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for those that don't know, I retired a few months after turning 61. Well I was planning on clearing out in about 18 months; as I did not want to go out of the place on a stretcher. The last ten years I worked like a dream, and actually looked forward in going to work. A normal day was like I was in there for three or four hours. People I worked for really treated me too well. I was offered a golden handshake with a serious bonus ($35K). I owed about $8K on my mortgage and another four on the car. The pension was very liberal, and the big up front asked me to stay a little longer to gain another year. So I did. I've not drove past the place but once. 

 

What I soon learned was that I was getting by on 25% of what I was averaging. The first years were tough in adjustment, but after awhile I got used to not buying anything I wanted. I'm an avid fly fisher, and will be on the water ten to eleven months a year. Now I got all the time in the world. Those first two to three years are a serious adjustment, then it just all falls in place

gary

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1 hour ago, ChesshireCat said:

for those that don't know, I retired a few months after turning 61. Well I was planning on clearing out in about 18 months; as I did not want to go out of the place on a stretcher. The last ten years I worked like a dream, and actually looked forward in going to work. A normal day was like I was in there for three or four hours. People I worked for really treated me too well. I was offered a golden handshake with a serious bonus ($35K). I owed about $8K on my mortgage and another four on the car. The pension was very liberal, and the big up front asked me to stay a little longer to gain another year. So I did. I've not drove past the place but once. 

 

What I soon learned was that I was getting by on 25% of what I was averaging. The first years were tough in adjustment, but after awhile I got used to not buying anything I wanted. I'm an avid fly fisher, and will be on the water ten to eleven months a year. Now I got all the time in the world. Those first two to three years are a serious adjustment, then it just all falls in place

gary

I'm a keen fly-fisher too (trout, bass, Murray cod, carp, saltwater species) and even do a little guiding. I'll be doing more when I retire, but TBH, I still get to do a lot as I've only been working 4 days/week for the last 3-4yrs.

 

I'm actually a bit tired of trout, carp on fly are my new obsession.  100% sight fishing, casting accuracy is critical & they are HUGE!  A 20+ lb carp on a 6wt fly-rod is a real handful.

 

Here's a video of one of my recent carp on fly sessions here in Oz - 

 

I'm also really enjoying learning saltwater species - bream, flathead, blackfish (luderick).  We'll be retiring to the coast in a few years, so really want to get into the saltwater fly. 

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15 hours ago, Thommo said:

I'm a keen fly-fisher too (trout, bass, Murray cod, carp, saltwater species) and even do a little guiding. I'll be doing more when I retire, but TBH, I still get to do a lot as I've only been working 4 days/week for the last 3-4yrs.

 

I'm actually a bit tired of trout, carp on fly are my new obsession.  100% sight fishing, casting accuracy is critical & they are HUGE!  A 20+ lb carp on a 6wt fly-rod is a real handful.

 

Here's a video of one of my recent carp on fly sessions here in Oz - 

 

I'm also really enjoying learning saltwater species - bream, flathead, blackfish (luderick).  We'll be retiring to the coast in a few years, so really want to get into the saltwater fly. 

I honestly think I'll see the day when a common carp will be considered a true game fish. A ten pound carp is like hooking a 14lb. black bass. They are very hard on rods, and are best at sight fishing (very accurate casting in a must). The first carp I ever caught was with a spinning rod. I and my three sons went fishing and I headed out on a sand bar. Saw a flash. Made the cast and bam!  Now I'm small mouth bass fishing and very well geared up for it. He went strait into the back water pulling line off the reel against the drag (keep in mind I've caught two 7lb. smallies). I knew I had the state record on the end end and I'm seeing it mounted over my fire place (be careful of your thoughts). I knew if he got into the channel I'd loose him. About twenty minutes later I have a 7 1/2lb. carp!! In the states they actually have carp fishing contests. 

 

My best fish (in my mind) I've caught was a 16" crappie on a very heavy Loomis rod (run ten weight line on it). He twisted and turned that rod all over the place and I was certain I had a bass on it. I've caught several 20"+ bass that didn't fight that hard. Peacock bass are on my must catch list, and I'm ready. Ever chase steelheads?

gary

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47 minutes ago, ChesshireCat said:

I honestly think I'll see the day when a common carp will be considered a true game fish. A ten pound carp is like hooking a 14lb. black bass. They are very hard on rods, and are best at sight fishing (very accurate casting in a must). The first carp I ever caught was with a spinning rod. I and my three sons went fishing and I headed out on a sand bar. Saw a flash. Made the cast and bam!  Now I'm small mouth bass fishing and very well geared up for it. He went strait into the back water pulling line off the reel against the drag (keep in mind I've caught two 7lb. smallies). I knew I had the state record on the end end and I'm seeing it mounted over my fire place (be careful of your thoughts). I knew if he got into the channel I'd loose him. About twenty minutes later I have a 7 1/2lb. carp!! In the states they actually have carp fishing contests. 

 

My best fish (in my mind) I've caught was a 16" crappie on a very heavy Loomis rod (run ten weight line on it). He twisted and turned that rod all over the place and I was certain I had a bass on it. I've caught several 20"+ bass that didn't fight that hard. Peacock bass are on my must catch list, and I'm ready. Ever chase steelheads?

gary

 

I got a carp on Sunday that went 28".  Struggled to lift the slippery sucker. Think it might be my biggest yet.  Bit of a fluke as the river was quite flooded, but I thought I could see some telltale bubbles in a quieter backwater.  Dropped the fly in, saw no action on the indicator, lifted to cast again & fish on!

 

Interestingly, most carp fly fishos don't seem to use an indicator, but the I use the New Zealand coloured wool indicator system (https://www.strikeindicator.com/) & think it is critical over here as the take is so delicate, you never feel a thing.  But the indicator will give just the tinniest wobble & that is the signal to strike.

 

Never chased steelheads, we don't have them in Oz.  But we do have brown & rainbow trout.  But if trout are your thing, nothing beats New Zealand.

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Fishing…LOL.  Not at y’all, but me.  We bought our “retirement home” on a lake.  Been here about 9 months and I have yet to put a line in the water. Use to fish all the time as a teen.  Just zero interest now.

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On 1/10/2022 at 6:32 PM, Thommo said:

 

I got a carp on Sunday that went 28".  Struggled to lift the slippery sucker. Think it might be my biggest yet.  Bit of a fluke as the river was quite flooded, but I thought I could see some telltale bubbles in a quieter backwater.  Dropped the fly in, saw no action on the indicator, lifted to cast again & fish on!

 

Interestingly, most carp fly fishos don't seem to use an indicator, but the I use the New Zealand coloured wool indicator system (https://www.strikeindicator.com/) & think it is critical over here as the take is so delicate, you never feel a thing.  But the indicator will give just the tinniest wobble & that is the signal to strike.

 

Never chased steelheads, we don't have them in Oz.  But we do have brown & rainbow trout.  But if trout are your thing, nothing beats New Zealand.

That's really a big fish on the flyrod!  I've seen steel head and pike bigger than that, but they were using special stuff. I usually hook them by accident! Almost always on a wooly bugger (say a size eight or six). Seems strange, but I've hooked them on a hairs ear! They don't have good vision, so you have to put the bug right in front of the . Carp seem to love mulberries, and you can by flies that look like a cluster of them. I've tried them, and get a lot of takes, but don't have enough pataints to wait them out for the run.

I live in an area not known for trout, but there are some cold water streams here and there. Steelhead up north along with trout and a hand full of streams to the south. My first steel head was a solid twenty pounder, and caught him on a bait caster in lake Michigan. I don't like fishing up there, but that fish was nice. We have musky and tiger muskys in many lakes in my state, and I'm seriously thing a gently used twelve weight ten or ten and a half foot long is looking for me! Tigers are smaller, but much more aggressive. Either one can take off your fingers. Just have to learn to cast those five and six inch buck tails!! (not that easy in the wind)

 

I love brook trout! There are a few up north, but none down my way. Of course there are the Appalachian strain , but a huge one is around eleven inches (I use a two or three weight). On my bucket list is a five to seven day trip into Labrador for a twelve to fifteen pounder (look up Igloo Lake on Youtube). One of the prettiest fish out there.  You need to learn to tie rats! I started out with shrew sized ones and now using bodies the size of an egg. Hooks are the hardest part, and constantly looking for a better hook. When a bass hits it, it's like a hand grenade in the water. I have a snake I've been working with for about ten years, and bass hate snakes. Also really hard to cast like a big rat. They do flip real easy in and around lilley pads. The trick is to build them to swim like the real thing, the rest just falls in place. 

 

It's really nice to be out during the day knowing that your buddies had to get and go to work!

gary

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On 1/10/2022 at 10:29 PM, Scott Smith said:

Fishing…LOL.  Not at y’all, but me.  We bought our “retirement home” on a lake.  Been here about 9 months and I have yet to put a line in the water. Use to fish all the time as a teen.  Just zero interest now.

I have a tax payer funded disease called PTSD. Being out there fishing just takes all that crap away. The Lord did away with the rest (or most of it anyway). Fly fishers as a rule don't keep anything they catch, and we use barbless hooks that do little harm to the fish. Sure I loose one in ten fish, but don't loose any sleep over it. 

gary

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47 minutes ago, ChesshireCat said:

That's really a big fish on the flyrod!  I've seen steel head and pike bigger than that, but they were using special stuff. I usually hook them by accident! Almost always on a wooly bugger (say a size eight or six). Seems strange, but I've hooked them on a hairs ear! They don't have good vision, so you have to put the bug right in front of the . Carp seem to love mulberries, and you can by flies that look like a cluster of them. I've tried them, and get a lot of takes, but don't have enough pataints to wait them out for the run.

I live in an area not known for trout, but there are some cold water streams here and there. Steelhead up north along with trout and a hand full of streams to the south. My first steel head was a solid twenty pounder, and caught him on a bait caster in lake Michigan. I don't like fishing up there, but that fish was nice. We have musky and tiger muskys in many lakes in my state, and I'm seriously thing a gently used twelve weight ten or ten and a half foot long is looking for me! Tigers are smaller, but much more aggressive. Either one can take off your fingers. Just have to learn to cast those five and six inch buck tails!! (not that easy in the wind)

 

I love brook trout! There are a few up north, but none down my way. Of course there are the Appalachian strain , but a huge one is around eleven inches (I use a two or three weight). On my bucket list is a five to seven day trip into Labrador for a twelve to fifteen pounder (look up Igloo Lake on Youtube). One of the prettiest fish out there.  You need to learn to tie rats! I started out with shrew sized ones and now using bodies the size of an egg. Hooks are the hardest part, and constantly looking for a better hook. When a bass hits it, it's like a hand grenade in the water. I have a snake I've been working with for about ten years, and bass hate snakes. Also really hard to cast like a big rat. They do flip real easy in and around lilley pads. The trick is to build them to swim like the real thing, the rest just falls in place. 

 

It's really nice to be out during the day knowing that your buddies had to get and go to work!

gary

 

 

And then we have these

 

image.thumb.png.ee0a2458a034375abd3fb5cc592bb48a.png

 

The epic Australian Murray Cod.  The dream is to catch one over a metre (about 40 inches), though these are usually caught on bait or lures.  But I'm aiming for one on fly.  So far my best is about 75cm (29 inches).

 

Murray Cod hit surface flies/lures just like your bass - a big explosion that scares the Hell out of you.

 

Yes, I've tied some rat, mouse & big lizard flies for cod, but have not caught many on the surface yet - you can't strike on the hit (hard to resist), need to let them turn down with it.  Used the airbrush on the lizard.  These flies are a bugger to cast though, esp. once they take on a bit of water.  8WT+ rod needed.  20-30lb tippet for cod.

 

Yes, I release everything.

 

MuzzyMouse2.thumb.jpg.adc26066433c7be2c8fdc6dc681dc4f6.jpg

 

WaterDragon1.thumb.jpg.cec678246c6730e14b6d082776895db5.jpg

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9 hours ago, ChesshireCat said:

I have a tax payer funded disease called PTSD. Being out there fishing just takes all that crap away. The Lord did away with the rest (or most of it anyway). Fly fishers as a rule don't keep anything they catch, and we use barbless hooks that do little harm to the fish. Sure I loose one in ten fish, but don't loose any sleep over it. 

gary

That's awesome that you can relax like that fishing.  I'm probably going to go ahead and get my fishing license because I don't mind supporting the DNR with wildlife resources.  And because I might be out in the boat one day and someone else might have left a fishing rod in the boat.  Don't want to explain that one.   I took up hunting on a friends land about 17 years ago.  At first it was very relaxing and I got to sit out in nature and just enjoy the quiet while the wife was at home with the 4 kids.  But around the middle of my second or third season of hunting, I started getting restless sitting in the woods. All I could think of was while I was sitting there, all of my projects I wanted or needed to do was not making any progress.  After the third year I just gave it up.

 

This past summer I was sitting out on my dock and a couple guys were in a really nice fishing boat about 4' away from the dock.  One of the guys was telling me about the huge bass he caught under it.  Told him I would send him a bill for it.   :whistle:

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On 1/12/2022 at 1:02 PM, Scott Smith said:

That's awesome that you can relax like that fishing.  I'm probably going to go ahead and get my fishing license because I don't mind supporting the DNR with wildlife resources.  And because I might be out in the boat one day and someone else might have left a fishing rod in the boat.  Don't want to explain that one.   I took up hunting on a friends land about 17 years ago.  At first it was very relaxing and I got to sit out in nature and just enjoy the quiet while the wife was at home with the 4 kids.  But around the middle of my second or third season of hunting, I started getting restless sitting in the woods. All I could think of was while I was sitting there, all of my projects I wanted or needed to do was not making any progress.  After the third year I just gave it up.

 

This past summer I was sitting out on my dock and a couple guys were in a really nice fishing boat about 4' away from the dock.  One of the guys was telling me about the huge bass he caught under it.  Told him I would send him a bill for it.   :whistle:

For eons I was the classic upland bird hunter. The dog and I would be out all day, and just never had a care in the world. I never was really into pheasant all that much, but I like it once I get my brain into it (is there anything better than smoked pheasant?). Actually never went water fowl hunting (ducks geese ). Just couldn't get into it. Finally 100% quit when the bird populations fell like a rock a few years back.  I used to deer hunt a little bit, but honestly never cared all that much for it.  I have a 313lb. buck under my belt and call that the end of that era.  I still love predator hunting, and of them Coyotes are my favorite. Longest kill is 670 yards with a 6mm. I hate coyotes! I do have one raccoon in my cross hairs right now unless he moves on<g>!

gary

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On 1/12/2022 at 3:55 AM, Thommo said:

 

 

And then we have these

 

image.thumb.png.ee0a2458a034375abd3fb5cc592bb48a.png

 

The epic Australian Murray Cod.  The dream is to catch one over a metre (about 40 inches), though these are usually caught on bait or lures.  But I'm aiming for one on fly.  So far my best is about 75cm (29 inches).

 

Murray Cod hit surface flies/lures just like your bass - a big explosion that scares the Hell out of you.

 

Yes, I've tied some rat, mouse & big lizard flies for cod, but have not caught many on the surface yet - you can't strike on the hit (hard to resist), need to let them turn down with it.  Used the airbrush on the lizard.  These flies are a bugger to cast though, esp. once they take on a bit of water.  8WT+ rod needed.  20-30lb tippet for cod.

 

Yes, I release everything.

 

MuzzyMouse2.thumb.jpg.adc26066433c7be2c8fdc6dc681dc4f6.jpg

 

WaterDragon1.thumb.jpg.cec678246c6730e14b6d082776895db5.jpg

That bottom salamander is interesting. Is the body spun deer hair or is it foam?  Nicely done.  Bass tend to concentrate their strikes on the head. My rats use either a foam body or something to create the shape while being somewhat flexable when the fish bites down. Always foam filled to make them float well. I use big doll eyes (white or red), as all predators watch the eyes. I like the up turned hook, but nothing wrong with a down turned hook. I use a Partridge saltwater hook right now that is heated and rebent twice; then rehardend to keep the body on the hook during a strike. Always looking for a better hook!  I started out with big worm hooks (rubber worms) and kept redesigning the hook shape. I've learned over time that the way the rat swims is key here, and the tail is key to that for balance  and the swim. Still my rats seldom do eight feet of travel in the water before a strike (if there is a fish). Going to design a really big rat for pike (say six to eight inches of body and tail) . Once again the hook is the major issue here!

 

I don't fish with big rods all the time. I actually use a two and three weight a good bit. I have a new two weight lost in shipping right now, and will probably have a second one coming in the next two weeks. On the otherhand I have a broken three weight that needs to go back for replacement (I own two others). At this stage in life I already own way too many rods. Still folks whine and cry about golf being expensive. Guess they've never been into fly fishing!

gary

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On 1/14/2022 at 10:48 AM, ChesshireCat said:

That bottom salamander is interesting. Is the body spun deer hair or is it foam?  Nicely done.  Bass tend to concentrate their strikes on the head. My rats use either a foam body or something to create the shape while being somewhat flexable when the fish bites down. Always foam filled to make them float well. I use big doll eyes (white or red), as all predators watch the eyes. I like the up turned hook, but nothing wrong with a down turned hook. I use a Partridge saltwater hook right now that is heated and rebent twice; then rehardend to keep the body on the hook during a strike. Always looking for a better hook!  I started out with big worm hooks (rubber worms) and kept redesigning the hook shape. I've learned over time that the way the rat swims is key here, and the tail is key to that for balance  and the swim. Still my rats seldom do eight feet of travel in the water before a strike (if there is a fish). Going to design a really big rat for pike (say six to eight inches of body and tail) . Once again the hook is the major issue here!

 

I don't fish with big rods all the time. I actually use a two and three weight a good bit. I have a new two weight lost in shipping right now, and will probably have a second one coming in the next two weeks. On the otherhand I have a broken three weight that needs to go back for replacement (I own two others). At this stage in life I already own way too many rods. Still folks whine and cry about golf being expensive. Guess they've never been into fly fishing!

gary

 

The body is foam.  Should add, I've never caught anything on it, but I've hardly used it so far.  My epic Murray Cod spot was devastated in the 2019 drought (dead cod floating everywhere), and I doubt it will recover for several more years.

 

For hooks on my big cod flies, I just use whatever I can find at BCF, usually thumping big saltwater bait hooks.  For my bass/trout/carp/saltwater estuary flies, I'm a bit more discerning hook wise (though for carp it does not matter so much).  I probably should take a bit more interest in the hook choice.  For bream (saltwater), I always add a tiny stinger hook to my shrimp patterns as they tend to just nip at the fly.  Hook size rather than shape is my main focus, though stronger hooks are needed for cod & carp.

 

For trout/bass/saltwater estuary/carp, I'm using 4 to 6wt rods.  For Murray Cod, 8-9wt.  4wt is the smallest I own.  All my rods are pretty cheap and lately I've been breaking a lot through my own stupidity! (though I have learned how to repair them using an insert from another broken rod, rod wrapping thread and Araldite).  I've never owned a rod that cost me more than $300AUS.  And my reels are low end too.  But I do tend to buy decent fly-lines (e.g. Scientific Angler, Rio).

 

Increasingly, I just go out on my own, always land-based as I don't have any type of boat or kayak.  Sight fishing is the best.  You just forget about everything as you concentrate on spotting fish, then figuring out the best way to cast to them without spooking them.  I finally invested in some high end polaroid glasses (Tonics $240) instead of $20 cheapies from the Chemists and these help a lot....though I'm also very rough on sunglasses!  I've become very adept at spotting feeding carp.  Even though it might be an 85cm fish of 20lbs, the disturbance they make can be miniscule, but I've leared how to detect it from a long way off.

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6 hours ago, Thommo said:

 

The body is foam.  Should add, I've never caught anything on it, but I've hardly used it so far.  My epic Murray Cod spot was devastated in the 2019 drought (dead cod floating everywhere), and I doubt it will recover for several more years.

 

For hooks on my big cod flies, I just use whatever I can find at BCF, usually thumping big saltwater bait hooks.  For my bass/trout/carp/saltwater estuary flies, I'm a bit more discerning hook wise (though for carp it does not matter so much).  I probably should take a bit more interest in the hook choice.  For bream (saltwater), I always add a tiny stinger hook to my shrimp patterns as they tend to just nip at the fly.  Hook size rather than shape is my main focus, though stronger hooks are needed for cod & carp.

 

For trout/bass/saltwater estuary/carp, I'm using 4 to 6wt rods.  For Murray Cod, 8-9wt.  4wt is the smallest I own.  All my rods are pretty cheap and lately I've been breaking a lot through my own stupidity! (though I have learned how to repair them using an insert from another broken rod, rod wrapping thread and Araldite).  I've never owned a rod that cost me more than $300AUS.  And my reels are low end too.  But I do tend to buy decent fly-lines (e.g. Scientific Angler, Rio).

 

Increasingly, I just go out on my own, always land-based as I don't have any type of boat or kayak.  Sight fishing is the best.  You just forget about everything as you concentrate on spotting fish, then figuring out the best way to cast to them without spooking them.  I finally invested in some high end polaroid glasses (Tonics $240) instead of $20 cheapies from the Chemists and these help a lot....though I'm also very rough on sunglasses!  I've become very adept at spotting feeding carp.  Even though it might be an 85cm fish of 20lbs, the disturbance they make can be miniscule, but I've leared how to detect it from a long way off.

quite honestly you can tie a whole host of flies off generic hooks at Walmart. Have a basic design for a two inch shrew in the back of my head right now, and I'll simply use a big worm hook (rubber worm). The tail has me kinda worried, but I'll come up with something. Kinda thinking I need to seriously attack muskies this year, and ice out is where you start. I have a ten weight that is like casting with a broom stick, but the rod is serious. It'll do a hundred foot cast, as I've seen it done with my rod. I can get 85 feet on a perfect day with a slight breeze behind me. It would be a serious big carp rod, and know just where to go.  Lakes and ponds are iced over around here for the most part, but some rivers are open (I am too old to be standing in a river with chunks of ice going by me). One major issue is the line. You must use cold water line, or it's like casting a piece of bailing wire. I need some cold water line, but also need spools to put it on.  You know what that means ($$$). 

 

Most folks fail to grasp the idea that the only thing a reel does is hold the line unless your talking seven weight and heavier. My three weight and two weight reels don't really use the drag (just enough to hold the spool in place). Five weight gets a nudging of drag and my two six weight sets get even more drag. Many years back I was in a sporting goods store near me, and there were three or four J. Rayll number one reels for $35 a piece (normally close to a hundred dollars). I bought one and was so impressed that I went back the next day only to find them gone. Absolutely the best drag I've ever seen or used! Over the years I snapped up many spare spools for the number one (I have five right now). Been offered a $150 for one of them new in the box. You can't touch one for two hundred these days. Yet for a 7x tippet it's the best on the planet. I wish I had a number two or three! I'm probably going to buy either an eleven weight or a twelve weight ten foot rod (maybe a twelve foot one) when I do my RMD out of my 401K. I know somebody that has a deal on them right now for less than half the normal price. I have two Lamson Lightspeed number four reels still in the box (I remember buying one, but where the second one came from I have no idea). It's the perfect reel for big fish and big water. They'll hold 250 yards of backing (300+ with the micro 30lb. stuff). I could sell one of those reels and pay for the new rod in a pinch ($500 reels right now). Line is a bad girl!!! $90 bucks a pop, but I loose that thought holding a 50" musky <G>!!

 

When I get the shrew going I'll P.M. you and send you three or four. They will be much cheaper to tie than the big rats, and 200% easier. Brown trout love them

gary

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