Joe D

thanks john, I'll definately keep you guys posted on the vise situation. that is why I posted it so guys would know wheather or not they back up their products. I would think or hope anyway that a company that reputable would do so, we'll see. Joe

I just started using superglue on my centerpin rigs. from the mainline to the swivel and the swivel to the leader. on some I've even put it on the leader to the hook. this is on the pre-rigged set ups I bring as extras in case I break off. from what I've seen so far I like it. my mainline is berkley tangerine suffix and I've gone to maxima for a leader. I REALLY like the maxima leaders, they are very strong!! and I need that in the creeks for steelhead and kings. the tangerine suffix in particular resist water and floats alittle better which is what you want on a pin set up. Joe

I recently broke the tip of the jaw off my renzetti . I love that vice and now I'll see how well they back up their product. I'll keep you guys posted. I have had to resort to my old cheap vise that I've had for about 25 years. no rotory feature, no bobbin cradle, no nothin!! just holds the hook. man have I gotten spoiled with my renzetti!! needless to say it has thrown a wrench in my tying. it is nowhere as efficient and it takes forever to tie a fly. I tied a clouser on it and had to take it in and out of the vise, what a pain! I'll push on with the old one until I hear from renzetti. I will be really disappointed if they dont replace it, that vise was not cheap! for that kind of money I should not have any problems. Joe ps, I've updated my website and put alot more flies up. take a peek if you have a minute. www.procarpin.com

john, man I'm jealous!!! you have not been fly fishing all that long and you already have a SAGE!! I've been fly fishin for a long time and dont have one I know you gotta love that set up. Joe

rich, yes I did. but matt straw was not a part of the article they did on fly fishing for carp. he didnt even know about it until it was too late. he did apoligise about it. I'll get some pics posted as soon as I get them togather Joe

steve, I've been wanting to get up there for years!! I just might tag along one of these days!! Joe

got a e-mail today from the senior editor of In-Fisherman magazine. I recently sent him some pike/musky flies that he requested from me and they will appear in the annual pike & musky guide later this winter. thought it was kinda cool. I'll get some pics of them togather to post so everyone can see them. Joe

your gonna have some splaing to do . doesnt matter, whatever grief your wife gives you cause in the end you'll still have a sage !!! I'd love to have one if I could afford it!! I'm looking for a nice 7wt and I also have my eye on a neat little TFO 1wt. I have a "wish list" that includes those rods as well as another centerpin rig, a new mathews bow and the big dollar item, a hobie pro angler kayak. I already have several ideas for kayak outings that will include the new fly gear. my dream kayak trip is to put in somewhere on the chicago lakefront and fish for perch, smallies and salmon/steelhead. and make my way north to door county Wis to the limestone flats to fly fish for lake michigan monster carp!! Joe

mike, I would be interested in giving a tying demo. I've done it for rich Mc at the shabonna sportsman meeting. I've also given a few demos for cabelas as well. I always enjoy doing it. I dont think I'm qualified to give a casting demo though. I fly fish ALOT, but I dont think I could do much more than a basic "how to" fly cast. I dont know all the fancy casts. if that will help you at all I could do that. I'm much better at tying demos. I've got some great smallie patterns that I could share. where is Mahomet, I've never heard of it?? hope it works out, it would be fun!! Joe

that pic looks like a ad for lamson

wow, does she have any sisters ?????? Joe

try this site http://www.customfishingtackle.com/terminal_tackle.htm raven makes a excellent micro swivel that would be great for what you are doing. I use them on my centerpin set up and love 'em. they are very small and very strong. I've used them the same way you are with flies as well. they are the best I've found so far. hope that helps. Joe

steve, no problem. let me get some pics togather and get it all in order and I'll get it up for you. and yes the two you are refering to are craw patterns and the smallies do love'em. originally I tied them for carp as crawfish are at the top of their diet as well. since then alot of smallie guys have ordered them from me. it is one of my most popular patterns. it must suck to be a crawfish because everything that swims wants to eat you the difference in the two patterns posted is size. the last one is what I call a micro craw, that is why I put the coin in the pic for reference. I think I did a step by step here before, I know I did it for john graham with my "crawbug" pattern. Joe

mike, most of them are tied on a 200R which is my favorite hook for most of the flies I tie. the others are on a 2 or 3 x short shank hook not a jig hook. as far as the designs go, they came from my own little toy factory of a mind . I steal ideas from several different patterns and then put my own spin on it and try to convey to the vise what I think might interest the fish. if nothing else it keeps it interesting. keep in mind I only post the ones that turn out good. you dont see the pile of, for lack of a better term "abortions" that I have created beleive me there are plenty. I dont always know excactly how a fly will turn out when I start it unless I have tied it before. sometimes my tying bench is more like Dr. Frankenstiens laboritory !!!! in the end it is very rewarding to catch a fish not only on a fly you tied, but one you designed as well. by the way, how is your new vise treating you?? how do you like the rotory feature?? personally I would never want to tie on a non-rotory vise again thats how much I like my vise. they have a few videos out on tying with a rotory vise that I've wanted to take a peek at to see what else I can learn. I am completely self taught on fly tying so I'm always looking to see what else I can learn. good tying. Joe

steve, is one in particular you would like to see the steps for??? I guess I could share some of my top secrect info ha ha, I dont keep secrects I want everyone to catch fish!!! Joe

10 or 12 I dont remember

Although I tied these flies for carp, they're also very effective on smallmouth.

thats a great bass and even better on a flyrod!! your right on the money with the big fly big fish theory, thats my thinking as well. I recently started tying bigger bass bugs. spun deerhair stuff and I'm getting better at it. been tying big streamers too. Joe

sounds scary if you get as deep as your jewels, hate to get a tingle there

what a neat creature!!!

john, fish those flies!! there is plenty more where those came from!! my dad and I have been doing good this year. we would like to see better water too, its been tough. we didnt even bother last weekend, it was fathers day anyway. wait until you see some of my latest ideas from the vice. with all this rain killing our jobs I've been off alot. so I have alot of time on my hands to come up with new stuff. I'll try to get some pics togather and send them to you Joe

yes they are!!

john, you've come a long way in 10 months!! I'll get some of my newest stuff out to you to field test, those articulated minnow I came up with has had alot of success with some of my friends. I'm gonna be improving it this weekend and I dont want to give away my secret just yet, but when I get them tied up I'll post the pics for everyone to see. and by the way all my spinning gear has dust on them and I couldnt tell you the last time I picked up a baitcaster. all I have done this year is fly fish and have been doing very well!! my hex wiggler has been outstanding on the K-3 smallies. my dad and I have been going every weekend. Joe

rich, they are on salmon hooks. it looked like they would work well with the way the eye is turned up. I'll have to get some pics of my helgie pattern. that hex wiggler has a great action in the water. a old timer told me once that the rivers are full of hex's and the smallies love them. looks like he knew what he was talking about! Joe

This is my newest creation. It's an articulated minnow that has a lip to give it a killer darting action. It's a pattern I developed, so you won't find it anywhere. The lipped flies have had a lot of success from my friend Brian S (seabass) who loves them and has been killing the bass with them. This is one of my clouser swimming nymphs. I added rubber legs to it, and it's been very successful on the Kankakee for smallmouth: These are shots of my hex wiggler that the smallies on the Kankaee just can't resist: