Mark K

Why blockheads?

 

In the past, I usually uploaded the pictures from my computer direct to the ISA site without going thru a third party. But as of late, this method has been returning errors and the pictures would not upload. Scott suggested to use TinyPic, so I gave it a try. This is my first time using them. It is easy enough that I could do it in one or two tries.

One of the things i like about Flickr is that I can upload full resolution images then if I want to share them I can select what size- and they give a LOT of choices. It's also a social media site so people follow you and you follow them. Mostly a photography thing, but still pretty cool. Once in a while you get strange followers, with no images of their own, no bio and no personal pic. I block those.

Thanks Tom!

 

I don't think the mono loop would help, Mark. But if you tied this fly on a tube, it will solve that problem.

 

To minimize the tangling problem on my CF Muddler, I keep all the craft-fur on top of the hook shank and coat a small portion (about 1/4 to 1/2 close to the hook) of the craft-fur tail with UV glue and than zap it. This helps tremendous.

Thanks.

Lucky me. I was perusing the "new non-fiction" section of a local library. I found two virgin, brand spankin' new copies of....

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Bass-Flies-Fish-Them/dp/0811719987

https://www.amazon.com/Smallmouth-Fly-Fishing-Methods-Tactics-Techniques/dp/0811715590/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6A0ZEPNJYXY7X97T3WF6

I am just skimming thru them right now and I would say pretty safely if you like books like Bob Clouser's and Lefty's then you are probably going to really like both of these.

The photography alone is really great especially in the "Smallmouth" book and it's a bit of a disappointment that the size of the book is only 6"X9".

I also took out "Essential Trout Flies" by Dave Hughes.

I will give this a try. would a mono loop stop it from tangling?

Remember the 3D Hamms signs they used to have behind bars? From the land of sky blue waters.

I'll be using them next week while nymphing for trout and occasionally use them when fishing for panfish. Tim Holsclag recommends them when fishing most weighted flies for smallies.(I rarely do)

I think I am going to give it a try.

Do you use them?

I just tried one,a "Thingamabobber" for the first time, just fooling around with bluegills and crappies. Holy Cow I caught a lot more fish. Made me think, maybe I am missing more strikes than I know. No strike indicator showng but kind of a cool shot with my phone.

IMG_2535 by Mark Kasick, on Flickr

One would not think "ice spotting" would require training or equipment.

Hey Norm. Hope you are feeling well.

Kind of figured that. Wonder how many factories each reel comes out of. I have a really old SA 78M. Built really nice. But I wonder if my rod would be better balanced with a bigger reel.

Any opinions on this one for an 8wt?

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Wind-River-Fly-Reels/1307921.uts?productVariantId=3046587&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03322136&rid=20&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvabPBRD5ARIsAIwFXBksq1Xiblyf2UyXXAniLrKfga5YibauuGK7rSJaXxfjc3wkMSukRq8aAj0fEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

or other Cabelas models?

Sounds neat but I can't for the life of me figure out why they would through running into the mix?

I think it's more the fishing thrown into a race than the other way around. Trail runners are a different breed than road runners, in the same way fly fishermen are a little different than say the Bass Pro crowd.

and I can completely see the appeal especially given that it's Colorado. It's got to be cool to live there.

I am probably overthinking this since it's a probably more a fun race- more than serious. But if you are really hauling ass, it can't be easy to just stop assemble a fly rod and tie on one of those tiny flies and actually slow down enough to catch a fish take photo and measurement then go back into haul ass mode.

Kind of the way in biathlon- XC skiing and rifle shooting which sounds like a whacko combination- but when you think about it you are going from the most aerobically challenging sport that exists down to one that requires you to ohh...aim. It's really a pretty cool sport when you think about it.

Of course we all know the fish will be congenially and realize you are in a hurry.

I laughed my ass off when I saw this, it looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Had I known about it a month ago I would have done the drift less race. LOL throw good beer into the mix and how can you go wrong?

That Yellow River State Forest looks beautiful. 4 1/2 hours from me.

Run. Fish. Beer.

a sport combining trail running, fly fishing and consuming craft brews.

They made a sport just for me!

http://flyathlon.com

They have one in the Driftless. it's this weekend.

Used to see big millipedes along with gigantor crawdads going for a stroll at Waterfall Glen. Perhaps they follow giant crawdads into water.

John, I'll be glad to see you there.

I've known John a long time, he's a genuine dude and has been at this stream restoration thing a long time. When he talks about it his enthusiasm is infectious.

Doh !

Sorry

Have to go with braids for better hook sets, with or without barb, therefore less thrown hooks but this is of course theoretical and based on anecdotal evidence.

At this point I am not sure. I am increasingly unhappy with a lot of braid characteristics- stuff like looping around guides. I may go back to fireline and give that whirl again. I think it behaves a little betrter.

 

Mark, is there a reason you don't just mash down the barbs and / or take a quick file to the hooks you already use and see how they work for you? Sorry if I missed something here?

I think you may have. Check out OP again. I's about what type of line works better- fish less likely to throw hooks- braid or mono.

Last year I spooled up a spinning reel, which I use occasionally, with 10 lb mono line. I found that I could not get good hook sets with a 7 foot medium light spinning rod. The hooking results were better using a 6 1/2 foot medium spinning rod which is much stiffer. In general, I felt that I lost more fish due to poor hook sets with the mono line than I did with braid.

 

I just didn't like the mono line so I went back to Power Pro braided line. I usually tie on a fluorocarbon leader, which provides some stretch in the setup. I have not had problems with losing fish, especially with the medium light rod.

Barbless?

Thanks for the info guys. Still getting the casting thing down. Tried to email a local fly shop that my wife got me a gift certificate to for a casting lesson, they never got back to me... So I've been going at it with youtube for the time being. So far about one out of five casts are good...

Try one line weight heavier than your rod is rated for. It will load easier.

these

http://www.booglebug.com

this.

I fly fish barbless exclusively and I honestly don't sense any difference in lost fish rates. That being said most fly line has a fair amount of stretch and it's possible the shock absorption might help when fish lunge and jump. I'm guessing keeping a tight line is important to keeping fish on the line, barbless or not.

 

Had a trip with my Dad a couple of weeks ago. He fishes 6 lb Trilene XL and small baits. We were floating the Upper Miss for big smallies and he kept missing bass throughout the morning. I finally convinced him to switchover to my rod, which had 10 lb super line and his hookup ratio improved greatly. My feeling is the lack of stretch in the line helped compensate for his hook setting efforts.

 

Good to see boys getting out fishing!

I can believe that with a fly rod. not only is there more stretch but you have an additional 2-3 feet of (more) flexible rod. We fish pretty frequently, usually ponds.

Yes the braids are definitely easier to set a hook.

So I switched back to mono after about oh...15 or 20 years of nothing but braids and fused lines. This was for my recent trip to Sylvania, reasons being I feel that braid is too unforgiving stretch wise and it makes it easier for the fish to throw the hook. I always felt it was easier to "slingshot" a stuck jig out of the rocks with braid than mono if that illustrates it.

So the jury is still out. I think by the end of the trip after I had finally got my hooks down the mono was significantly better and pretty much lost none. We fished wacky rigged Senko type baits on the wacky jig heads with fine wire weed gaurds. Get this, I almost positive that the weedgaurd helps hold the fish on. i should have photoed this but it keeps the hook from flopping around by acting like sort of a spring.

But back on to the line- the adjustment to go from braid to mono hookset wise was very significant. I only got used to it after loosing a lot of fish. By comparison, you REALLY have to drill the fish to pin 'em. The kids never really got the hang of it.

I also may have made the mistake of setting them up with too light of line 6lb vs 8lb. I figured it would cast better and it did. My rod had 8lb Suffix Elite-clear. They had Trilene XL- clear green. Theirs felt much more supple- don't know if it was the gauge or the brand but I would not buy that one again for a spinning reel. Actually I thought the 6lb stuff casted and behaved really, really well. It's a pleasure to use.

I also fished the first day on Helen Lake which is not so clear as some of the other Lakes, its eutrophic and that first day I used my lefty bait caster with 12lb XT and a St Croix Legend Tournament 6'8 rod- a really nice stick.

I'll probably get nicer reel for that one scale it down to 10lb (maybe fluorocarbon?) mono and that would be the one go-to rod I take up there.

It would be kind of nice to get the barbless thing down. I would switch to it 100%, fish get way tore up less and hell of a lot less worry about getting yourself;f hooked.

Any opinions would be appreciated.

LOL. It's Illinois, you might get have to buy a sticker for your waders too.