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Fly fishing with Powerbait

12K views 47 replies 37 participants last post by  Gary Thompson 
#1 ·
Yeah, I did it. No, I don't feel as dirty as I expected, though I still feel like a shower. No, I didn't catch anything.
 
#10 ·
Too funny. Was fly fishing in float tubes up at Fish Lake with my now ex father in law around 25 years ago. I was doing pretty good catching fish. Can't recall the fly, but had several nice fish to hand. My father in law and brother in law weren't catching anything. Next thing I knew, he was catching fish. Then I caught what he was doing. He started tipping his flies with a Pautzke Ball O Fire. He kept up with me fish for fish after that.
 
#12 ·
A little context: I've been trying to catch burbot on a flyrod. It's been a challenge. They hunt right on the bottom, mainly feed at night, and use there sense of smell more than eyesight.
Researching them, I found that most successful anglers used glow in the dark lures tipped with some sort of bait. So this afternoon, after much deliberation, I headed over to the local fishing store in search of a smelly jelly to dose my big flashy streamers in. It felt like sneaking into one of those downtown pornshops. I pulled my hood over my head so I wouldn't be recognized! Bottle of crawdad scent in hand, I skulked around the store looking for glow in the dark materials. Suddenly i saw something that put a lightbulb over my head! Little glow in the dark spermies! They were perfect for incorporating into a fly! I mean it's frickin Burbot, you have to think outside the box! These things even have scent built in!
I recommend using an old full sink, and be prepared to lose a bunch of flies(and maybe a line) if you ever try Burbot. I'm going out tomorrow night with a gear guy that gets it done. Hopefully learn a thing or two.
 

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#18 ·
Trip, I have found that most of the glow-in-dark stuff barely glows even after leaving it in the sun all day or hitting it with a camera flash. I prefer using the mini glow sticks made for balsa bobber/floats as they really glow.

So, I may or may not have whacked the tail off an unscented glittered clear minnow, pulled out the foil and shoved a mini glow stick inside and tied a marabou tail on. If you slide the body up and cover the hook with thread it counts as a fly as long as you don't use scent. Sometimes I need a bit of superglue to close up the body but I try to leave a small hole to replace glow stick. These things are really bright! Here's the size that is easiest to find but I have found ones about an inch long too.

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#22 ·
Trip, I have found that most of the glow-in-dark stuff barely glows even after leaving it in the sun all day or hitting it with a camera flash. I prefer using the mini glow sticks made for balsa bobber/floats as they really glow.

So, I may or may not have whacked the tail off an unscented glittered clear minnow, pulled out the foil and shoved a mini glow stick inside and tied a marabou tail on. If you slide the body up and cover the hook with thread it counts as a fly as long as you don't use scent. Sometimes I need a bit of superglue to close up the body but I try to leave a small hole to replace glow stick. These things are really bright! Here's the size that is easiest to find but I have found ones about an inch long too.

View attachment 161115 View attachment 161116
Those mice tails glow pretty good when I hit them with a handheld spotlight for ten seconds. I like your idea better, though.
 
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#25 ·
Could be a lot more shameful. That looks like the right kinda thing for a bottom dweller. I first pictured a floating doughball on 6x.

Confession time: my first winter steelhead on the fly came when I packed for gear and fly fishing. The problem was, I forgot my gear rod and my flies. So I was casting/slinging a pink power-worm on a 1/4 oz. jighead. I was *almost* disappointed to hook up.
 
#30 ·
A little context: I've been trying to catch burbot on a flyrod. It's been a challenge. They hunt right on the bottom, mainly feed at night, and use there sense of smell more than eyesight.
Researching them, I found that most successful anglers used glow in the dark lures tipped with some sort of bait. So this afternoon, after much deliberation, I headed over to the local fishing store in search of a smelly jelly to dose my big flashy streamers in. It felt like sneaking into one of those downtown pornshops. I pulled my hood over my head so I wouldn't be recognized! Bottle of crawdad scent in hand, I skulked around the store looking for glow in the dark materials. Suddenly i saw something that put a lightbulb over my head! Little glow in the dark spermies! They were perfect for incorporating into a fly! I mean it's frickin Burbot, you have to think outside the box! These things even have scent built in!
I recommend using an old full sink, and be prepared to lose a bunch of flies(and maybe a line) if you ever try Burbot. I'm going out tomorrow night with a gear guy that gets it done. Hopefully learn a thing or two.
Hair Chin Hairstyle Shirt Hat
 
#31 ·
A little context: I've been trying to catch burbot on a flyrod. It's been a challenge. They hunt right on the bottom, mainly feed at night, and use there sense of smell more than eyesight.
Researching them, I found that most successful anglers used glow in the dark lures tipped with some sort of bait. So this afternoon, after much deliberation, I headed over to the local fishing store in search of a smelly jelly to dose my big flashy streamers in. It felt like sneaking into one of those downtown pornshops. I pulled my hood over my head so I wouldn't be recognized! Bottle of crawdad scent in hand, I skulked around the store looking for glow in the dark materials. Suddenly i saw something that put a lightbulb over my head! Little glow in the dark spermies! They were perfect for incorporating into a fly! I mean it's frickin Burbot, you have to think outside the box! These things even have scent built in!
I recommend using an old full sink, and be prepared to lose a bunch of flies(and maybe a line) if you ever try Burbot. I'm going out tomorrow night with a gear guy that gets it done. Hopefully learn a thing or two.
Looks like a fly to me!
 
#34 ·
we have a guide from the valley, really nice young man, who shows up periodically with his clients to swing for Kings in tidewater, always does well..before every cast he applies a home made mixture of various scents onto the flies..I know he's trying to make a living , and at least he's fly fishing, and encourages his clients to let the natives go..one day no one was doing a damn thing in the lineup, he shows up and parks next to me, see him squirt goo on their flies, they start fishing...and hook 4 fish in the next half hour while the rest of us still doing zip...at which point he gets my attention and throws the bottle over, says try it... I have a brief WTF moment, guiltily apply some on my fly, throw him back the squeeze bottle..cast out let it swing, bam..fish on, end up taking home a nice hatchery buck.

Last year buddy and I are 15 miles upstream, I'm swinging for steelies, he's floating pink worms, goes 3 for 4, I'm changing flies religiously and not getting hit. Frustrated, take one of his worms, cut it in half, dangle the paddle tail on the hook of the black and purple leech pattern, quarter cast, hit the hangdown, just leave it there for a bit..wham, fish on, nice hatchery fish.

If there is a heaven, and I arrive to see a door that says "Purists May Enter', I'll need to walk on by...lol
 
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