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Posts posted by Colt Johnson
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To those of you who regularly fish the Kankakee River I am seeking some advice. In particular, I hope to make a few trips in and around the State Park area, probably solo trips. Years ago, I have fished late Spring with both a small Kayak and simply wading; both with some success. This time, I am considering a float tube or pontoon styled craft. Can anyone comment on their experiences fishing this water (or similar water) using a float tube or pontoon styled craft? I have only used these crafts on stillwater situations.
Thanks in advance!
Colt -
Thanks guys. There are some great crab and shrimp patterns that can easily be converted to crawfish patterns.
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Those hellgrammites are really cool.
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Rob,
I can't offer much advice on the fly, because yours looks better than the version I've tied. I've tied mine smaller though, size #8 I believe. Here's a sweet video if you haven't already seen it:
Colt
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I have been studying various saltwater crab patterns for the last couple weeks trying to come up with a relatively simple and realistic crayfish pattern. This is what I came up with. It has dumbell eyes tied at the eye of the hook (hidden on the underside). The hook is a size #6. It's fairly easy to tie. We'll see how it fairs in the water.
I've also been tying some EP streamers, also size #6. It's been awhile since I've tied, and I need to polish up my proportions. But they should work fine. I'm looking forward to getting back on some local smallmouth streams!
Colt -
Mike,
Thanks a lot. That is great advice on the seating. I have been looking at Clipper fiberglass canoes a lot. The shipping is the only thing holding me back right now. I have been watching craigslist as well. There have been a few nicer canoes that have popped up, but the good deals sold rather quickly and a few other sellers have unrealistic expectations. I definitely want a rigid hull like fiberglass or Kevlar, with fiberglass being the cheaper option.
Colt
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Thanks Mike. That is what I am planning on doing. Floating downstream and motoring back.
As a follow up, I talked to a very experienced canoe guide in Minnesota (just outside of the Boundary Waters) yesterday afternoon for about a half hour. He strongly suggested that I go with a double ended canoe over a square stern. His point was that a double ender will paddle much better than a square stern, which is consistent with everything I have read. Additionally, he stated that he has spent many years comparing square sterns vs. double ended canoes/side mount setup with everything from an electric trolling motor up to a 4hp motor. He said the performance with a motor is negligible between a square stern and a double ended/side mount setup. His confidence and experience convinced me that I will have much more flexibility with an appropriate double ended canoe in which case I can use a side mount setup on the occasions that I want to use a motor of some sort.
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Does anyone fish from a square stern canoe with a small outboard? I have been thinking that it would be nice to explore a few rivers (whether solo or partner) without the need of dual vehicles, floating downstream and motoring back to my vehicle. I am curious if anyone has any experience fishing with this watercraft setup.
Clipper makes a very nice square stern that I have been eying. Here is a video of a Clipper with a 3hp Johnson. They will supposedly move around 8-10mph: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRtVC6WbQIU
Thanks!
Colt
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Great looking flies!
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Has anyone been down to visit the shop/warehouse now that they relocated to Springfield, IL? I have a seminar in Springfield in a couple weeks, and I planned on checking it out.
Colt
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Here are a few photos when I took the rod to a local creek. I caught a couple smallies, a bullhead (not shown) and a small but beautiful channel cat.
The family came along and the kids played in the sand. They caught dozens of tadpoles and creek chub.
I also caught a colorful longear to round out the day:
Colt
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Here is a very special rod. Not only does the blank come from one of the masters of the glass community, Larry Kenney, but it was built by a close and very talented friend, Chris Barclay. The blank is unique in that it was a prototype built on a heavier weave glass; however the taper is built around the ever popular 7'2" 3wt. taper. When I talked to Larry about the blank I immediately thought of small stream smallmouth bass. The 7'4" length is a perfect compromise for handling tight quarters and still having just enough length to mend line and reach out in more open areas.
The rod handles a 5wt. line and a 6wt. line, but I prefer a 6wt. line. This is contrary to what I would have guessed as the rod flexes pretty deeply; but it is the reserve power in the butt section of the rod (which is more easily tapped into with a 6wt. line) that really makes this rod so special. The rod has power down deep to turn over a 6wt. line, and the 6wt. line is sufficient to carry medium sized poppers and smaller streamers to their destinations within a 50' radius. However, the top half of the rod is soft enough that a medium sized bluegill puts a smile on my face as if I were fishing a 3wt. rod. It's a very interesting taper, and quite frankly a taper that I have been searching for to address a dilemma that I have been grappling with for a long time: How do I find a rod that can cast larger bass flies yet still provide ample fun with an 8"-12" creek smallie? As a smallmouth bass fisherman, I have always been jealous that trout fisherman are able to chase 8"-12" trout with ultralight rods (0wt.-3wt.) as the flies are small enough to allow one to use, say, a 3wt. glass rod. Smallmouth like larger flies, even if they are themselves rather small, and it has never been too fun to chase a 12" smallmouth with a 7 or 8wt. rod. I think this rod is a perfect compromise.
Enough words. Here are some photos:
I am unsure whether I am going to ultimately pair this rod with a TR2 or a TR3, so here are pictures with both:
Joe Arguello provided a beautiful and perfect matching agate guide:
Colt
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I never use them. However, I do typically mark the tip of my fly line with an easily identifiable color. Whenever I am fishing a sinking fly (whether it is a #18 midge for trout, #12 nymph for bluegill, or a #6 streamer for smallies) I tend to watch the tip of my fly line which essentially acts as an indicator.
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Ronk,
I know you have, but I had to give you a hard time. Please know that I consider everyone on this forum friends, because we share a very important value: FISHING. I place a lot of value on fishing and I know everyone here does as well.
I also understand your aesthetic critique of 3pc. rods, and I have heard similar critiques of 2pc. and 4pc. rods. Everyone is visually attracted to different things. However, I don't buy into any of the ideas/critiques that 2pc. rods are better than 3pc. or 4pc. rods. I do recognize that adding ferrules impacts the flex profile of a rod. Nonetheless, ferrule technology has come a long way, and I think it has less impact than what some people try to argue. I've built about 100 plus fly rods over the last 4 years (2pc., 3pc., 4pc., 5pc., 6pc., 7pc., 8pc. and 10pc.), and I could not say that 2pc. rods are better than 3pc. rods or 4pc. rods or etc. There are way too many other variables that go into making a rod blank that have a significantly larger impact on the rod's performance than the number of sections.
I can say that in my numerous conversations with Mark Steffen (the maker of the blank shown above) he seems to really like his 3pc. blanks the most. I did, however, just order a 7'9" 7/8wt. 2pc. blank from Mark. It should be an interesting taper as he has previously only offered his 7/8wt. blanks in 8'6" and 8'3" lengths and they tend to get pretty heavy (physically). I'm sure I will post some photos/review of the rod once it is finished.
Cheers,
Colt
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Tom,
Thanks. I would be happy to let you try it sometime. This particular taper has a faster recovery than a lot of glass rods. The stripping guide is agate from Joe Arguello. He has been giving me some REALLY nice agate lately.
Colt
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Thanks Ronk, Your comments are always so uplifting. : )
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For those who like shorter rods you should definitely take a look at this one! It has all the goods. It casts in close and has lots of reserve power. I found that a Rio Gold 5wt. was a perfect match. I've got a keeper, and I have a couple creeks in mind where this is going to be the perfect smallmouth rod!
Here are a few photos:
Colt
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Wow. That's nice! I'm jealous. : )
Colt
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Forrest,
My flies went out last night via USPS first class mail. I imagine they will arrive on Monday.
Thanks everyone!
Colt
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My set will go into the mail today. I tied these up last night:
I think they turned out well. It's a basic pattern that only takes about 5-8 minutes per fly. I tied them on #4 TMC 200R hooks. Pine squirrel zonkers, copper ribbing, cone head and sparkle braid. Very simple, but effective, especially in deeper water or faster currents.
Colt
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Hey fellas. Just wanted to let you know that I have been busy getting ready for a trip to the driftless area this weekend. I've been tying leeches, midges, scuds and other bead head nymphs (pink squirrels and etc.) and I just finished building a Sage TXL 0wt.
In short, I will be starting my flies upon my return on Monday, March 25th, and I will have them in the mail by Friday, March 28th. Things are starting to get busy for me!
Cheers,
Colt
P.S. http://illinoissmallmouthalliance.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=11647
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Here is a link to an online magazine. Beginning on page 82, there is a fun article on fly fishing for smallies in Indiana. I enjoyed it.
Colt
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This is easily the most professionally set of flies I have received in a swap! Great job everyone.
-Forrest
I agree. Everyone did a great job. My 5 year old daughter helps me tie flies sometimes and she really liked the big blockhead popper. She thought it was the coolest fly. Tom's muddler is amazing. I can't wait to fish it.
Rob, what kind of legs did you use on the big black bug? It is very cool. Ryan, your KGB is unlike anything I've seen. I look forward to trying it this summer.
And I need to learn how to make those worm flies. I am always on the lookout for a cool weedless fly, and I think that it would be killer in areas where other flies might get hung up easily.
Colt
Kankakee River Advice - Boating Question
in Boating
Posted
Thanks ronk.