Choosing The Right Fly Line

I know a lot of us take our fly fishing line for granted. I have been using the same line on one of my reels for the past 3 ½ years. I try to really watch if there are any obstructions in the line and I always try to keep it clean. I usually try to dress the last 4 ft. of the line about every other trip. I thought a bit of information on line treatment could be helpful to all of us, and we all might pick up some information we didn’t know.


The right line makes everything possible.
In spin fishing the weight of the lure being cast pulls the monofilament line off the reel. In fly fishing the weight of the fly line being cast carries the fly to the fish. The fly line you cast and the way you cast it creates the "presentation" of the fly. To catch fish you must present your fly in the water column the way the fish expect to see their foods. The right fly line makes that possible.

Fly line
Selecting the right fly line will help you get to where the fish are. Your local fly shop is the best place to get advice on fly lines, especially in choosing the right line for your fishing needs. Nothing "sinks" a fishing trip faster than arriving with the wrong fly lines for the fishing situations.

Considerations when choosing a Fly Line
Shape and construction: These determine how the line delivers the fly. In fly fishing you want to deliver the fly where and how the fish expect to see their food. So, you must choose the fly line that is designed with the proper length, weight, taper, color, specific gravity and coating for the fishing you want to do.

Length and Weight: A fly line's weight is distributed throughout its length - from 90 to 105 feet or more - but its weight designation (1- through 15-weight) is determined by the weight of the front 30 feet of the fly line. Fly line weights range from a 1-weight to a 15-weight.

Tapers: The way fly lines shoot, turn over a heavy fly, present a small fly delicately, or cast efficiently at long or short distances is through the taper design. The fly line's taper (its outside dimension) is designed by varying the thickness of the line coating. Notice the way a fly line is described - tip, front taper, belly, rear taper, head and running line. All these elements can be varied to change the casting performance of the line. Fly lines are broken into five design categories: the seldom-used level (L), the highly popular weight-forward (WF), double-taper (DT), shooting-taper (ST), and specialty tapers. The fly lines you will use the most are weight-forward, double-taper and specialty.

Color: Some fishermen prefer a brightly colored fly line so they can see where their line is in the air and on the water. It helps them in casting and in knowing where their fly is at all times. Others prefer fly lines that blend in with whatever background they are fishing. Fish see colors, they reason, so why spook them with colors they are not used to seeing? You must decide what color fly line works best for you.

Coating: Fly lines float because they are designed by the manufacturer with tiny air bubbles in the line surface. If instead the manufacturer adds lead or tungsten to the fly line's coating, the line will sink.

Fly lines are constructed of a core, a taper design, and a coating (usually polyvinylchloride). These basic elements are varied to make form follow function. In other words, by changing the core, coating or tapers, the manufacturer can make fly lines that perform best under any fishing situation.

To sum things up:
• For the best advice and choices, buy your fly lines at a fly shop where you can describe your fishing needs and receive the counsel of experienced fishermen.
• The weight of your fly line must match your rod - 6-weight lines for 6-weight rods and so forth.
• The larger the fly, the larger the fly line (and fly rod) needed to cast it.
• Fishing the water column from top to bottom requires both floating and sinking fly lines. As water depth and flow increase, the heavier the sinking fly lines you will need to penetrate it. If you cannot penetrate it to where the fish lie (near bottom), you cannot present the fly in the level at which they are feeding, and you will not catch them.
• Match the type of the fly line to the fishing conditions for which it is designed.
• Take care of your fly line, and it will take care of you.
If you see a line marked "Trout," "Bass," "Bonefish," "Big Game" or the like, you know that it is designed for that species. Fly line designations are indicated on the side of the manufacturer's packages as in these examples: "WF8F" means weight-forward, 8-weight, floating; or "Wet Tip V 13'" means sinking-tip, very fast sinking, 13-foot tip). Then the length of the fly line is given: 90ft./30 yd./27.4m. Each tells you something important about the function of the fly line.

Fly Line Care
Fly lines should be washed in mild soap and water and wiped dry or cleaned with a line cleaner after use, because they accumulate dirt and algae on their surface, making casting difficult and floating fly lines sink.
After cleaning, allow the fly line to dry in the shade (ultraviolet light from the sun destroys the chemicals in a line), or wipe the fly line dry and dress it with lubricant provided by the manufacturer or with Armor-All. Some newer fly lines require less dressing because they have lubricants in the line coating that gradually weep toward the surface.
When you are not fishing the fly line, detach the fly and wind the line onto the reel until your next trip. Long storage on a reel can create reel-coils in the fly line, but to remove the coils you just need to stretch or cast the line.
At the end of the season clean your fly lines thoroughly and wind them back onto their original line spools.
Always keep your fly lines stored out of direct sunlight. The sun's ultraviolet rays and high heat (a hot car trunk, for example) can cause the coating chemicals on the fly line to deteriorate quickly. With proper care your fly lines should last from three to five years under normal use.

The Latest Kayaks Used for Trout Fishing

Today’s post deals with the latest in kayak fishing used for trout fishing below the dam at Smith Lake. I really don’t know how much luck this guy had but he surely looked determined. I surmised from the hat that had to be an avid Alabama fan, and an accomplished trout fisherman. Guys thought I would share this image with all of you; I have never met this individual before in my life.

The shirt and chair to match the hat

                                                                          

                                

Something I haven’t done in a While

Went out to the local lake the other morning and decided to leave the fly rod at home and just cast a top water plug. I was using a short 5 ½ ft. rod with a low profile Shimano casting reel. This is the set-up I use to tackle the small creeks way back when in Mississippi. It brought back memories of how it use to be with the casting rigs. When I retired my priorities sort of changed as far as fishing was concerned. I found myself fishing with guys retired too and most all of them either fly fished or ultra light fished. I had for year’s fished light tackle and that was one of my favorite ways to land quality fish and get the ultimate enjoyment out of the play. But while fishing with another one of my buddies who was very proficient with the fly rod -----well it really brought back memories. I had fished with the fly rod most all my life but on a very limited basis and it always took a back seat to my bait casting rigs. Little did I know that one day I would just about give up the bass rigs and totally devote most all my time back to the fly rod. That is what has happened with me at this point in my fishing life. The trip the other morning was enjoyable catching the spot on top with the cripple killer lure, but I found myself wishing and wondering how it would have been to land this 16” on the fly. My only regret through my years of fishing has been the fact that I totally let the bass rigs dominate my trips. I find myself wishing now that I had use my fly rod more, and I probably would not have missed out on some of the awesome fights I get with the it now. I will be making a trip to Mississippi to fish with my brother on Monday and you can bet the fly rod will be my main rig I carry. Hope all of you have great weekend fishing.

The Beartooth Braided Shocker Butt Perfection Loop

I always like to share products and any information about fly fishing I come across with my fellow bloggers. I recently purchased the Beartooth Braided Shocker Butt—section with spliced perfection loop. The main reason I went with this product is the break offs I had recently with my tippets on a fishing trip, especially when I set the hook with force. Randy at our local fly shop recommended I try the shocker butt and today I put it to good use with the wooly bugger on a spot in 5 ft. of water. It worked to perfection and what really surprised me was less tension on the tippet. I will diffidently keep using it especially when I am nymphing. The following is a description of the product---


The Beartooth Shocker Butt not only connects the fly line with any type of leader but incorporates an elastic, shock absorbing material that stretches to nearly twice it's original length, and cushions the sudden strike from the fish that would normally snap tippet. For more products by Beartooth check out their website   Beartooth Flyfising

A Great Trip Fishing with B.T.

This weekend was a visit from B.T. Jenny and their son Bryson. He is really growing and will celebrate his first birthday in a couple of weeks. My wife and I will be making the trip up to Tennessee for his birthday bash. He loves to spend time in Pop's boat pretending to drive it. I told his Dad that he will be an outdoorsman because he is really happy when he is outside. I just wanted to share this bit of info. with all of you because we are really proud of his parents and this little man.

Here are a few pics from Saturday's trip to Smith Lake with B.T. We always try to work in a trip every time they visit. It won't be long before this little man will be making some trips with his Dad and Pops.

Another one of those nice strips

Landing Stripped Bass Using the Bouface Fly

I decided today I was going to fish the huge levee of Smith Dam and place the big Boggle Bug popper in and around the big boulders that were put in place when the lake was created. So with the boat launched, I proceeded to the east end of the levee where the depth finder was reading between 100 ft. to 110 ft. off the edge of steep rocks.  With the lake being low I could see the shelf bank that the low water revealed. I started with my 5wt. and made a long shoot cast right to the edge of the rock bank and let the popper sit idle for a few seconds and started a short jerk hop motion for about a 6 ft. run. This was the presentation I used throughout the early morning until the sun overtook the banks. With the levee being only 200 yards in length I had to make every cast count. The water was extremely clear and at times I could see the fish before I ever made the cast. The only problem was if you could see the fish then they could see you. So I made all the cast seated in the Bass Tracker. I found if I stood up the fish would spook and head for deeper water. The levee produced 3 nice spots for me all over the 12” mark using the idle jerk pop presentation.  The hits today were vicious.  I really like to fish this popper when the fish are really after it and this morning they meant to kill it. At the end of the levee, I debated whether to go back and fish it again or go to another area that I had fish last year. The other area got the vote and I worked that area the same way with the poppers but with no success, not because the sun was on the bank but because the topwater hit was over. You only have about an hour to fish the top before the fish turn off. So I switched to a fly that looks somewhat like a streamer but on a smaller scale called the Bouface Brown. Little did I know that this little # 6 fly was going to give me the best nymphing experience I have ever had with a fly rod on Smith Lake.  I positioned the boat so I could fish this long gravel point. I made a long cast across the point and starting stripping the fly back to me when I got a hit and landed a nice spot.

I was glad I was using the 5 wt. because it gave me that extra backbone I needed to fight the fish and land it. This activity lasted for about 20 minutes and in that time I landed one of the largest striped bass I have ever caught on the fly which was a 3.3 lb strip bass again with the Bouface. Using the fly rod on schooling strips who would have thought I started the day with 3 Bouface flies in the box and ended the day with none. I lost all three on break-offs on fish I never turned around. I got to do something today I had never done landing striped bass using the fly rod and it is something I will never forget. Today’s trip shows me that there are so many ways to enjoy this great sport.  

Looking For That Ultra Light Fly Reel

  I have been on the look out for a smaller fly reel for my 3 Wt. I am trying to go as light as I can with my fly rods and reels. The older I get the less I like to fishall day with a weighted combo. I can get a much better feel for the fish I am pursuing with a light combo as opposed to heavier setup. I recently purchased a 4wt. to give me some balance between by 3 an 5wt. rods. I was using a G-Lomis reel on my 3 wt rod at the time when I purchase my 4wt. I never really got the balance I was looking for with the 3wt rod and G-Lommis reel. So this brings me back to the smaller and lighter reel to balance out the 3 wt. I have been looking on the net and came across some nice reels with some nice prices, but just can’t bring myself to spend the high dollars for such a reel. White River from BassPro has an ultra light reel with the following info.----

This is a fully machined, fully featured fly reel . Prototypes were extensively tested on Wyoming's Green River. In heavy current, with most of the fly line gone, and 6x tippet, they performed like a champ. Those fish measured in pounds, not inches. The all-steel, one-way bearing, polished steel drag stack, and the meticulous attention to detail in every step of manufacture make the Classic Fly Reel one of the finest reels you'll ever own at any price. The 2-1/2" ultralight model is perfect for short, small-stream rods and has a click-and-pawl drag. Check out this link at BassPro Ultralight Fly Reel for a view of the reel and additional specs. I just got a comment from Chris Barclay about an ultralight reel in the Redington Brand.  Got a comment today on Ross Fly Reels from Bigerrfish. I will continue to weight all recommedations.  If anyone else has another reel in mind just give me a comment.

Finally Back on the Water

I guess you have notice for the past couple of weeks that I have not posted any fishing trips. I spent my fishing day last week visiting with my best friend while his wife was undergoing an operation. Everything turned out fine. This past weekend was taken up with my wife and me spending three days in Dallas Texas at my nieces wedding. We made it home late Sunday night. So needless to say I was looking forward to getting back on the water. One of my fishing buddies and I spent a couple of hours on Smith this morning fishing for some more of those fighting Kentucky Spots. We had some jarring hits on some of the large poppers. The water is falling on the lake. Lake management always lowers the lake in the fall anticipating the spring rains. This is one of the best times to see what is actually under water. Lots of ledges are always exposed, which creates a constant shade for some big bass. So the whole trip today was centered round learning how to get that big popper under a ledge which would protrude back sometimes 2 ft. If you was lucky enough to land that bug as close to the back wall and under that daunting ledge---then your bug would get killed by a largemouth, big bull gill or one of those mean spots. I manage to land a couple of nice spots in the 15” range under the ledges and a nice meal of gills to carry home. The 4 Wt. got a work out today. My buddy helped out with the gill donation. He was having the same problem I was with the close mouth hits by the bass. So we were really glad to land the fish we did. I always learn something on every trip I make and today was no exception. My buddy was using a skip cast to get his fly underneath the ledges, which was producing some awesome hits. To say I learned how to master this cast today is an understatement. Let me put it this way I will need to make more trips. Sorry guys no pictures my camera was still in my wife’s car full of wedding pictures and not in the boat with me----BOMBER!!!!

Fishing the Stimulator

  This is one of the best pieces I have read on Stimulators. I am fishing hoppers now on my local lake. The Spotted Bass love the big hoppers. I agree with this read concerning the float ability of the stimulator, nothing works better in fast runs. I picked up some really good information here. I hope this piece is also helpful to you as well.


Stimulators are definitely one the most popular "big" flies on trout streams. They are versatile, float well, visible, easy to tie, and can imitate a lot of different things. As soon as Stone Flies or Salmon Flies hatch, Stimulators will be effective and will continue to be right up through the fall. As soon as the Stone and Salmon Flies disappear, the hoppers will be hitting the water. Hopper imitations will work well into the Fall Caddis hatch. With the exception of color variations from the river to river and from hatch to hatch, the stimulator will imitate any of these bugs, as well as just looking like a tasty treat floating by.

Each river has its own variations of color and size of certain bugs that the Stimulator will imitate. As a general rule, below is a list of the colors that are typical for certain bugs and the times of the year they are generally present throughout North America.

May-July: Stone / Salmon Flies These big bugs hatch as soon as the river starts to clear and warm up. They vary in size greatly with good imitations tied on hooks from size 2 (huge) to size 18 (small) for Little Sallies. Stone Flies also vary in color widely depending on the river, so it is wise to check the colors you will need before you go. Most are some variation or combination of gray, brown, orange, tan, and or yellow.

July-September: Hoppers The hot summer months typically produce smaller aquatic insects than earlier in the year. This however is when land insects attain their full size. Grass Hoppers are something that hungry fish are always looking for as they uncontrollably fly and accidentally land on the water where they are helpless. Hoppers vary in size and color, but any good size stimulator pattern in yellow, tan, brown, green, orange, and maybe some red combination will usually bring trout to the surface. Many times though, they are wary, so the fly needs to be fished naturally and with light tippet, as the water is usually low and clear this time of year.

September-November: Fall Caddis Known by many names such as October, Fall, and Autumn Caddis, it is not hard to figure out when these super-sized caddises are in the rivers. As far as shape goes, Fall Caddis looks exactly like any other caddis. But for size, they are much bigger with patterns tied on hook sizes 6-12 being the norm. Regular Caddis can be any color, but the only color you will need for October Caddis is a creamy orange color. A stimulator with an orange body is about as good as it gets when chasing trout in the fall, almost no matter which North American river you are trout fishing. The odd thing about this hatch is that you will not see them emerging out of the water and flying all around like other caddis hatches. Turn over some rocks though or look in the bushes along the bank and you will find them. Just when you think there are none around is when one will scare you by crawling up the back of your neck. When they do fly you know what it is as it will struggle to stay in the air, and then hit the water and release its eggs, hopefully before getting eaten. Anyway, if you plan to be on a trout stream in the fall, be sure to have some orange stimulators in your fly box (yellow will probably work too).

Fishing a Stimulator Stimulators are one of my favorite patterns to fish. They are easy to cast, highly visible, and the fish love them. Just squirt a little fly floatant on it and you are ready to fish. I like to fish them in fast water where fish will see them and not have much time to make up their mind as to whether or not it is real. Usually, you can get by with heavier tippet with these than with small imitations. I typically use 3X or 4X, unless they are being finicky, then I will go a little lighter to 5X tippet. If I see even one stonefly in the sky throughout the day, I will immediately tie on a Stimulator of some color variation depending on the river. If there are stoneflies on the water, those fish will be looking up, and a big juicy insect is too much to pass up.

Favorite Fly Patterns for Anytime, Anywhere

 I thought I would share with everyone today some of the flies I have started sticking in my fly boxes. Notice I said fly boxes. I can look back on my fly fishing over the years and it only amounted to a K-Mart combo fly rod and a few poppers, and that was it. But since I got back into the sport some 3 years ago I added the trout aspect and that opens up a whole new avenue. Better rods, reels, and a lot more flies, not only for the trout but for the bass and gills I pursuit. So now I not only have the trout flies, bass, and bluegill flies as well. My K-Mart combo has been replaced with rods for nymphing, dries, and large Spotted Bass on the lake. Even rods for small streams, verses tailraces, and lakes come into play. So you might say I have done a complete 360 when it comes to fly fishing.

  The following flies are some I used on the lake and some on the tailraces I fish. I always have flies in reserve that I don't put into the fly boxes until I am running low on a particular fly. I don't tie my flies so I order everything I use which comes packed nicely in small boxes. I keep saying I am going to take a fly tying class, but there never seems to be enough time. I am usually on the water at least 3 days a week, and the rest of the week is taken up with gym and chores.
  A lot of the patterns listed below would work most anywhere in the U.S. and a lot of these flies are common in most fly boxes. There are some flies not mentioned here that would be a must for individuals who live out west or in the eastern part of the U.S. So take a look and see what you think, and I welcome any additions.

1. Olive wooly bugger ----Warmwater & coldwater

2. Black wooly bugger ---Warmwater & coldwater

3. Grasshopper (yellow body) ---Warmwater & coldwater

4. Purple wooly bugger---Warmwater & coldwater

5. Brown Wooly bugger----Warmwater & coldwater

6. Flashback pheasant tail nymphs

7. Copper john

8. Prince nymph

9. Variety of Large Poppers for Smallmouth, Spotted Bass, and Largemouth

10. Stimulator

11. Beadhead Hairs Ear 

12. Soft hackle streamers

13. Griffiths Gnat

14. Adams dry flies

15. Clouser Minnow--warm water and cold water fishing 

16. Variety of small poppers and nymphs--Warmwater fishing 

17. Beadhead Bouface Brown 

18. Zebra midges in the Firebuy variety a dozen different colors new on the market

19. Bluewing olive dry fly

20. San Juan Worm--different colors

Notice I didn't mention sizes because that can vary depending on the region.

Brass and Tungsten Bead Head Nymphs

I recently read this article on one of my alerts and thought it was interesting. I am using the Tungsten bead head now a lot because of its sink rate. This article really drives home the importance of using Tungsten.
Talk to any fly angler and they will tell you the most consistent technique for catching trout is by nymphing. This technique is successful because trout take the majority of their food from deep in the water column where nymphs are most abundant. To be a successful nymph angler you need to get your nymph down to the stream bottom and that is where bead headed flies come into The most common type of bead used on nymphs is a brass bead. Tungsten beads are becoming more and more popular these days and have a few advantages over brass in some situations. Glass beads are also used but more as a component rather than as a weight source. I'm pretty much of a traditionalist when it comes to nymph patterns and usually sticks with the Prince, Pheasant Tail, and Hare's Ear.
 Tungsten is about 40% heavier than brass so equivalent sized patterns will have the scales tipping on the side of tungsten. This becomes very important when you are fishing in fast water, deep water or you want the nymph to really stay tight to the stream bottom. The key here is being able to control the fly better. Let's say you have identified a nice fish holding in a trough in about four feet of water and the current is fairly brisk. You have a #12 brass bead head Prince tied on and you figure that you will need to cast about twenty feet upstream of the lie to get the right drift. After you make your cast you still need to make several mends to get the fly down and you still need to keep control of the line. By using a heavier tungsten bead fly you will probably only need to make the cast ten to fifteen feet above your target because the fly will descend quicker getting to the proper depth and drift. Because you have less line on or in the water you automatically have more control of the fly.
 A similar situation would be that you need a #14 Pheasant Tail to tumble around the gravel and rocks right on the bottom because that is where the fish are eating and they aren't taking anything any larger than a #14. Unfortunately, your #14 brass bead fly doesn't get you to the bottom because the current is too fast. A #10 brass bead fly gets you to the bottom but the trout don't even give it a sniff because it is too big. The extra weight of the #14 tungsten fly gets you right to the bottom and with the size of the fly the fish are feeding on. Bingo.
 What makes fly fishing so exciting is that it is constant experimentation and when you get all the factors right you are rewarded with a fish on the line. Dialing into the right flyweight is one of those factors that can turn your success rate around in a hurry. So, if you don't have an assortment of tungsten beaded flies, add a few patterns to your fly box and see what success they can bring to you.

The Bugger and the Spotted Bass

Some days on the water can prove to be rewarding and frustrating at times. That was the case today when Mike and I made a daylight trip to one of the many creeks on beautiful Smith Lake. The conditions today were nice, with just a hint of early fall in the air. The scenery what can I say its Smith Lake, crystal clear waters high rock formation, large boulders underwater, and of course the many species of fish in the lake. I decided on today’s trip to use two set-ups one with the 5 Wt. and the other was my new addition the 4 Wt. The 5 Wt. was the perfect fit with the Tungsten head brown Wooly Bugger, to imitate the many crawfish that find a home in the rock crevasses.

The 4Wt. was set up with a number 6 concave face popper in cream white with some red sprinkled dots along the sides. During daylight hours or heavy overcast days, it is always best to use light colors especially a white variation. The fish can see lighter colors better at that time of day instead of a darker color. The exact opposite holds true for sunny days. With the 4 Wt. and the cream 6 popper, the very first presentation produced a nice 12” spot located in a brush pile adjacent to a large boulder in 30 ft. of water. What a way to christen the new 4 Wt. I must say it didn’t disappoint on that fish. The frustration part of the trip came right before the sun clipped the tree line. I made a long shoot cast standing on the bow of the boat. The big popper just floated in place under an overhanging rock ledge. With a slight jerk, the popper disappeared and I set the hook only to have the big spot to take the popper and wave it in the air in front of me. It was like this fish wanted to let me know who was boss, and I must admit today he was. To add insult to the misery I had to see the 20” plus fish, as it flung its body in the air with my popper in its mouth. Along with the frustration and the sun came an end to the topwater action. I wonder if this popper is still in his mouth?

 The frustration earlier now had given way to the rewarding part of the trip. As the trip ended with bluebird skies and winds out of the southeast it was time to call it a morning. I must admit the frustration part of this trip will take a while to get over. After a great fight, I landed a 16” spot. Maybe what the doctor needs to prescribe is another daylight outing soon.

The Temple Fork Signature Series Fly Rod

 I just added another fly rod to my arsenal. I have been thinking about what a 4 Wt. 8 ½ ft. would give me since catching some of the smaller bows on the Caney. I was using my 5 Wt at the time and discovered that I was getting too much overkill, especially when you are culling 9 and 10” stocker trout. Most of the time I could just pluck the fish out of the water with little effort. I know in the summer with the warmer water you can overplay the fish. I was looking for that rod that would give me the best of both situations, a little enjoyment in landing the fish, and at the same time let the fish swim away healthy.
 I have the rod in Temple Forks 4 Wt. Signature Series. This rod for me is the perfect fit for the fish I am pursuing. It has the backbone to land a larger fish if the occasion arises and yet it has the finesses to play the fish and let it live to fight another day. With its fast taper, it is effortless for me to layout line distance if there is a need to reach that certain faraway spot. I like the two-piece version over the 4-piece because I just think I can get a little better feel with a two-piece as opposed to the four. Maybe that is just me and I know some swear by the 4-piece, but that is my own personal opinion. With this rod addition I have managed to keep all of them in sequence starting with my 3 Wt TP 7 ½ ft. then the new addition 4 Wt. 8 ½ ft. TF and last my retirement gift the 4 pc. Redington 8 ½ ft. ---so I am counting at 3, 4 and 5---and you never say never but could there be a 2 Wt or 6 Wt, in the future????

A Buyers Guide to Fly Fishing Wading Boots

 One of my buddies sent me this information on wading boots the other day and I found it interesting. I am going to purchase a new pair of boots in the next month or so and this buyers guide has been a big help.

Wading Boots - Buyers Guide

Wading boots are, if anything, more important than fishing waders. Without a good wading shoe - which also has a good felt sole - you are more likely to end up in the river with the fish than actually fishing for them.

If you plan on fishing in tennis shoes, sandals or general hiking boots, be sure to book in advance some emergency room time at the local hospital since using common shoes or boots are a sure fire recipe to disaster when used in many Montana rivers. The reason for this is simple. Wading boots are designed to provide traction on wet, slippery rocks. Not using a wading shoe when fly fishing in a rocky river is a good way to twist an ankle, break a leg, get carried over a waterfall, or worse.

Quick Recommendation on Wading Shoe Features to Get

1. If you'll be river fishing, it is absolutely imperative that the wading boot provide ROCK-SOLID ankle support.

2. For all but the absolute worse conditions, get a wading boot that has felt soles. You can always add on additional "gripping" accessories if needed. Studded boots are nice but aren't always the best option - stick with felt soles for general all-around fly fishing uses.

3. Read the boots specifications carefully when ordering. Some require you to order "one size up" from your regular shoe size. Other boots are already made "one size up" from your shoe size.

4. Rot resisting materials should be used in the construction of the boot - such as synthetic leather. Don't, repeat don't, get a pure leather boot!

Buyers Guide to Wading Boot

So, what separates a wading boot or wading shoe designed for fly fishing from a standard hiking boot? Wading boots, even the cheapest of them, all have felt soles. These felt soles is what allows them to grip wet, slippery rocks so well. The felt bends to the rocks contour, providing wonderful traction. The felt, since it is not hard rubber like a hiking boot, also does slip nearly as easily on wet surfaces.

The felt on wading boots and wading shoes wears down very quickly when walking on on trails and pavement. While the felt can be easily replaced, it is still a hassle. As a result, don't plan on hiking or walking long distances in wading boots

Cleats & Talons

For anglers who will be fishing in very rocky rivers with quick currents, even felt soled shoes may not be enough to provide rock-solid footing. When fly fishing these types of rivers, river talons or cleats are highly recommended. River talons and cleats fit around a standard wading shoe and have small, metal spikes on the bottom. These spikes, in combination with the metal it is attached too, provide the ultimate in footing. While this is overkill for most rivers, for those anglers who will be fishing in very rocky, fast moving water these river talons can literally

It's All About Ankle Support

When shopping for wading boots, always make sure that the boot provides solid ankle support - similar to good hiking boots. This way you don't have to worry about twisting an ankle and ruining an otherwise good fly fishing trip. Rivers are generally rocky and the rocks are frequently loose. By having a wading boot that gives solid ankle support, not only will you get better traction and balance when wading, you won't have to worry about twisting an ankle out in the middle of a river.

Wading Boot Sizing....

Wading shoes are also sized a bit differently than normal hiking shoes. Generally, they are sized 1 size up from a standard hiking boot. This is done in order to make room for the wader that the wading boot fits over. In some cases, wading boots are sized the same as shoes. When this occurs, the wading boot is always marked as such, and also has a recommendation to get a wading boot one size up in size from your standard shoe size.

Durability & Construction

Durability is also a key issue with wading boots. Cheap wading boots are made out of fabric that soon begins to break down. The constant immersion in water, followed by being stored away for long periods of time, will break down poor quality wading boots.

In short, when shopping around for wading boots or shoes, make sure that whatever you end up getting have felt soles, rock solid ankle support, are made of quality materials that won't break down and that are comfortable.

Fishing Boogle Bug Poppers With Jason

Today was a trip with my son Jason, who seldom gets to fish with me. He is in school at the University of Alabama and most of his time is taken up with classes and studying. He is between summer and fall break and we had the opportunity to hit the lake this morning at daylight. We got to one of my favorite spots on the rock walls around daybreak. Today's trip was to go after the Spotted Bass with the bass popper. I haven't really fished for the Spotted Bass this year with a large popper, because I have been into landing the bluegills. Jason told me before we planned the trip that the Spotted Bass was what he wanted to go after, mainly because of the tremendous fight one gets when landing one of these fish. They are in the class with the smallmouth when it comes to giving the angler a great tussle on the fly rod. The best approach with landing a quality spot or any large fish with the fly rod is to get the fish on the reel as soon as possible if, you can manage it. I know at times one doesn’t have that luxury to do that. Everything was working for the most part until the sun came up and it was like someone turned the lights out and all the bass developed lockjaw. I knew we could go deep with a Wooly Bugger or Bouface Leach, but this would take time and that was something we didn't have a lot of especially when the temps were going to reach triple digits after lunch. So with a couple of hours to fish before the humidity and heat set in I maneuvered the boat in a position to start down the rock wall presenting the number 6 turquoise Boogle Bug Popper. With daylight just breaking and on his second cast a nice bull gill plugged the popper smack into the opening of his mouth.

After numbers of side run and pretending to be ready to be netted the spot finally ease to the edge of the boat and was lipped. Jason had just landed a 16" spot, which ended a great trip with a quality fish. Quality Spotted Bass on Smith Lake are hard to come by, during the hot summer months, and a 16" is a quality Spotted bass any day.

Baked Bluegill Fillets the Healthy Choice

I thought you guys wonder what I do with all of those bluegills I catch. Well, I release some and keep some for a meal. I consider my wife the master chef when it comes to preparing bluegill fillets for a meal. Her prepared fillet meals are something to behold and enjoy. The following recipe is one she created and is tailor-made for all of us who watch our fat, calorie, and cholesterol. 
Baked Bream and Crappie Recipe
1. Mix fillets in yellow mustard. Roll in Zatarain Fish Seasoning mix.
2. Place fillets on a cooking sheet that is sprayed with PAM. Spray top of fillets with PAM. Bake on 450 for about 6-7 minutes. Turn filets over and spray again with PAM. Bake for another 6-7 minutes. Time will vary as to how brown or crispy you want the fish.
How to prepare French Fries
1. Cut up fries and place them on a cookie sheet that is sprayed with PAM. Spray the top of fries with PAM and sprinkle seasoning salt and lemon pepper seasoning. Bake 450 for about 20 minutes. Turn fries over half-way through the cooking and spray again with PAM.
How to prepare Slaw
1. Use a blender to chop the cabbage and carrots. Drain and add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and a little honey mustard. Mix and chill before serving.
2. Slice fresh garden tomatoes and slice can elope or banana pepper—all of these items are optional, but they help add a zest to the meal. Of course, all fillets can be touched with tartar sauce and fries with ketchup.
The bluegills or crappie as stated from the recipe are boneless fillets. One thing I like to do with the fillets before they are either frozen or baked is to let them set in saltwater overnight. I have found that this will soak all the blood out of the meat and it gives the fillets a fresher taste. The fillets the next day are snow white. At this time you can either freeze the fillets in a zip lock bag with water or place directly onto the baking pan. The water is added to the fillets to give them a fresh taste when at a later date you are ready to prepare them.
Fishing for me would not be nearly as much fun if my wife and I didn’t enjoy eating some of my catches. Give the fillets a try I think you will be surprised at how well you will like the baked versus the fried. By the way for an added kick add a Coors Light to wash them down.

Bluegill on the Green Dragon Fly

The green Dragon Fly was the winner at daylight off the walls this morning. I started casting at 5:30 and fished for about an hour and came in with a nice meal. What can I say other than it was great morning fishing with my Temple Fork 4 Wt. rod doing what I love to do.

Nice meal look for the recipe in coming post.

What is Your Favorite go to Fly When Nothing is Working??

Here is the situation that I have encountered on this remote river, which I have never fished before. I walk up to the edge of the bank and notice there is no hatch, low water and nothing rising. I do see some great seams and some pocket water but with no activity. Am I over stating the situation here or could this be any cold water river or stream in the U.S. at any given time of the year.
  So with fly box in hand what flies would I tie on to get a take? Should I start out with a dry or a dry with a dropper, or a nymph, or even a double nymph?? When the average fly fisherman, notice I said “AVERAGE” and that is what I consider myself when confronted with this type situation what are the must flies he should have in his box to get a take?
  I realize that on certain rivers or streams and in certain areas of the country that there are different hatches, changing water conditions, and different climate changes. I am sure all of use have encountered this situation at different times of the day on our favorite river or stream, and I know that we all have our go to fly that we always try to get that hit with. They may be a variety of dries or nymphs or even some go to streamers. So what are the most reliable at anytime of the year, or is there such a fly? I am just wandering sitting here with my laptop today with the temps outside at 103 and the heat index at 109.

Fishing Under the Lights for Bluegill on Smith Lake

 This weekend B.T. and I decided to make a night fishing trip on Smith Lake. This time of year you can only fish the lake at daylight or make a night trip under the dock lights because of the heat. We arrived at the launch around 6:30 PM and spent the better part of sundown moving from each nook to divert all the boat traffic. We landed the usual small gills with the fly and microlight until dark. At 8:30 we hit the first dock light and I got the first hit fishing in depths of 70 to 80 ft. I managed to land a nice strip bass using my micro-light under a dock light 5 ft. above the water.

Nice Strip

Fighting an 18" strip bass on a microlight rod is quite a challenge. Landing this strip using my 7 1/2 ft. micro rod was like using my Temple Fork 7 1/2 ft. fly rod, both rods require the angler to use finesse in landing a fish of this size. I learned a long time ago when I first started using the long rods that you got to have patience when playing a larger fish on 4 lb. test line and lighter otherwise you will have more break-offs than fish caught. My son-in-law used the fly rod while I went with the microlight. We decided it would be less line tangle if we fished that way, especially in a pitch-black dark situation. The fly rod proved the winner of the night with my son-in-law catching numbers of gills directly under the lights using the deadly moth.

The Moth is the winner again

We noticed moths flying beneath the lights right after dark so this was the most logical fly to go with and it proved successful. This trip was a change of pace for both of us resulting in less humidity and heat. Really an enjoyable trip.

Hot Humid Day for Bluegill on the Fly

Mouth full of Moth

The weather forecast for this past Tuesday was in the high 90’s and it turned out to be 98 and soupy humid. My fishing plan to deal with the humidity and heat was leaving the house at daylight and get off the water by 10 AM. The plan worked and the fish cooperated to a point. The water temp and falling water were the factors my buddy and I was battling. I started out with the popper and Terry was using the same, neither of us had much success other than a few tiny gills and small bass. Nymphs were the most logical choice, so I switched to a green/brown moth bug, while my buddy stayed with a variation of the popper.

The Moth was the killer here! I managed to land some nice bluegills off the rock walls letting the moth sink slightly beneath the surface and using a slow retrieve. It worked to perfection until the sun overtook us around 9:45 and we had to pack it in and head home. Once the sunlight hits the walls you can call it quits because it drives the fish deep. Factor in the heat and humidity down in the deep channels and you have the recipe for uncomfortable conditions. The objective of the trip was accomplished landing some huge bluegills, nice fillets for dinner, and enjoying the morning outing.

A Learning Curve on the Caney Fork

  This past Saturday my son-in-law and I made a trip to the Caney Fork. We spent the day with the canoe, kayak, and flat bottom boat crowd along with a large group of bank fishermen. Of course this is what to expect on a weekend. We had a great trip landing numbers of rainbow throughout day. The selection of the fly changed as much as the wind direction during the day. You have to be willing to make a change to adapt to some of the hatch patterns that occur on the river. This is something I have learned over past trips to the Caney. Every time I make the trip I treat it as a learning experience now. This trip for me was a time to try some of the comments that was made on my recent post. “Indicator verses Tight Lining.” I spent most of the morning tinkering with the indicator in some great runs and some pockets. I applied the advice that Bigerrfish, Midgeman and Colorado Angler gave me. Patience, watching every move of the indicator, working with my line placement, and making sure that the fly was the first thing that the trout saw. After close to three hours of missing and misreading the indicator, I finally landed my first trout in a seam with the indicator moving through the seam, but this time the little pause was a trout and hooked in the upper lip.

From the run

I learned you really have to paid close attention to what the indicator is doing throughout a run. One trout is better than no trout so I am glad I took the time to apply all the advice given to me the past week. After lunch I decided to go with the double nymph system to no avail, so my son-in-law and I changed tactics and went with a olive wooly buggers tight lining.

Sorry for the bad pic, me being the camera operator

We managed to land three trout in less than 10 minutes, but after that it was lights out, until dark when my son-in-law landed a couple of fish on a tiny rapala using his micro-light rig.

My son-in-law landing a bow in one of the pockets

This ended a great trip along with a lot of information gathered and learned. This is what makes fishing so addictive to me. I am ready to make another trip in the next couple of weeks.

Fly Fishing Indicators Verses Tight Lining

Saturday I did a post on weather to use an Indicator or Tight Lining. I received a message recently concerning this subject, and I thought I would share the message with you guys. As stated in my original post I am having problems in detecting the hit most of the time when using the nymph. I really appreciate the numerous comments that have been sent my way and have proved to be extremely helpful in helping me understand the difference between a hit and snag. I will be making a trip in a couple of weeks to put all the comments to the test. I hope the following message will be even more helpful to anyone who is having the same problems I have uncounted with nymphing.
Ben one of my followers sent this message ----This is an awesome article and video about scuba diving in the river and watching the nymph rig and the trout/indicator reactions---- VIDEO/Message

Using the Strike Indicator Or The Tight Lining Technique

Last week I made a trip to the Caney Fork and spent the better part of the day wading in the cool 57 degree water. I discovered that I had the air conditioner controls at my finger tips as long as I stay knee deep and above in the water. I discovered something else on this trip that I will never learn all there is to know about fly fishing for trout. My reasoning behind that statement is using the nymph effectively. As all you know using the nymph as a dropper below a dry is somewhat easy to master, but when it comes to using multipliable nymphs without the use of the dry is much more difficult for me. I know I lost numbers of trout in some seams and pockets that day. Why, because I either never felt the hit or my indicator was set at the wrong depth or I should have added some lead. I finally ditched the indicator and started tight lining using just one nymph and still had problems knowing when to set the hook. I did discover one thing through all of my trails and errors; most of my hits came at the end of the drift, when the nymph was in a stationary position floating. I landed my best trout with this method. So I would love a little input from you guys on your method or technique, when using a nymph with an indicator or just tight lining. All opinions are welcome!!!

2 Piece Versus 4 Piece Fly Rods

I have a question for all you bloggers out there today. I would like your opinion as to the strengths and weaknesses of having a 2 piece fly rod versus a 4 piece design, all other things equal. Improved pack ability is definitely a plus in a 4 piece design. A 9 ft. rod that only breaks down into two pieces means the tube will be 4.5 ft. long. So do fishermen find improved performance in a 2 piece rod as opposed to a 4 piece? Or do fly rod companies only make the 2 piece, rods because they are slightly cheaper to manufacture?