Comments for caseysmartt.com

Comment on Tumblebugs by Gary Griffin

Gary Griffin — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:47:47 +0000

I have a friend who “imported” a few from his pasture and put them in his outside dog kennel(s)
run(s) to help clean things up. The beetles flourished and they seem to work quite well !

Comment on Tying the Deadhead Minnow by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:49:26 +0000

Gary,
I have tried a few other materials (EP Fibers, marabou, buck tail, etc…) but the craft fur seems to work the best. Have also been using Gamakatsu Finesse hooks which are good for freshwater. This fly works best in hook sizes #2 and larger. Mostly too big for panfish. Best colors have been solid white or solid chart.

Casey

Comment on Tying the Chrome Minnow by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:44:05 +0000

Hello Gary.

I only tie the Chrome Minow as shown. Jig hook, stainless eyes, K Flash, and fishair… Nothing else needed.

Comment on Tying the Chrome Minnow by gary

gary — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:43:42 +0000

What are your favorite colors? Have you tried the tulip glitter on the heads of these? Do you put any material behind the eyes?

Comment on Tying the Deadhead Minnow by gary

gary — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:39:52 +0000

That is a great looking bait fish pattern. Have you used any other materials besides craft fur? I am planning on tying some up to fish for stripers. What are your favorite colors? Do smaller ones work for trout or panfish?

Comment on Smartt’s Glass Minnow by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:58:12 +0000

Hello Tim, thanks for the note. Glad to her you are having such great luck with the Glass Minnow. I too catch a lot of fish on that fly. I appreciate your tips on different versions of the fly for various fish/actions. Send some pics!

Thanks again,
Casey

Comment on Smartt’s Glass Minnow by Tim

Tim — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:53:57 +0000

I have to tell you that this fly has become my all-time favorite fly fresh or saltwater. I first came to know it through a youtube video where you were nailing stripers one cast after another and listed the fly as the glass minnow. I came to the site and found out how to tie it, and I’ve been playing with variations ever since. It is just so simple, so easy to tie, that it’s just plain genius. My favorite variation right now is a craft fur tail with a few strands of crystal flash and several fibers of bucktail to prevent the CF from fouling. Dubbing loop to spin the ice dub head, Goop for the eyes. This has caught me spanish macks, jacks, ladyfish, snook, herring, bluefish, stripers, hybrid striped bass, white bass, largemouth, smallmouth, and more species. It just doesn’t stop producing. So easy, so realistic, yet so much movement! Easy to modify if you have specific needs (for bluefish I sometimes use tougher synthetic tails like SF blend and only dub halfway up shank). Anyway, thanks for a great pattern!

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:43:56 +0000

Hello Michael.

I get a good glassy “Surf Candy” effect with only 2 coats, but I use a turner. Without one you will not be able to get consistent results with Aleene’s or epoxy. The thick coats you want will sag and roll/drip too much when manipulated by hand. I know of no way to thicken Aleene’s.

Another option you may want to consider is to invest in one of the light-cured acrylic set ups. Tuffleye and Clear Cure Goo are two popular brands. Start up kits consist of a special flashlight with an intense beam, and a few tubes of the acrylic resins. These resins have the consistency of epoxy, but cure in a matter of 10-20 seconds when hit with intense light. The resins are available in hard or flexible versions. They cost more than epoxy or Aleene’s, but if you tie many epoxy type flies the convenience of instant cure is worth it. The finished resins do not yellow and are impervious to water and most solvents… Very tough.

Casey

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by michael

michael — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 05:50:09 +0000

I’m tying some epoxy like bodied minnows with aleene’s fabric fusion, I’ve just started playing with this unknow substance (thanks by the way) and working on new patterns, I have come out in the end with a pretty good effect on these patterns, but it takes me 3 or 4 coats to get a good glassy effect, what I was wondering was there anyway to thicken the aleene’s? so it could be applied a lot thicker, an just cut out 1 or 2 coatings. An also I have no rotary wheel to dry my flies on, would you have any advice on how to get good results without one with this same product and other epoxy, glues, ect.

thanks
sorry for the long Q.

Comment on Canyon Lake Fly Fishing Report 3-24-2012 by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:31:58 +0000

Hello Allen.

Yes, I will post those up. Essentially the same, but spread 2 coats silicone instead of fabric paint. 3D eyes replaced with flat stick-on eyes. Hook is a wicked 2/0 Gamakatsu Finnese.

Comment on Canyon Lake Fly Fishing Report 3-24-2012 by allen hulsey

allen hulsey — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:55:14 +0000

hey casey, will you be posting a tying recipe for your silicone deadhead minnow? thanks a bunch for the cool site

Comment on Canyon Lake Fly Fishing Report 3-15-2012 by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:09:16 +0000

Hello Chris.

I have been using the SA intermediate clear Bonefish line for years and more recently the Royal Wulff triangle taper clear intermediate (both great lines). I was looking for a clear floater when the PE line came out. I like it… Works fine fresh or salt. I don’t throw too many poppers with it, but it seems fairly buoyant. No problem lifting off water surface. Good line for casting to spooky fish in shallow water. Any of these clear lines takes some getting used to. Judging distance can be tough when casting a clear fly line, but you eventually get the feel.

Here’s a link to Cortland’s site.

http://www.cortlandline.com/products/default.asp?id=566

Casey

Comment on Canyon Lake Fly Fishing Report 3-15-2012 by Christopher Michael Vargo

Christopher Michael Vargo — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:00:32 +0000

How does the saltwater line fish in the fresh? does it still float?

Comment on Canyon Lake Fly Fishing Report 3-15-2012 by Bob Lewis

Bob Lewis — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 22:03:22 +0000

Great Fun! Envy , Envy, Envy Bob I saw this yesterday right after you posted it. Thanks for sharing…

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by exexangler

exexangler — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:03:34 +0000

i just posted my test results on my blog.

http://exexangler.blogspot.com/2012/03/aleenes-fabric-fusion-test.html

let me know if you have any thoughts/comments!

Comment on Tying the Chrome Minnow by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:39:07 +0000

Thanks Steve! I like those trout reports you have.

Casey

Comment on Tying the Chrome Minnow by Steve Gibson

Steve Gibson — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:49:19 +0000

Good site, Good flies. I am a fly tyer and guide in Florida. Check me out: http://www.kayakfishingsarasota.com and http://gibbysfishingblog.blogspot.com/

Comment on Nose Job: Fly Fishing for Black Drum by Finly

Finly — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:30:54 +0000

hi!!!

Comment on Tying the Chrome Minnow by Chadd

Chadd — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:28:41 +0000

Nice looking fly — great photos!

Comment on Flies by Chris

Chris — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:32:54 +0000

Please teach us how to make those killer glass minnows. I know a spot the would be deadly on Tarpon.

Comment on Spanish Macks by paul sparks

paul sparks — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:04:49 +0000

awesome pics

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by exexangler

exexangler — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:31:47 +0000

great. thank you for being so helpful. i will do the test and let you know. i am thinking it might have to do with it reacting with adhesives, particularly super glue. i used the glue to build up a pearl braid body, before coating with AFF. i’m going to test that as well. thanks again! (btw…love your posts and flies!)

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:06:23 +0000

I have not noticed any yellowing on my flies. But, I usually lose them or replace them after a few months so I suppose it is possible. It seems, though, I remember reading on Duncan Craft’s website that AFF is acid-free which would suggest it does not yellow over time. A good test would be to apply some AFF to white paper and leave it in a window for a while, then apply a new drop after a month or so and compare the opacity/color.

Casey

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by exexangler

exexangler — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:10:27 +0000

have you noticed that the AFF starts to yellow after some time? i tied a bunch of albie flies with them and i’ve noticed some yellowing (it’s been about 4 months since i’ve tied them). also, it looks like it is yellowing in the bottle as well.

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by exexangler

exexangler — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:10:28 +0000

great, thanks!

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:13:54 +0000

Thanks, glad you liked it. Yes… Those eyes have 2 beads. Also, the AFF is available in a pen which makes application easier.

Casey

Comment on Aleene’s Fabric Fusion by exexangler

exexangler — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:37:23 +0000

great article. i can’t tell from the picture, but do you have both an orange and a black bead in the eye?

Comment on The Ultimate Edge: Fly Fishing the Texas Surf by Bill Skinner

Bill Skinner — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:00:14 +0000

Thanks for the information. I’m going to the north coast of the Dominican Republic in January and will try this. Just 2 1/2 weeks.

Comment on Freedom by caseysmartt

caseysmartt — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:07:06 +0000

Thanks Chris!

Comment on Freedom by Christopher Streetman

Christopher Streetman — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:42:03 +0000

Great article Casey. It makes me feel like I can almost smell the coastal air with the colors and textures that you created!–I am looking forward to fishing the Padre surf soon…..You will have to come to NorCal and fish the lower Yuba River with me for rainbows,steelhead and salmon….