Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph.   well, there it is fellers.  for those still needing proof… anybody got a granite chisel i can borrow? jeff miller (the other one)

O-O-OH…I thought he got you and wayno confused and then misspelled "vice"….well, I guess that’s what I get for taking as confusion what could be easier explained by simple stupidity… TC, R

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just hope i can get those words impressed on my headstone before i pass… i will of course give proper attribution to the author…

…and don’t forget the "copywrite 2001."  You wouldn’t want a bunch of ambulance chasin’ copyright lawyers hounding you into the afterlife. Kevin

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Jeffie writes: just hope i can get those words impressed on my headstone before i pass… i will of course give proper attribution to the author…

Well, hell……  I thought your headstone should read: "It weren’t the fried eggs that done killed me!"

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no…but if you’d seen me runnin out of santeetlah creek lookin suitable-for-wipin tree leaves whilst tryin to get disentangled from vest, waders, clothing and all the time havin to maintain tight sphincter control…well, it sure did look and feel like a death dance…and, true, it tweren’t my fried eggs, twas that bvd laplac mornin cookin what nearly done me in. jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jeffie writes: just hope i can get those words impressed on my headstone before i pass… i will of course give proper attribution to the author… Well, hell……  I thought your headstone should read: "It weren’t the fried eggs that done killed me!"

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Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph.

Jeff, are you leading a double life? Op

Response:

Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph. Jeff, are you leading a double life? Op

You must stop these jealousy tandrums Opie boy.  You sexuality will soon reveal itself. George Gehrke "Dr. of Confusion"

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you guys are slayin’ me…. thankee! –waldo <bseg’s – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph. well, there it is fellers.  for those still needing proof… anybody got a granite chisel i can borrow? jeff miller (the other one) Jeff:  I’m going to keep that quote to post under the picture of the fly you submitted to the 2002 fly swap, OK? –Stan

– Tight Lines, –Walt Fly Fishing NC & more… http://www.ezflyfish.com http://www.wilsoncreekoutfitters.com

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gawdam stan…that’s cold. have you no pity? …only if you include mike’s verse as well… jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph. well, there it is fellers.  for those still needing proof… anybody got a granite chisel i can borrow? jeff miller (the other one) Jeff:  I’m going to keep that quote to post under the picture of the fly you submitted to the 2002 fly swap, OK? –Stan

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just hope i can get those words impressed on my headstone before i pass… i will of course give proper attribution to the author… jeff

OK. purely out of pity! Jeff tried and tried, before he died, to tie up lots of lovely flies, He got his wish, caught lots of fish, and now happy here he lies. TL MC

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just hope i can get those words impressed on my headstone before i pass… i will of course give proper attribution to the author…

He’s probably thinking of the ones you gave him when the two of you were fly fishing the Pyrenees after you ran the bulls that time. — Charlie…

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grin-ing out loud funny…. jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – He’s probably thinking of the ones you gave him when the two of you were fly fishing the Pyrenees after you ran the bulls that time. — Charlie…

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OK. purely out of pity! Jeff tried and tried, before he died, to tie up lots of lovely flies, He got his wish, caught lots of fish, and now happy here he lies.

…perhaps i’ll have two headstones then.  thanks mike. jeff (master of the mutant fly tie)

Response:

Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph.

well, there it is fellers.  for those still needing proof… anybody got a granite chisel i can borrow? jeff miller (the other one)

Jeff:  I’m going to keep that quote to post under the picture of the fly you submitted to the 2002 fly swap, OK? –Stan

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph. well, there it is fellers.  for those still needing proof… anybody got a granite chisel i can borrow? jeff miller (the other one)

Oh dear, the kiss of death, and you were doing so well! TL MC

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just hope i can get those words impressed on my headstone before i pass… i will of course give proper attribution to the author… jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph. well, there it is fellers.  for those still needing proof… anybody got a granite chisel i can borrow? jeff miller (the other one) Oh dear, the kiss of death, and you were doing so well! TL MC

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Last and only time I fished on Silver creek

don’t discount terrestrials on silver creek…also look for ties the trout are less likely to see all the time…. Eugene K.

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Getting ready to make my annual wholesale order of flies from banglerdesh and would like to get a few suggestions  from the western experts  as I hope to make a return trip to Idaho late this summer.  Will hit Henry"s area, Silver creek and Kelly creek.   Last and only time I fished on Silver creek the trico hatch was so dense I could not see or breathe  but caught a couple of trout with my royal wuff  while my mentor had  size22,24,and 26 trico in wounded shape, in crippled shape and with wings and he caught zilch.  Please mention size and color. of flies you think I should purchase.   Indian Joe I would purchase my flies from Jeff Miller [ renowned N.C.tier]     but he will not trade for Lucent sock [at my purchased price]

Would you be willing to send me your contact for your tier(s) in banglerdesh? — remove all x’s for reply email. To worry is folly so let us be jolly.

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Getting ready to make my annual wholesale order of flies from banglerdesh and would like to get a few suggestions  from the western experts  as I hope to make a return trip to Idaho late this summer.  Will hit Henry"s area, Silver creek and Kelly creek.   Last and only time I fished on Silver creek the trico hatch was so dense I could not see or breathe  but caught a couple of trout with my royal wuff  while my mentor had  size22,24,and 26 trico in wounded shape, in crippled shape and with wings and he caught zilch.  Please mention size and color. of flies you think I should purchase.   Indian Joe I would purchase my flies from Jeff Miller [ renowned N.C.tier]     but he will not trade for Lucent sock [at my purchased price]

Trade him for a war bonnet as they are great for at least a hundred dozen flies. Joe, you ask a difficult question.  About anything you use out east will work in the west.  It often is a good idea to save a little cash and buy flies that are hatching during the time you’re in the area.  All you need is to buy one for a pattern and spend evenings tying up a few of these and a few of those.  Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph.  Are you any relation to the Chief of that name? : ) George Gehrke Western Hatches R Us

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Last and only time I fished on Silver creek don’t discount terrestrials on silver creek…also look for ties the trout are less likely to see all the time…. Eugene K.

Good suggestion Gene.  You remind me of the time a size 12 Gray Wulff was torn to bits on the Henry’s Fork when everything else that was coming off wasn’t any bigger than a size 18.  Moral:  You never know what will work until you try it.

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i happen to have a few artist proofs of miller’s mutant… how much lucent you got left?  i’ll also consider some of that enron stuff…been hearin a lot about it lately… jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Getting ready to make my annual wholesale order of flies from banglerdesh and would like to get a few suggestions  from the western experts  as I hope to make a return trip to Idaho late this summer.  Will hit Henry"s area, Silver creek and Kelly creek.   Last and only time I fished on Silver creek the trico hatch was so dense I could not see or breathe  but caught a couple of trout with my royal wuff  while my mentor had  size22,24,and 26 trico in wounded shape, in crippled shape and with wings and he caught zilch.  Please mention size and color. of flies you think I should purchase.   Indian Joe I would purchase my flies from Jeff Miller [ renowned N.C.tier]     but he will not trade for Lucent sock [at my purchased price]

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Jeff Miller is an excellent man at the vise and I personally know his fly tying signature as being top drawer.  You can’t do much better Joseph.  

well, there it is fellers.  for those still needing proof… anybody got a granite chisel i can borrow? jeff miller (the other one)

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—

So rw what flies will catch a big brown  at the farm? They were sitting in the weeds around me but  this old southern boy   came closer to stepping on them than catching them. IJ

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— So rw what flies will catch a big brown  at the farm? They were sitting in the weeds around me but  this old southern boy   came closer to stepping on them than catching them. IJ

You might try a big bunny leech. Or get out at night with a deer hair mouse, or even a real honest-to-God mouse on certain sections where it’s permitted. There’s a young lady I’ve heard about, who lives right on Silver Creek, who tickles those big browns under the cut banks. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

Response:

Getting ready to make my annual wholesale order of flies from banglerdesh and would like to get a few suggestions  from the western experts  as I hope to make a return trip to Idaho late this summer.  Will hit Henry"s area, Silver creek and Kelly creek.   Last and only time I fished on Silver creek the trico hatch was so dense I could not see or breathe  but caught a couple of trout with my royal wuff  while my mentor had  size22,24,and 26 trico in wounded shape, in crippled shape and with wings and he caught zilch.  Please mention size and color. of flies you think I should purchase.   Indian Joe I would purchase my flies from Jeff Miller [ renowned N.C.tier]     but he will not trade for Lucent sock [at my purchased price]

Response:

Last and only time I fished on Silver creek the trico hatch was so dense I could not see or breathe  but caught a couple of trout with my royal wuff  while my mentor had  size22,24,and 26 trico in wounded shape, in crippled shape and with wings and he caught zilch.  

You can use a bare hook in those unbelievable Silver Creek trico hatches, as long as you drift it downstream right into their Hoovering mouths. It may be unethical, but it works. Those hatches are so dense that you have to hose down your waders after fishing. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

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Question:

But Ken, who makes those blanks? — ~~~~ The RodMaker (aka) The Shadow

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –      if you had a chance to have a custom rod made, whos blank would you chose?     light spinning rod , 6 to 6 1/2 foot I don’t have experience with their spinning rod blanks, but in flyrods I’m impressed with Angler’s Workshop IM6 blanks, for the money. http://www.anglersworkshop.com — Ken Fortenberry

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But Ken, who makes those blanks?

Does it matter ? It’s quality IM6 graphite, or at least their flyrods are, for a good price. I suppose if you were to tell me that they’re manufactured by starving slaves in a third world hovel and marketed by profiteering commies using the proceeds to finance the violent overthrow of the US government, I would probably expect them to be a lot cheaper , but I’ve done business with Angler’s Workshop in the past and have been quite happy. Of course, this assumes that the original poster can buy whatever blank he wants. Most custom builders that I know of insist on using their own blanks or charge a premium to build a rod on the customer’s blank. I use Angler’s Workshop ’cause I roll my own. YMMV — Ken Fortenberry

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Do you continue to pay retail prices for these blanks you buy? — ~~~~ The RodMaker (aka) The Shadow

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – But Ken, who makes those blanks? Does it matter ? It’s quality IM6 graphite, or at least their flyrods are, for a good price. I suppose if you were to tell me that they’re manufactured by starving slaves in a third world hovel and marketed by profiteering commies using the proceeds to finance the violent overthrow of the US government, I would probably expect them to be a lot cheaper , but I’ve done business with Angler’s Workshop in the past and have been quite happy. Of course, this assumes that the original poster can buy whatever blank he wants. Most custom builders that I know of insist on using their own blanks or charge a premium to build a rod on the customer’s blank. I use Angler’s Workshop ’cause I roll my own. YMMV — Ken Fortenberry

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Do you continue to pay retail prices for these blanks you buy?

Sure. I’m just a do-it-yourselfer who buys blanks for personal use and the occasional birthday gift/Christmas present. I wouldn’t expect a quantity discount or a professional discount. I assume when you find a blank that you like that you buy several of the same blank at a time. I buy ‘em one at a time as I need them,and I hardly ever buy the same blank twice. Apples & oranges, RodMaker, you’re a pro who deserves his discount, I’m just an amateur hobbyist. — Ken Fortenberry

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Ok, One thing I should have made more clear concerning the Lamiglass (Perigee) series. What I meant was that Lamiglass designed these blanks for custom builders(already stated that) but what I forgot to mention was that Lamiglass themselves will not use these blanks to build rods for resale! Have you tried their fly rod blanks yet? — ~~~~ The RodMaker (aka) The Shadow

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Do you continue to pay retail prices for these blanks you buy? Sure. I’m just a do-it-yourselfer who buys blanks for personal use and the occasional birthday gift/Christmas present. I wouldn’t expect a quantity discount or a professional discount. I assume when you find a blank that you like that you buy several of the same blank at a time. I buy ‘em one at a time as I need them,and I hardly ever buy the same blank twice. Apples & oranges, RodMaker, you’re a pro who deserves his discount, I’m just an amateur hobbyist. — Ken Fortenberry

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… Have you tried their fly rod blanks yet?

No, I haven’t. Lamiglas doesn’t make a 10′ 7wt. blank. The next flyrod I build for bassin’ will be a 10′ 7wt. I like the 10′ length because I sit so close to the water in my canoe. I like a slow action flyrod, that’s why I’m so partial to IM6, and my current 10′ 7wt. is sloooooow. But while a slow action rod is great for some things, bassin’ ain’t one of them, I’d like a faster action for bassin’. I’ll probably build the new one on a Sage 71003SP, it’s a lot faster than my current rod but still slow enough to be comfortable for me. — Ken Fortenberry

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The next flyrod I build for bassin’ will be a 10′ 7wt. I like the 10′ length because I sit so close to the water in my canoe. I like a slow action flyrod, that’s why I’m so partial to IM6, and my current 10′ 7wt. is sloooooow. But while a slow action rod is great for some things, bassin’ ain’t one of them, I’d like a faster action for bassin’. I’ll probably build the new one on a Sage 71003SP, it’s a lot faster than my current rod but still slow enough to be comfortable for me. — Ken Fortenberry

Hey Ken, It’s been a while since I built a new rod and I’m getting the fever.  I never thought of using a 10 footer or a 7 weight, but reading your post makes me want to hear more from you on the idea.  What conditions do you fish in?  What bugs do you throw?  Etc? I do some fly fishing from kickboats and tubes.  I don’t generally make long casts because it’s so easy to simply position my craft so that I’m the right distance from what ever target I choose.  My current fly rod is a 20-year-old Cabela’s 9 foot 8 weight.  The reason I use this particular rod is that it is the rod I happen to own and carry in my truck.   Now I’m starting to fish more from a sit-on-top kayak which is much better suited for covering distances of water than either a tube or a kickboat.  But it’s not as easy to position and is far more susceptible to the wind.  For those times when it’s hard to hold a position near the shoreline, I can see the advantage of a longer rod, but I don’t understand the advantage of a slower rod, or of the 7 weight.  (As I write this, it just occurred to me that if you add a foot in length, your wrist and arm will very likely be tireder at the end of the day and that a lighter rod might well be a blessing — is that it?)  At any rate, I’d like to hear more about the advantages of a slow rod vs. a faster rod, etc. etc.   —– Family, Friends, Fishing Rob Storm http://www.stormsrestaurants.com

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Hey Ken, It’s been a while since I built a new rod and I’m getting the fever.  I never thought of using a 10 footer or a 7 weight, but reading your post makes me want to hear more from you on the idea.  What conditions do you fish in?  What bugs do you throw?  Etc?

Hi Rob, My "home water" is a collection of reclaimed strip mine ponds and the tributaries of the Vermillion River in east central Illinois. http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=40.106&lon=-87.7429&size=s&s=50 Conditions here on the prairie are usually windy and I fish out of a canoe. I’ll throw everything in the box at ‘em, poppers, Dahlberg divers, Clouser minnows, bunny leeches, wooly buggers, deer hair frogs etc., everything but crayfish flies, I don’t like fishin’ down on the bottom and losing 6 flies an hour. The difference between 7 & 8 wt is personal preference, the 8wt is the classic weight for a bass flyrod but a 7wt has enough backbone. The 10′ length gets the rod tip up a bit off the water, which is an advantage when you’re sitting low in the water like in a canoe (or a kayak). It’s also an advantage on a stream for mending and rollcasting. … I’d like to hear more about the advantages of a slow rod vs. a faster rod, etc. etc.

To oversimplify and generalize, slow action rods are preferred for delicate presentation (dry flies), and chucking a lot of weight (split shot to get nymphs down). Fast action rods are preferred for powering through the wind and for tossing big wind eating flies like deer hair and bigger poppers. So for bass fishin’ most folks prefer a faster action flyrod. My current 10′ 7wt is a Thomas & Thomas XL, a slow action rod that’s ideal for steelhead but not so for bassin’. A slow 7/8 wt rod can double as a steelhead rod and a pike/carp rod while a fast 7/8 wt rod can double as a bass rod and a bonefish rod. That’s why I’d like to build another 10′ 7wt on a faster blank. Take care, — Ken Fortenberry

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Hi Ken, Thanks for the info.  I think the last slow fly rod I had was an old glass Herter rod I built in the early ’60s.  Maybe it’s time to try another.   I agree with you about fishing on the bottom.  It never appealed to me even though I know that with a sinking line and a floating bug you can show the fish a presentation they don’t often see.  When I fish a fly rod, I like the action to be right in front of me.  Flies or plugs, I like my lure to be on the surface whenever possible. You mention pike and carp.  I’ve caught the odd carp while casting small streamers for white bass, but I’ve never had the pleasure of fighting a pike on a fly rod.  Am planning a trip to Andrew Lake in Alberta for June 2001.  I ‘ll probably take along a 5 weight for grayling, but after reading your post, I might want to pack the 8 weight as well.   Thanks again for the info. —– Family, Friends, Fishing Rob Storm http://www.stormsrestaurants.com

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     if you had a chance to have a custom rod made, whos blank would you chose?     light spinning rod , 6 to 6 1/2 foot

Response:

     if you had a chance to have a custom rod made, whos blank would you chose?     light spinning rod , 6 to 6 1/2 foot

Personally I would go with whatever RodMaker here in this group told me to. Good fishing, Richard L. LaFay  | (248) 753-6940 (work) 2887 Pontiac Court  | (248) 373-6865 (home) Auburn Hills, Michigan   48326 Ranger Boats, Lowrance Electronics, Berkley Trilene, Rippler, Bill Norman Lures, and Aqua-Vu underwater cameras. I use them because I think they’re the best!

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     if you had a chance to have a custom rod made, whos blank would you chose?     light spinning rod , 6 to 6 1/2 foot

I don’t have experience with their spinning rod blanks, but in flyrods I’m impressed with Angler’s Workshop IM6 blanks, for the money. http://www.anglersworkshop.com — Ken Fortenberry

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Question:

The best brookie I ever caught at camp (14" in a small stream where a 10-incher is a good one) came to beat up red&white devil bug immediately after my dog took a dip in the bathtub-sized pool it was in.

Response:

…first thing a little kid learns when bas fishing farm ponds with his uncle is to walk softly…….the big stick was a fly rod……john – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Seriously, I believe that trout can better hear your footsteps than they can hear your voice–especially if you are in the water.  Fish hear differently than humans but the ability of sound to travel through any given medium does not change.  Sound travelling in the air does not penetrate the water very well.  Sound travels extremely well in water, it just doesn’t make the transition from air to water very well.  You Footsteps can be enough, cf. the only time in my life I found a trout over 5 lb. actively feeding in daylight exactly as the books say.  This was about 25 year ago on the Pere Marquette, right at the Baldwin campground within sight of 20 to 30 tents. A big one showed about an hour before sundown and I timed the interval until its next rise — something between 7 and 12 minutes, and in exactly the same position.   After waiting appropriately I started drifting my dry through that lie, as carefully as possible.  The fish rose again bang on schedule — but a yard to one side and a bit downstream so did not see my fly.  So I carefully gathered the line and looked at my watch to time the next interval. — And within a couple of minutes two or three children ran along the streamside path.  I could feel the vibrations through my own boots.  And the fish never showed again…. — |        Carlsbad Springs, Ottawa, Canada        |

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A few years ago I was fishing the Tongariro river, here in New Zealand, in the company of a man in his eighties. We were fishing to visible fish, and lots of them, holding at the tail of a pool. We threw everything we had at them, all of these flies they greeted with complete disdain. "Only one way to fire them up,’ said my companion and tossed a thumping great rock in the midst of the fish at the tail of the pool. In less than a minute we were hooking up on just about every cast.????  On quiet days on just about any river here-abouts, we pray for a canoe, or rapid-running raft. Stirs the fish up no end. As I have heard Americans say, "Go figure". Well I’ll be damned, that’s a new one.  What about falling in, does that help? — Levi "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

Yes, falling in does help.  Why, just last week I had walked down to the creek after dinner to do some fishing before dark.  I’d been casting to rising fish for 15 or 20 minutes when I lost my footing and ended up in the water.  5 minutes later a kid rode by on his bike and asked if I had caught anything.  I said ‘no’ and told him that I had just fallen in.  He laughed.  2 or 3 casts later I caught a fish and another shortly after that.  Then the kid and his dad show up and start fishing just downstream of me and they’re catching fish too.  Before I fell in, I didn’t even have a bite.  After falling in, I caught fish. Go figure. Tom Before you buy.

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wayno, who admittedly doesn’t look all that good in green tights

I could have lived without that one in my head. Joe F.

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waldo writes: wayno, who admittedly doesn’t look all that good in green tights yeah a sad sight for sure…. but, laurie seemed to like the lace and frills. waldo <g

You shouldn’t talk — there is no way to describe you and those horrid green waders.  Well, maybe there is —-you look like a sick transvestite frog is those things.  If they check your luggage when you fly up to Portland, you will probably be arrested. Louie

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You shouldn’t talk — there is no way to describe you and those horrid green waders.  Well, maybe there is —-you look like a sick transvestite frog is those things.  If they check your luggage when you fly up to Portland, you will probably be arrested.

Especially if they mistake me (sitting next to him on the flight) as a minor. –Steve

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Seriously, I believe that trout can better hear your footsteps than they can hear your voice–especially if you are in the water.  Fish hear differently than humans but the ability of sound to travel through any given medium does not change.  Sound travelling in the air does not penetrate the water very well.  Sound travels extremely well in water, it just doesn’t make the transition from air to water very well.  You

Footsteps can be enough, cf. the only time in my life I found a trout over 5 lb. actively feeding in daylight exactly as the books say.  This was about 25 year ago on the Pere Marquette, right at the Baldwin campground within sight of 20 to 30 tents. A big one showed about an hour before sundown and I timed the interval until its next rise — something between 7 and 12 minutes, and in exactly the same position.   After waiting appropriately I started drifting my dry through that lie, as carefully as possible.  The fish rose again bang on schedule — but a yard to one side and a bit downstream so did not see my fly.  So I carefully gathered the line and looked at my watch to time the next interval. — And within a couple of minutes two or three children ran along the streamside path.  I could feel the vibrations through my own boots.  And the fish never showed again…. — |        Carlsbad Springs, Ottawa, Canada        |

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When I lived in England, I used to fish the Great Ouse for pike.  Clear water and nothing moving was the rule of the day.  What my tactic came to be was casting after the boats that came down.  The boats would stir the minnows (gudgeon) out of the weeds and the pike new this and would move in with a slashing attack.  You could watch them flying into the center of the river as a boat lumbered by.  Great fishing.       Frank Reid Before you buy.

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When I lived in England, I used to fish the Great Ouse for pike.  Clear water and nothing moving was the rule of the day.  What my tactic came to be was casting after the boats that came down.  The boats would stir the minnows (gudgeon) out of the weeds and the pike new this and would move in with a slashing attack.  You could watch them flying into the center of the river as a boat lumbered by.  Great fishing.

A similar thing occasionally happens on the Salmon R. (NY) during the salmon run.   Things can be slow for a while until a drift boat going through moves ‘em around a bit. Joe F.

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Peter    hilarious.  and the poor misguided man claims he will outfish *me* at the maine clave.  *me*, the peter pan of the smokys! wayno, who admittedly doesn’t look all that good in green tights

Peter Pan, eh?  and exactly what are your intentions toward Tinker Bell? Peter the panning

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I still think that loud wading will spook fish. On the other hand in the fall when jet boat from the lodge go by it does increase the feeding activity after they go by. I ‘m sure that the jet boat wake dislodges eggs on the river bottom causing a feeding frenzy.    Ian – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A few years ago I was fishing the Tongariro river, here in New Zealand, in the company of a man in his eighties. We were fishing to visible fish, and lots of them, holding at the tail of a pool. We threw everything we had at them, all of these flies they greeted with complete disdain. "Only one way to fire them up,’ said my companion and tossed a thumping great rock in the midst of the fish at the tail of the pool. In less than a minute we were hooking up on just about every cast.????  On quiet days on just about any river here-abouts, we pray for a canoe, or rapid-running raft. Stirs the fish up no end. As I have heard Americans say, "Go figure". Well I’ll be damned, that’s a new one.  What about falling in, does that help? — Levi "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

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A few years ago I was fishing the Tongariro river, here in New Zealand, in the company of a man in his eighties. We were fishing to visible fish, and lots of them, holding at the tail of a pool. We threw everything we had at them, all of these flies they greeted with complete disdain. "Only one way to fire them up,’ said my companion and tossed a thumping great rock in the midst of the fish at the tail of the pool. In less than a minute we were hooking up on just about every cast.????  On quiet days on just about any river here-abouts, we pray for a canoe, or rapid-running raft. Stirs the fish up no end. As I have heard Americans say, "Go figure". — Tony Bishop  New Zealand http://bishfish.co.nz

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A few years ago I was fishing the Tongariro river, here in New Zealand, in the company of a man in his eighties. We were fishing to visible fish, and lots of them, holding at the tail of a pool. We threw everything we had at them, all of these flies they greeted with complete disdain. "Only one way to fire them up,’ said my companion and tossed a thumping great rock in the midst of the fish at the tail of the pool. In less than a minute we were hooking up on just about every cast.????  On quiet days on just about any river here-abouts, we pray for a canoe, or rapid-running raft. Stirs the fish up no end. As I have heard Americans say, "Go figure".

Well I’ll be damned, that’s a new one.  What about falling in, does that help? — Levi "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

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Do above the water noises (eg. someone talking loudly or calling out)

According Gary A. Borger in his book Nymphing, "Sound generated in water is louder than a similar sound generated on the bank.  Thus, the angler should not wade unless necessary, and then he should wade cautiously, quietly, and slowly.  Sounds in the air do not enter the water unless they are of explosive force; so talking won’t bother the fish at all. Padishar

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[rocky store snipped] As I have heard Americans say, "Go figure". Well I’ll be damned, that’s a new one.  What about falling in, does that help? — Levi

Doubt it.  If that were true, Louie would be the best damn trout fisherman on the planet.  <g Peter

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Doubt it.  If that were true, Louie would be the best damn trout fisherman on the planet.  <g

Well, that’s what he says, isn’t it? <g — Charlie…

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Well I’ll be damned, that’s a new one.  What about falling in, does that help? — Levi Doubt it.  If that were true, Louie would be the best damn trout fisherman on the planet.  <g Peter

        hilarious.  and the poor misguided man claims he will outfish *me* at the maine clave.  *me*, the peter pan of the smokys! wayno, who admittedly doesn’t look all that good in green tights

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        hilarious.  and the poor misguided man claims he will outfish *me* at the maine clave.  *me*, the peter pan of the smokys! wayno, who admittedly doesn’t look all that good in green tights

yeah a sad sight for sure…. but, laurie seemed to like the lace and frills. waldo <g

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Do above the water noises (eg. someone talking loudly or calling out) put trout down? How about canoes passing by? How long should I wait or should I move on to another spot? Bob

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Do above the water noises (eg. someone talking loudly or calling out) put trout down? How about canoes passing by? How long should I wait or should I move on to another spot? Bob

Of course talking puts trout down–why else would all those old guys constantly be telling their kids to be quiet? Seriously, I believe that trout can better hear your footsteps than they can hear your voice–especially if you are in the water.  Fish hear differently than humans but the ability of sound to travel through any given medium does not change.  Sound travelling in the air does not penetrate the water very well.  Sound travels extremely well in water, it just doesn’t make the transition from air to water very well.  You can’t hear above water human voices very well when you are underwater, and I doubt that trout can either.  You can, however, hear two rocks banged together underwater very well if you are underwater at the time.  You could yell all day when standing in a sandy bottom river and not put the fish down, but not talking while every third step you make is knocking rocks together underfoot would be pointless.  Even when you are on shore I think that the trout can hear your footsteps better than your voice. Canoes–maybe, but not too much if canoes are a common occurence and rarely contain fishermen.  If the fish associate canoes with being caught, well, all bets are off.  Oars banging the side of the canoe, etc. could put fish down quickly. How long to wait?  Not long.  Just keep fishing–move if you think the canoe has seriously disturbed the area but don’t just stop fishing for 10 minutes because a canoe went by with some screaming kids in it. Maybe the fish do take a few minutes to resume feeding, but why wait? The fish will resume feeding at their own pace and you want your fly in their sights when they do. Tom Before you buy.

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Trout have no ears as such, but can sense vibrations very well indeed. Talking should not normally disturb them, but it may well disturb people who are trying to catch them, as will boom boxes, dogs, canoes, children throwing stones etc etc. Depending on circumstances, most fish will resume feeding within ten minutes to half an hour after being disturbed, so it is probably better to wait and try again, at least until the next lot of canoeists, children, dogs, etc appears, before roundly cursing, and going home. TL MC — "In order to know what is possible one must constantly attempt the impossible" http://www.mikeconnor.de – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Do above the water noises (eg. someone talking loudly or calling out) put trout down? How about canoes passing by? How long should I wait or should I move on to another spot? Bob

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The other day I was fishing my home river. I was catching a trout now and then using a white miller caddis.As I rounded a bend I noticed a fish rising beside the shoreline alders. I was about to cast when out of the woods came a big branch followed by a very large black lab.Two kids,probably about 8 years old, were standing there grinning like all get out. The rest of the family was camped back in the woods. I made my way past the kids expecting that that was the end of any fishing in that stretch. Then I noticed a rise about 50′ upstream from the game of fetch. And then another. For the next half hour or so I cast to and caught about half a dozen fish no more than a 100′ from the on going water sports taking place  behind me. The noise obviously took a back seat in the fishes minds to the food floating over their heads. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Do above the water noises (eg. someone talking loudly or calling out) put trout down? How about canoes passing by? How long should I wait or should I move on to another spot? Bob Of course talking puts trout down–why else would all those old guys constantly be telling their kids to be quiet? Seriously, I believe that trout can better hear your footsteps than they can hear your voice–especially if you are in the water.  Fish hear differently than humans but the ability of sound to travel through any given medium does not change.  Sound travelling in the air does not penetrate the water very well.  Sound travels extremely well in water, it just doesn’t make the transition from air to water very well.  You can’t hear above water human voices very well when you are underwater, and I doubt that trout can either.  You can, however, hear two rocks banged together underwater very well if you are underwater at the time.  You could yell all day when standing in a sandy bottom river and not put the fish down, but not talking while every third step you make is knocking rocks together underfoot would be pointless.  Even when you are on shore I think that the trout can hear your footsteps better than your voice. Canoes–maybe, but not too much if canoes are a common occurence and rarely contain fishermen.  If the fish associate canoes with being caught, well, all bets are off.  Oars banging the side of the canoe, etc. could put fish down quickly. How long to wait?  Not long.  Just keep fishing–move if you think the canoe has seriously disturbed the area but don’t just stop fishing for 10 minutes because a canoe went by with some screaming kids in it. Maybe the fish do take a few minutes to resume feeding, but why wait? The fish will resume feeding at their own pace and you want your fly in their sights when they do. Tom Before you buy.

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Question:

My own opinion is that the future of the sport lies in lotteries or tickets for limited access to the most popular waters, and encouraging fishermen to spread their days over a diversity of waters, and to limit their days fishing if need be. Right now, I don’t think people really fish too often, just that they concentrate those days on the few well-publicized "gold medal" waters…

I whole heartedly support limited access. I don’t know how the change the pattern of high concentration on a few select waters in any other way. Willi

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….what was the guy thinking when he did this? I hadn’t heard a single word about it till you posted this.  Now, I might look it up.  What were you thinking? I did think about this and hesitated about posting. However, the stream has been discussed on ROFF in the past, the RMN has a circulation of over half a million readers who live in proximity to the stream, the stream is not and never will be a destination water, etc. etc.

O.K., so you aren’t worried about ME coming to fish there.  It’s only the residents of Denver and it’s immediate environs that you wish to EXCLUDE in this particular instance; only anyone who is likely to want to go there.  And this comes to us from a man just coming down off a week long rant about the exclusionary atmosphere in ROFF.  The same man, by the way, who thinks it is a good idea to exclude human beings altogether from certain areas.  So, we are all required to be nice to the newbies and tell them everything they need to know about HOW to fish, but not let anyone know about Willi’s favorite spots in Colorado.  And I’ll bet a shiny new nickel that anytime someone tells you about a SECRET stream you make a point of staying away from it in order to keep the pressure down, right?  You sir, are a monumental hypocrite.

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My own opinion is that the future of the sport lies in lotteries or tickets for limited access to the most popular waters, and encouraging fishermen to spread their days over a diversity of waters, and to limit their days fishing if need be. Right now, I don’t think people really fish too often, just that they concentrate those days on the few well-publicized "gold medal" waters… I whole heartedly support limited access. I don’t know how the change the pattern of high concentration on a few select waters in any other way.

Publicize less popular waters?  I think if Colorado were actually worried about it, the first step would be to stop publicizing the "gold-medal" waters.  Since they continue, I have trouble believing that they find the crowding to be as big a problem as those here on ROFF do.      - Ken

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I whole heartedly support limited access.

What about a minimum age requirement, say 50? Give the youngsters something to look forward to. — Charlie…

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ….what was the guy thinking when he did this? I hadn’t heard a single word about it till you posted this.  Now, I might look it up.  What were you thinking? I did think about this and hesitated about posting. However, the stream has been discussed on ROFF in the past, the RMN has a circulation of over half a million readers who live in proximity to the stream, the stream is not and never will be a destination water, etc. etc. O.K., so you aren’t worried about ME coming to fish there.  It’s only the residents of Denver and it’s immediate environs that you wish to EXCLUDE in this particular instance; only anyone who is likely to want to go there.  And this comes to us from a man just coming down off a week long rant about the exclusionary atmosphere in ROFF.  The same man, by the way, who thinks it is a good idea to exclude human beings altogether from certain areas.  So, we are all required to be nice to the newbies and tell them everything they need to know about HOW to fish, but not let anyone know about Willi’s favorite spots in Colorado.  And I’ll bet a shiny new nickel that anytime someone tells you about a SECRET stream you make a point of staying away from it in order to keep the pressure down, right?  You sir, are a monumental hypocrite.

Isn’t that the mantra of all the hypocrites here?   "I want less crowds…all the rest of you stop fishing" Hey, I’m as selfish as the next person, but at least I admit it.       – Ken

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I whole heartedly support limited access. What about a minimum age requirement, say 50? Give the youngsters something to look forward to. — Charlie…

Sounds like a good idea Charlie except the minimum age for the prime spots should be 70. Ernie

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Sounds like a good idea Charlie except the minimum age for the prime spots should be 70.

Let’s implement it gradually so that is true in about 18yrs<g. — Charlie…

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I really like that idea a bunch! I whole heartedly support limited access. What about a minimum age requirement, say 50? Give the youngsters something to look forward to.

Harry Mason www.troutflies.com

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Isn’t that the mantra of all the hypocrites here? "I want less crowds…all the rest of you stop fishing" Hey, I’m as selfish as the next person, but at least I admit it.       – Ken

Absolutely.  It’s highly ironic that everyone professes to want to promote the sport while at the same time decrying the numbers of people found on the water.  The jealous secrecy attached to particular hallowed favorite waters is especially telling.  I’m not fond of encountering crowds on the waters I fish either, but it’s easy enough to find something secluded.  As for the health of the waters themselves, individual bodies only remain popular so long as there are sufficient numbers of fish to maintain a high level of interest; not many people are going to stay for long on a stream with no fish in it.  So, a favorite stream gets written up in a magazine.  Everybody goes there and pretty soon all the fish are dead.  Everybody stops going.  A few years later the stream has recovered and in the meantime everybody is busy doing the same thing to another.  Or, thousands of people converge on a stream, the stream maintains high fish populations and life goes merrily on. Anyone TRULY interested in reducing fishing pressure on their favorite streams (or any other for that matter) should immediately do three things:  1.  Stop fishing NOW!  2. Stay OFF this news group.  3. Encourage anyone who plans to stay in ROFF to roast EVERY newbie who comes along.

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<< .. I did email the guy with my opinions about it, but what was the guy thinking when he did this?

I have been dealing with the same thing here in Spokane.  The local outdoor writer, who by the way happens to be an old time fly fisher, has taken to talking non stop about the blue ribbon lakes up in my hometown area.   He is vague when he talks about his own favorite waters but brags up these alpine lakes to no end.  As a result, there were over 200 fly fisherman on my favorite lake this opening weekend when two years ago there were only 40 people. Mike

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Maybe the guy was thinking that responsibility for stream-use management belongs to the DWR.

He could have made this point without naming the stream itself. I also don’t think that was his slant. He is pretty much of the opinion that C&R is THE solution to all of Colorado’s problems. The numerous public meetings he mentioned that are scheduled to discuss upcoming regs for a number of our waters should be well attended, hotly debated affairs. Willi

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but what was the guy thinking when he did this? He was thinking about selling newspapers.

About two years ago, Fly Fisherman magazine did an issue with two articles on small trout streams, located only minutes away from Los Angeles and Phoenix.  I wonder how many fish were left a month or so after they hit the newsstands. If you scan through the back issues of FFM from the early ’80’s onward, you notice that practically every issue mentions the Bighorn River — at first with titles like "America’s Greatest Trout River," but they start turning into "Over-crowding on the Bighorn."  I have yet to see any sort of mea culpa or any other sign of self-consciousness from the editorial staff though. Kevin

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….what was the guy thinking when he did this? I hadn’t heard a single word about it till you posted this.  Now, I might look it up.  What were you thinking?

I did think about this and hesitated about posting. However, the stream has been discussed on ROFF in the past, the RMN has a circulation of over half a million readers who live in proximity to the stream, the stream is not and never will be a destination water, etc. etc. Willi

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he wasn’t thinking, at all.  this brings to the forefront my primary concern regarding the present and future state of this sport.  there are too damn many people who fish, and those who do fish, fish too often.

The situation here in Colorado is that although there have been fewer licenses sold over the last few years, but there are now many more fly fishermen who fish many more days per year.  The result is historically high pressure on our streams and rivers. anyone who exposes a fragile resource such as the one willi describes should be banned from fishing for a substantial time, after a severe ass whipping.     and yeah, this is the primary reason why i don’t get enthused over making certain that the sensibilities of newbies are massaged.  there’s a gracious plenty of us out there as it is.

Although I definitely DON’T think that’s an excuse for being an asshole toward people, I agree that we don’t need more people fishing the streams and rivers. We are in a unique position, in that with most endeavors, if there is more interest, more facilities can be built to accommodate them. You can’t build a trout stream. Willi

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… I did email the guy with my opinions about it, but what was the guy thinking when he did this?

Outdoor writers have to walk a fine line between being vague and therefore irrelevant to their readers and "spilling the beans" so to speak and perhaps harming the spots they write about. I basically agree it’s a bad idea to publicize places that are best left well enough alone but I do have some sympathy for the dilemma outdoor writers face too. — Ken Fortenberry

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….what was the guy thinking when he did this?

I hadn’t heard a single word about it till you posted this.  Now, I might look it up.  What were you thinking?

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there are too  damn many people who fish, and those who do fish, fish too often.

Hey speak for yourself Mr. "I live only a few short hours away from heaven on Earth" Harrison. The only fishing I’m doing these days is in my dreams. But in heartfelt agreement on the punishment due that writer. —- Wayne Knight Expert in creating tailing loops and windknots Otherwise Fishless in Kansas Before you buy.

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but what was the guy thinking when he did this?

He was thinking about selling newspapers. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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   he wasn’t thinking, at all.  this brings to the forefront my primary concern regarding the present and future state of this sport.  there are too damn many people who fish, and those who do fish, fish too often.  anyone who exposes a fragile resource such as the one willi describes should be banned from fishing for a substantial time, after a severe ass whipping.    and yeah, this is the primary reason why i don’t get enthused over making certain that the sensibilities of newbies are massaged.  there’s a gracious plenty of us out there as it is.

Yeah!!  You tell it.  Anyone who wasn’t fishing pre-1974 (chosen so that I just barely meet the requirement) shouldn’t be allowed on the water at all.  And all you who do meet that requirement can’t take your kids with to even let them see the water.  It’s a special club dontcha know. Hey, here’s a thought, since it’s all you boomers out there that are causing the crowds, why don’t we just regulate you all off the water? It’d get rid of the crowds…      - Ken

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The point is that this is a small stream that can’t sustain a great deal of pressure. It could be easily fished out and even with C&R, crowds are totally inappropriate on such a small stream. Denver has a large population of fishermen. I did email the guy with my opinions about it, but what was the guy thinking when he did this? Willi

    he wasn’t thinking, at all.  this brings to the forefront my primary concern regarding the present and future state of this sport.  there are too damn many people who fish, and those who do fish, fish too often.  anyone who exposes a fragile resource such as the one willi describes should be banned from fishing for a substantial time, after a severe ass whipping.     and yeah, this is the primary reason why i don’t get enthused over making certain that the sensibilities of newbies are massaged.  there’s a gracious plenty of us out there as it is.     wayno

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The point is that this is a small stream that can’t sustain a great deal of pressure. It could be easily fished out and even with C&R, crowds are totally inappropriate on such a small stream. Denver has a large population of fishermen. I did email the guy with my opinions about it, but what was the guy thinking when he did this?

Maybe the guy was thinking that responsibility for stream-use management belongs to the DWR. –Steve

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In the Rocky Mountain News today, there is an article by Ed Dentry discussing fishing on a small stream in the foothills of Denver. The stream actually runs through some of Denver’s suburbs. The article was about how the stream was ignored by fishermen on their way to more distant waters and that some of the landowners in the area were attempted to put C&R regs on the stream. It’s been 15 years since I lived in the Denver area, but when I did, this stream was my local favorite. It was VERY lightly fished and held some nice fish, especially in the urban sections. A guy who has posted trip reports to ROFF about the stream, lives in an apartment right next to it and echoes my memories of it. The point is that this is a small stream that can’t sustain a great deal of pressure. It could be easily fished out and even with C&R, crowds are totally inappropriate on such a small stream. Denver has a large population of fishermen. I did email the guy with my opinions about it, but what was the guy thinking when he did this? Willi

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Question:

There is a great article in February’s California Fly Fisher about Mas Okui who has fished Hot Creek since the 1940’s.  The unusual thing about it is he uses a dry fly with great success.  I had always thought the only way to catch Hot Creek trout was with a nymph.  Limber up your old fiberglass rods, tie up a few 18 foot leaders, some of his Tan Killer flies and use his casting methods to turn Hot Creek into a dry fly fishery. Ernie Harrison Want to make tapered leaders?  http://home.pacbell.net/ernie2

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Ernie Harrison wrote The unusual thing about it is he uses a dry fly with great success.  I had always thought the only way to catch Hot Creek trout was with a nymph.  Limber up your old fiberglass rods, tie up a few 18 foot leaders, some of his Tan Killer flies and use his casting methods to turn Hot Creek into a dry fly fishery.

After fishing Hot Creek a couple times, I cannot imagine why one would use anything but dry flies … with perhaps a short dropper off the dry…given the degree of vegetation in the stream.  Certainly, if you use the conventional indicator-splitshot-attractor-dropper rig, you’d be continually getting hung up in the weeds.  I guess I’ll have to come watch you do it sometime … I still haven’t ’solved’ Hot Creek … given all that vegetation and the self-imposed taboo against wading….it’s been a real challenge for me. —                                                       -dnc-

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Fiddle Away,    Hot Creek is not easy for me either.  Trying to drift a nymph down through those channels of acquatic weeds is a real pain.  That is one of the reasons I really liked the Article in California Fly Fisher. Ernie FiddleAway wrote – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -After fishing Hot Creek a couple times, I cannot imagine why one would use anything but dry flies … with perhaps a short dropper off the dry…given the degree of vegetation in the stream.  Certainly, if you use the conventional indicator-splitshot-attractor-dropper rig, you’d be continually getting hung up in the weeds.  I guess I’ll have to come watch you do it sometime … I still haven’t ’solved’ Hot Creek … given all that vegetation and the self-imposed taboo against wading….it’s been a real challenge for me. —                                                      -dnc-

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Question:

This topic may have been discussed here before, but… Like most people, I spot dead animals by the roads all the time. Squirrels are a dime a dozen, and just this morning I saw a fox lying frozen in the ditch. Seems like this is a lot of great fly tying fur going to waste! (Most carcasses end up at a local rendering plant around here.) Especially that fox…I hate the idea of letting all that beautiful fur go to waste. (I’m sure the fox would approve of his fur being used for flies rather than as pig chow.)

Scott, I’ll second the notion of Mike O’Connor about Eric Leiser’s book. Also his site does a great job of explaining to a novice how to prepare roadkill. I wrote Eric Leiser years ago (early 80s) about using American Oppossum (commonly known as ‘possums) in flies. I got back a nice note (which I kept!) saying he had seen some very nice streamers using ‘possum. He said you could dye it colors if need be. He compared it to a "soft but still lustrous polar bear." Given the number of ‘possums that I see dead on the road I think I will have to start carrying some rubber gloves, a sharp knife and some Ziplok bags. Since I usually have to wear a suit to work that should be an interesting picture.<g’ -John

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I wrote Eric Leiser years ago (early 80s) about using American Oppossum (commonly known as ‘possums) in flies. I got back a nice note (which I kept!) saying he had seen some very nice streamers using ‘possum. He said you could dye it colors if need be. He compared it to a "soft but still lustrous polar bear." Given the number of ‘possums that I see dead on the road I think I will have to start carrying some rubber gloves, a sharp knife and some Ziplok bags. Since I usually have to wear a suit to work that should be an interesting picture.<g’ -John

‘Possums – 325 million years of evolution, targeted at becoming roadkill. Ain’t nature mysterious! RMF

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Last year, I spotted a large bird carcass by the side of the road. Thinking it was a goose, I swung around and pulled over. Well, it was actually a great blue herron which had been hit by a car and killed! I threw the whole thing in the back of my Subaru and took it home (my 10-year-old son loved it when I pulled it out and chased him with it! <g). Then, of course, I discovered that having a herron carcass was as illegal as owning a bald eagle skin. So much for a lifetime supply of salmon and steelhead flies! I called the local DNR office and turned the carcass in. Dave McCarty

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I once published a piece in Rod and Reel (March 1985?) called "Roadkill Streamers" ..the best streamer fur I’m aware of is marmot: IE western woodchuck. How close marmots are or are not to eastern woodchucks I don’t know. But there is at least one big difference:    Unlike a woodchuck, the skin  of a marmot peels off like a rabbit skin–with no greasy fat adhering to the hide. Better yet, marmot fur has color-banded shades of gray-to-cree-brown, so it automatically looks a lot like a sculpin. Hard stuff to beat. I don’t bother with borax or multi-step tanning processes, all you need to do is strip off the fur and salt it a little.    Last note: marmot fur is so easy to peel off, it’s not a big trick to skewer a strip of fresh marmot skin on hook, add a split shot to the leader, and fish almost instantly. Is that bait fishing? Guess it is. I tried it once….didn’t seem to work any better tho. — /* Sandy Pittendrigh                  –oO0  * http://www.nervana.montana.edu/~sandy  */

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Keep new skins seperate from the rest of your materials until you are certain no pests are feeding off your new found treasure.  Freeze it for a few days to be on the safe side.

I just read in the current American Angler that freezing does not kill destructive insect larvae. The article recommends microwaving on high for 10 to 15 seconds, heating in an oven at 160 degrees for two or three hours, or exposing to sunlight. — something bogus to avoid spam)

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Keep new skins seperate from the rest of your materials until you are certain no pests are feeding off your new found treasure.  Freeze it for a few days to be on the safe side. I just read in the current American Angler that freezing does not kill destructive insect larvae. The article recommends microwaving on high for 10 to 15 seconds, heating in an oven at 160 degrees for two or three hours, or exposing to sunlight. — something bogus to avoid spam)

I douse the freshly dead animals ( either road kills or from local hunters ) with a powerful disinfectant spray, ( do not use disinfectant  with bleach additives ! ) and leave them for a short while. Then wearing gloves, I skin the animals, which should be as fresh as possible, using a very sharp scalpel ( just did two foxes which were about a week old ! Bloody awful job ! )  salt the skin liberally with a 1:1 mix of ordinary salt and borax, with a few crystals of napthalene added  ( crushed mothballs ), and then leave to dry in a cool dry place. Some skins I nail stretched to a board with galvanised nails ( stops skin and fur discolouration at the nailing point ). When dry, I rinse off the salt, and  wash the skins with ordinary soap powder (as used in the home washing machine), in the bathtub and spread on clean newspaper to dry.  When completely dry ( the skin feels like dry parchment to the touch ), place in an airtight box with a few mothballs.  I have some skins over twenty years old prepared in this way and they are still perfect.  If you get a good collection of skins ( Hare,  Fox, and Squirrel  is good), you can make up a whole range of wonderful dubbing. Dyeing the skins extends the range even further, and just a couple of skins will last the average tyer a lifetime. Hope this helps. Tight lines ! Mike Connor

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Years ago maybe still  road-kill pheasants were a popular item for fly tying materials in Northern Colorado. Are they still? I havent but in that are in a long time. Al

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The cock Ringneck Pheasant has some of the most varied and interesting feathers for tying that I have seen. — Ernie Harrison <snip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think most fly tiers take the Pheasant for granted because they are so common. No definitive line of flies have been invented for the use of pheasant feathers except a few basic ones.  Frankly, its time the inventive nature of the fly tying fraternity gets on the band wagon and start producing fly fishing patterns worth their salt. George

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I’ve used roadkill for fly fur. — Jeff Potter   !.com   delete ‘DELETETHIS!’ to reply ***"Out Your Backdoor": Friendly Magazine of DIY Adventure and Culture        http://www.glpbooks.com/oyb … with a full line of books, bookstore & forum

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Years ago maybe still  road-kill pheasants were a popular item for fly tying materials in Northern Colorado. Are they still? I havent but in that are in a long time. Al

could hope to have.  Between one of these and a hare’s ear mask, is the best of two worlds. I think most fly tiers take the Pheasant for granted because they are so common. No definitive line of flies have been invented for the use of pheasant feathers except a few basic ones.  Frankly, its time the inventive nature of the fly tying fraternity gets on the band wagon and start producing fly fishing patterns worth their salt. George —

Question:

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suggest attractor patterns as well as the standard hare’s ears, zug bugs, and hatch matches….like caddis in June.  I am suprised that you can get into the palisades area in early June.  Last year this was solid snow until August

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I have a customer who’s going to be in the High Sierra’s around Bishop, California, the last week in June. He’s interested in any fly-fishing opportunities there, particularly in the Alpine lakes and Pallisades Glacier areas. Any information on local shops, patterns, etc., would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Jim McKay Henry Weston Outfitters

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: Heard this Napa valley winery is holding a fly fishing school each month : sponsored by some big name equipment manufactuere?  Anybody know anything : about this – good or bad or worthwhile for some from Seattle to fly down : and attend?  I know that they make good wine! — Glen Bolen Assistant Regional Planner The views expressed are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer, METRO.

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Read a blurb in USAir Magazine (March ‘95) that Orvis was sponsoring those schools, which are held on the Russian River. Haven’t heard anything about them, but if you’ve got that kind of money to spend, and fly-fishing is your main objective, I think you could get more bang for your buck with private lessons. If you want to drink wine and schmooze with the well-funded dilettantes, the telephone number is 415-392-1600.

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A friend of mine heard on NPR that an undergraduate physics student at Reed College has won a national physics prize for best undergraduate paper, and that his subject concerned the physics of flycasting.   Does anyone know who the student is, an email address, or how to get a copy of the paper?  I would be quite interested in seeing it and hearing from the student.         — Jim Comly Dr. James B. Comly (Jim); Physicist, Artificial Intelligence GE Corporate R&D, 1 River Road, Schenectady, NY 12301

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A friend of mine heard on NPR that an undergraduate physics student at Reed College has won a national physics prize for best undergraduate paper, and that his subject concerned the physics of flycasting.   Does anyone know who the student is, an email address, or how to get a copy of the paper?  I would be quite interested in seeing it and hearing from the student.    – Jim Comly Dr. James B. Comly (Jim); Physicist, Artificial Intelligence GE Corporate R&D, 1 River Road, Schenectady, NY 12301

A week or so ago I posted to the flyfishing group details of an article in the American J. Physics on the subject of the physics of flycasting.  I think the author was R.J. Adams but I did not keep the details of the reference.  If anyone reads both groups they may be able to give the details I posted. Gordon MacPherson Dunn School of Pathology Oxford University

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For those of you who are interested, there are two articles on the subject of flycasting in the American Journal of Physics. The references are:   The mechanics of flycasting: The flyline   Graig A. Spolek   Am. J. Phys. vol. 54, September 1986, pp 832-836   The physics of fly casting   John M. Robson   Am. J. Phys. vol. 58, March 1990, pp 234-240 Hope you enjoy them ! Eric Allen

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