Have to admit, my fly rods/outfits (I own 2) sit in the closet for about 49 weeks out of the year That said, the 3 weeks when the bluegills are near nesting and you can get them to blow up on a small popper or sponge spider is well worth learning to use them (and have them). In this case, with the colder weather they moved back off to deeper water adjacent to the nests, and we finally had to put on a small bead head nymph to get them to go. With temps back in the 70's by Friday, I'm expecting a good surface spider bite when they move back up.

Like any other type of fishing, fly fishing can be as simple and easy, or as complicated and expensive as you choose to make it. I choose the former since I do it so little, and luckily, I've never hooked myself yet, though I have popped myself a time or two in the back. Beside, the hooks are tiny and can't penetrate that deeply, and I crush down the barbs anyway, so it won't be any worse than getting stuck by a thorn if I do screw up a cast

-T9