Always Listen To Your Betters

[Don Andersen]

Folks,

 

Now none of you would have know my Mom but this was one of her favourite sayings.

 

Now how does that apply to a fishing site.

 

Well, we all see folks doing or saying things that will make our catch rate higher.

 

This summer I took her advice.

 

The story goes like this - a year ago last spring I happened to be on a lake near Kamloops, BC and spotted Brian Chan casting boobies. He was doing quite well and we chatted for a while about the fishing and bamboo builders meeting happening that week. And then last winter Brian demonstrates his 5 favourite flies. First I see what is working and then Brian shares the patterns so...

 

This summer these got a work out.

 

 

With this being the first fish caught. A typical early spring 'bow of about 5 lbs.

 

 

 

But it didn't stop there. Day after day in lake after lake the red micro leech proved it's talent. Not only in lakes in BC but all over Alberta as well.

 

But there was more. After getting my butt kicked @ Miller's Lake near Edson this fall, I tried a boobie that looked like this....

 

 

The one above is a tad ratty as it has landed several dozen fish this fall with some of them exceeding 5 lbs. While this is one of the colours that produced, I tied a bunch in several colour combinations. The picture was taken to show the colours.

 

So arrived in due course a cross-section of boobies in various colour combos.

 

 

As you can see, I'm prone to using yellow as the eyes. The booby eyes are constructed of Evasote Closed cell foam that I got @ Fishtails in Calgary. The sheet I got came in 1/4" thickness so I cut a 1/4 strip off and cut it into 3/4" lengths. Each length was tied to a hook and trimmed to a semi round shape. They don't have to be perfect to work. If one side is a tad too long, the fly will tend to skitter sideways making for an interesting presentation. A touch of super glue to the tie in point locked things down.

 

Now I was NOT A BOOBY FAN till this year. Unlike how I'd fished them earlier with a slow nearly static like retrieve [think PowerBait andPickerel rig], this year the flies are cast over 4>8' of water, let sink for about 10 seconds and then retrieved quite quickly to the boat. The line used is a type #4 c/w a 3.5' leader of 8 lb. floro. All fish were lip hooked unlike the slow retrieve where the fly was found @ the entrance of the stomach.

 

Lesson learned. When I pay to get good info + hotel rooms + meals to get some of the finest info in the world, like my Mom said "you'd best listen to your betters".

 

regards,

 

Don

[vince]

Don

 

Great little storey and thanks for the info and pictures. I can tell you that I do listen to my betters....always something new to learn ....be it from you, from Brian Chan, from a buddy or from readings.

 

Vince

[Grumpy]

how very true,

[DennisS]

Don great words of wisdom. Every day is a learning curve. Always lesson & learn.

 

Thanks for the reminder I completely forgot about the red micro leech. I have to tie a few of those up this winter.

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S

[Rainbow]

Don,

That Maroon Leach of Chan's worked in Manitoba too!

I haven't tied the boobies up yet, but hopefully this winter, thanks for the tips.

Have you considered or been asked to give us northern folks a seminar one of these January's? I know I would be one of the first in line for a ticket.

[Don Andersen]

Rainbow,

 

My thanx for the kind words but it takes a pile of skills to do the type of presentation that the January semiar requires. While there is no question that I can tell stories, the real issue is to make them believable c/w pictures.

From my experience, doing a 1/2 hour presentation c/w pictures etc. may take many hours to prepare providing the pictures and compter programs are available.

I really don't have the.time. My bamboo operation presently means 5>6 hours/day 7 days a week. That is about all I want to do presently. There is some fish to be caught every now and then.

 

Regards,

 

 

Don

[Don Andersen]

Guys,

 

The proof is in the pudding so to speak.

Here is a trout that found a booby worthwhile.

 

 

regards,

 

Don

[Don Andersen]

And this is what happens!