Friday, May 23, 2014

Plastic fantastic.

I know I have mentioned it before, but plastics can be used on a fly rod. I reminded myself of this once again this evening.


I had wandered down to the lake before I realized I had left my flies in the van. There was pretty much no way I was going back to the car.......just way to painful an experience to have to do that walk anymore than I have to..........I don't move too well.

I figured I would be careful...........not put my only fly in jeopardy. That didn't last long and it was soon hung up in a tree. I did have access to a rubber worm, and associated hook, so on it went. Being bulkier and heavier than most ( not all ) flies, it requires a bit more thought to cast, though you approach it in pretty much the same manner as a heavy fly. A great, big, open loop cast. I cast it the same as I would a sinking line. Not the most fun one can have casting, but it is what it is. Back in the day when chucking plastics with a fly rod  was more fashionable, folks would chop down the tip of their (fibreglass) rods to aid in throwing the bait.

Its not just plastics that have fallen out of favor with todays fly anglers. If you pick up books old enough you will see that spinners, plugs, spoons, jigs, etc, used to be part of a fly anglers arsenal. Occassionally you will still see this pop up in the boxes of some anglers.

Such as things are, I was rewarded for my perseverance with a bass. Not a big bass, but a bass all the same.

I don't throw plastics alot. Well, at least not with the fly rod. If I am fishing spin gear for bass its a mainstay. Mainly I like to throw plastics because few others do, and I like to point out that it is an effective method......though far from my favorite. It maybe something you want to give a try. In a pinch like I did tonight, or on an outing when the fish just aren't responding to your usual flies. Plastics work.


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