[T. Wiles]

Thanks guys.

The best thing about musky flies is the lengths and amount of material options gives you an endless number of materials and color combos to choose from. I purposely try to keep my go-to patterns vague online so as to let the next tyer come up with their own ideas. I do find confidence in large profile flies about 12″ average.
I use 3 high quality hooks from 6-0 to 4-0 to 1-0 600SP’s linked with 60lb wire. I used to use quadrupled 60lb braid, but I had a few muskies bite through it.
Saddles, schlapen, bucktail, synthetic fibers, flashabou…if you can think it up…it works. Just got to keep the flies swimming deep, and fish like a maniac. Just when you start to doubt how crazy you are for going through the trouble…a fish reveals itself, and it will leave you with nightmares.

Here are a few early patterns that produced. I change my fly patterns everytime I make one.

Here’s a video if it works:

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[T. Wiles]

Long,webby grizzly saddle hackles in various colors.

[T. Wiles]

That fan gets it done. Too much $$$ in hooks,hackle and flash to let’em rust or allow the colors to bleed out.

For the record, I wasn’t trying to diminish my buddy’s fish with the smaller pics. When I uploaded them from online to my Photobucket, they just came up smaller.

[T. Wiles]

Those are the perfect sized tarpon…and that’s an insane amount of permit encounters. Looks like you guys really made the rounds and covered the species varieties in some amazing waters. I really hope to fish down there some day, and hope I can time it right when the bite is similar to what you found.

[T. Wiles]

When the weather’s right, Jazzi is a great boat dog, and she brings good musky vibes. It’s funny, she really seems to care less about any fish we catch. She just enjoys basking and staying out of the fly-line.

I saw a musky report on another board, with two muskies that were photographed on a dry boat floor due to a proud angler who really wanted to snap a shot of both fish he caught while fly fishing solo. I really did not want to be a jerk, but I felt compelled to mention on the thread how sensitive these fish can be to mortality from being mishandled…not to mention how dangerous their thrashing jaws can be inside a boat while someone tries to reach for them.

Here’s my little contribution from this Friday if you catch one alone.

1) Fight ’em quick and try to keep your composure as you raise the rod, guide the fish, and scoop and raise the oversized musky net under the fish. A big net is just essential in my experiences. If I can fit one in a Coleman Crawdad…it can be done in just about any vessle. The Frabill Conservation Net even floats if you drop it.

2) If you want a hero shot, you best chances are to get the fish to the bank for unhooking and holding him. Keep the net bag deep in the water to calm the fish, and gently glide to a wadeable spot. With the netted fish in the water… you got the chance to get your tools and position a camera on a small tripod for the photo. I found a cheap Targus tripod at Walmart for about 16 bucks. Most autotimers shoot in 10 seconds…giving you a series of red flashes just before the photo is taken. This gives you enough time to grab the tail and pectoral section of the fish for a quick photo raise, then lower him right back into the water. A quick test shot gives you a preview of the photo field of focus.

This fish splashed me with a good tail-kick of water, and quickly sped across the river after very little reviving. So, I am confident that he will be OK after the two 10s raises out of water I took to get a photo. I only wish that I was a bit wiser on my first few muskies landed…cause it always makes you wonder if they made it when you have to revive them for a decent length of time…especially in the warmer months. Also: if you use a Boga, NEVER heave the fish entirely by his lower jaws…you gotta support the lower abdomen or they’ll try to thrash like hell.

Just my 2 cents.

Yeah, I know the Image quality on the autotimer is poor with this earlier Pentax Optio…but atleast I got a shot.

Here was the photo-taking setup.

Hooked another slightly larger fish, but she got away. Also had some close calls with a couple much larger fish. Water was super clear, and fish were pretty sluggish.

[T. Wiles]

Thanks guys. Yeah, the 12 wt seems like overkill to some, but that thing slices fig 8’s through the water like Zorro… The past 2 years, I’ve caught most of my fish on grabs by the trolling motor on the 2nd turn. I’ve converted some buddies from their 10 wts.

Hey Tim, I’ve got a 40/30 Yammi Jet on the Hog. It planes good and drafts quite shallow. I’ve tested it a bit on some Class I and smaller II rapids this year, and it’s done great.
I’ve put a few dings in the intake grate, and a 1″ deep rock shelf tool a silver dollar sized chunk out the jetfoot, but Im very impressed where I can motor and even drag the boat when needed.

[T. Wiles]

You Kiwis have it made in the South Pacific when it comes to Monster sized fish and pristine water. What an amazing trip and Excellent photos.
Maybe if I work hard for the next 20 years, invest well, and still have a 401K…just maybe I can visit some of these places by the time I retire.
Thanks for the previews of a dream trip for the golden years.

Travis

[T. Wiles]

My mother has worked for galleries in the Sedona/Flagstaff area, and she gave me this Bronze brown trout as a gift (that now hangs on my wall). I imagine the artist could replicate a requested fish photo, but I’m not sure. If this looks like something you might be interested in, Let me know, and I’ll have my mother get the artist’s info for you.

Travis

[T. Wiles]

Thanks guys.

Tim, you’re welcomed to fish with me anytime. Musky season is really firing up right now…lots of fish are finally starting to move–got a monster yesterday.
Peter, the boat is Hog Islands new SW skiff, a 16.5 ft roto-molded plastic boat with a foam core, very versatile for river fishing.

John, Jazzi (my Dachshund) loves the new boat. The plastic does not get very hot, and she has plenty of space to crawl around and to lie in the shade

[T. Wiles]

Jay, they are made of HDPE plastic just like Kayaks. They are only a shell like a canoe. The older ones have an aluminum frame that usually requires some minor repair if they get banged around…you can occasionally find one on CL for around $300. Ive found the newer models at Dick’s Sporting goods before for around $600—and they are shallower in the hull with no internal frame.
These wont handle heavy rapids too well, but you can drag them anywhere you have a reasonable gradient riverbank. Add a 2.5 hp kicker motor, a small 30 lb Minn Kota (reversed) on the bow connected to a car battery, and you’ve got a very versatile truckbed river boat.

Of course, I realize this is totally out of the Kayak/SUP category….but I fish mine year round with tons of gear. I’ll never be without one of these boats, if I can help it.

[T. Wiles]

Too much bitching means not enough fishing. We got to get off the computers and back on the water in our preferred small water craft.
Dave, whatcha’ doin’ the next 2 weekends. I’d love to go chase those backcountry “Deliverence” Muskies on a SUP. With a stowed firearm, of course.

Obviously you guys missed the Superior small craft for portable stand up fly fishing….
The one and only Coleman Crwdad.

You can tow it out of knee deep mud ramps.

Stackable on road trips.

Easy to slide down banks into remote musky water:

It gets me to some hard to reach fish:

To each their own.

[T. Wiles]

Hey Alvin,

I rigged the Hog Island Skiff with a 40/30 Yamaha, and so far, I am pleased with how it pushes the boat .  My only issue is when you load the boat with gear and 2 passengers, it won't plane perfectly unless you have your passengers sitting toward the bow of the boat….once you get the weight forward, it rides nicely.

We chanced  the boat's capabilities by descending a small weir dam rapid to get to a great musky hole.  It was a bumpy ride down, but the boat ramped right up out of spilling rapid—my buddy wound up hooking a monster fish that will haunt us until we get another crack at him.

Here's some pics of the setup:

Trolling Motor Battery:

Unmounted the Casting Platform:  Solo, it only took about 15 minutes:

Tank, Battery and Bilge Pump:

Here's a video of the 40/30 Jet running. Personally, I think a 60/40 would work better…but you take a gamble with the added weight on that transom.

[T. Wiles]

Just got the 40-30 Yamaha jet on the Hog with some required welding mods on the transom for the mount. I’ve sent the oars back to Sawyer for an upgrade from Polecats to their Squaretops, which Im gonna get reamed on some shipping….plus about 1 month backordered for those oars…any day now. My trolling motor bracket is functional, but not ideal. John is sending me a new one angled so the hull will brace and support the 52″ shaft of the riptide, and Im still debating on battery mount locations for a large deep cycle.

I could have definitely taken the Hog on its maiden voyage, but all the bigger water is overflowing. This river was flowing just perfect, and well worth the drive to explore it when swimming was an option.

We were floating in my Coleman Crawdad, “Ole Bessie” as my friend calls her. Not a single ramp for the skiff anyway. Just a whole lot of dragging and slipping down banks and rapids.

Two of my buddies landed nice Muskies on flies a bit further East this week. Those waters are screaming for the HI Skiff. Hopefully in the next couple weeks I’ll have her fully rigged and functional.

[T. Wiles]

Some fly suggestions:
White diver/gurglers with rabbit strip tail, Wiggle Minnows–I really like tan crayfish or banded with brown marker, flashy flies, Natural greenish tan Puglisi flies banded with brown marker (Everglades is a great color), Heavy lead headed crayfish/bugger style bugs–Mohair, sculpin wool, or marabou–endless design combos on this type of fly.

Hope you find them in GA

[T. Wiles]

That’s a mighty fine part of the country. We head over the mountains about twice a month to enjoy Asheville– great food, music, and interesting people watching—never seen so many dreadlocks in my life. Linville gorge and falls is one of my favorite places I remember as a child–I hope you got to enjoy the parkway.

[T. Wiles]

The mobile version works great. I can read all post and view the photos from my iPhone with no problems. Since my laptop time is limited, this will help me access the site.

[T. Wiles]

<cite> @ZachMatthews said:</cite>
That’s awesome Travis. What kind of motor are you going for? Mind posting some real world draft stats?

I noticed the price is not posted on the website. Do you mind giving us a ballpark idea?

Zach

Here’s a pic of a modified 25 E-tech that scoots this boat around on the Little Red on Low water. The owner says it gets on plane and maintains a great shallow draft close to 4-5 inches. It was installed by an experienced jet boat builder in Missouri. Notice that he raised the transom with about 1/2 ” sqare aluminum at the top to get the jet foot flush with the end of the boat. Also, he suspended a cavitation plate about 1-2 inches off the motor bracket to allow space for the drainplug.

About five other boaters, including myself, are going to add a 40/30 Yamaha 4 stroke jet. It weighs about 40 lbs more than the Etec… but it does not require a conversion from prop to jet. The installation requires some tweaking to get the right plane.

I plan on switching between my 25 prop for salt, my 2.5 prop for backcountry floats in heavy shoaled whitewater rivers, and the 40/30 jet for most of my river fishing that doesn’t require dragging over dry ledges. Still figuring out how to hoist the 225 lb four stroke motor once I get it. Northern Tool has a chain hoist and frame for about $300 that looks like it will work.

As for cost: this boat is still in it’s early “design” generations. John is being generous with his lower fees mainly as a favor for asking his early customers to wait on fabrication. I cannot quote a hard copy invoice, but the boat is in the range from $5-6K with the accessories. The EZ Loader trailer is around $1300 and I had my aluminum trailer made for $1450. John plans on streamlining his production for more orders by the end of July after several expo/boat shows.

[T. Wiles]

Finally got to pick up the skiff yesterday. The Boat looks great. Now time to rig a motor and get her floating.

[T. Wiles]

Hey Zach,

Just wanted to see what you recommend to have the site run more harmonious with an iPhone 5?
The site appears jumbled and the photos do not seam together with the posts.
I have not subscribed to Tapatalk…just didn’t want to buy it.
Most other forums work trouble free on the iPhone, and that’s how I do most of my browsing.
Thoughts?

Travis

[T. Wiles]

Hey Zach,

Sorry I’ve been out of touch for a while…just got my laptop back, after getting a nasty virus removed (damn PC’s!) Also been traveling, and my home looks like HGTV with contractors ripping it apart for renovations, so I’ve been offline a while.

Listened to your Podcast with John St John, and found it very informative, Thanks for doing it–John’s a great guy, and works hard to produce a nice product.

Here’s the scoop on the skiff:

There have been numerous holdups in production, namely the acessory add-ons were slow in fabrication due to use of a new welding company to create the parts. John is very meticulous, and would not send 2nd rate parts for his boat without thoroughly inspecting them with his stamp of approval.
There are a couple of us East TN, NC, VA die-hard river-chasers who have been anxiously awaiting the boat arrivals, and it’s finally about to happen.
After this first holdup, I expect production of these boats to become much more straightforward and efficient.

Original post was changed in the shuffle, so here’s a few photos from before.

Aluminum trailer that I had welded in Southhaven MS near Memphis by Cherokee manufacturing:
Exceptional quality and equal or less cost than the galvanized EZ Loaders that I was considering:

My first glimpse of an early prototype of the skiff:

Now, Here’s my skiff (the one on top), ready to be delivered from California to Charlotte. It’s due to arrive next week:

• This reply was modified 13 years, 2 months ago by Zach Matthews. Reason: Travis - this board uses real HTML instead of bulletin board short codes. I fixed the links for you. - ZM
• This reply was modified 13 years, 2 months ago by T. Wiles.

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