saltwater fly setup

[Markam]

Hi there can anyone recommend a decent setup to start saltwater fly fishing for pollock?

Thanks mark.

[eoghanb]

What's your budget?

[Markam]

Probably willing to spend £300 on rod and reel

Mark

[JimH]

From shore or boat Mark (or both)

Think investment in Rod, line, then reel in that decreasing order!

Bendy

[Ric0shay]

Im wondering this as well lad.Im going to give fly fish a go for the first time so any help would be great ill be looking at in around the same budget as Mark.What size,makes/models of rods and reels are worth a look ?

[JimH]

R

I'm always of a practical mind in relation to this - from a species point of view seatrout, bass, pollack, mullet, mackerel, garfish, are all possibles, the two that dominate are bass and pollack followed by seatrout.

Both bass and pollack can to a great extent be caught on the same gear, and in fact mackerel too - its just that the gear might be a little on the heavy side for seatrout, mullet and mackerel too.

So trying to compromise across the species and their individual demands I would suggest a #8 rod and suitable reel / line - this might at times be too heavy for seatrout or too light for bigger bass fly or deep water pollack fishing from a boat but its a 'best fit'

If you are beginning then a floating line is best to start to learn to cast with - if I'm stripping flies then I'll use an intermediate line (1.5 2.0 ips) if I'm drifting / swinging flies then I'll use the floater with various leader types-

Stick with the floater then add whats known as a 'Poly leader' to the end in a variety of types - intermediate - sink or fast sink - this will allow you to change your depth without having to invest in more fly lines immediately (pollack deep down may require a full sinker) - find the fish with the leader and fly

Reel - Okuma airframe, Loop Xact - these are carbon composites and will last a long time plus not too expensive the Okuma < 40.00 euros
Line - Across the species and to help you get a little distance and 'feel' at first a Rio Outbound or Airflo sniper - get a cheap 'mill end' to start learning to cast with before using these expensive lines - roughly @ 75.00 euros each
Rod - If this is more experimental than anything else then take a look at something like the Airflo bluetooth http://tacklebargains.co.uk/acatalog/Ai ... e-40-.html @ around 75.00 euros

Backing around 10.00 euros - basket make one for about 10.00 - flies ???

Total approx - 200.00 euros so far - take the 100.00 balance and get casting lessons

If you really like it then fine - the line the reel and the leaders will all be good for at least two seasons, after one season you then might change up to a rod of something of higher spec

lots of help on www.probassfisher.com - beware the obsession!!

[blowin]

A great post there JimH .
I would be very interested in taking it up myself since there are plenty of shallow rocky features around here but very few where you can cast a sinking lure without getting snagged . I am thinking Pollack in particular .
Can you recommend any links or vids which show the extremity of conditions ( shallowness , turbulence etc ) which would seem ok to a SWF fisherman while being pretty much unsuitable for other methods ? As a boat angler it would not have occurred to me to fish in just a couple of ft of surf close in to the shore or rocks . I can imaging that it is highly addictive !
Cheers

[JimH]

B

Theres a stack of topics in your previous post - structure, conditions, methods, accessibility.... I regularly say to many people in respect of fly fishing and the challenges it presents - if you can find the fish consistently using other methods then maybe pick up the fly and go from there, dont think that SWFF will immediately get you better results than other methods unless you are very experienced.

Its tough - mentally and physically at times, but is extremey rewarding in different ways - as you can see B most of the fish my customers catch are invariably at less than thirty yards - this comes down a lot to being in the right place at the right time.

SWFF with flies with hook guards or surface flies in shallow reefy areas with a wave running in on an early June morning on a spring tide - dont get me started!

[Guinness]

Thanks JimH a great post and has got me interested in finding out more about SWFF.

[JimH]

Enjoy it all Guinness -

[roryodonnell]

I'm also starting to lust after fishing equipment that I've yet to own. I've almost complete my spin setup. I would be interested in hearing opines regarding narrow estuary fly setup.

[roryodonnell]

B

Theres a stack of topics in your previous post - structure, conditions, methods, accessibility.... I regularly say to many people in respect of fly fishing and the challenges it presents - if you can find the fish consistently using other methods then maybe pick up the fly and go from there, dont think that SWFF will immediately get you better results than other methods unless you are very experienced.

Its tough - mentally and physically at times, but is extremey rewarding in different ways - as you can see B most of the fish my customers catch are invariably at less than thirty yards - this comes down a lot to being in the right place at the right time.

SWFF with flies with hook guards or surface flies in shallow reefy areas with a wave running in on an early June morning on a spring tide - dont get me started!

Excellent advice there J. I shall direct my lust elsewhere. Thanks

[JimH]

R - before you direct your lust elsewhere direct it at T.McGuane's - The Longest Silence

- I'll hang on here.....!!