Fly Fishing Bargains

 

Hi Guys

Do you prefer to find fly fishing bargains at a local fly shop or online? Personally, I haven't seen many great deals at fly shops. I dislike being overcharged for anything, and in today's world, you can often find products at lower prices online. Thanks to the internet, numerous bargains are available if you want to spend a little time searching for them. 

Let’s start with the two most essential accessories for fly fishing: the fly rod and reel. You can find a good deal on a fly rod that looks, feels, and casts like the expensive Sage or Orvis Helios fly rods, which cost thousands of dollars. The two fly rods I have used for years are the Streamflex and the Redington models. These rods are reasonably priced at around $200 to $300. While that might seem pricey to some, you're still getting a rod that emulates the characteristics of high-end fly rods available today.

When it comes to fly reels, I am a strong believer in small arbor fly reels versus large arbor fly reels. I'll explain the reasoning behind this statement in another post. Two of the best bargains for small arbor fly reels is the Piscifun Sword and the Gloomis Free Spool retreive fly reel. This reel had been discontinued by Gloomis why I don't know but the quailty is outstanding. I own four of this reels in the 3/4 wt. and use all of them on my four through six weight fly rods. That should tell you how impressed I am with this one fly reel. The only place you can buy the reel in on Ebay usaully at 150 bucks or less. New this fly reel once sold for over 300 bucks. The last Gloomis fly reel I bought on Ebay was a couple of years ago. My son uses all Gloomis reels and the Piscifun on his fly rods. I’m impressed with the lightweight design, smooth drag, and overall construction, of the Piscifun fly reel not to mention its attractive color scheme. At an affordable price of $50, this reel is a fantastic bargain. I know the Gloomis is pricey but the free spool retreive and the lightness and the small arbor is what sold me. 

Overall, the fly rod and reel are typically the most expensive components of fly fishing. This is why it's essential to research the best rods and reels that fit your budget, ensuring you’re not overpaying or undervaluing your purchase.

When it comes to fly lines and leaders, you can also save money with some research. My choices for affordable fly lines and leaders are the SF fly line and the Piscifun brand, which I have been using for the past four years. I have the Piscifun and SF fly lines spooled on my 2, 3, 4, and 5-weight fly rods. I’m particularly impressed the low memory and how quickly the lines loads, allowing for a smooth presentation without tangles. Both companies, SF and Piscifun, sell their leaders in six-packs in 7.5 ft and 9 ft lengths, ranging from 2X to 7X, at an excellent price of $10!

I save on tippet line by using 2lb, 4 lb, and 6 lb fishing line spools, either fluorocarbon or monofilament, which I purchase at Walmart. I never use the tippet end of any of the leaders I buy. I am a big believer in using tippet rings and small swivels. I use tippet rings when fishing for trout and swivels when fishing for bass and bluegill with surface poppers and dry flies. The swivel is a lifesaver for eliminating twists in the tippet line. My leaders last me two to three seasons because I only replace the tippet end of the leader using the tippet ring. I go through a lot of tippet lines in one season.

There are many places to purchase flies and poppers online and at fly shops. I never pay over 90 cents for a fly, including nymphs, streamers, and dry flies. The FlyShack is my go-to shop for all things flies. I've been dealing with this company for years and even have several of their stickers on my 10-foot Pelican boat. While everything else on this site is priced a bit high for me, their fly deals attract customers, which certainly caught my attention. All of my poppers are purchased from Breambugs, which stocks top-quality products. I have been using their poppers for years. The popper is the one item I’m willing to spend more on if they produce well. For small items like nippers and forceps, I use the Orvis brand. Sure, they cost a little more, but I need both items to withstand the test of time, and they certainly deliver. There’s nothing worse than trying to cut excess line from a clinch knot with cheap nippers or dealing with flimsy forceps when removing a fly from a fish's mouth.

In today's economy, it's crucial to be mindful of the prices we pay for anything, regardless of whether you are retired, married with children, or single. I hope today’s post can help anyone considering taking up fly fishing for the first time, or even those of us who have enjoyed the sport for years. 

I have roughly 50 days left until the start of my season this year. The best days for me to fish are Tuesdays and Thursdays, certainly not on weekends, I can't wait!!

The Wooly Bugger

 If you are a fly fisherman, you have fished the Wooly Bugger at one time or another. It is one of the most effective and versatile flies in fly fishing. It can be tied to imitate various prey, such as baitfish, leeches, and crawfish. One can tie Wooly Buggers in various sizes, colors, and materials to match local conditions or target specific fish. The possibilities are endless. I like sizes 4,6 and 8, and for bluegill, the sizes 10 and 12 are killers. The marabou tail and lots of hackle around the body create a natural motion in the water, which fish find irresistible. 

The black and brown colors have produced more hits than any color I have fished. i use the conehead bugger with no weight and no sink-tip line. The chartreuse with the red tungsten bead head in size 12 is excellent for attracting bluegill. Be prepared to lose a few of these size 12 bluegill buggers because after a few big gills inhale it the tail hackle begins to thin. If the fly produces, I don't mind the thinning of the hackle. 

I remember landing this 3 lb spotted bass in early spring on Smith Lake a couple of years ago fishing the black version of the bugger. That morning, the take and the fight put a bend in my 6wt. that I still remember to this day. My favorite way to fish the bugger is to retrieve it slowly to mimic a leech or struggling prey. I seldom add weight because of hang-ups, and why use a weight when a sink tip leader gets the bug down slower than a weight tied into your line?

This fly is super easy to fish and can put more fish in your net when other flies fail.

This will be my last post for this year, so here's wishing everyone who follows Fishing Through Life a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

The Most Realistic Nymphs Ever!!

 These nymphs have to be the most realistic nymphs I have ever seen. I ordered both patterns. I can't wait to give them a try on the Sipsey and Smith Lake. 

The bodies of these nymphs are hard body and have weight. 
 

Deciphering a Midge Hatch

When I fish the Sipsey Tailrace I usually notice a midge hatch. The best hatches usually occur in the afternoon. Seeing a hatch on the Sipsey doesn’t always mean one will be successful landing trout fishing the hatch. As most of us know landing trout during a hatch depends on matching the hatch and how you present the pattern to the trout, and sometimes that doesn’t work. I know all of us have been there; where you are watching trout feeding heavy on a midge hatch and we cast everything in the fly box at the feeding frenzy and come up empty.

As most you know I just can’t let this hatch mystery go without doing a little research that hopefully will help all of us out on our next hatch adventure. The following image and explanation below are some of the best examples of hatch feeding I found. Keep in mind the bugs mentioned here are mayflies, caddis flies, emergers and a midge, but the surface action trout image below could be the same regardless of the insects.

Watching trout rise from a vantage point at the water's edge will tell you where to cast. But by taking an even closer look and noting how those trout are rising, you can also see exactly what type of fly to throw at them—especially when there are different insects flying in the air. Here’s what to look for.
1 - The Sip
What you see: A very subtle dimple in the water, and only the nose of the trout appear.
What that means: The fish are either sipping midges or eating spent mayfly spinners.
What to fish: A Rusty Spinner—but no bigger than a size 18.
2 - The Slurp
What you see: More pronounced “beaks,” eating on the surface.
What that means: The fish are dialed in on a hatch—likely mayfly duns.
What to fish: A size 18 Parachute Adams. When the fish are really chopping, try a cripple variation.
3 - The Splash
What you see: A sudden, explosive pop with some splash.
What that means: Trout are on moving targets, like skittering caddisflies.
What to fish: Tie on a caddis pattern, such as a size 16 Lawson’s Caddis, and don’t be afraid to give it a twitch.
4 - The Boil
What you see: Disturbed water but no faces—only a dorsal fin and maybe a tail.
What that means: They’re eating emergers before they reach the surface.
What to fish: A size 20 Flashback Barr Emerger just beneath the film.
The following illustration came from a Field and Stream publication

I stocked up on some hatch patterns on my recent visit to the new Cabala’s in Huntsville Alabama this past Thursday. This store had the largest selection of flies I have seen in any fly shop ever!!! I would also say that Cabala’s has a leg up on the Bass Pro fly shops when it comes to quality fly fishing equipment and accessories.

I’m curious what fly size and pattern would you select to get a hit using images 1, 2, 3 or 4?
   

Hope all you guys have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!!!

Fishing The Soft Hackle During a Feeding Frenzy

A quick Saturday morning trip to the Sipsey proved to be productive using the soft hackle. I was not in any big hurry to get on the tailrace this Saturday, because the humidity and fog were heavy. I forgot to mention the crowds. Generators were scheduled to be running at 1 PM so the 2 hours I had needed to be spent wisely. My plan was to spend all my time in two areas right above the pump station. Both spots always have trout and today were no exception. As usual, the trout were in a subsurface feeding mode and feeding on tiny brown midge flies. As I stood there and watched the feeding frenzy I notice other anglers casting above and below me. My little area only covered roughly 100 ft. so I staked the area out and stayed put. Needless to say there were a lot of anglers on the Sipsey today.

I got somewhat irritated with the canoes, kayaks, and even an aluminum boat floating in all the areas that everyone was trying to fish. I’ve never seen any watercraft during the weekdays, I guess that tells me something???

I always get pumped when I can get some action on the dries, so with the size 18 Gnat I gave the dries their due, but to no avail. My first strange-looking wide-body trout of the morning, in fact, I thought I had landed a small skipjack.

The real reason for this Saturday morning trip was to fish some of the soft hackles Alan tied for me a couple of weeks ago. I know I could have waited until the weekdays with less traffic, but I was like a kid with a new toy I just had to play. Even a Geezer can still be a kid at heart!!!

  Structure slowed the midge drift down and that was the area where the heavy feeding was occurring.

Another rainbow which couldn’t resist the silver hackle; this morning the trout was taking the hackle a little different as opposed to previous trips. No drift takes today, all the hits occurred as I was working the soft hackle back across the feeding area. No indicator, just a slow retrieve tight lining. Numerous rainbows landed today using the 3 weight.

One beat up fly pattern after a mornings work. As I’ve said many times the Sipsey is pressured every day with lots of fly fishermen especially on weekends; so when one finds a pattern that will produce they better guard it. I found that pattern this morning in Alan’s soft hackle

 

Using the Picket Pin and Soft Hackle Flies on the Sipsey Tailrace

Today was my first trip this season on the Sipsey Tailrace to cast a few dry patterns the rainbows way. I was really surprised to find no other vehicles in the parking lot when I arrived around 8 AM. In fact, I fished my couple of hours without seeing another fisherman, which proved to be really productive.

As I walked towards Access 6 I notice I had some unexpected company following me. I tried to get closer with the image shot, but they were having of that.

As I moved up the mist covered tailrace I notice trout rising in one of the fast seams I usually fish. The trout were rising with no visible hatch, but that didn’t keep me from tying on one of Alan’s dries.

Both these flies, the Picket Pin and the Soft Hackle would get quite a workout for the couple of hours I had to fish today. I started with the Picket Pin and work the fly for almost an hour, with numerous trout landed and later switched to the Soft Hackle after the trout started feeding just under the surface. The takes on both flies were aggressive, especially the Soft Hackle. My better trout were taken on the Hackle.

The footage for today’s trip is not my best at handling the trout. Hope you guys enjoy.

 



The Gnat, Beadhead and the Popper

Tuesday’s trip involved using numerous flies to attract some hits from some early spring bluegills. I only got to fish a couple of hours, so I had to make the most of what was given to me. The fish today were in a sluggish hitting mode, from the results of freshwater, and some cool nights.

I did manage to land my first crappie using my 3 wt. and the black gnat. I always heard where there is one crappie there is more but not today.

My one bass of the morning using the Betts popper, nice fight on the 4 weight.

 The beadhead grub got this female's attention. After a brief pause for the photo she got her freedom.

My one counter of the trip using the Betts popper; got to love landing these gills using the fly rod!!!

Snow, Nymphs, Reels, and Fly Rods

I don’t know about you guys but I am beyond ready to get on the water.  I can’t wait to try some of the Super Nymphs that Luke over at “The Young Man and the Stream” mailed me last week. He did an exceptional job at the bench. Thanks Luke for helping me replace the last batch of flies that was stolen from me back in December. I found out last year that this fly is not only an awesome bluegill pattern, but a killer trout fly as well.



  Luke threw in three extra flies that will be tested early this season. I am impressed with double bead eyes not only for the weight factor, but the attention these flies will get from the bass and bluegills.

My new 8 ½  3wt. Tempt Redington fly rod with the matching 2/3 Redington reel will be perfect to fight some of the trout on the tailrace in the next couple of weeks. I lost this same combo in the burglary.

We seldom get snow this far south, but this year was an unusual year for bitter cold and yes snow. Bring on Spring!!!

 

 

  

Fishing the Super Beadhead Nymph

In October I was fishing with what I will call a super nymph on Smith Lake; when I discovered it made the difference in the slow morning I was experiencing. The surface action had long gone after the sun consumed the banks, so my next option was to go down under. I had tried a number of nymph patterns with no success, when I decided right before I was ready to call it a day to give the super nymph a try. On the second cast it produced a nice bluegill, which gave me confidence to stay a while longer.

I like the Tungsten beadhead used on this nymph, because I can get a faster drop verses a traditional beadhead. This pattern continued to produce throughout the morning.

After having success with the olive pattern, I decided I would get David at the Trout Zone to tie me up some other colors. I wanted these to have a little more hackle at the neck and a different color tail to contrast with the body.  I haven't tried the other colors on the lake, but come spring I will have a report for you guys. As usual he did an excellent job in tying up the exact pattern for me. 

The cream grub is my favorite. I landed numerous rainbows on the tailrace some weeks back dead drifting this nymph in fast water. Sorry I don’t have any images of that trip because I forgot my memory card for my camera that day. I can see myself needing a lot of these cream grubs in my future, not only for the trout but for the monster gills on the lake. I don't know about you guys but I am ready for spring!!

 

 

 

 

 

November Fly Swap

I thought I would share my latest fly swap with you guys from Nick at Brookfield Angler. I received these three nicely tied Sculpins flies in the mail yesterday for my swap. The spots on Smith Lake and the big rainbow on the tailrace should really attack this pattern. Nick did a nice job tying the Sculpin.

 

 

My post last month titled Become a Blogger Fly Swap Fiend explains my reasoning behind swapping flies. These are the flies I have up for swap this month.

 







Upper left is a size 18 Dry Coachman--right top is size 14 Mayfly---Middle is a size 20 Beadhead Brown Midge--Lower left is a size 14 Brown Drake--Lower right is a size 20 Grey Scud

 

Another Successful Trout Fest in the Books

A beautiful cool fall Saturday welcomed in this years Trout Fest which was held at the RiversideFly Shop, located on the banks of the Sipsey River. The event was sponsored by the Sipsey Trout Unlimited Chapter 639. This years Festival was loaded with activities, such as dry fly casting, door prizes, raffles, guest speakers, casting tutorials, children’s activities, casting competition, exhibits, fly tying, and striper-on-fly-forum. It was a fun event for the young and old, male and female and most of all a way to meet and greet avid fly fishermen and women. The event was to raise money for the big trout project that the Sipsey Trout Unlimited Chapter 639 has sponsored for the past couple of years. Last year’s goal was to raise 1500.00 which was met and this year’s goal reached that number and more. It is so rewarding to see so many fly fisherman turn out to support this cause.

I have to commend the guys in charge of smoking the pork and spare rids for lunch, it had to be some of the best pull pork I have tasted in a long time. Everyone else present agreed the meal was outstanding. The big smoker was smoking long before the crowd showed up.

Everyone attending could sign up here for a 10.00 ticket that was good for lunch and a chance to win the 10 ft. Nucanoe Frontier Hybird Kayak, worth 1,049.00. Notice the round plastic containers on the table, the lids were labeled with the name of each item to be raffled off.  One could buy 5.00 tickets for a chance to win any of the raffled items which was given away after lunch.

A lot of 10.00 tickets were sold to win this item. The individual who won the Nucanoe told me that his present canoe was on its last run, so winning the Nucanoe was a welcome addition for him.

The Bristol Bay Retreat in King Salmon, Alaska was another fantastic prize for the right ticket holder. A 10.00 raffle ticket would get you a chance to win this trip for two valued at 6500.00. A lot of tickets were sold for this trip of a lifetime.  

This was another item that got a lot of attention and sold a lot of 10.00 tickets; the Kamado Joe Ceramic Grill and Smoker, valued at 849.99. Other items that were raffled off were: Measure nets with rubber bag in three different sizes, pair of Korkers guide boots, Echo Edge fly rod, dry, nymph, and streamer fly boxes, 2 spools of Air-Flo fly line, Guideline Sunglasses, Guided Drift Boat Trip down the Sipsey Fork, and a Wading Guide trip for two from Riverside Fly Shop.

A number of fly tiers were available tying patterns used on and beyond the Sipsey. Joe Tremblay from Huntsville Alabama demonstrated some really nice dry and nymph patterns. He is a member of the Tennessevalleyflyfisher.org organization. Another excellent fly tier was Ted Crona who was from Scottsboro, Alabama. He demonstrated some really nice streamer patterns. His email address is tedcrona@yahoo.com

An array of streamers, dries, and nymphs were on display.

Local fly tier Steve Fletcher owner of Fletcher’s Flies was on hand to tie some of the popular patterns used on the Sipsey. Visit his website to see a variety of flies he ties and fishes with.

There were a number of kids participating in the casting competition.

This lady told me that she and her husband both fly fish and have been on a number of guided float trips in Tennessee. She was competing in the distance cast. The winner of this competition hit 72 ft.

 
Lunch begin with a line waiting for some of the pull pork, cole slaw, pork and beans, bread, and choice of drink. As stated earlier, the food for this years Fest was awesome!!!

Lifetime fly angler and author Bob Shanks was on hand to share with everyone his unconventional fly fishing techniques part II. He was at the Trout Derby back in the spring to present techniques I. Bob has fished in Idaho, Colorado, and Montana for years casting for rainbow and brown trout. He has spent the last 20 years during the summer months in Montana fishing all of the well known streams and rivers. The information he shared with everyone was priceless.

Around the Next Bend is a collection of stories and techniques that Bob has written to help one become a better fly fisherman. The book sold out at Trout Fest Saturday. A lot of Bob’s 70 years of fly fishing has gone into this book. He will be 84 in a couple of months and still fishing astounding!!

 

Legionary fly rod/reel, magazine contributor and fly casting expert Ted Calvert gave a demonstration on “Striper-on-the-Fly.” The casting skills he demonstrated were amazing. He guides on Smith Lake chasing the big stripers using his 8/9 wt. fly rod. He fishes streamers in the 4 to 6” lengths, using the big heavy bass bug line. 30 lb. stripers are not unusual for him to land using the fly rod. 

A tremendous amount of work went into this year’s festival, which produced a great turnout from the locals and many from outside the county and state. The money raised will ensure the stocking of many 20” rainbow and above for the coming year. Congratulations are in order to The Sipsey Trout Unlimited Chapter 639 and Randy and Brandon owners of Riverside for another successful year with Trout Fest. Hope to see everyone back for next years event.