Smallmouth Fly Box

Copperhead Streamer

2012-02-12T08:12:00.003-06:00

Recipe
Hook: Tiemco 8089 (Size 6)
Thread: 6/0 Uni (Brown)
Tail: Spirit River Mottlebou
Flash: Copper Flashabou
Head/Body: Copper Polar Flash (Large)
Weight: Lead

This little pattern doesn't look like much, but it is a very productive little streamer. I used it up on the Mississippi River a few weeks back and the smallies wouldn't leave it alone. There is something about copper flash up here in these waters.

Super simple to tie and plenty durable!

Fly Box Hero - Gabe Schubert

2012-02-11T18:20:00.000-06:00

I attended an amazing fly tying seminar today at Bob Mitchell's Fly Shop in Lake Elmo. The subject of the seminar was on "Big Flies," no way I can miss that one. Gabe Schubert was the instructor. Gabe is without question the best fly tier and fisherman I know. Gabe's flies are absolutely incredible and best of all Gabe is a very humble and down to earth guy. You'd be hard pressed to find a person with so much talent and so little ego...especially in this sport!

Gabe tied a series of big ole reverse or hollow tied buck tail streamers. I took pictures and posted them below. Nothing short of incredible, in a class of his own for sure. The layering effect and attention to detail makes these flies works of art. Take a look and I'm sure you will agree.

Don't think these flies are destined for a glass box because Gabe has been hauling out huge muskies from the river with these patterns. He had a picture of a muskie he caught on Super Bowl Sunday that was just huge (24" girth I think!). Eli can have the Super Bowl...

If you ever see the name Gabe Schubert on a fly tying presentation make sure to clear your calendar. Gabe is a true artist and is equally skilled on the water!

The Stink Bomber

2012-01-29T14:27:00.000-06:00

Recipe
Hook: Mustad Streamer Hook (Size 2)
Thread: Brown 6/0 Uni
Tail: Pumpkin Sili-legs
Tail 2: Spirit River Mottlebou
Body: Green/Brown Variegated Chenille
Body 2: Brown Leech Yarn
Collar: Rootbeer Palmer Chenille
Weight: Lead

I found this pattern on a Striper chat room and thought I should take a shot at a smallmouth version. The original pattern was cream colored and I really like the simplicity.

I went with a brown scheme because I thought "crayfish" when I looked at the shape of the original. Leech yarn is bulletproof and really gives it a buggy appearance. Looks like a simplified sinking Bomber to me....see video below.

Original Pattern

Peter Patricelli Bugger

2012-01-29T13:22:00.003-06:00

This Big Boy Has A Slight Weight Problem!

I found this pattern on a Striper chat room...nice looking pattern for sure. I am always amazed how smallmouth will hit small patterns! I have a tendency to tie Size 4, 2 and 1/0 for smallies up here in Minnesota. The bugger Peter put together has the perfect color and all of the key elements of a very fishy fly.

I'll post a recipe for this pattern in the coming weeks. For now you can go from the pictures and put up your own version.

Can't wait for spring.

The Natty Light

2012-01-25T21:43:00.003-06:00

Materials:
- Gel Spun 100 denier thread
- sz. 4 Gamakatsu Octopus (stinger hook)
- sz. 6 streamer hook
- Copper conehead
- Tie-able steel leader
- Copper Ice Dub
- Magnum natural zonker strip
- .025 lead wire
- Polar chenille yellow
- Grizzly marabou feathers tan

This is another neat pattern I found on YouTube. The trailer hook is a nice touch. Good stuff!

Bleached Blonde

2012-01-21T11:16:00.000-06:00

Recipe
Hook: Gamakatsu SC15 (1/0)
Thread: Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Barred Saddle Hackle (6-8 total - Don't Skimp!))
Collar: Bunny Strip
Eye: Holographic Eye

Something to be said for simplicity and this one is as simple as it gets. Bunny fur has great action. No weight is added, so it's great for slack water or when fish are easily spooked.

Put these up in white, black, olive and yellow and you'll be set for a long day on the river.

The Rag Man

2012-01-21T08:43:00.002-06:00

Recipe
Hook: Gamakatsu SC15 (1/0)
Thread: Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: White Marabou/Splayed Ginger Hackle
Legs: Round Rubber Legs
Body: Yarn Coated With Cement and Sprinkled With Yarn Fibers
Eyes: Lead Dumbbell
Weed Guard: Hard Mono or Wire

This is a crab pattern used for Permit. I will be posting a crayfish pattern that uses the techniques in this cool little pattern. The yarn body with chopped fibers is very interesting, the final pattern has a translucent appearance in the water.

This one will be outstanding in a rust color....I'll post the new version in a few days.

The Toad Fly

2012-01-19T18:21:00.002-06:00

Recipe
Hook: Streamer or Jig Hook
Thread: Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Marabou, Rabbit Zonker or Craft Fur (Marabou Shown)
Body: EP Fibers
Eye: Mono Eyes
Weight: None

This is a famous tarpon pattern, but my prediction is this will be a great producer in 2012. The body is fun to tie - The Fly Art Studio has posted very nice step-by-step instructions.

Cutting Your Own Zonker Strips

2012-01-15T17:02:00.002-06:00

I am working on cutting craft fur zonker strips using this technique. Wish me luck!

Here is a pike that that uses craft fur that have been cut into zonker strips. The action of this streamer is incredible. This fly is over 6" long, but it doesn't weigh much. Super durable too!

Cotter Pin Streamer

2012-01-14T16:04:00.001-06:00

I use cotter pins when I tie articulated minnows. The cotter pin really helps streamers sink if you need to get the fly down. If you are thinking of experimenting with tube flies - you can do this with copper tubing.

All in all a pretty neat fly. Not sure how I feel about the Gelspun backing trailer, coated wire would be my choice. The dubbing brush is a nice touch.

Have fun with this one and look for a Smallmouth Fly Box version very soon.

Bluegill Spoons - Bill Modica

2012-01-10T08:11:00.004-06:00

Everybody loves bluegills. My friend Bill Modica came up with the system outlined in this video. Bill is a great fisherman and I'm stoked he is recognized like this by In-Fisherman.

One of My Favorite Bass Videos

2012-01-09T21:23:00.001-06:00

Belly Ache Minnow

2012-01-08T10:02:00.001-06:00

This is an outstanding streamer! The pattern is simple, durable and has great action in the water....what more can you ask!

The weight used in this fly is my new favorite. Hareline's Ribbed Tungsten bodies are a great alternative to the traditional dumbbell eye. The fact they are lead free is a bonus as well.

Hareline's Ribbed Tungsten Bodies

Give this one a try....sure to give every fish a belly ache and a tooth ache too!

Loon Outdoors UV Kits

2012-01-08T09:34:00.001-06:00

Tired of waiting for epoxy to set, or how about those awesome sags on that perfect fly? Well....I have been watching UV finishing systems for a while, but was scared away by the price tag and availability. Loon Outdoors has a line of UV products and a simple light that will not break the bank and is available at Cabelas. You can get 2 tubes of UV material and the curing light for $29.95.

I do use Clear Fly Finish on flies, but most of all I use it on knots. My hand tied tapered leaders slide right through the guides now they they are clear coated and still flexible. I bet the knots are stronger too. Apply a small amount of the UV material to your knot and hit it with the light...done in seconds.

Does a great job on bodies.

Cures almost instantly.

Also available in a larger size.

Hollow or Reversed Tied Streamers

2012-01-02T17:10:00.004-06:00

Here are a few examples of hollow tied or reverse tied streamers. The technique is certainly not new, but I am just starting to experiment with it. I like the fact that small amounts of material can be used to create bulky profiled streamers. Vladan Milenkovic's Alf shown below is my favorite. All of Vlad's flies are fantastic and I really like the way he incorporates the 60 degree jig hook in the pattern.

Vladan Milenkovic's ALF Streamer

Another of Vlad's Hollow Tied Streamers....Amazing!

Bob Popovic's Semper Fleye

Bob Popovic creates wonder hollow tied streamers for saltwater fishing. His patterns typically use buck tail, but I prefer use a blend of buck tail, craft fur and synthetics. The end result is a dense, but translucent bait fish imitation that is tough as nails.

Notice the "Hollow" Profile...the Inner-most Layers are Awesome

Try Hollow Tying Tubes Too!

Muskie on the Fly by Robert Tomes

2011-12-25T10:03:00.001-06:00

I love getting fly tying materials and books for Christmas. This year I got Muskie on the Fly by Robert Tomes and I am a very happy man. This book is absolutely fantastic.

I live in a river town on the St Croix River here in Minnesota. The St Croix is a very good smallmouth and walleye river, but Muskies rule the river. My friend Gabe has been hitting the river and straightening out hooks. Robert Tomes book will help me get started hunting these awesome fish.

Over 300 pages of information, pictures, fly patterns, gear recommendations, history.....this book is the equivalent to Tim Holschlag's books on smallmouth fishing. As far as I can see no rock is left unturned.

I know big smallmouth hit muskie flies, so I am going to get out the 10 wt this summer and toss some chickens on the St Croix. Get this book if you are interested in Muskie fishing with a fly rod.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2011-12-25T06:47:00.001-06:00

The Black Rhino

2011-12-24T13:52:00.002-06:00

Recipe:
Tube: 1/8" Copper Tubing
Thread: Red Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail 1: 2" Black Bucktail
Tail 2: Black Maribou
Body: Black Tinsel Chenille
Flash: Black Flashabou
Head: Red Flat Waxed Nylon
Adhesive: Fabric Fusion
Tube Hook: Mustad Tube Fly Hook (1/0)

The Black Rhino is a very simple tube fly targeting bass and pike. I have been meaning to get back to the tube fly vise to throw some patterns together, but my tube flies are typically pretty simple and kind of ugly (I've got a ton to learn). Aesthetics aside, tube flies have some serious benefits. For more information on tube flies see Mark Mandell and Les Johnson's book Tube Flies (on right).

The Black Rhino is tied on a copper tube giving it a decent sink rate. All thread wraps are reinforced with a Zap-a-Gap to make sure the materials stay out. Otherwise the fly itself is very simple, first a little buck tail with 4 clumps of maribou layered on top. Finish off with a little black tinsel chenille and flash. Super simple and a great fly to get started tying tube flies.

Metal Tube Fly Material

I have read that pike prefer to attack minnows from the side. The circle hook on this tube sits in the middle of the pattern making hook-ups a bit easier. I can't tell you how many pike I have hooked, but lost because of poor hook placement. The Black Rhino has a laser sharp circle hook that hooks fish perfectly in the top lip, right in the hinge.

My favorite thing about this fly is the buck tail core. Most patterns collapse in the water, but the back tail keeps a nice fat profile. The picture doesn't properly portray the size of this fly.....from tip to flash we are just over 6"!

Tube Flies Hook Fish Beautifully!

Right in the Hinge....Tippet/Leader is Nice and Safe!

Wilkie's Runt (SMFB Version)

2011-12-23T08:37:00.000-06:00

Recipe
Hook: Tiemco 8089 (Size 6)
Thread: Red Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: White Maribou
Body: White Estaz
Wing: Gray Ghost Flashabou/White Chenille/Peacock Herl
Collar: Gray Palmer Chenille
Head: White Estaz
Eyes: 6mm Holographic Eyes
Weight: None
Color: Prisma Color Markers

Fantastic Book!

This is the Smallmouth Fly Box version of Al Wilkie's Wilkie's Runt. The original used basic maribou to form the body and a hackle collar just behind the eyes, Wilkie's original pattern is in Flies for Bass and Panfish by Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen if you would like to see the original.

Originally designed for crappie, this pattern is a killer on the river for smallies. The top "wing" undulates in the water giving this streamer life-like action. The Estaz gives this minnow a portly profile....a nice meal. Crappies hammer this one big time, but so will bluegills and bass.

The green runt on the lower left is tied without a tail. For some reason Al Wilkie left a tail off the original, but I added one for a little extra action on my version (upper in gray).

Make sure to clip the estaz to give the runt a ittle tapered profile and finish it off with a nice Prismacolor marker job. Super simple and aside from the peacock extremely durable. I'm going to omit the wimpy peacock herl on my next session. The runt has to be tough because it spends most of it's lifespan in a fish's mouth!

Shenk's Sculpin (Black)

2011-12-20T21:43:00.004-06:00

Recipe
Hook: Mustad 3366 (Size 4)
Thread: Black Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Black Marabou
Body: Black Leech Yarn
Collar: Unclipped Deerhair
Head: Spun Deerhair
Weight: None

Ed Shenk is one of my all time favorite fly tyers, his Shenk's Streamer is one of the best streamers of all time. Both Shenk's Sculpin and Shenk's Streamer call out a dubbing loop/rabbit fur body. If you have even spun rabbit fur in a dubbing loop you know it is a real pain in the butt. The stuff floats around the room, eventually gravitating towards your nose.

Leech Yarn

I stayed true to the original pattern except for the rabbit fur. Instead I opted for a Smallmouth Flybox favorite - black leech yarn. Leech yarn is nothing more than a very "hairy" yarn that can easily be wrapped to form a taper. Hit it with a small wire brush and you are left with a very buggy material. Leech yarn is extremely durable too.

I know this pattern is not staying true to my "large fly" trend for 2012, but Shenk's Sculpin is so deadly and fun to tie it clearly is the exception to my rule.

Once waterlogged this pattern suspends nicely and has nice action in the water, This fly does not discriminate, you'll catch anything that swims with this one!

Check out Shenk's Streamer if you haven't yet. Tim Holschlag swears by Shenk's Streamer and sells them on his website....they are a real turd to tie up, but just amazing in the water.

Captain Caveman

2011-12-10T14:45:00.001-06:00

Recipe
Hook: Gamakatsu Spinnerbait Hook (5/0)
Thread: Red Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Yellow Hareline Chinese Saddle Hackle
Flash: Chartreuse Wapsi Holoflashabou
Body Layer 1: Hareline Baitfish Emulator Flash
Body Layer 2: Yellow Bucktail
Gill: Red Bucktail
Body Layer 3: Hareline Baitfish Emulator Flash
Eyes: 6mm Holographic Eyes
Cement: Aleenes Fabric Fusion

Do you remember the cartoon called Captain Caveman? All this pattern needs is a club and it would be a dead ringer! Unga...Bunga!

I have been dreaming up a large pattern for pike to post for my BIG FLY theme and I came up with this one. Like every other pike fly the Captain is a layered hog of flash and feathers that ultimately ends up looking like a chicken on a hook. I really like the Baitfish Emulator because it allows some of the lower layers to pass through, especially the gills.

The Captain Caveman finished out at just over 8" and has some nice features. First let's look at the hook. Some of my buddies have been straightening out hooks on the river lately, so they decided to go with a heavier hook. This fly uses a Gamakatsu Spinnerbait hook for added strength and super durability. At first the hook looked massive, but put into perspective it's actually a perfect choice.

At all of my tie in points I slathered on Aleene's Fabric Fusion to make things bulletproof. If you haven't use Aleene's yet you need to run down to Walmart and pick up a bottle. Aleene's is safe to use without gloves, has no fumes and dries clear. I think the entire bottle costs under $5 too. If you have children that are interested in tying flies Aleene's is a water-based solution that won't kill brain cells or harm their skin. Once finished I applied a final layer of Fabric Fusion completely over the eyes and thread to make sure this fly can withstand strikes from hungry pike.

I hope you are enjoying the posts, these flies have been a blast to dream up! I know I'll catch a smallmouth on this pattern too....can't wait for spring!

Hareline Baitfish Emulator - Great Stuff!

Hackle is Still Hard to Find

2011-12-03T09:31:00.001-06:00

I am tired of looking for hackle.... Read the baloney on this blog about "No-Kill" feathers. The author of this blog doesn't understand that fly tyers need hackle to run their businesses too. I like how she uses the word fisherman like it is evil.

Gosh I hope the fad ends soon!

The Half & Half

2011-11-27T20:40:00.001-06:00

Recipe

Hook: Mustad 33903 (Size 2)
Thread: Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Rooster Saddle Hackle
Flash: Flashabou
Gill: Red Bucktail
Belly/Head: Gray Deerhair
Weight/Eye: 1/50 oz Dumbbell Eye

A while back we linked a blog post to a video of Bob Closer and Lefty Kreh tying up their Half & Half pattern which is a cross between the Closer Minnow and the Deceiver. The tail portion of this pattern is taken directly from Lefty's Deceiver and the front portion is a Clouser Minnow.

Lefty and Bob claim the magic of this pattern lies in the 1/50 oz weight. The weight is small enough to let the streamer flutter to the bottom rather slowly between strips. It's that fluttering, falling action that causes fish to strike. The flash really causes a commotion as the streamer drops in the water table too! Water the flash disappear and set the hook - most times fish inhale it as it drops!

The Smallmouth Fly Box Half and Half is just over 7" long. I'd pair this pattern with an 8wt and cast for smallies and pike. A shooting head might be necessary to get the fly down in the water column.

We use the Mustad 33903 kink shank hook (see right) on this pattern. I know this hook is a tad light, but the kink works so well with the dumbbell eye. Place your dumbbell eye in the first kink and tie it in with figure eight's and a few frapping wraps. Once the eye is nestled in the kink it is there to stay. The proportions of your fly is also constant if you used the kink for a parking space.

Rigging for Big Flies

2011-11-27T08:30:00.001-06:00

Here is video posted by Larry Mann of the Hayward Fly Fishing Company in Hayward, Wisconsin. I have never met Larry, but I know that he and his wife are terrific guides on the Flambeau, St Croix and Namekagon Rivers. Larry and his wife have done some serious time on the water and is a great resource. They run a top notch fly shop along with their guide service.

This leader system seems complicated, but I am going with it on my 8 and 10 weight rods. If I'm going to toss big flies I want to be ready for anything that may slam on my fly.

The Smallmouth Fly Box likes this leader because it is time tested by REAL musky and smallmouth guides, it is simple to tie and it uses the perfection loop to attach the disposable end of the leader system. The slim beauty knot is a nice feature as well.

If you remember from our smallmouth leader post we attach the tippet section of our leader with a perfection loop so we can swap out tippet material when it gets short. Larry has done the same thing by attaching the thinner portion of this leader to the butt section. The butt section of this leader will last almost an entire season!

Some fisherman do not like knots in their leaders. I'm sure Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops carries a knotless solution, but knotless leaders have their limitations. Blood knots are a small inconvenience for the durability and customization offered by this system.

Here are a few images from the Hayward Fly Fishing Company's website. Can't argue with success!

Big Flies for 2012

2011-11-24T20:01:00.001-06:00

This is one big ol' streamer with a a ton of materials, but it works for me. The tier says it takes over 30 minutes to tie!

I have fallen off the fly tying wagon because of work, but winter is here and I'll be hitting the vise very soon. My goal for 2012 is to tie up big flies for big fish. I recently read an article written by Bob Clouser that really stressed the importance of large flies when it comes to catching big fish. It doesn't take Bob Clouser to hammer the concept home, but most of the flies in my fly box are not over 4" long. Remember Bob Clouser's famous saying, "You want to give them the groceries." I have to keep reminding myself that bass are not trout - throw 6" flies instead of those 3 inchers.

My friend Gabe tosses big flies all the time and catches monsters. Every time I talk to him he has a new story of fish coming out of the shadows to hammer his gigantic patterns. I am fortunate enough to have some very productive rivers near my home, so I really should get on the big fly wagon.

2012 will be the season of the 8 and 10 weight rod for the Smallmouth Fly Box. I'll be throwing chickens for hog smallmouth and I might get lucky and land a big musky like Gabe!

Have a great holiday season everyone! I'll be posting on a regular basis again soon.

Mayer Hawthorne - The Walk

2011-10-18T21:08:00.003-05:00

Great Fly Tying Music!

Fly Box Goddess

2011-09-11T12:44:00.001-05:00

Recipe
Hook: Mustad 33903 (Size 4)
Thread: 6/0 Uni (Camel)
Tail: Spirit River Mottlebou
Body/Head: Medium Rootbeer Chenille
Hackle: Rootbeer Palmer Chenille

Spirit River's Mottlebou

Hackle: Ginger Mallard
Weight: Small Hourglass (Lead)

This is SFB version of Mike Jacobs Bronze Goddess. There was nothing wrong with the original, but I made some adjustments according to our tastes at SFB.

First off, I replaced the chick-a-bou tail with Spirit River's Brown Speckled Mottlebou. Mottlebou is one of my favorite products because it has a nice random color scheme. The action in the water is amazing too. If you don't have this material you need to find it

Rootbeer Palmer Chenille & UV Chenille

Secondly I replaced the palmered rooster body feather with another SFB favorite...Rootbeer Palmer Chenille from Wapsi. Palmer chenille is a durable alternative to hackle that is perfect for warm water patterns. This material adds the bulk needed to prop up the mallard feather, but also offers a bit of sparkle. Wapsi Palmer Chenille is available in many colors, but I always have orange and rootbeer on hand (lots of it)! Notice the sparkle in the thorax portion of the picture above...that is palmer chenille doing its job.

Mustad 33903 Kink Shank Hook

I also made a hook change that was inspired by Joe Cornwall's Mixed Media pattern of Fly Fish Ohio. Joe uses a kink shanked hooks to help hold the dumb bell eye in place. The weight fits right in the kink allowing you to secure the weight easier. I used the Mustad 33903 on all of my weight forward patterns. The kinks also keep all of your flies in proportion. The use of the kink shanked hook yet another great tip from the folks at Fly Fish Ohio.

The Bronze Goddess was one of our favorites in 2010 and 2011. Mike Jacobs did a fabulous job by adding the mallard flank feather. That little collar does wonders for this pattern.

Mike's original pattern used common materials and I'd like to think we kept it pretty simple too. Palmer chenille and mottlebou should be in your kit if you tie warm water patterns.

Here is Mike Jacobs original pattern - talk about awesome!

Fly Box Hero - Mike Jacobs

2011-09-04T21:49:00.002-05:00

Bronze Goddess

I have never met Mike Jacob's, but he certainly is a Fly Box Hero. Mike is my latest Fly Box Hero because of the Bronze Goddess (which was finally published in this month's Fly Tyer Magazine).

I originally heard of the Bronze Goddess from Ward Bean's Warm Water Fly Tyer website. Ward had it posted for over a year, but did not give pattern details (other than it was tied by Mike). I tied up a few Bronze Goddess's from the picture and hit the river. I knew right away it was a winner....the Bronze Goddess has all of the characteristics of a great pattern.
The size is perfect at about 3" long and the color is
outstanding. The mottled color resembles many food choices!

The Boss

Mike also has a variation of the Bronze Goddess called the Boss Tom. I had only seen pictures of this fly, but I tied a few up based on the pictures. It seems to be a variation of the Goddess that uses wild turkey feather for the tail. This is another very effective pattern for smalmmouth bass. I had a special evening with the Boss Tom last week where I caught 4 fish over 16" in one hour. Like the Goddess this fly has great curb appeal without the use of rare or hard to find materials.

Black Lite Brite Leech

The Goddess was a big producer for me this year, but so was another pattern that Mike created - the Lite Brite Leech. This is a very basic pattern I keep on hand in case the fish get funky and crave something black.

Mike Jacobs really is a great fly tyer and has helped many people get started fly tying. His online store the Hawkeye Fly Tyer is a fantastic place to get materials if you decide to shop online. Hats off to Mike for the great flies and his article in Fly Tyer Magazine.

Here is a link to The Iowan Magazine that features Mike Jacobs and Ward Bean (along with some of their friends).

The Armadillo

2011-09-04T16:19:00.001-05:00

Recipe
Hook: Mustad 33903
Thread: White Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: White Blood Maribou
Body: White Krystal Flash
Body Plates: White Craft Foam
Hackle: White Krystal Flash

Gartside Gurgler

The Armadillo is a little fly is my cross of Jack Gartside's Gurgler and Curt Nordrum's Seagull. The cross of these two patterns yielded this super floating fly. This fly is light as a feather and very easy to see on the water.

Cast it, let it sit and twitch away. You can skate it with quick strips or use a little of the rod tip to tug it under water - either way this one is a winner.

Curt Nordrum's Seagull

All in all the Armadillo is easy to tie without crazy materials. You certainly could swap out the Krystal Flash with hackle. I went with Krystal Hackle to maintain the bright white look. Aren't fly tyers silly? We worry (at least I do) about color schemes when fish can really care less - especially bass!

Jack Gartside and Curt Nordrum both created great patterns with simple materials. The Armadillo traps air bubbles, skates, gurgles, pops, dives....a great all around offering to a hungry fish.

Fly Box Dad

2011-09-04T14:18:00.002-05:00

Recipe
Hook: Tiemco 8089 (Size 10)
Thread: 6/0 Uni (Camel)
Claws: Pheasant Rooster Tail
Head/Body: Brown Leech Yarn
Shell: Pheasant Rooster Tail
Segment: Medium Copper Wire
Weight: Small Hourglass (Flattened)

This is my version of Skip's Dad by famed fly tyer Skip Morris. Joe Cornwall first made me aware of this pattern in his book Fly Fishing Warm Water River. Under a strike indicator this one is deadly!

First off I loved the pincher's because they are small. Pheasant tail fibers are the perfect choice to form the claws, the key is to keep them from looking too menacing.

At the vise I had a few problems with the original pattern. The body in the original craw was dubbed, but I found it to be hard to bulk up. My flies always seems to look too thin for my liking. I grabbed you stash of brown leech yarn and quickly solved the problem. Leech yarn is buggy, cheap and bulletproof, perfect for the Fly Box Dad.

I also took a ball peen hammer to the hourglass weight and flattened it out! Now the craw sits perfectly flat on the bottom of the river. Take your weight, put it on a smooth surface (anvil) and give it a few whacks. You'll be left with a flat weight that will always ride correctly. You can see the difference in the picture if you look closely. One weight is left round and the other is flat. This is a small improvement to the original, but I think it is important.

Lastly, I didn't like the hook in the original pattern. Once the body was fattened up it tended to crowd out the gap. The Tiemco 8089 always solves my hook gap problems. The 8089 is a fantastic choice for smallmouth flies!

Lastly, I have been painting my weights lately - something I just never took the time to do in the past. My wife's nail polish has "accidentally" made a home in my fly tying box. The stuff is cheap, comes in a million colors and as far as I can tell pretty durable. Nail polish dries extremely fast too! Ward Bean uses nail polish on his poppers, so I thought why not use it on my crawdads.

This is not a new pattern - I am not claiming to be the creator. It is my rendition of a classic fly that is a killer. The pincher's are kind of a drag to get right at first, but once you get a few under your belt it is a breeze.

Al's Diver

2011-08-28T16:50:00.006-05:00

Al's Diver (Pheasant Variant)

Recipe
Hook: Mustad 37160 size 2 to 3/0. (I'm using a 1/0 hook.)
Thread: Kevlar or GSP (gel spun polyethylene)
Tail/Body: Stacked pheasant feathers on this fly
Head: Coarse mule deer hair

The Swellcat Craw

2011-08-28T11:19:00.002-05:00

The Swellcat Craw

Recipe
Hook: Jig (#4 sickle above)
Tail: Dumbbell eyes flattened with pliers
Underbody: Orange Chenille
Overbody: Feather (golden pheasant above)
Eyes: Black plastic
Legs: Rubber (spinner bait skirt)
Claw(s): Ringneck rooster pheasant feather(s)
Antennae: Flash
Collar: Phezabou – ringneck rump hackle

This one one of favorite new patterns. I just ran across it on the Fiberglass Flyrodders site. Jeff Evans is the creator of this pattern, he's done a fantastic job!

This fly has proved very effective! See Below!

Crayfish Imitations - Keep Them Simple!

2011-08-27T15:10:00.000-05:00

The Swellcat Craw

Holschlag Hackle Fly (HHF)

Simple crayfish patterns always seem to work better than the super stiff realistic ones you see in glossy magazines - at least for me. I've gone through my "how real can I make it look" phase and have taken the high road to simpler patterns. Take the pattern above (The Swellcat), maybe 4 materials at best and one of them is pheasant. Any pattern that has pheasant feathers scores points on the Smallmouth Fly Box!

Fishy's Bone Fish Fly

It's no secret that smallmouth love crayfish. Tim Holschlag states that crayfish can make up to 80% of a smallmouths diet. For that reason we should all carry a few patterns in our fly boxes.

I try to keep the crayfish on the smaller side, rarely exceeding a size 4 hook. Big crayfish with big pincher's should be avoided because bass tend to stay away from them....to much hardware to tangle with! Keep them small and keep them on the bottom!

Will Ryan's Soft Shell Craw

Smartt Craw

Top Fly Box - Lamson Konic Fly Reel

2011-08-24T18:03:00.002-05:00

Lamson Konic Fly Reel

Lamson Konic Fly Reel
Manufacturer: Waterworks/Lamson
MSRP: $139.95
Purchased From: Ebay
*Assembled in Boise, Idaho

Highly Recommended Product

Top Product Review
Joe Cornwall posted an article a few months back called It's Lonely On The Bottom - Eagle Claw's Featherweight Fly Rod Reviewed. In the article Joe touches on how nutty fly fishing has become with a "mid-priced" rod ringing up at $300? I'll be honest, I can't afford to spend $300 on a rod or a reel! Recently I spent $75 on fly line this year and felt ill when I hit the Buy it Now button. My biggest beef with fly fishing is the snobbery. I know a guy that pulls an enclosed trailer full of gear to the river for an evening of fishing....a dedicated fly fishing trailer? It's safe to say Mr. Trailer Fly Fisherman would never own a Lamson Konic reel simply because of the price point. Let's look at the features of this reel and praise the fact that a company still makes such a practical reel for such a fair price.

I want to start by questioning the need for an expensive fly reel in the first place. So far I have not seen a fish take me down to my backing. I'd loved to tell all of you I can cast down to my backing, but that would be a lie. Occasionally you latch into a carp or catfish that will buzz off some line, but to my knowledge my reel has only held line - nothing more. So, if all the reel does is hold line then why does it have to be manufactured with specs similar to a lunar lander or a Formula 1 race car? In my opinion it really doesn't.

Ross Reel Company has made a great product for years. I'd love to support them because of the Made in the USA standards, but my budget won't allow it. The Lamson Konic is a working mans Ross. The Konic has a super-smooth, fully sealed conical drag system and stainless roller clutch used in more expensive reels. The frame and spool are comprised of both machined components and pressure cast ALDC12 aluminum alloy giving it plenty of strength. The reel and spools are anodized then finished with a 100% solid polyurethane coating to resist gouging and abrasion. If you can afford a Ross then by all means go for it, but personally I'll settle for 2-3 Konics for the same dough!

I'll touch on the large arbor feature of this reel. All I hear is how much better large arbor reels are over the "old standard." Well, many of you know that my rod collection is mainly vintage fiberglass and click and pawl reels. It's hard to beat a Browning Silaflex and Browning Arms reel or a Fenwick Feralite/Pflueger 1495 setup. Those reels have served fisherman for decades BEFORE fishing became another place to dump serious cash. Focus on if the reel balances the rod rather than the size of the arbor.

At some point we all need to realize that the end game is to fish, not collect high dollar gear to show our pals. As they say in Alaska, "Shut up and Fish!" Grab a Lamson Konic reel next time you are at your local fly shop or online and you'll be impressed.

Here is a sizing chart from the Lamson Website:

MODEL	DIA	WIDTH	WEIGHT	ROD WT	LINE	CAPACITY	$/REEL	$/SPOOL
KONIC 1.5	3.10"	1.00"	4.40 oz	3,4	WF4	100 yds 12#	$119	$60
KONIC 2	3.40"	1.10"	4.70 oz	5,6	WF 6	100 yds 20#	$129	$65
KONIC 3.5	3.70"	1.22"	6.10 oz	7,8	WF8	200 yds 20#	$139	$70
KONIC 4	3.90"	1.25"	6.80 oz	9,10	WF10	240 yds 30#	$149	$75

*The Lamson Konis has components that are made overseas, but the reel is assembled in Boise, Idaho.

The Top Fly Box - The Tremendous Twelve of 2011

2011-08-15T20:20:00.007-05:00

The Tremendous Twelve of 2011
I'm just like the rest of you, I have a fly box I keep in my vest that contains my favorite flies. After a long winter of tying my fly selection changes every spring. Some patterns are irreplaceable, having a permanent place in my kit. Others are replaced by the latest and greatest patterns in hopes of finding that perfect fly. Obviously my favorites may be completely different than yours and some of these patterns may be familiar and some will be new. I encourage you to look at the original patterns that are linked to the pictures. If you live someplace with a long winter this single post should keep you busy at the vise all winter long.


The Blockhead Popper

The Blockhead Popper was created by Minnesota native and Mississippi River guide, Sheldon Bolstad. The pattern was made popular by famed smallmouth guru Tim Holschlag. This is one lightweight popper, good down to a 5 weight rig. A time tested winner, this pattern will most likely be in my fly box until the end of time. My favorite color combination is a black foam head pared with a gray squirrel tail. You should also always carry a white and yellow option.

Shannon's Streamer

Shannon's Streamer came from the coffers of Joe Cornwall at the Fly Fish Ohio website. My initial fly came direct from Joe in a smallmouth fly swap assortment. I knew this one was a winner as soon as I saw it in the pile of flies. Without a doubt this is my favorite pattern of the 2011 season. Joe adds a touch of silicone on the head of giving it an incredible swimming action. This minnow swims like the real thing. So far white has been the winner for us, but I could see black as deadly option.

The Hairy Fodder

The Hairy Fodder was created by a true innovator, Craig Reindeau. This fly gives you options on the water, and I love options. Craig added a small rubber band used in the optics industry called a "ringer" to hold the weight on the front portion of this pattern. The ringer allows you to change the weight to match stream conditions. In one trip I have gone from a bead chain eye to a large hourglass lead weight to match the conditions of the river. No need to change the fly, just change the weight.

The Hopper Popper

The Hopper Popper is my version of Kent Edmunds-Stealth Bomber. The Hopper Popper is incredibly lightweight and easy to cast with almost any rig. I know I have had a few posts on this blog that questions the durability of foam, but I have reinforced all folds with Zap-a-Gap on this pattern making this bug as tough as a pigs ear! The action on the surface is second to none with the legs constantly twitching and causing a scene. If you decide to tie a few up, make sure to use a bright colored top wing to make it easier to see on the river. This is one tasty morsel!

The Toothbrush

The Toothbrush came to be because of a rebate from VMC Hook Company. I received a free worm hook assortment in the mail and really liked the bend of the hook. The key to the success of this fly is getting the weight in the right place. Once the lead is wrapped in the belly section of this streamer and covered with white palmer chenille the streamer swims like the real thing. The hook rides inverted or barb side up making this streamer extremely hard to snag (weedless). Swing the Toothbrush through grass beds and hang on tight!

Shenk's Streamer

Shenk's Streamer is one of those patterns that every smallmouth fisherman should have on them at all times. The funny thing about this pattern is it has a terrible reputation as being hard to tie. Rabbit hair dubbing loops are tricky to get right, but after a few test flies you'll fall in line. Shenk's Streamer is outstanding in solid white and solid black. This is a prime streamer for Tim Holschlag's Minnow Swing. Do yourself a favor tie a few or buy them from the Smallmouth Angler.

The Ugga Booga

The Ugga Booga was thrown together quickly after a trip to a great local fly shop that carried an incredible inventory of smallmouth materials. I grabbed a handful of materials and started experimenting. This was the results of the first tie! The long palmer chenille used along with the sili-legs works nicely. This is another one for Holschlag's Minnow Swing. The cone head on this streamer gets the pattern down in the water column, but it stays off the bottom. This is an active fly in the water.

The Wilderdilch

The Wilderdilch is a Muddler Minnow style streamer that is very effective in calm water. I first saw this pattern in a local newspaper and decided to make it my own. The head is classic spun deer hair. Typically I run out of patience with deer hair, but the Wilderdilch has just the right amount to keep me interested. Skate the Wilderdilch across the surface, or strip it in like a wounded minnow. I'll admit that this is not my "go to" fly, but I have had some amazing evenings with this pattern. I will be tying this in silver/gray for next season.

The Win-Mock Streamer

The Win-Mock Streamer pattern was first published in 1973. Armand at The Bass Pond posted the original article earlier this year. I knew right away that this streamer was a winner. After some initial attempts this fly begged for a materials. The goal was to increase durability and make it more lively in the water. I chose leech yarn instead of chenille because I can control the shape of the body easier and when it's done you are left with a buggier fly. This is a great fly for both smallies and largemouth.

Ward's Articulated Streamer

Wards Articulated Streamer is a collaboration of sorts with Ward Bean of Warm Water Fly Tyer. A few years back I tied up an articulated minnow on Ward's site, but I used palmer chenille instead of marabou and hackle. I emailed the photo to Ward and he took the concept to what you see here. The rear portion of this streamer wobbles and darts in the current like the real thing. Swing this minnow in the current and watch the current put the tail into action. The smallies will travel far to hit this pattern!

Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley was one of my favorites of 2011. This one is hard to beat under a strike indicator and is deadly when cast above pools. As soon as Stanley enters the head of the pool active smallies absolutely slam on this spoor thing. Good thing this fly is bulletproof! Durability is not an issue with this fly, the layered construction gives it a flat profile that is tough as can be. Stanley looks like a crayfish, leech or hellgremmite...all of which are irresistible to smallies.

The Bronze Goddess

The Bronze Goddess was created by Mike Jacobs owner of the online shop The Hawkeye Fly Tyer. This is my favorite fly to do Tim Holschlag's "Crayfish Hop" under a strike indicator. The color scheme of this fly is so nice and the dubbed body is very buggy. The Bronze Goddess ticks off the rocks luring in smallmouth from their surrounding haunts. The Goddess is a very durable fly and is easy to tie. I'll be posting a synthetic version of this fly in the coming weeks that should be more durable. The color scheme of the original will be hard to beat with synthetics...stay tuned!

Well....that's it! This is season is far from over, but it is starting to get cool here in Minnesota. We are getting to the low 50's in the evenings and the geese are starting to migrate. Looks like it will be an early winter this year! I hope you'll give some of these patterns a try. Hopefully we can get on the water this fall and land some of those autumn hogs.

Poor Birdy....

2011-08-13T18:40:00.004-05:00

Poor bird got a tad too close to the water!

Asian Carp in the St. Croix River.....Damn!

2011-08-13T08:37:00.003-05:00

Evidence of Asian carp found in St. Croix River

By Dennis Lien
dlien@pioneerpress.com

Updated: 08/11/2011 10:34:10 PM CDT

Silver carp, a large, acrobatic type of Asian carp advancing across the nation's midsection, may have reached the St. Croix River.

Genetic material from the leaping invader has been found in the federally protected river east of the Twin Cities, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said Thursday.
DNR officials said results of recent water sampling tests suggest - but don't confirm - the feared fish are in the river as far north as Taylors Falls, just below the dam at St. Croix Falls, Wis.
No evidence of Asian carp was found in the Mississippi River upstream from where it meets the St. Croix at Prescott, Wis.

So far, no silver carp, which can grow up to nearly 100 pounds, have been seen or caught in the river, DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr said. Two bighead carp, another Asian species, have been caught in the St. Croix - one in 1996 and the other in April. Several other bighead and silver carp have been caught in the Mississippi below Lake Pepin.

The two types of carp are aggressive filter-feeders brought to the United States from Asia four decades ago to control algae and other problems in Southern fish farms. They eventually got into the wild and have expanded their reach. Silver carp have even achieved YouTube fame because of its ability to leap several feet into the air when bothered by engine noises. Because both types of carp feed voraciously on tiny plankton, a critical link in the aquatic food chain, they push out native fish
species, often taking up more than 90 percent of the fish biomass in a given stretch of water.They have been moving steadily northward into Minnesota border waters, threatening the state's $2.7 billion fishing industry and prompting largely unheeded calls for action such as blocking their progress at downstream Mississippi River locks and dams.

Now, it's too late, said the chairman of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which makes project recommendations each year to the Legislature. "I think the unfortunate thing is, the horse is out of the barn,'' David Hartwell said Thursday. "I don't know what the hell you do about it when they're already here. No one has any technology to remove them.... Closing the locks would have been the smart thing to do. Everyone knew about it. Now it's a little late.
"My personal feeling is the Legislature knew about this and didn't do anything. The DNR knew about it and didn't do anything. The Army Corps (of Engineers) knew and didn't do anything.''
The results of the late June sampling, the DNR said, don't offer any insight into the number of fish present, their size or even whether they are breeding. That genetic material, which lasts only 48 hours in the water, is given off in fish mucous or excrement. It can, they said, even come from dead, discarded fish.

The DNR will respond in several ways, Landwehr said. He said the agency will contract with commercial fishing operators to begin using nets on the St. Croix to try to capture live silver carp in places where the so-called eDNA tests were positive. In addition, DNR staff will use nets and boats outfitted with electric shocking equipment to search for them. The commercial netting is expected to start this month, with the DNR operations starting next week.

"We take this very seriously,'' Landwehr said. DNR officials said they also will push ahead on a proposed bubble or sonic barrier at the mouth of the St. Croix, pending results of additional carp sampling. That untested approach, offered years ago, isn't considered totally effective as a deterrent.
The DNR is looking at several sources, including the Legislature, to pay for the barrier, which is expected to cost well over $7 million.

Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, said that process could start with the Outdoor Heritage Fund, funded by the 2008 Legacy Amendment's sales-tax increase. The Lessard-Sams councilrecently embarked on another round of legislative recommendations. "I would ask them to reopen the request for proposals, and for the DNR to submit funding proposals,'' said Hansen, a former council member who was removed from the body this year by Republican legislative leaders. "There is a hundred million (dollars) there. Here's a choice between process and protecting our natural resources.''

The Lessard-Sams council is fielding only one aquatic invasives research project this cycle, and that deals with zebra mussels, said Bill Becker, the council's executive director. No proposals on Asian carp have been submitted, he said.The eDNA testing is a relatively new but scientifically accepted method of screening water samples for genetic material. Environmental DNA Solutions of Granger, Ind., conducted the tests over two days in late June.

This early Dec. 2009 photo provided by the Illinois River Biological Station via the Detroit Free Press shows Illinois River silver carp jump out of the water after being disturbed by sounds of watercraft. (AP Photo/Illinois River Biological Station via the Detroit free Press, Nerissa Michaels)

It first collected 50 water samples from a 4.3-mile stretch of the St. Croix from the St. Croix Falls Dam downstream to near Franconia. The sample area was 48 to 52 miles upstream from the river's confluence with the Mississippi. The next day, it took 50 samples from the Mississippi in St. Paul, starting at the Ford Dam and ending 3.6 miles downstream at Pike Island.

The DNR received the test results Aug. 4 but didn't release or comment on them until Thursday.
All 100 samples were tested for three species of Asian carp: black, bighead and silver. All tested negative for bighead and black carp, and all samples from the Mississippi tested negative for silver carp.

Just because no evidence of silver carp was detected in the Mississippi doesn't mean they aren't there, officials cautioned. They said the river was at flood stage during the testing, possibly limiting the accumulation of carp DNA.

The positive samples from the St. Croix were more conclusive, with 22 of 50 samples testing positive for silver carp.Noting a gap in tracking the fish's progress north, the DNR and the National Park Service this year organized a task force responsible for initiating the first round of testing.
The testing cost about $17,000 and was paid for by two nonprofit organizations, the Mississippi River Fund and the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Fund of the St. Croix Valley Foundation.
"The fish may be closer than we thought they were,'' said Paul Labovitz, superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.

The St. Croix Falls Dam and the Ford Dam were chosen as sites for the first round because they are river barriers where carp might gather. In addition, the dams are upstream from where most commercial fishing and routinely conducted DNR surveys take place. The next round of eDNA testing will take place above the dams and elsewhere in the two rivers. DNR officials said they hope the St. Croix Falls and St. Anthony Falls dams offer barriers to halt further northern progress.

Closing the St. Anthony Falls lock to offer a secure dam, however, would require an act of Congress, something local officials said they'll seek. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages the structure for commercial navigation.

The next best option to the north is the Coon Rapids Dam, which will get a $16 million upgrade in next year to make it more, but not completely, secure.
Dennis Lien can be reached at 651-228-5588

Sheldon Bolstad's Blockhead Popper

2011-08-10T17:32:00.004-05:00

Photo Courtesy of The Smallmouth Angler

I know, I know...I just had a blog post saying No to Foam, but if you are going to use foam use this pattern. Famed Mississippi River guide Sheldon Bolstad is the creator of this pattern and you'll be hard pressed to find a popper that works as good as these do. Let's talk about some of the benefits shall we?

It's lightweight. This sucker is so light you can cast it down to a 5wt. Sometimes you just don't feel like lugging an 8wt around all day. The Blockhead gives you options on the water and I like options.
The Blockhead Popper has great popping abilitiy! You can cast the Blockhead and have it sit quietly or you can cast it and raise a major ruckus. I have never seen a popper with such popping action. When you look at it it just doesn't seem special, but looks are deceiving - this popper can create a wake!
They are really durable - even for foam. The foam used to form the heads is some super tough stuff. Many guys hack the heads out with a band saw and others use a razor blade, either way you can't cut this stuff without exerting a little elbow grease.
The Popper is time tested. Sheldon Bolstad, Tim Holschlag and Dan Johnson have put this fly to the test and it has produced time and time again.
The pattern is actually pretty simple after you shape the head. Once the head is in place you just have to tie on some marabou or squirrel tail. Don't make the tail section too complicated because the magic is in the head with its flat face and super splashing tendencies.
It's a pretty inexpensive fly to put up. The block of foam yields piles of poppers and you can't get cheaper than marabou or squirrel tails. I get the blocks of foam for $3 and the hooks I use are the Mustad 33903 Kink Shank Hook or the Mustad 3366 and they work perfect. Both of these hooks are available for a great deal at Captain Hooks. It doesn't have to be complicated or expensive to be a producer.

I have some scans of notes taken at a fly tying event conducted in 1996. Print the directions and give this pattern a whirl. Your local fly shop will have the block foam and try not to get too frustrated cutting the stuff...it is frustrating for everybody. Besides, if you don't want to make them you can buy them from The Smallmouth Angler.

Blockhead Page 1

Blockhead Page 2

Block Head Page 3

Blockhead Page 4

Blockhead Page 5

The Joy of Wading

2011-08-09T20:50:00.008-05:00

A Wader Heading Out On Foot

Growing up I waded because I had to! We lived in the big city and my family didn't have a boat and my brothers didn't fish. My spring breaks were spent learning to fly fish on the Sugar Creek in Indiana. My Uncle Joe said "There is no better way to learn a river than to stand in it" and he was right! You quickly learn stream characteristics like how water moves over boulders below the surface, riffles, pools, current seams and eddies. Like many others as I got older I stopped wading and dreamed of boats, fancy canoes and kayaks. Now I am back wading my local rivers and enjoying the many benefits of fishing on foot.

Look, Learn and Listen
I have learned over the past few years that smallies often hang out in hidden places, hidden to people cruising in boats. I have personally seen numerous boats stop and pound the water around the same boulder three times in an hour. The fish were long gone, but just a mere 15 feet to the right of the boulder there was a grass bed that was loaded with feeding smallies. The boaters pounded the boulder and were on there way - not even knowing what they missed! Get in the water and learn the river on foot, you'll be glad you did.

Enjoy Nature
While wading I've had many occurrences with nature. I had beavers swim right past me, saw fawns being born, massive sturgeon rise, eagles snatch fish....the list goes on and on. I learned to pick wild mushrooms and cook shore lunch after a long day of wading. Get out and walk in nature watch some birds and listen to the water and feel the current against your legs you'll be glad you did.

It's Simple and Affordable
This sport has gotten nutty! Everything is so expensive. Leave your canoe, jon boat, jet boat, raft, pontoon, gas guzzling truck, loud motor and headaches at home. Grab a pair of wading shoes/boots, a vest, a few flies, your fly rod and get fishing. If it's warm out you can even leave your waders at home and wet wade. Get in the water and save your money, you'll be glad you did.

Get Some Exercise
Let's face it, sitting in a boat is the last thing most of us should be doing. I spend the week sitting in a desk chair, so any walking I can get in is a God's send! I remember the first time I started wading the Mississippi River, I came home and had horrible leg cramps. Now I can wade for miles if I have good footwear on my feet. Walk in the water, you'll lose weight and buy smaller pants, you'll be glad you did.

Fly Box Hero - Tim Holschlag

2011-08-07T20:32:00.010-05:00

Tim Holschlag with a South African Smallmouth

If you are serious about river smallmouth fishing I'm sure you have heard of Tim Holschlag. Tim is a true authority when it comes to smallmouth bass and how to catch them. Three years ago I read Tim's second book Fly Fishing For Smallmouth Bass and it changed my attitude about fly fishing forever!

When I was a boy I spent my spring breaks with my Uncle Joe and Aunt Doris in Terre Haute, Indiana. As I've written many times in past posts my Uncle Joe was and always will be my hero. The best times I had with my uncle was wading for smallmouth in the Sugar Creek near Turkey Run State Park. For some reason over the years I deviated from the type of fishing I truly enjoyed - wading!

The Smallmouth Angler Stream Smallmouth Class

I attended Tim Holschlag's Stream Side School in the summer of 2009. During the class we waded with Tim on the Root River in Southern Minnesota. Wading brought back many memories and I forgot how much I loved the experience. The techniques I learned that day are with me (and my boys) every time I fish the river (usually on foot).

Tim is a real professional, but the best thing about him is he is down to earth. From his flies, fly rod, boat and hip wagers Tim is very practical - demanding durability but balancing price. I applaud Tim for being so down to earth even though he is one of the world's authorities of smallmouth bass. You would expect him to look like one of those Nascar fisherman, but Tim is not like that.

Tim's three books are fantastic and even if you fish for smallies a few times a year you should really own all of his books. I am adding 2 detailed posts about Tim's books this week, so check back if you need more information. You can always visit Tim's website The Smallmouth Angler too!

The Holschlag Hackle Fly (HHF)

Tim is the creator of the Holschlag Hackle Fly (HHF) pictured to the right. This fly is deadly if you use it under a strike indicator. Tim calls the technique "The Crayfish Hop." This fly is a prime example of Tim's practical nature. Made with common materials found in every fly tyers cache of fur and feathers this fly is field tested, super fishy and very durable.

I can write for pages and pages about Tim Holschlag's professionalism, books, accomplishments, guiding abilities, knowledge, skill, passion and creativity, but all you need to know about Tim is he is a great teacher. Since meeting Tim I have become a better fly tyer and a way better fisherman - what else can I ask for from a Fly Box Hero?

Before I close out this post I'd like to thank Tim's wife Lyn. Last week I ordered Tim's new book, River Smallmouth Fishing. I needed the book fast, so contacted Lyn to see if she would ship the book out right away. The personalized book came in 1 day, just in time for my trip to New York. Both Tim and Lyn do a fantastic job with The Smallmouth Angler. When I called Lyn she immediately recognized my name from a class 2 years ago! I had a great experience with The Smallmouth Angler, so please support them however you can.

Tom Holschalg with a Good Friend!

Heddon Tiny Torpedo

2011-08-06T09:58:00.005-05:00

The Heddon Tiny Torpedo? Many of you may think the Torpedo is an old relic. After all look at it - the paint job is not very realistic and the propeller? Does it really work?

If you are reaching past the Tiny Torpedo to grab something else more realistic looking and expensive -you should stop and tie on this lure. The Torpedo is an absolute awesome river lure and I think smallmouth actually hate it. They hate it so much they can't resist it!

I first used the Tiny Torpedo on the Sugar Creek in Indiana. Spending mosy of my spring breaks with my Uncle Joe, we flung Tiny Torpedos for hours and hours. This lure, or "plug" to my Uncle Joe was our "go to" lure when we spin fished for smallies. (When we fly fished the Cockatoush was our baby - more on the Cockatoush in future blog posts.)

Last week my son caught the largest river smallmouth I have ever seen on a chrome Torpedo. The funny this is I had almost a dozen TT's in my tackle box! My good friend Dick Gross sent the boys a few chrome Torpedo's for their birthday, so I thought "What the heck, for old times sake I'll give them a try!" I'm not sure where the other TT's came from, maybe the fish Gods beamed them to my tackle box? For years I ignored this lure because I thought it was an antique, I couldn't have been more wrong. It is easy to cast and see in the water and the propeller really creates a ruckus that drives fish mad.

Here are some ringing endorsements for the Tiny Torpedo:

"Here's my favorite surface plug for smallmouth bass in the spring, when the fish are shallow and surface-aware. A 1/8-ounce Teeny Torpedo in a bullfrog pattern fishes well on light spinning gear with 6- or 8-pound-test, which perfectly matches tackle to quarry. The single-propeller tail makes just enough fuss when twitched to get the fish's attention. Big smallies often take this lure with a gentle sip." The 50 Greatest Lures of All Time - Field and Stream Magazine

Tim Holschlag writes: "The Tiny Torpedo is an old time lure that I think gets overlooked. It's a good search bait, but you can also keep it near structure longer and work it slow. I think it has a different acoustical signal the fish aren't used to. You can also change the sound by bending the prop blades toward or slightly away from the hook. I don't think color means much for topwater lures. I like the natural perch pattern because I can see it well in the water." Secrets of the Trophy Hunters - Field and Stream Magazine March 2011

Happy Birthday......Where's the Camera!!!!

2011-07-29T20:39:00.003-05:00

I took the family out fishing on the Mississippi today, a fish story unfolded right before my eyes and I didn't have a camera! Here's the story....

Monday is my youngest son's birthday (his 8th), so we decided to take an early fishing trip. Headed to Monticello, MN to fish the Mississippi River. We heard the river could be high, but we decided to go anyway. We packed some snacks and drinks, worst case we would watch the boys play on the playground and maybe look for crayfish.

We ordered a pizza and took it to a picnic shelter. I rigged one fly rod and 3 spinning rods with a bunch of top water stuff. I pulled a shiny Tiny Torpedo from the box and tied it on my youngest son's setup. The Tiny Torpedo came from Fly Box Hero, Dick Gross. A floating lure would surely not get snagged, giving ME more time to fly fish.

In route to the water I stopped at my car, looked at the water and tossed the camera and phone on the seat figuring "The water is high....we aren't going to catch a thing..." That was the biggest mistake I have made in years.

We fished for about 15 minutes and God was the river high! Thoughts of packing up shop just entered my mind when I heard a small voice yell "I think I got something!" I turned to see a massive fish jump out of the corner of my eye. I thought "Oh....Elliot caught a pike..." and I started walking over to my son (about 150 yards). My wife was fishing with him and yelled "It's a huge smallmouth!" I looked again and saw the fish clear the water for a second and third time. It all happened so fast!

I ran over, set down my rod and saw my son step in my water and lip the smallmouth and it WAS BIG! I reached in my pocket for a camera.....phone....anything....Nothing was there! I felt for a tape measure and had it in my top vest pocket. Pulled it out to get a number on the fish....22" even! What a fish! I removed the treble hooks and Elliot put her back in the river before she got too tired. Like a little pro he rocked her back and forth in the water and Bam! she was off to her favorite hiding spot, alive and healthy.

I have hauled my camera around for every single trip and the one time I left it in the car a trophy was landed. The whole family was there, but I would kill for the picture. Elliot was so proud - As were we!

Well Elliot....Happy Early Birthday! Hopefully we'll catch a bigger one next year and I'll have the stinkin' camera to capture the moment!

Flat Stanley

2011-07-29T12:23:00.004-05:00

Recipe
Hook: 2XL to 3XL. Daiichi 1260 (Size 6) Shown
Thread: 6/0 Brown Uni
Tail: Brown Marabou
Thorax: Brown Marabou, Turkey Feather, Pine Squirrel Dub, Copper Wire
Legs: Brown Sili-Legs

This pattern is absolutely deadly because it resembles so many things! Is it a crayfish, a leech or maybe a hellgrammite....maybe a little of each! The profile of the fly is the biggest challenge. If you notice it is actually flat? The materials used for Stanley are common, but how they are layered is where the magic begins.

The tail is your basic marabou offering, but it is short to stop those short strikes. The body consists of a few wraps of lead (not too much) covered with a layer of turkey feather. Marabou covers the turkey along with some blended pine squirrel dub/ice dub. This is not a simple fly to put up by any means. I'll work on a video on this one.

The small size and structure of this fly and the fact it is not heavily weighted gives it a very lifelike look in the water. Cast it above a pool and let him drift under an indicator. Once the indicator stops, set the hook! This is a fun one to fish and it is very effective.

Make sure to have a hook hone in your vest to keep the hook nice and sharp. Under an indicator this fly will tick off roks and debris dulling the hook. Remember, keep em sharp!

The smallmouth below was caught on this fly under an indicator. My buddy Peter is the best fisherman I know, he landed this Mississippi smallie on Flat Stanley in 2010.

18" Smallie Caught on Flat Stanley

Great Smallmouth Blog Post Link

2011-07-25T22:15:00.006-05:00

Just some eye candy....

I stumbled across this smallmouth blog post online and thought I should link it on my blog. This is a great post......read on!

The picture has nothing to do with the blog post, I just thought I should include a little eye candy!

Cat's Whisker

2011-07-24T20:34:00.000-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Ron McAlpin

Recipe
Hook: 2x-Long or 3x-Long Streamer Hook, Size 8 or 10 (I use Tiemco 5263)
Thread: To Match Body
Flash: Krystal FlashTail: Marabou
Body: Medium Chenille
Wing: Arctic Fox (I like the arctic fox zonker strips best) or Marabou
Eyes: Bead Chain

Bass Love Cat's Whiskers

Dan Bailey Eco-Grip Wading Boot Review

2011-07-24T17:16:00.013-05:00

Eco-Grip Wading Boot
Manufacturer: Dan Bailey
MSRP: $149.95
Purchased From: Sierra Trading Post
Manufactured: China

Highly Recommended Product

I ordered the Dan Bailey Eco-Grip Wading Boots from Sierra Trading Post for a great price. I am so impressed with these boots I would gladly pay full price for them and not bat an eye.

Just like many of you I have used felt soled boots and stopped due to recent reports of exotic species spreading through the use of felt. The idea of using rubber soles has been a concern because I have taken some big spills with the rubber soled hiking boots I sometimes use when I wet wade. These boots have great traction and are easy to clean when packing up after a long day of fishing.

The Rubber Sole
The magic of this boot is the rubber sole. The sole is designed with slip resistant compound used in the fast food industry to prevent slipping on greasy floors.

The secret is also in the tread pattern. The tread pattern is manufactured to maximize surface contact. Studs can also be drilled in the sole, although I have not found a situation that required stud installation. These boots grip well on a variety of surfaces, from slick rocks to logs.

This sole is a great alternative to felt because it helps reduce the spread of exotic species from one body of water to another. For more information on invasive species please contact your local DNR website.

Comfort
I am blown away by the comfort of these boots. Hiking is a dream and I have no worries descending into a stream. Felt is always so slippery in the mud and that is where these boots shine. Ankle support and arch support are fantastic.

Construction
We have already addressed the sole, but as you can see by the picture these boots are fully reinforced. The boot is made with Goodyear weld construction for increased durability and comfort. The rubber toe and heel caps add needed protection to your foot while in the stream.

For some reason people make a big deal about laces on wading boots. I know other manufacturers have come up with unique lacing systems, but I'm not opposed to lacing and tying my boots. The Eco-Tread boots laced nicely and I had no concerns.

Conclusion
I cannot say enough about these boots! The quality and fit of the Eco-Grips is outstanding and the performance both in the water and on the trail was better than any other boot I have used. If you can catch the deal at Sierra Trading Post you should. This is one of the best products I have tested this year and at less than $100 by far the best deal I have gotten in years!

Congratulations Dan Bailey - you have won me over and I'll continue to seek out your products.

Manufacturers Specifications:

Maximum traction sole is easy to clean
Sole is designed for stud use
Rugged synthetic suede upper material
Goodyear welt construction
Speed lacing
Rubber toe and heel caps
Upper: Synthetic suede
Lining: Textile
Removable insole
Midsole: Rubber
Outsole: Gum rubber
Height: 6-1/2"
Heel height: 1-1/2"
Weight (pair): 3 lbs. 14 oz.
Half sizes order up
Made in China

Hopper Popper

2011-07-23T15:37:00.005-05:00

Recipe
Hook: Mustad 3366 Size 2
Thread: Black Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail/Body/Head: El Cheapo Sheet Foam
Legs: Black Palmer Chenille
Legs: Grasshopper Barred Sili-Legs

This is the Smallmouth Fly Box rendition of Kent Edmunds Tokyo Spider and Stealth Bomber. Tied on a size 2 hook this pattern is built for the big boys. It is very inexpensive to tie, floats all day and is extremely easy to cast even with a 6wt outfit. I was out last weekend with a 6wt Ross FlyStik and had no problem casting this thing a mile (this is a big bug!).

I like using large poppers for smallies, but sometimes they can hit the water too hard. The Hopper Popper hits the water like a dragonfly or a maybe even a grasshopper that was blown in the wind. I've had everything from big bluegills to northern pike hit this thing like a freight train.

Another beef I have with many top water patterns is the hook gap is too crowded. Many fisherman resort to bending the hook out to increase hook-ups. The practice of bending the hook may be necessary on bulky patterns, but there are no worries here. The bulk of the materials on the Hopper Popper sit on top of the hook shank leaving the hook gap intact.

My blog entry Cork Poppers - Say No to Foam questions the durability of foam poppers and preaches the virtues of cork. Let's face it sometimes foam doesn't hold up well. However, some simple steps can be taken to increase durability. For example, I reinforce all thread windings and foam folds with Zap-a-Gap. Sometimes thread windings nick the foam and a tear will begin to form ruining the fly after a few fish. Zap-a-Gap creates a rip-stop bond that stops the initial micro-tear giving the fly a much longer lifespan. The Hopper Popper can survive hard hits from dozens of fish and weeks of river fishing.

Once again we opted for the timeless (and inexpensive) Mustad 3366. I have deviated from the 3366 to super expensive Tiemco and Gammy hooks, but always return to economical Mustad. I have heard many people question the quality of Mustad hooks, specifically when it comes to sharpness. This is when I usually ask if people sharpen their hooks on the river while they are fishing. Most people I run into do not own a hook hone? One snag and your fancy uber sharp $1 hook is dull as a Walmart bargain basement hook. Use the 3366 and carry a hook hone....

This is a very versatile and buggy warm water pattern. Inexpensive to tie, easy to see and cast, floats all day long and is appealing to just about every fish that swims. Give it a try and I'm certain you'll be hooked.

Mike Jacob's Bronze Goddess

2011-07-20T15:16:00.003-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Ward Bean (www.warmwaterflytyer.com)

This is a very buggy looking pattern created by Iowa fly tyer Mike Jacobs. I will be posting my version of this fly soon. I like the blend of materials....Mike did a great job.

Here is a link to Mike Jacob's online store the Hawkeye Fly Tyer.

Shannon's Streamer

2011-07-20T12:44:00.004-05:00

This is the latest smallmouth pattern posted by Joe Cornwall at Fly Fish Ohio. I used Shannon's Streamer on the river last weekend and was completely blown away by the way it swims. Stripped in quick jerks, this streamer darts and swims like a wounded bait fish.

Joe is an amazing fly tyer, using materials many would never consider. Take the head of this streamer for example, Joe coats the head with clear silicone to trap air and also give the pattern a more realistic feel in the smallies mouth. Joe Cornwall and Ward Bean are two major influences of the Smallmouth Fly Box....you can see why.

The best thing about this fly is the fact it is virtually indestructible. A hook, chenille, eyes and a gob of silicone. Sometimes you can make things complicated, but Shannon's Streamer is deadly simple.

Get some of Patron's Bohemian Chenille and get to tying. The Shannon's Streamer is a fantastic pattern!

Leeper Lizard

2011-07-19T18:46:00.000-05:00

Recipe

Hook: Size 6 3X Long Streamer Hook
Thread: Olive to match marabou
Underbody: .30 Lead wire
Tail: Grizzly Marabou dyed Olive
Body: Pumpkin Krystal Flash Chenille
Legs: Pumpkin Sili Legs with black, orange and green flecks
Collar: Grizzly Marabou dyed Olive
Eyes: Medium Yellow Lead Eyes

St Croix River Fly Fishing Report

2011-07-17T15:19:00.003-05:00

Spent the day on the river with my buddy Pete. Peter is the best fisherman I fish with and we basically were skunked today. Pete landed a few smallies and I missed a few and caught a sardine sized muskie.

The fish did not seem to be hitting hard. I had a few hits that were more like slaps instead of full on chowing. We beat the surface to death with poppers and tried subsurface offerings as well. Pete even had a spinning rod with him and drew a blank.

Looks like we are in the dog days of summer. Next time I'll bring the spinning rod and hit the deep holes for walleye during the day and switch to bank shooting during the dusk hours.

Still a beautiful day to be out on the water with Pete and practice my cast.

Hot on the St Croix

2011-07-16T11:28:00.001-05:00

St Croix River above Taylors Falls

Hot as the blazes in Minnesota today. Tried to get out with my buddy Pete this morning, but the massive storms ruined our plans. Doesn't this picture make you feel nice and cool? A little dip in the river and I don't care what the temps are! The more time I spend on the river the more I realize how special it really is. Only minutes from my door too!

Hope to hit the river tomorrow morning, hope the rain stays away.

Fall on the Croix

40th Birthday - Ross Flystik 6wt

2011-07-11T18:40:00.003-05:00

Well....I'm officially old....40 years on the planet and so far so good. Mrs. Fly Box and family got me a Ross Flystik 6wt to sit next to the 8wt I got earlier this year.

The Ross Flystik 6wt is a great addition to the Fly Box arsenal. This rod is much different than the 8wt in that the tip feels like a true 6wt. The 8wt on the other hand is a cannon! Both of these rods are incredible smallmouth (and largemouth) rods. The 6wt tosses a #4 Blockhead Popper with ease.

I'll post a review shortly because I will be adding the 10wt before the end of the year. Owning the whole Flystik family will be awesome!

Old Saint Nick

2011-07-10T17:56:00.001-05:00

Recipe
Hook: Streamer Hook (Mustad 9172) Size 6
Thread: Black 6/0 Uni Thread
Tail: Olive Marabou
Flash: Green Ghost Krystal Flash
Body: Green Holographic Ice Dubbing (Dubbing Loop)
Gill: Read Flashabou
Head: Black Cone Head

This is just a nice little streamer that usually bears gifts when attached to your tippet. I spent the day flipping this pattern around on the St Croix River today and had a blast. I'll post fish pictures this week.

The St Nick is a buggy little thing. The ice dubbing is put into a dubbing loop to give it that "buugy" body and the red gills are a nice little accent.

Give this one a shot, it is nice looking, easy to tie and a dream to cast and work in the water.

Happy fishing!

Greetings from the St Croix River

2011-07-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

Mission Springs Resort on Lake Superior

2011-07-06T16:58:00.008-05:00

Well....it looks like the Smallmouth Fly Box has located its next vacation spot. We are hitting the Mission Springs Resort in Ashland Wisconsin in the fall for some unreal smallmouth action.

The cabins at Mission Springs are affordable and once again we managed to find a REAL family operation.

The resort consists of 5 cabins and they are right on the Chequamegon Bay. My fly rod fingers are twitching! Lake Superior here we come!

New use for rabbit zonkers

2011-07-03T16:39:00.001-05:00

A little double-sided tape, a red zonker and meet my son the newest member of the Chicago Police Department - Gene Copstashio.

Northwind Lodge Family Vacation 2011

2011-07-03T12:29:00.004-05:00

Morning view of Lake Jasper less than 100' from our cabin

We just got back from our trip to Northwind Lodge outside of Ely, Minnesota. The whole family stayed in Cabin #4 overlooking Lake Jasper and the swim beach.

Joe and Annette do a fantastic job with the cabins! Our cabin was super clean with a great shower, kitchen and sitting area. My family of four was very comfortable. The ability to wash off the bug dope before bed with a nice shower was a God's send.

This is a REAL family owned resort owned by the Baltich family since the 1930's. I first visited Northwind Lodge in 1989 and it feels pretty much the same today as it did back then - except for the Red Rock Store which is a very welcome addition to the lodge. Joe and Annette have a real Cabela's of the north at Northwind! Check out their website for great products, from lures and rods to space age epoxy resin canoes.

Our cabin was originally built in 1948 and was added on in 2008. The old section of the cabin has great character.

18" smallmouth on the cabin wall. Not a huge fish, but fitting for the Smallmouth Fly Box cabin!

The cabin interior was clean and comfortable!

The view of Lake Jasper was outstanding

As you can see, the boys loved swimming in the lake! The water was too cold for the adults, but the kids were able to swim and slept well that night.

The sly swimmers of Lake Jasper

Initially the fishing was slow, but the weather has been crazy here in Minnesota - tons of rain and unseasonably cool weather never helps the fishing. By the end of the week the temperatures rose and we had some time to figure out the lake.

The pike and perch started slamming by the end of the week! Believe it or not the Smallmouth Fly Box did not manage to catch a smallie? I busted my butt with my fly rod, but had to resort to spin fishing . Later on in the trip we discovered the bass were all in deeper water feeding on lake shiners. Information discovered just before it was time to pack the car to go home....figures.


Glenn with his Wood Lake Pike

Mom with her Lake Jasper Pike

Elliot with his Wood Lake Pike

The Boys at the Wolf Center in Ely

Goodbye from Northwind....see you next year!

Cork Poppers - Say No to Foam!

2011-06-19T13:15:00.003-05:00

I have posted many posts on this blog about foam poppers. Until now I have been a big fan of pre-shaped foam heads. Why not like them, they are relatively cheap, easy to color and fast to put up. So, why say "No" you ask?

Well....I was going out for some bluegills and grabbed a handful of poppers tied by Fly Box Hero - Dick Gross. Dick sent me poppers and deer hair bugs a few years back, so I thought it was about time to get them on the water. Dick ties fantastic flies! I grabbed a few of his cork poppers and hit the water. I fished the gills hard and used only one popper. A single cork popper caught dozens of gills and still looked brand new! Foam is good for a dozen or so hits from big fish until they start to look punky.

I bought 250, #1 Portuguese bulk cork heads on Ebay for $6 (see below) and started shaping. To my surprise cork was easy to work with! Sure you can't put 12 together in an hour like foam, but you only need 2-3 cork bugs to last you all summer! Quality and durability over quantity!

Bulk Cork Stoppers on Ebay

After I bought these heads I found these on the internet at Tackle Craft. The Tackle Craft assortment saves a ton of time shaping the cork down from a basic stopper to a popper head. Great stuff and 100 for $7 is a deal! The assortment will cover everything from panfish to bass and pike.

Here's what they look like after some acrylic paint. These poppers are ready to go in a few hours and they are virtually bulletproof!

Foam is great, but is almost a disposable solution compared to cork! Thanks for the cork poppers Dick - you are a great fly tyer because you are sensible in so many ways.

Zaggin Zook Fly - AWESOME!

2011-06-17T21:55:00.009-05:00

The Smallmouth Fly Box Boat Renovation

2011-06-04T21:22:00.001-05:00

Well....as you all know the Smallmouth Fly Box is a proud owner of an 18', 1980something Lund Mr. Pike boat. I spent the day ripping out foam that was sprayed under the floor of the boat. At first I thought the foam was a factory add-on, but I think it was an experiment gone wrong.

The foam looks great, but was holding a virtual ton of water. I took the floor out because it had some "rank" spots. I knew it was a gutter, so I'm not bummed.

All plywood is out as well as the nasty foam. The console is up on blocks and the compartment doors are all re-coated with marine varnish. I am going with a red cedar floor in the boat instead of plywood and carpet.

Pictures soon.

Boat will be on the water in 2 weeks.

Spent the rest of the day installing a new screen door....tomorrow is siding installation....I hate old houses!

Through The Gill Hook Removal

2011-05-29T18:26:00.001-05:00

When you gut hook a fish there is a high probability you can remove the hook and successfully release it alive and healthy. The guys at In-Fisherman have developed a successful way to remove the hook from a gullet hooked fish. This procedure is harmless to the fish (when performed correctly) and increases the chances of the fishes survivability. Remember to minimize the time that the fish is out of the water.

1) With the hook in the gullet, note which side of the fish's mouth the hook shank is toward. Note: For illustration sake, the line is eliminated here in steps 2 through 5. In reality, the line stays connected as this technique is performed.

(2) With a finger or two, reach in through the last gill arch on that side of the fish and push and pull down on the hook eye so the hook turns and . .

Note: It’s important that you do not go between any of the gills. Make sure you go behind the last gill furthest from the mouth opening or in front of the first one. You do this while looking in through the mouth of the fish

(3) Hook rolls out below the gill toward the side of the fish. At that point, amazingly, the hook, barb and all, almost always pops free from its hold in the fish's gullet (4) Reach into the fish's mouth and grip the bend in the hook (which is now up) and . . .

(4) Reach into the fish's mouth and grip the bend in the hook (which is now up) and . . .

(5) Pull the hook free. If the fish's mouth is too small to reach in with your hand, use a needle-nose pliers to grip the hook bend.

Illustration is from the In-Fisherman Web site:
http://www.infisherman.com/

Chequamegon Bay SMB Report - Josh Lantz Blog

2011-05-29T14:05:00.003-05:00

Fishing Report from Josh Lantz:

"Okay, so Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay isn't my usual stomping grounds. In fact, I had never fished there until last week. After four days of playing ring leader at the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers' annual conference in Ashland, WI, I finally splashed the boat for two hours last Friday morning.

My angling companion was Hobie Cat Company's Fishing Products Manager, Morgan Promnitz. I met him earlier in the week entering his hotel room with a 6-wt. flyrod in his hand. We struck up a conversation about fly fishing and how Morgan had never caught a smallmouth bass. We made plans to fish for a couple hours on Friday morning before his flight left for San Diego.

Since we had a limited amount of time, we opted to leave the fly rods behind and went straight to bait. Like desperate junkies needing a fix, we eagerly fished 4-5" sucker minnows on 8-lb. spinning gear while our fly rods gently wept beneath the gunwhales. The minnows were fished on simple split shot rigs with circle hooks along a break that went from about 13 down to 17 feet. The bait and the general fishing location came courtesy of Capt. Roger LaPenter at Anglers All in Ashland.

By the time I dropped Morgan off at the dock after less than two hours of fishing, we had released eight bass between 4 and 7 pounds.

Morgan is hooked up!

Chequamegon Bay Scrapper

Morgan's First Smallie Ever. . . Wow!

Morgan's Second Smallie. . . Spoiled for Life!

Chequamegon Bay's big SMB are between 15 and 20 years old, so treat them kindly. If you fish them with bait, use circle hooks if possible. If you opt for traditional J hooks, there is a technique you can use to safely remove a hook from a "gut hooked" bass that involves cutting the line well above the hook and carefully pulling the line down through the gill opening. If you apply downward pressure on the line, the hook will turn over at the back of the fish's throat. You can then grab the bend of the hook with a pair of long pliers and pull the hook out while maintaining some downward pressure on the line. Doug Stange has an article on this through the gills hook removal technique on the In-fisherman website. Learn this and you may never kill another bass."

Thanks for the great report Josh!

Lake Superior - A Prime Smallmouth Destination? Yep!

2011-05-29T10:12:00.003-05:00

Smallmouth On Lake Superior With Roger Le Penter - The funniest movie is here. Find it

Old Captain Le Penter has a 7 pound smallmouth in this clip AND a 7 pound mustache! Being a river smallmouth guy I never considered Lake Superior as a hot spot. The more I read about Lake Superior the more I have to get there!

I'm in the early planning process of fishing out of Ashland, WI with Fly Box Hero - Uncle Dick Gross. I'd give my left arm to spend the day catching hulk smallies with Dick. I'll keep you posted with trip details!

New Smallmouth Fly Box Boat!

2011-05-27T19:28:00.010-05:00

Well..it's official, the Smallmouth Fly Box has a new (old) boat! Bought it today! It's an 18' Lund boat, galvanized trailer and a 50 horse Mercury. Has 2 live wells, rod lockers, full console, nice seats, running lights, fish finder...

The motor purrs like a kitten and the trailer is a beauty. Need to add a bow mounted trolling motor and we'll be in business.

I will be replacing the deck this summer and adding the new trolling motor. This girl will be on the river with the kids and dogs in no time. I'll admit I'm a bit nervous about running a long shaft motor on the river, but I'll take my time to learn the river and be fine.

All in all it's no big deal, a new/used boat that needs a little work. Up until now I have been a lowly canoe/wade/shore fisherman. Nothing wrong with that, but now I'm turning a corner towards getting on some real fish and maybe even taking my boys water skiing.

The official name of this dingy is "My Baby Girl" after my baby girl on the left. Unless I come up with something better before I letter the boat!

Sorta Casual Dress - Dubbing Brush

2011-05-22T17:17:00.014-05:00

Image Courtesy of Bob Petti and Fly Fish Ohio

Recipe
Hook: Whatever 1xl nymph hook you like
Tail: A small bunch of muskrat fur, including the under-fur. Keep
this relatively sparse.
Body: Gray squirrel dubbing brush (home made). The traditional recipe calls for a hand rolled noodle of muskrat.
Collar: Muskrat fur, including long guard hairs, twisted in dubbing loops and wrapped as a hair hackle.
Head: Black hare's ear dubbing, twisted in dubbing loop and wrapped like hair hackle. Traditional calls for back ostrich

The image on this post is from the good folks at Fly Fish Ohio. Bob Petti posted this pattern as one of the awesome entries on Fly Fish Ohio's Smallmouth Bass Fly Selection, Fly Box Porn - Part 6. I have loved this pattern for years, it is fun to tie and will take just about every specie of fish. Joe Cornwall catches channel cats with this pattern on a size 10 hook.

I like the dubbing brush body most on Bob's version. The body had a real buggy look and since the core is copper wire you know it is super durable (more on homemade dubbing brushes below).

Perhaps the thing I dislike most with the Polly Rosborugh's original pattern was the black ostrich herl head. I rarely use peacock or ostrich herl these days, it is just not durable enough for me. Most likely it is because my local shop carries really bad herl, it's always dry and fragile. Bob substitutes black bunny hair on a dubbing loop for the head.....amen!

I'll be posting a homemade Smallmouth Fly Box dubbing brush spinner in the coming weeks. Made from scrap wood and about $10 in hardware, you'll have a dubbing brush spinner that will last for years! See Lucky's spinner below...

Homemade Dubbing Brush Spinner Courtesy of Lucky Sultz

Shoemaker Sculpin

2011-05-14T20:16:00.000-05:00

I found this fly on Google images and I think it is awesome. It was tied by a guy named "Shoe" on the Fly Tying Forum. Great looking fly!

I'm guessing gray squirrel for this whole pattern. What do you guys think?

I'll be tying up my version and posting it shortly.

Half and Half

2011-05-14T16:37:00.006-05:00

This is just a great looking fly! Anything tied by Clouser and Lefty would have to be a killer! I have tried this one with the saddle hackle and had some trouble with the saddle hackle fouling the hook. I think some Yak fibers will add the length and and action in the tail without any hook interference.

In Bob Clouser's book Clouser's Flies Bob writes about this pattern and how he casts it into deep pools, letting it flutter down in the water column. The tail section is quite visible as it falls. Clouser says to watch it drop and soon as it disappears - set the hook! He claims some of his largest smallmouth are taken this way! I think the key to this pattern is the long flash section in the tail.

The gill section on this pattern is just awesome. Nice tip from Bob about leaving the loops loose, letting the red hair follow the thread.

When you stop and think about this pattern it's pretty easy to imaging why it is so effective. Let's face it, this is a large offering! What bass or pike could resist such a large meal, especially if it looked injured? Being the opportunistic jerks they are, bass and pike slam this one!

Both of these guys make it look so easy! Bob Clouser and Lefty Kreh are true icons to the sport of fly fishing and tying....great video!

Yak Hair Clouser

2011-05-14T15:55:00.011-05:00

Recipe
Hook: Mustad 33903 (Size 2)
Thread: Gray Dual Duty
Belly: White Yak
Flash: Gray Ghost Krystal Flash
Top: Olive Krystal Flash
Weight: Medium Lead Dumbbell

In preparation for our Ely, MN trip I have been throwing together a series of Clousers. I bought some Yak fur a few months back and decided to use it on a few pike sized Clousers.

I'm sure most of you have seen Yak by now, but many freshwater fisherman don't invest in the material because it is bulky stuff. Yak is fantastic for bass and pike flies! It has significant mass in the water, but also has a nice translucent quality. The Clouser above is a good 4" and truth be told I could tie a 12" streamer if I wanted to. The fibers are literally 12+" long.

Yak comes in a staggering variety of colors, from polar white to bright pink. I went with olive because I know it will be a hot color in Ely.

The Dual Duty thread I use on Cousers is available at most textile/ craft stores. I have received a few emails from Fly Box visitors stating that the Dual Duty thread wasn't very durable. The variety I have is like steel cable. Make sure you get the Dual Duty with a polyester core. The thread is super durable even when something toothy grabs it. The thread soaks up an incredible amount of head cement.

Also, I wanted to comment on the Gray Ghost Krystal Flash used on this pattern. I recently picked up this material and I absolutely love it. The flash material has a fine texture and lifelike quality, so it pulsates beautifully when stripped. If you haven't picked up the Gray Ghost you really should have it! This is just one of those materials that makes a pattern a slayer.

If you are tying for tooth critters or hog bass, grab some Yak and get tying!

They always look better with eyes and a few coats of heat cement!
Get your holographic dome eyes at Bustin Bass Baits - the best deal on the internet!

The Pink Lady

2011-05-07T13:28:00.012-05:00

Recipe

Hook: Mustad 3366 (Size 6)
Thread: 6/0 Pink Uni
Tail: Pearl Spirit River Bodi Braid
Body: Pearl Spirit River Bodi Braid
Flash: Gray Ghost Krystal Flash
Over Wing: Tan Craft Fur
Eyes: Medium Bead Chain

I was messing around in the shop trying to come up with a new crappie pattern. Well you have seen this one a million times, another Clouser rip off.

I like this one because of the Bodi Braid and Gray Ghost Krystal Flash combo. The sparkle of this fly is really neat. Craft Fur is great because it is so light and is less coarse than deer hair. Don't get me wrong, I love deer hair too, but for smaller patterns Craft Fur is easier to handle (in my opinion).

3 colors - The Pink Lady, Silver Surfer and Gold Fingerling (Yes...a James Bond reference!)

I finally found use for that pink thread in the thread rack. I remember as a kid catching a mess of crappies on pink Mister Twisters. I thought this little lady would look nice with a touch of pink!

Update on this pattern:

I have been told by many people in the past few days that this is a "bonefish pattern." Well.....I put it together for crappies and field tested it last night. The water is still cold here in Minnesota, but I caught a gob of perch. This pattern seems pretty universal to me - time will tell.

For all of you die hard bonefish guys....relax, it's ok to use saltwater patterns in freshwater! Minnesota is far away from the ocean.... As Mike Alwin always says to me "Douglas, there are no rules in fly tying!"

Fishy's Smallmouth Fly

2011-05-04T21:17:00.001-05:00

Recipe

Hook: Mustad 3366 (Size 4)

Thread: 6/0 Orange Uni

Body: Brown/Green Variegated Chenille

Wing: Spirit River Mottlebou

Wing 2: Orange Span-Flex

Eyes: Black Medium Bead Chain (4 beads)

This is my smallmouth bass version of Fly Fish Ohio's - Fishy's Bonefish Fly. This is such a simple, but very cool pattern to tie. In hindsight I probably should have left the Span-Flex longer, but this still has great action in the water.

Sometimes the simplest details escape us. The bead chain eyes on this pattern (4 instead of 2) is just great. No matter how this thing hits the water it lands facing up on the bottom. The materials have great action in the water!

I may also use a different hook in the future, but I fish mainly in rocky sections of the Mississippi. The Mustad 3366 is cheap and I have thousands to burn...

Thanks again for posting the original pattern Joe (Cornwall)!

The Turd

2011-05-01T18:56:00.002-05:00

My wife grabbed some clearance chenille from Michael's, it is some poofy stuff! I tried to put a Shannon Fly together (Fly Fish Ohio) and came up with this turd.

My kids died laughing when they saw it! I tied a smaller one and they called it BoBo Jr. (Below)

All joking aside, this pattern is fun to tie and if you put it together like Joe does on Fly Fish Ohio it will be a killer. I'm waiting for the proper chenille to arrive in the mail and I will be posting the real Shannon's Fly soon! Dooodie!

Hobie Fish Gripper

2011-05-01T12:06:00.003-05:00

In preparation for our trip to Ely, MN I picked up a few Hobie Fish Grippers. Ely is loaded with Northern Pike, some big ones and millions of hammer handles. The Hobie Fish Gripper locks onto the lip of the fish reducing odds of getting hooked in the hand, but it also reduces the risk of injuring the fish.

This style of gripper was made popular by the kayaking crowd. They are always looking to reduce weight and maximize space in their kayak. Here is a review of the Hobie Gripper on YouTube.

Initially we looked into a Boga Grip, but at $150 it was way out of my price range. We don't need the stainless steel parts in Minnesota, no salt water here! The Hobie Grippers are $14 and has great reviews online for both fresh and salt water applications.

These grippers float, weigh a whopping 5 oz. and glow in the dark! The price is definitely right and were recommended to me by a Lake Michigan salmon guide on a recent trip to Chicago. If they grip and hold the Chinook and Coho I saw, they will certainly hold anything I catch in Ely!

I was concerned about the plastic factor, but the gripper is heavy duty.

Reel Wool Products - Reel Protector

2011-04-24T19:10:00.002-05:00

You may recognize these pictures from a year or so ago. Well....these pouches are starting to take hold here in the Twin Cities. We decided to go with the name Reel Wool Products because we have a series of products going online that are made entirely of hand knit and felted Fisherman's Wool.

The products are hand knit and hand felted by my mother-in-law in Minnesota and the buttons are hand carved in my shop. It's getting hard to find products that are REALLY hand crafted in the USA!

The purpose of these reel pouches is simple, protect your reel from dings and dents while you walk from the car to your fishing spot. Nothing like dropping your rare or $300 modern machined reel on the rocks, or how about rolling around in the back of your truck when you take the short trip to your next favorite spot! The felted wool offers a breathable, protective layer to your reel - eliminating dreaded reel rash. When you get to your spot the pouch unbuttons and fits right in your pocket.

If the reel protector gets wet, the material is naturally breathable and will dry in a snap . Wool is the perfect material around water!

These pouches retail for $29.95 and will be sold at fly fishing shops nationwide and online.

Here is the prototype in the other color we are offering....Brown (no button attached). In regards to sizing, we are modeling our sizes in 2 classes, Classic and Modern. The Classic line is modeled to fit the Pflueger Medalist line of reels, the1492 Medalist up to the big pig the 1598. The Modern is still in the works and will probably be designed to fit a product line from Ross.

If you have feedback please share it....we are still working out the details on sizing.

Airflo 40+ Shooting Line

2011-04-24T15:00:00.003-05:00

I got this line a week ago and I can't believe how far I can cast with this stuff! Over the winter I have been reading about shooting heads and I wanted to experiment a little. Instead of making my own shooting head and having to worry about the hinge breaking, I decided to bite the bullet and grab Airflo's 40+ line. By far, without a doubt the best fly line I have ever purchased. Better than Rio's Clouser line and Rio's new Smallmouth line....no comparison.

Here is a review and demo of how the line and how it works. I have this line (8wt floating) paired with a Lamson Konic reel and an 8wt Ross Flystik - talk about a cannon!

At $74.95 it is spendy stuff, but well worth the investment. I am saving my beans to get an intermediate line too!

Gierach Dragonfly

2011-04-23T18:17:00.009-05:00

Recipe

Hook: Daiichi 1270 (Size 4)

Thread: 6/0 Brown Uni

Body: Brown Dubbing

Rib: Gold Wire

Legs: Hungarian Partridge

Shell Casing 1: Deer Hair

Shell Casing 2: Turkey Tail

Eyes: Plastic or Melted Mono

Head: Same Dubbing as Body

My buddy Luther told me a story about cleaning a gob of crappies last year with guts full of dragonfly larvae. Did a little digging and found this pattern. My first attempt was not very successful because I went with a size 6 hook....far too small for this pattern. I'd go with a size 4 or even a 2 to have enough room to get the materials on the hook.

I think I'll go with black dumb bell eyes with my next rendition. Makes sense this critter would be scurrying across the bottom of the lake!

You can also use the Daiichi 1730 used on the Silver Bullet (below)...the kink in the hook is really helpful when it comes to keeping the proportions correct.

I am tying up a handful for Luther, between the 2 of us we should have some fish pictures soon! God knows I have enough turkey tail from my buddy Dick Gross, he send me the mother load of turkey materials last year!

Here are a few more dragonfly versions I found online...

I like these versions, but the orientation of the hook bothers me. These creatures crawl along the bottom of the pond, lake or river, feeding on tadpoles, fish and other bugs. It is my opinion the hook needs to ride inverted to reduce snags...

Here is another neat pattern... Some pretty specialized materials to pull it off, but still very cool.

Look for the Smallmouth Fly Box Dragonfly Larvae Deluxe soon!

Gray Goose Tube Fly

2011-04-20T10:03:00.006-05:00

Recipe
Tube: Small Eumer Tube
Hook: Mustad 9174 (Size 4)
Thread: 6/0 Red Uni
Tail 1: Gray Bucktail
Tail 2: Gray Marabou
Body: Gray Palmer Chenille
Legs: Gray/Black Sili-Legs
Eyes: Large Bead Chain Eyes

I have been messing with Tube Flies on and off for the past few months and I have to say I kind of like the concept. The flies are kind of homely, but neat in their own way.

This pattern was made to represent some sort of bait fish and I think it achieves that pretty well. The pattern has a nice profile in the water and the way the hook rides reduces hang-ups.

I'll be experimenting with tubes on the river in 2011....more information soon!

Son's First Fly - The Chartreuse Devil

2011-04-18T18:41:00.001-05:00

Well....this is a proud day at the Smallmouth Fly Box House! This is my youngest son's first fly! Heck of a job! He even took the pictures!

Great job Elliot! I know a smallmouth will hit this one for sure.

The Silver Bullet

2011-04-17T14:52:00.004-05:00

Recipe

Hook: Daiichi 1730 Stonefly Nymph Hook (Size 8)

Thread: White Flat Waxed Nylon

Tail: Gray Marabou

Body: Hareline Silver Holographic Ice Dubbing

Eyes: Large Bead Chain

This little fly is outstanding crappie and big bluegills. Since we are right around the corner from crappies, I thought I should post the pattern. You can certainly add sili-legs, wings, fancier eyes.....I've experimented with all of that stuff and this simple version seems to be the best.

The whole pattern hinges on the Diiachi hook. The 1730 Stonefly Nymph hook has a hump in the shank that gives the fly a little dancing motion when it is stripped. This hook can be purchased at the Canadian Llama Company for a good price.

I fish this fly on a light rig, typically a 4/5 weight in spring. Cast The Bullet out and let it sink, most times I let it hit bottom and then start stripping it in with sharp strips. Periodically stop stripping and let the streamer drop. This is when the hits usually occur.

I know this hook is pretty specialized, but it is worth the grief of mail ordering. This is my go to pattern for early season panfish. In fact, I ordered a size 4 version of this hook to tie up a bassified version for later this summer!

Fly Box Hero - Bill Musky Modica

2011-04-17T12:20:00.002-05:00

I know it's not Fly Fishing, but....

A few years ago I started interacting on a website dedicated to bluegills....BIG BLUEGILLS! After a few weeks I ran across Bill Musky Modica on the site and started interacting with him. Bill had a great spoon technique he was introducing to the group. I read about how he rigged his gear and ran to the store to pick up some spoons and swivels. Meeting Mod flat out changed the way I spin fish.

Bill's technique and rig are highlighted in the May issue of In-Fisherman. The article is titled "Spooning Bluegills on the Long Cast." You have to read Bill's article because the technique applies to everything that swims. I personally have caught bluegills, perch, bass, walleye, catfish, pike, carp, mooneye, drum, shad and crappie using Mod's technique.

Every once in a while someone comes along and revolutionizes a method or pattern. In my book Bill Modica has been added to the Bob Clousers and Kelly Galloup's of the world.

If I spin fish I have a Blue Fox Rattlin Flash Spoon or a Swede on my line - Thanks again Bill!

The Yak Pile

2011-04-16T15:59:00.005-05:00

Recipe
Hook: Mustad 34185D (Size 1/0)
Tail: White and Olive Yak
Body: Palmered Yak
Collar: Olive Deer Hair
Head: Spun Deer Hair (Olive)
Weight: Small Dumbbell
Eyes: Red Dome Eye

I have been experimenting with jig hooks and came up with this oddball. I'm not even sure I like this one yet.... Fun to tie though!

What do you guys (and gals) think?

A few days after I was done messing with this design I picked up the May issue of In-Fisherman and found the article called "Spring Hair Days For Smallies". Here is a snippet from the article:

"...that big body of hollow deer hair holds up. It's got so much buoyancy, it tries to maintain a horizontal profile, and its slightly head-down attitude suggests a distracted minnow or leech."

This is not the sexiest pattern, but based on the In-Fisherman article it should be deadly for early season smallies if it is fished slowly and kept toward the bottom. Twitching or any jigging motion is a real no-no with this pattern. Slow and steady is the key to success.

Smallmouth Fly Box Win-Mock

2011-04-16T11:06:00.004-05:00

Recipe

Hook: Mustad 9674 (Size 2)

Thread: 6/0 Brown Uni

Tail 1: Furnace Saddle Hackle

Tail 2: Spirit River Mottlebou

Body: Brown Leech Yarn

Thorax: Spirit River Mottlebou

Legs: Pumpkin Sili-legs

Head 1: Spirit River Mottlebou

Head: Furnace Saddle Hackle

This is the Smallmouth Fly Box version of the Win-Mock. I really like this pattern!

Old Yankee Rodsmith's 6' Canoe Cannon

2011-04-14T16:50:00.006-05:00

Here is another 6' small stream rod from the Old Yankee Rodsmith, Andy Manchester. This rod is completely different than the rod I reviewed about a week ago (The Orange Crush).

This baby is a 100% fiberglass, 6' rod. The blank is neutral gray (my wife says it is Khaki) in color and has a dead matte finish. I broke this rod out at the local fly shop and the trouters loved the non-glare finish. Keep in mind these guys usually have nothing nice to say about anybody's gear, so Andy scored super points with this rod. These guys are like those two old Muppets in the balcony on the Muppet Show!

The guides (snakes) on this rig are a tad large (which I like) and the wraps are beautifully finished and really compliment the blank. Just a handsome and super functional rod.

We call it the Canoe Cannon because I use this bad boy in my old canoe. The length is perfect in a canoe, staying clear of the stomping feet of a 10 year old and it is easy to cast and land fish. So far crappies, bluegills and a few bass have be claimed by the Cannon...this year I plan to add a few smallies to the list!

Again, the Lawson Laurentian #1 Dry Fly Special (reel) balances this rod out perfectly. The reel is very simple, but it works perfectly and looks fantastic. Who would have thought a reel made in the 1940's would still function perfectly nearly 70 years later!

Another great rod by Andy Manchester! These 6' rods may seem wimpy with a line rating of 4/5, but they are far from that! These so called "small stream rods" have the juice!

Thank you again Andy.

Doug

First Outing of 2011!

2011-04-09T15:25:00.004-05:00

Old Yankee Rodsmith's 5wt Boron Blend

2011-04-08T13:59:00.011-05:00

We had our first super nice day here in Minnesota, spring is finally here! I was fortunate enough to get a custom 5 wt rod from Andy Manchester (Old Yankee Rodsmith) for Christmas. This is my second rod from Andy and I can't tell you how impressed I am with the craftsmanship and quality of Andy's work. The rod is a boron blend and measures out to 6'.

My boys call it the "Orange Crush" because of hue of the blank--I hope to CRUSH a few trout this year with this beauty. It is my first boron rod, so I wasn't sure how it would perform. After 20 minutes of driveway casting I found this rod to be more than I ever thought it would be. The flex of the rod is full and smooth making it a dream to cast.

The detail of this rod is second to none. Andy graduated the rod in increments up to 24", so no more guessing on the length of fish (see below). The snake guides are large and allow line to shoot perfectly with a DT 5wt line.

I love this rod. Many of you may think a 6' rod is not practical, but I encourage you to give one a try. If you are nervous about boron, don't be--it has a flex that is a joy to cast.

I will post a better review tomorrow after I catch some pigs with this rod. Look for fishy pictures tomorrow!

The one issue I had with my first 6' rod was finding a small reel that worked well. I settled on a Martin Model 72 "tuna can" reel and I have to be honest....I didn't like the reel at all. I shot Andy an email inquiring about a good companion reel for the rod and he told me about a reel I have never heard of...a Lawson Laurentian #1 Dry Fly Special? The Laurentian was made in Canada in the 1940's. Turns out Andy was dead on with the recommendation! The reel balances out both of my 6' Old Yankee's perfectly and looks great too!

Here is a great article about Andy from Joe Cornwall's online magazine Fly Fish Ohio.

The WIN-MOCK Streamer

2011-04-03T10:12:00.007-05:00

I can't take credit for this stuff, these awesome flies were tied by JeffSod from The Bass Pond Forum. The article was posted by Armand (aka B52 Bugger). Armand said this article was published in 1973 by his friend Fred Bahnson. Here is a quick story from Armand...even trout like this one!

"Many years ago I was fishing with my then brother in law on Stafford Pond in Tiverton, RI. It was August my brother in law could not get out of bed early for morning smallmouth. About 10 am I noticed rainbow trout feeding on midges. What do you do with six pound leaders and no size 22 - 24 midges. It was a sin seeing these large rainbows feeding on small stuff, they should eat meat. I took off my Gaines Bass King put on size 2 Win-mock and cast to one of the bruiser. Scared everyone except this rainbow that wanted to fight. He turned and scoff the fly. It turned out to be a nice four pound trout - I have to tell you we ate him. Smaller size works on trout size 8 or 10. Enough said. To think I wanted to be the Bass King on the Penobscot - fat chance now the secret is out."

The Win-Mock is a very simple fly using materials almost every fly tyer has on hand, I love these old patterns. No need to run to the fly shop for crazy materials....

Click on the article below to read and print at full size.

Thank you Jeff and Armand this one is a winner!

New Ross FlyStik | Lamson | SA Smallmouth Rig

2011-03-27T11:36:00.023-05:00

The Smallmouth Fly Box is very excited about it's newest smallmouth rig, the Ross FlyStik (8 wt), Lamson Konic and SA Sharkskin line setup. The rod came highly recommended by Joe Cornwall of Fly Fish Ohio and it is better than I could ever imagine.

I know the Redington Predator is getting great reviews, but I have been told by multiple people the Ross is a fantastic smallmouth rod. I have noodled both rods and really preferred the Ross because of my fiberglass roots.

This rod is graphite, but feels more on the slower, smoother fiberglass side. The Lamson reel is a fantastic mate for the FlyStik. Can't wait to get on the water with this rig.

This is what Joe Cornwall had to say about the Ross FlyStik in comparison to the Redington Predator:

The Predator is a nice rod, but the Fly Stik is better. Ross is a smoother caster, a tad slower and easier and more accurate in my hands. It’s a superb rod. If you already own a 6wt, I highly suggest the 8wt. While the 6 is a great rod, close to my Scott Warm Water Special in fact, it’s not the best choice for an all-around bass rod. Especially in Minnesota where you have a shot at pike (they’re everywhere), carp, larger bass and MUCH larger smallmouth. It tops out with about a size 2 fly – and not a deer hair bug at that. I’d consider the 8 an ideal rod for Minnesota (that’s where I fished it for the review) and it’s a true 8. Match it with a Headstart 8 or similar BB taper and it’s just a GREAT bass rod. And for $169 it’s about as painless as it gets. It’s great with up to a size 1/0 streamer and will handle a good sized cork or deer hair popper. There’s nothing else close to the ROSS. The Shore Stalker is a better rod at twice the price, the Sage Smallmouth or Bluegill is a better “bass” rod if you use it for topwater or shallow work but isn’t as versatile.

You can read a more detailed review on Joe's online magazine - Fly Fish Ohio.
http://www.flyfishohio.com/Ross_FlyStik_Review.htm

I don't know much about Lamson reels, but the Konic reel got 4.8 out of 5 stars from 42 reviewers on Cabelas.com. Should be fine for me.

Fly Box Hero - Craig Riendeau

2011-03-22T18:53:00.006-05:00

I have been experimenting with Craig Riendeau's interchangeable weight system and I think it is outstanding. I emailed Craig in May 2010, sent him a check and he mailed out the black rubber "ringers" that hold the weight to the hook shank. Don't bother trying to find a source for the ringers, or try to use rubber bands - Craig has found the ultimate material....buy the ringers from Craig directly at driftsouth@bellsouth.net or at Rainy's Flies & Supplies online.

Watch Craig explain the concept and attach the ringer to the hook (and tie all of these flies for that matter) at http://www.flywranglerstv.com. Craig has a series of high quality, super informative videos on Fly Wrangler TV.

Craig is such an innovative fly tyer creating very unique patterns - the Crawdad Craig, Hairy Fodder and Hairy Fodder Lite, the Georgia Bullfrog...see images below.

Hairy Fodder

Georgia Bullfrawg

Crawdad Craig

All of these flies are fun to tie and super durable. The Hairy Fodder has a lifelike presentation in the water. The sili-legs, rabbit fur and krystal flash undulate in the water imitating anything from a bait fish to a crayfish - very versatile!

I have never met Craig in person, but he mailed my Riendeau Ringers out right away with a detailed instruction sheet on how to tie the Hairy Fodder. Based on the pictures I have seen online Craig is a real Fly Box Hero.

How about the toad he has in the picture above! I nabbed this picture from a site that claims that smallie was from my stomping grounds! The "Upper Mississippi" usually refers to Minnesota and based on the size of that bass it certainly appears to be from up here!

I contacted Craig and this is what he said about the picture above:

"...As for the smallie on your blog, that came from the Mississippi downstream from Brainard. I know where the Linder's hang out! Got it on a 1/0 all white, flashy Hairy Fodder while fishing with guide Kip Veth. He liked the Murdich Minnow on top but I thought going "in their face" with a fast sinking Fodder would get more strikes. I was right by out fishing Kip and my buddy three to one. The one picture pushed the five pound mark. Lost one a few casts later that made that one look small..."

Hairy Fodder Lite

2011-03-18T21:03:00.004-05:00

Spirit River's Speckled Brown Mottlebou

2011-03-07T19:26:00.004-06:00

You may have seen this material in the fly shop and thought "There is some funky marabou." Well....you need to pick this stuff up! This material is super active in the water and has very cool natural color variation.

I use Mottlebou in conjunction with brown leech yarn, Wapsi Palmer Chenille and brown/green variegated chenille on the Evening Scratch.

Give this material a try if you get a chance, you'll be very pleased with the look and action!

Northwind Lodge - Ely, MN

2011-03-04T20:27:00.004-06:00

We just booked our family fishing trip at Northwind Lodge in Ely, MN. I visited Northwind in the summer of 1989 when I graduated from High School. Great memories...

Now I am bringing my family up there to fish, hike, swim and relax. I got the report that Lake Jasper is exploding with smallmouth activity. Sounds like a promising trip for sure.

Cabin #7 here we come!

The Bonefish Special

2011-02-14T19:48:00.002-06:00

Hook: Mustad 34007 (Size 2)
Thread: 6/0 Black Uni
Tail: Orange Rabbit, Marabou or Craft Fur
Body: Gold Bodi-Braid
Wing: Grizzly Hackle Tips
Head: Black Thread

This is a bonefish pattern by Chico Fernandez. An easy tie, this fly is unweighted, so it can be fished in very shallow water. The orange in the tail is a nice touch and the action in the water is excellent.

I am giving this one a whirl this year on the Mississippi. By the way....I heard they are slaying the smallies up in Monticello, MN (by the power plant).

Smallmouth Fly Box Cactus Chenille

2011-02-05T16:08:00.003-06:00

I am tired of buying tiny cards of Estaz Grande at my local shop. The Smallmouth Fly Box has acquired huge spools of 6mm and 16mm cactus chenille and is starting to custom dye our own smallmouth shades.

We are still perfecting our dying processes, but we will be in full production soon enough.

Let me know if any of you smallmouther's want to see any shades in particular!

FishPond Traveling Fly Tying Case

2011-01-29T18:39:00.001-06:00

My job is making me travel more and more, so I decided to pick up a Fishpond Fly Tyers Case. The case seems super durable and the storage is great for a samll case.

I will add more pictures soon. I have to pack this baby up with my tube tools and other materials. This case is on the small side, but I'm not a production tyer!

$89 is steep, but it will be nice to busy at the hotel making tube flies as opposed to watching the P90X infomercial!

Coming Soon...Crest 600 Pro Tube Fly Vise Review

2011-01-23T08:45:00.000-06:00

Coming soon....the Crest 600 Pro tube fly vise review. At $69.95 this one is a deal. I should have it in hand in about 10 days....my review will follow.

Larimer's Tube Leech

2011-01-22T19:18:00.000-06:00

Larimer's Tube Leech
Tube: 1" - 1/8" Tube
Thread: 6/0 Uni
Body: Rabbit Zonker
Flash: Flashabou & Crystal Flash
Collar: Schlappen and or guinea
Head: Dubbing
Eyes: Lead eyes

Crazy Tube Fly

2011-01-17T16:46:00.002-06:00

Check out this tube fly!? I found this image online and I'm not sure who to give credit to, but this is just awesome!

Neat stuff...

HMH Starter Tube Vise $24.95

2011-01-16T16:49:00.003-06:00

This is the HMH Starter Tube Vise, a fantasically effective and inexpensive way to get started tying tube flies. Heck, I attended seminar by Bob Nasby and he uses this little tool. Anything that is good enough for Bob Nasby is good enough for me.

The starter kit retails for $24.95 and comes with 2 mandrels that prevent the tube from being squished when the vise it tightened. As you can see it clamps in your traditional fly vise!

Tube flies are my new obsession. They may not be as beautiful as traditional flies, but they sure are durable! More on the benefits of tube flies later.

Give this little vise a shot if you are interested in tubeology....it's a practical way to get started!

Dual Duty Thread

2011-01-16T15:17:00.003-06:00

When I attended Curt Nordrum's foam bug seminar a few months back I noticed he used a thread that was not available at my local fly shop. Curt uses a thread called Dual Duty that is available at local fabric shops. The stuff is bulletproof and much cheaper than Uni or something stronger like Gel Spun!

Nothing worse than spinning deer hair or attaching foam to a hook and having the thread break. This thread will not break. Curt says it soaks up head cement and glues much better than many standard fly tying threads.

One last thing....Curt swears by 3 colors...orange, gray and olive. I made the switch to Dual Duty and my flies are much more durable.

Try Joann's if you have a store locally or here is a link.

Smallmouth Fly Box

Copperhead Streamer

Fly Box Hero - Gabe Schubert

The Stink Bomber

Peter Patricelli Bugger

The Natty Light

Bleached Blonde

The Rag Man

The Toad Fly

Cutting Your Own Zonker Strips

Cotter Pin Streamer

Bluegill Spoons - Bill Modica

One of My Favorite Bass Videos

Belly Ache Minnow

Loon Outdoors UV Kits

Hollow or Reversed Tied Streamers

Muskie on the Fly by Robert Tomes

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Black Rhino

Wilkie's Runt (SMFB Version)

Shenk's Sculpin (Black)

Captain Caveman

Hackle is Still Hard to Find

The Half & Half

Rigging for Big Flies

Big Flies for 2012

Mayer Hawthorne - The Walk

Fly Box Goddess

Fly Box Hero - Mike Jacobs

The Armadillo

Fly Box Dad

Al's Diver

The Swellcat Craw

Crayfish Imitations - Keep Them Simple!

Top Fly Box - Lamson Konic Fly Reel

The Top Fly Box - The Tremendous Twelve of 2011

Poor Birdy....

Asian Carp in the St. Croix River.....Damn!

Evidence of Asian carp found in St. Croix River

Sheldon Bolstad's Blockhead Popper

The Joy of Wading

Fly Box Hero - Tim Holschlag

Heddon Tiny Torpedo

Happy Birthday......Where's the Camera!!!!

Flat Stanley

Great Smallmouth Blog Post Link

Cat's Whisker

Dan Bailey Eco-Grip Wading Boot Review

Hopper Popper

Mike Jacob's Bronze Goddess

Shannon's Streamer

Leeper Lizard

St Croix River Fly Fishing Report

Hot on the St Croix

40th Birthday - Ross Flystik 6wt

Old Saint Nick

Greetings from the St Croix River

Mission Springs Resort on Lake Superior

New use for rabbit zonkers

Northwind Lodge Family Vacation 2011

Cork Poppers - Say No to Foam!

Zaggin Zook Fly - AWESOME!

The Smallmouth Fly Box Boat Renovation

More Lake Superior Smallmouth Video

Through The Gill Hook Removal

Chequamegon Bay SMB Report - Josh Lantz Blog

Lake Superior - A Prime Smallmouth Destination? Yep!

New Smallmouth Fly Box Boat!

Sorta Casual Dress - Dubbing Brush

Shoemaker Sculpin

Half and Half

Yak Hair Clouser

The Pink Lady

Fishy's Smallmouth Fly

The Turd

Hobie Fish Gripper

Reel Wool Products - Reel Protector

Airflo 40+ Shooting Line

Gierach Dragonfly

Gray Goose Tube Fly