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kinda new and had some ?s...

3K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  wrenchman72076 
#1 ·
Hi... My names TJ im 16 and just bought a pretty nice set up a while back. I basically know but am asking anyway. What all can i fish for with this set up. Both fresh and salt.

The rod is a Scott V2 8weight 4 pc. 9'
The reel is a Ross Rythm 8w.

I havent bought any line yet (ran out of $)but if yall could give me some ideas on that it would be much appreciated. :smile:
 
#2 ·
Welcome!

Good afternoon,
Good to have you on board, nice to see the next generation of fly guys getting involved. An 8 wt. is IMHO the crossover point from "Light Tackle" fishing. Made for working "Larger" fish. If I might ask, what kind and size of fish are you targeting there in your home waters? What do you fish more, fresh or saltwater? Is there a fly shop in your area that you could bring your rod to for use with demo reels with line loaded on them?
Some reel / rod combos you can "vary" the line weight up or down depending on the type of fish that you hit most often. Others are less forgiving in that respect. Trial and error with your "Wallet" can be spendy, so any time you can "Try" a product for free, well free is a good thing.
I will let you ponder those Q's and post back!

Deerhawk
 
#4 · (Edited)
Hey T.J. Your setup is good for light saltwater fishing and for fishing big bass bugs, and fishing big streamers or woolly buggers for trout.

As for line, there's a lot of variables. First of all, how much do you have to spend?
 
#8 ·
tj--why would you want to leave florida??? and why give up the 8 wt.? you have the perfect rod/reel for snook, redfish, bonefish, small tarpon and small permit... my first and only rod when i was your age was an old fenwick 8 wt. i used it in the keys till about 5 years ago, when i got a couple of 9s, 10s and a 12 (mostly for work)... this rod should also be good for stripers, bluefish, largemouth bass, and salmon and steelhead when you travel... don't sell it, save some money and buy a 5 wt. for trout in arkansas. whatever you do, good luck...
 
#10 ·
Hi TJ,

You mentioned that money is at a premium, so I am suggesting that you make
6 Wt. rod. You can buy two piece blanks at a low cost ( about a 40-50% savings) and assemble the rod your self. If you go to your library you can find books on rod making. Dale Clemmens' book is an excellent start. Most rod companies sell blanks for a fraction of the cost of the same rod prefinished. Assembling the rod is fairly easy and very rewarding, it's like tying your own flies.

The equipment is very simple, you will need a rat tail file, epoxy cement and thread size A. Rod components , in addition to the blanks, you will want to buy a reel seat (holds the fly reel) and a good quality cork grip and finally, you need a set of line guides plus tip top. The latter two components will rerquire your wrapping on to the rod blank. May sound confusing, but once you read a book on the subject, all will become clear.

I hope the above gives you some ideas and permit you to keep your 8 Wt. rod and make any other rod you like. By the thr Orvis Co. sells blanks and includes a small booklet on how to assemble a rod.

Good Luck !

Seth
 
#11 ·
Just have fun

TJ,

I guess I started 'bout the same way, except I didn't start with such a nice rod.

All of the info is excelent, but you should rememer one thing, ... The rod you have now will do for all but the biggest of big game fish. In the salt, you'll see some shortcomings, but for EVERYTHING else, you'll be fine.

Lighter rods are fine, but they also have limitations. If it's windy where you fish, you'll appreciate the 8wt.

7's and 8's are standard for me from everything from sea run trout, to walleyes, to pike to Atlantics.

Just get out, practice lots and have fun.
 
#12 ·
lines for 8 wt

First of all, let me say keep the 8 wt. For where you are located, it is a good match for everything except the smaller stuff, bream, small trout etc.

O.K. lines You will need a WF8F (weight forward 8 floating). You could "overline" the rod by going one line size heavier (WF9F) Some peolple do this either to learn to feel the rod load, or to be able to drive larger flies into the wind. Personal preference thing. Try before you buy,,,if you can.

All WF8F lines are not the same however. So you will know what they are, I will try to explain.
WF8F= standard WF line, 210 grain 30 foot belly with thin shooting line behind
WF8F= Bass Bug shorter front taper than standard for turning over big bulky flies
WF8F= Saltwater Taper similar to a Bass Bug taper somtimes shorter belly
All 8 wt lines will weigh 210 grains in the first 30 feet, regardless of taper configuration.
All 9 wt lines will weigh 240 grains in the first 30 feet, regardless of taper configuration.

There are more, specialized lines, but these are the ones you should be looking at.
Either an 8 or a 9 wt. Scientific Anglers makes a Concept line that is a little stiffer, and only 60 feet long (total length) as compared to 90 feet as most flylines. It is less expensive and is supposed to be easier to learn with due to it's stiffnes.

You mentiond money being a premium. With the price of lines being what they are, and your uhhh, rather limited earning capabilies owing to your young age, I can sympathize with you. You might want to keep an eye out at K-mart, Wal-Mart Big 5, whatever you have in your area. They sometimes clear out fly lines at the end of the season.
 
#14 ·
I wouldn't overline your rod. Stick with the line weight that the pole is designed for. If you overline to start off, you're not properly learning how to fish the rod. Only experienced fishermen should ever try overlining since they're already experienced casters. Just my opinion! :)

You could try your local fly shop for a demo line that's been used for practice casting and you could save a bundle, but you'd still be getting a premium line. The Concept fly lines are inexpensive and cast well. I have one that my wife learned on, and it's a great line for the price.
 
#15 ·
TJ,

If you haven't picked up that 8wt line yet, email me your address and I'll send you a slightly used 8wt line to get you started. I've been fishing 8s for a long time and I have plenty of spare ones that will never get used again. You'd be doing me a favor to put one to work.

Dick Brown

dbrown@brownwright.com
 
#18 · (Edited)
t.j.
i am no professional fly fisherman, but i will tell you that i understand the money situation and trying to get things accomplished. i started on the fly with a #5 wal-mart special rod and line combo. it caught more trout and large mouth bass than i could mention. you can fish most species with your #8. the only true time that you will need one smaller is when you are fishing very tight, close, and pressured trout streams. i just bought an 8 weight sage to further complete my arsenal. had i to do it over, i would have started with a #8. the smaller fish wont feel as much of a fight on the larger rod, and the larger fish will "eat you lunch" on the smaller rod. when you decide to try the little red river in arkansas please give me a call. it is only an hour from the house

there are fish in the water, and they need to be caught.

wrenchman72076@yahoo.com
 
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