Mark K

I bought bait from there. It's in Naples or Ft Meyers, one of the two. Gotta admit. If it was named Bubba's Bait and Tackle, I would not have remembered it.

They had an entire section of jerkbaits. Bet you could really spank 'em with a few of those.

Mark,

Are those Korker wade shoes you're wearing?

No. That picture is something like 1996 or 97 long before I had them. Probably have a pair of Nike's full of those tiny pointy snail shells.

I still have and use my Korkers. They are awesome.

Oddly enough I can't remember exactly how high the bridge is. This is the only picture I have with it in the background. I don't think you can touch the girders even with a 7 foot rod. Or a ten foot pole...Stretch Polanski was his name if I recollect... Nevermind.

Hey dude! The 90's called, they want their hair back!

In any case. Thats one hell of a lot of ice.

hmmmm...

nobody ice fishing this spot

HA!

Many a time I stood under that bridge on a warm summer evening casting topwater for smallies. There would be ten feet of ice over my head now!

I55 bridge in the background.

A few points:

If you are getting line twist the bait is probably not rigged perfectly straight. If the bait bobs to the surface a lot, it's probably not rigged straight. The bait should do an erratic underwater walk the dog.

IMHO weighting the bait kills the action. You can get away with a very slight weight 1/32 or less. It should be somewhere in the center of the bait not in the nose. I have seen nothing commercial that works. They are all too heavy.

People use lots of weight with these and use them as a jig trailer, and catch fish. But to simulate the dying baitfish, the best action and most hits come with the slow fall and the erratic action. i think it's the most fun way to fish too.

Braided line floats and points the nose of the bait up. It will certainly catch fish. But you get less twist and better action with that thing staying under water.

Flukes work MUCH better with a 20lb flouro leader. Not to mention, the braided section sticks out like a sore thumb in clear water in comparison to the flouro.

Flukes are cheap. If it gets torn up put a new one on. You want it to slip out of the way, for a better hookset.

Flouro Leader, 3/0 EWG rigged perfectly straight on the seam. Strive for the underwater walk the dog. Superflukes are one of the best baits ever made. Damn near perfect.

I am having a hard time visualizing how one would hook a Fluke using that hook. It's difficult enough to hook a fluke perfectly straight so it swims right and does not twist line.

I've experemented with the keeper hooks but I still think a regular 3/0 or 4/0 EWG works best.

I used the Horny Toad Hook, made by Zoom this summer. It worked great!

This summer I'm going to ditch the baitcaster and use my 8wt, and a Dave's swimming frog instead.

Kevin, I couldn't agree more. We as members were well served and anything other than thanks for that service I don't comprehend. A lesson learned I hope - That and a few individuals do not speak for the organization.

John, I have to politely disagaree.

I don't think any lessons were learned. The reallity of the matter is those individuals got what they wanted. They became enough of enough of a pain in the ass, that they drove away a very valuable member, for no good reason at all. The real losers in this matter are the guys that were active and happy with the way things were going.

While we all will remain customers and probably sit at the table again, a great partnership was destroyed. Together you guys put together some wonderful things. I rarely make outtings and that sort of thing, but between the casting clinics and tying events, my skills doubled. I was actually excited about attending. Rare for me.

It's sad that it had to come to end. i'm sure it will eventually come out who those individuals were, speaking for myself, I have ZERO respect for them.

There is no happy ending to this.

Someone pointed this site out to me on these message boards. It is truly awesome:

http://www.flyfishohio.com/index.htm

To that person I say Thank you!

Under the Fly box Porn section there is an article by Bob Petti:

http://www.flyfishohio.com/Fly_Box_Porn_Bob_Petti.htm

It caught my eye, because two of the flies are favorites the Baby Deceivers.

Most of the flies, to me don't look like the type of thing to attract a monster bass...But they look natural, cool and pretty easy to cast. This is my favorite line write up for a fly, the Matuka Brookie:

. I tied this fly not because I think juvenile brook trout are bass food, but because I just thought it would look cool. And it might hook a fish.

That dude makes fly tying and fishing sound fun.

Patagonia Double Haul. Used once or twice. It has a small clear stain on the mesh in front. Hardly noticable. Other tahn that it's darn near new. The rear compartment will hold a hydration bladder. They sell for 98 bucks. Looking to get $50. I'll pay shipping or we can meet in the Chicagoland Area.

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/pr...EL_GEAR.FISHING

sold

Joseph Meyer asked to be removed from the ISA and we granted his request. He will be sorely missed.

Maybe on the boards. My tying and casting has improved vastly because of Joseph. I'll still be a loyal customer.

After following the instructions in B.C's book to the letter, I was pretty impressed with myself with the results, visually. I fished it for about 30 minutes up in Wisconsin did not catch squat. Tied on a Clouser Sculpin immediatley caught a a really nice smallie, actually a real nice smallie. I caught it in an eddy, a picture perfect one. I'm guessing the swimming nymph was just the wrong fly for the situation. I'm beginning to think the Clouser minnow or anything similar is really bread and butter for the smallmouth angler, kind of like a Rapala minnow and a jig in one.

What really struck me about the swimming nymph is that it was so radicallly different from the other flies in his book, many of which were just variations of the minnow. Since I've taken flyfishing seriously everthing Bob Clouser has put his name on has been positive. So in my book if he designed it I'm giving it another go.

Harry Murray has a good video about fishing flies like the swimming nymph. Bouncing them accross rifly bottoms. It's a very "home made" video, totally void of "big fish", which to me tells me it's not B.S. The scenery and structure totally remind me of he Kank and area 7.

If you are interested in fishing that fly I think you should check it out.

BTW. your fly looks kick ass. The fish you threw it to have no sense of taste.

I tend to switch colors every fifteen minutes until I get some action. If the action stops, I change again and usually I can pick up a couple more on a different color. If changing colors fails to draw any strikes I'll drop a fly size and start the process over. I let the fish tell me what they want. Listen to the fish, don't dictate to them. You can always catch some fish on any color but you will get more with the right one.

Though if you caught fish after changing colors, it wouldn't really prove anything since you don't really know whether or not the fish would have hit the original bait, or if he was even there in the first place.

Rarely is there anything scientific about fishing.

Echoing MT's sentiments with regard to the fly being in the water. Changing flies every 15 minutes maybe fine for a guy that fishes all day, but I can't remember the last time that happened.

Happy Holidays all!

In the water I fish, you would most likely be hung up as soon as the sinker hit bottom. Thats why most succesful catfisherman drift floats. If you are hell bent on doing it I would use a sandbag, or pencil sinker like they do for steelhead. You could also just do the split shot thing or better yet one of those mojo type sinkers That will really slide thru the rocks. I've done it but....

A. At least consider this. while it has little, if any impact, being flippant about leaving lead in the river is not cool in my book, considering all the changes industry and other sportsman, like hunters have made. Everyone should do their part. You're going to lose a jig every now and again, thats part of the deal, but I think we should do everything we can to prevent leaving rigs in the water.

You will also not have direct contact with the bait, so in summer the probability of gut hooking would probably increase.

B. It wasn't anymore productive then pitching out a big black grub on a heavy weighted keeperhook and cranking it in.

C. Matt Straw gave a seminar where he was talking about using a float with plastic (personally I would ditch the plastic and find something crawling under a rock). You'll cover water faster, with less headaches. and never gut hook a fish.

once you get over the stigma of fishing with a bobber, it a lot of fun.

As a fisherman I believe that black works as well as anything else, 99% of the time clear or dirty.

As a flytier thats a boring attitude. Those are some nice looking buggers. Weighted in addition to the beadhead?

Check out www.flyfishohio.com. This site is Joe Cornwall's site, past TOSA VP and newsletter editor.

 

Joe is a warmwater fly angler & writer with a special love for the smallmouth bass

 

 

Maybe there is something there to add to your tying program.

Rick,

i looked this site over in more detail. It is indeed fine. Thanks for the heads up.

Mark

Pamela Anderson has been violated by too many creepy rock stars like Tommy Lee. That spinner might put the fish off.

Check out www.flyfishohio.com. This site is Joe Cornwall's site, past TOSA VP and newsletter editor.

 

Joe is a warmwater fly angler & writer with a special love for the smallmouth bass

 

 

Maybe there is something there to add to your tying program.

Very Cool. Thanks.

Let's see some more patterns!

I saw this in the July August '07 issue of Fly Fish America, PG 58. The originator is Al and Gretchen Beatty. I'm not sure why, I'm attracted to this fly. Probablly the same reason I thought Lucille Ball was hot, at least when she was young. Ever see her in an episode of the Three Stooges, when she was probably in her 20's? Is that a wading stick in your pocket Ricky...or are you just happy to see me?

Ohh ahhh where was I...The fly Oh yeah..Here goes>>>

I don't want to plagerize the guys work, just find a copy of the magazine. Basically it's red thread, white and brown bucktail, gold crystal flash and peacock herl. when you bind them on leave the butt ends long so you can taper the head later. Wrap the head with thread and paint it with red nail polish. I used a #4 3366. Then hit it with Sally Hansens.

He tied it much more sparse, which usually make for better fishing. I've got both going, this one is tied with more bucktail.

in the bathtub both look good. This one has some nice glide to it, even though it's too bushy. He has you staking the the bucktail, I dont think I will do tha anymore. I like the tapered Clouser look.

I'm not sure but I think I have seen saltawter flies tied this way. Maybe Tarpon flies.

FYI---

Great price on the Shimano Calcutta 50.

A GREAT reel!

I've had 'em for several years and love it.

Great for light line fishing, when fitted on a light action rod.

 

Also, well suited for 10-30lb superbraid lines.

 

Great for ice fishing---verticle jigging and live bait rigging for walleye, pike, and trout.

 

Great reel for ice fishing, employing the "dead-stick" method.

I nominate the Calcutta as hands down the best reel baitcaster ever made. It's a work of art inside and out.

I have 2. The only bad part of owning one is that they are such a thing of beauty, it is heart breaking to get even a single scratch much less mangled like mine are. My gold one took a major beating on a float trip. I damn near cried when I saw it.

Shimano's been making the Calcutta for how long now? The design stands. Like The Abu Garcia reels. The venerable old Cardinals. Daiwa SS.

It calls to mind the the old Nikon workhorse cameras. The FM series. The design hasn't changed in several decades. In Desert Storm I, the photgraphers relied on the old FMs to withstand the harsh Desert conditions when the $1800 F4s puked out.

In this day few designs stand.

You might consider putting it on E-bay with a reserve or additionally listing it it on Craig's List.

The assertion about dams in general stopping invasives is an interesting one that has been raised here before. I guess if you could show that the effects of a dam were less than the effects of exotics, you might have a reason to keep a dam in place.

Wow. That is a seriously depressing thought.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Pardon the pun.

HA!

Happy Thanksgiving. Everyone go eat a whole pumpkin pie. i say it's okay.

We drove out to Jasper Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area in Indiana yesterday to view the Sandhill Crane Migration. It is quite a spectacle to see some many. There were thousands and the just kept comming. Here is a lame little video I took and put on You Tube. There is probably some better ones already on there.

The video doesn't do the sight justice. The cranes have a huge with a 7 foot wingspan and seeing so many in place is just incredible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOfBLO68KoU

Here is an article from Chicago Wilderness Magazine:

http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/fal...perpulaski.html

The Indiana DNR's page on Jasper Pulaski:

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/publications/jasper.htm

Let me add 10 inch Power Worms. I was using them at least 10 years ago on LM Bass. 10 inch worm, 10 inch bass. With Smallmouth Bass I would expect 10 inch worm, 8 inch bass. But, at times, true to the theory, the big meal attracted a big fish. I can't imagine no one has tried them on SM Bass.

 

Now that I have converted to fly fishing, my 10" Power Worms are excess baggage. pMail me if you want some at a reasonable price.

I fished 10 inch worms in a local FP quarrie. Yep caught plenty of 10 inch fish. Also caught some nice ones. The advantage of the 10 inch worm is that you can use it with a very heavy weight in very, very heavy cover, with a huge 4/0 hook. To me the bulky package worked better. And I don't think bass are mistaking it for a snake. I think they are just tuned into some movement and it imitatting something alive.

Ever catch a water snake and have him take a crap on you? It is some foul smelling stuff and I would hate to get a mouth full if I was a predator. It has to be a defense mechanism. I moved a big Fox Snake that was sunning itself right in the middle of the bike trail that I ride. Man it was pissed off and unloaded on my bike gloves, I had to toss them. S.O.B ingrate.

That quarrie is loaded with water snakes. I've never seen one get eaten and the never seem to be in a hurry even when they are going thru lily pads in very bassy water. I have my doubts about all these odd ball baits. They do seem like the the type of thing that lure collectors will covet and pay crazy amounts of money for on E-bay.