To The Extreme!

With production rods not readily available, I’ve relied on custom makers like The Rodmaker’s Shop in Strongville, Ohio (440/572-0400). In the June/July 2005 issue of In-Fisherman that revealed my techniques, editor Steve Quinn described the Stradivarius as “the craftiest and most delicate tackle we’ve yet seen.” It’s built on a 2-weight 7½-foot 2-piece St. Croix flyrod blank by Ray Halter and Frank Simoncic of The Rodmaker’s Shop.

Unfortunately, St. Croix discontinued production of this blank, likely due to limited demand. It was clearly the lightest and best I’d found. I needed to find a replacement.

Since then, Halter, Simoncic, and I searched for a new, maybe even an improved rod to replace the Stradivarius. We felt an adequate replacement would probably come from a flyrod blank, due to its capacity to fully load and release, propelling an ultralight bait in a manner similar to flycasting. In addition, we noted a tendency for light (2-weight or less) blanks to have more than two pieces, apparently for their ease in travel. But any blank with more than two pieces wasn’t sensitive enough.

In early 2008, we found the answer, custom-made from a 7-foot, 2-piece 1-weight flyrod blank. When I fished Stradivarius II next to the original, I couldn’t put the new version down. It felt as if I were casting a spider’s web. The Stradivarius II was truly lighter and more delicate than the original. Like its predecessor, Stradivarius II makes a 1/2-pound bluegill feel as if it weighs 2 pounds and doubles the rod. After initial tests, I wished it could be a few inches longer for greater leverage and torque to cast farther. The Rodmaker’s Shop has since made for me both a 7½-foot and an 8-foot model from the same 7-foot blank, and I find I prefer the longer editions.

The Right Reel
For fishing shallow and medium depths, I like spinning reels slightly larger than traditional ultralight models for their spool size. Larger reels have larger spools, which increase casting distance. Also, there’s less line twist with a larger spool.

I almost always use the lightest line possible for a particular situation, mandating a silky smooth drag. And on good days, it gets a considerable workout. Small ultralights impart too much line twist. Moreover, I’m not willing to sacrifice casting distance for the sake of better balance between rod and reel, even if its weight slightly reduces sensitivity. I continue to favor Daiwa’s Longcast spool, which is surprisingly large, but its low profile lip reduces friction. Daiwa’s Tournament SS Whisker Series spinning reels feature this spool, and I use the 8.5-ounce SS 1300.

Line Alternatives
I’ve favored Berkley Trilene XL in 2- and 3-pound tests. And I still use XL with wonderful results. But as a result of the 2005 In-Fisherman article, Mike Sladky, a longtime subscriber from Nebraska, directed me to the benefits of Tectan, a supple, low-diameter monofilament. Tectan in 2- and 3.1-pound tests has a stated diameter of .0031 and .0039 inches. In contrast, most 2-pound monos measure about .005 inches.

Yes, I’m splitting hairs with these statistics, but the difference is significant when casting a bait weighing 1/80-ounce or less. The near 40 percent reduction in diameter of 2-pound test substantially lengthens casts and increases ability to detect strikes. I primarily use 3.1-pound Tectan, which is about 20 percent thinner than other 2-pound monos.

I was slow to adopt the new no-stretch Spectra lines and that was a mistake. I’ve had great experiences with 1- and 2-pound-test Berkley FireLine. Its benefits aren’t restricted to deepwater or vertical applications, either.

When shallow panfish are barely nibbling, its no-stretch qualities outperform monofilament. FireLine in 1- and 3-pound test is incredibly thin, equivalent to 1/4- and 1/2-pound-test mono. It’s a spider’s web with significant strength. These lines are at least three times as strong as mono of equivalent test.

You may have difficulty finding FireLine this light. There just aren’t enough of us using it. Line watchers like me will like the Flame Green color. If you can’t find it in shops, order from Berkley (berkley-fishing.com).

When using FireLine, I always tie a 2-, 3-, or 4-pound-test fluorocarbon leader, doubling the FireLine with a spider hitch and then using back-to-back uni-knots to connect the two lines. To save line, I half-fill the spool with heavier line, then splice it to the fine line and fill the remainder.

Extreme Ultralight Lures
Unlike appropriate rods, there’s no shortage of super-light jigs, softbaits, and other lures. One reason for this bounty is the popularity of ice fishing, as some of the best and most popular extreme ultralight lures are built for ice. There’s no need to custom-make baits, though for years I’ve built some special ones that work well in these situations. They’re easily made and modified:

Glow Pearl Fly: This one saved the day in that November scenario described earlier. The body of the fly is made of soft white or chartreuse glow beads that look like tiny pearls. Their soft texture helps when a finicky crappie barely mouths the fly.

I generally tie it on a #6 gold or red fine-wire hook, with white, chartreuse, pink, or any other bright hackle. Glow beads are an attractor, especially in stained water or on dark days.

When tied to a fluorocarbon leader of at least 24 inches and trolled either forward or backward on a finesse double-dropper rig, a Glow Pearl Fly seductively undulates. I often tip it with a lip-hooked minnow. This presentation has much of the finesse of fly-fishing, but a livebait can be presented at any depth, which usually is more than even a negative crappie can resist. In smaller sizes, this fly also is great for bluegills.

The Pearl: The Pearl derives from the Glow Pearl Fly, with the addition of tiny tungsten or brass beads to enable casting with extreme ultralight gear. I want just enough weight so a lip-hooked minnow falls ever-so-slowly, maximizing time in the strike zone. I can match minnow size to bead weight to offer virtually any drop speed. I look forward to tying The Pearl with the new Nymph Head, a tungsten bead with built-in eyes, manufactured by Flymen Fishing Company. The Pearl is ideal for fishing in 3 to 8 feet of water, where a slow presentation and slow fall are necessary. It’s saved the day on many spring trips when fish are staging on drop-offs or are in small weed pockets and refuse to take a fast-moving bait. It’s also a good one for wade-fishing on windy spring days that make boat control difficult. This one I also downsize for bluegills.

Ultralight Jig: The only unique aspect of this bait is its light weight in relation to hook size. I assemble them by gluing small clam shot on a #4 or #6 fine-wire straight hook, generally using Gorilla Glue; then I paint the head with vinyl jig paint in glow or other bright colors. I flatten the bottom of the shot so the jig falls in a perfectly horizontal manner.

I go to this extreme to create jigs 1/50-ounce or less on #4 or #6 hooks that are needed to hook and land big crappie. Once again, the jig weight can be adjusted so a lip-hooked minnow barely drifts down. I haven’t found a commercial outlet for jigs this light with hooks this large. I fish them similar to the Pearl when fish are finicky and precision essential. Add hackle or other jig-tying material to alter the jig’s drop speed.

Once you locate panfish, extreme ultralight tackle helps you solve the presentation part of the puzzle. If you don’t catch many with this set-up, my bet is that no one has. Or else you failed to read that classic reference mentioned earlier, Critical Concepts Crappie Location.

But understand you may be going down the path with little company. You may find yourself making custom rods. I sometimes hope the path becomes a bit easier as I get on in years. Then again, I’d miss the challenges this wonderful sport has provided since I was a kid. Fishing extreme ultralight tackle has truly made all the difference. 

*Bill Bottger, Strongville, Ohio, retired in 2008 as a partner in the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche. He hopes to devote more of his free time now to his passion for panfishing.