Any crappie fishermen here?

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...
Bob La Londe wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
... The last week of May and the first week of June
is a good time to use everything in the bag. All the fly rods, 1wt
to 9wt, will get a workout. ...

You know Ken. I actually own two fly rods. A 5wt which I pretty much
use for everything, and 7/8 that I use for giant rabbit fur streamers
(look like worms in the water to me) and large poppers. They aren't
Sage or St Croix or anything like that. The 5wt which I like better and
has a much better feel is a Wal-Mart special, and the 7/8 is a
Scientific Angler special, and feels like using a soggy log. I can lay
down some pretty tiny flies with the 5wt so I never saw any need to get
a lighter rod. After experimenting I have found I can do pretty well
with the larger stuff with it too. The only good reason I take both
rods on the rare occasions when I fly cast is so I do not have to stop
and change leaders if I decide the monster size bugs will produce a bass
or some good size panfish. In open water I can pretty much land
anything on the 5wt and as an experienced bass wincher I already know if
something gets back in the trash its just patience and luck to get it
back out. P.S. I used to own three fly rods, but when my rod rack got
knocked over a year ago that was one of the rods that didn't make it
back out of the melee. I wouldn't even own the 7/8 or the one that got
broken (a 6/7) if it weren't some comments you made a long time ago on
ROFF.

Of course I almost never do any really long line presentation on a fly
rod so a lot of the subtleties are no doubt lost on this bass wincher.

Yeah, having a rod rack full of fly rods is more luxury than necessity
but they do accumulate over the years as you get them for specific
situations. For largemouth, read big, honking, wind-eating bugs, a
lot of folks like an 8wt. In fact, there was a fly fishing magazine
devoted to largemouth fishing titled 8 Wt Journal. For smallies my
preference is a 6wt and if I were allowed only one fly rod (shudder ;-),
for trout it'd be a 5wt.

But all this is changing as fly rod manufacturers all seem to be
migrating to the "faster is better" philosophy, especially in the
bigger weights. Part of the reason is that the higher modulus boron,
graphite blends allow them to make faster rods and part of it is
keeping up with the Joneses. If Sage makes a fast rod, Loomis will
make one faster and Scott will try to one up that. And of course,
there are fly fishermen who always have to have the latest and greatest
so there's always been a market for "new and improved" when "old
and traditional" still works just fine.

Is there any truth to the faster is better? I guess it would certainly
help with hook setting on some species like largemouth, but I've always
just loaded up the rod and hung on trying to gentle the fish in. How
about for presentation? It seems to me if the rod is too fast it would
make it hard to make full casts because you couldn't feel the rod load up
right on the back cast. I guess I have to find one and try it now.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com

I heard cane poles were no longer available in the South, as they are
outdated and don't catch fish any longer.....................

"SteveB" wrote in message
...

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...
Bob La Londe wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
... The last week of May and the first week of June
is a good time to use everything in the bag. All the fly rods, 1wt
to 9wt, will get a workout. ...

You know Ken. I actually own two fly rods. A 5wt which I pretty much
use for everything, and 7/8 that I use for giant rabbit fur streamers
(look like worms in the water to me) and large poppers. They aren't
Sage or St Croix or anything like that. The 5wt which I like better
and has a much better feel is a Wal-Mart special, and the 7/8 is a
Scientific Angler special, and feels like using a soggy log. I can lay
down some pretty tiny flies with the 5wt so I never saw any need to get
a lighter rod. After experimenting I have found I can do pretty well
with the larger stuff with it too. The only good reason I take both
rods on the rare occasions when I fly cast is so I do not have to stop
and change leaders if I decide the monster size bugs will produce a
bass or some good size panfish. In open water I can pretty much land
anything on the 5wt and as an experienced bass wincher I already know
if something gets back in the trash its just patience and luck to get
it back out. P.S. I used to own three fly rods, but when my rod rack
got knocked over a year ago that was one of the rods that didn't make
it back out of the melee. I wouldn't even own the 7/8 or the one that
got broken (a 6/7) if it weren't some comments you made a long time ago
on ROFF.

Of course I almost never do any really long line presentation on a fly
rod so a lot of the subtleties are no doubt lost on this bass wincher.

Yeah, having a rod rack full of fly rods is more luxury than necessity
but they do accumulate over the years as you get them for specific
situations. For largemouth, read big, honking, wind-eating bugs, a
lot of folks like an 8wt. In fact, there was a fly fishing magazine
devoted to largemouth fishing titled 8 Wt Journal. For smallies my
preference is a 6wt and if I were allowed only one fly rod (shudder ;-),
for trout it'd be a 5wt.

But all this is changing as fly rod manufacturers all seem to be
migrating to the "faster is better" philosophy, especially in the
bigger weights. Part of the reason is that the higher modulus boron,
graphite blends allow them to make faster rods and part of it is
keeping up with the Joneses. If Sage makes a fast rod, Loomis will
make one faster and Scott will try to one up that. And of course,
there are fly fishermen who always have to have the latest and greatest
so there's always been a market for "new and improved" when "old
and traditional" still works just fine.

Is there any truth to the faster is better? I guess it would certainly
help with hook setting on some species like largemouth, but I've always
just loaded up the rod and hung on trying to gentle the fish in. How
about for presentation? It seems to me if the rod is too fast it would
make it hard to make full casts because you couldn't feel the rod load up
right on the back cast. I guess I have to find one and try it now.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com

I heard cane poles were no longer available in the South, as they are
outdated and don't catch fish any longer.....................

Yeah, but you can always send up north. They stock them in those for
Yankees before they send 'em south to tell all them rebels how things are
supposed to be done in the south.

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
"SteveB" wrote in message
...

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...
Bob La Londe wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
... The last week of May and the first week of June
is a good time to use everything in the bag. All the fly rods, 1wt
to 9wt, will get a workout. ...

You know Ken. I actually own two fly rods. A 5wt which I pretty much
use for everything, and 7/8 that I use for giant rabbit fur streamers
(look like worms in the water to me) and large poppers. They aren't
Sage or St Croix or anything like that. The 5wt which I like better
and has a much better feel is a Wal-Mart special, and the 7/8 is a
Scientific Angler special, and feels like using a soggy log. I can
lay down some pretty tiny flies with the 5wt so I never saw any need
to get a lighter rod. After experimenting I have found I can do
pretty well with the larger stuff with it too. The only good reason I
take both rods on the rare occasions when I fly cast is so I do not
have to stop and change leaders if I decide the monster size bugs will
produce a bass or some good size panfish. In open water I can pretty
much land anything on the 5wt and as an experienced bass wincher I
already know if something gets back in the trash its just patience and
luck to get it back out. P.S. I used to own three fly rods, but when
my rod rack got knocked over a year ago that was one of the rods that
didn't make it back out of the melee. I wouldn't even own the 7/8 or
the one that got broken (a 6/7) if it weren't some comments you made a
long time ago on ROFF.

Of course I almost never do any really long line presentation on a fly
rod so a lot of the subtleties are no doubt lost on this bass wincher.

Yeah, having a rod rack full of fly rods is more luxury than necessity
but they do accumulate over the years as you get them for specific
situations. For largemouth, read big, honking, wind-eating bugs, a
lot of folks like an 8wt. In fact, there was a fly fishing magazine
devoted to largemouth fishing titled 8 Wt Journal. For smallies my
preference is a 6wt and if I were allowed only one fly rod (shudder
;-),
for trout it'd be a 5wt.

But all this is changing as fly rod manufacturers all seem to be
migrating to the "faster is better" philosophy, especially in the
bigger weights. Part of the reason is that the higher modulus boron,
graphite blends allow them to make faster rods and part of it is
keeping up with the Joneses. If Sage makes a fast rod, Loomis will
make one faster and Scott will try to one up that. And of course,
there are fly fishermen who always have to have the latest and greatest
so there's always been a market for "new and improved" when "old
and traditional" still works just fine.

Is there any truth to the faster is better? I guess it would certainly
help with hook setting on some species like largemouth, but I've always
just loaded up the rod and hung on trying to gentle the fish in. How
about for presentation? It seems to me if the rod is too fast it would
make it hard to make full casts because you couldn't feel the rod load
up right on the back cast. I guess I have to find one and try it now.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com

I heard cane poles were no longer available in the South, as they are
outdated and don't catch fish any longer.....................

Yeah, but you can always send up north. They stock them in those for
Yankees before they send 'em south to tell all them rebels how things are
supposed to be done in the south.

I liked the long Calcutta cane ones. Some guys would make redfish poles out
of them, all hand done, and looked great.

Steve

Bob La Londe wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
But all this is changing as fly rod manufacturers all seem to be
migrating to the "faster is better" philosophy, especially in the
bigger weights. Part of the reason is that the higher modulus boron,
graphite blends allow them to make faster rods and part of it is
keeping up with the Joneses. If Sage makes a fast rod, Loomis will
make one faster and Scott will try to one up that. And of course,
there are fly fishermen who always have to have the latest and greatest
so there's always been a market for "new and improved" when "old
and traditional" still works just fine.

Is there any truth to the faster is better? ...

Well, "better" is relative. A fast action rod can generate a lot of
line speed which means tighter loops, better wind cutting ability
and casting bigger bugs farther with less effort. On the other hand
most of them aren't worth a damn at delicate presentations in the 30'
range.

The other thing to consider is that a faster action fly rod is less
forgiving of a mediocre casting stroke. Slow action rods are very
forgiving in that the timing of your cast can be sloppy but the cast
will still get in the ballpark. A mediocre caster won't be able to
appreciate faster rods and will probably think of them as expensive
broomsticks.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...
Bob La Londe wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
But all this is changing as fly rod manufacturers all seem to be
migrating to the "faster is better" philosophy, especially in the
bigger weights. Part of the reason is that the higher modulus boron,
graphite blends allow them to make faster rods and part of it is
keeping up with the Joneses. If Sage makes a fast rod, Loomis will
make one faster and Scott will try to one up that. And of course,
there are fly fishermen who always have to have the latest and greatest
so there's always been a market for "new and improved" when "old
and traditional" still works just fine.

Is there any truth to the faster is better? ...

Well, "better" is relative. A fast action rod can generate a lot of
line speed which means tighter loops, better wind cutting ability
and casting bigger bugs farther with less effort. On the other hand
most of them aren't worth a damn at delicate presentations in the 30'
range.

The other thing to consider is that a faster action fly rod is less
forgiving of a mediocre casting stroke. Slow action rods are very
forgiving in that the timing of your cast can be sloppy but the cast
will still get in the ballpark. A mediocre caster won't be able to
appreciate faster rods and will probably think of them as expensive
broomsticks.

Well, since I doubt I'll ever be a fly aficionado, I'll stick with my 5wt
cheapy then.

Bob La Londe wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
Bob La Londe wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
But all this is changing as fly rod manufacturers all seem to be
migrating to the "faster is better" philosophy, especially in the
bigger weights. Part of the reason is that the higher modulus boron,
graphite blends allow them to make faster rods and part of it is
keeping up with the Joneses. If Sage makes a fast rod, Loomis will
make one faster and Scott will try to one up that. And of course,
there are fly fishermen who always have to have the latest and greatest
so there's always been a market for "new and improved" when "old
and traditional" still works just fine.

Is there any truth to the faster is better? ...

Well, "better" is relative. A fast action rod can generate a lot of
line speed which means tighter loops, better wind cutting ability
and casting bigger bugs farther with less effort. On the other hand
most of them aren't worth a damn at delicate presentations in the 30'
range.

The other thing to consider is that a faster action fly rod is less
forgiving of a mediocre casting stroke. Slow action rods are very
forgiving in that the timing of your cast can be sloppy but the cast
will still get in the ballpark. A mediocre caster won't be able to
appreciate faster rods and will probably think of them as expensive
broomsticks.

Well, since I doubt I'll ever be a fly aficionado, I'll stick with my
5wt cheapy then.

Cheapy or not, it makes no difference. What's important is that
it fits your casting style. It's a lot easier to find a fly rod
that fits your stroke than it is to adjust your stroke to a rod
that isn't suited for you. The only good reason I can think of
to have one of the expensive new, super fast cannons is long
distance casting of heavy flies in a wind. That describes flats
fishing for bonefish and heaving rabbit fur to muskies and pike.
I've never encountered a bass or trout situation where a 65' cast
was necessary or even desirable. Well, I might make a cast that
long swinging for steelhead on the bigger water of a Lake Michigan
trib but you sure don't need, or want, a fast action rod when
swinging for steelhead.

My favorite fly rods, the ones I enjoy casting just to be casting,
are all slower action rods. And one of the best of those was an
old fiberglas 7/8 Garcia Conolon built for Service Merchandise
and costing less than $25 back in the day. Caught a lot of bass
and bluegill on that old rod when I lived on Lake Guntersville.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"SteveB" wrote in message
...

"Marty" wrote in message
...
www.crappie.com

Dang. A crappie site I haven't been to. Utah doesn't have a state forum.
I guess not a lot of crappie fishing here. I live in XXtreme SW Utah, and
it has the state record for crappie, a 3#2oz. slab. Guess I'll just have
to figure it out myself with the warming water temps, currently 64. Lots
of crappie in this lake, but not a lot of people fish them.

Steve



"SteveB" wrote in message
...
Got some questions, and can't find a newsgroup.






Are in the St. George area? Going to Canyon de Chelly and figured I would
stop at Lees Ferry and try the trout fly fishing. Talk about off topic for
bass.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
...

"SteveB" wrote in message
...

"Marty" wrote in message
...
www.crappie.com

Dang. A crappie site I haven't been to. Utah doesn't have a state
forum. I guess not a lot of crappie fishing here. I live in XXtreme SW
Utah, and it has the state record for crappie, a 3#2oz. slab. Guess I'll
just have to figure it out myself with the warming water temps, currently
64. Lots of crappie in this lake, but not a lot of people fish them.

Steve



"SteveB" wrote in message
...
Got some questions, and can't find a newsgroup.






Are in the St. George area? Going to Canyon de Chelly and figured I would
stop at Lees Ferry and try the trout fly fishing. Talk about off topic
for bass.

Yeah. We need to stick to bass. Then we'd only have seven posts a week to
read .............................................

At least he didn't ask about "crappy" fishermen!

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

"Ronnie" wrote in message
...
At least he didn't ask about "crappy" fishermen!

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

LOL, I've felt like that often enough over the years!
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service
http://www.herefishyfishy.com