Fighting Even the Small Fries With Ease!

One of my biggest pet peeves when fly fishing is holding the rod correctly when fighting a fish. ANY fish! Some may argue "Oh it doesn't matter if it is a smaller fish, you can still hold the rod this way or that." I say, "NO! You cannot!" Here's why: the handle of the rod was designed to take the brunt of the force when fighting a fish. I have seen guys fighting fish, large fish like salmon and steelhead and holding the handle and the blank, which is a no no especially when fighting a larger fish. It's okay for extra support but some guys were depending on holding the blank above the rod handle.

Edit: PLEASE, if you don't read ANYTHING ELSE read this: <link>  This link is from the official Sage site about rods breaking and why they do! Very informative!

On a heavier rod, as most if not all of you know, there's a thing we all love and it's called the fighting butt. It's called that for a REASON! You put it on your hip and acts as leverage when fighting a fish. However, as I mentioned, most people want to hold the blank as well as the handle of the rod itself. It feels more comfortable to them but it's a no no. Have I stressed that enough? : ) 

Here is a post about why leverage is so important in fly fishing much less fishing period! It goes in depth but it really is excellent when you read the entire thing. Seriously, I learned from it even though I do fight with the rod from side to side and not straight up in the air.

Above is a video on a guy fighting in saltwater conditions. At 0:40 you see him doing the naughty: holding the rod not for support but for leverage. Granted, it appears that the ferrule popped out but nevertheless, my pet peeve!

There was another GREAT video of a guy fighting a giant salmon on a fly rod and was holding it by the blank. Literally broke in half. Then again, he was fighting it with the tip and not the butt section.

Above is yet another classic example of someone fighting the fish with the blank. Although, I do applaud him because he IS fighting a larger fish and he was holding the rod to the side while fighting. Again it is not so much as it broke as it came apart perhaps.

Bottom line: don't be stupid. Play the fish out. Mind your P's and Q's because the fish is FIGHTING FOR ITS LIFE! Use the butt section of the rod for leverage instead of the tip. Comment if you wish on how you play a fish out whether big or small! 

Apply That Dubbing....Correctly!

For those who tie with dubbing frequently (ME!), you already know these tricks. For those who are new at applying dubbing or you just need a refresher course, then this article is for you.

Short and sweet. Literally. The process is simple and yet effective. I like that kind of learning! Find it here!

Selecting the Perfect Hackle

Ah, yes. Hackle is classic material for a variety of wet and dry flies alike. I find myself being VERY frustrated when I tie a #6 4XL wooly bugger and the hackle is TOO SHORT or the hackle is not very good quality.

This article jumps in expecting you know things about tying flies so if you are a beginner, you may find yourself looking up things but that's how you learn so there should be no shame! It is a bit of a hard read, for me at least, because it seems a bit cluttered but nevertheless, it really has great info and tips. Maybe I'm just biased because I'm posting a lot of this stuff several days in a row. Oh well. I found it useful and I hope you guys do too!

Baby Bugger!

I love to tie small wooly buggers. Why? They're fun to tie, cute (hey, I'm secure enough in my manhood to say things are cute), and work pretty darn well in any freshwater conditions not to mention you can tie them in a variety of colors in a variety of sizes and mix and match colors to provide a variety of effects and patterns. Good stuff! Honestly, they are my go to fly. On the smaller flies, I tend to tie them with a bit shorter tail to make them appear as if they are wooly worms but they are not.

This article, found here, talks about different materials to make the perfect baby bugger. I am super excited to try these out! It gives me an excuse to buy more material and to experiment! Enjoy and get experimental! Who knows? Your next fish may be the catch of your life!

Tight lines!