# Ultralight Fly Fishing



## cb3725 (Jul 5, 2015)

Last year, a trip up to Cohutta really pointed me towards fly fishing as more than just an unnecessary complication of "regular" fishing. I’d spent several years prior exploring the simplest fishing methods I could try – handlines, yoyos, and cut poles – and the only experiences I’d had fly fishing successfully were on private trout waters, which didn't really feel like a realistic experience to me. So I picked up an inexpensive Scientific Angler 5/6wt setup and a dark green Booglebug on the recommendation of the guys at Cohutta Fishing Co., and had an exceptional trip catching redeye bass in the Conasauga River. That trip turned me into a fly fishing enthusiast, and my spinning rods haven’t seen much use since.

So my generous wife (also unknowingly, since I had purchased, wrapped, addressed, and placed under the tree myself) gifted me an Echo 2wt setup last Christmas, which was yet to get any use by the time June rolled around. It was a shame, but such has been life this year – chaos interrupted by upheaval! Well the summer has finally found calmer times, and I was able to give it a try on the Etowah River for a few hours recently. Lest you confuse me with an experienced, educated angler, I choose my flies at random, so it was a yellow popper that I started out with. After fifteen minutes or so of fruitless casting, it was apparent that what I was doing wasn’t working. Aptly described by Patrick McManus, my casting of that popper was like ‘an old lady trying to swat at a fly with a broomstick.’ So I pulled to the side of the river to switch flies, and as I sat tying on a small foam spider, I spotted a nice sized bass holding in about 2′ of water. Half a minute later, the bass spooked and disappeared upstream, just as a large gar swam by. I tell this story to set the stage for my first catch on the ultralight rod.







Half an hour later, my cast had improved and I had adopted the system of paddling upstream a couple hundred yards, and then standing in the kayak to float downstream, casting towards the bank. On my first pass near some rivercane, I got my first strike, and like the river monster it certainly was, it peeled line from my reel as it headed for the bottom. Just from the bend of the rod, it was apparent that this fish was better than my usual, and I had pictures of that gar, or at least a nice bass, fill my head. After some zigzagging around, the fish headed straight down once more, and just stopped. It hung there on the bottom, not moving at all, and I tried to carefully coax it from it’s safety without popping the tippet. For at least five minutes, I sat there waiting, and sweating, until I finally was able to move it by positioning the yak directly overhead and poking one-handed with my kayak paddle in it’s general direction. As it came to the surface, I was shocked to find merely a good sized bream on the end, rather than the Jeremy Wade specimen I was expecting. But that’s what ultralight rigs are made for right? To turn a little fish into an adrenaline releasing, breath holding experience. And it certainly did!
Since bream is what I catch the most of, the Echo is going to be a blast to fish with this year. You hear these stories about guys landing big multi-lb. fish on a light setup, so that’ll be the goal this year. To see how big a fish I can bring in on this fun little fly rod.


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## Bream Pole (Jul 5, 2015)

*ultra light*

I had a 2wt TFO 6' and gave it away to a friend for his son to use because I never used it.  You have excited my interest and now will get another.  Not familiar with the ECHO but will look into it.


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## Killer Kyle (Jul 6, 2015)

I have a TFO 6' 2wt and it is my go to brem/rookie/small stream rod. It has caught me thousands of fish and is my most beloved rod. It is tough as nails and can make a tadpole feel like a whale. 
That is a beautiful fish you caught! Ultralight fly fishing is so much fun!


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## cb3725 (Jul 6, 2015)

Since all I catch is little fish, I figured ultralight fishing is the niche for me!
TFO seems to be a popular brand. They are of good quality and well priced?


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## Alan in GA (Jul 7, 2015)

*And I thought....*

And I thought my 5wt was light!


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## NCHillbilly (Jul 7, 2015)

That's gotta be fun. Never fished a 2 weight, but I've caught a few big fat 2' doughbelly brooders on my 3/4 weight, and once a 21" wild brown. You'll do some running down the creek after them, for sure.


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## centerpin fan (Jul 8, 2015)

cb3725 said:


> TFO seems to be a popular brand. They are of good quality and well priced?



Very much so.  

Good rods, good prices and good warranty.


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## Georgia Hard Hunter (Jul 8, 2015)

There is a down side to ultra light fly rods, that is hooking a nice fish and over playing the fish because you dont have enough rod to land it quickly. In the summer this excessive stress can lead to the unnecessary death of the fish from being over stressed especially in the warmer summer months


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## cb3725 (Jul 8, 2015)

Georgia Hard Hunter said:


> There is a down side to ultra light fly rods, that is hooking a nice fish and over playing the fish because you dont have enough rod to land it quickly. In the summer this excessive stress can lead to the unnecessary death of the fish from being over stressed especially in the warmer summer months



Thank you. That's very interesting. I've never heard this mentioned in my limited reading, but it does make sense.


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## Georgia Hard Hunter (Jul 8, 2015)

Its just something to consider, maybe use the heavier rod in July & August. More of a problem with trout but it can happen with all fish


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## ROAM (Jul 8, 2015)

I love my 2 wt.  Nothing better for the warmwater enthusiast (i.e. bream).  Other than swinging my heavy stick for bass, the 2wt is hands down the go-to rod.  Regular ol' eating size panfish give great battles, each and every time.  
If I could only throw big streamers on it, it would be the only rod i would need.  

check out this website, lots of good info on ultralight flyfishing.
http://www.byrdultrafly.com/


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## dtala (Jul 8, 2015)

I used to fish for BIG catfish with a fly rod, in fact still hold several IGFA line class world records on Blue and Channel catfish. 

I got it into my mind to catch a 15-20 pound blue on 2lb tippet. Now I will tell you that 2lb line breaks very easily. I went down to a 9ft 2wt rod and broke off dozens of big catfish just from the drag of the fly line as a big fish ran and turned with no drag from the reel at all.

Finally I was reading an article by Trey Coombs on fly fishing for big marlin and tuna and the tackle modifications they had to make to be able to land these fish.  

I ended up using a short 15 foot "shooting head" for a line, followed by 12# ultra thin braid for running line and backing. The thinner material prevented breakoffs from water drag as the fish ran. 

I still broke off a lot of fish but ended up setting several new IGFA records along the way.

BTW, breaking 2lb tippet set ups will dang near make you cry as they are a real time consuming pain to tie up. 11 inches of 8# flurocarbon , with 2lb tippet section bimini twist ted on both ends, to leader section. 2lb bimini twists are a real pleasure to tie


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## injun joe (Jul 8, 2015)

dtala said:


> I used to fish for BIG catfish with a fly rod, in fact still hold several IGFA line class world records on Blue and Channel catfish.
> 
> I got it into my mind to catch a 15-20 pound blue on 2lb tippet. Now I will tell you that 2lb line breaks very easily. I went down to a 9ft 2wt rod and broke off dozens of big catfish just from the drag of the fly line as a big fish ran and turned with no drag from the reel at all.
> 
> ...



That is awesome. I have enough trouble landing a decent trout on 7X tippet.


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## NCHillbilly (Jul 9, 2015)

injun joe said:


> That is awesome. I have enough trouble landing a decent trout on 7X tippet.



I couldn't count the number I've broke off when "startle-setting" the hook on a dry fly before the fight even got started.


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## injun joe (Jul 9, 2015)

Heck, I pop 'em off on the backcast.


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## dtala (Jul 9, 2015)

done all of the above....


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## GLS (Jul 9, 2015)

The biggest mistake I make is when I instinctively use the rod to set the hook and not strike with the line hand.  This is a painful way  to pull the fly away from a permit out of his zone if he didn't take but was just nosing the fly.  Sometimes you'll get a second chance on a fish with a line/hand strike, but using the rod to strike will move the fly too far away for a second chance.  Forget what Roland Martin would do with plastic worm rod while hollerin' "Son..."


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## Buckhead (Jul 28, 2015)

Ultra lights are way fun.  I am a Sage guy and have a 00, a 1 wt and two 3 weights.  Most of my fly fishing is warm water and I have caught bass and cats up to 7 pounds on UL rigs.  With the 1 weight and 00, casting distance and fly size are limited, but catching almost any fish is a thrill.  

Bill Byrd has a great website on UL fly fishing.  I blame/credit him for my 00.  It is addictive.  Your 6 weight will feel like a broom stick after a while.


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