Sensei

Euro Nymphing knowledge you seek to know? Ah Grasshoppers, ready you are for this technique?

To All grasshoppers, a class I’ll ask your Sensei to make! Listens to me he does.

As the great Sensei of ALL fly fishers it is done!

Oh Grasshopper,

It’s good to ask before frustration sets in.  Your twist could be caused by several things since I can’t watch how you are fishing. Twist could be from tying your knots incorrectly. A double or triple surgeon’s knot should be straight and not “add” any twist to your line. Or you could be getting twists in your tippet from your casting. When using an indicator with flies and maybe split shot to boot, one must do a good “lob” cast where there is no slack in the line during the cast.  Slack in line or very little tension in the line during your cast could cause the leader to whip all around especially with all the “weighted points” along the leader, i.e. indicator, split shot weighted flies.  Pulling off tippet that is “curled” – stretch the tippet straight and pull on it gently but apply “heat” from your hands by rubbing up and down on the tippet – this should straighten it out.  Next time you see Master Kenny on the water let him see what is happening and I’m sure he can help you get “straightened out:!!

Remember, I do! The Songhua river was a trip even I enjoyed. Caught many fish, I did with my Tenkara rod.  “from the Heavens” the trip was.

Grasshopper Kenny,

Proud you make me with the knowledge you possess. A good student you have been!!!

Grasshopper,

Watch you must, the videos on the education section of this unbelievable website. Go to the Education section – Bug information.  Each aquatic insect has a video that will show you exactly what each of the four major aquatic insects look like for real. View these videos for the best “real” info.

Tony-Mac Grasshopper,

Welcome you are to our fellowship.  Started we did many years ago (2007) under the tutelage of one of my students, Kenny Klimes.  He will help you get started I am sure. They fish all over the US and everywhere in Missouri. Join you must!!  Contact them through the contact page or at [email protected].  Contact you they will.

Tightlines!

Interesting question you have Grasshopper Tim and Grasshopper Kenny, I see you learned well in our school many years ago.

Organizing fly boxes is not hard if up to the fly fisher who uses them. And yes Kenny, women that we like do come in all shapes and sizes. But decide you must on your own. Here are some tips that you may ponder when your decision needs to be made:

1. Fill your box by type of insect stage; dry fly (adult), emergers, nymphs, or larva
2. Fill your box by pattern; midge, mayfly, caddis or stonefly
3. Fill your box by season; summer, fall, winter and spring
4. Fill you box by your confidence flies – a working box of flies you seem to use the most for the specific river
5. Fill your box by size of flies; size 20s & 18s, size 16s & 14s, etc
6. Fill your box by species of fish; rainbow, brown, bass, etc.
7. Fill your box by weight and profile of the flies (many fly fishing competitors do it this way)

Fun with it you should have and fret not. Just catch fish and enjoy the creator’s glory!!

Grasshopper’

Fishing weeds are you. This is good as long as you aren’t “cultivating” weed. Frustrating it can be to hang up time after time on a weedy bottom. And correct you are to say that scuds like the weeds to hide. Did you know that a scud will turn from gray to pink when it dies? I think so…. Which means if an area is filled with scuds (like a tailwater) try a pinkish scud when the water rises. The scuds that were trapped on the shore when the water level went down have died, turned pinkish and are now flushed out when the water level rises. But I digress….

Another thing to know about scuds and you can see this during one of your fellowship’s Stream Team events is they are very good swimmers unlike some nymphs. Many fly fishers tend to fish them dead drift (which is a good technique) but fish them as though they were swimming! So, in a weedy location that is loaded with scuds try to “swing” or slowly “strip” these scud flies for fewer hangups and more catching.

If the weed bed area is shallow then swinging a soft hackle or even a crackleback can be deadly especially if you see fish suspended or on the surface. A dry fly could entice a few but if they are roaming the film layer of the water swinging a small soft hackle or small emerger fly will do the trick.

Tight lines always to you my Grasshopper…….