Pistol Petes for trout and more.

I went fishing about a month ago. Worden’s Rooster Tails, Wooly Buggers and Pistol Petes.  2 were caught on a black Bugger and the other was a yellow polka dot Rooster Tail.  Generally, I use a fly rod for my Pistol Petes.  My “go-to” is a black Wooly Bugger on the fly rod.  Pistol Petes are my #2 fly pattern for trout.  Generally for my spinning rod.

Spinning Rod

I use a split shot. about 4 inches from the Pistol Pete or Bugger.  Sometimes, I use a swivel.  I just started using them last year.  Don’t know why it took so long.  You could substitute the swivel for the split shot.  I also do this with my Rooster Tails.  I like them to stay down and depending on your retrieve, it can bring up the Pistol Pete in the water column.  I do use a peg cork to indicate nibbles and bites.  Sometimes, I use a start and stop retrieval.  At times, I also wait to reel in the fly just to give fish a chance to check things out. Since I use a lead weight and peg cork, I rarely use casting bubbles.  It wouldn’t hurt to use one.

When tying Pistol Petes, some use lead wire for more weight.  I do too.  

Lakes - I just cast out where they may be.  Sometimes, walking the bank, I cover as much water as possible.  Never hanging out too king in one spot.  My retrieval rates vary.  Slower on warmer days.

Tailwaters - It won’t hurt to drift the Pistol Pete.  Trout tend to use as little as energy as possible when feeding.  Cast and reel how you feel.  Get that fly down when you can.

Warmwater species - On lakes, ponds and creek: cast however you want and vary retrievals and utilize water column as you see fit.  

Fly rod

For trout, I mainly use a 5 wgt with WF floating line.  I use size 6, 8 and 10 Pistol Petes.  When fishing for Smallies and warmwater species, I mostly use a 6 wgt rod.

Lakes - I strip slowly.  I take my time and feel for the nibbles.

Tailwaters - I don’t use this on tailwaters but it won’t hurt to try it.  I would drift it and then strip it in.  Wait until you’ve drifted before stripping.

Warmwater species - On lakes, ponds and creek: cast however you want and vary retrievals and utilize water column as you see fit.

Notes:

Use different colors.  Utilize the water column.  Use casting bubbles, peg corks, weights OR don’t.  Try different retrievals and don’t stick with unproductive water.  Save money and tie your own Pistol Petes.  They sure aren’t cheap.  In the 2nd photo, you may notice a jig or “jig Bugger”.  I tied that one and have caught trout on it.  I not only cast jigs with a spinning rod but also a fly rod.  The Pistol Petes were also tied by me.  You can find lots of tying videos on YouTube.

I’ve got a warmwater Pistol Pete post here.  https://purposehere.blogspot.com/2012/08/pistol-pete-thanks-for-reassurance.html?m=1

My Fly Tying Books: Flies for Bass & Panfish - Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen

I am going to share some of the books that have helps me to develop a fly tire and as a fly fisher.  Some can be found at new or use bookstores or somewhere online.  You might have to do some digging around.  I find my books anywhere from Digital downloads to Flea markets.

This was given to me by my father and my first fly tying/reference book.  This was before fly tying had tell off on social media.  It was when you either had to find a blog or message boards.  Maybe even find some like minded folks in groups such as on Geocities.  

Warmwater fly fishing groups could be found but were rare.  You could find a few generic fly groups out there too but what I specifically wanted was definitely niche at the time.

To find warmwater fly fishing and fly tying books, you had to find them at a fly shops, outdoor stores, magazine advertisements, or publisher adverts in the back of books.

There were even a few VHS tapes and DVD’s but they were specially for bass bugs or largemouth bass.  Which is good but folks were catching all sorts of warmwater variety of spices.  Myself included.

These photos are from Flies for Bass & Panfish.  Out of respect of the authors,  I’m not sharing too much else other than photos or maybe a “mention”.

I do prefer warmwater species.  They are not numerous where I live them coo poop of water fish.  And what cold water species you can find here, the more crowded the location.  The patterns I’m sharing from this book are those which I’ve used in the past with success.

This is the Cajun Coachman.  It’s a good pattern for panfish.  I didn’t use this pattern until a few years after I was given the book.  It wasn’t until I learned more about its creator Tom Nixon and bought his book (Fly Fishing and Fly Tying fort Bass and Panfish) and participated in a few memorial fly swaps named after him.  

You can drift or strip this pattern.  It’s a nymph or attractor pattern.  I utilized this pattern mostly on creeks specifically targeting bluegills but catching all sorts of species of fish.  I mostly wade fish but also use a kayak on lakes and ponds.  It won’t hurt to have this pattern in your fly box.

This is the Holschlag Hackle Fly.  Sadly its creator passed a year or two ago.  Tim wrote a good book or two about fly fishing for Smallmouth bass.  It’s tied on a jig head or even weighted eyes.  I used it on a 1/16 oz jig.  I even use 1/8 but only when using at least a 6 wgt rod.  I mainly drift this pattern in deep or swift riffles.  I haven’t used it in a lake or pii I no but think it will produce for multiple species of fish.  It’s this color.  Brown with red or orange jig or eyes.  I’ve made this a mainstay in my fly box for Smallies.

This is the Calcasieu Pigboat which was created by Tom Nixon.  Calcasieu is the parish where he lived and fished. Pigboat is slang for U-boats or German submarines.  It was made to imitate the Hawaiian Wiggler which is the predecessor to spinner baits or even jig baits.  I’ve caught largemouth bass with this pattern.  My father too.  You can even attach a spinner blade.  I’ve done it.  You can tie these in many different colors.

This is the White Serpent.  I guess this could imitate a pig-and-jig?  There are some imitations or evolutions of these 2 Tom Nixon patterns.  Some utilize microsuede or action tails.  I’ve tied my PigBoats with  rubber legs for tails or rabbit strip.  Many variations can be made of these two patterns.

These patterns I’ve shared with you are just a few of the many flies which I’ve utilized from this book - Flies for Bass & Panfish by Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen.  Hope this title may one day help you catch fish or fulfill your fly tying hobby.

Feel free to ask any question in the Comments.  

Wading with my Epic 476 fly rod.

Waded an urban creek Sunday before last.  

Nice to finally get out this year. It’s my first time on the water for any species this year. Fished a creek that’s had stream bank restoration. One of the photos shows root balls that are added for such purposes as a physical barrier and habitat. 

Due to those efforts, habitat and better stream bank environs has contributed to better fishing. However, due to more businesses and homes being built in the furthest reaches of this section of headwaters that I fish, litter has increased due to runoff issues and flooding - mainly due to loss of farmland and Ozark prairies and bad city drainage and planning of large parking lots.

But I try to enjoy it as it was about 17 years ago when I began fishing this creek. Before runoff issues didn’t require this stream to have riparian restoration.  

‘Twas a good day out. 77° and sunny. Lots of conversation and looky-loos from the bike path. Smells from restaurant lunches filled the air. I fished up about as far as one could for it to be productive. Several bass and panfish came to hand. I do enjoy my Epic 476. One that I built. I do miss my 4 wgt CGR though.
 

Simms Flyweight Shoes - review

 

I’m not seeing the felt sole Flyweights on the Simms site but I’ve seen them in stores and online.  The rubber soles are still available.  So, I’ll still have a review.  

Having purchased these shoes in August 2019, it wasn’t until the next summer that they began to really break in.  It may be the felt sole that makes these shoe so tough to bend and soften at the creases.  I started wearing them in the Fall of ‘19.  That’s when I typically do a lot of wet wading.  

Why did I buy the felt sole shoes and not the rubber?  Lots of limestone and slick areas - and a history of bad knees.  As a matter of fact, I had knee surgery last Spring.  I thought the shoes would become comfortable fairly quickly.  But no.  They are pretty rigid in construct and will occasionally run a raw spot at the very top and edge of the laces where the foot enters the shoe.  But they grip well and protect from stubbing my toes.  

I also owned the Simms Rip Raps and wore those h til they began to fall apart.  And I’m tired of wearing wading boots with socks or sandals that let stones under my feet or sand blister my feet.  Last year, the shoes really began to feel more like tennis shoes or kind of like the Rip Raps.

Are they worth all the money?  They are if you do a lot of wet wading.  The neoprene has faded but they shoes have held up and the felt looks as if it could handle a few more years.

When wet wading, I used to wear my Korkers boots with felt soles.  Not a fan.  A bit clunky and they slowed my down.  I don’t like having to wear neoprene socks and get that odd tan line on the leg, ha ha.  

I do think Simms had it down with the discontinued Rip Raps.  Rubber soles with integrated felt.  A lighter build and easier break-in.

The Flyweights seem to be built like a freight train and will last.  Not the most comfortable but beats wearing wading boots or sneakers that won’t grip.

Crittermite - Smallmouth fly variation

 

Having trouble posting the video I made for this pattern.  Here is a link though.  https://twitter.com/panfish74/status/1501262935061979141?s=21

You’ll need to purchase popper tails for the head and Hellgrammite tails from Eastern Trophies Fly Fishing.

I’ve had a lot of success this pattern.  I use different size eyes based on what I’m casting.  You can even cast this pattern with a spinning rod.  Materials are straight forward.  The wing is some craft hair material I bought ages ago.  I stopped tying it in last year.  Panfish will also pounce on it.  I use an Allen B10 hook which may not be available anymore but you find one that will work.  Make sure it has a decent gap.

Have fun tying.

Review - Honest Amish Beard Balm

After using beard products for several years - probably since ‘18,  I’ve come to better understand them.  I say that because Honestl Amish was one of the first beard balms I purchased.  

To me, Honest Amish beard balm could be described as more of a butter.  A beard butter.  I’ve seen or handled some butters and I’m not a fan of beard butters.  Be also owned beard balms that break down fast in the hand and can be applied almost like an oil or butter because of the consistency of the product when broken down in hand.

Honest Amish does provide some hold and if applied properly, isn’t greasy or very oily. It does provide a light hold. It is not firm such as the balms from Luxurious Bastard or Honyocker. It is definitely not as light of a hold as some of the other products I’ve used such as Grave before Shave and some other smaller local brands. 

With the scent not being overpowering and being of something like licorice and cloves, I do like it. And a little product goes a long way in the beard. I am looking to purchase Honest Amish Heavy Duty. I have washed a couple of videos online about the heavy duty bomb and it is not a firm hold but then but it is a stronger hold than the original which is what my beard needs sometimes. I have gone from using this product every now and then to probably just about every day this past week.  It has grown on me.  I have several brands and do like to use them all.  It’s either because of the scent for the hold or it’s just the product my beard needs at that time.  Not all balms are the same and I do try to stay away from corporate brands.  Mainly because they contain ingredients that can dry out of beardOr just cause it to be frizzy or have issues. Anyways, leave a comment if you have any questions. I hope that this will help someone out there because I struggled with my beard for a whileUntil I started watching videos and doing more in-depth reading and research.