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Rob Knisely

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Everything posted by Rob Knisely

  1. That's a pretty old hook so it may be tough to find those outside of private sellers. Perhaps the Mustad Signature C70 or the Tiemco 8089 is a viable substitute?
  2. Very Nice! Is that chamois material on the back? Dye your own or where'd you get it? As for eyes... if the fish don't notice a big piece of metal sticking out of the head (or the butt on nymphs), it's unlikely they'll disregard a crayfish (or nymph) for not displaying the minuscule eyes. :bugeyes: (Minnow imitations are probably a different story).
  3. Wow, lots of varying opinions on this one... I would read that as, it definitely depends on your needs and skills. For me, the 1 man pontoon is the best all around for maneuverability, stability, ease of transport, comfort, stowing gear (for overnighters or long-day floats), esp bigger rivers, ponds, and lakes. However, the kayak excels in low-water conditions, and that only for streams. With a pontoon, if the water is low, you'll either have to get out and drag it (which you sometimes have to do anyway with kayaks), or in 'slightly' shallow runs let the rocks spin you around one way, then other. Sometimes you have to drag with a kayak, which is never much fun (really just a minor inconvenience), but spinning willy-nilly in a pontoon (NO danger of flipping) through a short run is actually pretty fun! :jumpy: I've been all day in both... pontoon is like sitting in a recliner all day (as long as the fit is right); kayak = sore back, sometimes legs. The sit-on-top kayak is a lot more functional for the average day-tripper as far as kayaks go. Another minor advantage of the pontoon is sitting a tad higher off the water which gives increased visibility for sight fishing, even with polarized glasses. I was shocked at the difference the first time I use a kayak. I would suggest borrowing some buddies' different crafts before making a decision, just so you know what works best for you. Also check reviews and look for features that cater to the kind of fishing you do. No two pontoons or kayaks are the same, and what's good for one person may be awful for someone else. For example, if speed is a factor (large lake, have to get a quarter mile over right now, etc), either a kayak or the pontoon with trolling motor or very small outboard mounted. (In the case of the latter, some states require you to register your boat if used with a motor). PS- "Yea them pontoons have no such control" I have to disagree strongly here. If you wear fins with your pontoon, a proper kick will spin you 180 degrees right now. Put the rod in your lap and the oars can do the same. You can rig the craft to stow the oars out of the way but with quick access. Wind blowing you downshore? Pontoon, just kick to slow the progress or work against the wind... kayak, let the wind blow you down and sideways (or sometimes backwards), then drop everything, paddle backwards or in a big circle to get where you wanted to still be to begin with.
  4. Hee hee! Had the same trouble when I took up barbless hooks. It's all in the fight... know when to high stick, side stick, give slack, tighten up, know when to fold'em, know when to walk away... definitely puts you into that often over-looked aspect of our sport of actually fighting the fish! My buddy agrees that hooking a smallie with 6 barbed hooks on his spinning rod crankbait feels a lot less sporting than on a barbless fly attached to a fly rod. Just gotta learn to play the fish, my friend. Not-so-unfortunately, that means you have to hook a lot of fish! Kinda funny, but I noticed my buddy (THE trout guy) was great at fighting fish (used all the tactics from the books, barely ever lost a fish, etc.). So unknown to him I started tying all his flies on barbless hooks... his landing rate WAY up (20+ days to 40+ days). Less time unhooking/reviving a fish, I figure. He just had a knack for keepin 'em on.
  5. Simpler than it seems... Before you tie it in: Grab the peacock herl by the butt end in one hand, the tip in the other. Give a good yank and it will break at the weakest point... this is your starting tie-in point for the feather. Then, tie it (whether one or four herls are used) starting with a "fairly" loose thread wrap, another almost loose wrap in front of the first, then a tight one for the third thread wrap. Gives a bit of a "cushion" for the fragile stem. If you start off tightly cinching the herl to the shank you will cut into the stem, then pulling it to the side to wrap pretty much rips it. Needs a little give that gradually gets tighter. I see why this works in my head but it's hard to explain. Perhaps distribution of force in gradually decreasing degrees? Finally, BE GENTLE! For added durability on an non-reinforced body you can lay down a coat of cement just before wrapping the herl on. Wrap the herl almost to the breaking point. And pay attention to the little details, like how the stem flattens around the shank and how the fibers stick out in a certain direction, front or back of the stem, as you wrap.
  6. Always an interesting discussion about glue, gentlemen! Back to the original point... super glues will harden over time, whether in the open air, in a plastic container (shelf life), or exposure to air. If the super glue you buy is gelled or hardening, the store has had it quite a while. The longer the cap is off when you are using the glue, the quicker it will harden. I'm certainly no chemist but I suspect it's the evaporation of base liquid (ethyl? :dunno: ). So... I suggest another source for "fresher" ethyl cyanoacrylite and minimize the air exposure (get the cap back on quick) for the best results. In other words... get it from a different store and check for dust. FWIW, I use Loctite super glue when needed. As for the no glue/lots-o-glue camp... It's true you don't need glue to hold a simple fly together if the thread, your tying, and the knots are sound. However, using glues simply lets you do a bit more, and in some cases makes a nicer finished product if you're fishing for fishers; depends on what you want to achieve. There are many types and each has its own purpose/properties, and these really just allow us to expand the possibilities of our patterns while maintaining durability (no fun spending all the effort to catch one fish on each fly before it falls apart). Certain cements react differently to different materials, especially synthetics. To this point, look to Dave Whitlock- definitely an expert here, uses different glues, each to its own use. I wouldn't dare tell him he's been wrong all these years. Then, to make matters worse... there are several companies manufacturing super glues, waterproof glues, head cements, etc. Each company's product is not equal, and the stores that stock them have varied schedules of rotation (shelf life), so you pretty much have to experiment and go with what works. I've used plain lacquer thinned with lacquer thinner for more than 12 years with consistent, good results. I've also had many people tell me they tried it and it doesn't work (clouds up in water, doesn't hold, etc.). I still use the lacquer, and my customers, I, and plenty of fish are more than pleased. Carrie Stevens used lacquer on her wonderful streamers and there are a (sadly few) number of originals still around that look pretty darn good! In other words, as Hans would say, your mileage may vary. Really, you can limit yourself all you want- your choice. Most folks who come up with great patterns have experimented with all the variables and spent a lot of time... I'd go with what they say... just my .02 unless you like startin from scratch. Like I tell all my tying class students- intimately know your tools, your materials, and use that information to your tying/fishing advantage... and always look for new information to benefit your goal despite the source, beginner or expert- everyone has ideas, and we all benefit by sharing and trying. P.S. I love the look on mom's face when I tell her junior can use Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails!!!
  7. hm... excellent point, Kirk. I was thinking deer hair bugs, and two strands for that. For the standard foam spider or bonefish bitters I use the 'fold-over-thread' method. As far as poppers go, for my own I rarely use rubber legs at all, but I add them to my friends' and customers' if that's what they want. Of course with foam poppers it's the needle trick pre-epoxy. But what got me thinking is "four strands." So... four strands of rubber on each side? Really? Foam spiders and bitters, sure, but poppers? Okay, I use none, rarely up to two on a deer hair popper. Maybe I'm inside my bubble again (as my wife likes to say), but I didn't realize folks were putting so many strands on now-a-days. Is this the new trend (forgive my ignorance), and does it really make that much difference to have more rubber legs? I could see perhaps at times it would. My hang up with them for my own personal popper flies is that the rubber just breaks off or deteriorates long before the popper is no good, and I've not seen any difference in catch rates without. Okay, 'nuff ramblin outta me! Just thinkin out loud.
  8. Simple overhand knot directly on the hook shank... drape the strands over the top of the shank, tie the knot below the hook, hold the strands tight so the knot "works through" the rubber. I think sometimes we try to make things more difficult than they need to be.
  9. Or you can just lash successive clumps of the craft fur along the shank prior to trimming... this allows for some great creativity and interesting effects, such as in this Crocodile Newt. The entire body is made from 2 diff colors of embroidery floss but the same effect can be achieved with craft fur, deer hair, etc. Here is the tutorial for the technique with embroidery floss: http://www.invictaflies.us/Articles/clipped%20thread.htm
  10. Invicta. Works for most fish, plenty of variety available, classic with some history, colorful, and fun to tie.
  11. I'll second that, but I believe the title is "Tying Flies With CDC" Also Hans had a great article on CDC at FlyFisherman.com, don't know if it's still there though
  12. I was milling about Michael's and happened on "Craft Cord" or some name like that near the yarns. A few colors mostly fused to the core, but will still slide over the hook. The silver version of this, however, was exactly as sold in fly shops, with the cotton core and mylar silver braid. It's about small size, and something like 25 yards for $3! Saw the holo in bulk somewhere, but now can't find it... maybe JannsNetcraft.com?
  13. Yeah, I'll take one o' those, and... uh... supersize it. And,uh, can I gettaaaaa... large Coke? light on the ice, heavy on the Coke? Do you guys take debit cards? Kin I git a free sample of McNuggets? Woops, lil low on cash. :cry: How much for just one fry?
  14. :hyst: :clapping: He called the Big Daddy "donkey!" I wouldn't say that to his face unless he was holding that cute little kid o' his! Brave soul. Love the green/yellow and the black/yellow! Gonna hafta tie some of those myself! Nice job!
  15. I DO! I do like that Head Stand! :yahoo: Nice job on the video, too!
  16. Okay, so if you're if you're in a classic mood and interested in streamer history... that is, you have the itch to tie some streamers, you love fly-tying history, you wanna tie some classics, lookin for patterns, you wanna cruise the internet for any info on Carrie Stevens you've not seen before (or refresh your memory on what you've read previously)... do NOT type Carrie Stevens into Google! they give you Google Images for Carrie Stevens, and, well... THAT'S not what I had pictured in my head!!! :eek: Unless you're single and lonely, and whatever :whistle: , of course! I'm just sayin... PS...
  17. One of the nicest smallies I ever caught was on the good ol' BH Prince Nymph, size 10 or 12. You'll end up picking up a bunch of bream, but all sizes of fish grab it. I strip it in slow through the calmer pools of warmwater creeks.
  18. Use a "tiers grade" or mid-range rooster saddle. Basically dry fly hackle, but not the high-end whiting or hoffman. tie it in so that when you start to wrap, the first hackle barbs are on the far side of the hook, and take exactly 1 and a half turns. Tie off clip. The whip finish know should flare the hackle back.
  19. The use for 5-min epoxy is very limited to most fly-tying. Best uses would be for Poxyback nymphs. A quick thin coat all over the wingcase, then a drop on top of that to bubble up. 4-6 flies per shot. Devcon 2-ton has a 30-min set-up time, and is what I use for most applications, especially for coating foam poppers. It's thin enough to ensure a uniform coat if the fly is on a rotary, and can be heated (when doing a couple flies at a time) to eliminate bubbles. Heating the epoxy does speed up the set-time. The Copper John ideally uses 15-min epoxy, but that's hard to come by. When I tie these, I usually mix up the 2-ton epoxy and wait a few minutes before applying. That's just to give it the "right" bubble effect on about 6 flies.
  20. Hey BDH, get that new high chair set up? rofl Pelhament... actually, I have been trying for 5 years to get that off the web. When I stop selling commercial, I wanted it shut down. Trellix never did, and have since plastered it with those annoying ads. grrr :wallbash: I still get orders off there and I haven't had a license to sell for 5 years! So I continue to refund money... don't know what more to do. The plus side is there was still an online photo of that fly to show the Hubster. BELIEVE me... the shop potion of my website did not look like that back in the day! I programmed most of that by hand in html (have a programming degree), and after I told them to strike it from the server, they responded by injecting random ads in all the frames. Never, EVER use Trellix or Tripod! The Furry Frog is actually not so big. Body ends up about 3/4 inch. I've had good results with it, and had several repeat customers for it (back in the day )
  21. :hyst: Y'all are funny! Slap whatever on a hook to catch your fish of choice. Tying for the art of it? Gather the stuff and do the research, have a ball. Traditional, classic? In my family, we have traditions started by my grandparents, and those started by me. There are patterns that new tiers tie (the term used is standard) that I'd say for our generation of tiers would be considered traditional or classic patterns. Traditional is: 1 a : an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) b : a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable 2 : the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction 3 : cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions 4 : characteristic manner, method, or style <in the best liberal tradition I couldn't argue with anyone who said the wooly bugger or prince nymph or hare's ear was a classic pattern. Years from now you'll hear folks regarding certain patterns as a classic foam fly. Perhaps simply a matter of personal interpretation of semantics.
  22. Cumberland has been off all year, and fishing is mostly float. Have to time it right cause if the lake is up they're blowing out the river (=very few caught fish). Will prob be the same in the spring. The Smokies is always nice, but the stocked streams in town produce too. I'd stick with standard beadheads with a midge dropper in town. High water in the spring Smokies calls for czech nymphing with a wet fly or non-BH nymph trailer.
  23. Squirrel tails, bucktails, feathers still on the skin: wash thoroughly in Joy, scrape as much of the meat and fat off the skin as possible with a dull knife, pat skin side dry and use a hair dryer to mostly dry the fur and feathers, then put skin side down in a flat container on top of some Borax, add some more on top and work into the fur. Turn over and cover completely after 3-4 days. Should be preserved after 1.5-2 weeks. Keep an eye on the pieces though... too long and the tips of the fur will burn and you'll lose the natural taper or have raggedy feathers. Plain feathers: wash in a mild soap solution (Joy again). You can let these air dry on paper towels or for prime results use a hair dryer. This procedure kills/gets rid of most of creepies. Once dry, store in zip-loc bags to keep new bugs out. KY has the best red fox squirrel anywhere, maybe gray too, and some very good bucktail. Course there's a bajillion turkeys, so be careful on accepting turkey feathers or you'll end up with pounds of them like I did! :crazy:
  24. Man, what a beautiful skin! and for $5 ! Looking at skins like that the possibilities just swirl. Nice shopping! and thanx for posting the pics... well done
  25. Here are a couple... jig-like you can run through the rocks: and a firetiger half-n-half
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