chiasson

I'm out of town and I know nothing about these so I was hoping someone could recommend a traditional style aluminum fly box designed to hold salmon and spey type flies so I could buy it online. The style with the clips for individual flies is what I'm looking for, I think. I accidentally crushed a bunch of my flies last year lugging them around in a bugger box. I'm jealous of yall getting to fish the Bow year round. The only option I have right now is tidal water. C.

I'm jut wondering about preference for length of the stinger. I figure it would be optimal to have the stringer just hidden within the longest material on the fly, and not any longer, so as not to miss fish to short strikes. I've been experimenting with this and have tied up some Clousers and buggers with small stingers, haven't fished them yet though.

Within the last year a guy posted a review of the 5. I tried to search for it with no luck, you might be able to find it if you root around.

I got the 5110 switch and really like it. Great for long line nymphing, roll casts triple nymph rigs and mends line beautifully. I haven't found a line that I like for casting bigger streamers, but I hear compact skagit lines do it well. I'm gonna pick up one and give er a go. I would think for the Bow that a 5 weight switch or a spey rod of similar weight would work well.

I just watched Spey to Z last night, this video is awesome. I found the instruction to be very well planned out and all three guys are awesome teachers. The Rio video is great as well but I think some of the basic principles of spey casting aren't stressed enough for beginners. I'm curious to see the Skagit vid. Does anyone have a copy and want to trade for either of these other vids, I have a bunch of other fly fishing and tying vids as well?

Awesome looking fly! May I ask what size salmon hooks work well with trout?

DNA Clouser with stinger

I didn't realize it had a tip built in, I thought it was just a special taper designed for casting heavy flies.

I have the #6 Zaxis and I wanna be able to toss heavy and wind resistant trout streamers with it. I've been told that the 200 grain SA Streamer line will work great on this rod. However, I'm wondering if a #7 GPX would be similar (I already have one), it's the same weight approximately, maybe even a touch lighter. The details are: the rod is designed for a six weight line (160 grains) and the GPX is a heavy 7, so somewhere above 185 grains (standard 7) but below an eight weight at 210. The taper cant be the same as the SA express but the GPX has gotta be better than a standard six weight line at tossing streamers and I'm pretty sure the rod can handle it. And, if it does turn out to be heavy couldn't I just chop a bit off the front? Wouldn't this make the GPX more aggressive like a streamer taper anyways? I was also wondering if anyone knew if streamer lines generally are a line weight, or a line weight and a half, heavy?

I've seen videos where flies are rigged to have the stinger hook point facing up and others where it's facing down. I was wondering if anyone knew the theory behind putting the hook up?

Sat down to tye some dries and nearly pulled my hair out, so I made this.

So you just jam the tube between the bodkin handle and the vice jaws?

I was just curious to know if anyone has cleverly rigged up a homemade vise attachment for tying tubes.

A guy at a fly shop in Halifax today told me that he uses plastic Qtips for all his unweighted tube flies (your not allowed to fish for Salmon in NS with a weighted fly). Just cut to length and flare the ends in the blue part of a lighter flame. He also said that straight eyed Mustad #8s work great with Qtip tubes without a need for a hook keeper tube.

I'm curious to know what line you fishing streamers with on the Z590. I had the 690 and found that it buckled like crazy with a clouser on or didn't have the guts to punch a big bugger into the wind. Was probably my crap skills; my SH streamer casting is ugly.

The ZXL isn't that slow of a rod really, it's slower than the Z but still very solid. Last year, I was shopping for a three weight mainly as a dry rod and was torn between the ZXL 386 and the Z390. I ended up going with the ZXL as I though it would be a little more delicate and, as well, in part to the reviews it has gotten, it was designed to replace a very popular dry fly rod. Anyways, I'm very happy with it. Lots of guys fish nymphs with it as well, so I've read. I'm sure the Z is kick ass as a more all around rod or as a drift boat nymph/dry rod. If you like to fish lakes, maybe a longer 3 might be the ticket, would also double as a great rod for short line nymphing. You mentioned the Z690, I had this rod actually but sold it to my dad. I fished it on the Bow for two years and it's an incredibly versatile rod, it fishes everything from tiny dries, to triple nymph rigs to all but the biggest of trout streamers (it wasn't that good with weighted streamers such as clousers). I don't think you can go wrong with either a 4,5 or 6 9' Z as as all around trout rod. Pick which one is best for you based on the fish and weather in your area. From what you described, I'm going to say 3 and 6. However, the big streamers may be a prob with the 6 as mine wasn't that good for that kinda thing but it may have just been me. From my experience, big streamers, and or sinking leaders, require a seven or higher to be fun. Maybe the 690 with a proper streamer line would be the ticket for tossing big uglies. I'd be curious to know myself.

I've been reading about this Death Star. I'd love to try it.

Thanks for the responses. I live in northern Nova Scotia actually. That record striper caught last winter in Cape Breton was only a few minutes from my place. Anyways, I'm seriously think I'm going to get into this. I really like the idea of a 7/8 because it would be a dual purpose rod (surf and rivers). I'm just wondering about length still. If I can't really get in the water and there is limited room behind me would it make sense to go with something ridiculously long so I could chuck stuff out there. Is surf casting mostly overhead casting, are anchored casts with DH rods possible or effective?

I'm curious about this as well. I'm presently living on the East Coast and would like to try some beach fishing on nice days over the next few months. Trout season doesn't start hear until April 1st. Anyways, I have a 5 weight 11 foot switch that I use for trout but I'm thinking that it would be too light to cast heavily weighted streamers, it may just be the line I got though. What weight do you guys use on the West Coast when beach fishing blind. I'm also wondering if something longer that an 11 footer would be more ideal since beach fishing, for me at least, would be a lot of roll casting? As well, I'm curious what the difference between a surf rod and a switch rod is?

That's interesting because I was told once, by an allergist, that I have a mild allergy to phosphates. Even one drink of anything with preservatives containing phosphates in it, cheap beer for example, makes me feel a bit off. I always found it harsh but perhaps I should be using ivory soap.

I've also heard, and wondered, about the use of WD on rods and Armour All on lines. I'm no David Suzuki, but putting this stuff in the water can't be a good thing. At the same time, I'm not naive enough to think that the river isn't already full of man introduced stuff that's harmful to aquatic life. However, in my opinion, if everyone does their own small part to protect what we still have out their, our collective efforts will make a difference, hopefully. +1 for dish soap

THe Rusty Rat looks awesome. What's the collar made with?

I found the part about lakes turning over great was well. For anyone new to podcasting, this show, and the whole Ask About Fly Fishing series is available for download, for free, from the itunes store. All you need is the itunes software, also free.

Uncle just sent me these, they were taken in Northern Ontario.

I have the Windcutter 4/5 on my switch rod. It seems like a decent line; however, I bought it because the Rio site recommended it as the line to match my rod, but, it was way too heavy. Long story short, it cost 90 bucks or something and it's only been used a few times. I'm thinking of shortening up the head as you suggested after casting it last summer, Max. I've also talked to other guys with this rod and think I know what I need to get. The line I really wish I hadn't bought was a 6 weight sharkskin. I'm waiting for the thing to die so I have an excuse to try something else. To it's credit it's still functional after 2 seasons on the Bow, 60+ days. It's just, in my opinion, over priced, loud and picks up dirt... and I wish I had of got the nymph taper but they weren't out at the time. To it's credit, the regular one did work well for nymph fishing. I bet the lighter Sharkskins would be great dry fly lines.