Hi from United Kingdom

[Pup]

Welcome.

I'm going to have a bash making lures like Vertical Jigging Master, but with black wool below & white on top, so for fish below the black is silhouetted against the light sky, and for fish above the white is silhouetted against the darker(?) bed. Add a bit of red (hook, tying thread, maybe couple of satin strands) because I have noticed fly fishing books here mention black, white & red are often used on successful flies - and apparently many fish are colour blind?! That is all the theory anyway ...

Reverse-countershading is a concept that was explored by a company called Crankbait Corporation here in the US.

Brian Waldman wrote an interesting piece on the topic recently. In his article, reverse-countershading is explained. Also, included is an interesting mention of British Spitfire aircraft as they relate to the concept. Link below.

Applied Science: Crankbait Corps. “Flip-Flop”, Part I

 

[Fatman]

Pup

Good Article!!!!! Thanks!!!

 

[eyecrosser]

Welcome to jigcraft. Share some pics when you get a chance. Would love to see some of your work and also some of the fish you catch locally. What do you like fishing for over there?????

We have fishing permits which run for a year, but expire March/April. Then there is the close season when no fishing is allowed... Basically it is a bit of waste of money to buy one now, but it will be good when I can get out as my son is interested too. The only fish I've seen caught so far have been a few mackeral on a holiday boat trip, and a friend catching a pike when we were kids. The pike did not bite, but he managed to get the spinner caught on the top of its head and hauled it in!

I'm partly coming at this from a bushcraft / survival perspective, i.e. very light gear - few lures, flies, hooks & swivels, braided line because it is supposed to get fewer curls (less 'memory'), a short rod that will fit in a rucksack, and ultimately a 'hobo' rod (wooden dowel). My interest is growing however, as I already have way too much gear

I'm mostly looking for stuff I can eat. Smoked mackeral is gorgeous. Pike, bass, haddock & crab would be good. Shame trout & salmon require an expensive game license ($100+).

I'm going to have a bash making lures like Vertical Jigging Master, but with black wool below & white on top, so for fish below the black is silhouetted against the light sky, and for fish above the white is silhouetted against the darker(?) bed. Add a bit of red (hook, tying thread, maybe couple of satin strands) because I have noticed fly fishing books here mention black, white & red are often used on successful flies - and apparently many fish are colour blind?! That is all the theory anyway ...

I will try similar mods on Abu's Toby lures too - red treble, ball bearing swivel, black underside, glue on sparkly beads for flash on top half and paint bottom half black, maybe weight the bottom half so it does not spin to the top...

I've a few flies to try out - Czech Nymph, blood worm-based, some from a NATO army fishing kit, a few imported from the US. I will try and see whether it is possible to use these with a normal rod & line, or whether I will need the special rod, reel & line normally used.

If / when I get enough experience / knowledge, I will be selecting lures, jigs & flies on the basis of catching as wide a selection of fresh & saltwater fish as possible.

Hope this is of interest. Any questions and I'll see what more I can add.

Quite a steep price you pay for fishing salmon/trout. I love smoked Mackeral also. The mackeral I catch here (fishing in Florida) are mainly Spanish and Sierra Mackeral and a few King Mackeral. I mainly use shiny spoons or Got-cha plugs for them but if I were going to tie something to use I would want to know the bait in the area they were feeding on and duplicate it. Mackeral have incredible eyesight and can be very size and color specific. I would tie several lures in different sizes with blue flash and green flash along with some white or pearl undersides. Our pike here in the states seem to favor a lure with some red in it. It is quite amazing how far the tying industry has come in the last 20 odd years. So many synthetics out there now the possibilities seem endless. Check out some you tube videos on clear cure goo flies and you will see what I mean. Keep posting and good luck with the tying. Don't hesitate to ask any questions on here. Always someone willing to share their knowledge and I have learned a couple tricks already and only joined a couple months ago. Tight Lines

 

[D_Gold]

D-Gold...do any ice fishing. We are taking a lot of the tungsten lures by storm here after watching your teams kill us!!! Also how about vertical jigging spoons. Any thoughts?

Not yet! (See noob / Ignorant Brit). Surprised tho as we have naff all ice! There have been a few articles in the news recently about when the SEA froze over for hundreds of yards out, but that was one year in the 1960's and not news So how we can spank you with no practice?... Not heard of vertical jigging spoons until your post. Learn something new every day: only yesterday I was dribbling over Youtube vids of flytying (now I've figured out how to download 'em), and Linedancer for lure movement

 

[D_Gold]

Welcome.

I'm going to have a bash making lures like Vertical Jigging Master, but with black wool below & white on top, so for fish below the black is silhouetted against the light sky, and for fish above the white is silhouetted against the darker(?) bed. Add a bit of red (hook, tying thread, maybe couple of satin strands) because I have noticed fly fishing books here mention black, white & red are often used on successful flies - and apparently many fish are colour blind?! That is all the theory anyway ...

Reverse-countershading is a concept that was explored by a company called Crankbait Corporation here in the US.

Brian Waldman wrote an interesting piece on the topic recently. In his article, reverse-countershading is explained. Also, included is an interesting mention of British Spitfire aircraft as they relate to the concept. Link below.

Applied Science: Crankbait Corps. “Flip-Flop”, Part I

Thanks for the link You won't be surprised to learn I'm interested in camo, and one of my other hobbies is collecting camo books & uniforms with interesting patterns.

 

[D_Gold]

Quite a steep price you pay for fishing salmon/trout... Check out some you tube videos on clear cure goo flies and you will see what I mean. Keep posting and good luck with the tying. Don't hesitate to ask any questions on here. Always someone willing to share their knowledge and I have learned a couple tricks already and only joined a couple months ago. Tight Lines

Traditionally fly fishing for game was the preserve of the upper classes, and I think the pricing is designed to keep it that way But then a Hobo rod is designed for poaching - I'm not really that wicked...

Thanks for the tip on the clear goo flies, I'm checking it out, and the best wishes

 

[JSC]

Fatman said "On those really rainy days kick back and read up"

Now I know you have plenty of that time (Rainy Days).
Back in the 50's I spent 3 years at Fairford in the AF. That was the only 3 years I have gone with out going fishing since I was around 10 years old ... Really not that easy to get a permit .. could have "Poached" but that was aginst my "Up bringing" ... Watched those Trout while standing on the Bridge in Down Town Fairford Sure would like to have cast a fly to them.

1 year I missed the one Sunny (all day) by going to the NCO Club for Breakfast and spent the day there.

Welcome !!

 

[LRB]

Welcome From West Texas !!!...:icon14:




ML..