Can you get me started?

[deeptrout]

Straighten me out here..... By luck the Coast Guard has just relocated me into the St. Petersburg area!!! I moved here last Oct. from Alaska..... Two absolute fishing extreams. I picked up fly fishing about a year ago up north, I feel like I should be starting from scratch again. Any tips, advice or hell I'll go as far as asking my fellow anglers to let me go out and watch and learn. I need to get a new rod and reel. I just need to be pointed in the right direction. Your input won't go to waste. Get up and go fishing. Scott
Scooterb22@aol.com

[dunfly]

Welcome to sunny Florida. There is a lot of fly fishing around, but not a lot of fly fishermen. First, I would suggest you drop by The Saltwater Fly Fisherman in downtown Clearwater. You probably have all the gear you need, but they can help you with items and flies particular to this area. They can also help find a few places to try out.

Most of the fishing I do is wading backwater flats for redfish, snook and trout (the sea type). There is also Tarpon fishing, mostly in boats, and offshore, all in boats. The St. Petersburg Times periodically runs a column on inshore fishing with a map (Sunday). You may try to find a back copy.

There are a number of good wading flats in the St. Pete area, Weedon Island, Sunshine Skyway, to name two. This time of year, you can also find fish running within casting distance of the beach if you get out very early in the morning (first light). If you search back about a month ago in this forum, you should find a detailed list of several places I posted. One thing to be careful about this time a year is the sun. I wear a longsleave shirt but you at least need sun screen.

[spooledagain]

Get an 8-weight rod, floating line, and some small, white poppers. Wade some sandy, muddy or grassy bottom early in the morning before, during, and after sunrise. That's the cheapest, most effective flyfishing.