Tom L

Have you ever wonder what become of your tree snagged flies?

I'm no expert, but with limited experience in chasing SMB on the Fox. Here are my 2 cents. Three years ago when I started fishing the Fox river, I started of using a Frog Hair 2x Fluoro tippet with advertised test strength of 10lbs. But I had experienced several breaks off from big fish like you did. I think most of the breaks off were due to my laziness. I didn't check and didn't change the tippet often enough. So, I increased my tippet size to 0x (13.2lbs advertised test strength). Since then I have not had any break off. It has been work well. And I didn't have to check and change the tippet as often. At the beginning of this year, I found an old spool of Berkley Trilene XT 10lbs in one of my fishing bags. So, I started using it for SMB fishing on the Fox. It has been working wonderfully also. I have not had any break off neither. It is a lot cheaper than the Fluoro leader line. Maybe the Fox river is not a clear river and maybe that is why I could get away with it. I also like to point out that my entire leader have always been 100% Fluoro. I was just switching the tippets.

This fellow got a pretty good idea and not a bad singer either. http://vimeo.com/16810712

It must be one of those Yemen salmon.

Learned something new today. "If I can't dazzle them with my game, I'll baffle them with my bull." - Peter

Some can and would. But if I can, I wouldn't. Not as young and crazy ........

Please be careful out there. Don't make this mistake......

John - That is a very pretty looking fly. Are the claws made out of pheasant feathers? Have you tried stroking down the palmered hackle instead of triming it?

I'm planning to attend. What tools (shovels, gloves) will I need to bring?

It must be a very deep lake, yet a fly roder still do well in the shallow.

Beautiful land, beautiful music, and bueatiful Bass. Hope you enjoy......

Tim - Very good article. Thanks. I came across a flly called "HPU Weedless Fly". It looks very interesting, so I tied one up this morning. Here is my first attempt. Here is the intructions:

I thought this video might cheer some of you up. The best dry fly work I've ever seen.

Very good Phil. If I may, I'd like to add a technique that I used often. It is called "Low & Slow". Basically, it is getting down low, slowly crawling/crepping low into a casting position, staying low, and cast from a kneeling position. Pay your homage to the river gods and they will reward you. Trout fishmen do it all the times. We smallmouth fishmen should practice it too.

Came across this vid. Thought some of you may enjoy it.....

Welcome Blake. Glad to see another fly rodder on here. I too came from steelhead and trout backgrounds. This is my 3rd season chasing summer smallies, since joining the ISA. This place is loaded with good info. Seen your steelhead and trout posts on other sites. Always enjoyed them.

Black Woolly Bugs are my favorite for steelhead. I'll have to carry some in my smallie fly box. Thanks John & Rob.

Terry, Try soaking youself in oatmeal bath. You can get it from Walgreens. http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/aveeno-active-naturals-soothing-bath-treatment/ID=prod353119-product That was what I used when I got poison ivy.

I got my piano wire in the mail several days ago. I didn't know what size wire to use for the 3/0, 4/0, 5/0 hooks. So I ordered a size #2 piano wire to start with. After examining the wire, I felt that it was too small for the big hook sizes that I had originally planed for. So for a test drive, I tried on hooks size #2 (Mustad 3407DT). This size# 2 wire probably is good for hook size 2, 1, and 1/0. The piano wire came in a package like this, 10' length, and costed $7 included S&H. I cut the wire into 4" pieces and bended them double with fingers. I measured the wire on the hook and marked the length with a marker. I bended the wire at the marked point and secured it onto the hook. Placed a drop of Thin ZAP A Gap on the thread and wire to lock it into place. The rest is pretty much standard tying process. Here is another fly (a Half & Half) with a piano wire weed guard. These flies are about 4" long. The next step is to test them in a local FP lake choked with weeds.

Hi folks. I have been tying some bass bugs and pike/muskie flies using 3/0, 4/0, 5/0 hooks. I have been using 40lbs mono lines as weed guards, but they don't work as well as I like. I know a piano wire can be a good weed gaurd. Just don't know what size works best for these hook sizes. Size 0: .009" Size 1: .010" Size 2: .011" Size 3: .012" Size 4: .013" Size 5: .014" Size 6: .016" Size 7: .018" Size 8: .020" Size 9: .022" Size 10: .024" Size 11: .026" Size 12: .029" Size 12.5: .030" Size 13: .031" Size 13.5: .032" Size 14: .033" Size 14.5: .034" Size 15: .035" Size 15.5: .036" Size 16: .037" Size 16.5: .038" Size 17: .039" Size 17.5: .040" Size 18: .041" Size 18.5: .042" Size 19: .043" Size 19.5: .044" Size 20: .045" Size 20.5: .046" Size 21: .047" I am also open to any other alternative wire solutions. Thanks.

Zen ...

Just kidding folks..... Mike, that was really nice work in catching that so quickly. Really, there is a voodoo cast out there, but I have no ideas what it is for. I have to agree with Norm on this one. I'm not an expert nor a certified caster, but always looking for ways to improve my game. This single handed spey has its application. You don't need a specialized fly fing outfit to do it. So next time when you are out, spend a few minutes practicing it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsPg45iNd_U&feature=related See yall at the blowout.

Thanks Ryan. Nice work.

I would also like to add some of my favorites that I found useful: * Snap-T cast for a quick change of direction. * Snake Roll cast for a long line pick up and a quick change of direction. * Voodoo cast for conjuring up the river spirits.

Thanks guys. I must have be asleep during that discussions. Ron - I'll bring my ffing outfit along to the blowout.