Mike G

Tom, In A River Runs Through It, Paul's goal was to think like a fish. Could you be the first to see like a fish?

Don't worry Rob; your title is safe even if you do make sense on this one. I take it that those materials that show up under black light are UV reactive. Fluorescence converts the UV we cannot see to a wavelength we can see. UV reactive paints and dyes are long standing fish attractors. On the other hand the new fad is UV reflective materials where we cannot see the UV they reflect. So, when we walk in the fly shop, how do we know that the stuff labeled UV Reflective really does reflect UV? Ask a fish?

Yep. Every onest in a while fly guys manage to get it right.

I see UV reactive materials. We could not see a UV color because it is not in our eyes to do it. It always leaves me wondering about UV claims.

That was great, Jonn. I risked my life on icy roads NW of Rockford, but it was worth it. I am glad I asked about tying the skirt on the swim jig. You delivered on that one nicely.

Don't forget the skirt.

Can you tie one of these? Just joking. You may not have a lot of time for tying. Personally I would like to see how you tie the skirt on your Swim Jig. That would make a nice bridge between the small group of fly fishermen and the larger group that uses spin and casting gear.

Once again Tom answered one of my questions. I was wondering how to work green heart shaped beads into a fly pattern. See one in this picture. Now I can make a firetiger Martha Muddler. thanks Tom!

this is from our neighbors in Indiana. You can see a lot of color variations. the Ducks, flies with mallard breast flanks, look cool to me. Go to the article and see some anglers who look right cold. http://www.indianasmallmouthalliance.org/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1202610576&

What I mean: Dinos bones

No dance off.-Dance off implies a dead heat or tie at the end of regulation. Elke here leaves Terry behind with that cute behind alone. Not to put Terry down. He is still champ in the men's two legged category.

Dino bones. It floats.

Lefty and Bob both have models in the TFO catalog. Made in Korea I believe. If country of origin bothers you, there's a local boy, Grandt, in Arlington Hts. I have only used one of their spinning rods. I like it a lot. Then there's always St Croix.

Fire tiger is a great fish getting color. Now you put it in a fly. Great work.

I put the finishing touches on this one New Years morning. It came from a discussion we had here about a fly rod buzz bait. While making skeleton shanks for flies, I was also tinkering with prop blades for plugs. The two ideas came together in the Fly Rod Airick. It is about 5" tip to tip."

Terry, This may not be good news. Ages ago I tried casting 4" Crème worms with my 8/9 weight. No problem with the casting part. Problem was that about every 10-15 minutes the tail of the worm was sheared off by the line, leader, or whatever. I stopped the experiment there. I would be afraid that the recycled tube bait tentacles on your fly would suffer the same fate. Only recently since we have the far tougher Elaztech and Cyberflex worms in 4" lengths salted to sink have I gotten back to fly casting worms since they are not destroyed like the softer plastisol worms. The silicon skirt material that Craig uses on the Hairy Fodder also is tough enough to take the yin-yang of fly fishing. So I am wondering, why you don't use skirt materials instead of the recycled tube tentacles?

I am awarding three prizes for 2013. In lure making the prize goes to Yellowtail bottle corks. The sturdy material made an excellent body for the Airick Spintail Popper which was an outstanding surface bait for me this year. In fly materials Distinctive Fabrics Husky Fur wins for putting the fly in the Flying Fly. The overall winner is AFW single strand stainless wire which is the frame for the Airick and a cost effective way to make fish skeletons.

I burn it off with a Bic.

Terry, These box solutions seem to be working for a lot of guys. rich's converted bedroom is just a big box. In a variation of that, my wife sometime suggests that I rent one of the empty storefronts in Pecatonica and open a fly shop. I think she wants me to get the fly stuff out of the house. Christmas this year marked the 59th anniversary of the day I got the Tack-l-tyers Kit that got me started; it all fit in a shoe box. I have a lot of experience with the problem-58 years. I have discovered not one but two solutions. First, by trial and error, I discovered the rule of "only one."Tie only one pattern, in only one color, on only one size of hook. Everything you need fits comfortably on a snack tray and stores in a shoe box with room to spare for the pint of snake bite medicine your wife doesn't know about. Besides, a black number 8 Wooly Bugger is all you really need to catch fish, bluegills, trout, bass, carp, muskies, marlin. The second solution is both more theoretical and more practical. Apply Chaos Theory. Chaos: When the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future. Got it? Your bench is already organized; it just does not look like you thought it would. Stop worrying and tie some flies. You ain't gonna live forever.

Ryan, All I know about SS lines is that the theory says that the textured surface reduces friction and that some say the uneven surface makes it harder to clean. Since you like it maybe you can tell us the pros and cons. BTW I applaud your use of light tackle 9 wt vs10 or 11 for Skies. It is all relative Oops that 350 is 11 weight going on 12 in the books. Now that's an overtime!

Thank you for the responses. rich answered the question. I have no further questions.

Repeat. What number is virtually some? The Rockford Show is 2/14-2/16. I see nothing on the ISA calendar except a breakfast meeting on 2/14. But all I really want to know is the magic number. Quit beating around the Bush.

Repeat. What number = virtually some? There are always reups as part of the score at any show. Are you sure we would get those reups if we were not at the show? I have also signed up lapsed members who were reminded by seeing the booth. A membership is a membership, no?

4-5 for a 2 day show = virtually none. What number would equal virtually some?

That even beats beer in a can! Now ISA NW is gettin somewhere!