ihang10

I'd be surprised if I have more than $1500 into tying.

I volunteer with Project Healing Waters and Orvis is beyond generous with their support. On the other hand, I chuckle at some of the anglers I see on the water, they look like a catalog.

Cabelas buy-out has me concerned.

You were going to put a new guide on the end? Trying to figure out why you want the old tip section... I've busted two Okuma's and they made me break the butt end and send in the whole rod for replacement. They replaced the rod and also threw in an extra rod tip. I guess they knew what was coming next.

I waked into their store on the Delaware border and their sales in store had 10x the discounted selection. I think my SA full sink line was just short of $20. I saw that sale at the bargain cave, they didn't have sinking lines in 7wt though. Also, they had spare prestige spools but not the reels. Argh. Finally, looks like they started using Lamson for some of their private label offerings in their 3-pack reel/spool options. Atleast that's what it looked like from what I could get from the pictures.

In my humble opinion SMB and trout aren't all that different when it comes to habitat, be it flowing or still water. Poppers and streamers.

Fished wet or dry, the lime trude has a proven history in one fly tournaments. It's characteristics have been merged with other flies to create variations with a legacy of catching big fish. A a dry attractor pattern , wet on the swing, or trim it down and add some weight to get into the water column, the Lime Trude has the versatility to get you into the fish in a variety of waters and circumstances. Originally tied as a joke, the trude family of flies has demonstrated you'll laugh all the way to the net landing big trout. Thanks for putting this together Vic.

What was the bass tourney book Hiaasen wrote? Lol.

Word! Which is why I'll be winning this one.

Maybe a conehead vs dumbbell eyes?

Tie a few and try would be my best advice I fish a weightEd circus peanut at 7-10 feet in water moving 2400+ CFS and a heavy fly and sinking line is your only hope to get down to the fish. Fast water or are you just looking to change the action of the fly?

It's up now.

Bummer. it was up last night. Keep trying, I saw a salmon with a lamprey stuck to it yesterday. I spent an hour later night trying to age the fish in the video.

Congrats. Green Top is 55 minutes from me, and if I'm bored I go there to window shop.

This is good, mindless entertainment. http://www.lssu.edu/arl/fishcam.php

I sand mine lightly before I paint them, two costs then a coupon with clear, same as SD...

Interesting. I go out there for work a couple times a year and I have stopped into many tackle shops and haven't had one yet point to any fly fishing shops. I'll have to poke around lynnhaven a little more.

VA Beach is indeed a very limited fly fishing community. I think the fly fishing sections at Green Top and the BPS on I95 just North of Richmond have a better selection than the one there in Hampton.

Lots of variables. What's the typical fish you're after? LMB/SMB....probably a larger rod, a 7WT. Panfish & trout? A 5Wt. Length...casting out of a boat sitting down? I'd probably want a longer rod, but your not going to easily find an off the shelf 11' 5wt. You're probably going to be somewhere around a 9' +\- 6". I started on a 5, my son started on a 5, but that 5 is going to limit the size of fly your going to throw. I quickly "outgrew" my 5, my son will have his first 7wt next week. I will say this...I bought Steeldrifter's fiberglass 5wt, and it's a pretty forgiving rod for a beginner out casting. Fiberglass is making a bit of a comeback, and maybe deserves a look. Bottom line: without knowing anything else, a 9' 5wt will probably get the job done initially.

I have a rod with a bend right at the tip. It casts great and the fish don't seem to care.

"Another 9ft 7wt...?!?!" That's what she said....

Sure, we had a pretty decent run this year.

I certainly hope the next post is the one where I am accepting 1st place.

That's nice fly, little different from what we throw. Our river is 70 yards wide and runs 900-2400cfs, if our dart is not weighted with a boat anchor it's not getting down to the fish 10+ feet down, missing 90% or so of the shad. Our shad aren't eating on their runs. I am told, and don't know any different, that they are striking out of aggression. Blues worked well early season, then pink/chartreuse, and the last week red/white seemed to work. My cell connection is working well, or I'd post a pic. I use an Fuji waterproof point-n-shoot when I can remember to charge the battery. Even takes videos.

What's the question you had?