06-05-2020, 02:41 PM
Hope you are able to get all the info you need. Here's a bit from me. (See attached PDF file)
I lived all over California and have fished the Pacific coast from Cabo San Lucas to Homer, Alaska...with a great deal of time spent on the beaches and rivers of northern California and Oregon. And on many occasions I did well by fishing flies on spinning gear. There are many deep runs on big waters that are virtually impossible to properly work with a fly rod. But with the right rigging and right tackle you can cast a long ways and get your flies down to the right depth...and fishing at the right speed.
To reply to another question/concern, you can fish flies on almost any kind of gear that will cast the fly/lure/weight combination you are slinging. That includes everything from closed face reels to regular spinning reels and even baitcast rigs with heavier line and sinkers for the big anadromous species.
I have fished flies on spinning gear from the surf in California to deep lakes in several states. And one of the most effective ways to fish flies on some of our larger western rivers is with the "bounce" rig...with a sinker on the bottom and one or two flies on droppers above the sinker. You adjust the amount of weight to allow the rig to just tick the rocks on the bottom as it comes downstream...from either an upstream cast or quartering across.
In still waters I have used a variety of rigs to fish flies for a multitude of "warm water" species. I can't think of many species that I HAVEN'T caught on flies...and with spinning gear.
Obviously, chucking flies with anything but a well balanced fly fishing outfit is seldom "finesse" fishing. But it will sometimes allow you to reach and catch fish that would be difficult or impossible with the fairy wand. It definitely has a place in the complete angler's bag of tricks. But it requires just as much knowledge and skill as any other method. The more you already know about your quarry, the waters you are fishing and the feathery offerings you are presenting the better you will do. And, of course, it takes a fair degree of proficiency in using the tackle you have chosen. You should be able to concentrate on proper presentation and what is going on at the other end of your line, rather than being distracted by a balky reel of some other tackle malfunction.
In short, fishing flies on non-flycasting tackle is possible and effective. But if you suck at fishing it won't necessarily make you a better fisherman. The more basic skills you bring to the game the better you will do.
I lived all over California and have fished the Pacific coast from Cabo San Lucas to Homer, Alaska...with a great deal of time spent on the beaches and rivers of northern California and Oregon. And on many occasions I did well by fishing flies on spinning gear. There are many deep runs on big waters that are virtually impossible to properly work with a fly rod. But with the right rigging and right tackle you can cast a long ways and get your flies down to the right depth...and fishing at the right speed.
To reply to another question/concern, you can fish flies on almost any kind of gear that will cast the fly/lure/weight combination you are slinging. That includes everything from closed face reels to regular spinning reels and even baitcast rigs with heavier line and sinkers for the big anadromous species.
I have fished flies on spinning gear from the surf in California to deep lakes in several states. And one of the most effective ways to fish flies on some of our larger western rivers is with the "bounce" rig...with a sinker on the bottom and one or two flies on droppers above the sinker. You adjust the amount of weight to allow the rig to just tick the rocks on the bottom as it comes downstream...from either an upstream cast or quartering across.
In still waters I have used a variety of rigs to fish flies for a multitude of "warm water" species. I can't think of many species that I HAVEN'T caught on flies...and with spinning gear.
Obviously, chucking flies with anything but a well balanced fly fishing outfit is seldom "finesse" fishing. But it will sometimes allow you to reach and catch fish that would be difficult or impossible with the fairy wand. It definitely has a place in the complete angler's bag of tricks. But it requires just as much knowledge and skill as any other method. The more you already know about your quarry, the waters you are fishing and the feathery offerings you are presenting the better you will do. And, of course, it takes a fair degree of proficiency in using the tackle you have chosen. You should be able to concentrate on proper presentation and what is going on at the other end of your line, rather than being distracted by a balky reel of some other tackle malfunction.
In short, fishing flies on non-flycasting tackle is possible and effective. But if you suck at fishing it won't necessarily make you a better fisherman. The more basic skills you bring to the game the better you will do.