Rick Z's Article This Week

[Greg Hunsicker]

Hi Rick

An old trout fishing trick that I have used for years when fishing leach like patterns and getting a lot of short, missed or barely hooked fish. Trim your leaches tail so the end is closer to the hook. Take off just little bits until you find the magic length. It works more often than not at least I haven't seen the fish turn off because of shortening the tail.

Have a great day!
Greg

[Rick Z]

That is why I have tied some on longer shank hooks so the end of the tail is closer to the bend. With the furled tailed leech you can't cut the tail. Will unravel.

Rick

[Gandolf]

Hi Rick,

Your comment reminded me about an old TV show from the 50s or 60s staring Richard Boone.... Paladin, "Have Leach, Will Unravel", or something like that. (Just kidding.)

Now for my real question: Do you treat (or manage I guess) pond with crappie in them differently than ones with bluegills. (I read with great interest your articles on how you treat ponds with bass and bluegills.)

Hi Rick, I just realized that I was hijacking the post. For that reason I will start a new post, and so please don't answer this here.

Thanks and regards,

Gandolf

[new2thefly]

Has anyone else tried attaching a second hook to the first to handle short strikes? I keep a few short straight eye hooks in different sizes and just put the main hook through the eye of the trailing hook. I don't use it very often but it works for me and I haven't lost the trailing hook yet.

[Rick Z]

I was given some long shank aberdeen hooks a long time ago. I tie flies on those on about the front 1/3. On the furl tailed leech the bend is near the end of the tail.
To lazy to tie many flies with trailing hooks. Caught to many fish with both hooks in their ouths.

Rick