Mike G

If it was a trout infested stream, where would you fish for Smallmouths?

I got a surprise the other day when I went to the on-line store. Every item was out of stock. could this US manufacturer be going out of business too? I wrote them and got this reply. To better serve our customers, we are changing the Banjo Minnow store and building a new website. Unfortunately, the store will be closed until August 1, 2014 while this is being accomplished. Thank you for your patience. What a relief!

I am going to get a two year subscription.

I like the R/W.

Thanks for replies. What I am really trying to do is work around the high priced spreads, CCG and Loon, and the high priced curing lights they specify for their products. So far I have found that Aquaseal UV does the job and the generic light I bought cures it. Both cost about 1/2 of what the brand names cost. But I am left with the sticky problem. Sounds like Sally's is the answer. Does anyone have the experience to tell me if Loon and CCG are as keyed in to UV wavelength as the manufacturers say? For instance, Loon says that you have to have a Loon UV light to cure its product,; and CCG specifies a CCG light. Of course I would like to find one light that works with all products. Thanks.

I recently viewed a video where the tyer used rubbing alcohol to remove the sticky residue left on the head of the fly after he cured it with a UV light. He then sealed the head with a coat of Sally Hanson's. It looks like a good way to deal with a "sticky" situation. Is anyone else doing this with Loon or CCG?

Brad, I use a good old blood knot to join the segments and an equally old perfection loop for the ends. The two. Both go back to the days of silk gut leaders but they perform as well as the latest greatest designer knots. Both are in a book that I have that was copyrighted in 1940· Rich, That is a good idea. Right now furled leaders are $12-15 a copy vs $2-3 for a knotless tapered leader. Hand tied DIYs are about two bits. I will send some of my two bit wonders to the next C&C so the full spectrum is represented.

Never used a furled leader. They may be a good option for delicate presentations of tiny flies. Bass are not on my list of fish who want "delicate." Lately I have been tying my own based on the 4, 2, 1 formula. 4' of 40#, 2' of 20#, 1' of 10#, plus tippet for an 8 wt line. These big butt leaders really turn over big flies.

Rob, In another thread we were discussing whether a fly could be worth $7.99 a copy. I think you have one worth at least that or more. But you are getting some bad advice to stop here. Successful businesses operate on a policy of continuous improvement. If everyone just stopped when they found something good, we would all be driving Model Ts and wearing glass glasses. Bamboo rods, silk lines, and gut leaders were the latest greatest 100 years ago. Don't stop now; there's a $10-12 bug just over the horizon.

Rob, Since you reported your trouble, I took a closer look at the .018" 7 strand Beadalon that I use. I think it can be compared to 7 strand Surflon though the smallest diameter Surflon I could find is .024". That tests out at 20 pounds. So our .018 diameter would come in at 12 pounds if strength depends on cross sectional area. Sounds kinda light. I was thinking that uncoated AFW 7 strand leader wire would give us some flexibility. And the .018" stuff is 45 pound test. It might make a decent brush guard too. Netcraft sells a 30 ft coil for $3.99. (The AFW solid #8 wire (86lb) is $2.39 for 30 ft. BTW Kelly Galloup's Q&A #4 is full of insight on articulated flies. It bears repeating.

First, show us that over achieving fly.

There's always a way. http://www.rapidmedia.com/kayaking/categories/video/item/3309-video-high-dock-landing.html?utm_source=newsletter_369&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=rmi-june-27&utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." I will be copying that one for sure. That foam face alone makes me want one.

Nice rod. I like you thoughts on the action. Lightening fast has been the rage for a while. A deeper bending rod has a place in the fly fisherman's collection.

What is a good rule of thumb for pricing? Some crafters use 2 or 3 times their materials' cost. What is your time worth? Tying an elaborate segmented fly is like tying two single hook flies. If I get bulk rates on materials and find dirt cheap labor overseas, I can make money selling bass flies priced at $3.00. But like PH I am not in it for the money.

Complex flies can be pricy like this one at $6.00. $7.99 sounds pricy, but we have to see what goes into it. Starting with premium hooks, materials' costs can mount up quickly.

Sister always said patience and long suffering pay off.

I heared that if you have a carp bow in your canoe you might have a chance against a rifle. At least that is what I seen in the movie.

You sure you did not hear banjos dueling?

Quarrys can be tough. Long ago I fished them a lot. Clear can mean infertile. So they do not have the big food base that comes in lakes and ponds that have sloping shores and lots of bottom structures to support forage. Worst case you have just abrupt walls. Eric's tip on summer schooling is good especially if you can launch a boat to get out after 'em. At this time of year the spawn will have the bass in along the shores. Generally think of the vertical walls as vertical shores. Position your boat next to the shore and make casts parallel to the shore. or do the same from the shore. A slow sinking senko, hula grub, or wacky worm will "work" along this vertical bottom as it falls. So emulate that with a sinking fly line. That said, I like normal ponds and lakes better.

Nice. Give us the recipe sometime.

Pat, A picture of one would help. In-line spinners are fairly easy to assemble from common parts. I could give it a try if I knew what it looked like.

Tom, I appreciate your concern over naming your babies. This argument goes better with beer. It is a Clouser. Bob Clouser's deep minnow got put through the analysis machine years ago and was given the dirty name "jig fly." The dust never settled. There's an old guard out there that condemns any fly adulterated by a few wraps of lead or lead substitute. Nymphs to them are an abomination. Split shot is a creation of the devil. For a less extreme view, consider this. An old fishing catalog would offer dry flies, wet flies, streamers, nymphs, bass bugs, poppers, spoons, spinners, pork rind, and lures. (I may have missed some like foam creations or offering with a lot of epoxy or CCG modeling.) All to be presented with a fly rod. If we stick with this breakdown, the argument goes away; but the beer remains.

I like that blowout toetag.

Just a question... Should all our future swaps automatically create a "silent partner" set for the Blowout?