Jonn Graham

Wristband replacing icon is a good idea....................

After years of putting it off, I have finally got a website. Right now the site has mostly guiding info. with a little swim jig information and pictures. In the future there will be more info. about the jigs my father in law and I create. In addition, there is a blog page that I will update at least once a week. I will give a report and talk about changes in the site and other stuff related to smallmouths. Really excited to get this done............. http://campsmallmouth.com

Good stuff. Case of right and wrong......................he knew it was wrong and now he will have to pay/serve the consequences.

Swingin D's Original are the ones with the foam heads. I also make them with a stacked/trimmed dear hair head. Rob: The ones with the foam heads will get down a little with an intermediate sinking line like the Rio Streamer Tip. Also, if you want it down a little more, then the 200 grain SA Mastery wet tip express gets it down better. According to Mike Schultz, who came up with the swingin D, you want it high in the water column. Cast it downstream and use the current to activate the fly. I have just started making them and testing them in the water................really don't have a verdict yet on how great the fly is. I do like its size and ease in casting(using a 7 weight). My wonder is could you use the fly as a topwater and a subsurface presentation by just varying the type of line you throw it on? Might be a great floater/diver fly on a floating line??? Excited to find out..........

very nice!! I too like the big articulated stuff.............YOu may have inspired me to try this one out. Been working on Swingin' Ds the past couple of days..............some with the foam diver heads and some with a packed deer hair head.

Done!!

But, my point is that it has nothing to do with the length of the shank. Long shank hooks have a smaller hook gap, which I believe is the reason the fish can shake them easier.

Rob: What other board did you pose this question on?

phaaker stole my thunder. I was going to say the same thing............................all long shank hooks have a much smaller hook gap than those hooks that are short shanked or standard shanked. We all know with a shorter/smaller hook gap, it is much harder to hook and hold fish, but I don't think it has to do with the length of the shank but the small hook gap.

Ok, I guess I have a new excuse when I lose a fish on the long rod. Now, upon losing a fish, I can mutter, "damn long shanked hooks".

phaaker: Your take is spot on. How do you all explain the length of hooks spin fishermen use? We don't lose fish because of hook length. I have tied flies on shorter and longer shanked hooks. Like them both. When I lose a fish on the fly rod (which I definitely lose my fair share), it has nothing to do with shank length. It always has to do with a poor hookset................ie operator error. If your hooks are sharp and you provide a good hookset, there should not be any way a smallmouth gets off because of torque/pressure, length of hook, etc. The Dark Side is getting darker.............................just saying.

terry: Won't be able to make it

I would like to see the step by step of this fly. I too tie a fly based off of Lynch's Drunk and Disorderly and Schultz's Swingin' D. So far, I like the action of the ones I have created, but, in all honesty, I would like to achieve more side to side action. But, the action I desire could be a function of current speed. I know Lynch and Schultz are fishing rivers with more current speed, on average, than mine. I am going to continue to fiddle with my design and different materials until I get what I desire...........

No. It is was not there for shipping. It is extra floatation. It should fit vertically...............kinda jam it in place.

Here is a real nice rack system for hauling canoes/kayaks with a pickup truck (without a topper) Universal Yakima Pickup Rack System 60 inch bars and straps 1 Pair of Cleats $200 Give doug a call if you are interested.

The following are three combos that my buddy is trying to sell to help out his finances as he is out of work with a medical condition: Shimano Stradic 1000 with a 6'6" Medium lite Bass pro Shops Extreme spinning rod - $75 Shimano Coriolis - 2000 with a Bass Pro Shops Woo Daves 6'6" medium casting rod - $75 Shimano spirex 1000FE with extra spool on a Bass Pro Shops, Billy Westmorland IM6, 6'6" Medium-lite spinning rod - $75 If you are interested in any of these combos, give Doug a call at 815-471-5832

An old friend of mine, and past ISA officer, gave me a call about a week ago with some bad news. While he is my age, he has fallen on some tough health problems and is in need for some quick cash as he cannot work due to his physical problems. He is basically getting rid of all his fishing and boating supplies. I will be posting these for him throughout the next few days. First up is a real nice solo canoe: Here are the specs: 1999 Mad River 15’ royalex solo with Crazy Creek chair, anchor system and kayak paddle (life vest already sold) asking 475. Approximate weight 50 lbs. If you are interested, give Doug and call at 815-471-5832 More stuff to come.............

four inch is the size of swimbait I use on the back of my swim jigs. Of course, if the water is extremely cold (below 45) then smaller and less action is better.............most of the time. The new Ring Hammer from Big Hammer is outstanding. In my opinion, a better swim bait for the back of swim jigs than the original Big Hammer swimbait.

Yup, location is still the biggest key. But, guys still want to fish smaller baits than they need to. If small baits are your thing, of course, you will catch plenty of fish. But, many guys think that larger baits will cut down on their numbers of smallies they will catch. I don't agree with that. Almost 30 years of chasing smallies has shown me that. Way back when I was young, I had little knowledge and threw small baits all the time. Caught plenty of fish, but not many large ones. As time progressed I continued to "push the envelope" on bait size and found that numbers of smallies caught was still high and my numbers of larger fish skyrocketed. Case in point last night....................did a quick wade with Jim and I threw a swim jig with a full size swim bait as the trailer. Water was probably in the mid to high forties. I caught four and three of them were around 12 inches. The little guys have no problem eating that full size (3/8 oz) swim jig.

If they stock the trout small enough, some big, hungry smallies up from the Kank will dine on those trout.

Big female smallmouth are the first to move and the first to need food in their belly to nourish and develop their eggs. Sure, males eat also in the spring, but I catch my share of big, female fish in early to mid April. Usually, but not always, on the swim jig. Some think the swim jig/swimbait combination is awful large for spring. I have not found this to be the case. I think those egg-laden females are looking for a substantial meal. That is my theory. Of course, everything we all think is just that, a theory. If those darn smallies would just open their mouth and talk to me, this whole game would be much easier.

I too called the DNR and spoke with an attorney that represents the IDNR. He was all wishy-washy about the whole thing. He would not "go out on a limb" and say anything that might go against the laws of the state..................typical BS

I highly doubt that the IDNR knows about the federal law either. I am sure that the local game wardens know nothing of the federal law. It would be an interesting conversation.

That site has been talking for years that we all have federal rights to be on almost every stream in the US. I believe in what they are saying. I also know that the state of IL does not follows these laws. It would be interesting to see what happens if you were stopped by DNR for trespassing and had enough money to go to court and fight the citation. There are federal laws on the books that my supercede the crappy laws the state of IL has.

Terry: If I want to stay on the bottom, I use medium sized lead eyes. Small size on streamers that I am going to strip mid-water column. It also depends on how deep the pool you are fishing is and how much current you have.