Mike G

My bad. We seem to be at the point of hi-jacking this thread by turning it into a discussion of drying wheels. Let's start another one for drying wheels. Back to the topic. Bottom line, I think a Bugger on a regular shank hook with a longer mirabou tail and longer hackles palmered on the body would be all you need to mimick a tadpole though more elaborate ties like the Muddler, Hairy Fodder, and the Bully flies by Mike amd Mike would also work.

A drying wheel for flies is on my wish list too. Here is what I found so far: Good: Rod finishing rotator from Netcraft, $75. Pro: can be used for rod building also. Con: have to make adaptor for flies. Better: BBQ rotisserie from Walmart $25-$75. Pro: can be used for grilling. Con: have to make adaptor for flies. Best: Cabela's Stonefly Fly/Jig Dryer-$40. Pro: ready to go; can be used for rod building also. Con: can't be used for grilling. I just added the dryer to my Cabela's wish list. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Fly-Fishing/Fly-Tying/Tools-Vises%7C/pc/104793480/c/104721480/sc/104340780/i/103884480/Stonefly-FlyJig-Dryer/743665.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Ffishing-fly-fishing-fly-tying-tools-vises%2F_%2FN-1100441%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_103884480

A floater?

A while back Michael T did his Woolly Bully with a stacked wool body. I did mine here with a woven bohemian chenille body-Bohemian Bully. I think it looks like a tadpole when wet. Sculpin flies like the Muddler Minnow and other flies like the Hairy Fodder also have that fathead profile. Since pollywogs are clumsy swimmers, I am sure bass will take them for an easy meal.

I am digging up an old topic based on new information. In case you missed it on another thread.

Murphy's law: If it can happen, it will. Therefore I am sure that it has already been done. I am with those who would not want to do it. Of course the fish take a beating no matter how nice your basket is. Pros have aerated, cooled, and sometimes chemically treated livewells to keep the fish in shape for the weigh in. The river's fish pupulation takes a beating too especially small ones like the Dupe or Kank. There is a reason why Pro tournaments are on huge bodies of water that have equivalently huge populations of fish. There is a big diffference between live release and long term survival. Finally fishing has always been my time out of the competitive rat race. I do not want to muck that up with competitive worries about size and number of fish. In short, I do not want to be or even act like a professional fisherman.

Yes this is a good discussion on lines. Here's my 3 cents. About four years ago, I spooled two spools of line to be used on my Medium Heavy spinning outfit using the same open face spinning reel. One was 8# Trilene XL; one was 8# Vanish. Here is what I found. The XL was easiest to manage. The Vanish was more springy or wirey. I had to exercise more care with slack line to avoid loops and subsequent snarls. It wasn't that bad so I figured the extra sensitivity, better abraision resistance, and lower visibility of the Vanish was worth the extra effort if I wanted a mono type line. Next I am thinking about replacing the 12# Tripple Fish on my bait caster with 10 or 12# Vanish. I am choosing Vanish for economy reasons. Any comments on this? Finally, I have a friend who tried Fireline. He didn't like it because, being a line watcher, he could not see it as well as the mono he was used to using. He also did not like it because he thought the fish could see it better than similar lb test mono. Did I miss something here?

"Is the 5lb braid actually stronger than the 6lb mono?" Though it looks a little odd, that is a good question. For some time I have known that all 6 lb lines are not equal. Though 6 lbs looks absolute, 6 lb line will usually break in a range from say 5-8 lbs. If one adds variables like age and wear and tear, the range gets even broader. So lets just talk about new lines. It seems like most manufacturers label their line on the low side. 6 lb is probably a minimum breaking strength. ANDE is an exception being eslpecially designed for line class record fishing. For ANDE 6 lb is a maximum breaking strength because you would be disqualified if your line samples break at more than 6 lbs. This, I think, is a bit theoretical. Like others I favor 10/4 Fireline with a 10 lb flouro leader about the length of my rod. The Fireline gives me a light running line for good casting. The leader gives me low vis and good abrasion resistance. Uni-uni or the new J-knot is a good way to connect the two materials.

Kevin, I like your hardware store solution. I keep thinking: Ace teflon tape $1.89 vs. Orvis Reel Seat Tightening Strip $9.98 Loctite 1 oz $2.49 vs. Orvis Reel Seat Liquid Compound 1 oz. $5.98

JUST UNDER 20" is the rest of the story too often. I still say tha 20 inches (50.8 cm) is like the sound barrier.

Norm, That is a sad note. I used to visit that site all the time via a link on the old Smallmouth Alliance home page. It was great to see what was going on in ohter parts of the country. Is this one more reason to resuscitate the national Smallmouth Alliance?

Paul, I have two thoughts though I usually have a problem getting the rings loose. 1. Put your tape on the foot of the reel that goes into the moving ring. This may add enough bulk to wedge it tight. 2. Reconsider locktite if all else fails. Seriously, the product is designed to hold and then break free under pressure. It is assumed you will have to remove the screw sooner or later. There are actually different grades with different levels of holding power. The ones that breaks free more easily are the ones to start with. If you get some buildup, that may eventually be all you need to keep things tight without adding more. Otherwise common solvents will take it off.

It is one of these. Since the rules say pick one, I pick the 3rd from the top-Whodat Fodder. The fodder's changeable weight system makes it great for fishing from near top to bottom. Terry Dodge's sparkly stuff replaces the bunny fur making it less of a wet sock.

Nice haul!

When you fire bullets or shot charges, they go into the environment forever. When you cast a jig or spinnerbait, you retrieve it 99.9% of the time leaving no permanent mark on the environment. So it seems odd that they gave the pass to lead firearms munitions and still can't make up their minds about fishing tackle. Besides, this whole concern surfaced when autopsies of dead water birds showed high levels of lead in the birds. It was hypothesized that this lead came from tiny shotgun shot that the birds picked up along with the small grit they regularly comsume to grind food in their crops. To beg the question, where else would it come from? Ignore the fact that we know that some municipal water supplies have naturally occuring lead content that exceeds safe levels. Yes, the case against lead munitions was not air tight. My hat is off to the firearms industry lobby for doing a bang-up job leaving their supporters free to walk away from the debate. So the buck is passed to fishermen who are left under the threat of some costly regulations. I think the fishing industry was caught off guard assuming that if lead munitions were allowed lead fishing gear would also get a pass. I got a chance to voice my opinion on this to my representatives through mailings from Barlows's and Cabela's. And I did. I hope everyone did. It would be a real irony if the original suspect, lead munitions, walked free while jigs and spinnerbaits took the rap. Even the smallest splitshot we use is larger that the suspected culprit birdshot. If lost lead sinkers and fishing lures are a real threat, there would be no loons or ducks left in Wisconsin.

OK Ron, If you have some $$ to drop, buy the book before you buy the lures. 50 years ago I bought a Spoonplug because It was the latest greatest magic lure; and I immediately had zero success using it. That was because I did not know how to use it. On the other hand, the book will tell you how to use the lures you already have and how to use Spoonplugs if you buy some. Website:http://www.buckperry.com/index.php Hope this helps.

A lot of people associate Spoonplugging with trolling because they never read the book-Spoonplugging- and rely on second hand information. Spoonplugging is a comprehensive system that includes motor trolling as one presentation method. I reread the book once or twice a year. I am one who does a lot of Spoonplugging without using Spoonplugs though I appreciate this reminder that it is a great lure. PS I have a clipping from a 1959 edition of the Chicago Tribune about using the Spoonplug in Chicago area waters. 50 years and still going.

Here is the place for members to weigh in on the issue of how to pose fish for your C&R photos. I want to hear the best ways to assure survival for our Smallmouth Bass catches. Though I am not aware that ISA has a policy about this, I would like to know if there is one. Then too, maybe there should be one. I will be listening.

In regards to your original question, I say,"Nesse before you finesse." downsizing is a last resort after you strike out on real baits. 7 and 10 inch Power Worms are real baits. I have caught enough 10" bass on 10" worms to be able to say that they are not too big.

Carp. The Pecatonica River goes right through Freeport. Since I do not fish Carp, I cannot vouch for it though it looks Carpy.

They make up about 3" of the finished fly's length. They were longer before trimming.

Yes. I have a coil of light stainless steel wire that I have had for ages. Directions: 1. Cut a 5" section and bend it into a "V". 2. Start thread on hook and wrap the wire V under the hook with the 2 ends sticking out beyond the eye. 3. Tie the fly as usual. Bend the wire ends down 90 deg to the hook. Finish the head and trim thread. Note that those ends sticking out up front make wrapping a challenge. 4. Bend the wires to the shape shown. Trim even with the rear of the hook.

Working Flies Though I have been reporting on casting and spinning lures that work, I should also be keeping up on the flies that have worked for me so far this year. I do not fly fish as much as I would like. It is hard work. But here they are-somethings old, somethings new-all my own ties. The first is a sponge spider I have been tying for over 50 years. It is still a bluegill killer. It is about 1 inch long. The next two bass flies didn’t even exist 10 years ago. The grey one is my take on Kent Edmonds’ Stealth Bomber. Grizzly hackle is a family favorite of ours. The stubby red silly legs suggest gills. About 2 1/2 inches. The Whodat Fodder is a novelty fly I tied to celebrate the Saints Superbowl win. It is a variation on n Craig Reindieu’s Hairy Fodder. The elastic loop (ringer) on the front allows you to insert different sized dumbbell weights to control the depth. Or fish it without weight as shown here. Though it started as a novelty, it got me my biggest LM Bass on a fly this year-19”. The fly is a littile over 3 inches. The last one is a classic over 50 years old. The Red and White is Lefty Kreh’s variation on the Homer Rhodes tarpon fly from the 50s. The weed guard is Lefty’s preferred guard-a double light wire guard that curves around the hook point. Lefty sez that curve makes it easier for the fish to compress the guard. Close to 4 inches long.

This is in that category called "I wish I thought a that." My uncle was an avid fly fisherman who always brought a small kit of materials and tools along on every fishing trip. He could match the hatch when the trout were being selective. I wish he knew about this tip from a recent Hatches issue. He always brought along a full sized vise. A standard Exacto knife makes a good hand held vise. Remove the blade, insert the hook, and tighten. They say it will work with size 6 and smaller hooks. Exacto Vise

Mr k, I will repeat, Airbornmike's invite to you to demo your Jedi hand line recovery technique is most generous considering the belittling you dished out. You should apologize and thank him. The purpose of cast and compare is to provide ISA members and their guests with an opportunity to try out rods, lines, and other equipment. Demos and contests are outside of the scope of the event though you have assumed otherwise. So be sure to clear your demo with the organizers of the next event. Now I am taking Craig's cue that it is time for all of us to leave the room. I am going to stop watching this thread. Mike won. It is over. You will be talking to the walls in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,...