Fly-Tite Fly Tying Cement by Fly-Rite Inc.

This is the best head cement I have ever used.  Period.  No need to offer further discussion.

7421 SOUTH BEYER ROAD

FRANKENMUTH, MI  48734  USA

Ph  (989) 652-9869    Fax  (989) 652-2996

Bill Skilton’s Micro Flash Egg Yarn

Well, well, well…….Here is a product that blew my mind the first second I put my hands on it. I immediately said to myself, this will make one heck of a sucker spawn fly. Then, I tried to tie one…..wrap the shank with the yarn, didn’t like it !!! Bunch it up, like a scrambled eggs pattern, didn’t like that either??  So, I was pretty much dumbfounded that I had some really awesome looking material in my hands, but I couldn’t figure out how to use it. So, I searched for Mr. Skilton on YouTube and found a video of him tying his hellgrammite pattern. There it was, the trick…..what I was looking for !!!          I won’t tell you the trick, you can figure it out yourself. Now that I know and understand the TRICK, I have whipped up a fly that looks better than any sucker spawn pattern I have ever tied.  I call them CRAZY SPAWN. It is CRAZY simple to tie, once you figure out what you need to do with the material. The colors that are offered-- all look fishy and will get you into some fish. I also tied up a NEAT-O looking pattern taken from my MOHAWK styled fly. I call it the Carrot Top Spawn. It looks neat and I am certain it will catch steelhead all along Steelhead Alley. I have been using Mr. Skilton’s materials for more than a few years. His Marabou Chenille is simply amazing and can be used for wooly buggers, eggs, thorax on stoneflies……..the list goes on. Mr. Skilton has a very long heritage in Pennsylvania angling. If you have never heard of Bill Skilton, Google him. Read up and enjoy. The man has spent his life fishing, fly fishing and creating flies and materials for all fly anglers to enjoy. So, go find some Micro Flash Egg Yarn and tie up some SIC looking CRAZY SPAWN flies for this upcoming Steelhead season. I promise you, you will love this material.  There are tiny loops that imitate the sucker eggs and there is some BLING added into the material.  Honestly folks, this is some super sweet material that is easy to work with and allows you to create a fly that should put some steel on the end of your line.

Eskimo Quickfish 3

Without a doubt, probably the best ice fishing investment I have made--well, alongside with the Marcum Showdown Digital Fish Finder.  The shelter is lightweight and is easy to transport to and from the ice.  It is the perfect size for two adults or one adult and two children.  My two rugrats and I fit nicely inside the shelter.  The center height is 80 inches, or about 6'6".  The shelter weighs in at 23 pounds and comes with a bag that has shoulder straps.  Which means you can wear it on your back while pulling the sled that is loaded with your gear and rugrats.  Even with my 2 bad shoulders, the shelter can be set up in about 2 minutes.  It can be taken down in under 2 minutes also, probably less.  If you have a family and want to take the kids ice fishing--a shelter is a must.  It provides a barrier between the wind and the family.  Which will enable your day to be longer.  It comes with 6 ice stakes which you screw into the ice to keep the shelter securely in place.  If it gets real windy, at times a side might POP in, but all you have to do is walk outside the shelter and give a tug on that side and the unit will POP back into shape.  The only issue I have had is trying to move the shelter when there is some wind.  The shelter is easy to transport, holds firm while on the ice and is big enough for my family.  The Quickfish also comes in sizes 2, 4 and 6.  You can also get the Quickfish 3 in a value pack that includes the shelter, a sled (absolutely the best sled I have ever used) and two Eskimo chairs.  I purchased the value pack and the kids and I have enjoyed the Eskimo Quickfish 3 from day one. 

Hot Flies for Salmon !!!

I was thinking about past trips to the Salmon River in Pulaski, New York. Pondering the fact that almost every trip had one fly that was hot. My first trip to Salmon Country was back in 1999. My first stop was at Oswego River. It was getting late and the group I was with wanted to see some fish. It was awesome, watching these behemoth fish slam into the dam. The smell was awesome. The next day was marred by the fact that I did not feel comfortable fishing with a spinning rod and sponge. It was my first trip and I was fishing how I was told to do it. Mid-morning I thought -- screw this and changed out my spinning rod for my 5/6 weight fly rod. All the guys laughed and said I was going to break it. It was awesome hooking fish with flies. I even had a few fish chasing my super huge black leech patterns. I’d hook up, but they would bend the hook or bust me off. Either way, it was a blast. The best part of this trip was talking the group of guys I went with to fish the Salmon River. We went to the Trestle Pool. I headed upstream, the rest of the crew stayed at the big hole. As I was working my way back to the Trestle, my line stopped dead. I thought I was snagged. I walked toward the snag and lifted the line hard nothing. I did it again, this time all hell broke loose. It was awesome. All I saw was a monster salmon with my glo-bug hanging out of its yapper. I was soon chasing a huge salmon down the river. The river split and he went right. Yup, right under a downed tree. Poof, the fish was off. But is was still amazing. I fully understood at that very moment that everything I had been told about the salmon was a lie. They will hit flies, heck I even had the fish chasing flies !!! From that day on I have been rockin’ flies and catching salmon. On a side note, this was the first time ever in my life that I saw a steelhead, the colors--the beauty -- I was hooked!!! I have been tying flies for salmon and steelhead ever since. Oh yeah, the topic: Hot Flies !!! Well, I’ll list what has worked for me. Like I said, it changes almost every year.

Hot Flies for Salmon: 

Stop Light  (chartreuse / silver / red)

Peach Estaz egg

Nuclear Egg--wire bottom  (rusty orange)

My Death Stonefly--Black and Blue, Red, Orange, Pink/Chartreuse, Black

Beadhead Black/Blue Death Stonefly nymph, size 2

Bi-Color Estaz egg: pink/chartreuse, Tarheel (baby blue and clear)

Olive/Black wooly bugger

Brown/Black wooly bugger with black rubber legs

Stonefly: chartreuse abdomen/black thorax -- flashy wing case  -- black wire ribbing

Pink glo-bug

Orange Estaz egg

Big Black Leech

Black wooly bugger with red crystal flash mixed in the tail

My Crush Streamer in Emerald Shiner

Wooly bugger: white tail / olive body / grizzly hackle / moe-egg head

I started to taper down the amount and styles of flies I take with me. I was starting to spend too much time figuring out what fly to use. So, now I tie patterns that I have confidence in. I tie them in plenty of colors and sizes.

If you need to see a pic of any of the flies, shoot me an email. 

Vinny

Jim Teeny WF Mini-Tip fly line

The first time I purchased this line, it was yellow with a 5-foot sinking tip. The tip was black. I attached a 5-foot to 7-foot leader and I was in business. My initial purchase was an 8 wt fly line. It cast nicely and was easy to work with. I used the line to fish for smallmouth bass, steelhead and salmon. The rod that was throwing this line was a G-Loomis GL3 9 foot, 8 wt, 2 piece fly rod. It was a rocket launcher . I fished this rig for about 2 years. I then noticed that the folks at TEENY offered a Casting for Recovery mini-tip fly line. It was pink with a black tip. I sold the yellow line and purchased the pink line and put it on a Fly Logic FLP 567 reel. The line has held up well. I do clean my lines almost after every use. I have no complaints with this fly fishing line. It is pretty much perfect for steelhead and salmon fishing. It gives you the right amount of sink without the need to add split shot, which makes casting a pleasure. The line didn’t spook fish while fishing Erie tributaries or the Salmon River in New York, even in low water conditions. Sometimes lengthening your leader is all you have to do. You don’t necessarily have to attach a leader per se. I have used straight monofilament line and fluorocarbon line attached right to the fly line. You are not trying to turn over a 10 foot 6X leader here. You are nymphing. Getting the fly to the bottom is all that matters. So, if are looking to purchase a new fly line this steelhead season, take a look at the Teeny Mini-Tip. It costs 55 bucks and is available in 3 to 9 wt fly lines.

www.jimteeny.com

Vinny 

Fly Logic Fly Fishing Reels

I have been fishing with Fly Logic fly fishing reels since about  2000. I was shown a FLP 567 reel while I was in college. Alan at Spring Creek Outfitters lifted a beautiful reel from the case and said check out the drag on this one. What a beautiful reel. It was grey in color, technically called Platinum and I had never seen a reel that looked like it. It felt nice, smooth and I told myself at that very moment this was a reel I must own. Since my first purchase all those years ago, I have added probably over 20 Fly Logic reels to my arsenal. During the last few years, I have sold most of them due to a work injury -- otherwise I would still have all of them. I still own about five Fly Logic reels in my arsenal and are my daily fishing reels. There really isn’t a complaint about the reels in production by Fly Logic. I just wish that they made a smaller reel that was lightweight with a click and pawl drag so that when I am doing my wild trout fishing with a 6 foot or 6 ½ foot fly rod, I could be using a Fly Logic reel. The lightest reel Fly Logic has to offer is the FLP 345 reel at 5 ounces. The next lightest reel is the FLO 234 reel that weighs in at 5.2 ounces. Using a 7 foot or longer rod is not a problem with the Fly Logic line-up of reels. The FLO 234 nicely balances a 7 foot to 9 foot fly rod. I found a great balance matching a Fly Logic FLO+ 8 foot 6 inch, 4 weight rod with a FLO 234 fly fishing reel. My five weight fly rods run 8.5 feet to 9 feet in length and they are balanced nicely with a FLO 456 (6 oz),FLP 567 (5.6 oz) or a FLP 345 fly reel. When I make the move to a 6-8 weight fly rod, I use a Fly Logic FLP 567,       FLA 5 (6.5 oz) or a FLO 789 (6.9 oz) reel. Once I get to 8-10 weight fly rods, I look to the FLP 890 (7.1 oz), the FLO 789, FLA 8 (no longer in production) or the FLA 10 (9.2 oz) reel.

I love to fish for salmon and steelhead and I believe that the reel is what helps the most. I couldn’t imagine fishing for these beasts with anything other than a Fly Logic reel. These are fish that can make powerful runs over and over again and the Fly Logic reels allow me to breath easy knowing that I have a reel that will get the job done. It really puts your mind at ease and allows you to concentrate on what the fish is doing.

The most versatile of the reels is the FLP 567. You can fish a 4 wt line or up to an 8 wt line with plenty of backing. I attached a FLP 567 reel to a Loomis GL3 9 foot 8wt and I crammed the reel with about 125 yards of backing and Teeny mini-sink tip fly line. It was a great lightweight salmon outfit and perfect for steelhead. One of the greatest attributes of the Fly Logic reels is the ample backing capacity. Which makes these reels the perfect choice when you are fishing for large fish that are capable of running deep into your backing. I also used the FLP 567 on a Beulah 4/5 switch rod with 125 yards backing and Beulah Elixer Switch Rod Fly Line. It was a perfect fit for this rod. I tried the FLO 456 but I was not able to get the backing capacity I wanted with such a specialized fly line. If you can only afford one reel and have the ability to buy a spare spool -- this reel is the way to go. How awesome is a reel that is capable of landing fish that range in size from bluegills to king salmon? I say, pretty awesome.

The Fly Logic reels are available in some really cool colors. The FLP reels are available in Platinum (grey) and Charcoal (black) and are priced: the 345 -- 115 dollars, the 567 -- 125 dollars and the 890 -- 135 dollars. The FLO series of reels raise the price tag considerably, but you are stepping up to a reel that is machined from aircraft-grade bar stock aluminum. The colors are Wild Berry, Ebony, Midnight Blue and Mossy Green and are priced: the 234 -- 340-375 dollars, the 456 -- 385-395 dollars and the 789 -- 385-420 dollars.

Over the years I have matched Fly Logic reels to a wide range of fly rods. If you need any recommendations or have a question as to what Fly Logic reel would fit best on your fly fishing rod, just ask me and I’d be more than happy to help you out.

There are plenty of really awesome fly reels out there on the market. I have fished with most of them and somehow, I always end up with a Fly Logic reel attached to my fly fishing rod. Seems that I understood many, many years ago what fly fishing reel was for me. In all honesty, it is like a sickness. I just love these reels. Made in the USA with outstanding customer service. To read more about Fly Logic products, go to:

www.flylogic.com

Vinny

Okuma Graphite Reels

The Okuma Airframe (older model) or the Cascade (newest model), which has a large arbor design is a great graphite fly fishing reel. I have used the Airframe reel as a backup for Salmon fishing for many years. It has been used time and time again without incident. The reel has never failed. I spooled the reel with 100 yards 20 pound Dacron backing and Monic WF9F clear fly line. On one fishing trip to the Salmon River my friend had to use the reel the entire trip. It worked perfectly and the drag really stopped the Salmon from going back to the lake. (can’t say that about his Redington-- this reel was fried on the first King Salmon that he hooked) This reel comes in two sizes: 4/6 and 7/9. Both reels are durable and have a pretty good drag system. The reel employs a silent retrieve, which I really love. They retail for about 30 dollars.

So, if you need a nice, inexpensive reel that will get the job done, the Okuma Airframe or Cascade is for you. The 4/6 is perfect for handling any Trout or Panfish that you might come across. If you want to go Steelhead, Smallmouth Bass or Carp fishing -- use the 7/9, load it with backing and line the reel with some 6 or 7 wt fly line. Use some Cortland Micron backing or any other small diameter backing such as Bionic Braid or PowerPro and you could cram more than plenty of backing on this reel.

Specs straight from the box:

Airframe 4/6

WF6 + 60 yards 12lb backing

Airframe 7/9

WF9 + 110 yards 20lb backing

They are good looking, reliable and certainly affordable on any anglers budget. If you are just getting into the sport of Fly Fishing or looking for an inexpensive back-up reel, the Okuma Airframe or Cascade reel will work fine.   

Vinny

LOOP Composite CLW, CLWC Fly Fishing Reels

Do they work? They look cheap. What is that? These are just a few of the statements I hear when I show people my CLWC fly fishing reel. The looks I get are almost priceless. 

The LOOP CLWC is a clear composite reel that looks flat out amazing. The CLW reel is black. These reels have a great drag system and have a large arbor design. According to the loop website, it has the same drag system as the EVOTEC series of reels. These reels come in 3 sizes: 2Six, 5Eight and 8Twelve. I have used all three sizes and don’t have a single complaint. I have used a 8Twelve for salmon, the 6Eight for steelhead and the 2Six was attached to my 6 foot 6 inch 3 weight Loomis that was fished almost daily. I prefer the clear CLWC over the black CLW, but that is personal preference. The reels retail from 130 to 150 dollars and the 8Twelve only comes in black. I did get my hands on a 8Twelve that was clear. These reels are flat out awesome. They all have ample backing capacity and they are super light.

Aside for my love of the Fly Logic line-up of reels, the LOOP CLW and CLWC reels are my second choice. If I need a reel for a smaller, 7 foot and under rod, my first choice would be a LOOP CLWC. The Fly Logic reels are a tad heavy to balance a short rod.

So, don’t fear composite reels. Don’t be afraid to make that purchase. If you are looking for a light reel that is durable, the CLW or CLWC reels are the way to go.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with fishing a composite reel. Sure, you might get looks streamside, but under that scowl you are receiving might just be a jealous fisherman who wishes he had the nerve to purchase a composite reel.

If you have any questions about where to purchase a LOOP CLW or CLWC you can contact me and I will tell you where I have purchased mine.

Vinny

Any questions or comments about anything written here can be sent to me at:

Vinny@2Bonthewater.com

Thanks for reading......