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Northeast Brookie

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Posts posted by Northeast Brookie


  1. Just an FYI - the fly - as shown from Martin Joergenson from SB Pratt post - is killer up here in the Northeast.  Fished at dusk, big old brown's will come up and smack 'em.

    River smallmouth's as well.  Up here in NH, I'll even use them in an Alder Fly hatch. 

    Strip them in (or swing them) like a streamer as well.  A very useful fly...


  2. Just another suggestion...

    I had two O rings become compromised... Switched to normal sized rubber bands, and they worked for a while (had to double/triple them up, but after a while, they broke down), and then when my daughter got braces, a lightbulb went off... The small dental rubber bands work fantastic! Lifetime supply in one bag - and a multiple of colors as well. I recommend using two or three of these at a time to bulk up the look, and to add strength. Theyre incredibly durable. This last bunch has been on for over a year and a half, and going strong...


  3. I "second" the half hitch tool. There are also hackle guards that can help as well:

    https://www.amazon.com/Hackle-Guard-Set-of-3/dp/B009SAO3B0?SubscriptionId=AKIAJ2F6RDUSIYCWQMFQ&tag=sa-sym-new-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B009SAO3B0

     

    As for trimming the hackle, Ugh... - maybe for a nice beautiful presentation fly - but for a "fishing" fly, use your fingers, the half hitch, or the hackle guard - and don't sweat a few fibers sticking out at random - and if so, you can also remove them.


  4. Hey - I certainly do appreciate all of the provided input here. What a wealth of information and experience!

     

    I've used the New Zealand for a number of years (usually a streamer first, then a wet at the dropper end), but wanted to give a "Cast of three" wet's a shot.

     

    Just to confirm, the dropper loop that I created in my leader is here: https://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/dropper-loop

     

    I did this based on some prior readings, and the moniker of "Dropper Knot" seemed to be the right way to go to start the process. The dropper knots are 17 inches apart (between the point fly and the middle fly), and create a 90 degree angle to the leader itself, therefore I would assume this would get the job done.

     

    Without having to re-create another leader as thankfully mentioned above, it seems as though (without trying yet) that a shorter use of Maxima (2x or 3x tied at 3 to 4 inches) tied on to these loops would work to limit tangles/twists, however I'm always overly cautious on my rigs being "seen," and with this set up, I would believe that this would be the case.....however....in reading the successes of some of the "old time" wet fly fishers of yesteryear (as well as a 20 fish day as posted above), they were using "gut or horsehair," which is like throwing braided yellow rope into the river in today's standards, and yet they were having success - and a times, excellent success!

     

    The rivers I fish in up here in New Hampshire and Maine consist of tannin stained water to gin clear freestone, and as of late, the river I've been fishing is the tannin stained one, therefore "perfect" for the Chameleon, yet when I would get into the gin clear, I'd be curious to know how it would perform. When I nymph in the gin clear, Fluoro is the only way to go.

     

    Thanks to "all" for their posts and comments thus far!


  5. Tjm

    Ive used the Chameleon for my whole leader. Are you saying that I need to use the same for a 3-4 inch dropper?

    Ive got all sizes of Maxima available to me - from 25 lb test all the way down to 8x

    If so, which size for flies sized 12 through 16?

     

    I used fluorocarbon in 4X- figuring that itd be harder for the fish to see... I had it around 5 inches. If I use the Chameleon in a larger size, wont that be somewhat visible to the fish and possibly spook/put them down?

    Lastly, my droppers are made as dropper loops in the leader itself, spaced properly. When attaching my fly, Should I use a loop to loop connector (I did this already), or should I just tie it to the dropper loop at the already aforementioned 3-4 inches.

    Thanks!


  6. Need help. Made my own wet fly leader with 2 tags tapered down to 4X, where Ill tie my third fly.

    Fished it today, and caught 3 fish. Should have caught more, because I was spending too much time getting the two tag flies unwrapped from the main body of the leader...

    Main body of leader is built with Maxima, along with the tags. Flies attached to the tags are with 4X fluorocarbon, are are about 5 inches long.

    Seems as though the middle fly gets hung up the most...

    Any way I can reduce the hang ups/twisting around the main leader? The flies swam fine and werent twisting in the current.

    Thanks in advance for any and all advice!


  7. Is it possible to "straighten out" bent or slightly bent/crooked long saddle hackles used for the wings on "Rangely type" streamers? I have a bunch of older saddle hackles that were given to me, and they are all in great condition, but they were put into ziplock plastic bags that were a bit too small for the length of the feather, hence the bends/creases in the stem of the feather.

    My thinking was to see if I could put them between two thin cotton fabrics (like inside an old tee shirt), and iron then with the steam setting on high... Foolish? Let me know if there's a better way...

    Thanks in advance ~

     

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