Back after 30+ years

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I'm about to retire soon and want to return to fishing. But I haven't done anything in 30 years.

Big question is can anybody advise on start up gear? I used to Wet fly for river trout, spin for mackerel, and spin for pike now and again. I would like to get back to all 3 plus we have a Carp pond locally that I can fish free any time.

How much tackle would I need (none of the old stuff left!). What makes or sizes are now in use - as I have long lost touch.

Any decent on-line stores?

I'm in Dundalk and don't want to just roll into a local shop without a clue.

Many Thanks.

slowburner

Zainab Large Jury wrote: »

I'm about to retire soon and want to return to fishing. But I haven't done anything in 30 years.

Big question is can anybody advise on start up gear? I used to Wet fly for river trout, spin for mackerel, and spin for pike now and again. I would like to get back to all 3 plus we have a Carp pond locally that I can fish free any time.

How much tackle would I need (none of the old stuff left!). What makes or sizes are now in use - as I have long lost touch.

Any decent on-line stores?

I'm in Dundalk and don't want to just roll into a local shop without a clue.

Many Thanks.

Welcome back to the world of angling.

"There's nothing new in fishing" (anon.)

Not a whole lot changes really, in fishing tackle. Sure there are changes in materials, and technological improvements, and fine tuning, but the principles are the same.

Rods.
Undoubtedly the biggest change has been in the materials in the manufacture of rods. Cane rods are no longer used - except by a few purist diehards.
I'm guessing here, that thirty years ago fibreglass rods were coming into vogue. Fibreglass has been superseded by carbon fibre, which is now the standard material. Carbon fibre is light, has huge tensile strength, and is very sensitive. You can fish all day without aching wrists. Carbon fibre rods are easily crushed though - they have very low compression resistance.

One crucial thing to look for in a rod is a properly mating spigot. Steer clear of rods where sections are joined by simply overlapping one section onto the next.
A properly built rod will have a separate spigot inserted into the male section. The area around the spigot should be reinforced and the fit into the female section should be perfect.
Wobble the joined sections fairly vigourously - reject the rod if you feel any slight knocking between the spigot and the inner wall of the rod.
Most, if not all the British manufacturers build their rods this way (the proper way imo).
With properly built spigots, you can get your rod in three sections (much easier to transport) without any sacrifice to the rod's performance. Rods built with the overlapping system rarely give an even curve.
Hardys (and their spin offs), and Bruce & Walker are sound, dependable manufacturers, but not cheap. I find Daiwa rods to be first class, and very good value indeed.

Reels.
I'm still fishing with reels which are probably considered by some to be antiques at this stage, so I can't tell you a whole lot about modern reels.
Large arbour fly reels seem to be popular. These probably give a faster retrieve.
There have generally been improvements to the ratchet and braking systems - far smoother and quieter than they used to be (mind you I still like to hear the screech of a noisy ratchet when a big fish runs). Both fly reels and spinning reels have improved in general refinement.
Compared to thirty years ago, reels have become more affordable.

Fly Lines.
Fly line technology has moved on surprisingly little. There have been minor improvements to the core and plastic, but not much else really.
I suppose the most important development has been the standardization of matching the line weight to the rod. The system used is known as the AFTM (see here). It's straightforward. The lower the number, the lighter the line.

Monofilament.
There have been significant changes here. I still use bog standard nylon, but I hear a lot about braided mono being much more sensitive. I can't tell you a whole lot about it. I hope someone more up to date will say a little about this.

Flies and Lures.
The same flies and lures still work.

Fish.
Ditto.
But there are more of them in some places than there used to be, and fewer in others.


For wet fly fishing on a medium sized river, I would go for a 9 1/2 foot or 10 foot rod, rated for a 5/6 line. A ten foot rod would also be fine for lough fishing, from boat or shore.
For general spinning, I would go for a 9 or 10 foot rod and a fixed spool reel.
You'll get good advice in any reputable fishing tackle shop. It's just a question of letting them know what sort of fishing you would like to do, and how much (or little) you want to spend.
Above all, make sure that the kit you buy feels balanced and comfortable to you. What is comfortable to one angler is often uncomfortable to another.

louthguy25

Hey mate welcome back to the fishing world

If your in Dundalk id suggest popping up to jack smyths shop in newry his range of stock is huge and he matches online prices...

On this carp pond close by as a fellow dundalk man iv never heard of one how about a pm about it and il show you a few tips for carp

ironbluedun

a very good post slowburner.......Yes indeed some things have changed in the last 30 years. I agree that rods have changed hugely. Thankfully long gone are the heavy fibreglass rods that were hard work indeed. Although i am not so sure about the overlapping joint being a bad thing, many good quality fly rods are made like this it has not put me off and i have not noticed any major issues with it.

Line, leader, tippet has also changed a lot, there are so many lines on the market now, it can be confusing. They are not all the same. No doubt some are better than others, but it all comes down to experimentation, personal choice and confidence. Many people now choose line on basis of diameter rather than purely looking at the breaking strain, there is merit in this approach.

Flyline design has changed a lot, the once common double taper is not in vogue anymore..there are now many lines for many situations, again probably way too many now. But for general river trout fishing one floating and one sinking will cover most situations.

Another big and important improvement is in clothing and chest waders, the breathable stuff makes fishing more lightweight and comfortable, long gone is the heavy sticky wax jacket and sweaty pvc waders, good riddance!! Modern chest packs and vests are a big improvement on the old canvas shoulder bag.

Welcome back to the sport of angling.

slowburner

ironbluedun wrote: »

a very good post slowburner.......Yes indeed some things have changed in the last 30 years. I agree that rods have changed hugely. Thankfully long gone are the heavy fibreglass rods that were hard work indeed. Although i am not so sure about the overlapping joint being a bad thing, many good quality fly rods are made like this it has not put me off and i have not noticed any major issues with it.

Line, leader, tippet has also changed a lot, there are so many lines on the market now, it can be confusing. They are not all the same. No doubt some are better than others, but it all comes down to experimentation, personal choice and confidence. Many people now choose line on basis of diameter rather than purely looking at the breaking strain, there is merit in this approach.

Flyline design has changed a lot, the once common double taper is not in vogue anymore..there are now many lines for many situations, again probably way too many now. But for general river trout fishing one floating and one sinking will cover most situations.

Another big and important improvement is in clothing and chest waders, the breathable stuff makes fishing more lightweight and comfortable, long gone is the heavy sticky wax jacket and sweaty pvc waders, good riddance!! Modern chest packs and vests are a big improvement on the old canvas shoulder bag.

Welcome back to the sport of angling.

Good point.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Thanks all. I was away from the laptop for a few days, so I'll study your comments now. They seem very useful.

I'm looking forward to returning to what was a great time in my life. I hope I'm not looking back with rose-coloured glasses and I'm fit to do all I plan.

Cheers!:)

Bizzum

Excellent earlier post Slowburner.

I would only add for the OP: If you could get out fishing a coulpe of times with someone that knows what their at, you will learn more in a couple of evenings than plugging away on your own!
Best of luck.