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Rob Knisely

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About Rob Knisely

  • Rank
    Advanced Member
  • Birthday 11/13/1970

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  • AIM
    flytierob
  • MSN
    Invicta
  • Website URL
    http://www.invictaflies.us
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  • Location
    south-central Kentucky
  1. That's a pretty old hook so it may be tough to find those outside of private sellers. Perhaps the Mustad Signature C70 or the Tiemco 8089 is a viable substitute?
  2. Very Nice! Is that chamois material on the back? Dye your own or where'd you get it? As for eyes... if the fish don't notice a big piece of metal sticking out of the head (or the butt on nymphs), it's unlikely they'll disregard a crayfish (or nymph) for not displaying the minuscule eyes. :bugeyes: (Minnow imitations are probably a different story).
  3. Wow, lots of varying opinions on this one... I would read that as, it definitely depends on your needs and skills. For me, the 1 man pontoon is the best all around for maneuverability, stability, ease of transport, comfort, stowing gear (for overnighters or long-day floats), esp bigger rivers, ponds, and lakes. However, the kayak excels in low-water conditions, and that only for streams. With a pontoon, if the water is low, you'll either have to get out and drag it (which you sometimes have to do anyway with kayaks), or in 'slightly' shallow runs let the rocks spin you around one way, then other. Sometimes you have to drag with a kayak, which is never much fun (really just a minor inconvenience), but spinning willy-nilly in a pontoon (NO danger of flipping) through a short run is actually pretty fun! :jumpy: I've been all day in both... pontoon is like sitting in a recliner all day (as long as the fit is right); kayak = sore back, sometimes legs. The sit-on-top kayak is a lot more functional for the average day-tripper as far as kayaks go. Another minor advantage of the pontoon is sitting a tad higher off the water which gives increased visibility for sight fishing, even with polarized glasses. I was shocked at the difference the first time I use a kayak. I would suggest borrowing some buddies' different crafts before making a decision, just so you know what works best for you. Also check reviews and look for features that cater to the kind of fishing you do. No two pontoons or kayaks are the same, and what's good for one person may be awful for someone else. For example, if speed is a factor (large lake, have to get a quarter mile over right now, etc), either a kayak or the pontoon with trolling motor or very small outboard mounted. (In the case of the latter, some states require you to register your boat if used with a motor). PS- "Yea them pontoons have no such control" I have to disagree strongly here. If you wear fins with your pontoon, a proper kick will spin you 180 degrees right now. Put the rod in your lap and the oars can do the same. You can rig the craft to stow the oars out of the way but with quick access. Wind blowing you downshore? Pontoon, just kick to slow the progress or work against the wind... kayak, let the wind blow you down and sideways (or sometimes backwards), then drop everything, paddle backwards or in a big circle to get where you wanted to still be to begin with.
  4. Hee hee! Had the same trouble when I took up barbless hooks. It's all in the fight... know when to high stick, side stick, give slack, tighten up, know when to fold'em, know when to walk away... definitely puts you into that often over-looked aspect of our sport of actually fighting the fish! My buddy agrees that hooking a smallie with 6 barbed hooks on his spinning rod crankbait feels a lot less sporting than on a barbless fly attached to a fly rod. Just gotta learn to play the fish, my friend. Not-so-unfortunately, that means you have to hook a lot of fish! Kinda funny, but I noticed my buddy (THE trout guy) was great at fighting fish (used all the tactics from the books, barely ever lost a fish, etc.). So unknown to him I started tying all his flies on barbless hooks... his landing rate WAY up (20+ days to 40+ days). Less time unhooking/reviving a fish, I figure. He just had a knack for keepin 'em on.
  5. Simpler than it seems... Before you tie it in: Grab the peacock herl by the butt end in one hand, the tip in the other. Give a good yank and it will break at the weakest point... this is your starting tie-in point for the feather. Then, tie it (whether one or four herls are used) starting with a "fairly" loose thread wrap, another almost loose wrap in front of the first, then a tight one for the third thread wrap. Gives a bit of a "cushion" for the fragile stem. If you start off tightly cinching the herl to the shank you will cut into the stem, then pulling it to the side to wrap pretty much rips it. Needs a little give that gradually gets tighter. I see why this works in my head but it's hard to explain. Perhaps distribution of force in gradually decreasing degrees? Finally, BE GENTLE! For added durability on an non-reinforced body you can lay down a coat of cement just before wrapping the herl on. Wrap the herl almost to the breaking point. And pay attention to the little details, like how the stem flattens around the shank and how the fibers stick out in a certain direction, front or back of the stem, as you wrap.
  6. Always an interesting discussion about glue, gentlemen! Back to the original point... super glues will harden over time, whether in the open air, in a plastic container (shelf life), or exposure to air. If the super glue you buy is gelled or hardening, the store has had it quite a while. The longer the cap is off when you are using the glue, the quicker it will harden. I'm certainly no chemist but I suspect it's the evaporation of base liquid (ethyl? :dunno: ). So... I suggest another source for "fresher" ethyl cyanoacrylite and minimize the air exposure (get the cap back on quick) for the best results. In other words... get it from a different store and check for dust. FWIW, I use Loctite super glue when needed. As for the no glue/lots-o-glue camp... It's true you don't need glue to hold a simple fly together if the thread, your tying, and the knots are sound. However, using glues simply lets you do a bit more, and in some cases makes a nicer finished product if you're fishing for fishers; depends on what you want to achieve. There are many types and each has its own purpose/properties, and these really just allow us to expand the possibilities of our patterns while maintaining durability (no fun spending all the effort to catch one fish on each fly before it falls apart). Certain cements react differently to different materials, especially synthetics. To this point, look to Dave Whitlock- definitely an expert here, uses different glues, each to its own use. I wouldn't dare tell him he's been wrong all these years. Then, to make matters worse... there are several companies manufacturing super glues, waterproof glues, head cements, etc. Each company's product is not equal, and the stores that stock them have varied schedules of rotation (shelf life), so you pretty much have to experiment and go with what works. I've used plain lacquer thinned with lacquer thinner for more than 12 years with consistent, good results. I've also had many people tell me they tried it and it doesn't work (clouds up in water, doesn't hold, etc.). I still use the lacquer, and my customers, I, and plenty of fish are more than pleased. Carrie Stevens used lacquer on her wonderful streamers and there are a (sadly few) number of originals still around that look pretty darn good! In other words, as Hans would say, your mileage may vary. Really, you can limit yourself all you want- your choice. Most folks who come up with great patterns have experimented with all the variables and spent a lot of time... I'd go with what they say... just my .02 unless you like startin from scratch. Like I tell all my tying class students- intimately know your tools, your materials, and use that information to your tying/fishing advantage... and always look for new information to benefit your goal despite the source, beginner or expert- everyone has ideas, and we all benefit by sharing and trying. P.S. I love the look on mom's face when I tell her junior can use Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails!!!
  7. hm... excellent point, Kirk. I was thinking deer hair bugs, and two strands for that. For the standard foam spider or bonefish bitters I use the 'fold-over-thread' method. As far as poppers go, for my own I rarely use rubber legs at all, but I add them to my friends' and customers' if that's what they want. Of course with foam poppers it's the needle trick pre-epoxy. But what got me thinking is "four strands." So... four strands of rubber on each side? Really? Foam spiders and bitters, sure, but poppers? Okay, I use none, rarely up to two on a deer hair popper. Maybe I'm inside my bubble again (as my wife likes to say), but I didn't realize folks were putting so many strands on now-a-days. Is this the new trend (forgive my ignorance), and does it really make that much difference to have more rubber legs? I could see perhaps at times it would. My hang up with them for my own personal popper flies is that the rubber just breaks off or deteriorates long before the popper is no good, and I've not seen any difference in catch rates without. Okay, 'nuff ramblin outta me! Just thinkin out loud.
  8. Simple overhand knot directly on the hook shank... drape the strands over the top of the shank, tie the knot below the hook, hold the strands tight so the knot "works through" the rubber. I think sometimes we try to make things more difficult than they need to be.
  9. Or you can just lash successive clumps of the craft fur along the shank prior to trimming... this allows for some great creativity and interesting effects, such as in this Crocodile Newt. The entire body is made from 2 diff colors of embroidery floss but the same effect can be achieved with craft fur, deer hair, etc. Here is the tutorial for the technique with embroidery floss: http://www.invictaflies.us/Articles/clipped%20thread.htm
  10. Invicta. Works for most fish, plenty of variety available, classic with some history, colorful, and fun to tie.
  11. I'll second that, but I believe the title is "Tying Flies With CDC" Also Hans had a great article on CDC at FlyFisherman.com, don't know if it's still there though
  12. I was milling about Michael's and happened on "Craft Cord" or some name like that near the yarns. A few colors mostly fused to the core, but will still slide over the hook. The silver version of this, however, was exactly as sold in fly shops, with the cotton core and mylar silver braid. It's about small size, and something like 25 yards for $3! Saw the holo in bulk somewhere, but now can't find it... maybe JannsNetcraft.com?
  13. Yeah, I'll take one o' those, and... uh... supersize it. And,uh, can I gettaaaaa... large Coke? light on the ice, heavy on the Coke? Do you guys take debit cards? Kin I git a free sample of McNuggets? Woops, lil low on cash. :cry: How much for just one fry?
  14. :hyst: :clapping: He called the Big Daddy "donkey!" I wouldn't say that to his face unless he was holding that cute little kid o' his! Brave soul. Love the green/yellow and the black/yellow! Gonna hafta tie some of those myself! Nice job!
  15. I DO! I do like that Head Stand! :yahoo: Nice job on the video, too!
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