Steve Root

Bruce,

the first Dahlbergs I tied, I followed the pattern and used hackle feathers...loved the diving/plopping action, but hated the tail...was told to used a zonker strip and , just as Steve says, leave it long to catch the down force of the deer head.....love the Dahlberg's "dancing" effect with the zonker stip

 

 

 

Steve, I do occassionally use head cement to toughen the head, but I also leave them alone to allow them to take on more and more water.....Some of the best fish I have taken on Dahlberg's have been on saturated flies that were just barely surfacing...a much more subtle presentation, but highly effective, especially when the fish are really lazy due to higher water temps and low O2. Sometimes, the more subtle the presentation, the greater the results....

 

This is not a showcase fly by any means, was just adding things to the database to expand it for our beginners...but thanks for the comments fellas!

Thanks! The reason I ask, I use some head cement on the bottom of the fly but leave the rest of it alone. I know it will eventually get waterlogged, but what's the big deal with clipping it off and tying on a "fresh" one? I'm convinced I get more hookups with a deer hair bug that is setting down in the water, than I do with a cork, plastic, or foam bug that sits on the surface film. I think the Bass is pushing a "bow wave" in front of him as he attacks the bug. I've seen Bass push the bug right out of the way and miss it entirely. That doesn't happen to me with a deer hair bug.

Two more days and then Bass season opens in Minnesota! I can hardly type, I have the shakes so bad.

Ya gotta love those bass bugs, fur strips can really change up the action, nice tie

Just don't trim the rabbit hair strip too short or you lose the action. There is turbulence coming off the head of a Dahlberg Diver but the commotion happens a ways behind. If the tail is too short is doesn't move around as much.

Nice job of packing BDH, beautiful work. Do you use flexament or head cement on the body ?

Amazing job, I never would have believed you could make such a realistic looking frog out of foam!

I'd never use it up here, however. We have too many small Northern Pike. They will happily smack a topwater, slice your leader in a fraction of a second, and disappear with your carefully crafted fly in a heart beat. I've resolved to use nothing but simple patterns that are easy to tie mainly so I don't feel as bad when I lose one.

Thanks for sharing!

Steve

Steve- what method do you use to make your leaders? Do you use a jig (board with dowels)?

 

Thanks.

Yes, I have an 8 foot long piece of 1 X 4 with wooden dowels mounted on it. I have mounting holes in different positions depending on what type of leader I want to make.

I made up a couple of leaders made from monoflilament embroydery thread. This material is about .005 inch diameter and sells in the local sewing department for $1.69/300 yards. At that rate, the leaders are basically free. These leaders are 4 1/2 foot long and small, as I was using them on my 3 weight for some trout fishing. Most Minnesota 'trout streams" are narrow muddy ditches that contain no fish.....but the leaders worked quite well. It was a pleasure to accurately place a small dry up against the bank, roll cast it up under a tree, or stretch it out to the far side of a pool.

But enough of that, in two weeks the season opens up here for Bass and it will be time to get out the 8 weight. The furled leaders I make for Bass fishing are 7 1/2 foot long and made from 2# test Berkley Trielene XL. I don't have any trouble picking up crud and they do a great job of turning over my biggest bugs....Dahlberg Divers tied on 2/0 hooks. I use Schorb loops on each end and typically use 10 or 12 pound test tippet.

One thing that hasn't been discussed yet is the matter of stretch. These leaders do have a little bit of give in them if you pull hard enough. I haven't noticed any problem with hook sets (sharpen your hooks!) but rather I think you have a little bit of insurance when you have a good fish on a short leash close to the boat.

Has anyone got any good info on making furled leaders?

 

What sort of materials and size specifications would youy suggest for casting big bass flies?

For Bass leaders I use 4 pound test Trilene. The furled leaders I make end up being about 7 1/2 feet long. What kind of specs are you looking for?

Bass season doesn't open in Minnesota until the end of May. You guys are killing me

Rootski

I've been making and using my own furled leaders fro a few years now. They do a nice job of turning over big deer hair bugs, they don't have any memory, and they hold up for a long time. I found the information on making them on the Internet. Another option is to purchase the DVD done by a lady called Kathy Scott.

If you want to test drive one of these leaders send me a PM with your address and I'll send you one of mine.