Just got the new STS a couple days ago. I don't remember the last time I laughed out loud so much while reading one. Zog has some absolutely classic quotes and he does a great job critiquing braided and gel-spun lines.

I agree with his conclusions on the new-generation lines, and I'd say the same thing about using them for float fishing, except when fishing big and/or deep water.

Check out some of these nuggets Bill laid out in his latest column.

"When a hot fish is streaking skyward, seemingly going in three directions at once, and you have been reduced to a mere obserever for the first minute of the ride, this is where your so-ten-minutes-ago stretchy Brady Bunch era poo-poo monofilament saves your story (and possibly your trophy fish of a lifetime) from an encounter to one on the beach."

poo-poo monofilament


He talks about using braided/gel-spun lines using barbless hooks, and how their lack of stretch can work against you.

"If I had a dollar for every time I've watched this happen to spoon fishermen (my clients and folks just observed) insisting on using gel-spun lines, either out on the OP's special regs waters or the years spent on the Skagit during C&R season, I could buy a cabin on the Babine. With barbs, not a problem. Barbless.......crying all the way home Spectra-Boy."

Spectra-Boy

Then, after discussing in great detail the way braided lines behave while fishing spoons, and how they affect the angle-of-attack of a spoon in the water, he throws a quick zinger at the boondoggers.

"I certainly hope this isn't too much for all the boondoggers out there to take in, but not to worry, you can always have Mommy and Daddy explain it to you........"

Mommy and Daddy

Good stuff Bill. Keep up the good work. Nice pics too.

Don't get me wrong love Bill's writing.But having fish all my life and using Mono all my life it hard to put out the $27.00 for the braided mono work for me and it work for alot of guys.Bill work at Sportco and braided Co. may be paying him to write good thing about there fishing line.Just my two cents

Ummm....Kidd?

He's ripping on braided line, saying that monofilament is better for fishing spoons...I doubt the braided line companies paid him to do that...

Fish on...

Todd

CK,

I'm not sure Bill had anything good to say regarding braided lines...........except when saltwater jigging. Basically, he said save your money, and use the Bardy Bunch era poo-poo monofilament.


poo-poo monofilament I can't stop laughing when I see that.

CK: No outdoor writer accepts money to write about
any product. It is a clear violation of our code of conduct . In this case you misunderstood what he said. He was in favor on mono. He was not promoting braided line.

I know Bill and he would be furious to be accused of pimping any product.

Dave, did you call Bill a pimp?

LOL! Pimp Herzog!

I've been told he DOES have a way with the ladies!

Sorry Bill misunderstanding.

DanS,

You left out my favorite quote from that article. The very last sentence (about saving your Specrtra Braid for stringing beans in the garden).

It was an excellent article. I've never strayed from mono, because Im too cheap. Now I can say that I use mono because it's the best way to go...

Fdan,

That was a good one too! Ol' Bill's a pretty funny guy.

Nice racks there, dan.

First off let me say that I have the utmost respect for guys like Bill and Dave. However, I would like to say that there is a learning process when switching from mono to spectra. I had a lot of problems at first but learned how to adjust to them. I like the stuff and use it pretty much exclusively except for leaders, in real clear water I will use a copolymer mono type line.

Dave --- Writers have a 'code of conduct' !!!
Ha, ha, ha ,ha ---------show me the 'green', I'll write you an article........

A couple issues ago in STS,, Zog said, 'bend your hook points to the side and slightly downward' to improve hookups --------- after I snapped 3 Gammi siwashes in a row, I said @##^**! this...........

I think most writers are print and $$$ oriented. :p

Peri: So, because you got a batch of bad hooks or failed to follow direction well, you assume that you know something about writers. YES we do have a code of conduct; at least those who belong to professional organizations like the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association or the Outdoor Writers Association of America, and that is most of us. They have strict rules on product endorsements that specifically prohibit accepting payments to endorse products.

Did Bill say to bend Gamis or bend hooks? Do you somehow figure Bill told you to bend hooks because he is on a commission for every hook that gets broken?

If you had even a part of a clue as to what you are talking about you would know that love of fishing is ALL the drives Bill. He is an extraordinarily talented writer who could easily find work at any national magazine. He does not because money is not what motivates him.

I will not tell you what Bill get for an article, but suffice to say no one could live on the amount he does for STS. With Bill it is purely a labor of love. He gets zero dollars for any product endorsments.

You do not know what you are talking about and you owe Bill and apology.

P.S. He does bend his hooks a bit. But probably because it works, if done right. Jeesh, if ignorance was a disease you would have been looooooong dead.

I jumped on the braided bandwagon.....the stuff sucks for most applications. It buries itself horribly on a good run and forget if it gets snagged and needs to be broke off. The points in the article were obvious to me that Bill had really tried to justify the line use, but like me found its characteristics to be more negative than positive. I have one reel I will keep spooled, but I wont make the line my line of choice for many of the reasons Bill stated. It was a great article.

Dave, I agree with you, Bill is a super nice guy, very focused on providing spot on information, and any notariety(sp) or income is secondary to his desire to help other fishermen out.

Paul

Unfortunately most fishermen are like the general voting public in that they believe anything people tell them. Buy braid-don't buy braid, use whatever is new, costs more, etc.
Just follow the money and you'll find your answers.

I know exactly how much money I got for the little article I had in STS. 0, big fat goose egg! I also know how much a regular writer get per article. I can tell you they dont do it for the money. They do it because they like to do it.

Bill's article on braid for fishing spoons was right on. Braid has its place. But Mono or copolymer works better for a lot of applications.

As for Bill,s tips section in STS. I can honestly say Ive tried some o his tips and evryone Ive tried has helped me in some way. I cant say that about alot of other stuff Ive read then tried.

I won't comment specifically on spoon fishing because I am far from an expert in that technique and would never question Bill in his genre. However, I think there are more applications for braids than Bill mentioned in his article. Opnions are just that, everybody has them, and to each their own (pardon the cliche').

To suggest that Bill is on the take (especially without proof) based on an experience with some hooks (which seems irrelevant) is irresponsible and Dave's comeback is a little strong for me. I don't want to stir the pot or get involved here (maybe I should listen to myself and just bow out) but this thread looks like it could be headed in the wrong direction.

On another note, did anybody read that the finding of the reader survey in the editor's notes suggesting that there are more maps in each issue? Man, I would be sorry to see the magazine I love become more like the dreaded F&HN rag I hate.

My advice - don't get ad writers confused with outdoor writers.

All of us are barraged with so much BS advertising, it's easy to generalize when an outdoor writer promotes or questions the effectiveness of a product in a given environment.

Give him a little slack - he's provided more useful on-the-water tips on his own and thru evaluation of others tips than just about anyone I can think of to us sports fishermen.

I gotta agree with Dave on this one - Bill for President!!

So Sorry Bill about the misunderstanding I did not want to start something that would get out of hand.As I just got my copy STS today. But he's other story is better.