EZ Tie Blood Knot Tying Tool

Name: EZ Tie Blood Knot Tying Tool
Price: 27.95 USD

THX1138 · Apr 5, 2017

@Backwater
Mind. Blown.

First off, let me say thank you. This has been some eye opening reading and a boat load (no pun intended ;-)) of info to process.

My rig: 11wt Abel 9' 3pc and Mirage VI. This rod is primarily used for Muskie as I still live in Indiana. I get to FL a couple times a year and I have a two week trip planned for when I get home from this deployment.
With all that having been said, I have no delusions of grandeur and I do not expect to land a 100lb fish DIY with out knowing the waters or having zero experience. I am guessing my first poon will be a juve in the back country. I do have a couple days planned in the Coupon Bight area as well. Ill be in the south FL in late July. My trip will end in the Palm Coast area in early August.
Moving on... I've ordered 60lb Hercules Dyneema for my backing. Near as I can tell it is pretty close to the Hatch backing and a fraction of the cost. Also, the multi-color is just cool. I have not chosen a fly line yet but I am leaning towards the Liquid crystal as it has gotten rave reviews from a lot of folks. The flies I have tied are the "standard" Bunny's, Toads, Roach's and few others. nothing too big or bulky. I intend to use floating line and hopefully target shallower fish if I happen upon them. I basically just want a good set-up on my 11wt just to be prepared. I'd hate to come across a string of fish and not be able to do anything about it. From what I've been reading, the most of the bigger fish will have begun to migrate north from the southern waters by late July but there can still be some good fishing with a little luck. At the end of my trip I will be in the Palm Coast area and the Matanzas inlet is only a 30-40 min motor up the ICW from my moms place. I have heard there can be some good fish cruising the beaches up there as well as randomly found in the back waters of the Pelicer creek area.

Now that that's all out there... Please feel free to tell me I'm nuts.

My final questions: What are your thoughts on knot tying aids such as a blood knot tool?
https://www.amazon.com/BLOOD-KNOT-TOOL-EZ-TIE/dp/B00BO9X2ZQ

What brand do you recommend for class tippet and bite mono? The yo-zuri? At this point I will probably make both Mono and FC butt sections using your formula (thank you again) and use FC tippet and bite tippet.

I have some cheap, Walmart brand 30lb here that I use for weed guards on my flies. I think I'm going to practice some of these new to me knots and see what shakes out...

Lou

Backwater · Apr 5, 2017

QUOTE="THX1138
Mind. Blown. Wow, didn't think it would cause that! lol

First off, let me say thank you. This has been some eye opening reading and a boat load (no pun intended ;-)) of info to process. There is a lot to the "whys" and "hows" to this process. Tarpon is the only fish I've found to test your rigging to the furthest extend. So that's why I include to the saying... "The devil is in the details!"

My rig: 11wt Abel 9' 3pc Older rod with a slight progressive action throughout the entire stick, with still some good ass to the butt section for power. So the rod doesn't feel clunky, but does flow nicely throughout the cast tho it's a little heavy on the swing. But that's ok because it can work to your advantage with fishing cast from 20 to 60ft, which most poons and fish are hooked in. Don't try to hurry up your casting with this rod and let the rod work for you, instead of trying to over power the rod, and it will wake up and make it happen. Good close up casting and back country rod for laid up fish. This rod should not be over lined. One additional note, this is a good offshore pelagic combo. and Mirage VI. Very good and capable reel with adequate drag and plenty of backing room. I'd spool up about 300yrds at least on this reel. This rod is primarily used for Muskie as I still live in Indiana. I get to FL a couple times a year and I have a two week trip planned for when I get home from this deployment. As a former Navy man myself, I personally and sincerely THANK YOU for your service and I'm sure the break is well deserved!

With all that having been said, I have no delusions of grandeur Nothing visioned, nothing gained! and I do not expect to land a 100lb fish DIY with out knowing the waters or having zero experience. It's possible! I am guessing my first poon will be a juve in the back country. (again, 8-9wt fish) I do have a couple days planned in the Coupon Bight area as well. good laid up 11wt fish in there. PM me before you go and I can give you some pointers there. Ill be in the south FL in late July. My trip will end in the Palm Coast area in early August.
Moving on... I've ordered 60lb Hercules Dyneema for my backing. have you ordered it yet, if not, PM me about it. Near as I can tell it is pretty close to the Hatch backing and a fraction of the cost. No.... Also, the multi-color is just cool. I have not chosen a fly line yet but I am leaning towards the Liquid crystal as it has gotten rave reviews from a lot of folks. If so, then I recommend the sky blue tarpon taper version of the LC since it's important for you to see what your flyline is doing. Otherwise, I'm going to go out on a limb here and mentioned that you might also look at Wulff BTT for that particular rod. However, the LC should work fine for you. Also, the line you use in Florida might not work for Pike/ Musky fishing, due to the cold water temps. The flies I have tied are the "standard" Bunny's, Toads, Roach's and few others. nothing too big or bulky. I intend to use floating line and hopefully target shallower fish if I happen upon them. I basically just want a good set-up on my 11wt just to be prepared. I'd hate to come across a string of fish and not be able to do anything about it. From what I've been reading, the most of the bigger fish will have begun to migrate north from the southern waters by late July by late July, the migrating tarpon had already been to Boca Grande to Tampa Bay, the spawn was over by then and they are starting to move out towards Big Bend and the Pandhandle and on the east coast, they've moved up heading towards north Florida and beyond. but there can still be some good fishing with a little luck. The remaining fish in the Keys and Coupon Bight will be singles, resident fish, laid up at 1st light in the early morning, holding deeper on an incoming tide. This is where I would only be throwing an all FC leader system and nix the floating leader (it's slightly deeper in there (3-6ft on a higher tide). Mid morning and during the day, they will seek deeper cuts and channel edges to get some cooler water relief from the incoming tide, due to the hot water being scorched by the sun. So they will not be riding high and happy, like in late spring and early summer, but holding deeper. So the key is getting the fly to them at eye level. That's where the FC leader comes in handy. the end of my trip I will be in the Palm Coast area and the Matanzas inlet is only a 30-40 min motor up the ICW from my moms place. I have heard there can be some good fish cruising the beaches up there as well as randomly found in the back waters of the Pelicer creek area. July-Aug should see their fair share of the mullet run starting on the beaches. Look at Cresent beach to the pass and then going south of Matanzas. Ask around at the local bait shops where the mullet run is and then that's where I would target. Tarpon big snook and sharks will be gorging themselves on those juvenal silver mullet FC leader system for sure! Big mullet flies, (natural and also dark ones) that push a lot of whater is what I'd be throwing at them, right smack in the "blitz!" The Matanzas Inlet bridge will hold tarpon at night on a slow moving tide. Either big white bushy seducer flies or big black or black/purple mullet flies will be the trick there. A boat with a TM is key there with someone that can operate the boat while the other guy cast to the leading tide side of each piling. Sit back and watch the pilings to see if fish pop or roll around it, then move in to that area and cast around that piling.

Now that that's all out there... Please feel free to tell me I'm nuts. IMO, people who are not nuts, don't catch tarpon! Fact!

My final questions: What are your thoughts on knot tying aids such as a blood knot tool?
https://www.amazon.com/BLOOD-KNOT-TOOL-EZ-TIE/dp/B00BO9X2ZQ

NO! You don't need that! Just moe junk to carry around with ya! They are simple enough to tie and you can pre-tie them and get them right before hand.

What brand do you recommend for class tippet and bite mono? The yo-zuri? At this point I will probably make both Mono and FC butt sections using your formula (thank you again) and use FC tippet and bite tippet.

For tippet, it doesn't matter much and whatever you have in 20lb FC, use it, tho I've been using the Tsunami Pro Grade in the 20-30lb that you find in Walmart. It's really clear, smaller dia and stiff. Low memory too and seems to be good abrasion resistant as well, so far, since I started using it a couple of years ago.

You can order it in bigger lb test sizes on ebay, but if you don't have 40-60lb FC for bite tippet, I personally like the "CLEAR, not the disappearing pink" Yozuri that you get from Bass Pro in the larger spools (to reduce memory) for the heavier bite leader. I also like the yozuri since its a smaller dia than Seaguar.

I have some cheap, Walmart brand 30lb low cost doesn't always mean cheap! here that I use for weed guards on my flies. I think I'm going to practice some of these new to me knots and see what shakes out...

Lou

Good luck!

Ted Haas

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