Recent comments

Simon,
Because I li

Simon,
Because I like to fish and not fumble arround with knots and sidecutter and it has proofed sturdy for the average Tararira / Dorado. Another reason, after several fly changes your bite tippet is getting significantly shorter and than I got to change the entire leader, because neither do I knot on a new bite tippet ! But as I wrote, since I lost my "beast" I admitt to use a figure eight knot to connect the fly to the tippet.

best Heiko Schneider / Latitud Sur Anglers

Great report & pictu

Great report & pictures but why are you using a snap to att. the fly to the leader??

Comment to Hook Reference

This is a fantastic hook reference, Darren. Very helpful and fun. Thanks a bunch.

Comment to Hook Reference

NP and thanks! More to be added too.

The best dry fly for

The best dry fly for me!
I tie it with red but, cinnamon brown body, 2-3 wraps of Whiting hen and natural elk wing.

Hello Martin,
That

Hello Martin,
That was a well researched and finely done article! I am especially heartened to see little use of hackle as in the usual Al Troth Elk Hair Caddis. Now, let me present my favorite hands down caddis imitation. I use it mostly in std. size 16-20. Body of natural hares mask/ear blended with like color of Lafontaine style of sparkle yarn for luster and for the way it helps grab the thread while dubbing. Wing of elk, deer, or antelope. 8/0 uni thread to match dubbing, camel or tan most often. Simple and effective and very durable. It can be sunk as well or stripped in but I usually fish it dead drift. Now then however, your experience will have me experimenting with CDC to see if it helps in the waters I fish.
Thanks, Gregg

Amazing article Mart

Amazing article Martin.

You just can't go wrong with this pattern.

Hi Ambjörn

Hi Ambjörn,

nice fly on a nice picture. What kind of feather is on the back and what is the name of the fly?

All the best

Jan

Hopper,

Hopper,

I would go for a TFO rod without hesitation! I have friends who have bought 10 weight TFO's and they are very good rods at a very reasonable price. The specific model must depend on your needs and mood. I prefer medium fast rods while most saltwater anglers like fast or even ultra fast rods. I would personally stop at a 10 weight, which will take you pretty far and not be that tough to cast.

Regarding reels I can (as always) recommend Okuma Helios, which is as much reel as you can get for your money from any brand. It has a good brake (needed for saltwater in my opinion) and is durable enough to withstand salt and fish, and looks and works nicely.
It's available in an 8-9 weight version, and should be able to handle all but the really large tarpon, GT's and that league of fish.
Apart from that I have fished Tibors and Lamsons for big fish, and they of course work like a charm, but cost an arm.

Hope this helps... and let us know what you decide.

Martin

Jan,

The Seatrout

Jan,

The Seatrout CDC & Elk as it should rightfully be called (I actually added this name since my fly only remotely looks like Paul Slaney's Bonefish fly), is a generally useful seatrout fly that is well suited for shallow, clear and calm water. It lands gently and sinks slowly, but doesn't have much flash or color. It fishes upside down and can be fished on the bottom without too many snags, but I rarely do that.

Martin

Jan,

The tier is

Jan,

The tier is Ken Bonde and not myself, but I think the scissors are from Dr. Slick and a model, which is curved and serrated. I always use straight scissors myself, but I'm sure the Dr. Slick will work fine for deer hair as it does for other types of tying.

Martin

Dear ROlandas,
I w

Dear ROlandas,
I would like to do exactly like you. I hate expensive adventures, and fished a lot in argentina on my own. 15 years ago I fished the rio grande for free, now you to pay a fortune to fish there. But there are other free rivers, like rio Ewan, completely free, same trout. But now, I am planning on going to Strobel lake. I would like to do it on my own, or with some friends, but freely. Could you pass me your excellent contact you brought you there, and lodged you in the remote place?

Hi Martin,

your a

Hi Martin,

your are using a curved scissor. Would you tell what scissor it is and if you are using it also for deer-hair-flies. I am looking for a good curved scissor.
Thanks.

Jan

Hi Martin,

thanks

Hi Martin,

thanks for that gorgeous summary. I got many good ideas whilst reading. When do you use your seatrout-version?

Jan

Comment to Stevens FRS Special on Auction

Final price was 150US on the FRS.

Martin,

the donat

Martin,

the donation button sounds like a good idea for me. Just do it.

All the best

Jan

Kamasan B175 and B170

Jan,

I use Kamasan B175 and B170 for about 80% of my coastal flies, and even though they will eventually rust, I have flies that have lasted a season's use and flies that have been sitting in my box for several seasons without rusting. The hook has a brassy look (more shiny than bronzed gooks), but must be treated in some way, because it lasts. Black hooks of any sort don't last nearly as long without rusting in my experience.

Martin

Kamasan B 175 hooks

Hi Martin,
thanks again for your gorgeous tying manuals. My question concern the Kamasan B 175 hooks. I am wondering how long they last in the saltwater? Are they black?
Best regards

Jan

Pike,

I never rin

Pike,

I never rinse my reels in freshwater... or rarely at least. If they can't take my abuse, they're not for me. The EDP has never been rinsed or lubricated and still works. That's good enough for me.

Martin

Martin, thanks a lot

Martin, thanks a lot. I usually use Scierra EDP and it seems to be ok too. But I always rinse the reel in the fresh water after fishing.

Pike.

This Scierr

Pike.

This Scierra XDP reel has been used extensively in the salt for several years and has shown no signs of rust. Other of my Scierra reels (Traxion reels in particular) have broken completely down due to rust, and I only occasionally use one smaller Traxion model now, and exclusively for freshwater fishing.

Martin

Martin, as you wrote

Martin, as you wrote in the past Scierra Traxion reel had a serious problem with the rust.
If I am right, the reel on your picture is Scierra XDP. What about this reel and the rust? Is it better? Thanks a lot

I completely agree with

I completely agree with @scandicangler/Peter about single strand titanium - it's absolutely the best material with really no faults (strong, reliable, light, thin, flexible, kink-free) and I have tried everything else as well!

Not sure about those fas-nap's though. I have had failures using the Mustad version so now I avoid them. The only reliable snaps I have found are the fastach & smart lock snaps, both in size 2 or the stay-lok snap in size 1 (but this doesn't alway take the flys eye easily). These are the smallest sizes that will work reliably but also minimise weight.

I am still working on the best way to attach snaps and oval rings to the Ti (my traces have a light oval ring at one end and a fastach at the other). Some Ti takes a perfection loop well, otherwise a tucked clinch knot. You can use crimps, but ones that are light enough are not a really good grip on the very slippery surface of the Ti and I have had one fail. I am also experimenting with whipping a loop at each end with mono and then covering with UV gel and this is both light and (so far) reliable.

First of all, take c

First of all, take care of yourself. Your efforts are appreciated, but not at the expense of your health.