Who Invented the Float-n-Fly...

Any ideas????

Billy



Redneckshadrap
[url]www.thecreekbank.com[/url]
[email][email protected][/email]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Oct-31-05 AT 09:53AM (EST)[/font][p]In my opinion that would be hard to figure out. In the mid to late 60`s, the same type rig was popular during cold weather at Rough and Nolin lakes. We used a small hair jig with the float adjusted to the desired depth. We were fishing for crappie, but caught sm and lm bass also.

Some of us used 9-12 ft crappie poles with small reels for more depth. I caught several crappie recently at Rough using the float n fly brand jig with a 9 ft rod designed for such.

Good luck to all, Tom.

I think the credit goes to the Nicholas brothers. One died and the other one carrys out the trademark. If I'm not mistaken these guys won the Westmoreland tourney almost every year and that's saying something!

I read this the other day just checking out this website.
[url]http://www.trophyguideservice.com/smallmouth/smallmouth.html[/url]
2nd paragraph. Check it out for the answer to you question. There might be plenty who claim to have discovered this, I don't know.

> Any ideas????
>
> Billy
>
>
>
>Redneckshadrap
>[url]www.thecreekbank.com[/url]
>[email protected]

Now Billy you know it was the CRAPPIE ANGLERS .... everyone knows that ...LOL!!

Fred McClintock calls it "Floatin Fly" (originally designed to catch Trout) - but gives credit to Charlie Nuckols for having a patent on "Float-n-Fly" (see this -
[url]http://208.35.24.163/bronzeback/forum/bronzeboard.pl?read=39510[/url] ) Charlie Nuckols ... according to our own Jim Dickens, took the idea from Crappie anglers that were using a float/jig set-up - but couldn't keep the Smallmouth off !!

(check out this partial copy of Jim's article - "It originally started about 5 or 6 years ago when crappie fishermen complained to Charlie Knuckles a tackle store owner about not being able to get crappie on because the darn (I am sure it was a different word) smallmouth would not leave the jig alone. This began the development of the Floatn’ Fly system and the special jigs to catch the fish".)

Now you know the rest of the story ....... LOL!!

I have a "prototype" FnF rod, and the finished product (one of the first off the line) .... I fieldtested these rods for BnM, who now has them on their website. The designer is Jim Duckworth. They can be seen at : [url]http://www.bnmpoles.com/ffcs.html[/url]
They will retail for about $50 .... email me, and I'll tell you a little secret !! .......... luck2ya .....cp

CP,

That's a cool little FNF rod from B&M. Do they make it any longer than 7'11? I've come to prefer the 10' models.



GOOD FISHIN!
Splitshot

[url]www.thecreekbank.com[/url]

That screams flow rod! How useful are the removable weights?

Thanks for the heads up on the rod.

UpaCrick

I invented this little forgotten technique years and years ago.
I was catching fish on it long before a lot of you was even born. And If I had just thought to put it on the market back then...... oh well. I tried to keep it a secret, but nothing is a secret anymore!

Well if I got to be famous for something at least it has to do with fishing and not crime.. LOL..
The Float and Fly founder will never really be known. I am sure it developed over years and years and may not have even been a cold water idea. The OLD article is OLD.. at least 5 years old and since I wrote it with the help of Bob Coan I have learned that it truly DID start as a crappie and bluegill rig and Fred may have a second evolutionary line for the trout fishermen from Pennsylvania or the Cumberland river..
Truth is it may be a cross from both the river trout guys and the lake and crappie guys.
Jim Dicken

Thanks for all the info... I'm doing a study on it just for my own "wanting to learn more"

Billy



Redneckshadrap
[url]www.thecreekbank.com[/url]
[email][email protected][/email]

They also use something similar in the surf for stripers. Wooden egg as a bobber and a small (1/4 or 1/2 oz) jig. Not sure how long it has been around.

Andrew

>That screams flow rod! How useful
>are the removable weights?
>
>Thanks for the heads up on
>the rod.
>
>UpaCrick

UAC ... the removable weight balance system is comprised of 6 weight discs and the screw-in cap end. BnM is in the process of trying to get more weights available (for those who would require them).
My rod is matched with a Mitchell 308X (8.9oz) ... & with the weight system removed - the rod balances at the hook retainer loop (which is 1.5in in front of the cork handle) With the weight system attached - the rod balances right at where the blank goes into the handle. A lighter or heavier reel would, of course, balance differently ... and may require removal of some of the 6 weight discs, or the addition of more. But, that's all a matter of personal preference.
Currently, I'm using mine to cast a 1/16oz jighead/plastic body ... and with 6lb mono, its cast distance is comparable to my 6ft & 7ft UL's. The sensitivity is comparable, too.
The rod is 7ft 11in ... so as to be "tournament legal". At this time, this is the only length available (in this model). ...cp