Tri-County Fly Fishers

 

Saving Time When Tying (June, 2011)
1) Learn to keep your scissors in your hand.
2) Learn to whip finish by hand.
3) Lay out all the items needed to tie the fly.
4) Magnetize your bodkin and needle nose pliers as this makes picking up hooks easier.
5) Keep several bobbins spooled with the colors and threads sizes you most often used.
6) Learn to use a bobbin cradle to save extra thread wraps.
7) Get a good tying light – for example, a folding Ott Natural Bulb Light.
8) Keep all of your necks in a long plastic sleeve.
9) Store all of your furs, necks and other natural materials in tight plastic containers.
10) Spray all of your turkey, goose and duck feathers with Krylon-brand Workable Fixatif. It seta and holds individual fibers on the quills from splitting when you tie on a hook.
11) Use a hat pin for epoxy, lacquer or glue application to fly heads, etc. – much more control of where the liquid goes.
12) A small dab of florist putty on the bottom of the lacquer bottles and the such to prevent spilling.
13) Keep the end of the bobbin close to the hook shank as you tie – this allows for much more thread control and placement. One inch of thread between the hook and bobbin and is generally enough.
14) Keep the number of thread wraps to hold the material on the hook to three or four -- this results in neater, less bulky heads. The weight of the bobbin will hold the materials in place.
15) Buy the beast quality tools you can -- vises, scissors, etc. Poor quality tools can make what should a pleasurable tying experience frustrating!
 
Jack's Notes -- Sunfish: (April, 2011)
So you think you know all about bream and bluegills

I like to be able to accurately identify the fish I am catching. It makes the story told all that more interesting.

All twenty-seven species of freshwater sunfish belong the family Centrarchidae including largemouth bass, small mouth bass and spotted bass.

The scope of this article limited to those fish normally called �panfish�.

  • Pumpkinseed � Distinctive crimson spot on posterior edge of the gill flaps, three to five bluish lines radiating back from the eye, pectoral fins are long and pointed.
  • Orange Spotted Sunfish � No crimson spot on gill flaps, no bluish lines on cheek, pectoral fins long and pointed.
  • Bluegill � Distinct black spot base of last dorsal rays, gill flaps all black, pectoral fins long and pointed.
  • Long-ear Sunfish � Elongated gill flaps trimmed in narrow red margin, pectoral fins short and rounded.
  • Red-ear Sunfish � Gill flaps have wider red edge (orange in females), pectoral fins long and pointed.
  • Red�breast Sunfish � Gill flaps longer than long-ear sunfish, often reaching one inch in length or more.
  • Green Sunfish � Pectoral fins are short and rounded, large mouth with no teeth on tongue.
  • Warmouth � Three spines on anal fins, small teeth on tongue, generally larger than rock bass.
  • Rock Bass � Six anal fins.
  • White Crappie � Dorsal fins has maximum of six spines, dark vertical bars around the body.
  • Black Crappie � Dorsal fin has seven or eight spines, no dark vertical bands around the body.

You can find additional information about sunfish at the following websites:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/aquaticspecies/inland.phtml
www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish
www.fishbase.org/home.htm

 
Jack's Notes: Humor and Observations

It is the constant or in-constant change, the infinite variety in fly fishing that bind us fast.

It is impossible to grow weary of a sport that is never the same on any two days of the year.

Something to think about---if you fish the wrong fly long enough and hard enough it will sooner or later become the right fly.

The older we get, the fewer are those things worth waiting in line for!

How old would you be, if you didn't know how old you are?

When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to your youth---think about algebra!

You know your getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

First you forget names, then faces. Then you forget to pull up your zipper -- it's worse when you forget to pull it down.

You won't find a fish in a million that has enough sense to come in out of the rain.

My best fishing memories are about fish that I never caught.

I don't exaggerate---I just remember "Big".

Final thought: I don't care who you are, you are not walking on the water where I am fishing!
 
 
Bluegills - How to improve your catch ratio, Part 1 (September, 2010)
Bluegills � nothing so small puts up such a fight as one of these panfish.

Pre-spawn periods offer the best opportunity to catch your personal best, but the three to ten inch size is available all year around. Foot-long bluegills are not easy to find or catch � these are to be ranked right up with the muskie as the fish of 10,000 casts!

Bluegills over ten inches are more available with sinking flies than top water ones. The biggest, wisest fish always position themselves just a bit deeper and a bit closer to cover than their smaller cousins.

To find trophy bluegills, look for three critical structure elements: old dead wood, easy access to deeper water and proximity or firm bottom spawning flats. The more compressed these three elements are, the more likelihood there will be big bluegills in the area.

Areas with recent blow-downs do not produce well. The decay of green leaves and fresh wood depleted the oxygen content of the water in that area, plus such structure rarely holds enough food to entice game fish to hang around. Instead look for shaded cluttered shorelines, old wood such as logs, stranding timber, lots of overhead cover. Old submerged wood is typically home to a myriad of damsel fly and dragon fly nymphs, leeches and sowbugs, which is a hint as to which flies to try in such areas.

Big bluegills are not afraid of predation by bass. They feel safe in the dark depths � this emphasizes the need to fish deep.

Also as these fish reach trophy size, they become increasingly light sensitive. Even during the spawn, big bulls rarely come into shallow water � they stay in six to eight feet of water close to structure.

It is not unusual to find big bluegills in twenty to twenty-five feet of water in the height of summer when the fish are trying to seek cooler water.

The proximity of spawning areas adds the final detail. Bass spawn before bluegill so you will find good bluegills in the same spawning areas. The best areas have a bottom of firm clay, sand or gravel coated with a thin layer of rich decomposed plant material.

Important things to remember, as is with most types of fishing:
>> Stealth is important.
>> Clothing should be muted earth-tone shades.
>> Keep a low profile in the boat.

 
Bluegills - How to improve your catch ratio, Part 2 (October, 2010)

Tackle is simple; a light fly rod, 2wt to 4wt is best. There is no need for a 5wt to 8wt, though using a heavier weight comes in handy when a pesky bass hits your bluegill fly.

My favorite rod is a 9 foot, 3wt with 4X-5X leader tippet. You can use either a floating line or sink tip.

There is no need for a large assortment of flies. My favorite fly is the Predator in sized 10 or 12. Color does not seem to be important; however white, black/yellow and orange have worked best for me.

For subsurface fishing, black Leeches, olive Wooly Worms with grizzly hackles, red Stubbytail and a gold-ribbed Hare's Ear are all that is needed. Sizes usually range from 12 to 14. Size 10 can be used when larger bluegills are around. These flies need to be weighted either by using a heavy wire hook or by using a few wraps of lead wire to increase the sink rate of the fly.

Attach the fly to the tippet with a non-slip loop � this allows the fly to have maximum action on retrieve.

If fishing subsurface, once the fly hits the water, count slowly to ten, then start the retrieve. After several casts, if this does not produce, try counting to twenty to allow the fly to sink deeper. Repeat as needed to get deeper and deeper till you find the fish.

For top water fishing, the retrieves I use is to wait till the ripples to dissipate after the fly hits the water, then a slow hand-wrap movement with pauses. Fish this technique right up to the boat as some bluegills will follow the fly for a long distance before striking.

Never, never just cast without purpose. Always have a target � this will help you cover the area you want to fish better and, ultimately, make you a more accurate caster.

Not only when fishing for bluegills, but anytime you are fishing in a boat with someone else, the proper etiquette is to fish the water around your half of the boat. Remember that it is not the amount of fish caught that makes the day � it is the fun and companionship with the person you are sharing the day with.

 
Dry Flies (July, 2010)
According to all the experts, dry flies rank at the very bottom of fly patterns to catch trout � the thinking is that a fish will take nine out of every ten bits of food under the surface before taking something sitting on the surface. Nevertheless here are the top ten dry flies to consider:

1) Adams � This is the universal dry fly. Range of sizes -- #10-20. Use a floating line with a 9 to 10 foot leader.

2) Light Cahill � Mostly used towards the end of the day. Best fished during May and July in the East and June and July in the West. Light 9 foot leader (4X). Size 12 or 14.

3) Dark Cahill � This is a fly mainly for streams. Use #12 in fast currents and #16 in quieter waters.

4) Bivisable � One of the best flies for lakes when tied in brown, gray or black. Sizes from #4-16 with the smaller sizes used in calm waters and when tiny caddis are about.

5) Irresistible � Common sizes are #10 or #12 for use in stone lined lakes and in streams, #12 or #14.

6) Hair Wing Royal Coachman � Best for fishing riffles. Use #14 in slower moving water and #14 or #16 in faster.

7) Elk Hair Caddis � Most popular colors are brown, gray, olive and tan. Use #10-16 sizes. Best for fast rocky sections of streams. This is the go-to Western fly.

8) Hopper � Use in mid-summer to early fall. Best fished on rivers and streams. Sizes #4-14. Cast up stream and let drift down with the current.

9) Black Fur Ant � This pattern is mostly used out West mostly in May and June. Use a long leader � 10 to 12 feet.

10) Black Midge � Size range #20-28.6X tippet.

 
Wet Flies (June, 2010)

Wet flies fall into a category of flies that represent real insects at a developmental stage somewhere between nymphs and emerging winged insects. These flies are among the oldest of fly patterns.

Here are the top ten in order of importance:
1) and 2) Brown hackle Peacock and Gray Hackle Yellow – Very important flies differing only when fished. Both are fished as a nymph no deeper than twenty feet. Use a sinking line with a nine foot 4X leader. Hook size – 14 or 16. The Brown is used earlier in the year (around April-May) while the Yellow is used through the heat of summer. When trout are surface feeding, use a floating line with a nine-ten foot leader and cast just short of the feeding fish.

3) “True” Woolly Worm – In lakes, let the fly “crawl” on the bottom. In streams, fish on the bottom and work with a slow cross-stream retrieve. Best tied on a size 12 3XL hook.

4) Brown Woolly Worm – Use at all depths, retrieve in three to four inch strips.

5) Black Woolly Worm – This color in the woolly worm family imitates many insects like stoneflies ants, crickets, etc. In currents, fish cross stream. For holes, cast upstream and pull into the hole. Size 12 hook and go smaller as the season progresses.

6) Gray-Brown Wooly Worm – Use sizes 8 through 12 hooks. Fish the same as other colors.

7) Olive Woolly Worm – For shallow and weedy areas with depths of three to eight feet. Use size 12 hooks in the spring and summer and size 8 in the fall. Retrieve with short jerky strips.

8) Hare’s Ear – Make in three sizes – 10, 12 and 14. Fish either on the top or allow to sink.

9) Black Ant – This is a special occasion fly. During rain, or just after, use a size 10 just inches under the surface. If the bite is off, go to either a 14 or 16. Only good for a maximum of a couple hours after rain.

10) Coachman – Good in size 12 for exploratory fishing on a long leader. Strip to create the illusion of a little minnow.
 
Streamers (May, 2010)

Streamers represent almost anything you can think of that aren't nymphs or hatching insects. (For those fishing saltwater, a streamer is almost exclusively a baitfish imitation.)

Below is a breakdown of the different streamer patterns in order of importance with the most popular first.
1) Wooly Bugger -- Most popular colors are all brown, all black and all olive. These flies work year round in fresh and salt water.
2) Muddler Minnow -- Sizes #6 to #12. Theory is that the smaller this fly is, the slower it should be retrieved. Why -- The bigger ones look like bait fish and the smaller ones look like crustaceans. Should be fished close to the bottom -- allow to sink before retrieving.
3) Marabou Leach -- In streams, fish this fly as you would a nymph -- up and across. In lakes and ponds, use sinking lines and fish close to the bottom with slow strips.
4) Matuka -- Brown and black patterns work best. It imitates a minnow, so strip in fast erratic strips. Start out using smaller sizes in the spring and go to larger sizes as the season progresses.
5) Light Spruce -- One of the best minnow patterns. Most commonly used size is #8. When retrieving, think of a swimming minnow -- short erratic sharp jerks.
6) Zonker -- This fly is for big fish. Cast to weeds and use a fast retrieve. Size #6 on a 1 of 0X tippet. Olive is the best color for still waters and black for moving.
7) Shad -- Size #4.
8) Black Nose Dace -- Best used for moving water like streams or rivers.
9) Mickey Finn -- Best used on sunny days on lake which hold blue gills. Size #10.

Remember that streamers are the second most productive fly. If getting fish to strike becomes difficult, try nymphs.

Back at the tying bench -- look at the different streamers and note the differences and similarities to determine which meets your needs. There are regional variations as you must match what the local fish eat -- visit a local fly shop and ask questions.
 
Nymphs (April, 2010)

While nymphs are somewhat of a lesser used fly in Florida, they still play a part of a fly fisherman’s arsenal and not be overlooked. (If you ever fly fish the Northwest, they are a must-have fly.)

Listed below are some of the best, the “Top Ten”, in order of importance:

1) Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph – if you cannot figure out what to use or you are on new water or whatever, this is the go-to fly. In rivers and streams, fish on the bottom. Use a jerky retrieve. In shallow water, use unweighted – in all other waters, use weighted with a sinking line.

2) Gray Nymph – this is a seasonal fly, best used in April and May. Fish slowly on the bottom. In shallow streams, fish about a foot below the surface.

3) Zug Bug Nymph – this fly is fished deep and retrieved extremely slow, it needs to “crawl” along the bottom.

4) Beaver Nymph – primarily a lake fly retrieved very slowly on the bottom. In streams, cast a floating line upstream and dead drift down.

5) Black Midge Pupa Nymph – all midges are fished one of two ways, on the surface or flat on the bottom. When fished deep, use a 4X ten foot long leader and retrieve with a dead slow strip. On the surface, use a 6X leader and cast just short of the trout’s nose. Let it rest one second, barely twitch the fly, let it rest, then slow retrieve. No hit? Pick up and try another fish.

6) Pheasant Tail Nymph – if the Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear doesn’t produce, go to this fly. For lakes, fish just below the surface, casting parallel to weed beds or cover and retrieve with quick jerks. On streams, use in quiet spots, pools and slow currents – cast up and across.

7) Kaufmann’s Brown Stone Nymph – best fished in fast, turbulent currents. Cast up and across and dead drift down. Needs to be weighted enough to be on the bottom. Best used in late April and May.

8) March Brown Nymph – limestone and spring creek fly. Fish a size 20 upstream and dead drift down to holding fish. In still water, fish very slowly on the bottom.

9) Scud Nymph – fish where there are weeds, either just over the top or in the weeds when using a weed guard. Will not work in sandy areas. In streams, fish up and across. Retrieve is an occasional light line strip.

10) Prince Nymph – this is an attractor fly. Fish with a long floating leader – nine to ten foot minimum. Can also be fished in fast turbulent water down stream on the bottom.
 

Preferred Hook Sizes For Flies

Ever wonder what are to most popular hook sizes are used for the different categories of flies?  Here is a listing --- from left to right, most popular to least.

Dry Flies
14-12-16-10-18-8-20
Terrestrials
14-16-12-8-16-6-18
Dragons
6-8-10-4
Leeches
6-8-10-4-2
Sculpins/Muddlers
4-6-2-8-10
Bass
2-6-4-8-1/0-10
Panfish
10-8-12
Saltwater (Cadmium plated and SS hooks)
2-1/0-2/0-4-3/0-6-4/0-8

Fly Tying Hints

Cleaning fly tying materials:
A) To be safe, avoid detergents of all kinds. Also realize the ammonia is the ultimate degreaser � place about one cup of ammonia in a gallon of water. (This is best done outside.) Soak the material in this solution for two to three hours. Rinse thoroughly, then wash in dishwashing liquid and rinse again.
B) A final wash in Woolite adds luster, especially to feathers.
C) Thoroughly rinse after each wash stage.
D) Avoid washing is really hot water.

I am a very organized person, yet my fly tying area looks like a bird exploded and did not have a designated spot to land!

One of my fellow tyers said his stored materials increases the �R� value of the insulation in his attic of his home, that is, the thicker the pile the better is house is insulated.

Accumulating these materials (especially the very unique ones) is one of the great joys of this hobby of tying. Managing these materials is another issue.

Eliminating Pests � Bugs usually arrive from materials harvested from the outside like road kill or the result of hunting or from donations. There are three tactics to use to reduce or eliminate pests: isolation, freezing/microwaving, washing in Woolite/chemical warfare.

Storage: There are two kinds of moth elimination products � crystals and balls. The crystals are more effective for long term storage.

Plastic boxes or containers combined with Zip-Lock bags really do the job and is the most effective combo.

Do not mix different types of tying materials in a box � bucktails, hackles, etc., get their own box. With the box properly labeled, this make retrieving a specific material when tying.

If you tie outside your home at shows, club meetings and such, take only as much material as you need to tie the flies you are expected to tie. If you are tying a variety of flies, be neat and put away the materials for one fly before you start the next.

Jack's Notes
"Fish all the water" is an old slogan which is wrong.  Fish the water where the fish will rest or feed, i.e., shade, bends, riffles, structure, etc.  Over 90% of a body of water is void of fish. 

A strange lake is not necessarily a baffling problem, simply fish the most likely spots; inlets, river mouths, weedy bays, shallow shaded water around docks, islands, points of land, rock piles, sand bars and structure.

Nymph patterns are good for bluegills as nymphs are one of their natural prey.

When water temperatures are in the 65-to-78 degrees, specks and bluegills do a lot of surface feeding.

Can't find your bodkin -- stab it into a 4x4 block of balsa wood. This will also clean off any glue on the point.

Check out craft stores as a source of fly tying materials -- a lot less expensive and you may see some unique materials not found in the usual fly tying supplier.

Ever think about how you hold a fly rod, especially if you arm and wrist get tired? Experts agree that the most comfortable grip is with the thumb on top of the handle and the fingers curved around it. This position lets the thumb give an extra push and makes casting for distance more effortless.

The smacking sounds heard in the evening around lily pads and weeds are the sounds of bluegills taking insects from the bottom and edges of the leaves.

The term panfish usually refers to the general class of fresh water flat fish such as bluegills, sunfish, crappies (aka specks), bream, and shellcrackers.

Don't let a strange lake cause you problems. Simply fish the most likely spots such as stream inlets, weedy bays, sunken logs & brush, sandbars and over underwater weed beds.

A bay with a big bed of water lilies, reeds, etc. is a fine fishing spot; however, plan a logical method of attack. Make your first cast in the mouth of the bay and then cast deeper and deeper into the bay. The final cast should almost touch the bank at the back of the bay. 

If you are going to be out on the water on a cold, windy day, one trick to help keep you warm is to tie a bandana handkerchief around you neck.

If you are fishing in a current, remember that fish will normally face the current waiting for food to drift by. That is why you dead drift flies in trout streams.

Bass don't always strike a fly on its first presentation, so make 3-4 casts in the same area where you feel your quarry will be.

When water temperatures are between 65-75 degree, crappies will do a lot of surface feeding.

Change!  Change!  Change!  That's the tactic for successful fishing. Change from one kind of line to another, one color fly to another, fish deeper or fish shallower.  Don't fish by habit -- use all of your styles of flies if things are slow.

Fly motion is important when fishing for bluegills and crappies.  Keep the fly moving through the water with erratic, but gentle, motions -- use frequent starts and brief stops.

Nymphs and scuds are terrific for crappies and bluegills because they are part of the food chain the fish regularly feed on. Employ them as droppers off of a floating fly.

A rule of thumb for using droppers - the dropper should be darker than the lead fly.

Take a weed from the water and press your lure into it - the odor of you and your tackle will be reduced and will aid in eliminating one element that could turn off fish. I've always said, "Once a lure has been taken by a fish, it will be more appetizing to other fish."

When to gas up your boat - at the start of the fishing day or at the end? To reduce the chance of having a gas smell on your hands and, hence, your tackle, service your boat at the end of the fishing day.

When tying a knot in monofilament line, wet the knot before pulling it tight. The moisture will reduce the friction of the line rubbing against itself and makes the knot more secure.

When was the last time you stretched your fly line? Stretching your line will take out the residual curl from being wound on the reel and the line will shoot through the rods loops easier. Have a buddy help out.

Clean your fly line after every trip.  Every time you pull the line through the water, it picks up dirt and, in not removed, will cause drag resulting in shorter casts.  This dirt can eventually ruin the coating on your line.

Change Leaders after each trip or, at least, change out the tippet.

Slow down your retrieve when fishing off-colored water.  The fish will have time to be attracted by the sound of the fly, then by the shape and size.

Even hungry bluegills can be suspicious and wary, so retrieve your fly with frequent stops and starts.

Change, change, change.  That is the tactic for successful fishing.  Change line type, fly color and even method or presentation: surface to subsurface, shallow to deeper, slow strips to fast, short pauses to longer.  Try anything that varies your presentation.

Avoid Fly Boxes with clips and springs designed to hold flies.  They will crush hackle, fur, etc. Use boxes that have compartments deep enough to allow the flies to spread out.

Do not store your flies in a hot car.  The heat will add a set to rubber and plastic components.

To refurbish flies that have hackles on them and to bring back their natural fluffiness, steam them over a teapot spout.  Make sure all steamed flies are dry before storing to avoid rust.

There's a number of ways to improve your fly tying. Use high quality materials and tools. Use a finer tying thread, i.e., move from 6/0 to 8/0 . Be aware of proper fly proportions and uniform shape on your flies. Always have a good visual background and use plenty of light.  Brush up on techniques.  Be critical of defects in your  efforts when they occur such as the tail too long, eye covered partially, etc.  The fly is not finished just because its out of the vice, look for stray fibers, lumpy dubbing fibers caught under the thread windings, crowding the eye. Be critical of each fly you create -- ask yourself what can you do to improve the fly.  Compare your fly with an expert ask for criticism.  Read tying books.  Sit with the better tiers and ask questions.  Join a tying class and work on techniques. Realize there are different methods to tying, so have an open mind -- explore many methods until you find one that fits you. Experiment with new materials methods -- get outside the box.  Don't worry about speed.  As you tie your abilities will change and the speed will follow.  Don't be satisfied with good enough--you must try to make each fly better than the previous one.

Avoid bright colored fishing shirts -- muted tans, camo, grays and light yellow are OK.

Long casts are pretty, but rarely needed. An accurate thirty foot cast is better.

A leader of 7-1/2 to 9 feet is good for bream and bluegills with a 3X or 4X tippet.

A good hook size for surface flies is 1/0 for bass and #4-to-#10 for bream and bluegills.

Match your fly fishing gear -- use the proper size line and reel for the rod.  You can overweight a rod by one or two line weights for different casting conditions, but requires experience to do this properly.

A long leader on a sinking line defeats the purpose of the sinking line as the leader will tend to sink slower than the line.  a three-to-four foot leader is all that is need on these lines.     

October is a good month to fish for bass along shorelines. The water temperature is beginning to cool and bass will be aggressive feeders to add on weight for the winter months.

To reduce missing guides when threading your line on a rod, double the fly line just above the leader and thread that through the guides.    

Water temperature has an influence on fish activity and feeding.  In Autumn and Spring, fish become more active in the middle of the day.

Ferrules giving you a problem when you go to breakdown a rod?  Wash the male end with a little warm soapy water and rinse with clean water.

When using a dropper, the top fly should be of a darker color and the lower one lighter.

Dropper flies are size 16-18 wet flies, scuds or nymphs.

Fish Fact: The smacking sounds you hear in the evening around lilly pads and structure are bluegills taking insects from the water surface.

Flies tied on #12 or #14 hooks closely match the size of most insects and are easier to see on the water's surface.

If your epoxy doesn't fully cure and remains tacky, cover it with Hard As Nails nail polish.

Forget which flies are weighted? Use a specific colored thread on the head to denote which are weighted.

Does the chenille you use have kinks from the card it is wound around? Steam it and all the kinks will disappear. Same technique can be used for feathers that are out of shape.

Have you run across finished flies whose hook eyes are closed with head cement? After each fly tying session, check all the eyes to make sure they are open. If you encounter and eye that is blocked, heat up a needle and insert it in the needle in the eye opening it up.

Water more than ten feet deep is too deep for effective surface fly fishing. Fish naturally stay close to the bottom where most of the food is and will rarely up ten feet to take a fly or bug. In fact fish below eight feet will rarely will seldom know your offering is on the surface unless it is moving an awfully lot of water.

Head Cement Thinners

There are numerous types of head cement and each has a different thinner.
>> Lacquer based head cement (the one with the nail polish smell) can be thinned with lacquer thinner.
>> Sally Hansons Hard-As-Nails -- acetone
>> Water based cements like Loon's Hard Head -- rubbing rubbing alcohol, isopropyl alcohol or vodka.
>> Vinyl based (Dave's, Softex) -- toluene xylene. (Use only in very well ventilated areas, preferably, outdoors.)
>> Epoxy -- acetone or alcohol.
>> As with all thinners, a little can go a long way -- one or two drops at a time.


Fly Fishing With Jack

October, 2007
If you compare the flies and the fish to which they appeal, you will find almost each pattern works for several species. What varies mostly is the hook size, line and tippet used.

As you go deeper, you go from floating lines to sink-tip to intermediate to full sink lines. Tippet lengths are reduced in length, say from nine feet for floating lines to three-to-five feet for full sink. This is influenced by the fly, water clarity, water temperature and current. This is where your experience dictates selection. When in doubt, have your partner fish on one level, say with a floating line, and you utilize and intermediate line. If after a period of time, there is a lack of action or action on one of the levels, concentrate your efforts on that level. With no result, go lower with either full sinking lines or add some weight. If there are fish in the area, you should begin to get action.

November, 2007
Saltwater Flies.  One of the easiest fish to catch is the spotted sea trout or weakfish. Here is a list of flies to start with:
Top Water: Mullet head, Shrimp, Poppers, Dahlberg Divers.
Shallow (one to three feet) Water: DC Wigglers, Crabs, Shrimp, Spoonfly, Polar Shrimp, Polar Minnow, Pin Fish, Glades Minnow, Clouser, Polar Clouser, Epoxy Glass Minnow.
Deep Water: Flat Side Minnow, Pilchard, Polar Shrimp, Sparkle Shrimp, Conehead Deceiver, Crabs, Reflecto Minnow, Conehead Minnow, Polar Clouser.


Fly Fishing With Jack -- Largemouth Bass,
Part 1 (December, 2007)

Bass are predators and, as such, also hide from their own predators by seeking cover such as stumps, water hyacinths, docks, etc. This cover also protects them from the discomfort of strong sunlight.

To prosper, Bass must find a location where they can safely eat without expending too much energy � unless annoyed, a Bass will not run down something that takes more energy to catch than it gets back in calories. Much of their prey lives in or near shallow water. Fish understand that anything that is one the surface splashing around is usually out of its environment and vulnerable. Bass always keep an eye on what is happening on the water's surface and rarely refuse to take advantage of it. This is why popper and diver types of flies are so successful. Try using a floating Muddler Minnow or Hopper, to imitate a locust, cricket or grasshopper trying to swim to shore. Bass are opportunistic feeders and if anything suggests of food, they will try to eat it, as long as they don't have to move too far from their hiding place. This is why accuracy in casting your fly next to cover is more important than casting a long distance, but ending up all over the place.
Part 2 (January, 2008)

Remember in Part 1 of this series where we stated �All bass are aggressive predators.� Bass assume things that move in the water are alive -- if it moves and is, therefore, alive, it is considered food and will be attacked.

Floating Bass flies, no matter what of what material they are constructed, are lumped into the category of �Bass Bugs�. A few imitate bass food like mice, frogs and leeches. All others are attractors that try to give the impression of something living and edible. Since Bass are predators, they will eat anything that looks fair game and especially attack a Bass bug that suggests a living creature struggling at the water's surface. Flies that attract attention and appear to be vulnerable are the most successful.

Deer hair bugs can be shaped to look and perform like a hard headed wooden plug or popper, yet at the fraction of the weight. This is one of the advantages deer hair bugs have over hard bodied bugs. The drawback of these flies is that they inevitably soak up water. The best solution is to have duplicate flies on hand. As one gets wet, tie on its twin. Rotate flies and fish all day with the same looking lure that brought you success. 

Part 3 (February, 2008)

In my last article, we ended by mentioning deer hair fly rotation to keep flies that get waterlogged. Another method is to threat these flies with waterproofing spray. I like my bugs to ride partially in the water surface and not always on top of the water. For example, a frog should have part of its body under the water and this is what I try to achieve. You can work a lot of floatant into the bug when it is still dry at home, but leave the bottom untreated so it absorbs some of the water.

The shape of the bug's heads affects the motion of attraction of the bug. Flat faced bugs are water movers that pop or gurgle the water's surface as it is retrieved. Diving bugs have the head cut at an angle to make the bus dart under the surface. Muddler-style heads make a wake. All of these shapes make the bug appear alive. 

Part 4 (March, 2008)

Let's discuss where to fish and how to look for bass sites.

Some of the best areas are around aquatic grasses. These usually form on ledges and outcroppings in the middle of rivers or along river banks. Other sites to explore are lily pads, weed beds, docks, and fallen trees � structure, structure, structure.

Realize when bass find temperatures that are too cool or warm, the will move to deeper water so surface bugs get replaced with deep running muddlers, zonkers, leeches, matukas or wooly buggers. All bass usually migrate to deeper water during the midday sun and come back to the shallows during the evening.

The ability to work out where to find bass any time of the year is not an innate gift � it is a skill that can be learned. Observe the characteristics of the water you are about to fish. The first thing to look for is large areas of shallow water less than ten feet deep, known as flats. Bass are usually shallow water fish, even on large lake, bass will concentrate on large flats that can be found extending out form the shore line.
Part 5 (April, 2008)

Buy a good map of the water body you plan to fish. Look for areas where underwater contours are wide apart. This is where to cast. Look for shallow water with cover. Bass hang around weed shorelines boat docks and fallen trees. Look for vegetation growing underwater and fish over and around it.

Realize that, although bass prefer shallow water, they do like quick access to deep water for safety so fish drop-offs between deep and shallow water.

Bass also like vegetation transition zones which occur between change of water depth and ecosystems where marsh grasses, pepper grass and bulrush change to smaller aquatic plants. They are great bass hangouts but your fly must have weedguards to properly fish these locations.

Think cover � over, under, around � as where all fish (not just bass) prefer to lay waiting.

Dark water will bring bass up in the water column while clean water pushes them deeper or closer to cover. In colored water, fish a bass bug which makes a lot of noise like a popper or diving bass bugs.
Part 6 (May, 2008)

How to fish with Bass Bugs -- Practice your casting to become an expert at hitting a target area. Bass hang around structure and under hyacinths and getting the fly to the right spot the first time is important to keep from getting snagged on something or scaring the bass off. Successful casting also includes establishing line control quickly at the end of the cast as slack line will result in a lack of hook set � sometimes bass will hit the fly just after it lands on the water and you want to be ready for it.

When retrieving, do not use the rod tip to move the fly. This causes immediate slack in the line and loss of fly control. Always point your rod tip at the bass bug and move the bug by variety of tugs (soft, quick, slow, etc.) on the line with the stripping hand (and not the rod hand) while the rod tip is close to the water's surface and pointed at the fly. (By the way, this is true for both top water and sinking flies.) Different style of bugs react differently to different line retrieval tugs � for most styles, a hard quick tug and the bug dives while a softer tug causes the bug to twitch.

Sometimes big bass will attack when a bass bug is let to sit for a long period (10 seconds or more) or when just slightly moved just after it hits the water. Most fishermen move a bug too quickly. No one retrieve is always best and experiment with all types of actions and retrieval speeds.
Part 7 (June, 08)

To imitate a frog or a snake, use a sink tip line and allow the sink tip to sink. Make short strips and the fly will work on the surface. And abrupt or longer pull causes the lure to splash, pop or dive following the sunken tip. If you keep pulling, the fly swims to the depth of the sunken line tip. If you stop pulling, the fly turns head up and returns to the surface as long as the line tip does not sink deeper than the length of the leader plus tippet.

You can use the no-retrieve method when you fish under structure like a dock or overhanging trees. After casting the fly to the desired location, let it sit for three to five seconds twitch the fly using a very short strip moving it maybe an inch or so. Pause and repeat several times then recast.

In both of the above cases, when fishing on rough, murky or densely structured waters, pick a surface fly which moves a lot of water and makes a lot of noise.

The last retrieve style is the irregular strip and pause. Let the fly settle to the depth you want to fish then begin a series of strips from and inch to a foot long. Vary the strips and pauses, i.e., long strip, pause, long strip, short strip, pause, long strip, pause, short strip, etc.

Part 8 (July, 08)

A couple alternate Methods of fishing for bass.

Bass lying towards the bottom go crazy over a jig that sits on the bottom for a few seconds and then suddenly jumps once or twice. With a weighted jig fly, use a floating line with a ten foot leader – allow the fly to sink to the bottom. Pause. Strip Line. Pause. This will cause the fly to jump or “jig”.

Another deadly method for bass in bottom structure is to swim a floating fly over the structure using a two-to-four foot leader on a full sinking line. The heavy line sinks causing the fly to sink with it. Each time you strip in line, the fly dives towards the bottom and then rises when you stop stripping. If you strip the fly in slowly, it swims above the structure without hanging up.
Part 9 (August, 08)

Bass bugs -- which ones to use where.

When the wind is stirring up the water in small ripples, tie on a large, popping bass bug.  This will attract the bass to the surface despite the ripples. 

Conversely, when fishing in still water, a large popping bug will spook the bass when it lands on the surface with a splash.  Best bet here is to use a small soft-bodied fly with a rounded face.

When casting to holes between lily pads, overhanging brush or felled trees and branches where the fly can only be moved a short distance, use a pattern with a lot of legs and feathers.  By design, the fly will vibrate and wiggle at the slightest twitch.

When fishing over grass beds or deeper water, use a fly with a long trailing tails which mover under water.

Bass bugs will will cause strikes if there is some type of movement of life to it.  Color does not seem to really matter as the bass are looking up at the fly and can only see the bottom which is in silhouette.  If you are having trouble seeing the fly in low light conditions, then use brighter colored flies.

One of the biggest detriment to a bass striking a bass bug is if it has an unnatural smell.  This can be the result of secondary transfer of suntan lotion, beer, insect repellent, etc.  One bit of advice for those who have boats is to gas up at the end of the fishing day -- that way you won't have the smell of gasoline and oil on your hands when you are rigging up you fly rod.

Part 10 (September, 08)

Night Fishing For Bass.

When the sun first goes down, the bass seem to disappear for a while, then an hour or so after sunset, the bite picks up. The time period between the sunset and the bite varies depending on whether the day was sunny or cloudy. On sunny days the time period is longer due to the water temperature -- as the temperature decreases, the bass appear to wake up.

The feeding grounds that bass pick during darkness are different than in the daylight hours as the bass are no longer interested in seeking cover form the sun. Bass now go hunting for natural cover that holds food. This can be the edges bordering overhangs or near deep weed beds. The latter areas are the best places to fish. Look for the outer edges of weed beds where the shallows rapidly change to deeper water. Other areas to look for are submerged stream beds running through the flats. Bass cruise wide areas at night and don’t stay in one area as they do in the daytime.

At night, use big streamers to imitate baitfish. As the visibility is poor, the bass first sense the motion of their prey, so the streamer must move a lot of water. The color of the fly is less important – black is traditional. Top water flies such as deer-hair mice can be used near shore, but no poppers as they are too noisy.

End Of Series


 

 

 

 

"Jack's Notes" and "Fly Fishing With Jack" Archive