Jonn Graham

Interesting information............thanks a bunch for sharing.

Seems to be made out of a chamois/leather type material. It is nice and thin which should give it great action in the water.

Mark:

Huh???????????????

This fly will not be casted and then merely stripped back in. If you don't consider this a "fly", then you must discount the countless other heavy flies as offerings that are to be only thrown with a spinning reel.

You sound like the type of fly fisherman I call elitists or purists.

There are no published directions yet, but I have the directions straight from Pat. I can show you how at one of our upcoming fly tying events.

I have been messing around at the vise quite a bit of late.....of course, I have not missed more than one day of tying since I first started about 18 months ago. Pat Ehlers has been a real big help to me. Here is my version of his new fly called the Grim Reaper. I think it will be a big winner this year.

http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/index.php?streamstalker

I just got my catalog from them yesterday. Saw the bullfrawg and was going to email you about it.........congrats.

Daiichi has a great 60 degree hook as well. I bought mine from The Fly Fishers fly shop in Milwaukee. Very sharp hook!!

Craig:

Don't know if you are already aware of it, but Daiichi just added a nice 60 degree jig hook to their lineup. I got some 2/0 from Pat Ehlers.............very nice hook.

Saturday or Sunday works for me. I will be there unless something huge comes up.

A float n fly tournament...........now that is a COOL IDEA!!! I don't have any brochures and it would probably be best to not promote my fnf jigs as we buy our craft hair from Punisher. But thanks for the offer.

thanks for posting this. If you get a chance, report what you find out.

Very cool. I have a case like that somewhere. May have to find it and make a box like yours.

Mr. Bonney:

I can create any "flavor" you want. Folks of late have been ordering my BullGill pattern quite a bit along with the Blue Shad. But, as you know, I can custom make any color combo you want. Keep in mind, we know have more head sizes: 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 ounce. Shoot me a PM through the site and we can talk. thanks for your continued interest.

Jonn

Ron:

I do wonder how I did stay sane back before I started tying. I guess maybe I drank more booze back then.

My first digital camera finally passed away. The wake was a beautiful one as I gently removed the memory card and passed the camera onto my son to use as a toy.

I picked up a new one last night. Got a Nikon Coolpix L20. Seems very nice. It is a beautiful dark red.

Here is what it looks like:

http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Digital-Camera/26164/COOLPIX-L20.html

I have been playing at the vise again. God, I love this fly tying thing. If it was not for my vise, I would be going insane this winter. Here are three flies I have been messing with of late.

Above fly is my first attempt at the Davy Wooton Shad.

Many of you know this one...........Chernobyl Ant

The above fly is one that I just kinda came up with. I know, I know some other tyer has already come up with it, but it is new to me. My attempt was to come up with a fly that was heavy and bulky and would lurk on the bottom and imitate a madtom, sculpin, or anything that lives in the rocks that the smallmouths pounce on. Have not even dropped it into the sink yet as I finished it last night around 10:00.

If you want any more details about the flies, you can find them at my blog:

http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/index.php?streamstalker

I think I will be there on Saturday. I could spare a few hours helping in the booth.

five is good enough to me. I will cya all at 6:00

Our first winter meeting of the year is tonite at 6:00 at Gander Mtn. in Peoria. Is anyone coming? I don't want to drive that far if no one else is going to show. Please let me know by replying to this email if you are coming or not going to make it.

If you are going to make it, please remember to bring details/pictures of your best trip for 2009. Bring along the bait/fly that was most successful on that one day.

Our first meeting is tonite at Gander Mtn. in Peoria at 6:00. Just wondering if anyone is coming. When I first posted this meeting, I did not receive any replies? I don't want to drive 1.5 hours round trip if no one else is coming. Please let me know by replying to this email...........thanks.

Oh, and don't forget to bring your best 2009 fishing success story to the meeting. Please bring along the bait/fly that was most productive for that particular banner day.

Nice fish. Oh, do I crave to feel a fish like that right now pulling on my string. Going crazy right now. Rivers at flood stage and waiting for the ice to reform to a safe level. Nothing to do but tie flies and swim jigs.

By the way, Ron, all of your flies are done! In my partial opinion, they look fabulous. I think you will be happy with them.

Cool. Makes me yearn for warmer weather.

What I have found interesting is most of my best wintering areas on the Mack are large, deep holes that end in a very shallow riffle. Somedays the fish are in the deepest part of the hole and the next day they may be on the "lip" where the bottom starts to come up to make the riffle. Seems once you find what part of the hole they are using, most of the fish will come from that little "spot on the spot".

I approach areas the same as Mr. Terrill - I don't move quickly. When I get on an area that holds winter fish (usually a large hole that is not only deep but is big in surface area), I keep on them for 1-2 hours. Many times it takes that long to cover the whole area with one to three different offerings. If I know they are in the spot, I am going to keep changing baits, depths, cadences, etc., etc. until I figure them out or finally realize they are just not going to bite when I am there.

I normally spend all my time in large eddies rather than smaller ones. Smaller eddies do not seem to hold any fish on the Mack. Probably because the smaller eddies are rarely, if ever, very deep. Deep for me is over four feet. The Mack has alot of water that is over four feet deep, thus the fish can be selective and only winter in perfect areas that have little or no current and are over four feet in depth. Some of my wintering area have cover (rocks or wood), but others do not have any cover, but just a sand bottom.

december 28