Fishing Net & Tape Measurer Hack

Recently, I ran across a video on social media that showed a couple of guys fly fishing for trout.  One of the guys was fighting a nice sized fish and the other fella was working on netting the fish.  As he was attempting to net the fish, I noticed that something was hanging from a part of the net.  I paused the video and zoomed in to identify what I was looking at.  What I saw was a small keychain that featured a miniature tape measurer.  I thought it was a genius idea and knew I had to include this thoughtful accessory on the nets that I own.

I went to Amazon and quickly found what I thought was a good deal.  I found 12 tape measurer keychains for $10 which I thought was appropriate for this project.  I knew they were going to be cheap and low quality, but if I end up using this accessory a lot in the future, I might end up buying some nicer keychains.  Since this a field test, I figured I would go cheap on this setup.

When it came to where I should place the tape measurer on my landing net, I decided to place it on the eye screw on the handle.  My thinking was that I could the place the fish in the net with it's head facing away from the handle.  I plan to stretch the tape measurer to the mouth of the fish and thus get a quick and accurate measurement.  I really think this setup is going to make obtaining fish lengths efficient which will help me get fish back in the water quicker.  

I'm also rigged up a similar setup on my net that I use in my boat and I think it will work just as well.  Only time on the water will prove if this is hack is useful but if you decide to implement something similar to what I have done, I hope it works well for you!

This Blog Just Hit 2 Million Views!!!

Over the weekend, this blog hit a pretty big milestone.  This little blog that I started over 10 years ago got its 2 millionth view!  While that is hard to believe, what makes it even more incredible to me is that the blog got its 1 millionth view back in April of this year.  That means that there have been over 1 million views in approximately 6 months!

It is difficult to express my appreciation for the support that so many people have given me through the views, comments, and shares of this blog.  I started this blog in an effort to share my fishing experiences with others.  It is my hope that some folks have learned a few things about fly fishing by reading this blog.  I hope that some people have found new fishing spots, discovered new fly fishing strategies, and maybe learned how to catch new species of fish.  This blog is nothing without its supporters and viewers so from the bottom of my heart, thank you for visiting and reading!

A Fun Morning on Some Farm Ponds

Where I live in Northwest Missouri, Fall means harvest season.  Pumpkins get picked.  Apples get bobbed.  Corn and soybeans get collected by expensive machinery.  On the surface, this might not seem to have an impact on fishing, but it does play a role.  It plays a very large role.  You see, some of the farm ponds that I love to fish are in the middle of corn and soybean fields.  I haven't been able to access these ponds since May which means the fish in the ponds have had time to grow...and forget about fishing lures/flies.  If there is one thing I like, it is a big, dumb fish!

Recently, my buddy Justin and I met up on a Sunday morning to chase some largemouth bass with streamers.  The water was cooling off and triggering an increase in metabolism in fish.  This too meant that fishing opportunities should be solid.  On top of everything else, the day we hit the water just happened to coincide with a full moon!  If it appears that everything was aligning in our favor, I would have to agree.  

Sometimes all the factors that should help you catch more fish actually do lead to solid fishing.  Sometimes they don't and you're left scratching your head in confusion.  On this particular day, the factors played right into our hands and the fishing was GOOD!  Now don't get me wrong, we weren't catching 5 and 6 pound fish that were over 20 inches long.  What we did catch were bass in the 15-18 inch range and between 2 and 3 pounds.  They were aggressive, fought hard, and ran down our subsurface flies like prairie fire with a tailwind!

Now some will say that fishing in a farm pond takes some of the challenge out of the sport.  There are only so many places for a fish to hide.  Some farm ponds are overstocked and not exactly healthy for the fish that live there.  The fish get little to no fishing pressure and aren't very...educated.  I would agree with all of those sentiments.  I would also state that fishing farm ponds is about as much fun as a squirrel on espresso.  

I would also say that throwing flies in a farm pond makes the situation more challenging that using bait or conventional tackle which, in my opinion, evens the playing field out a little more.  I tend to throw streamers for largemouth bass on farm ponds but I'll throw nymphs under indicators for bluegill and poppers for both.  Heck, one day I caught a bunch of largemouth on mouse flies in the middle of the day!  That was a day that I will never forget.  So if you know a landowner that has taken crops out of the field where a farm pond sits, I suggest you pay it a visit.  As much as it pains me to say, it's going to be getting cold soon and the fishing is going to get worse if not completely shut down.  So enjoy your harvest season while you can!

It Ain't Rainbows and Unicorns All the Time

What we see on social media (and usually what appears on this blog) does not tell you the entire story of someone's life or fishing experiences.  It's a highlight reel.  You see the good days and the successes.  I love social media and my blog because of this, however, it is easy to lose perspective on things.  It is easy to think, "Why don't I catch fish like that?  Why can't I catch more fish?  I wish I could go fishing more."  With that in mind, this is a post about the "other side of fishing".

What I mean is that this is a post about how my last couple of weeks have been.  No, this is not a post about catching big fish on every cast or magical days where everything you do seems to work.  This is a post about grinding through days that were unsatisfactory and, honestly, disappointing.  I will be the first person to tell you that I am not perfect nor am I the best fly fisher in the world.  The next few paragraphs will prove my point.

I have got to hit the water a total of two times in the last two weeks and the results were not what I was hoping for.  First, I woke up early on a Saturday morning and went fishing at a lake near my home.  The lake is called Rocky Hollow and is located in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.  It has a decent bass population and with the cooling water temps, I thought that I would be able to throw a craft fur minnow over some submerged brush which would result in putting at least a couple of bass in the boat.  Instead, I got skunked with that method.  I only caught 5 fish total after switching to a small jig under a strike indicator.  It was not a great day but hey, the weather was nice.

One week later found me on Lake Taneycomo.  My wife and I went there for the annual brown trout run and had the hopes of catching some fish in the 18-22 inch range.  I fished for one afternoon and two mornings (one of them resulted in me getting skunked) and my efforts resulted in me landing exactly four fish.  I missed a few more fish which stung a little more because the opportunities were so few and far between.  The last fish I caught was a chunky rainbow but that was the underwhelming highlight of the trip.  The fish were spooky, the water was low, and the strategies I employed didn't work well.  

I'm not writing this to complain about fishing spots or fishing conditions.  I'm not whining about a lack of catches or small fish.  I'm just showing the "other side" of my fishing experiences.  If you spend enough days on the water, you will find that there are good days, bad days, and days that have a little bit of both.  I think the bad days can remind us about how good the great days are.  On the other hand, the good days should be appreciated because of how the bad days can leave such a poor taste in your mouth.  That is my perspective and that is, at least partially, the point of this blog.  Good luck on the water and the next time you have a fishing experience that feels disappointing, just know that we all have them and better days are on the horizon.

Craft Fur Minnows Now Available in the Online Fly Shop

Link to purchase craft fur minnow flies: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4554106401/2-pack-of-craft-fur-minnows-baitfish

It is a pleasure to announce a new listing in the online fly shop that can be found on Etsy.  This little devil has not only put a lot of fish in my boat this summer, but it's also put a lot of different species in my hands as well.  This fly has landed largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, and bluegill in the last few months.  With the amount of success that I have had with this fly on the water, it has earned a space in the online fly shop!

This fly is tied on a size 2 hook and as the name suggests, it is mostly made of a material called craft fur.  It is an unweighted fly and while it does sink, it has a slow sink rate.  This fly can be fished just below the surface with floating line or can be fished in deeper water with a sinking or sink tip line.  It imitates a baitfish that is about 3 inches long.  In the water, it is long and skinny like a minnow.  It also has a taper to it which makes the fly get skinnier towards the back of the fly.  Most of it's mass is towards the front of the fly which resembles a minnow well as they are equally proportional.

Link to purchase craft fur minnow flies: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4554106401/2-pack-of-craft-fur-minnows-baitfish

 

Justin's Story of Sweet Redemption

Justin is a darn good friend of mine.  He's smart, dependable, and generous.  We also happen to teach at the same middle school.  The aforementioned characteristics that make him a good friend also make him a good teacher.  On top of all of that, he helps me facilitate the after school fly fishing club that I have operated for 15 years.  Since he became a facilitator, he has made a huge, positive impact on club members.

On a recent trip with the fly fishing club, Justin had an encounter with a largemouth bass the likes of which I have never witnessed before.  Justin was throwing a six inch, chartreuse game changer on a 7 weight rod.  He wasn't catching anything but the club members recognized that he was chasing big fish with a big fly.  Towards the end of the evening, some club members spotted a big (in relation to what we were catching) largemouth bass cruising the shallows on a consistent basis.  When the bass refused their offerings, they called for Justin to try to catch the beast.

I wouldn't have believed this story if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.  In over thirty years of fishing, I had never seen anything close to what I witnessed on this particular day.  I watched this 3-4 pound largemouth bass eat Justin's fly approximately 7 times.  Sometimes he didn't take the fly all the way to the hook.  Sometimes Justin missed a hook set.  Sometimes the bass spit the fly before a hook could be set.  Sometimes it was barely hooked, came off the hook, and returned to the shallows seconds later.  It was like the bass was begging to be caught by Justin.  Tragically, the evening ended without Justin landing the bass.  While this seemed like the end of the story...it was not!

Fast forward one week later, the fly fishing club was back on the water at a different location.  Towards the end of the evening, Justin started throwing the same six inch, chartreuse game changer on the same 7 weight rod.  While he had a few bumps while casting into deep water off a dam, he didn't land anything.  As the sun was setting and we were about to end our evening on the water, some students started yelling across the lake to Justin.  They said that they had "spotted his old buddy" and that a big largemouth was cruising in some shallow water near them.  

If you're realizing that this story is sounding familiar, you should!  It is important to mention, again, that this was not the same lake as the previous week.  This was not the same fish but what happened next was almost identical to what Justin had experienced one week prior.  It is also worth noting that this largemouth was bigger than the first one I mentioned.  It was significantly bigger.

Over the next couple of minutes, the bass ate Justin's game changer two times but never got properly hooked.  When Justin set the hook the third time however, he pierced the upper lip of the bass and the fight was on.  All of the club member, as well as myself, rushed to Justin's location to see the fish and curious if Justin was going to land the leviathan.  The fish made some surges towards some aquatic vegetation and we all held our collective breath.  Some club members started to rush towards the edge of the water and I ushered them out of Justin's way.  I didn't want any of them to interfere although I know they had good intentions.  This was Justin's moment and I wanted him to in control of the situation.

After only a minute or two, the fish tired and Justin eased it toward the shore.  When he grabbed the lip of the bass (with what I can only assume was a mighty grip), the entire group yelled out in excitement.  Fists were raised in victory.  High fives were exchanged.  Smiles adorned every face.  After the moment sank in, I ran to grab a scale and a tape measurer.  We needed to find out just how big this trophy was!

The tale of the tape was a little over 22 inches long and the fish weighed in right at 5 pounds!  We got the fish in the water quickly after some pictures and video.  I am proud to state that the fish swam off with plenty of energy and very little aid was needed to help get it on its way.

The rest of the evening was filled with an analysis of the catch, retelling of the events that transpired, and talk of how to give the memory its proper amount of commemoration.  Justin shared pictures on his phone and told his wife about what happened.  I sent pictures to friends, family, and our school administrators.  The next morning, the story had grown to the point where people that I hadn't even told the story to were asking about the details of the catch.  

Justin is not the type of person to brag about personal accomplishments and he never did.  He expressed gratitude for the moment.  He talked about the appreciation he had for the fish.  He talked about how he was happy to have experienced the moment with club members and myself.  It was nice to see something so exceptional happen to my friend that gives so much to others but never expects anything in return.  This catch and memory mean a lot to my friend and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

Fly Fishing Themed Cowboy Hat Band

First of all, I ain't no cowboy.  However, I appreciate what cowboys and cowboy hats symbolize.  To me, they stand for a variety of things.  I found the following list, also known as "The Code of the West" at https://visitjacksonhole.com/the-code-of-the-west and I feel like it does a good job of describing the characteristics that I appreciate when it comes to what cowboys symbolize.

• Live each day with courage
• Take pride in your work
• Always finish what you start
• Do what has to be done
• Be tough, but fair
• When you make a promise, keep it
• Ride for the brand
• Talk less and say more
• Remember that some things aren’t for sale
• Know where to draw the line

I like this code, set of principles, or whatever you want to call it.  That's why I sometimes wear a cowboy hat.  I also grew up wanting to be a cowboy so my love for the western lifestyle can be traced into my childhood.  In addition, the owner of American Hat Company once said, "“You don't have to live the lifestyle, you just have to love it.”  Granted, the guy is trying to sell hats but I like where he is coming from.  I also read a quote from an unknown author that stated, "“Some people are born with a cowboy heart, even if they've never been on a horse."  I dig that too.

What I DON'T like about cowboy hats are their sometimes plain, always overpriced, sometimes boring hat bands.  You already see where this is going don't you?  I wanted a hat band that was personal.  I wanted a hat band that I made with my own hands.  I also wanted a hat band that showed off my passion for fly fishing.  After a lot of brainstorming and experimentation, I arrived at what I felt was my optimum design for a fly fishing cowboy hat band.

The pictures below are going to tell the story better than I can.  A picture is worth a thousand words and you might not want to read 19 thousand words.  To summarize however, I started with three old fly lines.  I then selected a fly and ran it through one of the lines.  I then made an overhand knot.  From there, I braided the three lines, and tied them off with another overhand knot.  I then measured the band on the hat to determine the right length.  I then used super glue gel to hold the braid together at the point I selected and cut off the knot and excess.  Finally, I used the hook of the fly as a clasp and poked it through the braided line in a place that made the band tight but not too tight.  I tucked in the excess line and was done.

The number of cowboys in this world seems to be shrinking.  On top of that, the community of fly fishers is small compared to the number of conventional anglers.  When you look at the number of fly fishers that wear cowboy hats, the number is pretty small.  I thought about trying to sell a few of these but I believe my target audience is pretty small.  With that being said, if you want me to make you one, send me an email and I'm sure we can work something out.  I can customize fly line colors and fly patterns to fit your wishes.  Feel free to email me at showmeflyguy@gmail.com and thanks for reading!