Jonn Graham

Got the Scroungers last night. Hit the creek by house.................................................BINGO!!!! I love the wobble these jigheads impart. I was using a zoom super fluke jr. when this fish hit. Also tried the Big Hammer swimbait................wow!

nice

Really intrigued with the scrounger head. Have talked to a few folks about how good the whole technique is. A few questions for those who have tried it: 1. What size would be best in the river? (1/8, 1/4?) 2. What size lip..................small, medium, or large? 3. What plastic trailer has been the most effective? thanks.

Sounds good. Try to get down in June so we can do a float trip.

Congrats on the boat buy. Fish will not be safe from your wrath.

Very nice tie. A fish-catcher for sure. Those eyes are not CCG eyes................I think they are gator eyes.

What a disgrace/disaster. Ron, thanks for trying to help.

Yes, it is pricey. But, when it comes to the Hydro, you get quite a bit for the money. I am still on my first brushable bottle and I have been using it for many months. The Thick and Thin variety comes in a syringe and surprisingly the syringes last longer than I thought as well. I have built many musky fly heads without running out. One thing though.................don't try to skimp and not buy their curing light. If you try other lights, it does not cure as well. Their light does the job perfectly. 3-8 seconds and it cured!!

I use hydro for two different applications: 1. I use it in place of sally hansen's to cover thread head 2. I also use it when I have built a big head (like an expoxy head) using CCG Thick formula. When you apply the thick and then cure it, there is a tackiness to the goo. If you put a simple, one layer of hydro over top of the thick, it totally takes away the tack. Makes the head smooth and glassy in appearance.

CCG Hydro will take care of the tackiness. Smooth as glass when done.

Not a bad idea

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Great fish Ron. Last time I floated the Duper I wondered about what the hell was going on along the bank as well. Saw damage being done in a few different places.

I love articulated flies. They take a bit longer to tie but are super cool and give a little different look in the water when compared to standard, single hooked flies. My love for articulation took off when I caught the Muskie bug and began tying muskie flies that were articulated. Lately, I have been brainstorming how I could make an articulated smallie fly that would fished on a slow sinking, sink tip line and would be fished a few inches under the surface...........kinda like the way I fish my flukes on standard gear. Here is what I came up with.......... The reason I am calling it the B10 Minnow is the fact that I use the B10 hooks from Gammy. #2 on the back hook and #1 on the front..............the fly is basically weightless. The eyes are the plastic dumbbell eyes from Clear Cure Goo.

Here is another tip concerning stacked or spun deer hair. My father in law loves to make deer hair mice. Of course, you have to trim these as well. He has having great luck with very small, electric beard and mustache trimmers. I plan to pick one up very soon.............beats the heck out of using scissors or razor blades.

All: thanks for the kind words. Jim: Never too late to order...................$4 each or a dozen for $42.................email me at jonn@campsmallmouth.com

thanks

By the way, the sculpin helmets come in two colors - olive and brown. The eyes come with the helmets.

Will that fly ride hook point down? Also, what method do you use for affixing the eyes to the stacked deer hair? thanks

Rob: You do put a few drops of glue down before sliding on the helmet. In addition, after setting the helmet, make a small thread head in between the helmet and the eye of the hook. If done properly, they do not move at all. They are very snag resistant when worked along the bottom. They are made of a soft metal that is not as heavy as they look. I am using the small size, they make a mini and a large. Very neat product.

With all the crappy weather, I have been busy getting my fly boxes ready for spring. Here are a few I have been tying: Been working hard of late learning how to stack deer hair. The above flies, with their stacked heads, came out nice. They are weightless and I plan to fish them on a sink tip this summer. I love to fish tubes on standard tackle, here is a pattern for a fly rodders version of the tube jig. Weighted. The above fly is Mike Jacobs' Bronze Goddess. Mike is from Iowa and this is his signature pattern. By the way, Mike sells fly tying materials at incredibly low prices. You have to see his site and check prices. https://sites.google.com/site/hawkeyeflytyer/Home Rich Strolis from Connecticut has really made an impression on me.........great, innovative tyer. I love his sculpin/madtom pattern. These two are single hooked models, but I also have some articulated ones. His Headbanger Sculpin is very popular. Gotta love the Sculpin Helmets..............neat product. C'mon warm weather.....................

Dana: thanks for the kind words Bart: I am waiting for the warm up........................and waiting............and waiting.

these are just a few of my "stock" color patterns. When ordering, an angler can get any color combination they prefer.

It is going to warm up sometime.....................hopefully soon. Anyone wishing to order swim jigs for the spring bite, get your orders to me asap. I just ordered another shipment of hooks and will be ready for orders again. You can email me at jonn@campsmallmouth.com or call me at 309-399-7055. If you wait until later in the spring, you may be waiting longer for your jigs.

I buy my Baitfish Emulator flash from Pat up at The Fly Fishers in Milwaukee. Pat is a contributor to the club. www.theflyfishers.com