SirCranksalot

I' have done very little fly fishing. Are those nymphs that you fish off the bottom? And that hairy scud----do you use that on open water or fish thru the ice like Simcoe bugs? Thx

looks like you were all tied up

did you get out?

any bows today?

"They are high hook bugs. You can also fly fish them and use as a high hook over a dropper fly. Or use as a dropper under a dry." are you referring to the Simcoe bug or the scud pattern(hairy) fly? Re river---I am not much of a steelheader so my judgement re conds is not great. There have been no fishermen's cars parked at the 2 or 3 well known locs so far. If you look on the wateroffice website you can see that the level has dropped 1/2 m or so. The color is a bit better too. If you decide to come pls PM me so we can connect by phone. Thx

So how do you use those scuds that you tie? On the river? BTW, 'our' river has dropped quite a bit and is starting to clear up

Yes, those are like mine(pic of mine below) So did you tie that scud, or did you just download the pic? What are yours supposed to imitate? thx

OF---thx for that link. I had some good info. Brian----both yours and the original? simcoe bug on the SI website look quite unlike those I saw on quite a few Youtube videos that I checked out. Those were quite hairy, using something they called dubbing. So I am wondering if yours are supposed to be scuds or larvae for insects such as Mayflies?

Do you know how well the bugs worked for George in open water fishing? thx

Has anybody tried them? As I understand it, they are supposed to imitate a scud/shrimp rather than a caddis. I was thinking of trying them for spring lakers and for possibly for bass. Are scuds present in most, or even all, of our lakes? From what I have read they constitute a significant percentage of the diet of many fish esp in the spring and fall when insects and their larvae are more scarce. Does anybody have a good source of info on this? TIA

Up at 3:30 to tie those??? You some kind of nymphomaniac??

Very interesting. What are they supposed to be imitating? I thought the weather was a bit cool for bugs when the trout run on the rivers in spring or fall? I agree with OF---like to try them for bass.

I am surprised that a reel would need new parts. What parts were replaced? I have balked at sending to P'boro with the postage cost etc. I had my Stradic serviced by a guy in Missuagua(sp?) someplace and was not too impressed.

IMO, there's a just thin line between a challenge and a PITA and often depends on which side of the bed I get out on. The vintage Mitchell was a challenge. I think my Shimanos would be squarely in the PITA camp.

Thx. For me, with my big fat fingers, there is a real risk that I will make things worse rather than better. Maybe much worse if I lose a tiny screw, so I would settle for a bit less than optimum performance.

Thx for the comments, guys. From what I read on Google, Vaseline should never be used. It's on the web so it must be true!😃 I have never taken a modern spinning reel apart---just my vintage Mitchell 300s. There is a beauty in their simplicity. My understanding is that modern reels have a clutch that should never touch oil or grease. Terry---do you just go by time---2 yrs or whatever---or do you check their operation first to see if there is a problem. The reels that I have checked seem to spin just fine even though I have had them for a few yrs and never greased them.

How do you decide on when to lube your reels. I often see a recommendation to do it yearly. It seems to me that time is the wrong criterion to use. I have had, for e.g., a Shimano Sienna for quite a few years that i have never lubed. The rotating head still spins quite freely so I don't see why I should bother. I tend to subscribe to the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it" philosophy. What has been your experience and practice? TIA

Thx. I didn't know there was such a thing as lead wrap. I know a guy who was doing some DIY bugs and he was using copper wire, I think. I assumed that you had used it as well. I am guessing that tungsten heads are used mainly to get them to sink faster.

An update---bud and I went to Lake X in Muskoka yesterday. Marking fish was a rare event except at my buds hole # 5, 6, or maybe 7 late in the day. He caught 3 or 4 small lakers on his Simcoe bug. He doesn't use a drop shot rig----just the bug with a pinhead minnow hooked thru the nose. Pinheads were all the shop had. The prev time he had done the same with a 2- 3" minnow. I used a drop shot with a Meegs at the bottom tipped witha variety of things---3 or 4 pinheads, a chunk of worm, and other things. I had one of my bigger bugs tipped with a pinhead about 40 cm up the line. No takers, but then again very few lookers. I guess you can display all sorts of delectable goodies in your store front window but if there is nobody passing by to see them then you are SOL. He is more patient than I am. It seems to take forever to sink 70 ft. It seemed even longer when I tried it with Berkley Ice line-----maybe that's a bit buoyant, not a true braid. Maybe one more try next week on Lake Y. BTW, he mentioned that his Simcoe bug had tungsten which I guess is quite heavy. Does your have tungsten or some other metal? thx

A bit surprised. Lots of Newfs in Angus

Foodlands, owned by Sobeys, might have some. Maybe some on the black market??

Yeah, worth a try. Like the times you say to yourself--"Ah, I'm tired of eating fish. Maybe I'll snack on a few bugs" I am sure we all have had that thought, eh. 😉

So you are suggesting tube/swimbait on a dropshot on a dead stick? With my set-up my dead stick is usually 30-50 ft away. I did a bit more 'research' and I think my odds are against me. The fish we usually catch have white flesh which means, as I understand it, that they are eating other fish rather than bugs or crustaceans. The guy on the other site who catches them in H'burton seems to catch mostly orange colored lakers.

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Thx Brian. I have used a drop shot rig on other occasions/situations with just a sinker on the end. I just was not sure what akaShag was describing. He has now clarified. thx to both of you. I might give those Meegs a try as well.