HartlyRed

Welcome Dron! I have Gourami in my fish tank. When reading the history of the fish, it stated they are found in rice patties and eat small insects. I never realized they got that big. 10kg... really? Maybe we should call them "Malaysian Steelhead!" lol Tight lines buddy!

Thanx for the info, I indeed learned something. I've been to both Malaysia and the Maldives - they are great places!

OLD FART UPDATE! Took my first two samllmouth last weekend and also got two crappies. Good action - smallies are a great fighting fish - I totally under estimated them. I took them on a #2 Electric Chicken Clouser tied in a bulegill suggestion. Glad I was using a #2 hook because, the bulegill were knocking the hell out of it. I used a sparse bluegill pattern and just a few strands of flash. Strip - pause - strip, seemed to work well. I got the bug again! Would love any advice or pattern suggestions.

Love the tie! Could you send the pattern? I plan to go for sea trout this fall when they make a run. This is the first time I went for sea runs in Delaware but, that fly seems like the ticket. I will respond with results. Think I'll tie it Clouser - a lot of rocks around the inlets. Looking again is this Clouser? All according to the body material up by the eye of the hook.

Looks good! One question though - maybe I'll learn something. Why the dumbbells? Think I'd wrap with lead to make the body fuller.

WOW, they really look great. I love the detail in the shell and eyes.

I had to look three times to make sure it was a fly! Still not sure.

Great tie and display - made me wanna puke! I have thought about a roach tie but never thought it would do anything. Not many roaches here in Delaware - you'll find them in very dirty homes but, I've never seen them near water.

Impressive!!

No real FW trout fishing in Delaware. They stock a few ponds up by the Pa border, but that's about it. The water around here is murky and warm, I'm actually using cheap 6lb mono filament as a leader. Why use expensive tapered leaders? Like you I'm gonna concentrate on Smallmouth. Any tips for SM patterns would be great! Thanx for the snelling tip, I never would have thought of that.

The exotic catches and locations were all courtesy of the US Navy. When we pulled into a port - I chartered a boat. I fished every ocean except the Arctic.

Would like to take a moment to introduce myself before diving into the forum. I started fly tying/fishing about 25 years ago while stationed (US Navy) in Washington state. I found it fun and very entertaining. I spent very big bucks on my equipment and materials - then I got married - and children came along. We moved to Hawaii where I continued to throws flies at the 'cuda in the local mangroves but, family life was starting to take over. It got harder to find the time to pursue this passion and eventually lost interest. I retired from the Navy and moved to Delaware in '97. I was always too busy working, and all my gear found a home in the garage. There it has been sitting for the last 12 years. Two weeks ago I turned the big 50 and realized how boring my life had become. While drinking a beer in the man cave (garage), I saw my gear and figured "Why not?" I made my first tie about two weeks ago and what came off the vise was a very acceptable #8 Clouser Minnow in bluegill. I must practice my portions but, it was better than anything machine made! I had trouble seeing the hook - had to use reading glasses - but still proud as hell! I just have to except the fact that I'll never tie a #28 mosquito again. Delaware, being a Mid-Atlantic state, I'll be tying mostly warm and salt water patterns. We have a good sea trout run in the fall and also a good stripper run. My largest catches to date: 419 lb Grouper (Jew Fish), Somalia, Africa. 112 lb Sailfish, Kenya, Africa 28 lb Dolphin, Florida (Fly rod) 14 lb Steelhead, Washington (Fly rod) 11 lb 'Cuda, Hawaii (Fly rod) 5 lb Rainbow, Washington (Fly rod) So, hello to everyone and hope I can contribute to the forum. Phil Smith