Fishing
- Fly Fishing Rick
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- Posts: 780
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- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Fishing
Trout fishing is by far my favorite hobby, a few years ago I switched to fly fishing after 20 years of spin fishing and it's been a learning experience but also a lot of fun. I now tie all my own flies, it's very gratifying catching fish on lures/flies you made yourself.
-Jimmy
Re: Fishing
Nice shot, very surreal.
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Fishing
These are a couple of my most successful nymph patterns that I tie and use. They're both variations of old classics but show me a modern fly that isn't.
These are a Pheasant tail variant that I call a Crotch Duster and it's the first fly I ever tied that I didn't follow a pattern for.
These are just my version of a Copper John, I tie mine extremely heavy with lead wire and tungsten beads, they are essentially split shot on a hook. I tied 2 of the Copper Johns in this photo with fluorescent thread but I don't like how it looks as much and it didn't seem to make any difference in catches so I tie them all with the burnt orange now.
These are a Pheasant tail variant that I call a Crotch Duster and it's the first fly I ever tied that I didn't follow a pattern for.
These are just my version of a Copper John, I tie mine extremely heavy with lead wire and tungsten beads, they are essentially split shot on a hook. I tied 2 of the Copper Johns in this photo with fluorescent thread but I don't like how it looks as much and it didn't seem to make any difference in catches so I tie them all with the burnt orange now.
-Jimmy
Re: Fishing
That's a beautiful brownie. I enjoy fly fishing and spin fishing both as they're both great skills to have. I will quite often carry both rods on me at night as we'll cover miles of steam sometimes at night hunting brownies.
My biggest came on my jerk bait rod though slinging a hand painted jerk bait. 32 inches and 20lb brown in December a few years back at night 17 degrees out...
Next biggest is a 24.5in 6.75lb on an ultralight and a marabou jig. Have a 5lb rainbow on fly rod, and lots of solid fish, but most have been on jigs and jerk baits.
Fishing big tail waters I can cover more water with spinning gear. When I'm out west is mostly a 3wt or maybe a 5wt depending on water and fish.
My biggest came on my jerk bait rod though slinging a hand painted jerk bait. 32 inches and 20lb brown in December a few years back at night 17 degrees out...
Next biggest is a 24.5in 6.75lb on an ultralight and a marabou jig. Have a 5lb rainbow on fly rod, and lots of solid fish, but most have been on jigs and jerk baits.
Fishing big tail waters I can cover more water with spinning gear. When I'm out west is mostly a 3wt or maybe a 5wt depending on water and fish.
Re: Fishing
Man those look deadly. I switch to orange every year after September when the leaves start to change. Orange midges, orange scuds, orange nymphs generally out fish my grey and green patterns that are used most of warmer parts of the year.Fly Fishing Rick wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 9:49 amThese are a couple of my most successful nymph patterns that I tie and use. They're both variations of old classics but show me a modern fly that isn't.
These are a Pheasant tail variant that I call a Crotch Duster and it's the first fly I ever tied that I didn't follow a pattern for.
These are just my version of a Copper John, I tie mine extremely heavy with lead wire and tungsten beads, they are essentially split shot on a hook. I tied 2 of the Copper Johns in this photo with fluorescent thread but I don't like how it looks as much and it didn't seem to make any difference in catches so I tie them all with the burnt orange now.
I'm sure there's some entomology reason for the bug coloring going on, but I just learned from an old feller down on the stream that following the leave patterns with your fly patterns, and the results def are there.
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Fishing
Thank you! the 7'6" 3wt is my rod of choice as well, preferably a moderate action. I've tried the same patterns but with green collars and didn't find them nearly as successful as the orange versions, I'm gonna tie some yellow ones this winter to try in the spring. You do any streamer fishing? You can cover a lot of water with a streamer. This is a small ish articulated one I tied, it has a tungsten bead but I can still throw it on my 3wt.JestersHK wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:24 pmMan those look deadly. I switch to orange every year after September when the leaves start to change. Orange midges, orange scuds, orange nymphs generally out fish my grey and green patterns that are used most of warmer parts of the year.Fly Fishing Rick wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 9:49 amThese are a couple of my most successful nymph patterns that I tie and use. They're both variations of old classics but show me a modern fly that isn't.
These are a Pheasant tail variant that I call a Crotch Duster and it's the first fly I ever tied that I didn't follow a pattern for.
These are just my version of a Copper John, I tie mine extremely heavy with lead wire and tungsten beads, they are essentially split shot on a hook. I tied 2 of the Copper Johns in this photo with fluorescent thread but I don't like how it looks as much and it didn't seem to make any difference in catches so I tie them all with the burnt orange now.
I'm sure there's some entomology reason for the bug coloring going on, but I just learned from an old feller down on the stream that following the leave patterns with your fly patterns, and the results def are there.
-Jimmy
Re: Fishing
Yessir, stripping streamers and wooly buggers at night is a big staple if I'm using the fly rod. I use a 5wt at night though and 10lb test braid as a leader. Have some bigger sculpin and more patterns too.
I strip wooly buggers on our creaks and streams for bass and gills too. I too like a med fast action with enough back bone if you do get into something bigger. I hate transitioning to fly reels though, still learning and have the line burns on my fingers to prove it
I strip wooly buggers on our creaks and streams for bass and gills too. I too like a med fast action with enough back bone if you do get into something bigger. I hate transitioning to fly reels though, still learning and have the line burns on my fingers to prove it
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Fishing
I have been meaning to try some night trout fishing but just never got to it last year but I hope to make it this fall. I use furled leaders for everything from dries to streamers and they changed everything for me, I don't think I could ever go back to those awful tapered nylon leaders now lolJestersHK wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:19 pmYessir, stripping streamers and wooly buggers at night is a big staple if I'm using the fly rod. I use a 5wt at night though and 10lb test braid as a leader. Have some bigger sculpin and more patterns too.
I strip wooly buggers on our creaks and streams for bass and gills too. I too like a med fast action with enough back bone if you do get into something bigger. I hate transitioning to fly reels though, still learning and have the line burns on my fingers to prove it
-Jimmy
Re: Fishing
I would’ve expected Megabass to be one of the more reliable jerkbaits available, especially for what they cost. Rapala too actually, they’re often on the higher end of the price spectrum, I’d expect better from them.JestersHK wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 8:48 pmIt has the same shape of the blanks my buddy uses from wlure. I switched exclusively to wlures jerkbaits after breaking bills and ripping hooks out from tails on Rapalas and mega basses.
I'm targeting big trout, potentially world record browns and I'd be sick if my bait failed like that...
The wlures take a beating, I got a few with 100 plus trout on them. The walleye and browns tear them up but I've only lost a few that finally wore through.
I hadn’t heard of wlure until now but I checked them out and will definitely give them a try. They have a lot of variety and their pricing is very appealing. I don’t know if I’ll have time to test any out this fall but I’ll order a few for the spring.
-Nick
Re: Fishing
Since this is a knife forum, there has been much talk of late about increasing knife prices. I have enough knives to where a stop on purchasing knives is not a crisis. In the broader scheme of things the staggering price increase in gas and groceries boggles the mind. I fear I will become less of a C&R fisherman in the immediate future.
What are some of your favorite recipes?
What are some of your favorite recipes?
Re: Fishing
I have been meaning to try some night trout fishing but just never got to it last year but I hope to make it this fall. I use furled leaders for everything from dries to streamers and they changed everything for me, I don't think I could ever go back to those awful tapered nylon leaders now lol
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You def should. I prefer the night, less people, brown's are more active at night, the takes are typically bone jarring and violent.
The first time you get crushed by a big fish on a dark silent still night you'll be hooked... literally
On my spinning rod I run 10lb braid and a locked down drag. I've had hits where I've almost lost my rod. The big ones will rip your hand off the crank handle and it's those moments I live for.
[/quote]
You def should. I prefer the night, less people, brown's are more active at night, the takes are typically bone jarring and violent.
The first time you get crushed by a big fish on a dark silent still night you'll be hooked... literally
On my spinning rod I run 10lb braid and a locked down drag. I've had hits where I've almost lost my rod. The big ones will rip your hand off the crank handle and it's those moments I live for.
Re: Fishing
Although I mostly catch and release trout I'll keep a few every now and then. Favorite recipe is to take some fresh filets off a 10 to 12 in fish, pat dry, rub some olive oil, then coat in Tony's Cajun black seasoning.skeeg11 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 7:11 pmSince this is a knife forum, there has been much talk of late about increasing knife prices. I have enough knives to where a stop on purchasing knives is not a crisis. In the broader scheme of things the staggering price increase in gas and groceries boggles the mind. I fear I will become less of a C&R fisherman in the immediate future.
What are some of your favorite recipes?
Then take a cast iron skillet to as hot as you can get it on max heat, a little olive oil and just a touch of butter and sear those fillets off on each side just enough to get a good crisp to them. Trout Crack is what we call em.
- Ranger_Ike
- Member
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:21 am
- Location: Southern Indiana
Re: Fishing
Been in south Georgia visiting friends and doing some fishing. Love coming down here, they grow some nice bass in the south. Got a chance to slip down to Florida also and do some fishing on the flats. Caught some redfish, trout, sea bass, my first shark (I think it was a bonnethead from looking at pictures but I’m no shark expert), and quite a few other random fish. Had a great time. Carried my SPY27 native to the ocean and had no rust issues after a full day of cutting bait and washing it off in the ocean water. I rinsed it out late at night and let it sit out and dry with the blade half open. No rust at all.
They grow giants down here. This one was 9lbs 11oz. Beat my previous best by 11 oz. My daughter caught her best so far also at 8lbs 6oz. So glad to get to be there when she caught it, and she was with me when I caught mine.
My first shark. Not big, but it was fun.
They grow giants down here. This one was 9lbs 11oz. Beat my previous best by 11 oz. My daughter caught her best so far also at 8lbs 6oz. So glad to get to be there when she caught it, and she was with me when I caught mine.
My first shark. Not big, but it was fun.
Re: Fishing
Wow!!! That Largemouth is a really great catch. It triples the size of my PB and then some. We’ve had some big ones posted but that’s the biggest largemouth I’ve seen in this thread yet, thanks for sharing! I really need to try fishing in the south. The fish just grow so much bigger in the south than they do here in the northeast.
I’ve also never done any shark fishing but that would definitely be something I’d love to try! Of course, Bonnethead are significantly more common than Hammerheads these days but that shark almost looks like it has some Hammerhead characteristics. I’m no expert and it’s difficult to tell from the photo but the head almost looks a bit longer and flatter than a Bonnethead would typically have. Either way, it’s a cool catch!
I’ve also never done any shark fishing but that would definitely be something I’d love to try! Of course, Bonnethead are significantly more common than Hammerheads these days but that shark almost looks like it has some Hammerhead characteristics. I’m no expert and it’s difficult to tell from the photo but the head almost looks a bit longer and flatter than a Bonnethead would typically have. Either way, it’s a cool catch!
-Nick
- Ranger_Ike
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- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:21 am
- Location: Southern Indiana
Re: Fishing
Thanks. They do grow them bigger down there. There’s some big ones up north too, but not near the numbers as down there. I thought for sure when I pulled her out of the water she would break the 10lb mark! Here’s another picture from when I was weighing her. You can really see the stomach she had. Can’t imagine that fish during the spawn. And FYI she was released alive and well.
Here’s another angle of the shark. Shows the shape of the head a little more. Amazing how much fight those have.
Here’s another angle of the shark. Shows the shape of the head a little more. Amazing how much fight those have.
Re: Fishing
Very nice LMB. Def looks like hammer in first pic, but 2nd pic that's a bonnethead. A cool catch indeed though.
- Ranger_Ike
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- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:21 am
- Location: Southern Indiana
Re: Fishing
Thank you. Was a lot of fun.
- Fly Fishing Rick
- Member
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:54 am
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: Fishing
These are a couple of Micro Gamechanger style flies that I tied, I got to try the top one yesterday for the first time at the stream and got a really nice brown trout. I was using a 7'6" 3wt rod with a 7' 4ips sinking leader and a single small splitshot maybe 6-8" ahead of it however I think I could fish them just fine in the streams with just the splitshot and no sinking leader. I'm very impressed with how lifelike they both look and move in the water, they literally swim and I think they may be just the thing for times like this when the water is very low and clear.
-Jimmy
- Ranger_Ike
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- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:21 am
- Location: Southern Indiana
Re: Fishing
Wow nice brown! Man that game changer looks great! I bet the smallies would love it too.