Three Bass Using Tube Damsel Flies

Slow action and a late start made it tougher to hook up today. No worries, persistence was the key. Managed to get three Bass to take an Orange Tube Damsel Fly. The size 6 treble hook made for better hook up rates with only one missed strike this time.

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Another HubPages Article - Fly Tying - Tube Popper Fly

Here is another HubPages article - "Fly Tying - Tube Popper Fly".  This is the fishing fly we make using the popper bodies that are turned on the Mini Balsa Wood Lathe!

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New HubPages Article - "Simple Mini Balsa Wood Lathe"

Here is a new article - "Simple Mini Balsa Wood Lathe"!  This is one we made using scrap parts that were gathering dust in the garage. Works well in making balsa popper bodies for the Tube Popper Fly we like to use!

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Bread for Bait Still Works!

Headed to Bethany this morning; brought a fly rod but after a short while switched to a spinning rod and freelining bread. Caught 17 Catfish - a mix of small ones as well as ones that went ~17".  Did get one that went 19"!  Good to see the bread still works.  Had a lot of missed strikes, going to pick up more hooks later today.  Need to go with a slightly larger size hook.

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Tube Damsel Fly Worked Well, Then Switched to Bread for Bait

Started out catching fish with a Tube Damsel Fly. Caught two Bass and two Catfish using a Tube Damsel Fly.  One Catfish went about 17.5".

Then, switched to bread for bait and caught a few nice Catfish. Most went 17"-18" with a few small ones mixed in.  Posted videos but did mis-count the number caught using bread... was not nine Catfish, think it was eight. No matter; had a fun time using what we had - a fly rod and freelining bread.

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Only Two This Round

Only two this round but did have several missed hook sets and break offs.  Had tied two Tube Damsel Flies - one Olive and one Purple. Was able to hook and land a 17.5" Catfish with the Olive one, and then lost the fishing fly to a break off.

Fished the Purple Damsel Fly and had several more missed hook sets, and then had a Bruiser break the line. Out of Tube Damsel Flies, switched to COAF Damsel Flies.  More missed hook sets, and then noticed people feeding ducks with bread.

Soon after the Catfish showed, so put up the fishing fly and switched to freelining bread. Good thing... ended up catching Catfish #2; measured 22"!  Fun stuff!

Posted pictures on the Fish Bulletin Board!

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Tube Damsel Fly This Round

Testing out another tube fly pattern.  This one is the COAF Damsel Fly but tied on to a tube. After several missed hook sets, switched hooks from a worm hook to a treble hook and was able to catch three Bass. Going to make more adjustments, and then try it out again.  More to come!

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More Fish On a COAF Damsel Fly

Hoping for a repeat of yesterday with the purple COAF Damsel Fly. Caught some nice looking Catfish yesterday.  Today, caught Bass.  No Bruisers but still a fun time, especially on a Four Weight!

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Catfish, Bass, and a Bluegill Go For a COAF Damsel Fly This Round!

Fished Bethany Lakes this evening. Late start on a windy day. Started out trying to get a Bass or two on a Tube Popper Fly. Two missed strikes and lots of wind to deal with made for a change. Decided to switch to a COAF Damsel Fly. The one we tie with Purple Marabou and Red Tying Thread. Used a Gold Bead Chain and size 10 hook (ran out of size 8 hooks).

Glad we switched to it; caught four Catfish, three Bass, and a Bluegill.  Three of the Catfish went 17"-18"; one went about 15". They put up a good fight especially on the four weight fly rod!

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Sunday Morning Round at Bethany!

Sunday morning round at Bethany Lakes.  First strike ended with a missed Bass using the COAF Purple Damsel Fly.  Kept at it, and hooked a Bass after a while.  Small guy that went for a Balsa Popper Fly.  Then, switched gears working several Bluegill beds.  Caught Bluegill and Sunfish using a Balsa Popper Fly and a Foam Grasshopper!

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A Stick, Line, and Fly This Round!

Went simple this afternoon after having fished the morning with a Four Weight Fly Rod. Decided to fish using a Tenkara Rod.  Been some time since we used it; good to see that it still can hold it's own when fishing a pond!  Caught several Bluegill; used a Foam Grasshopper and a Balsa Popper Fly.  Fun stuff!

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Steady Action This Round!

Fished Bethany Lakes this morning and caught a few Bass and Bluegill/Sunfish.  Then, checked out another pond and caught Bluegill, and then one Bass that went 14" in size! Used several fishing flies - Tube Popper Fly, COAF Guadalupana, Purple COAF Damsel Fly, Foam Damsel Fly, and a Balsa Popper Fly.  Overall, the Bass went for the Purple COAF Damsel Fly; Bluegill went for the Balsa Popper Fly.

PS:  Great to meet Dan and Jody from the Bassgrabbers Organization!

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Slow Bite This Round

Slow bite this round at  Bethany Lakes.  We managed two Bluegill and two Bass.  Did have a few more strike but missed the hook sets.  Bluegill went for the Foam Damsel Fly, and the Bass went for the Tube Popper Fly.

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Quick Trip This Round....

Short on time this evening but still enough to time for a quick trip to Bethany Lakes to try another Tube Popper Fly.  Lost the one we made yesterday to a snag.  This time brought two; luckily only needed the one. Caught two Bass and missed a third one. Largest Bass went 14" in size.... Fun Stuff!

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More Topwater Action at Bethany Lakes Today!

Cool temps today but overall a really nice day not to pass up a chance to go fishing.  Made another Tube Popper Fly; caught a Bass with it before losing it to a snag. No worries, had a Balsa Popper Fly to replace it and managed to catch several more Bass as well as a Bluegill. Did have some missed hook sets, one looked like it could have been a Bruiser. Anyhow, going to make another Tube Popper Fly and see if we can keep it longer next time!

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Mini Balsa Wood Lathe and a Tube Popper Fly

Decided to tinker with "material in the scrap bin" and made a Mini Balsa Wood Lathe for making Balsa Wood Popper bodies. Got it put together, and made a a fishing fly... calling it the Tube Popper Fly based on the same concept of Tube Fishing Flies where the line passes through the body and the hook is not permanently attached to the body.  Like the idea of being able to change hook sizes as needed.

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Mini Balsa Wood Lathe

Been tinkering with "material in the scrap bin".  Came up with a Mini Balsa Wood Lathe using wood, a small electric motor, and nuts/bolts/nails.  Works well making Balsa Popper Bodies. Made two so far... one of which is a Tube Balsa Popper that is based on Tube Fishing Flies. More to come once we get it tested.  Also, do stay tuned to our updates; plan to post an article on how we made the Mini Balsa Wood Lathe!

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Balsa Popper Gets 13 Bass This Round!

Windy day but did manage to get out and do some fishing.  Fished Bethany Lakes; went with the Four Weight Fly Rod and Red Balsa Popper.  Liking this one a lot; added some Living Eyes that we picked up from Cabelas.  Guess the fish like them!  Going to need to make more; down to one in Red (really beaten up, too) and one in Black.

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Having Fun On a Saturday!

Fished the morning and caught fish; went back this afternoon and caught more fish. Started out at Bethany Lakes, then went to Murphy City Hall Pond, and then went back to Bethany Lakes. Caught Bass, Bluegill, and Sunfish.  No Bruisers but still a lot of fun!

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Balsa Popper Again This Round

Another variation of a Balsa Popper.  Have tried two others this past week; this one is based on the "Old Marm Popper".  Made one many years back and did well with it in a pond back in Rhode Island.  Decided to give it a go at Bethany.  Caught Bass and Bluegill with it.  Of the three Balsa Poppers, would say this one was the easiest to make!  Would say the next ones we make, will apply a coating of epoxy instead of clear fingernail polish.  The fish really put a beating on the little popper; epoxy would definitely make a difference.

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