Joe D

I'm planning on going to the swap meet at Shabbona in November. This is a sample of some of the flies I will be selling. This is a realistic golden stone fly: This is my improved crawfish. This one has rubber silly legs for more action. Size 8 helgies I call these SureFloat Caddises because their wings are made of foam. These are crawbugs that I nicknamed NBAs.. Nothin' But Action! These are flashback stone flies. Here's a pair of carp-teasers, but they work equally as well on smallies and probably a few other species. This is just a bigger version of my helgies, they are size 4 with a little heavier lead eyes.

be careful, there is no cure for flyfishing. you will have it for the rest of your life!! I know, I'm infected pretty bad myself! Joe

ken mentioned float fishing w/ live bait. it is without a doubt the most effective way to present live bait IMO by far!! I've benn centerpinning for about 2 years now and dont know how I fished so long without one.

josh, when it comes to fly fishing for most situations unless your fishing steelhead/salmon or in my case big carp. the reel basically just holds the line and you can get a inexpensive reel to do the job. but the flyline is a whole other story. get the best line you can afford, it makes a world of difference. I've used inexpensive lines only to be very disappointed. keep in mind you dont change flyline like you do mono. if you take care of you flyline it will take care of you for years. it is well worth the investment. I've paid as much as $60 for fly line and its worth every penny. you dont need to spend 60, you can get a good line for about $40. just avoid the $19.99 and under lines. for the most part you get what you pay for. shop around and compare prices. cortland or orvis line is the same product where ever you buy it. good fishin Joe

rich, I've just been so busy working. we are in the hieght of road construction season and its putting a wrench in my fishin time Joe

hook-#2-4 long streamer or curved nymph hook lead eyes tail- marabou w/optional 2 silly legs body- dubbing legs- hackle feather(palmered) shell back- swiss straw or scud back material ribbing- mono or copper wire to segment the body antenna- 2 goose biots. coat the shell back and antennas w/clear nail polish. I started using clear nail polish and so far like it. this is a fairly easy tie. good fishin to all Joe

Ken, I'll send you a few to "field test". my work scheduale is killing my fishin time!! but thats summer road construction for ya. I still need you to show me how to fish the fox. maybe you can provide the water and I'll provide the flies??? Joe

Here are a few pics of my K-3 Hellgies. The smallies seem to love these hellgramites and with them being hard to find, and only at certain times of year, I decided to tie some up so I'd have them on hand.

I cant hardly even see a salmon stamp anymore. IL doesnt even stock kings anymore and have cut the cohos. not only that, I bet the money would never get where it is supossed to. there have been huge cuts in the DNR dept in this state. its a real shame cause IL has alot of potential. just look at what WIS and Mich do . granted those states rely heavily on "tourist sportsman". just think how much the northwoods of Wis makes on fishing, it is the main industry up there. IL is too locked up with the politics in CROOK county and the land of KING RICHARD(chicago) to worry about our fishing. Joe

thanks anyway ken

I have no complaints with my okuma at all!!

that gives me a idea rich. maybe I'll put a lip on one of my crawfish patterns. I'll bet that would be neat. I'll paint it to match the rest of the fly. I'll get some made up and post a few pics when they are done Joe

I put a lip on a foam hopper and it seems to work pretty well.

John, these are brand new to my fly collection and I have not had a chance to cast them yet. I dont think it will interfer with casting but I dont know from expierience Joe

rich, they sink very slowly. if you pull on them hard they do wobble from side to side. but then they will turn upside down. being basically a streamer I'm having a hard time getting them tuned right. they all seem to swim a little different. I dont think they will ever run true like a real crankbait, but short quick strips with a pause then a strip seem to me to look excactly like a dying or injured minnow. I guess if you want a crankbait action it would be best to just use a crankbait I got to be careful talking about this anyway. because if this gets around I know Joseph from ONE MORE CAST is gonna really razz me and bust my stones over this idea he may even ban me from his shop I can hear it already! for what its worth, I thought I would give it a try. I like toying around with new ideas at the vise. I have a pretty good imagination. Joe

I have both breathable and neo's by hodgemen. I have not had any issues with them either, they have performed flawlessly for me as well. I would buy them again if I had to. I would love to have the top of the line breathables from SIMMS. but at around $700 I could buy alot of gear for that kind of money! Joe

Bill, didnt get the loomis yet. I may get the 5"matrix reel first because I did get a new 15' browning float rod so I need another reel first. Ken, I got 50 yards of 20lbs dacron backing and 275 or 300 yards of mainline, I dont remember how much was on the spool but it took it all off a brand new spool. the capacity of line has no effect on the performance of the reel at all. the only way it might is if you cast with the line coming off the side of the spool. but I dont, I swing the rod and then pull the line straight off the spool to get it in motion. that cast seems to work the best for me. I have tangerine suffix in 10lbs for a main line. the tangerine for whatever reason is supposed to not absorb water making it more boyant. I also treat the line with a flyline dressing to help it float. but from what I'm told it is only the tangerine that floats. the best line according to the pro pinners is siglon F. dont see it around here at all, so I went with the suffix for now. when I get the matrix 5" I will find some siglon F and see if it is what everyone says it is. by the way ken, get you get the raven matrix 5" through gats?? I'm in the market for one real soon. Joe

the warm weather cant get here soon enough!! Joe

Jim, I need a bigger tub!!! Rob, the lips are made just for this purpose. I got them at cabelas in hammond. I threw away the original packaging and cant remember the name of it. but they are a tear drop shaped piece of plastic with a little hole in it to get the hook through. I dont think they would work well with the hook up, streamers unless weighted like a clouser minnow ride hook down anyway. I think it would be trying to turn over from the weight of the hook. they also dont give the classic "wobble" of a crankbait. maybe if I work on them a little more and try to "tune" them I'll be able to get that action. from what I can see in the official test tub, they have more of a darting action that looks just like dying minnows I have seen in minnow tanks. I do like it and cant wait to try them out. Joe

and you are right, its big with great lakes tribs fisherman but outside of that most guys dont know what they are. its a shame because they are deadly on many other fish other than steelies

greg, as a rule no. most reels have fixed reel seats. there are a few reels that can pivot at the reel seat but they are around $600 plus for those reels and other than on the internet I've never seen one

if you notice in the 4th pic, there is a gap in between the frame and spool. the purpose of this is so the line can come off the spool like it does on a spinning reel only sideways rather than off the front . one method of casting a pin is to swing the rod with your casting arm and with your other hand, use it as a guide as the line comes off the spool sideways it sounds confusing and it does take some practice. I usually start my cast and then pull line off the spool at the same time to start the spool in motion. this requires the right timing. remember pins are meant to be used more on moving water where not much of a cast is required, the line is slowly unwound off the reel as the currant takes your float down stream. however they can be cast if you need to. dont let this discurage you from pin fishing. it is with out a doubt the most natural and effective way to present a bait to the fish wheather it be live, flies, jigs or even plastics like gulp minnow and leeches or other plastics of that kind. I would be more than happy to show anyone how to fish with a centerpin once it warms up a little if anyone wants to meet up somewhere. I know myself, ken d and mike g have been talking about hitting the fox for smallies, walleyes and carp. maybe we can make it a outing and anyone that can make is more than welcome. I plan to flyfish and centerpin as much as I can this year. it is really all I want to do. any questions are welcome Joe

they mimic a dying minnow very well. I tested them in the official testing tank( my bathtub) . I will continue to work on them to see if I can improve them. I'll keep you all posted. Joe

I made a few flies with plastic lips like a crankbait. I posted them in the bass bugger submissions section. I tested them in the official testing tank (my bathtub) hey it works. they do have a unique action, they mimic a dying minnow. they dart back and fourth then fall slowly. I'm going to continue to try and refine them and try different thing to see what I can come up with. I guess these are the "prototypes" check them out. Joe

Here are a few flies that I've been experimenting with. These have plastic lips so they swim like crank bait.