Walk the Dog

[briansII]

[QUOTE=ssy;97107]

SSY....Any nine weight matched with the 9 OBS floater should handle the medium PD with out any problems. I use a 10wt with a 12 OBS floater for the Grande PD. The extra grain weight of the #12 floater helps carry the larger fly.

Bill... I have found that the small PD works best on 8 to 10# tippet. I will definately give you a shout when conditions improve.[/QUOTE


thanks bill, darian, and charlie. i'm now thinking of getting the 9wt. bvk.
charlie....i see your 4wts. over on throwing the big pd. do you think a 9wt. rod can toss the grande pd?

This is just my opinion, but throwing the big PD on a 9wt OBS is asking a lot. I've tried it and it casts ok, but to get some distance, I think going with a 10wt OBS is minimum. I've used the 10wt OBS, on a 10wt rod, and will probably go up to a 11wt OBS.

briansII

[Chris Evison]

I think you aren't high enough out of the water in a tube to get the proper rod action to make the PD walk the dog. To walk the dog it seems to me that the higher the rod tip when you strip and dip the more action one gets. I've thrown small PD on east Walker river with my 6wt for the big browns. Haven't landed one yet, but the blow-ups are worth it.

[BillB]

Chris you may have a point. I tried to raise my stick almost vertical and it seemed to help some. The problem with the vertical stick is when the blowup happens! It's really hard to catch up. If the PD was sitting in the surface it would work. I often have trouble stripping fast enough in the tube because my arms are to constricted. Standing in a boat would be much better, but then standing in a boat is always better for most everything!

[Terry Imai]

Never attempting to throw and then retrieve the Pole Dancer, I would be hesitant to throw in my $.02 (eventhough it appears that some posters don't bother with experience or knowledge before posting their reply.... lol) but I have bought into the Kelly Galoup idea of streamer fishing with extreme working the fly with coordinated pull with a tip snap. He even had St. Croix build a new line of rods with a very stiff tip (for better retrieve snap) and softer middle section to load and throw large patterns. Current "Bankrobber" rods are only for 6# and 7# but I believe they are making them for heavier lines. I bought the Kool-Aid and I've Bill ordering me a 7#.

[ssy]

[QUOTE=briansII;97111]

This is just my opinion, but throwing the big PD on a 9wt OBS is asking a lot. I've tried it and it casts ok, but to get some distance, I think going with a 10wt OBS is minimum. I've used the 10wt OBS, on a 10wt rod, and will probably go up to a 11wt OBS.

briansII

so brian, are you saying i have to make sure i take my glucosamine/condroitant before i start throwing the big stuff? that means i'll get to fish and get a workout. lol

[Darian]

BillB.... After casting and retrieving PD's from a boat, I agree with Chris at least in part. If you're casting from a float tube, you're too low to the surface of the water to get much distance from your cast. PD's were designed to fish for Stripers at a distance in relatively open water.

The other part is the retrieve. I've never been able to retrieve a PD with the rod held in a high position and make it "walk the dog." I've had the best luck accomplishing that affect by holding the rod either at a low angle or with the tip in the water while stripping. Others indicate they start the rod at a high angle and "snap" the tip downward during the strip. Either way results in the rod being held at a low angle at the end of the strip and neither retrieve is easily done from a float tube.

So, it seems to me that trying to cast/retrieve a medium/large PD from a float tube is not a particularly good (for your shoulder) or effective choice. Why not choose a Bass Bug that's more suited to the casting/fishing style you like Try weed less deer hair bugs....

[BillB]

Hey Darian. All good points for sure. Casting for me is not an issue with the PD. I can get plenty of distance on the bug. Back in the day when I was tossing a Zara/Devils Horse on a bait caster that was, in fact, the way to work the bait; rod tip down. That is an impossible task in a tube as you well know. As for using other bugs I still do and will, but I am needing a bait that has the action, or similar to, the PD. Any suggestions?

As for shoulders, when you get to this age casting most anything will ultimately cause pain! Heck popping open a good stout tweaks my left one. I find the in a tube my shoulders are somewhat compressed. I can feel it in my neck and shoulders when I am done for the day.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll keep working on it.

[Darian]

I hear ya' on aging. Got an assortment of aches and pains myself. I keep in good enough shape to pull the cork from a bottle of Single Malt, Irish, tho....

Sorry,.... I don't have any suggestions to offer about alternative flies for walkin'....

[BillB]

You know Darian I think I'll get into my old tackle box, if I can get my knee to get up the attic ladder properly, and dig out an old spook and try to miniaturize it in balsa with some hair. I think it can be done. I'll get back to you with the progress.