robow7

Gentlemen, is there anyone that uses or has lying around, a Daiichi 2461 aberdeen hook in sizes 4,2, and/or 1 ? I'm trying to find what the length of these hooks are and gap if possible. I'm looking at tying up some smallie streamers and was told this might be a less expensive alternative to some other premium hooks out there. As always, thank you for your time and input.

Does anyone out there possibly own a TFO BVK 9' 6 wt. rod? and better yet does anyone own both this rod and the 5 wt rod of the same series? I built up a BVK 9' 5 wt rod and really enjoy it and was thinking of ordering the 6 wt. blank but was curious if the rod is only slightly more powerful and rigid or is it a really big step heavier (very subjective I know) ? You can never tell in any given series of rods, as the difference in weights can be subtle or dramatic. Anyway, if you have any info you can share with me, that would be great because I have no way presently of handling the 6 wt. blank or rod. It would be used for river smallmouth fishing and wondered if it loaded well with a bass taper 7 wt. line. As always, thank you for your input.

This brim bug, known by other names as well, tied on a size 12 2xl will allow me to fish for any panfish and most spring creek trout, but boy would I hate to have to chase smallies with the thing, which is my passion. Can we have two flies, please, pretty please ? ss by robow 77

People seem to be confusing powers of magnification 2x,3x, 4x etc with diopteric power of lenses, +2.00, +2.50, +3.00 etc. A 3x magnifer is not the same as +3.00 diopter reading glasses. As pointed out before, the amount of light is extremely important and as we age we require more light to see the same thing. I always tell patients to use the least amount of magnification or the least strength of reading glasses that allows you to get the job done. Generally speaking, the higher the power of the lens, the more aberration and/or distortion is built into the optical system and as Silvercreek said, the shorter the depth of focus. When you purchase over the counter readers or magnifiers, you are accepting two built in compromises, the one premise is that both eyes are the same, all too often they are not. The second premise is they use an average distance between a human's pupils in order to place optical centers of the two lenses. Look around and you will see that we all have different size faces and the pupillary distance can easily vary between 55 and 75 mm. The farther you are from the average and the higher the power of the lens, will potentially create more visual stress when looking through them for long periods of time. Brief periods of time will probably not a big deal but if you sit down and want to knock off a dozen Kelly Galloup articulated streamers at one time, it can become troublesome for the visual system.

I fish mostly smallies and some greenies as well, and I know that a favorite food source is a crayfish. I have tied some crayfish patterns that were so realistic that I wanted to pull their tail off and boil em up but yet I catch so very few fish on them. I've tried so many crayfish patterns I've lost count but yet they never out fish my favorite baitfish patterns.

I know it's difficult to see from the flies above but they are articulated with two hooks joined by wire and bead. Yes, the rear hook oscillates side to side pretty well now but was just wondering "what if". Btw, I picked up some inexpensive size 2 split rings to try out in the next day or two so we'll see if they add anything to the fly. They're a little larger than I would like but worth seeing if this even has any merit going forward. Mikechell, the split ring will go on the eye of the first hook for which a standard knot will then be tied to the ring rather than a loop knot to the eye of the first hook. I'll post back after I experiment with it.

I'm thinking about trying to attach a small split ring on the first hook of a large articulated fly to see if I can increase the swinging action much like what is on a Rapala. Currently I always tie a loop knot but not sure if I couldn't get even more oscillation from a split ring that wouldn't collapse like the loop knot might be doing. The hooks generally used are a size #4 Daiichi 2546 saltwater hook. If my tippet is 10 lb fluorocarbon mono, what would you select as the breaking strength (lbs.) of the split ring? and what brand and size would you recommend for this size hook? I want the lightest that I can use that will achieve the desired effect and be durable enough for smallies. As always, thank you for your input.

I would think the 1/2" would only work if you had zero slack in the system and your fly line didn't stretch and we know that fly line will definitely stretch.

My problem with strip setting is so often I'm stripping and ripping streamers for smallies and often they will hit after I've made a long strip and my left stripping hand is already by my hip, so I would have to reach up and grab line which leaves room for error and takes much longer than clamping down on the fly line with my right hand pointer finger and giving it a quick snap and sweep. Definitely something I could maybe try.

Btw, when people talk about setting the hook a second time, do you really give it the snap twice? I thought keeping even pressure would have been better less risky, but maybe I'm wrong here.

No, I never point the rod tip towards the fish itself, but always try and keep more or less a right angle to the fish and/or the way he is traveling. I'm talking 17-18+ inch and up smallies here. Yea, when they jump, I try to keep tension but that's not my concern, it seems they make that tear down stream (before or after the leap) where it seems I'm losing too many fish where it just seems to pull out. My hooks are barbed, and generally I tie most of my smallmouth flies with size 4 hooks. Funny thing is when I'm using an articulated pattern of two size 4 hooks, I don't get the pull offs as much. I'm afraid too often I keep too much tension on my line with my pointer finger of my right (rod) hand when he makes those runs, would it be better to allow the line to slide more easily under my finger in effect trying to create drag? My friend recommended getting the fish on the reel as quickly as possible but if I've stripped in a lot of line before the strike, that's not an easy thing to do while concentrating on the fish, though he uses a reel which really spools freely and he just slaps at the reel rim to take the line up quickly, not using the actual handle. Btw, I definitely feel I lose more fish with longer shanked hooks, whether it's a leverage thing or not as some have claimed, I don't know. Also, I fish big largemouth and sorry, it's not the same game as a 18+" river smallie, the bucket mouths roll over and wave the white flag much more quickly.

Maybe a simple question to some but how do you like to land a hard charging sizable smallmouth bass when they make those power runs? Do you take up your slack line and try to get him on the reel? or do you concentrate on other aspects such line control with your left hand (assuming you're right handed). The reason I ask this is that I seem to lose a lot of really good smallmouth after I set the hook, and after a jump and a hard run, the hook seems all too often to just come out. I know to keep my rod tip down and pulling against his general direction but maybe I should be doing something else like letting the line run thru my fingers more easily when they make run, or maybe I should try and spin my reel with my palm trying to take up slack line quickly to get it on the reel and let the drag do its thing? What say ye.

First let me state I presently own and love my Regal vise, which I have used for 20 years. What I'm looking for is a cheap knock around travel vise of similar design that will likely only get used 2 or 3 times a year. There are several cheap knock off Regal vises out there, maybe they're all from the same Chinese manufacturer and relabeled but I was wondering if someone could point to a model that they were happy enough with. I'm not expecting Regal quality, fit or finish but just similar in design and that works. As always, thank you for your input.

Al, were these 90 degree bend hooks or 60 degree bend hooks and how far below the hook did the mono extend with the bead? Yea, a photo would be great.

Do many of you ever tie your heavily weighted nymphs on the small 60 degree jig style hooks with slotted tungsten beads so as to possibly obtain a more upright or horizontal presentation and do you feel it ensures better hook ups ? Thanks for your input.

Yea, if you can afford the stainless jaws, spring for those. Otherwise, I use my standard jaws down to 18/20 without problems as I rarely have need to go smaller.

Hey guys, I need a little help here. I'm going down to Key West, FL the first week of August this year and was wondering how I can kill some time with fly rod in hand. I'm a midwestern warm water guy that chases trout as well but I have no salt water experience. Are there areas that I can wade and chuck some baitfish patterns into the sea with any hopes of hooking something? What rod, flies and fish would you be chasing at that time of year? Any information you can send my way would be greatly appreciated. As always, thanks for your input. Rob

If it's a TFO clouser rod, I wouldn't hesitate at all by overlining one size up. A long time ago, some of the Pike guys turned me on to the inexpensive SA Mastery Headstart line series which is no longer made. It was very reasonably priced and marketed for beginners. You can still find a few out there but it is an excellent bass line because of the heavy head designed to turn over easier and make casting easier for the "novice", but yet it contained all the good qualities of the Mastery series lines as to slickness and floatability.

That's a beauty and I'm sure a LMB magnet in my area. Well done !

As far as nymphs used for gills, a friend of mine who targets big bluegill and is very particular, swears by a larger prince nymph.

I've had excellent success with Allen Hooks, very reasonable prices and always sharp. The only thing I've noticed is the finish of their hooks varies a lot with each series so the standard "bronze" is not always the same.

I tie them for smallies and they can be very effective.

Just curious how others might make use of these small jig hooks, any patterns in particular that you like tying specifically with this design and what advantages do you see, assuming the hook rides up? better hook ups, less hang ups? As always, thanks for your input.

Rich, how was attendance this year for attendees, tyers, and vendors? I've made it to a couple in the past but couldn't make it this year because I was taking continuing education classes in Southern IL that same weekend. Hopefully all went well for you and John.

Yea Rich, my twin brother In the fly above I shaved off a zonker strip but didn't get me where I wanted to go so I'll try leaving a tuft of fur on and also try some of the other suggestions as well. I think I'll give that Moorish mouse or master splinter fly a try as well. Thanks