Mike G

2 minutes ago, rich mc said:

i would use it as a lateral line on a light colored minnow.    funny you mention brown as i have been looking for brown satin before the virus. will resume  search in a few weeks.

Funny that. I have brown satin ribbon. Can you use that.

Just curious, what do you use the brown hair  for.?You know what I mean, that brown band that runs down the center of undied white bucktail or the dark hair that occurres on died tails. I haven't figured that out. Make it a contest. Submit your suggestion in writing, or pictures or both formats. The winner TBD by me will win a prize TBD by me. Lets uuse our idle Covid time productively. Deadline April 30, 2020.

PS Don't be afraid of the dragon tails. rich sent me some samples to photo.

DragonTails by Michael , on Flickr

I later used them for tails of articulated Brammer style streamers.

shankdragons1 by Michael Gerharz, on Flickr

Is the 9 incher a fly or a lure. When wet it weighs a full 1/2 ounce. Cast that on your 3 WT!

Big Bump

Did Bob speak at the Early Show.? If he had any handouts, I would like to get a copy of them. Please.

I have the handout he passed at a fly show in Schaumberg 15 years ago. It covered his new approach to river Smallmouth  fly fishing between May and October. I remember 4 big points:

1 Smallmouth Bass are not trout. Adjust.

2. Fish the magic waters. 2-4 ft deep. 

3. Fish downstream 90% of the time.

4. Make Short casts 30 ft or less.

Plus many more details. I got Bob's permission to submit it to the Bulletin along with a preface he wrote. It didn't make the  cut I guess. I will submit again.

10 hours ago, rich mc said:

i thought i read somewhere that the rod length issue was no longer used in tournaments

rich,

Your right. Not being on the pro circuit like you, I missed that. I am still interested in hearing about the rods though. I know Craig uses the Sage Smallmouth all the time on Mille Lacs.

Background:

Long ago I developed my stroke using rods 7.5 to 8 ft long. I am comfy with 9, but my body memory craves something shorter.

So. The Sage 7/11s at $$$ have been followed by lower priced 7/11s - St Croix Mojos $150 and White River Heats $100. Does anyone have any experience with these two offerings? 

Please post pictures and video links so we can participate virtually if we cannot make it in person. Thanks in advance.

Here's the link to Pt I. After I it will offer II, etc.

Good eye, rich. I missed that because I was paying attention to the top of the tree. Looks like the scene was shot in Mille Lacs. There is a Fodder stuck near the top probably snagged there by Craig last Summer.

Good tip. Grip tape made for Tennis Rackets also works well and may be less slippery. I have also used handle bar grip tape for this.

Rob,

Where are you?

Colin, 

There is a member of the Bloomington Firehouse Tyers that uses French's invention. 

Thanks for showing it to us.

There's more!

The sections of the video on  setting deer hair collars and spinning deer hair have broad application. It reminded me of some very effective jig patterns from the past. These two warhorses-Muddler Jig and Crawford Crawfish are examples.  (Today I would tie the Muddler collar with a wider flair to get a sculpin look.) The jigs pictured are tied on 1/4 oz jigs. I have used the same patterns on 1/16 oz jigs. 

Collarjigs by Michael Gerharz, on Flickr

Colin,

I have been meaning to comment on this for a while. First I will fill out he picture on jigs by mentioning the smaller 1/64, 1/80, and 1/100 jigs on #s 8 and 10 hooks AKA trout jigs.  There are all kinds of patterns including the easily tied mop flies which are obscenely effective on trout I have heard. You can fish these under a casting float on light spinning gear or on fly gear or tenkara. I frequently fish them with a strike indicator, aka small bobber.

It looks like you are doing very well with tying. To get better, I recommend you warch videos by the masters. Galloup and Brammer come to mind. IMHO you cant beat Galloup's video on tying the ZooCougar since it has techniques that apply all over.

More to Come.

Priceless

I got the picture from another website. The website claims that the net can double as a live well. I wish I had thought of that. All you need is some  foam pipe insulation and electrical ties. I upgraded the netting on an older a while back and have been concerned about it going overboard and sinking. This would solve that problem.  Too, you have a place to keep a fish while you get the camera ready.

floatingnet by Michael Gerharz, on Flickr

On 10/28/2019 at 3:49 PM, Mark K said:

It was moving pretty fast - riffly water and you could not see the fish.  I think that even if you initially spook some, if you hang still they will come back.

Piling on Rob,

If Tenkara works for trout  which are plenty spooky, it might work on wary bass. Arm. rod, line, and leader will typically give you a  30 ft reach.  Add to that some of Bob Long Jr's observations on the Smallmouth's curiosity, aggressiveness, and lack of wariness, and we  have an effective technique. I would not say this if I had not caught a lot of bonus bass while fishing Tenkara  for panfish in very clear lake water,

.

 

 

 

 

There's more.

I just got this link. https://issuu.com/troutrageous1/docs/tenkara_angler_fall_2019/64

Many in the ISA know that Bob Long Jr has been promoting this radical approach to Fly Fishing for Smallmouths for over 20 years, long before Tenkara was introduced in the US.  Tenkara just fits the method very well though the same philosophy can be applied with standard fly gear.

Adam, you are right if you think you are standing where they should be fishing. But there is a method to the madness. You should really try to take in his presentation. He is a great speaker.

John, thanks. Do you have any idea when Bob is speaking?

PS Bob's article starts on p. 62.

I was pleasantly surprised to come across this article recently. First it is good to see Bob Long Jr alive and preaching his gospel, =<  30 ft, downstream. Second a good intro to Smallmouth on Tenkara. That's the two.

https://issuu.com/troutrageous1/docs/tenkara_angler_spring_2018/52

Hear are some creations using Wally Tubing.

Junevenile bass are all over the place where I fish ; so I made a Baby Bass Candy like the Surf Candy . A lot of tyers use body tubing to strengthen the head of this popular Saltwater fly. I downsized to a #4 3366 in Gold. Added craft fur, flash, tubing and eyes.

babybasscandy by Michael Gerharz, on Flickr

Next is a Body Tubing bunker. For use to flair bucktail on any fly.

btbunker by Michael Gerharz, on Flickr

Gary,

The Wolf's Tooth  by Christina Eisenberg is a great book about keystone predators and tropic cascade.  It is amazing that reintroducing wolves in the west significantly reduced water temperature in the rivers. She covers other topics including the starfish and studies on bass in the UP.

.

electronic and regular formats at Amazon

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=wolfs+tooth&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

There is a Canadian tradition of throwing away the cork when you open a jug of wine or a bottle of VO. I'll drink to that.

I noticed the spot but did not analyze the garbage. It is good to see an athlete picking up litter dirty or clean, no?

Ever since Jack Gartside showed us the potential of Bohemian Chenille, I can't pass up the party and craft sections at Wally's. Holloween is a good season for materials. It turns out that this head band is body tubing in disguise. Tubing like this can be used to make bunkers for flaired bucktail flies and in forming the heads on surf candy streamers. this headband screamed at me from the party section.

DSCF2992 by Michael Gerharz, on Flickr

The salvage is 2 meters orange tubing, two meters chart  tubing, and four doll eyes. Not bad for $2.

DSCF2993 by Michael Gerharz, on Flickr

Thanks for the review. I wish Z-man would do a Helgi in their Elastec material. It woul d never stop moving.