[Jeremy Hayden]

I'm planning on focusing on SWFF for next season.
We seem to have more success in the early part of the season up here, so am going to try and fish SWFF pretty much exclusively.
Have order a new rod & some new lines, and to be honest I can't wait. I'm sure that there are so many oportunities for the fly around the areas we normally fish.
In the mean time I'll be keeping my self busy with a few flounder trips boy with fly & small SP's
Have also bought a vice, tools & some bits from Mike so will be getting some tying done, no doubt driving Mike, Austen & the rest of you nuts with daft tying questions and the occasional order for bits brightly coloured animal fluff.
Bring it on.

 

[Steve Lewis]

Good luck with the new challenge Jeremy

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Ah be warned mate, it gets addictive on the tying as well as fishing. When going for the flounder, crazy charlies, are good and any of the tarpon bonefish patterns work also mate.
Your kit is all cleaned and ready. Beware when buying materials only buy what you need for the patterns your using else you end up with a shed load of materials you never or hardly ever use. As for questions feel free to ask anyting anytime mate and i shall do my best to answer it for you.
tight lines

 

[Alex Jordan]

good on ya - vid and book on their way to you tomorrow ... I am seriously considering just fly for 2011 too - a season on the salt? hehe

 

[Luke Fox]

Kitted myself out with SWFF gear this year but did not push it seriously though as I have been too addicted to my patchinko and xlayers. Will remind myself to go for it next year but as you say it wont hurt to hone the skill through winter targeting the flatties etc.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

A small hint for those that are going to swff through the winter wear neoprene gloves. Stripping the line in cold weather and cold water, will freeze your hands and fingers to the bone in a matter of seconds.
Thus cutting your sessions a lot shorter. I made these mistakes too many times. ;-)

 

[Nick Rowe]

Any neoprene gloves spring to mind as particularly good?

 

[Mike Sullivan]

I have 3 pairs mate one pair of snowbee, one pair of ron thompson of all things and a pair of gul gloves i favour the ron's of all of them mate as they have the first stripping fingers that fold back onto velcro when i want them to.
Cheap and btilliant mate this is the closest i can find these days http://tackleoutlet.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=249_252&products_id=2547

hope this helps

 

[Mike Sullivan]

sorry i have just found mine here

http://www.mullarkeys.co.uk/fishing...s-caps-gloves-and-socks/0/ron-thompson/10496/

excellent value for money and never let me down after 3 years of fishing them still going strong.

 

[Nick Rowe]

Thanks Mike, I'll check them out

 

[Mike Sullivan]

no worries bloody good gloves mate and cheap too

 

[Mark Sleep]

They are good gloves, I have a pair. For gods sake though, dont wear them around fine braid! Velcro and fine braids like 8strands do not mix

 

[Keith White]

So true.....

I ruined a 'very expensive spool' of said line last winter doing that.

 

[Austen Goldsmith]

Hi Jeremy

Funny enough I saw one of the twins in the street today. That remended you were gong to pop in sometime.

You need to identify locatons where the fly rod will work to your advantage rather than disadvantage. Some of your marks will work ,some wont , you may need to find a few new locations

I spent a fortune on castng lessons years ago. It was money well spent. If you have to think about casting you wont be thinking about fishing. Strong casting is essential most of the time. A good caster will chuck a fly 90 -100 feet with any rod , you dont need to spend big money on rods for UK fishing as you dont need the power in the butt section that the top of the range rods offer.
Ive been using Grey Platinum XD rods this year. I rate them and so have all the clients I have fished with this year. (They also have plenty of lifting power )

I use plastic reels in the UK and leave the Hatch and Abels for trips away.

I would start with a 9 # , I fish 8 # rods from my boat a great deal of the time but for shore fshing you need the extra punch a 9 # can offer. Im talking coastal fishing not sheltered twinkie bashing chichester style ! If im twinkie hunting then I would ish a 6-7 # iYou cant beat clousers they are easy to tie. Obviously they swim hook up , im far more confident if a fish is hooked in the top of the mouth. Size 2 # is a great starting point

Sparse Olive and white where sandeels and fry live
Orange and brown over rough ground where Pollack Live
Tie some Gurglers. They cast well, way easier than crease flies and poppers
Tie a few black flies with Zonker stips. You could literally glue rabbit strips on a hook and they will seduce fish. I fish the black toad when time s are tough. I fish it high on floaters and deep on sinkers.

I landed a 9 lb bass from Cornwall on something like this September 2008. Its great day and night. I fish them big for bass and small for Tarpon. Ironic!

I use Seguar 20 lb tapered leaders. I cut back the butt section by 1 foot so the leaders 9 foot. I attatch a Riverege leader ring. I fish 12 - 18 inch tippet attatched to the ring. 15 0r 19 lb seguar. As soon as I go lighter that that I start losing flies. A fly wll pul out of heavy kelp ith 20 lb , 15 lb you lose a few, below 15 lb and you will spend a great deal of time replacing leaders and lost flies.

What started as quick post grew.

 

[Andrew Walker]

I have also had similiar thoughts about etxending my SWFF activities next year and posted on here a little while ago about rod weights. I have plenty of 4 - 7 weights from my trout fishing but nothing for open shore marks and so will be investing in a 9 weight to complete the range.

Possibly we should organise a mini SWFF buble or is that a little too specialised?

 

[Austen Goldsmith]

I have also had similiar thoughts about etxending my SWFF activities next year and posted on here a little while ago about rod weights. I have plenty of 4 - 7 weights from my trout fishing but nothing for open shore marks and so will be investing in a 9 weight to complete the range.

Possibly we should organise a mini SWFF buble or is that a little too specialised?

Too be honest I had thought about that. A mixture of teaching/ sharing knowledge for anyone new and drinking beer, possibly wetting a fly line somewhere .

If I get a few responses to the idea I will happily arrange something

 

[Jeremy Hayden]

I've got my rod now. A Shakespeare Atlantis #8.
I've had a few goes with it over grass and am really pleased with it, great value for money, £50 ish.
Seems that there are plenty of good entry level bits of kit to be had. Scierra Avalanche / Okuma Airframe reels £15 ea. Spools for reela £7, Airflo Velocity lines 2 for £20.
Less than £100 to start.
There's loads of online info regarding tying your own flies.
And on top of this, there's people like Austin, Alex & Mike with plenty of advice & encouragement.

 

[Andrew Walker]

Too be honest I had thought about that. A mixture of teaching/ sharing knowledge for anyone new and drinking beer, possibly wetting a fly line somewhere .

If I get a few responses to the idea I will happily arrange something

Well subject to work comitments and approval from the boss (!) I would be keen! That sounds like a good mix.

 

[Jeremy Hayden]

4 months dry now, but have developed an enthusiasm for tea!!
Always keen to learn more about SWFF, casting particuarly.

 

[Austen Goldsmith]

Well subject to work comitments and approval from the boss (!) I would be keen! That sounds like a good mix.

I may stck a post up here if I get enough interest.

It would have to be July/ Aug based upon my diary for next year