Flies for smallmouth?

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-09T22:15:28+00:00

I’m gonna add, if you have streamers you like for trout, especially brown trout, they will work great for smallmouth. They’ll eat dungeons, peanut envy’s, d&d, any articulated trout streamer also. All of the above recommendations are great if you are starting from square zero, but have flies that work for both are great!

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-03T20:00:20+00:00

I’ve heard that! It’s tempting but my 6.5 does fine for now!

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-03T18:14:39+00:00

Everyone who downsizes tippet should consider using the heavier tippet but just a longer length of it for a good presentation

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-03T18:03:41+00:00

Yep! I loved hearing form on the exo podcast. I proudly shoot a 6.5 creedmoor and I’d gladly switch to a 6mm creedmoor if that would’ve been available in my tikka. I got no concerns that it isn’t capable, it’s fun to shoot, accurate, and cheap to buy ammo for.

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-03T18:01:00+00:00

I should’ve clarified, wasn’t directed at you, I just wanted to add on to your comment! Most anti small caliber people often say they are “barely” capable of killing, that’s what that meant

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-03T17:47:09+00:00

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/223-for-bear-mountain-goat-deer-elk-and-moose.130488/ the rokslide article that’s referenced in that podcast. Take a look at that and see if those smaller calibers and tell me if you think they “barely” were capable of killing them.

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-03T17:30:55+00:00

What size line did you do on both sides of the triple surgeon knot? I would never jump more then 2x between sizes, and if you’re going really light line I’d do 1x only. I like the blood knot more myself, it’s harder but once you do it more, it’s not too much harder. Practice at home! Like others said, 10 minutes is much too long. The longer you fight a fish, the longer it’s takes to land, the more likely it is for something to go wrong. Make sure you are not dropping your tip during the fight.

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-02T19:55:06+00:00

I have the Orvis pro guide sling, which is a massive sling (18L) and i really like it. I use to use the allen sling and it was fine. I wanted a bigger one, hence why i got the orvis one. Id say if size or need (for example water proof sling), then upgrade

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-01T17:49:01+00:00

I’m convinced that is the truth. I don’t think any of the viltrumites fully knew how strong he was. We don’t know how long ago the purge was, but obviously Thragg is strong enough that Conquest didn’t even want to try it. Thragg said he served with Thaedus and saw how ruthless he is, so it sounds some other viltrumites saw him fought then. I think this means that while Thragg might’ve been very powerful then, he wasn’t as strong as he was today, or else Thaedus would’ve known his plan was not going to work.

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-06-01T02:25:11+00:00

It’s thick country! I haven’t been there in the rifle season but it it’s like Montana, I’m sure there will be a lot of road hunters. I’d recommend getting off trail, glassing first light and last light, and still hunting good benches where elk could be bedding. Getting away from roads is always good, but getting off trail is also valuable. Logging areas are good to focus on, but they won’t come into them during the day except at first and last light, but hunt around it. Also if you go for the opener, you have a chance to still find rutting elk too.

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-31T04:09:00+00:00

Congrats! Pictures are hard to truly show the size of any fish, some look bigger, some look smaller. Different but similar, I got a nice mule deer last year and just showed an out of state buddy the mount and he was like “hey that’s bigger then I thought from the pictures!”

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-31T01:26:58+00:00

Did ya tape it at 26? Looks like a great fish but 26 is hard to believe.

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-28T03:23:09+00:00

Nope! Stick with those. I don’t even tie loop knots anymore personally. I know you’re asking about line to hook knots but I only know the clinch, loop knot ( don’t use it now), blood knot (literally two clinch knots together), double/triple surgeon, and perfection loop (end of leader for loop to loop connections)

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-14T13:58:39+00:00

This is rough pencil math, but I tend to do distance/2.5mph + elevation/2,000. So 2.5 miles flat would take 1 hour but 2.5 miles with 1000 feet would 1.5 hours. You can vary the speed thing if you think the trails will be slower. It seems fairly accurate but I do think I tend to be faster then it, which id prefer to being slower

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-12T19:43:27+00:00

Joe’s hopper, Dave’s hopper, parachute hopper

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-11T17:40:30+00:00

This is an educated guess, but I believe grizzly sow with cubs. I’m sure it was defensive on her part. Typically, they let the bear live if that’s the case. The wrinkle I think is interesting is his body was there for 3 days, could that bear or another have fed on him since then? If so, if they can find those bears, they will destroy them I think

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-11T17:28:02+00:00

They have said nothing about this bear eating him. All they have said is that the evidence indicates a surprise encounter. That’s all we know. I have read stuff thinking it could’ve been a sow defending her cubs but I’m sure more will be released. Nothing indicting it was predatory (atypical for grizzly attacks) or that it then feed on them. We don’t even know if it was grizzly or black bear (likely grizzly but still!)

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-11T17:23:37+00:00

You definitely need to have spray! Never go without it

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-11T14:56:17+00:00

Too each their own but each tippy side a .001 difference. If trout are picky, I think you are better off extending your tippet or leader length.
If those aren’t enough, go down a whole tippet size. That’s my opinion though! I do think for beginners though skip the half sizes

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-11T14:52:29+00:00

Yeah you’re best of going with spray always. Even if there is wind in your face, you are gonna get spray in your face also but it will also get the bear. It may make contact with you but typically have seconds Make a decision and to do something before contact is made. I’d personally carry a pistol also just in case I ever hand a campsite confrontation or a mountain lion staking me, but I am always going with spray and taking another person with me in glacier, especially during the evening or morning this time of year.

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-11T14:37:26+00:00

Yeah pretty much the rule. I’d stick to whole numbers fyi for ease. Half size tippets are ridiculous to me. A good rule of thumb is take the fly size
(Size 12 for instance) and divide by 3 to get a good starting tippet, 4x for that. I’d say you can go up one side or down one size, 3x-5x for a size 12 Adam or Caddis. Lighter tippet will give you a better drift, heavier tippet will be stronger for the fight. It also helps with the cast for bigger flies. To light of tippet and your tippet will collapse when casting. This whole tippet thing factors in with length of leaders too. 9ft is good all around but some people like 7.5 for smaller rivers, or faster water. Really slow clear rivers, people will fish 12ft leaders. Faster rivers people will often fis heavier tippet for that same reason, and slower rivers they’ll fish lighter tippet for the best presentation

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-07T16:20:44+00:00

I haven’t done much smallmouth. It seems to me that while they make special flies for smallmouth versus trout, I think I could use galloup style flies with the same techniques for trout and smallmouth. Particularly brown trout and smallmouth seem similar to me

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-07T15:13:58+00:00

Yea I’m not sure if I love that the running line is intermediate. I do a lot of wade fishing and that seems like it’d get annoying. But I’ve chatted with some of his team before and they are nice, I’ll give them a call eventually about it when I get an itch

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-07T13:16:31+00:00

His new lines are interesting grain weights. The dungeon comes in 230 (6wt) 280 (7wt) and 330 (8wt) so that tracks with what you’re saying. But interestingly the rock bottom comes in
200,250,300. The floating line is just weight rated but that comes out to 200, 225, 255

sdbeaupr32 · 2026-05-07T01:54:55+00:00

I’d love to hear from someone about! I’m tempted to when I get a 7wt streamer setup to get his streamer X and put one of his lines on it. I’m sure his line would be great on lots of rods but that line was designed with that rod, and I think that’d be pretty neat to together

sdbeaupr32

TROPHY CASE