Lotech Joe

I remember now. It was the Trude. Very effective when tied with an orange body to imitate an October Caddis.

Years ago, I tied a fly that was originally tied using some hair from a Springer Spaniel. It was a very effective fly for the October Caddis hatch, but I can't remember the name. Can anybody help me hear?

I've been trying to find some partridge feathers in the small packet and I can't find any locally. I can find partridge skins, but I don't want to pay $35 for $5 worth of feathers. Does anybody know where I can find partridge feathers in brown and natural for the smallest amount in shipping? I'm planning to tie a bunch of soft hackles this winter so I can join the crowd of folks next spring who have caught fish on soft hackles. Thanks, Lotech Joe

The lakes around here are still frozen over and I'm bored, so I'm tying up some Partridge & Orange Soft Hackles in anticipation of hungry Bluegills and Crappies. Anybody else here chase these denizens of the deep? What are your favorite bugs to use?

I seem to have developed and interest in Crappies & Bluegills. Is there anyone here who ties specifically for those fish?

I'm wondering what everyone's favorite sub-surface fly is for Crappie and Bluegill.

Retired with disability in 2011. Before that I was a warehouseman. Shipping & Receiving and Order Picking.

The mountain background is a picture of Mt. Rainier in Washington State. It's on one of my mouse pads.

I found this fly pattern one day on the internet and thought it looked like an easy tie and a good producer. I was right in both cases. I took it out to a small local lake and started catching Bluegills, one after another. It's tied on a Mustad #12 Egg hook with Dark Brown Uni 6/0 thread and a small hank of deer hair. What a great surprise it turned out to be.

Hey Rick, howdy! Just so you know, you're the guy I got the recipe from. Good to hear from you again.

I plan on fishing a mohair leech this Spring in various colors, primarily black, olive and red. Does anyone else here use a mohair leech for panfish? If so, what is your favorite method? I'm planning on a free drift with short twitches.

Have you considered furled leaders? I don't fish with anything else. https://www.facebook.com/lotechsleaders?notif_t=page_new_likes

I fish a panfish lake about 9 miles from home. I've been a trout fisherman for my whole life, but now find I can't wade the rivers and trout lakes are too far away at times. So I've found myself recreating my pastime and pointing it in a new direction. Pointing it toward panfish; bass, crappie, bluegill & perch. Except for one fly, I'm having difficulty building an arsenal to use on panfish. What are your favorite flies for these fish?

Good looking bug.

Due to my health I've had to change my favorite form of fly fishing from trout fishing rivers & streams to warmwater fishing in lakes and ponds. As a result I've had to change the flies that I routinely go to. What is your favorite warm water fly for crappies, bluegill and bass? here is my most successful fly to date. Simple and effective;

I've always wanted a Nor Vise, but they're so far above my budget that I get light headed from lack of oxygen just thinking about them. They sure are a versatile vise though, and they still reside in my dreams. For me, it's a Dan Vise. It's the most functional vise for what I tie. It's easily adjustable for rotary tension and sturdy enough that I can rest my off hand on it in tight situations. My travel vise is a cheap Cabela's knockoff of the Thompson "A". I'm all about budget. My Dan Vise was $75. My travel vise was $30 and it came with a carry case and tools.

Thanks Steve. In February of '01, I wrote an article about that rod for Fly Anglers On Line. Here's the link; http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/readerscast/rc136.php

My model 59 also has the comficient grip. It was given to me by my father when I was a kid. I'm 64 now. About 30 years ago, I refinished it and took it fishing. In the process of landing a 20 inch brood stock rainbow, the rod broke. I shortened the rod by removing the damaged part and refinished it again. Then I mounted it on a board and put a picture of me and the fish on it along with a plague that reads "The Last Fish of a Grand Old Rod." Then I gave it back to my dad. When he passed away I got it back. It hangs in my office to this day. Lots of important memories.

I bought an Orvis Battenkill Disc standard arbor about 10 years ago and I still have it and like it better than any other reels I've owned. I liked it so much, that I bought another. The first reel is from England and the second from the Pacific Rim, but I can't tell the difference in them and the parts are totally interchangeable. Both are for a 5 weight rod, but one with a WF5F and the other a WF5S. I have so much confidence in those reels, that I bought a Battenkill Bar Stock for my 4 weight, and that too is extremely dependable.

Hook: Mustad, #8 Streamer. Thread: UNI 6/0 Olive. Tail: Olive Marabou Tips. Body: Twisted Marabou. Rib: Heavy Gold Wire. Thorax: Twisted Marabou. Wing Case: Pheasant Tail. Eyes: Bead Chain. Head Cement: Sally Hansen. Next time I think I'll use black bead eyes instead.

Very nice. I'll bet it was fun to build.

I'm new here too. I thought for sure I recognized the accent. I'm descendant from the clan McCutcheon in the Isles. Welcome. It looks like there's plenty of info to glean form the folk here.

Yep Marc. It's me. Maybe next year you can tie my kick fins on again. Hopefully when we go NORTH. Think Crappies for next year.

I just registered a few minutes ago and I'm looking forward to sharing some ideas, stealing some ideas & making some new friends. I call myself Lotech Joe and I live in the Inland Pacific Northwest of the USA. I've been fly fishing for a lot of years, but earnestly for only about 12-14 years. I fish primarily with the fly rod, but recently have reverted back to (not exclusively)to spinning and trolling gear. I used to love to wade and fish the rivers and streams of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, but my wading abilities have all but vanished. So, now I find myself fishing almost exclusively from a pontoon boat or jon boat in small lakes and ponds. I spent lots of years chasing after the Westslope Cutthroat in the rivers of Idaho, but recently my interest is leaning toward Bass and Crappies. My fly tying skills I would rate as intermediate, but I'm always accepting new ideas and techniques. I'm looking forward to an enjoyable experience here at FTF.