Adjust or Be Stubborn?

Yesterday's post left off with Waylon and I about to go fishing.  On the way to the lake, the beauty of the weather and the surroundings really hit me.  I hadn't been to the farm for months and memories and appreciation hit me pretty hard.  As I pulled up to the lake, I took in it's familiar beauty.  The sun was out, the birds were singing, and there was a little breeze.  It all seemed perfect.  I also had a pretty good idea where to find fish.  I wasn't planning on throwing a fly rod because at this time of year in this particular pond, most bass are holding on the edges of a well-established weed line and are looking for something slow to come by.  I typically tear up fish on a soft plastic worm on a spinning rod and that was the plan.  Too bad it didn't work.

After about 20 minutes of not catching anything (which is an eternity on a farm pond) and realizing that the weed line that I was counting on was surprisingly absent, I started to get nervous.  Was I really about to get skunked on a farm pond, and a particular farm pond that I have fished for over a decade?  I understood that the fishing might be slow because it was the middle of the day in August, but getting skunked had never entered my mind.  I had two options: keep grinding with the worm or change tactics.  

As I was pondering this very thing, I kept seeing bugs get eaten in the shallows.  At first, I thought they were just small fish eating small damsel flies but the splashes and activity pointed towards bass.  Throwing a popper in the shallows in the afternoon in August seemed a little ridiculous.  I mulled things over and decided to tie on a popper.  I didn't want to be stubborn and thought a little flexibility and experimentation might pay off.  I also couldn't help but see the neon sign flashing in the shallows that read "HEY MORON, FISH ARE HITTING TOPWATER!  STOP OVERTHINKING THIS AND THROW THE DARN POPPER!"

That's exactly what I did and what happened next was nothing short of epic!  I ended up boating about 12 bass on poppers and should have landed about 6 more if I'm being honest.  I ended up catching about 5 more on a worm where I DID find weed lines.  After a slow start, and putting a little bit of the puzzle together, it ended up being a pretty good day.  While I didn't catch anything big, it sure felt good to feel some 1-2 pound bass bend a fly rod pretty well.  Tomorrow, I will post about the popper that I used and why it has become my absolute favorite!

My Hunting and Fishing Cabin

 

I'm a pretty lucky guy and I was reminded of that fact on Sunday afternoon.  You see, there are about 250 acres worth of farmland that has been in our family for probably 100 years now.  Some of it was owned by my great grandfather and has been passed down through generations.  Sitting on 80 acres is a small cabin.  It's my cabin.  While it isn't very big, doesn't have electricity, and doesn't have any running water, it's mine and I love it.  

I hadn't visited the cabin since April and was anxious to see what condition it was in.  I was especially scared to see if I had a rodent or reptile problem inside the cabin.  To my surprise, the only issue was that a portable hunting blind that my oldest son and I built had blown over.  That was it!  My neighbor is kind enough to mow around the cabin so that helps too.  I had some weeds growing up in the fire pit and around the wood pile but that wasn't major.  I have an outhouse that I need to haul off because it has become a haven for critters and is falling apart.  I will get to that this fall when the crops are out of the fields.  

So I got lucky and my little corner of the world ended up being fine thank goodness.  I can't wait to spend more time up there this fall with Wendy, Collin, Mason, and Cody.  It's a nice place for fun and relaxation.  I was also able to do some fishing with Waylon on Sunday as well which I will post about tomorrow.  Here are some pictures of my little place.

I forgot to mention, I have some hornets that need to be dealt with but a little spraying should take care of that!

Idea: A Small Fly Fishing Tournament with Buddies

I was perusing some different Facebook fishing groups the other day and ran across a post that I thought was pretty interesting.  The post described a small fishing tournament that a guy and some of his buddies hold once a year.  The picture you see above is the trophy (I think) and the winner each year has their name placed on a dog tag that is  added to the trophy.  I gotta think that these guys are current or former military but regardless, I thought this was pretty darn cool!  Then it got me thinking about hosting a similar tournament with some friends and family.  

I'm going back and forth on calling it the Friends and Family Fly Fishing Tournament or just The Bragging Rights Tournament.  I'm leaning towards Bragging Rights.  Then I got to thinking about some necessary details.  

I think a tournament like this has to be based on the one, heaviest fish caught for the day.  Fish would need to be weighed on digital scales for accuracy and there would need to be photographic evidence of catches.  Pictures on a phone are acceptable and probably the most easily taken/accessible.  I was thinking that a place like Watkins Mill would be perfect.  There are channel cats, bass, hybrid striped bass, and carp to catch.  Those species can get heavy enough to be declared "heavy" and there are lots of techniques to employ for those species.  

I also got to thinking about prizes/trophies.  Here are some ideas I had:

Find some old trophies and change the nameplates

Have a traveling toy WWE belt

A coffee mug that says "Bragging Rights Fly Fishing Tournament Champion" written in Sharpie.  We don't want to make things too classy.

The winner gets to record a video that will get posted on everyone's social media

I have some other ideas as well but these are the current leaders.  I will keep everyone posted on what transpires with the little competition but wanted to at least pass the idea along in case it inspired others.  In reality, it's just an excuse to bring friends and family together and share a nice day on the water.  It also injects a little competition and chances are, some good stories will come from the experience as well!

More Cigar Boxes Turned Into Fly Boxes

There have been a few posts on this blog about turning old cigar boxes into fly boxes, however it has been awhile since I had a post about this.  I know we have some new readers so I wanted to share a few of my latest mods that I have completed.  I find these boxes at cigar and liquor stores that sell cigars.  Owners are usually happy to part with them and I usually end up shelling out about $2-$4 per box.  I found some unique boxes lately that looked like good candidates to become fly boxes.  I usually look for wood boxes (not pressed cardboard) that show some grains.  I also check out the hinges and latches to make sure they work and to see if they will stand up to a little abuse.  The first box I found had a cool "sugar skull" theme to it and had some interesting graphics.  The other one I found actually had two tiers to it which was uncommon to me.  

I usually give these boxes away to folks and they are always nice to have on hand when the situation presents itself.  Sometimes I also put assortments in them that I sell on Etsy or mail them out to customers if they are repeat buyers and/or place a large order.  I just might be keeping one of the red boxes for myself.  To make you own, all you need is a ruler, some thick foam (I get mine from Hobby Lobb), a razor, and some super glue.  I was lucky enough to have Wendy present me with some industrial strength stuff that works really well.  I probably have $3-$5 bucks in each box.  I also use a razor to cut some grooves into the foam to keep hooks and barbs from tearing up the foam.  I have used some of these boxes for year and if you don't beat the heck out of them, they last!  So if you're looking for a project or just want a few more inexpensive fly boxes (great for streamers by the way) swing by Hobby Lobby and a cigar store and get to movin' and groovin'!

Lunch Money in the Fly Tester

Last week I posted about playing with some color variations and bulked up versions of Bennett's Lunch Money.  To view that post, just click here.  Well last night, I was able to get these three flies in the fly tester.  While I am still working out some kinks and calibrating the tester, I am pleased with what I saw.  I can't wait to get these flies in the water this fall when fish metabolisms are better and they are chasing bait with more aggression.  

And Then the Tip of My Orvis Clearwater Rod Broke!

Just like that, my new toy was broken.  If you frequent this site, you know what I'm talking about.  If you are new, the toy I am referring to is my 10 foot, 4 weight, Orvis Clearwater fly rod.  I have no idea how the tip of the fly rod broke.  I'm not just saying that either!  Orvis doesn't care how you broke your rod so I have nothing to hide.  I simply pulled it out of the case and noticed a funny angle on the end.  I touched it and the tip fell to the ground.  As you can see, it broke right behind the second guide.  

Upon returning home (only my third outing with the rod), I registered it with Orvis and completed the online replacement/repairs questionnaire.  The site informed me that I will be receiving a new tip section in the mail and that there is nothing else for me to do.  I'm glad that I don't have to go to the trouble of going to the post office, buying a box, and paying to ship it anywhere.  I've outlined a few more details below but please do not take this post as me bad-mouthing Orvis.  I understand that a lot of things are back-ordered right now and some things are just hard to get quickly in the world that we live in right now.  It is what it is.  I just thought I would share my experience with others in the off-hand chance that it is useful. 

Expected ship date: October 3

Cost: $60 handling fee but free shipping

Current status: waiting on shipment

Your Annual "Headed Back to Teaching so I Might Miss Posting Here and There" Message

For those of you that don't know, I am a public school teacher.  Specifically, I teach middle school science.  Last Monday, I returned to work for a week of professional development.  That translates to a week of meetings with administration and colleagues as well as planning for the upcoming school year.  On the same day, the next class in my graduate school program started.  I'm working on my education specialist degree in educational technology from the University of Central Missouri.  It is a degree that is between a master's degree and doctorate.  The class I am taking is called Statistics for Behavioral Sciences. So far, it is easier than it sounds.  

Students are returning today, August 23, and I am excited to start my 20th year of teaching.  Wendy's son started high school today and my kids started back to school on August 24.  I know, this has nothing to do with fly fishing...except the fact that I will be doing a lot less of it in the coming months.  I have thoroughly enjoyed writing lengthy and detailed posts this last summer and I appreciated the time that I had to dedicate to writing.  With that being said, I will continue to post on Mondays through Fridays the best that I can.  There might be a few less original posts and I might miss a few days here and there but there will still be posts.  They just might look and read a little differently, that's all.  As always, thanks for visiting my blog.  The views and support are appreciated immensely.  Hopefully you enjoy the content as much as I enjoy providing the posts!

How the New Orvis Clearwater Combo Casts

In a word, well!  This thing casts well!  

Last Friday, I took the rod to a local lake to sling some wooly buggers and get a feel for how the Clearwater casts.  I didn't expect much because fishing has been slow so the evening was just dedicated to getting a feel for the rod.  There were only a few, small fish caught but if I'm being honest, the casting was more fun than the catching on this particular evening!  

Admittedly, I have no idea how to give a proper review for a fly rod nor do I know how to accurately test a fly rod.  There will be little technical jargon and more layman speak.  With that being said, let's move forward.

I put a Scientific Anglers Infinity line on the reel.  It is a floating line.  While the rod is a 10 foot, 4 weight, I decided to pair the rod with a 5 weight line.  It was my intention to make sure that the rod loads properly and since it is a 10 footer and a faster rod (potentially a tip flex), I chose to potentially overload the rod rather than underload the rod.  I'm extremely happy with my decision.  I can feel the rod load in a backcast, which is nice.  

The first thing I noticed was the rod is smooth but powerful.  You can feel the flex, to a point, and then it feels like the backbone of the rod accepts the flex.  From there, the rod launches the line forward in the forward cast.  I have been told by others (that own more expensive rods that me) that you are paying so much for a rod because it can do a lot of the work for you!  I feel that in this rod.  I could cast this thing all day without getting tired and without my casts getting shorter by the evening.  

The fact that the rod is 10 feet long is new to me.  I'm used to throwing 9 footers and there is a subtle difference with a 10 footer.  It just feels...longer.  I know that doesn't mean a lot but it feels like I just have a little extra.  I need a little space above and behind me.  The angle that I hold the rod is a little different when stripping a streamer compared to a 9 footer.  It also seems like I need to set the hook a little harder too but it could be that I was just having a bad day.

Overall, I like the rod but it's going to take a little getting used to but I believe this to be true about any rod that is new to you.  Just like each fly casts a little different and different lengths of leaders can affect a cast, each rod has its own unique tendencies.  With a little time and thoughtfulness, I have no doubt this is going to be a great rod that I plan on casting for a long time!

Playing with Sizes and Colors on Bennett’s Lunch Money

Recently, I've been playing around with some different color combinations on one of my favorite streamers.  Bennett's Lunch Money is a great streamer that smallmouth, largemouth, trout, and even catfish will eat.  If a fish will eat a smaller fish, it will eat a lunch money.  I had some really good luck with this fly in early spring on my home waters for bass and catfish.  I also did well with it when I fished with Ryan Walker for smallmouth in southwest Missouri.  As fall approaches and fish metabolisms start to crank back up again, I want to make sure that I have plenty of these in my streamer box. 

I really like how the bluegill, shad, and baby bass color combinations turned out.  I want to add some orange to the bluegill, some bars to the baby bass, and more yellow to the shad.  I also bulked them up to a 1/0 B10S Gamakatsu hook.  This is usually a hook that I employ on big, articulated streamers but I really like the proportions that is gives to these flies.  The bend of the hook is right where the synthetic head starts to transition to the action of the natural materials.  I am interested to see how this thing rides in the water.  I think the dumbbell eyes will make it sink head first but the bulk of the hook and water absorbency of the natural materials might help it ride a little more horizontally.  I need to throw it in the fly tester AND test it out on the water with an 8 weight.  Be on the lookout for a post about this next week potentially!

I would be remiss if I didn't share my appreciation and gratitude to Ryan Walker (of Ozarks Smallmouth Alliance) for turning me on to this fly.  He sells them on his Etsy store and ties some amazing variations of this fly.  All credit goes to him for sharing the versatility of this fly.  And while it is called Bennett's Lunch Money, to me, Ryan might have stolen this Bennett fella's lunch money.  All joking aside, I am including links to an interview with Matt Bennett about this fly.

Matt Bennett Interview: https://troutsflyfishing.com/a/info/blog/vise-feature-matt-bennett-the-lunch-money

If you're interested in tying some up yourself, here is a link to a YouTube tying tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmLApe-AMgg&t=368s

Scale Magazine

Link: https://scale-magazine.com/

If you have a need for more fly fishing content or want some spin fishing content, this is a great site.  There is a lot of content, outstanding photography, quality writing.  It is also 100% free!  So if you find yourself in need of more fishing content, you can't go wrong with Scale Magazine!

Link: https://scale-magazine.com/

Adding a Touch of Fly Fishing to the Upcoming Wedding

For those of you that don't know, I am getting married in a couple of months.  My fiancé's name is Wendy and she is pretty spectacular.  I owe a huge thank you to her for letting me put my touch on the upcoming wedding.  In place of boutonniere, groomsmen will be wearing flies on their jackets.  I think these are going to look pretty cool on the fellas and I might even start selling them on the Etsy store too if they go over well.  I have included some pictures that display the step-by-step process that I used to create the boutonnieres.  There is no doubt that someone with more creativity than I could come up with a better design/construction.  So if you have any ideas or create something impressive, feel free to share it on the Facebook page or shoot me a picture at showmeflyguy@gmail.com.