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aloomens

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Everything posted by aloomens

  1. While I do occasionally use a spinning rod or a baitcasting rod, by far the majority of the time I am using a fly rod when fishing for smallmouth.
  2. Great job John, and thanks a bunch for organizing the event (and for cooking lunch)!!! It was an enjoyable time, and very informative. I got to cast a bunch of rods that I've never cast before, and probably wouldn't have tried, except at an event like this. Thanks to everyone that brought rods, and helped out with this event.
  3. I'd be very interested! It's one area that is lacking in my knowledge of fly fishing.
  4. I've used lead tape. You just peel it off and wrap around the hook. Sounds like what you are describing, just in in tape format. Works pretty much the same as lead wire, but you can layer the tape on one side of the hook if you want (since it's sticky). It works great for things like wooly buggers etc. To me though the clouser is so effective because of the way it moves in the water, because you can get the weight concentrated in just the right spot on the hook shank with lead eyes.
  5. Got this email from Environment Illinois. The links below make it easy to make your concerns known to those who can do something. ----------- Hi Al, Gov. Rod Blagojevich's recent budget cuts to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) threatens to close 11 state parks across our state. We need to put the brakes on this bad idea now. Join me in saying "no" to closing our state parks. Tell your state senator that without their action, these parks will be lost by clicking on the link below. http://www.environmentillinois.org/action/stateparks?id4=ES The Illinois General Assembly is considering legislation that will restore funding to the IDNR and will keep our state parks open. With the threat of closure on the horizon, we need to act now. Please tell your state senator to do whatever they can to keep our parks open. http://www.environmentillinois.org/action/stateparks?id4=ES Thanks for making it all possible. Sincerely, Max Muller, Program Director, Environment Illinois www.environmentillinois.org P.S. Thanks again for your support. Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends. We need our legislators to hear from as many of you as possible.
  6. Online Petition against State Park closings: http://www.gopetition.com/online/21603.html
  7. You say the "line twisted", not the leader? A leader twisting is usually caused by the fly as Steve described (poppers etc.). I usually have some line twist and just assumed it was from casting while leaving line out on the ground in loops. I just make a few longer casts before reeling in the line (under slight tension).
  8. Sounds like a good name for new fly pattern ??!!??
  9. Weather Underground's new weather maps includes the option to show USGS River monitoring data. Go to http://www.wunderground.com/, type in your ZIP code (or City and State), then click on the link to "WunderMap". Just below the map, you can select what is displayed. One of the option is "USGS River". With that selected, it will show the location of all USGS River monitoring stations, color coded by percentile. You can click on each of them to display the data from that station. Pretty cool!
  10. Well, I can confirm this was indeed Michael T, as Michael and Terry where just exiting the river as we where entering. It was either Michael, carrying a spinning rod, or else someone that looks very much like him, that stole his hat!
  11. You're absolutely right. After looking at some pictures, it was a rock bass. The Redeye bass has more barred markings. This one just had spots. I thought it was a nice chunky crappie at first, until I saw the red eyes. I gotta get a waterproof camera!!!
  12. Fished Sunday evening for a few hours (finally got out again!). Got four fish, three 12 - 14" and my friend (not and ISA member, Yet!) got one that was just over 15". His largest smallie yet. I also caught a Redeye Bass. I was just standing there and he moved in right downstream from me. I let my fly drift over him, holding the line with my hand, just to show my friend where the fish was. He came right up and grabbed the fly. He was about 12" and looked like cross between a LM bass and a crappie, with bright red eyes. I've never seen one before. Are they common around here?
  13. I'd prefer it be re-scheduled for when wading is possible. My 2 cents...
  14. aloomens

    Fly ID

    The fly I was thinking of is called a Thief. It was developed by Dan Gapen, the son of Don Gapen (who developed the original Muddler Minnow). Here is link to a modern variation of the Thief that's tied on an inverse hook, and uses dumbbell eyes: http://www.flyfishohio.com/Modern_Thief.htm Here's a link to some discussion on, and picture of the "standard" Thief: http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=11141
  15. aloomens

    Fly ID

    There is a variation on the Muddler Minnow that uses a chennille head instead of deer hair. I just can't thing of what it's called. I'll post it when I remember. It looks like a small, maribou version of that. Nice.
  16. I just saw that Sage has introduced two new fly rods specifically for Bass fisherman, one for Largemouth and one for Smallmouth. http://www.sageflyfish.com/default.asp?p=139 Several interesting things (to me anyway). First, that they are marketing to bass fisherman! Also, the rods themselve are kind of interesting: - They come with Sage (made by who? RIO?) Bass taper lines. - The rods weights are not specified by line weight, but by grain weight. - They are 7' 11" (something to do with tournament rules?). They kind of have a retro look to them, which on one hand is kind of nice, but on the other hand, I keep thinking of Eagle Claw...
  17. aloomens

    x

    Sent! BTW, Campaigns like this had a big effect on BP's decision to not increase dumping in Lake Michigan. Let people know how you feel about these issues!
  18. aloomens

    x

    This is kind of like the old question: "Is the glass half full or half emtpy?". (Except I can answer that one!) From my viewpoint, anything that you create by tying at a vice, and use by casting with a fly rod/line is a fly. But do we NEED to only fly fish with flies? I have some very small spinners that are almost impossible to cast with a spinning rod that I've been meaning to try with my 8-wt. Also, there are some unweighted plastics that can be deadly, but would also be very hard to cast any distance with a spinning rod. Now on a fly rod...
  19. It's a really cool program. It can display many different types of imagery (several different types of sat images including 3-d and topo maps etc.) as well as storm data, cloud cover, hurricane and maybe even wildfires, Most of them (close to) real-time. There are also plug-ins for all types of stuff (gps interface etc.). It does tend to be slower than Google earth though, and does use more system resources. It is an awesome program that NASA provides for free. Definitely worth checking out.
  20. If we're being serious (I know, why start now?) and talking about casting... While I didn't make the Cast and Compare event, again! , I'm gonna guess. I'd say, "The only thing a fly rod can do on it's own is" to unload, or straighten itself, after being loaded (bent) during the casting stroke.
  21. If I need to get deeper than I can with a floating line, I use a full sinking shooting head. I usually only use it when the water is unusually high or fast. I've caught fish on the Fox when it was almost unsafe to wade because the water was so high and fast. I don't think I would have caught anything without the full sinking line. It casts a mile too. I've never tried a regular sink tip line. What depths are you fishing with it?
  22. 1. I know what you mean about white! On clear streams, white (or some combination with white) is real hard to beat. On darker colored streams, I'll usually fish brighter colors. 2. My preferred method would be topwater (more fun), but I catch most fish on weighted subsurface flies.
  23. I saw this on the path leading down to a fishing pier on a small Wisconsin lake. It was fairly big, maye about 2 1/2 to 3 inches (IIRC).
  24. Most of the patterns I tie are my own, or my own variations on an existing pattern. I generally will sit down and tie a couple differant ideas I have based on one pattern. I'll usually only tie enough flies for my next outing. Most of the time, two copies of particular fly. I've never been able to sit down and tie dozens of the same fly.
  25. "hazardous materials teams spent four hours cleaning up an oily spill that originated in the Hollywood Casino parking garage" http://www.dailyherald.com/news/kanestory....ur&t=Aurora
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