Interesting article in the latest Fish Sniffer magazine

[Tracy Chimenti]

Conventional tacke no doubt affords an angler more options and greater efficiency. For instance, while many fly fishermen use a side-finder to locate fish on the Delta, I like to fan cast (in the blind) with a rattle trap, pattern/colored to take advantage of clarity conditions. I can make 10-casts and cover 50-square yards of water in a minute with a noisey, speed burning crank bait. I figure a fly rod's going to cover maybe 1/10th that, being the streamer is generally silent and appeals maily to a visual sense. Once I find them, I generally put it down and grab the long rod. I like the grab! Then again, sometimes i have to tone down on the noise, as even a splashy spook, or chattering diver, will send a touchy lineside scurrying.

That said, hot sticks like Blanton, Andy, or Joe Shirshac know where the good holding areas are, are generally trying to stay away from schoolies (that eat rattletraps), target only the biggest pigs, and they know just how to approach without spooking, and how to suck the smartest fish in.

And I really think streamers make better looking lures-- if tied properly. And a big, old, smart fish will attack a slinky, active streamer faster than a plug he sees on a day-in, day-out basis. Chances are, though, they're going to find the plug first, due to noise and visual senses being affected and number of casts per minute.

Here's another: I think a hot stick using his "go-to" lure will outfish a bait guy 10:1. Think about it, you can take it to them, rather than you waiting on the fish! This would seem especially true for black bass guys, who can decide between dead-sticking a plastic, cranking for reflex strikes, ripping, doodling, jigging, flipping, top-water, moss walking, buzzing or slow-rolling spinner baits, etc.

The only time when bait is more effective for me, is at night when I'm sleeping. A 9-inch river pike on a long leader with an ounce and a half. Man am I ready for some good weather!

[Rickey Noel Mitchell]

I agree with Tracy on the hot sticks. however here's my view.
Being a kayak fisherman most of my fishing buddies are conventional guys, for that matter so am I about 25% of the time. My system is if the fish are deeper than say 30 ft I’ll use conventional gear. Rattle traps and swim baits are hard to beat and most of the time when I’m being out fished that’s what my friends are using. At one time during the last few years I had asked my self just why do I fly fish? Answer--because it’s an art and a challenge at the same time. You can go out and observe the nature of your fishery then go back to your vice and create your own lure. Fly tying is probably the main reason I flyfish. I’ve never gotten over the feeling of catching a good fish on a fly I made. When I catch a good fish on the long rod, my rod comes to life. But then I’ll spend a few hundred bucks on a flyrod;I’ve never spent over a hundred on a conventional rod. There’s also that zen that you can get when your casting well on a flyrod.
There are a few things I do that a purest might not call flyfishing such as fish flies with spinners blades on them. George Glazeners spinster is one of my favorite flies. I’ll also Carolina rig my flies on conventional gear.
I started doing kayak fishing tournaments in fresh and saltwater this year on a regular and somewhat professional basest. In a kayakfishing tournament it's lure only , and what ever rod rod you want ot use.
I’ll definitely find out which is better--flyfishing or conventional. I know what I prefer and that’s flyfishing.
I also know sometimes you have to go with what the fish prefer.

[Darian]

Ever see a Black Bass or Redfish tournament fisherman choose to use fly gear over conventional during a tournament (when the money's on the line)

[flygolf]

Hi Darian,

I don't think that anyone is debating that conventional gear will out fish fly gear. I wonder what would happen in those type of tournaments if they allowed you to weigh each fish caught with a fly 5 times! I bet you might have a few more anglers flogging the waters with a fly rod.

[Darian]

Am I missing something here After re-reading the posts, it sounds like everyones trying to make a case that either type of gear will outperform the other on "any given day" (to qoute the football wags) or under specific circumstances. So, respectfully, I must disgree with your understanding.

Don't read anything into my point. I don't really care whether one will outperform the other under any circumstances, at all. I was only stating the obvious. I prefer to fish with fly gear but fish with both whenever I want to not because one outperforms the other.

[steve sullivan]

Thanks for the link. I would really like to fish out of the same boat with someone using "conventional" tackle and see if fly fishing acutally works better. My gut is telling me that we would take them?

Katz

really? If you are using a clouser, couldnt they just attach a clouser, attach 2-3 feet of line to the clouser, then attach their lure to the line?

[blogGreen88]

Are you talking about fish finder or something else?! Umm. There is a good page for fish finder perhaps!
Also,you can find some other content on it,such as napa valley or rocklin or wireless speakers.
You can search on the homepage try some other keywords,no ads even.these page updated every day.Because of the huge database,it perhaps not very fast,if you don't like it,take it easy.

[Double_D]

I would like to add to this thread....I plug the surf for Striper's, there are 3 groups of fishermen at the surf, top water guys(I'm a top water guy) metail guys and bait guy's.......the metal and bait guys think they catch more fish, maybe they do...I tell them that they just don't get it.....it's not how many fish we catch it's how we catch them.....yeah it's cool if a fish takes you bait, yeah it's cool throwing hair raisers when you reeling in and a fish takes the metal and it's fish on.....but there is nothing like working a 3 to 5.oz custom wooden plug in the surf(pencil popper,Pike,Spookster,Darter,Polaris Popper) and that Striper comes up and just mugs your plug, it's all about the take down, and they just don't get it.....me being a top water guy striper's on the fly is the next step for me.....because it's not how many fish you catch, it's how you catch them, I think fly fishing for Striper's is going to be fun....this will be just one more weapon in my in-shore Striper game.

[JerryInLodi]

I've worked a school of fish with five or six fish landed and then watched a boat trolling rebels or rapalas pass through without a strike in either direction.

I've cast after they passed and the bite continued.

I've also watched trollers hook fish and if they don't turn around and work the area again, I'll move in and cast, generally picking up a few fish in the same area as the previous strike.

It's hard to judge whether the trollers are knowledgeable and it's hard to know exactly how many fish they hook. Many catch their two apiece and are off the water early. Others seem to troll all day with few strikes.

The absolute biggest advantage that hardware people have is that they cover MUCH MORE WATER. I've seen fly guys stand and cast while anchored, to the same circle for over a half hour. Give it up guys, move on. Buy a trolling motor or set up a wind drift.

While stripers are not territorial like largemouth, and they move, they usually move rather slowly, in overlapping circles. Waiting for them to move to you can make for a long day.

Whether you're fly fishing or throwing junk, move and cover some water.

[Darian]

"mug your plug".....