Tom L

Always excited and a pleasure to host this event. All are welcome. Hope to see familiar and new members.

Scott, please put me down for Sat 12th to 15th.

Also, please put Ron K down for the same dates. Thanks.

I was afraid of that! I want to hear the whole story.

Scott, the report is now posted in the Out of State Fishing Report forum.

Scott, the wifi at the house was working fine. It was not that we couldn't get on the net. It was that the fishing was so great and the conversation in the evening were so fun that we didn't even both to get on the net.

I'm writing a report and will post soon. Wait until you guys see the size of the fish that we caught. It was an awesome trip. Stay tune...

Thanks Scott for setting this up. Everybody is having a great time. The rental house is perfect, right on the river, clean and comfortable. We can wade and fish right behind the property and it has many great spots around. The fishing has been very good. Everyone has caught plenty of fish, lots of big ones.

Everyone up here said HI and wish you a speedy recovery.

Great work guys and gals!!!

Eric & Grant, Congrat!!!

This I&M Canal reminds me of the historic Route 66. Both live passed their glory days, and now only a few small remands of them still exist. John, what you need is a Lightning McQueen of Utica to champion the cause and revive the canal. Entrap a city-slicker tourist and enslave him to dredge the canal. Just like in the Disney PIXAR move "CAR".

John, thanks for sharing. I had heard of this I&M Canal and always have questions lingered in my mind. They may sound ignorant, but I'm going to throw them out anyway.

Why is the canal called Illinois & Michigan Canal? Is it because it runs from Illinois to Michigan? or Is it because they are 2 separate canals, one is called Illinois Canal or another is called Michigan Canal?

What was the original purpose of the canal(s): navigation, agriculture?

In a tandem streamers rig, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Don't use barbless hook for the lead fly (or point fly); otherwise, the trailer (or dropper) would come off sometimes.

2. Use a weighted fly (e.i. a Clouser) as the lead fly and a non-weighted fly (or lighter fly) as the trailer.

3. Hook-point-up flies work best as the lead fly.

4. The color of the lead fly should the color that you have the most confidence and change out the trailer fly to different colors.

5. Use a uni-loop knot (aka Duncan loop knot), NOT a clinched knot, to connect the trailer onto the hook-point of the lead fly, as Kelly mentioned in the video.

2 flies system works on both swinging and stripping. It works on stillwaters and streams. You can use a floating, sink-tip, or full-sinking line with the system.

Try it and you catch more fish.

The past year, I've been practicing this new technique and now I can shoot 150 feet consistently. I'm sharing the secret with you all today.

Here is the full article. Follow it to the T's.

http://globalflyfisher.com/fish-better/the-legendary-triple-haul

Tom.

How do you carry the second rod while wading ?

I keep the second rod on the bank where I don't have to wade very far.

I normally carry 2 rods, a 7wt and a 6wt, both are 9ft. I switch back and forth between them. They are rigged with a tandem flies of different types & colors.

 

I am glad I read this this morning. I will dream something up tonight.

Double that.

Yes Tim. They're Gam SC15, 1/0 & 2. Just used whatever I had at hand. I used the Power Pro to form a dubbing loop and furled it to form the tail.

Thanks all. Inspired by this worm: http://www.cabelas.com/product/fishing/soft-baits/worms|/pc/104793480/c/104772780/sc/104820480/ike-con-6-1-4-pre-rigged-worm-ndash-2-pack/727850.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fworms%2F_%2FN-1102359%2FNo-0%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104820480%3FWTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_stype%3DGNP%26recordsPerPage%3D48

I'm planning to drag this over lily pads and drop into pockets.

The 3 hooks are connected by 4 strands of 30lbs Power Pro. Took a long time to figure out how to connect them together.

Have been working on a worm fly using a flytyerdungeon dubbing and added some Ice Dub Olive to give some sparkles. Using furled tail technique as in the Dungeon Leech, but added multi hooks (2 hooks) on the tail. This is my first attempt.

I've been experimenting with similar idea, but I used a cheap hook and cut the hook-point off after completing the fly.

Tyers, please bring your dubbing loop spinning tool along. If you don't have one, we can share. This is a fun and simple fly to tie, but very effective. Tomorrow folks....

Jim, same here. Sorry didn't have a chance to chat with you. Had a great time and glad to see lots of old friends and new friends. Left around 5:30, just when the dinner starting.

Mike & Rob - Here is the link to the post of the fly.

http://illinoissmallmouthalliance.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=12508

Thanks John for setting up the meeting. 2 more days......

Thanks Eric.

Got this in the mail from a friend who lives in Seattle. Any idea what this lure is, who made it, and approx how old?

Tom,

always nice flies from you but what does the bendback hook do for this pattern vs. just a standard streamer hook and beadchain or dumb bell eye mounted beneath the shank?

Good point, Rob. I'd tied them these ways before, and found that the craft-fur fouled the hook point a lot.

I'm hoping that with the bent-back hooks, the fouling issue will be minimized.

The eyes of the bendback cf minnos are mounted on top of the hook shanks (not on the hook-point side) for both the beadchain and dumbbell eyes.