Michael Exl
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There is a few of us that chat, only about 3 regulars. We usually chat on Thursday from 8 pm Eastern time to whenever. The only problem is that the chat is having a lot of problems as of late. I know that on average I get kicked out about 20 times. So until that gets fixed I don’t think you will see many people in the chat room.
-Mike
Thanks Tim. I’m going to use both and see if there is any difference. I’m going to be using them for both day and night fishing. So I think I should have some different hair for color during the day.
-Mike
I’m going to have to go with other.
I always like to start out with a streamer. Just something that looks like a sculphin, usually a size 4 too. Like they say go big or go home.
Here are some of my favorite flies to use.
As for the flash in the fly it just depends. As you can see in the clouser there is some flash tied in, its actually midge krystal flash. I prefer to use flies with out flash though personally. There really is not right or wrong to it. Everything just comes down to the situation at hand. This guy I took on a fly with no flash.
And this one I landed I took on a leech pattern with some rainbow flash in it.
So like I said it just all depends, there is no right or wrong.The switch rod that I have, I personally built. I used a 8110-4 Sage Z-axis blank. Here are some pictures of it.
This rod is an amazing overhand rod, but you do have to over line it with a 10wt. line to load it. I currently use the Rio Outbound 10wt. with a type 6 tip and have no problem shooting the whole line. You will also want to pick up or make a stripping basket if you are going to be using it for the surf. With rods like these though you have to pay attention to grain weights of the line. For an 8wt switch rod any where from 400-450gr. is about spot on. As Zach suggested skagit is a great way to go, you can use the line for both overhand and spey casting. I use a 400 gr. skagit with various tips, includign T-14. I have also thrown some of Rio’s Big Boys on it with out issue.
There are some building issues that you are going to run into though. The biggest being components, mostly the cork. I had to sand down a standard two-hander grip to get the right fit. These rods are still fairly new to most of the industry altough they have been around for a while.
Lando, the fly did not spin at all on me. It does have a nice darting action from side to side when stripped. Gives it a nice imitation of a sculphin.
Its a Montana Fly pattern. I picked a few up when I was out in Montana this summer when I was at Five Rivers. It’s pretty much a crystal bugger with the head. Lando, the link that you put up is the head that is on the fly. Here is a link to the fly itself.
Jay,
I would head to the Bahamas or Mexico. The fish are not as large as some of the Florida bones, but there is good numbers and a better chance of success.
-Mike
There was an article on it in a Fly Fishing in Saltwaters magazine a while back. I’ll look around and see if I still have the magazine.
-Mike
To begin with what style of casting would you like to do? If you were looking for a good all around line, where you can do spey and overhand, I would get a Windcutter 5/6. For skagit what I would go with a 300gr. get the #7 skagit tip and pick up a 15′ type 3 anda 15′ type 6 sink tip which are 84gr. Cut the sink tips back a little I think right around 13′ would be good. This way you can fish any situation that may present itself. Hope this helps.
-Mike
Very cool looking fly. I would love to try those out in the mangroves for snook. I may have to tie some of those up tonight for fun. Thanks for sharing Zach.
To answer your question are the newer Sage rods better, I would have to answer yes. But keep in mind that there is a lot of guys out there that would kill to get there hands on RPLXi, me being one of them. The newer Sage rods are very nice and great all around rods. Does this mean that you should go out and by new rods, no. I notice that you were using SA lines, have you tried any Rio lines yet? Its worth giving a shot.
The carp tease is my go to fly. I would have to say that nearly 90% of my carp are taken on that fly. However I do not use the standard design. I have added somethings to the fly and mess around with the colorations and legs quite a bit. World of differnce is all I have to say.
Another tip about spotting carp. I fish mostly streams and small creeks that are heavily shaded. When I’m approaching a possible feeding area I watch the surface of the water. If there is a carp feeding it will make a slight ripple on the water, it almost looks like a vary small fish came up and dimpled. This is made by the fish’s tail moving around.
Carp are very aware of there environment. I have watched carp spook when I have been walking up on the bank about 15ft of the water. They pick up vibrations very easily. Whenever I am out stalking carp I use the tips that I have picked up from guides down in the Bahamas for bonefish. Act and think like a heron.
