Yucatan Report-Tarpon Cay Lodge & Isla Blanca

[FISHEYE]

Lee, great report. Tell me in more detail please what a "pull rope" is. Thanks! Phil

[Lee Haskin]

Hi Phil,

A pull rope is really the best way to seat a knot when using heavy bite material. This is simply a 2', 1/4" rope, with the ends tied together. You loop the rope around your foot, and hook the fly to the rope. This provides a "3rd hand" which is necessary to get the proper pull on a Kreh Loop.

I use a multi tool to pull on the tag end, and then use a glove on the other hand to wrap the leader and pull on the standing end. You moisten the knot and pull on both the tag end and standing end at the same time.

Once the knot is tight and the tag is removed, you stand up and pull on the butt section of your leader, testing the entire bite/class section.

Notes: It is a good idea to practice with a boga or other scale, so you know just how much pressure you are applying. This will help you duplicate the MAX pressure on the water.
If you have a bad knot or weak leader, you WANT it to fail when pulling on the rope. If you can apply the max. pressure you can be assured the system will hold on a fish, generally.

...and always retest/pull the leader after a big fish, and always inspect the leader for wear or knicks.

Even for my striper setup I loop the fly through a D ring on my float tube and pull the tag with piers, and the standing end, the same way.

Probably more information than you were looking for, Phil, but the "devil is in the details"!!!!

Hope this helps.

Lee
$.02
Lee

[FISHEYE]

Lee, thanks! I was looking for those details. On many of the pangas I have fished from there is usually some place to hook the hook and tighten and test my knots. I have been thinking of something like this with a small snap swivel or d ring attached so I always have something with me. Phil

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I recommend really pulling up your knots after you tie on your fly and holding the pressure for about 5 seconds.

I like to hook the fly/hook around something friendly that won't hurt the hook.

I was in Nat Ragland's flats boat in FL some years back and he had something like a stainless steel eye hook on his console for this purpose.

I like to hook the fly on something, then come all the way back into the fly line and pull solidly on the entire leader system.

Then be sure your barb is down and the hook is sharp.

Be sure your fly is straight/balanced so it does not spin or twist when you retrieve it.

No use testing the knots of big fish.

I like Lee's idea...I'll have to try it.

[Hairstacker]

Fantastic report Lee, thanks! Great tip on the "pull rope." I have also found it particularly important to pay extra attention to properly seating Lefty's Non-slip Loop knot or it will slip, often causing the tag end to pull through and dismantle the knot when it does.

[Anne Vitale]

Hairstacker....Thanks for posting your experience with Lefty's "non -slip" knot. For a while there, when ever the knot slipped for me, even though I thought I was tying it right, the knot would fail and I would loose a fish.

However, earlier this year I started taking extra precautions. I tie the knot in the usual way but before I tighten it fully by hand, I moisten the knot, place the nose end of my hemostat through the loop and tighten the overhand knot by firmly pushing against the fly end of the loop. Then I grasp the tag end with the clamp part of the hemostat and pull the wraps tight down to the overhand knot. In re reading Lee's pull rope explanation, I see that it is essentially the same thing just on a different scale. I have not had a knot fail me since. Funny how we continue to learn new things about something as simple as tying a knot.

[Lee Haskin]

Thanks everyone for the kind words on the report. I was very fortunate to do well, with most of the credit going to great guides, Edwin and Enrique.

Here is a picture of the new flies that worked so well in very shallow and clear conditions where a "light touch" was needed to create very little splash or noise, yet still sink slowly. I actually had these flies last year in Campeche, but didn't try them. The baitfish patterns, on the left, were the flies that worked this trip, and the flies on the right are similar and untested...for now! Grin!

This fly actually rises in the column when it is stripped and will stay in the film if stripped continuously.
This fly has some real potential for other species too, when tied in smaller or larger sizes.




Let me know if you have any questions.

Cheers,
Lee