Help with picking flies Newbie

[pseshooter300]

Ok so im a begginer on this fly fishing. How can i tell what flies to use is there a few flies that you can throw that are all around good ones or is there specific flies certain times of the year i should concentrate on throwing. Please give me some info on what i should do. I fish the South Holston in east Tennessee. Thanks.

[pseshooter300]

10 people has viewed yet no one has posted is there not anyone that knows how to tell what flies are best.

[grumpy]

BWO-winter
Sulphurs-about now
Blackfly-pretty much year round
Pheasant tails-""""""""""'"""""""
soft hackles-"""""""""""""
woolly buggers-"""""""""""
Para Adams-"""""""""""""
Adams-"""""""""""""""
midges-""""""""""""""
more midges-"""""""""""

Grumpy

[pseshooter300]

i here people talking about nymphs what is that.

[Steve H]

Nymphs are generically referred to as the pre-adult phase before the hatch (dry fly) when a bug is clinging to the rocks or swimming in the water, either sub surface or in the film.

Common and popular nymphs are:

Pheasant tails
Golf-ribbed hairs ear
Prince nymph
Stone flies
and the list goes on and on

As a beginner to the world of fly fishing, you may want to pick up a copy of this book a great read and it was just updated:

http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?pf_id=65C0&dir_id=758&group_id=8791&cat_id=11522&subcat_id=11528

 

[MikeA]

Best thing to do is either hook up with a guide and cut your learning curve in half or find someone on the board to take you out and show you some stuff, the cheaper route.


I'll put a post up later with my flies of choice but right now I'm off to the lake.

Mike

[pseshooter300]

ok i would appreciate it.

[Steve H]

pse, you gonna be down this way anytime soon?

[pseshooter300]

no im not why do you ask.

[RSiegmann]

PSE, the #1 fly I've started my two nephews out on is the ever producing woolly bugger ... sizes 6 - 10 ... black, olive, brown, white ... easy to tie ... easy to cast ... and if you casting is a little sloppy, it won't hurt the effectiveness of the presentation too much ...

clousers are another great streamer fly ...

[pseshooter300]

well another problem im having is i dont know which ones float and which ones are suppose to sink is there a way to tell  or how am i suppose to know.

[RSiegmann]

That's a little tough to call 100% of the time until you get a little more used to the materials used to tie a fly ... but generally - 1) anything with a bead or cone head is meant to sink ... 2) most flies bigger than a size 10 hook are meant to sink (thought there are a few big dries like grasshopper patterns, Hex patterns) ... 3) The smaller flies that have hackle either going 360 degrees around the hook shank (the first 1/4 shank after the eye) or hackle wrapped 360 degrees parallel (wrapped around a post) to the hook shank are meant to float ...

Based on the fly type ... you can normally tell wether a fly is supposed to sink or float ... such as ... 1) Streamers sink ... 2) nymphs sink or float just below the surface ... 3) Dry flies float (hence the term Dry) ... 4) Wet flies sink (hence the term Wet) ... sorry couldn't resist a little sarcasm ...

There are a couple of good reads which would do a better job of explaining the fly types than this poor attempt of mine ... Orvis's Fly Fishing Guide ... LL Beans Guide to Fly Fishing ... are two that are really geared towards the beginning fly fisherman ...

[Steve H]

no im not why do you ask.

I was gonna say that we hook up and fish...

[Steve H]

You should really pick up the Orvis book recommended twice in this thread. It is the best read for anyone getting into fly fishing.

Then get a guide and a friend and have fun!

[gonefishin]

PSE,

Sulphur Parachutes & Comparaduns
non bead head Pheasant Tails (SoHo fish don't like jeweler) brown & olive
olive gold ribbed Hares Ear
Blackfly larvae
Copper Johns, red, black, and copper
Brassies, chatruese, brown, red, and copper
Griffths Gnat
Midges, Midges, Midges

Like they said a day with a guide will advance the learning curve quickly