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Tying the Bunny Booger

January 28, 2011 by · 2 Comments

Readers familiar with my writings frequently come across references to the Bunny Booger. Some readers write to me wanting to know what it is. Others want to know how to make one. This piece will answer those queries.

A bunny booger is an artificial fly. It’s evolved from a wooly booger, and uses only rabbit fur zonker strips, available at any fly shop or store that sells fly tying supplies. I’m sure other folks tie similar flies and have other names for them.

While here in Florida I mostly use black boogers for reds and black drum, in Alaska we use cerise colored ones for salmon. Exactly the same fly except for color.

I’m sure in brown it would be a more than passable crayfish imitation for bass fishermen.

Materials
– Mustad 3407 #2 or equivalent
-1/50th oz. lead dumbell eye
-bunny zonker strip, color your choice
-danville flat waxed nylon thread

1. Start the thread and tie on the lead eye behind the hook eye. If you intend to tie in a weed guard (recommended) put it back a little farther than you would otherwise.

2. Wind the thread to the bend of the hook. Take a 1″ long piece of bunny strip and tie it in as a tail, fur side down.

3. Take a 4-6″ long bunny strip and, right where you tied the tail in, tie it in like you’d tie in a pair of hackle you intended to Palmer. It should be at right angles to the hook shank, facing away from you, with the fur side up. Wrap the thread up to the lead eye, then Palmer the bunny strip up to the lead eye and tie it off.

4. At this point you either tie in a weed guard and then finish the fly, or just whip finish and cement it right now.

It’s PDS (pretty darned simple) and takes about 5 minutes.

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights are reserved.

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Filed Under: Fishing Tips, Flies and Fly Tying · Tagged: , , , ,

Sharpening Hooks, Hook Files

January 22, 2011 by · 4 Comments

Get the Point?

While fishing the other day I went to tie on a chartreuse rattle rouser. There were two in my box. The hook point on one was rolled. Had a file been in my possession it would have been fine, but I didn’t have one with me.

The second fly was dispatched to its watery duties and performed flawlessly for a while. Then I missed a strike. OK, not unusual. Then I missed another. Not a good thing, but not the first time I’d missed two in a row. Then I missed the third. OK, never really got tight on that one. Then the fourth was stuck solidly, and came off.

I pulled the fly in and looked at the hook. The tip of the point had broken off. I was fishing with a blunt! The two flies that were needed for the dark dirty water were not serviceable for lack of a file. Well, duh.

When I got home I tied some more flies, and put a file in my fly bag. Let’s talk files.

My favorite used to be a small, steel mill bastard file. Around saltwater no matter what I tried, and that was quite a few different things, they would rust to uselessness in a month. Toss it out and get a new one. Again. And again. Etcetera.

Dr. Slick makes a pair of stainless files with diamond surfaces. Both are awesome. The four inch version has a fine grit and a medium grit surface. The six incher has a medium grit and coarse grit surface.

They work extremely well and last a long time, even around the brine.

Unfortunately, for them to work you still need to remember to carry it with you.

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2011. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Product News and Reviews, Fishing Tips · Tagged: , , , ,

13 Time Saving Tips for Lucky Anglers

January 6, 2011 by · 4 Comments

orlando fishing, orlando redfishing, orlando fishing tripLucky anglers get that way because they operate efficiently. They recognize opportunities and act decisively when one presents itself. Let’s take a look at 13 tips that when incorporated into you everyday angling routine will make you one of the lucky ones.

1. Keep your spool full with fresh line. You can cast farther when the spool is full. Fresh line is stronger than old line.

2. Don’t use swivels, snaps, or other similar hardware. These devices have some specific uses, but most of the time they just mess up the action of your bait or lure. Keep as little “stuff” on the business end of the line as you can. Try to keep it line-leader-hook.

3. In the same vein, use as little weight as possible. In the lagoons that may mean none at all, or a small shot. In the surf, use the smallest weight that will get the job done.

4. Wear a line clipper on a piece of fishing line around your neck. I hang mine on a piece of fly line. Any time you need to cut your line the right tool is right there.

5. Carry a good pair of pliers. I like the Gerber MultiTool. Keep them in a nylon holster on your belt. Any time you need them they are within easy reach.

6. Keep a dehooker handy. There are many styles, including home-made, but the ARC Dehooker is the best known. The dehooker not only saves you time, it saves the lives of the fish you release. You don’t even need to touch them!

7. A towel kept in your pocket or on your belt will dry and de-slime your hands when touching the bait, fish, or what-have-you becomes necessary.

8. Keep more than one rod handy, each with a different lure rigged. When you want to change lures, simply switch rods, rather than cutting and re-tying.

9. Practice your knot tying until you can tie your favorites blind-folded. You want to tie good knots quickly when you’re surrounded by fish.

10. When using live bait, keep a little dip net handy for pulling it out of the bait well, bucket, or whatever.

11. When searching for fish, use attractor-type lures that make noise, vibrate, have a lot of flash, or all three. Cover as much water as you can!

12. When you’re on spooky species of fish, use subtle baits like jerk baits or the DOA Shrimp. These baits are less likely to scare off spooky fish. Of course, for aggressive fish like bluefish or crevalle the noisy lures will usually be a good thing!

13. Hire a guide. Let them do all work! I’m available! Call me now! 407.977.5207, http://www.spottedtail.com/Rates.htm

Try incorporating these thirteen tips into your daily fishing routine and watch them increase your luck!

John Kumiski
http://www.spottedtail.com

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2010. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Fishing Tips, opinion · Tagged: , , ,
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