Al Caucci Fly Fishing

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    Your fishing logs at Ecolure

    Friends of the Upper
       Delaware

Al Caucci Fly Fishing
1250 Winterdale Road
Starlight, PA, 18461

Phone : 1 ( 570 ) 635 - 5897
email : alcaucci@hancock.net

Tackle Tips

Fly Rods, Reels and Lines

There is a lot of excellent flyfishing equipment on the market today, including rods made by G. Loomis, Sage, Powell, Scott and Reddington; reels by Loomis, Sci Angler, Lamson, and Aaron. I also prefer lines made by Sci Angler, Rio, Teeny, and Wulff.

Rod and reel technology today is incredible compared to 8 or 10 years ago due to intensive research and development and production engineering. Americans can be proud of their flyfishing industry - they produce the best flyfishing equipment in the world.

Special credit should be given to G. Loomis and Sage for their cutting edge efforts in developing new light weight materials and tapers that cast easily. I tend to favor them because of their accomplishments in high modulus technology. Special credit must go to the G. Loomis Company for their new GLX rods - they are amazingly light and quick casting tools. They load easily in the backcast, making them easy to cast for anglers at all levels.

In the reel department, Sci Angler and Lamson manufacture exceptional reels priced below $200. The new Loomis Syncrotech reels are quickly becoming my favorites for large trout, salmon, and bonefish. These reels are listed in the $235 to $300 range. Aaron, however, is still my favorite for a top of the line reel. These hand machined reels provide strength, beauty, and durability, accompanied with a Nylatron compression drag system which will not degrade over time and temperature like other drag systems maufactured with cork or small metal armatures

Big river, hatch-match fishing and flyfishing for bonefish demand the very best in equipment to obtain long, accurate casts - powerful, yet delicate. Accuracy, delicacy and long drag-free floats are a prerequisite to successful Delaware fishing for wild trout. Rivers like the Missouri, Henry's Fork and the Clark Fork demand the same!

I have spent the last several decades evaluating and recommending flyfishing equipment for anglers at all levels - from beginner to expert. Our goal is that when an angler attends one of my programs, he or she leaves a better caster and flyfisher with a better knowledge of equipment. We will make it easier for you to obtain that goal if you follow some simple advice.

Never buy a rod or outfit unless you try it first or better yet, fish it!
Never assume that the person behind the counter knows what you need in flyfishing equipment.
Make sure that all your questions are answered to your satisfaction before you make the final decision to purchase.

In the future we will delve further into rods, reels, lines, waders, rain jackets and other items. I will try to give you the benefit of my experience with this equipment - the pros and the cons of it all!

Dubbing

All the colors needed to match over 95% of the hatches in North America. The only major dubbing system that truly matches insect colors when wet. Easy to dub, premium rabbit fur with almost all the guard hairs removed. Spectrumized mixture of primary colors simulates natural look better than flat, one-color dyed dubbing. Each pack lists: color; common and scientific names of insects; the stage (nymph, dun, emerger or spinner) and color chip number as listed in the Caucci/Nastasi Fly Tyer's Color Guide. 16 individual colors as follows:

Pale Gray	Lt. Yellow Brown	Yellow Brown	Mahogany Brown	Pink
Cream/Tan	Charcoal	Red Brown	Dark Olive	Pale Yellow
Medium Olive	Med. Olive Brown	Cream	Olive	Greenish Yellow
Pale Olive	Dark Brown	Apple Green	b	b

Comparahair

In the past we often couldn't buy quality coastal deer hair to tie Compara-flies, so we started processing our own. This is not just another coastal deer hair, but specially selected and processed to be the easiest to tie, best floating hair you've ever used or your money back. Absolutely the best for tying all hair wing dries. Colors are Light, Medium and Dark.

Miscellaneous Equipment

You need an efficient way to pick insects off the surface of the water. I use the white epoxy coated metal insect strainer listed below and consider it as one of the most important items attached to my vest. I attach it to a heavy duty zinger (item #906) and keep it at waist level. I can grab the strainer and scoop a fly off the water in a second. It's mandatory to see the fly close up if your aim is to be a successful hatch-matcher.

You'll also need a landing net cover, which turns your landing net into a mini seine, to catch the nymphs when you "kick up" the stream bottom. After you identify which nymphs have swollen and dark wing cases and are "ready to hatch", refer to HATCHES II for hatch times, imitations and fishing tactics.

To look at the insects you capture, you'll need medium power magnifiers. Both of our magnifiers are very light and compact for stream side carrying, with several magnification alternatives.

Water temperature is vital information for fishing. For example, hatches start in the spring when the water temperature is around 50 F.. Hatches taper off at around 68 F. - Fish when the water is above 75 F.. and you'll kill almost every fish you catch and release. Remember, if you catch a fish at a cold spring hole and he runs into warmer water to fight, the effect is the same-Death! - Use a quick-read thermometer!