clayton86

Got some to load

So here's the latest and third attempt I really like how this turned out. I did it on a cheapo diawa rod I found busted and shoved in the fence at one of the lakes I fish. I started doing a base under wrap of blue then on the 0* and 180* I ran I piece of thread straight down the blank and made sure each "X" was formed on that line and just eye balled the spacing then pulled the two marking threads out. This worked great all my diamonds formed a thread or two from that center mark. I did 5 threads of red then out lined it in metallic silver then black one thread each. From there I went to the tie off and inlayed blue, red, silver in the black wrap. Did a three count band of each color then taped the silver to the butt section and doubled up the red and blue and did a olive branch with the silver then out lining the edges. Finished it all off with the three bands and she done. Didn't intend for it but my buddy said it looks very 'Merica lol. Next I'm gonna fix a fly swatter in the end blend it some how and have a sweet fly swatter haha. I can't get the rest the pics to pull up I have the worst service here at work I'll post them in the morning

Not much of a beer drinker but this this is a different story

I've been having a lot of luck in the river still both the oak and johnsons creek for smallies. Lake Alice meh not so much seeing a lot of bass cruising and chasing gills but that's about it.

I've been watching some of his videos for some time now his work is insane. I want to try some of the eva inlay/overlay technique he does he has videos and a write up of how he does it.

When using a hand wrapper you just slide the rod down till you have your working section in front of you and use the spare stand to support the butt section. It can be a real pain on softer rods or ice rods to wrap the top couple guides.

Just checked the tracking on it it says it's in NY be here Thursday. Handle and reel seat won't be in till Friday And I haven't even ordered guides and thread yet still can't decide what colors.

Tinkered a little more today measured the circumference of the arrow shaft I was using it was a perfect 1" so I marked every inch on the 0* plane and every inch starting at half an inch on the 180* side. They didn't come out perfectly straight in a line though I think I need to be more precise with my dots I more or less made some quick marks with a sharpie and a tape measure. Might bust out my old machinists ruler from when I was building engines in college. Other then that it went pretty smooth besides the end I turned around to come back down with it kept slipping as you will see in the pics. I went up to my dot but it slid away from it as I worked down. Though not perfect I got it in CP now I'm gonna epoxy it and cut it off as a sample and keep it in my box of things and try some more tomorrow. I also plan on buying the custom rod thread art book as well that explains all of it and the formulas for dealing with tapers. I'll order that with the guides and stuff to finish off my rod geeks fly rod. Baston- I have looked up docski I subscribe to his YouTube channel he was mentioned several times in the tutorial video I watched as well

All I fish lately is a small river for smallies although this year I've had a fly rod in my hands for it if the last month but I've used regular gear usually in the past. My go tos are white double tail grubs(mister twister, kalins,Arkie, rage, zoom) weightless flukes, manns baby -1, white spinnerbaits, rapala jointed J7 or J9, and husky jerks or pointers. Once summer hits I have a lot of luck with small buzz baits as well.

I found a few videos that describe it well by guidesnblanks.com. Depending on the weather today I'll try some more.

That's sweet

Well with it being only 40 out today compared to yesterday's 90 and with rain I stayed in and tried a cross wrap on an old arrow shaft. It came out like crap I think lol. I already see some things to do different. I tried looking on you tube for instructional videos and while plenty of people doing the wrap none say how they set it up its just them laying thread down so I kinda winged it. I started off tapping either end and sticking 4 threads into it and just spinning the arrow till I got the 4 threads to the other side about 4-5 turns. I then grabbed a different color and did it again 180* on the other side going the other direction. Did that a total of 5 times per 180* so one goes g-bl-g-bl-g and the other is bl-g-bl-g-bl. Which is what I'll do different next time around I'll do both the same and see what patterns that gives. Then I just did a basic wrap to tie it off first side I worked towards the wrap making trimming and hiding all the tag ends a major pain in the arse. The second side the light bulb went on and I started at the previous end and worked towards the tags after about 10 wraps I trimmed and frayed them and just kept on wrapping much much cleaner looking. That's about it pretty simple even did it with my 18mo daughter attempting to help after her nap. I think next time I'll also measure out where the crosses will cross the 180* and 0* axis with a piece in of string and a sharpie then pull it out once the first couple are on. Tips? Tricks? Hints? Bash my sad attempt lol. And sleeping beauty trying to give her .02 lol

I did it years ago in a tournament with a guy from work. Big drop off that ran the probably a mile down the north side of the lake. A lot of downed trees and structure old brigdge slabs of concrete hanging off the ledge. I stood on the bow of his 14' aluminum deep V like it was a casting platform and flipped a football head jig at the old bridge parts and was picking smallies off like crazy.

Ours went in two weeks ago. Had it on yesterday it was 90* today it's 43*

Hey now I'm never getting married again I'm one and done. My current gf has talked about it and I put the brakes on real quick. Told her she don't want my last name or half my crap when we're done lol. Even though she is pretty awesome tells me to fish all the time and doesn't complain ever. But never doing the " I do" bs again lol. Raider congrats but you crazy

I'll have parts trickling in next couple weeks for it then. Just ordered a handle, reel seat and fighting butt all turned out of curly maple with chrome hardware.

I've been listening to a lot of Hollywood undead lately. Also big fan of 5FDP, shine down, adelitas way, offspring, papa roach, three days grace, breaking Benjamin, theory of a dead man. I listen to pandora radio all night at work I have it on papa roach radio it covers all of them and then some I never find my self skipping songs.

I ordered my fly rod bank from rod geeks Tuesday and it shipped Thursday. It says tracking will work once it clears customs. How longs it take usually to get blanks from geeks.

Send some rain this way the creek I fish is the lowest I've seen it in almost 20 years. It's down 2-3' and for a creek that is normally only 3-4' on average that's pretty low. It's made sight fishing for smallies with the fly rod easy though.

My buddy who is getting into building also bought the HF 18" table top lathe he's been using it to turn hard wood fly handles and reel seat inserts. He's had it a week and made a few handles he says he really likes it I'm probably gonna buy one soon it was $125

Went this morning after work got two more lost the third. Normally I trim the tag end more idk why j didn't this time but he still ate

I went out this morning after working all night to harass some smallies with the fly rod. Went with the intentions of getting one on a poppet or mouse and just had them chase or inspect it never hit. I started playing with flys changing things up had some hits caught one but they still aren't very active. Well that is till I tied on this wooly bugger thing. It starts black with a purple stripe on the top with some yellow and red in the tail with a ribbon of some shinny stuff. Now I could see two that I was working but soon as I got this thing out there holy crap must have had 5 or more come darting in looking at this thing and batting at it. One hit it I set the hook missed and they scattered. My next few casts are what really got me scratching my head. These fish would look at this fly stare at it then flare their gills and shake there fins at it like that dinosaur in the original Jurassic park before spraying the fat man with that gunk and eating him. I had several fish do this it was crazy I've never seen a bass do that. I have seen them stare a lure down and wave their fins but never flare their gills like that. Seriously looked like a dragon or that dinosaur. All in all it was a awesome morning only landed two fish but it was one of my best days on the water yet just from the way I had them riled up.

I targeted them Sunday managed one maybe 5lbs I always use corn as well. I want to try getting one with the fly.

Yup two first names well actually three if ya knew my middle name