Yuku free message boards

jkurtz7 wrote:

---

... By the way, we consider 4wt rods to be acceptable here so we won't get on you if you post about them.

Oooo ... this could unleash a monster

Australian salmon (also kahawai in New Zealand) - not a salmon at all but a species of perch.
We get massive surface schools of these fish from late winter through to summer - incredible sportsfish that jumps repeatedly and then fights hard and long
This one was on the Dan Craft FT 4wt - I'll go get one for you the 3wt soon to keep things on topic



And yellowtail kingfish too - now (our summer) is peak season. This one on the same Dan Craft 4wt - lucky it was only a little rat

This little bugger (that's the name of the prototype) is something I've been playing with - surprisingly effective. Sshhhh please ... keep it quiet .... I've not told anyone about it here in Australia yet

Flickfly wrote:

---

Great pics William ! I get Fly Life magazine .

More soon. Flickfly, I recall in one of the flylife mags there was an article on "fuzzel" flies - a technique created by a fantastic tier by the name of Muz Wilson - the guy is a legend over here. Anyway, I make up two of his patterns, the fuzzel fish and the BMS. Some pics when I have time.

Ah ... here's a link to the fuzzel stuff (hope it's okay to link.)
http://www.flylife.com.au/library/articles/40/40.html

Thanks everyone for the kind words of encouragement. Strangely, fly fishing is not as popular in Australia as it ought to be given the quality of fishing available. Conventional fishing is huge but fly fishing is considered somehow elitist and snobbish UL is very limited in popularity, although small stream "twigging" for trout is definitely catching on. There is a great pioneer of salty UL living in Western Australia by the name of Ron Pearson who has, as I recall, over 60 species on a 2wt TFO professional.

I'm just fiddling round the edges really - most of my fly fishing is still with heavier weights because so much of the fishing opportunities we have here demands it. But I love the way UL opens up exciting new possibilities in thousands of places most people wouldn't bother fishing, or may even consider to be "just little bait fish". To me it's all wonderful engagement with nature and I have just as much respect for the small fish because they provide some of the biggest and most accessible sportfishing thrills on truly delightful gear - and it's mostly sight-fishing at close quarters, so how much more can one ask for? Quests for bigger fish and epic battles laced with testosterone have their place - but to me UL is about balance and also being able to appreciate the finer things in life.

Regarding the "little bugger" crab pattern or "LB" as I'm thinking of naming it - it's just a piece of plastic tubing (kids here call them scoobies) cut at an angle and tied back. Burnt mono eyes and a sprig of marabou to provide some life and elevate its status from "plastic" to "fly"