BartBurgess

A guy from Alabama replying to a wader question. Yep, we have to wear em' down here, and I just did a "update" on mine. I have been extremely happy with the Simms products. I have a pair of the older generation River-Tek and the Guide Series. I am assuming your considering "breathables"? I look at "wear points" and try to make my decision on what's going to hold up. Check out the seam on the foot/booty -this area gets a ton of wear from friction caused by sliding around in a boot. Great candidate for a leak. I like built in gravel guards with a lace clip.. Built in wader belt or at least "attached" is nice. Dang, the more stuff I don't have to look for at 4:00 am before leaving to fish is just nice! As far as boots. The Cabela's 'Ultra Lite" wading boot is alot of boot for the $. The felt bed is nice and lofty. I do like my Simms aqua-stealth with spikes when/if I do find ice. Sierra Trading Post is a good outlet for awesome mark-downs on waders.

Jude, The backsplash, flash holder, etc. all are a super easy and inexpensive build. Probably the coolest aspect of using a work bench is this particular one is 34" tall . Puts my vise up high, no hunching over..

As for tying desk. I did a "trailer park" job on 57" WhiteGate work bench. I built and added the backsplash, which has been a lifesaver. The top has 19, dowel pegs at 3.5". Each peg will hold 3 spools of thread. The second shelf keeps a portion of the mess at eye level. Three drawers below-one is pulled out-well, because I have so tying crap shoved in into it. Material storage I use the 7" pop tops for chinelle, dubbing,-you can get these in sectioned boxes for hooks, beadheads, etc.-HobbyLobby. I also dig the 9" "Chinese take-out" boxes with the clear top-These are made by "Versatainer". Cheap, durable, easy to stack...Hey, what about a "material swap"? *Hey, the below picture is "honest". I have tons of storage, I just need to follow my wife's advice and uhhhhh, well put everything away.

Norm, that particular day. We came up with 2 goose eggs. I believe that we would have been pulling back to dock if we had boated a few fish early in the day. I guess it's not wanting to leave what "seems" like good striper conditions -even when the fish are NOT feeding-is what could get a boat sucked into a vortex in Alabama and deposited somewhere in Georgia. This has been a tough striper winter down here. We have one dam that south of me that has been on fire. Seems I am on lockdown every time I get an opportunity to fish it.. Sub-zero..Ahhhh the sound of freezing reels and guides snapping ..

I've "got em"..I dig fishing in end of the world apocalyptic conditions. Winter striper fishing is our answer to ice tents and augers. Tornado warnings? Don't get get in the boat with Pete Elkins. "Sure bets" for chasing striper. 1.The weather is going to be nature's answer to a GWAR gig. 2. There's gonna be wind. You will be casting sink tips, big flies, and..There's gonna be wind. 3. At one point after 3 hours of "chasing birds", 2 hours into discussing the "feeding habits of the tern and laughing gull", you will remind yourself that you have never written a thesis on these non-native birds-At this point, your lips have cracked open, twice, and you begin to think that your fishing buddy-may have, for giggles and grins, dosed you with peyote. 4.There will be wind. View from the back..Water was just about to crank up to a "surf". Jan. outting..After 5 hours , winds gusting to 25mph. My phone starts blowing up . "Hey Pete, my wife is telling me that Jefferson County is cutting schools loose at 1:00 due to tornados..Reply..'Ok."..."Uhhh..me-feeling like a girl".."I may need to bolt..." Dead-pan reply.."Bart, YOU do know that IT could TURN ON this afternoon.".."Uhhh, hey honey-call to my wife-.."Think you could grab the kids from school?"...My wife's reply.."Don't want to be the ONE to "call it" huh?...That's right honey, got my street cred to protect." .... Striper fishing.. What's the deadline on the craw'dad swap?

Probably a bit pansic for me to sit in Alabama and bee'tch about 50 degree air temps. Looking for 60's, tommorrow, hope to find some big creek spots and red-eye..Thought I would share some summer patterns. -One of my favorite crawfish patterns. May through September. Can't see the mono eyes-they're in there, nice nod toward to natural. This has worked early in the am and late in the evening when big fish are looking up. I dig swinging this into a big eddy next to some shoreline structure. Gotta have a good cicada pattern around here..Our summer nights are sometimes overwhelmed with the cicada buzz. *The "stealth bomber" this is a Kent Edmonds creation-Georgia native. This fly has everything going for it. It dives, pops, releases a air bubble. Big fish kill it. Anyrate, wanted to share some stuff that works around here...I hope to visit you guys this summer and see if some of those Illy smallmouth will eat some Sou'thun soul food.

Hey Rich, I am using 40lb flouro -straight- meaning I am not stepping it down to tippet-3 to 4 feet should do... Using a 350 sinking line. SA's stiper line has become my favorite. If you get into a situtaion where the fish are feeding 5 to 10 feet to the surface. You may want to consider a lighter sink line, go to a 7ft leader made with 4 1/2 feet of 40lb to 2 1/2 of 20lb. Albright knot has replaced the nail knot for me using anything in the 20lb and plus range..I tie my whistlers with a 8mm beadchain eye. Craig..What say ye?

I realize that I am a pulling thread from the boneyard. It's just ironic becuase just last night I was tying some striper and bass patterns using Eagle Claw EC413'S in a 1/0. Alabama striper guru Pete Elkin's turned me onto Dan Blanton's whistler pattern. Any of you fishing for lake striper and hybrids, you have try this pattern. Actually to be precise, this is the "FlashTail Whistler." Blanton has been spouting praise of this hook for the past 4 years. It works. Larger striper have are prone to flair some big powerful gills while motoring through a school of baitfish. The EC413 is successful in hooking the upper section of the lip , thus avoiding boatside surgery...This hook is da bomb for some big bass patterns..Cowen ties some neat-o baitfish patterns Gamakatsu has a new 60 degree that is a bit beefier and twice as sharp..