fly show on friday

[Guest rich mc]

its a well run show with plenty to look at. here are a few observations that i noticed. more guides fishing for smallies out of drift boats in wisc and minn. flies they display are getting larger. the flies are combination sof syntheic and natural. using buctail to keep the fly from having the material foul on the hook. and to help hold the flys profile. lot of flies tyed were using ice dub , combed out on streamers. yak hair is getting popular for musky and pike flies. enjoy the show rich

[Mike G]

Good review, Rich.

 

I am sorry I missed the show since I have a lot of things going on right now. That should lead to a lot more fishing and tying time in the future, thank goodness.

 

I wish I had seen the sizes you were talking about. If a spinning guy thinks a 4-6" Senko is about right for Smallmouth Bass, why should a fly fisherman go down to size 6 or 8 flies? Bigger flies (3-6") are right in line with my nesse before you finesse philosophy. It is a work in progress; so I would like to know what others think.

[kend]

Mike,

I got some of those 1/0, 2/0 & 3/0 size flys.

Now I'm going to have to look into a 12wt flyrod outfit, or

use my musky gear to toss those things.

 

[Guest]

My favorite size Hairy Fodder is a 1/0. I use an 8-wt rod very comfortably. I'm sure I could toss it on a 6-wt if I had to. I just get a better hook set with an eight. I also throw a 3/0 for stripers but usually use my 9-wt or 10wt shooting head when I really want distance. There is no denying that big flies equal big fish MOST of the time. Or at least a larger average size. Look how big swim baits are getting. Some of them are bigger than most fish we catch.

[Mike G]

Craig,

 

You may be my Doppelgaenger. Or maybe we just arrived at the same place from different starting points. In 1970 I was given a 8.5 ft 9 wt (GBG) Shakespeare Honey Green. It quickly became my standard for our yearly trips to Basswood Lake. It handled the large streamers and bugs we cast for SM Bass. I loved the solid hook set and the "authority" with which I could handle 2-3 # bass. Before that I had been using a 6 wt (HDH). That was OK; but it seemed like I was spending too much time getting the little guys in.

 

I hope to see you at John's.

 

[kend]

Mike G,

Those little guys need their exercise too,

it builds-up their muscle tone---

like a baseball player on steroids.

[Mike G]

 

 

Ken,

 

You are a better man than I am I guess. You are nice to spend your time giving the little ones you catch a chance to exercise, while I impatiently skate them in so I can get after something bigger.

[Guest]

Doppelgaenger? If you say so. As a kid I grew up reading B.A.S.S. Master Magazine and tried to emulate how the guys fished on the tournement trail, even with a fly rod. If a bass wasn't of legal length to weigh you did not waste your time trying to fish for it. So any bass I caught that was under 14 inches was an accident. Don't get me wrong, I love to see the little guys to show the waters health. But I still to this day do not go out with the intention of fishing for bass that are smaller than that so I use bigger baits and heavier rods. I will if I'm having a particularly bad day try to catch a few smaller bass just to remember what a hit feels like. No matter where I fish I'm after the largest of the species that inhabits the watershead that I am fishing.

[kend]

I target big fish, when I know or have an inclination, that there are big fish in a specific body of water.

 

When there are only smaller fish in a specific body of water, I use smaller baits, and target the smaller critters.

I've learned that by practicing on these smaller critters, it sharpened my skills, hence I've caught larger fish.

Many larger fish, are lighter biters than many smaller fish.

 

On MANY ocassions I've caught more larger fish, using smaller baits, catching smaller fish, in an area.

Many times the larger fish will take a smaller bait rather than a larger bait.

 

My largest fish to date, SMB (20") , LMB (23" 8.5lbs), stripers (32" 16.25lb), pike 38", and musky 42", have been caught, on light line and smaller size baits.

 

I've also learned, that while catching smaller fish, larger nearby fish follow the smaller fish---

I guess to see what all the commotion was about---

and the larger fish took the bait.

 

How big is a 6" nightcrawler?

How big is a 2-3" leech?

How big is a 2.5" fathead minnow?

How big is a 3" shiners?

How big is a 2 - 2.5" crawfish?

and some of the flys/lures and the like?

=========

 

ps---I know of a recent 50" muskie, caught on the chain of lakes, that was pulled thru an ice hole---

while the angler was fishing for bluegills with a waxworm on a 1/32oz ice jig.

That angler hasn't caught a musky that large, while fishing for them using musky size tackle.

[Guest Don R]

For the average angler (like myself) these light hearted debates can lead to frustration. My tackle pack now consists of large lures, small lures, 37 types of hooks, a seine, a float, a fly and some dude named Sammy who's taking up way too much room!

 

But then I read a post that says I should simplify. Befuddled, I am.

 

And no, I don't fly fish (yet). But I do moderate this forum. I'm always interested in new techniques and opinions. We should all remember that in fishing, as in life, there isn't always just one way of doing things.

 

Learn, adapt and be willing to change to catch more fish.

 

 

 

 

[Mike G]

Doppelgaenger? If you say so. As a kid I grew up reading B.A.S.S. Master Magazine and tried to emulate how the guys fished on the tournement trail, even with a fly rod. If a bass wasn't of legal length to weigh you did not waste your time trying to fish for it. So any bass I caught that was under 14 inches was an accident. Don't get me wrong, I love to see the little guys to show the waters health. But I still to this day do not go out with the intention of fishing for bass that are smaller than that so I use bigger baits and heavier rods. I will if I'm having a particularly bad day try to catch a few smaller bass just to remember what a hit feels like. No matter where I fish I'm after the largest of the species that inhabits the watershead that I am fishing.

 

Craig.

 

I grew up reading Field and Stream. Outdoor Life, and Sports Afield. As a result the first 20 or so years of my fishing life were dominated by the mystique of the ultralight. As a result all my small fish felt like whales. Once I got some heavier tackle and started reading Bassmaster and watching Roland, I came to the conclusion that I would rather catch the whale. Call me Ahab.

 

kd,

 

I admire your versatility. There are lots of "Musky on a panfish bait" stories. They draw attention because they are so unconventional. Yet the average Musky hunter won't be found using an ultralight spinning outfit. That would be like Ahab going after Moby Dick with a frog spear.

 

Don R,

 

If you need an example of KISS in fishing, look no further than ISA's Eric. From what I can see, a White Thumper and a Black/Blue Hula Grub are all he needs. The problem is the "Magic Bait", which many of us pursue even though it does not exist outside the world of advertising. Every year there are new soft plastics and crank baits, presented as the latest greatest. Last year alone I had three magic flies. The Clouser Minnow, the Jude Bug, and the Chenille Worm. This year it will be the Hairy Fodder for sure and probably 2-3 others. This is an affair of the heart. In my mind I know I could get by with a few Wooly Buggers and Cork Poppers.

[Guest Don R]

Don R,

 

If you need an example of KISS in fishing, look no further than ISA's Eric. From what I can see, a White Thumper and a Black/Blue Hula Grub are all he needs.

 

I was actually thinking about Eric while I wrote my blurb.

 

Eric's willingness to first try the White Thumper and Hula Grub is the key to the equation.

 

Without learning, adapting and changing to those baits his success may not have been so great. Of course, he's mastered the use of those particular lures and that's something we all don't have the ability or patience to do....perhaps an "on the water" class led by Eric is in order. I'll buy lunch! (for Eric)

 

Don

 

[ronk]

The most important consideration re catching big fish by far is first to target waters that contain them in good numbers and then to target the spots in those waters most coveted by fish as they will be occupied by the bigger fish.Personally I've done much better on bigger fish on the Dupage and Fox than on the Apple or the Kankakee regardless of the size or types of flies used.Smaller streamers and more stealthy bass bugs such as the Sneaky Pete or the Jude Fly are appropriate on the clear Dupage while the murky Fox calls for bigger, "noisier" flies to get the fishes attention large or small.The size of the forage is also important.If it's large sized than larger flies are called for. If it's small there would be little if any benefit in the bigger flies requiring heavier less sporting rods.The size of flies is also species specific. While fish like Northerns and Muskies with large mouths and gullets seek the largest prey Steelhead are most often pursued using flies that are dwarfed by a large man's thumbnail.What it all comes down to is "When in Rome....."P.S.Sorry, I meant to post this in a topic discussing fly size.

[Mark K]

You guys think you're good? My biggest '07 bass was an 18"(ish) largemouth. Got him on a 1/2" piece of nightcrawler, that had been gnawed on by about 50 gills and bullheads. Looked like it came out of a fish's stomach.

Beat that!

This year I'm going to try get one on a hot dog. If the bite gets tough, maybe I'll finesse it and use a cocktail wienie.

 

 

I would hurt myself with a 6" fly. Maybe someone else too.

I'm stuck on the good old fashioned Deer hair Clouser. #2-4. Put it in the right spot seems like it works as well as anything. Casts like a bullet and doesn't get hung up easily either. His sculpin is good too.

 

Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with going out and just having a good time fishing anyway you see fit. I think a 12" smallie fights like hell on a flyrod. Especially in summer.

When you get to point when you can count your yearly smallie outtings on ONE hand...well a day pounding 12 inchers looks pretty appealing.