DO IT IN A DONUT

[TubeDude]

Hey, all fellow float tubers, kick boaters and 'tooners. We gots our own board here now at BFT. There are quite a few local clubs and tournaments around the country, but I don't think there is any kind of national forum for our kind. Woo Hoo.

For those that don't know me, I am also moderator for the Arizona board. I live in Phoenix, at present, but grew up in California and have tubed all over the U.S. and down into Mexico. I have put in more than 40 years of "flotation fishing" (my term) and have field tested most of the gear put on the market as it has been developed.

I think I am being appointed as moderator here, along with Predator, from the Utah board. He has done a great job there in building that forum and together we hope to make this an active and fun place to hang out. We encourage all questions and information posts from all levels of floatation fanatics...from wannabees to terminal tubaholics.

So, what'll it be? High mountain troutin'?...Farm pond panfish?...Belly boat bassin'? River runnin'? Tidewater salmon and steelhead? Dredging bays and harbors? Inshore salt water slingin'? Pre and post iceup foolishness? Monster chasin'? BEEN THAT...DONE THERE...or however it goes.

We're not going to cater only to purists or single species specialists here. This forum will be open to posts and questions from anyone...with any favorite kinds of waters, tackle and species. We ain't proud. We'll take anyone.

And, although we are not set up for it at BFT, at this time, I will be starting an archive of posts on specific issues...such as types of craft, individual species, tackle and techniques, accessories, etc. As I finish putting together my website on BFT, I will have pages to include the archives for each of these catagories.

So, where do we begin? Don't everybody jump in at once, now.

[JapanRon]

Hey there TubeDude,

I was so intent on what other tubers had to post I forgot about the guy that does all the work!! Pleasure to have you as the moderator and know that anyone posting a request for help will not find a 0 for 'number of replies' to their post too long.

As we say in my running club 'OnOn'
Clubs motto: 'A drinking club with a running problem.'

Regards,

JapanRon
a.k.a. tsurikichi
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[TubeDude]

[cool]Hey, JR. I'm bringing my initial HOWDY back to the top to make a point. When I signed on as moderator, I envisioned a forum where we could all contribute...according to our levels of experience...without ever feeling the need to apologize for being "lesser" than anyone else. You have been a great asset to this board, and we all enjoy your posts.

That's why I wanted to make a point...for everyone. In a recent post, I offered to trade some ideas and fly patterns with you. You put on your humble hat and apologized in advance for what you assumed might be input that I would find not worthy. While I do believe in being properly humble and grateful for the blessings we receive, I am pained whenever someone makes me feel badly by assuming I would belittle their contributions.

I am a pretty fair tyer of flies in my advanced years, but I owe most of what I know to the caring and sharing of others. You look on my birth certificate and you will not see anything about being born a fisherman or a fly tyer. And, even though I can crank out some pretty exotic patterns, I have had my hat handed to me on more than one occasion by guys fishing some pretty crude creations. Hey, if it works, it's beautiful.

What I was going to suggest/offer is for you to email me some pics or patterns for the flies you like best, and I will see if I can duplicate or punch them up a bit. I use a lot of the new synthetic materials, including stuff from hobby and craft stores that I have never seen in commercially tied flies. I am not bashful about recruiting "field testers" in different parts of the country to give my innovative designs a fair workout. If you want to try some new stuff...all it will cost is a bit of input as to what you would like to have...if you could. I'll whip out a few test models and you can integrate them into a couple of excursions and give me the feedback. Together we can come up with some new killer patterns.

One of the colors/materials I have been experimenting with a lot during the last year or so is metallic rainbow...in flashabou, krystal flash and sparkle braid. I find that this stuff really reflects a whole range of the light spectrum, as do different bait fishes. When combineed with whites, silvers, golds and other basic colors...either as a "shell back" or spiral wrap, it really generates a lot of reaction bites. I have yet to find a species of fish that will not vote for it. I use it a lot in my jigs and "bait bugs" too.

Here's a pic with one fly pattern and one of my inline spinners using the rainbow material I get in the plastic canvas area of a hobby and craft shop. This stuff works really well on fresh water species, and I'm betting it would be a good color in the surf over there too. I know it will work on the offshore beasties...especially with one of my pattern with fluorescent white as a base.




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[JapanRon]

Hi there TubeDude,

OK OK, no longer will I wear my humble hat inappropriately! ha ha Seriously, I've visited few boards that are as friendly and ready to be of service than those that grace BFT. You can bet I will take you up on your offer on turbo charging some patterns I've fished with confidence.

I'll get the free webpage offered here at BFT so that pictures can be posted easily tomorrow or the next day.

tsurikichi
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