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Fly Tying

Mark Knapp

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Everything posted by Mark Knapp

  1. Norm, your flies are superb as usual, thank you.
  2. Although I was not able to throw a fly this year, this trip is applicable to this site because it is in preparation for fly fishing the lake. After last years 8 day guided trip, I put together my own Havasu boat over the winter with a 50 horse, four stroke, a Minn Kota Ultera trolling motor and two new Garmin fish finders, one at the bow for the trolling motor and one in the helm. The base boat is an Alweld aluminum hull that was a lean-to casualty over the winter and totaled by the insurance company. I bought it and repaired all the bent and punctured spots. We trailered the boat down starting on April 8th, Easter weekend, drove right through and made it to the lake on Tue. the 11th. A 3,409 mile trip. On the twelfth we began our month of fishing. We had twelve days of fishing for our selves, 8 days of guided fishing, then more unguided fishing. When we got there, the California, Arizona and Nevada drought was over. The Alamo Damn on the Bill Williams river up-stream from Havasu had expelled river water all spring. All the run-off was in the river and south end of the lake. The south end of the lake seemed to be washed out and we could not see our tip-tops three inches under the surface. We still managed to catch fish. Note the muddy water. Dave and I caught largemouth, smallmouth, and blue gills. They were all drop-shotted with worms while we prospected for enough fish to warrant fly fishing. We obviously caught fish but they were all over the place. Those blue gills were big, but not the huge redears we were after. Big redears were very hard to find. Some of the locals came around to photo-bomb our trophy shot so we let them. When one of the girls said "Eew, why does it feel like that inside", I said "Because it's a fish" We caught lots of stripers, with the guide and without. On the 12th day of our trip the new $2,500.00 Minn Kota Ultera gave out due to a bad mother board. I bought a used $400.00 Motor Guide to salvage the trip while the other is being fixed under warranty. It got us through though we had no directional indicator, I-Stop or I-Pilot. This one was the biggest redear I caught this season. The scale jumped around from 2 pounds, 15 ounces to 3 pounds. Like a good fisherman, I call it a three pounder. We caught many in the pound and a half to three pound range. We saw lots of wildlife besides the bikini girls in boats. Channel cats and flathead cats too. Some friends dropped by to fish with us a couple of days. I tried to tell them that only "punk adzes" hold the fish way out in front. This was the biggest sunfish I got my hands on all month. We got home again on May 13. All and all, a fine trip. Next year I'm planning to stay longer, leave my spinning gear home, and take only fly gear, as well as leave all my buddies home too. It's not fair to ask my friends to fish the way I want to fish. My best to all of you.
  3. I love your garden, but I love all your projects. Have fun with them.
  4. Mark Knapp

    Bad bear

    Yep, definitely a bad bear
  5. Another nice fish, congratulations to him too.
  6. It appears you are reading it wrong. The article says, it was 12 pounds and some ounces. I'm not sure why every one is poo pooing her. She caught a big fish and, apparently she did it legally. If it's it's not your bag, fine, don't do it. Congratulations to her.
  7. Thanks you guys. Feverishly getting ready today.
  8. This is no April fools joke. I'm leaving..... but not for good. I leave Friday for a month of fly fishing at Lake Havasu for huge sunfish and regular size small mouth, large mouth and stripers. I will see you all when I get back and I will post a report.
  9. I know, you could tie flies with it! 😄
  10. When mine came from George, it was perfect and beautiful. Still is.
  11. Luckily, there's lots of legal polar bear around.
  12. I'm wondering how you guys are able to do the reversing without tangling the backer line. I have always estimated the amount of backing, putting it on first and then the fly line. Haven't had too much trouble that way.
  13. The Marine Mammal act of 1972 says that, to take, buy sell, trade or barter a marine mammal or marine mammal part one must be a coastal native of Alaska. They include polar bear, walrus, sea lion, one of the many seals and sea otter. Whales are covered by another law. So, yes, it is still important to know that the polar bear you have died before 1972.
  14. Interesting to know. It's funny because, those flies are legal to use in the US, but not legal to import. Wacky.
  15. Yep, I use both methods, the needle/bodkin and the or the cauterizer, witch-ever I think suitable for the task at the time. Almost always with a guard, sometimes a guard is not needed when using the bodkin, but a steady hand is.
  16. I've never seen a "Tarpon applicator"🤣
  17. "One who is apt to wield the sword is certain to eventually need his shield" Mark Knapp circa 1999.
  18. I've given the part to my shipping dept. for mail out. Her name is Angel. You can expect it soon.
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