicator and you'll be set to go. Another option is to throw streamers down deep. Sounds to me like all you have right now is beadhead nymphs, though. The desired presentation of beadhead nymphs is to have them bounce and roll off the bottom... So you should be fishing upstream to allow your flies time to sink. If you don't know what a mend is, look it up. It will instantly improve your nymph fishing. Roll casts, too.

Just an fyi, the 4-weight will not cut it in saltwater unless you're fishing for like ****tail blues or something. For the surf, I recommend a 9-weight. But thats down the road, I suppose.

 

[craigkoproski]

Welcome

To the wonderful world of fly fishing. The best advice when starting out is to keep it simple. It sounds like you have a good setup for trout fishing and a good assortment of flies. When fishing those bead heads you can either do a gentle strip or put some strike indicator on your leader and drift them in some deeper pools. Spudders hit the nail on the head. Instead of changing the line just experiment with longer leaders and some split shots. When you are ready to tackle saltwater you will need a beefier setup then extra spools/lines will be critical. Good luck, have fun and don't take it too seriously!

 

[6to8ftSeas]

Thanks for the advice guys

I know I will need to get a saltwater rod, I figured I would get some experience first so I at least know what I'm talking about when I buy a new outfit.

Your right Spudders, they are beadhead nymphs, just couldn't remmeber that.

I will change leaders like you said and pick up some streamers. however, connetquot does not allow lead, do they make non lead splitshots or do most people pretend they don't know about the lead rules I'm good at playing stupid as long as other anglers there are cool with it, Screw the PO PO!

And rest assured, I'm gonna mend the crap out of the line next time

 

[Striper77]

Word of caution, that lead shot idea is not allowed inside the park at Connetquot.
Other places to freshwater fish are the Nissaquogue ( all year because it is tidal )you can wade it from near the Bull in SMithtown, look for the sign that says Given Park , there are some holdovers, some sea runs, and then they stock it pretty soon. Carmens River up above the Southaven Park is also good, better check on seasons, rules, etc, I don't remember it has been so long, but there are trout to be caught there .

 

[ihavegills]

I was you 20 yrs ago!

At 17, My parents friends gave me their old 78 Malibu wagon V8 that idoled at 30MPH. First stop- Beckmans, picked up a Berkeley/Pfleuger 5-6 combo and headed out to Connie with 2 practice sessions in a field under my belt. I went all out in whatever I started. I was a mess that first session. What a nightmare. First 3 hours I was about to toss in the towel between hang-ups in the bushes, missed hook sets, etc. As I walked back down river watching the rest of the guys, one of them coached me through 3 fish and I ended the last 1/2 hour of my fist session being taught by a mate on one of the Captree Boats that I had been on a week before for flounder. He sat on the pier of beat 15 and talked me through it and I tallied 17 fish. That was all it took. Once you learn to set a hook the rest comes naturally.
For 3 years I hammered all the beats and tied my own patterns through trial and error. If I can give you any advice it would be;
Buy three small spools of Seagur Fluro, 10#, 6#, 4#. Learn how to tie a nice clean nail knot or similar style to connect your leader to the line. I usually start with 2-3ft. 15# big game. Then take a 2-3'pc of 10# and tie to the 15# using a double surgeons knot. Repeat with 2-3'pc 6#, 4#. This will allow you to change out sections or add sections without having to tie the nail knot again to the fly line. PS-all I use is floating. You can weight your flies with brass and copper wraps and beeds to sink. Yes, the fancy leaders are nice but as the fish get bigger, it's great to cut the 4# off and use the 6#, and at times the 10#. Some of the deep sections that hold many 5# fish hold some big lunkers. I used 6# to get my largest brown 11 1/2#.
After casting, let the fly sink, then start 1-2 inch short strips with your rod tip pointed at the fly and as much of the slack out of the line as possible. Many times you see that fish trying to shake out a fly before you even feel it if your not tight to the line. The slack allows the fish to shake it out. Imagine trying to keep a straight line from your reel to the fly. Follow it down the length of the drift down stream with your tip point to the fly. Do not over set the hook. Someone mentioned simplicity, so remember the 2 common rules of fishing after hook set that can go wrong.
1. You snap the line/knot failure. Means you horsed the fish.
2. You pull the hook.
Both are controled by you. You can't control the fish shaking the hook and I like when they do. It means they deserve there freedom and won it from you. In turn you get to figure out what you did wrong to let him get off and that's when you start to sharpen your game.
My 3 fav's are a white whooly bugger, a pea**** leach, and a nymph all weighted-brass bead) and or brass around the shank. I would stick to Conny for a couple of sessions at the beginning of the season each year to warm up. After my first 3 years living there in spring I started going 3-5 times a year. Then once a year. I'm lucky to get there every other year now. Enjoy it when you can.
You don't have to go all out on your first salt fly but you definitely pay for what you get. I would suggest a used 8-10 wt. Some of my favorite fishing memories ever- back bay fly poppers on my 8wt. They cost me about $0.50 to make, killed the little bass and blues, Surface action combined with a fly rod! How can it get better than that?!
PM- me your address if you want some flies. And good luck with the wand.

 

[craigkoproski]

Here is what I use

for weight.

Tin Split Shots

 

[6to8ftSeas]

Thanks for the info guys, I'm gonna try to hit the river this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.