Fly Fishing Insider Newsletter featuring Soft Hackle Flies, Winterizing Your Pontoon Boat

Soft Hackle Flies
In 1496 Dame Juliana Berners published "The Treatise of Fishing with an Angle". It was the first definitive work on fishing sports written in the English language. In it were the first twelve fly patterns. Most are believed to be soft hackle type wet flies. Sylvester Nemes in his great book The "Soft Hackle Fly Addict" brought these simple flies to the attention of modern anglers. Soft Hackles are as popular and productive as when first written about five

hundred years ago. This is because they are easy to tie and easy to fish. They are usually fished just below the surface of the water, dead drift or on the swing in streams. Or they can be cast and retrieved in lakes. These patterns represent insects which are struggling. They can represent emerging aquatic insects or terrestrial insect which have had the bad luck of falling into the water. Soft Hackles usually do not represent a specific insect but are impressionistic and may closely represent many kinds

Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle.

of insects. The soft, wet flowing hackle brings this action to life. This hackle material is usually body feathers from game birds or nuisance birds such as partridge, grouse or starlings. These feathers absorb water and quickly become very pliable for maximum movement in the currents. Sparse hackles provide more movement than densely packed hackle. Sparse flies also sink better.

To be most effective they are dressed on standard wet fly hooks but are other wise unweighted. Soft hackle flies can be productive all times of the year. Even when hatches are at peak, a soft Hackle that roughly replicates the size and color of the emerger can be very productive. These flies also work well as searching patterns when there are no hatches apparent. The angler should start at the upstream end of the water he wishes to prospect and work slowly downstream through it. The cast is placed across the current. Then the line is mended slightly upstream so the

Starling & Herl Soft Hackle.

the fly's swing across the current is slowed down. When the fly reaches the end of the swing and the line is hanging down stream, the angler should step downstream and repeat the process. Cast, mend, swing, step, cast, mend, swing, step. In this way a lot of water can be covered quickly. The Soft Hackles are some of the world's oldest and simplest flies, but elegant and still often the most effective fly you can choose.

months of non-usage. The first thing to consider is the best way to store your boat. At the top of this list is "Leave it together and inflated". If you have the space, this will insure that no pieces (like the left side of the frame) will be missing come Spring. Regardless of where your boat comes to rest, I recommend that you leave the pontoons inflated softly. This will insure that no foreign material will find its way into the inner area of the bladder, or, onto the sealing surface of the valve itself. You might squirt a small amount of preservative into the valve body to keep the seal intact. I use "Armor- All" but there are many other products out there that should work as well. Inside a spare room in the house is the ideal place for your boat, hanging from the frame. I know that this method does not allow for "Spousal Conflicts", but that could be covered in a future article. Perhaps you might have a dry basement or a spot in the attic. Consider detaching the pontoons from the frame. If you have to store the unit in an unheated area, take the time to insure that ABSOLUTELY NO WATER has been trapped in the frame. Water expands when frozen and will fracture the frame. Again, the best method is to hang the boat from the frame. This will insure that the material in the pontoons will not be deformed over the winter months. If you find it necessary to deflate the pontoons, you should clean the outer surface ( I use mineral spirits) and apply a preservative and then roll the pontoons (not tightly!). The idea here is to avoid sharp creases. If you should find it necessary to inflate your pontoons during the cold months, take them inside and warm slightly to avoid unsightly "Weather Cracking".
Don¹t forget a quick application of preservative to the seat pads before storage. With just a bit of care, your boat will last many seasons.
We have been actively dealing with Pontoon boats many years. If you have any questions, or tips, please feel free to contact us.

(We love getting these kinds of letters:)
Hi Mark and Patty;

I've just returned from my trip to the Ponoi River on Russia's Kola Peninsula for Atlantic Salmon. I fished the last week of September; the water was low and cold, as was the weather, but the fishing was fantastic ! My best day was 12 fish, from 6lbs. to 22 lbs., all bright, many with sea lice still on them!

I've attached a couple of photos.

Regards,

Dave Breton

This class is for right handed casters only and will deal with the most efficient methods of casting from the river left position. It will cover Single Spey, Snake Roll & Snap-T casts with both floating and sinking tip lines. Each class is limited to (6) students. You will get lots of hands on, personalized help. Be sure to sign up early.
Item	Description	Price
GCSC-M	George Cook Spey School - Morning	$65	-->SALE ENDED
GCSC-A	George Cook Spey School - After Noon	$65	-->SALE ENDED
GCSC-WL	George Cook Spey School - Waiting List	$65	-->SALE ENDED

Item	Description	Price	To Top
SOFTHA	(18) Soft Hackle Flies, includes shipping	$30.95	-->SALE ENDED

Item	Description	Price	To Top
9140-4	Sage 9140-4 Spey Rod with Tiger Eye finish	$700	-->SALE ENDED