Sound like FUN! Please let me know if you have any link addition recommendations for my "Best Scuba Diving" page at: http://homepages.about.com/asiabill/travelphilippines/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What a difference a day makes… Wednesday was to be our last day of diving for the whole trip, and after discussing it briefly with Gregg, Elizabeth and Shayne the unanimous decision was to head out to Monad Shoal again searching for Mantas and Thresher sharks. The dive site was about 20 minutes from Malapascua by banca, and to ensure the best chance of seeing either species, we had to get up early (at 7 am) to get out to the dive site as early as possible. We had spoken to several people in Malapascua and in Sabang about the best time to go, and although everyone we spoke to said to go as early as possible for the threshers, others said the chances of seeing mantas would be a little later. So, we decided to pick the civilised time of 7am to rise and get out to the dive site. This would theoretically give us a decent chance at seeing both. I think that our chances were considerably improved by the lack of other divers operating in the area. The Abu Sayyef situation had really had a bad influence on the Philippines tourism industry at the time, so there were very few other divers around. All I can say is, great! More for us. We virtually had the run of the place in all three locations we had visited; diving with a maximum of three other divers at any time during the trip. This gave us the added bonus of having carte blanche in dictating the dive times and destinations. Cool. The morning was fairly bright and skies were reasonably clear. When we jumped in the water we saw we had the best visibility we had seen in this spot at just over 20 metres. We had previously been given instructions on how to behave to minimise threatening behaviour. That included staying low over the reef (which was easy since it had been decimated by dynamite fishing to the point it resembled a wasteland), and staying as close together as possible. If there were any sightings of either manta or thresher the group was to stop immediately and drop onto knees on the bottom. This would allow the creatures to come as close as they felt comfortable. The fish were actually quite inquisitive and would come quite close as long as there was no threatening behaviour. As soon as we descended as a group we headed off along the edge of the shoal in about 24m of water. We were all pumped up to see some Manta on this dive and it wasn’t long before we reached the point where we had seen all the previous action. We slowly cruised around hoping that something would happen here. The suspense was killing me, and with Shayne and Elizabeth on my right, I thought we were going to be out of luck when the action began. Over my right hand shoulder glided this three and a half metre wide Manta. It was only about three metres away from me and it was eyeballing us out as it glided over. They are truly fantastic creatures. They seem huge when you see them up close, which they are, but they have a graceful elegance that belies their hulking body mass. With a silent swoosh of its giant wings it moved over the top of us and towards the chasm in the shoal in front of us. David, who was about 4 metres in front of us, had yet to see it and the three of us were all too afraid of startling it to shout into our regs to get his attention. I will probably remember Dave’s reaction more than the manta itself. We all wanted Dave to see the manta so he could take some snaps with his camera that was attached to his BC. When Dave finally saw it it was cruising less than 2 metres above him. Dave must have got the surprise of his life as I saw Dave visibly jump when he turned to see this giant manta so close to him. I had to press my mask against my face to stop it from filling with water I was smiling so much. He cursed us afterwards but we did the right thing. I think he still got a photo or two. It casually glided over Dave and across a chasm in the shoal. Looking into the distance we saw another slightly smaller manta swimming in our direction towards the other manta. As they passed each other they actually circled each other as if in greeting and then headed off in opposite directions into the gloom. After they had gone, we noticed that off in the distance across the chasm there was another group of divers being entertained by a thresher shark that was parading in front of them. In the group of divers we could see the Japanese and American women we had dived with earlier, flashing away madly with their underwater digital cameras. The shark must have noticed us too as it decided to come over and have a look at us. As it crossed the chasm we could see that there was a large amount of heavy line, presumably fishing line hanging out of its mouth. It came closer than any of the other sharks we had seen, and swam back and forth in front of us, maybe only five metres away. At one stage it looked like it was heading directly towards me and for a second I felt a little nervous. Then it turned to do another lap in front of us. It didn’t look too happy to actually be carrying the line behind it, and we saw its whole body shudder once or twice as it tried in vain to dislodge the line. It seemed like today was our lucky day as before the shark disappeared, another thresher rose up out of the void and swam with the first shark. For about 15 seconds we sat there mesmerised with the two thresher sharks swimming back and forwards in front of us. After they left we sat there waiting for the next show to begin. We were about leave again, but there was one more thing in store for us to see. One more manta decided to swoop in suddenly over heads as if to do a flyby before changing its angle of attack and ascending again, swimming off into the distance, leaving us with only the smiles on our faces. I remember we almost went into deco on that dive as we headed back to the anchor line ascending to mid water to make the swim back. We surfaced into sunshine, but to be honest I can’t remember any more of today’s trip. The other group of divers which had been entertained by the threshers first, had some great shot of the sharks, but had missed out on the mantas all together. We had been extremely fortunate. Daniel, the other divemaster told us they rarely see more than one manta together at the one time. We had been graced with three. Over our late breakfast of bacon and eggs at Sunshine Bar we discussed our plans for the rest of the day. We probably had one more chance for a dive that afternoon if we wanted it. Jacques suggested the possibility of a ride out to one of the wrecks that were available, but we were only interested in one thing, more Mantas! Gregg and Dave decided to wait this one out however, so it would just be Shayne, Elizabeth and myself from our group. Later on that afternoon we found ourselves again at the bottom of the anchor rope ready to go looking for more big fish. We were eager to have another session like we had had that morning. We swam as a group out to the very spot where we had been this morning, constantly checking up, down, left, right waiting for the next leviathan to unexpectedly appear from nowhere. We stopped and perched ourselves in the spot, and waited, and waited, and waited. Then we turned around and swam back towards the anchor line, still hoping we would get a final glimpse of something before we had to return to the mundane air filled world above. But nothing came, and as we surfaced for the final time I was happy. The non-eventful dive we had just had was a confirmation of the miraculous experience we had had that morning. I still appreciate that second dive. The people who had stayed missed out on the affirmation of just how lucky we had all been that morning. Once we got back we helped unload the boat and washed out gear thoroughly for the first time in two and a half weeks. Tomorrow afternoon we would ride the banca back to Maya followed by a painful three and a half-hour trip over pot-holed roads back to Cebu City for the night. The day after we would fly back to Manila and then onto Adelaide overnight, landing just after lunch on Saturday, three weeks since we took off. We dove with Philippine Islands Divers which is owned by a friendly long time European expatriate, Jacques Trotin, who comes highly recommended. (More information can be found at www.phildivers.com) The resort we stayed in at Malapascua was called Blue Water resort. It is run by a Filipina, who does everything from office administration, change beds, cook all the meals, and serve behind the bar. She also does security as witnessed first hand when there was trouble between rival masseuses. The fact that she is almost 6 foot and just about bigger than any male Filipino I saw probably helps her out. She is helped out by a small but highly entertaining group of philipinos, including Joseph, Analimba, and Decilma. The accommodation was a lot more basic than the standard offered by Atlantis, and after the initial adjustment I found myself enjoying this place perhaps more than any of the other spots we had been to. Even though there was no hot water and only a tiny curtain for privacy, the lack of facilities highlighted the true beauty and value of the Philippines as a holiday destination. This was a week of pure luxury as far as I’m concerned; an abundance of relaxation in a stunning picturesque setting, great diving, great food, and great friends. What more can you ask for? Brenton Collas Trip
… read more »
I had a very similar experience with Mantas off the Hermit Islands in Papua New Guinea on a charter dive cruise except that they were at the location every time we dived which was two full days. They came in very close right over our heads as we crouched by a large boulder. The Mantas seem to like water that is not very clear, or that is my impression but others have told me the same thing. Truly, with the terrorism problem and threats of further action, I would be afraid to travel to the Philippines at this time. I had thought that Palawan was too far removed to be attacked but I was wrong. I suppose there is still some great diving left in the Philippines and at the time of my visit to Apo Reef and other diving off Busanga back in 1979, I was very impressed, but that is all history now with the dynamiting that has subsequently ruined so many wonderful locations. Still, the possibility of great u/w flora in the Philippines is one of the best in the world but I guess I’ll have to settle for PNG for a while until things get settled down in the Philippines.
Sounds like an awesome trip! I’m heading to South Negros next week for a 3 month stay and would be interested in some insight from you on a couple of things. I also have a question about someone in one of your photos—great, BTW! I tried to email you but it was returned to me. You can mail me at Beck
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What a difference a day makes… Wednesday was to be our last day of diving for the whole trip, and after discussing it briefly with Gregg, Elizabeth and Shayne the unanimous decision was to head out to Monad Shoal again searching for Mantas and Thresher sharks. The dive site was about 20 minutes from Malapascua by banca, and to ensure the best chance of seeing either species, we had to get up early (at 7 am) to get out to the dive site as early as possible. We had spoken to several people in Malapascua and in Sabang about the best time to go, and although everyone we spoke to said to go as early as possible for the threshers, others said the chances of seeing mantas would be a little later. So, we decided to pick the civilised time of 7am to rise and get out to the dive site. This would theoretically give us a decent chance at seeing both. I think that our chances were considerably improved by the lack of other divers operating in the area. The Abu Sayyef situation had really had a bad influence on the Philippines tourism industry at the time, so there were very few other divers around. All I can say is, great! More for us. We virtually had the run of the place in all three locations we had visited; diving with a maximum of three other divers at any time during the trip. This gave us the added bonus of having carte blanche in dictating the dive times and destinations. Cool. The morning was fairly bright and skies were reasonably clear. When we jumped in the water we saw we had the best visibility we had seen in this spot at just over 20 metres. We had previously been given instructions on how to behave to minimise threatening behaviour. That included staying low over the reef (which was easy since it had been decimated by dynamite fishing to the point it resembled a wasteland), and staying as close together as possible. If there were any sightings of either manta or thresher the group was to stop immediately and drop onto knees on the bottom. This would allow the creatures to come as close as they felt comfortable. The fish were actually quite inquisitive and would come quite close as long as there was no threatening behaviour. As soon as we descended as a group we headed off along the edge of the shoal in about 24m of water. We were all pumped up to see some Manta on this dive and it wasn’t long before we reached the point where we had seen all the previous action. We slowly cruised around hoping that something would happen here. The suspense was killing me, and with Shayne and Elizabeth on my right, I thought we were going to be out of luck when the action began. Over my right hand shoulder glided this three and a half metre wide Manta. It was only about three metres away from me and it was eyeballing us out as it glided over. They are truly fantastic creatures. They seem huge when you see them up close, which they are, but they have a graceful elegance that belies their hulking body mass. With a silent swoosh of its giant wings it moved over the top of us and towards the chasm in the shoal in front of us. David, who was about 4 metres in front of us, had yet to see it and the three of us were all too afraid of startling it to shout into our regs to get his attention. I will probably remember Dave’s reaction more than the manta itself. We all wanted Dave to see the manta so he could take some snaps with his camera that was attached to his BC. When Dave finally saw it it was cruising less than 2 metres above him. Dave must have got the surprise of his life as I saw Dave visibly jump when he turned to see this giant manta so close to him. I had to press my mask against my face to stop it from filling with water I was smiling so much. He cursed us afterwards but we did the right thing. I think he still got a photo or two. It casually glided over Dave and across a chasm in the shoal. Looking into the distance we saw another slightly smaller manta swimming in our direction towards the other manta. As they passed each other they actually circled each other as if in greeting and then headed off in opposite directions into the gloom. After they had gone, we noticed that off in the distance across the chasm there was another group of divers being entertained by a thresher shark that was parading in front of them. In the group of divers we could see the Japanese and American women we had dived with earlier, flashing away madly with their underwater digital cameras. The shark must have noticed us too as it decided to come over and have a look at us. As it crossed the chasm we could see that there was a large amount of heavy line, presumably fishing line hanging out of its mouth. It came closer than any of the other sharks we had seen, and swam back and forth in front of us, maybe only five metres away. At one stage it looked like it was heading directly towards me and for a second I felt a little nervous. Then it turned to do another lap in front of us. It didn’t look too happy to actually be carrying the line behind it, and we saw its whole body shudder once or twice as it tried in vain to dislodge the line. It seemed like today was our lucky day as before the shark disappeared, another thresher rose up out of the void and swam with the first shark. For about 15 seconds we sat there mesmerised with the two thresher sharks swimming back and forwards in front of us. After they left we sat there waiting for the next show to begin. We were about leave again, but there was one more thing in store for us to see. One more manta decided to swoop in suddenly over heads as if to do a flyby before changing its angle of attack and ascending again, swimming off into the distance, leaving us with only the smiles on our faces. I remember we almost went into deco on that dive as we headed back to the anchor line ascending to mid water to make the swim back. We surfaced into sunshine, but to be honest I can’t remember any more of today’s trip. The other group of divers which had been entertained by the threshers first, had some great shot of the sharks, but had missed out on the mantas all together. We had been extremely fortunate. Daniel, the other divemaster told us they rarely see more than one manta together at the one time. We had been graced with three. Over our late breakfast of bacon and eggs at Sunshine Bar we discussed our plans for the rest of the day. We probably had one more chance for a dive that afternoon if we wanted it. Jacques suggested the possibility of a ride out to one of the wrecks that were available, but we were only interested in one thing, more Mantas! Gregg and Dave decided to wait this one out however, so it would just be Shayne, Elizabeth and myself from our group. Later on that afternoon we found ourselves again at the bottom of the anchor rope ready to go looking for more big fish. We were eager to have another session like we had had that morning. We swam as a group out to the very spot where we had been this morning, constantly checking up, down, left, right waiting for the next leviathan to unexpectedly appear from nowhere. We stopped and perched ourselves in the spot, and waited, and waited, and waited. Then we turned around and swam back towards the anchor line, still hoping we would get a final glimpse of something before we had to return to the mundane air filled world above. But nothing came, and as we surfaced for the final time I was happy. The non-eventful dive we had just had was a confirmation of the miraculous experience we had had that morning. I still appreciate that second dive. The people who had stayed missed out on the affirmation of just how lucky we had all been that morning. Once we got back we helped unload the boat and washed out gear thoroughly for the first time in two and a half weeks. Tomorrow afternoon we would ride the banca back to Maya followed by a painful three and a half-hour trip over pot-holed roads back to Cebu City for the night. The day after we would fly back to Manila and then onto Adelaide overnight, landing just after lunch on Saturday, three weeks since we took off. We dove with Philippine Islands Divers which is owned by a friendly long time European expatriate, Jacques Trotin, who comes highly recommended. (More information can be found at www.phildivers.com) The resort we stayed in at Malapascua was called Blue Water resort. It is run by a Filipina, who does everything from office administration, change beds, cook all the meals, and serve behind the bar. She also does security as witnessed first hand when there was trouble between rival masseuses. The fact that she is almost 6 foot and just about bigger than any male Filipino I saw probably helps her out. She is helped out by a small but highly entertaining group of philipinos, including Joseph, Analimba, and Decilma. The accommodation was a lot more basic than the standard offered by Atlantis, and after the initial adjustment I found myself enjoying this place perhaps more than any of the other spots we had been to. Even though there was no hot water and only a tiny curtain for privacy, the lack of facilities highlighted the true beauty and value of the Philippines as a holiday destination. This was a week of pure luxury as far as I’m concerned; an abundance of relaxation in a stunning
… read more »
You lucky Bastard!!!!!
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What a difference a day makes… Wednesday was to be our last day of diving for the whole trip, and after discussing it briefly with Gregg, Elizabeth and Shayne the unanimous decision was to head out to Monad Shoal again searching for Mantas and Thresher sharks. The dive site was about 20 minutes from Malapascua by banca, and to ensure the best chance of seeing either species, we had to get up early (at 7 am) to get out to the dive site as early as possible. We had spoken to several people in Malapascua and in Sabang about the best time to go, and although everyone we spoke to said to go as early as possible for the threshers, others said the chances of seeing mantas would be a little later. So, we decided to pick the civilised time of 7am to rise and get out to the dive site. This would theoretically give us a decent chance at seeing both. I think that our chances were considerably improved by the lack of other divers operating in the area. The Abu Sayyef situation had really had a bad influence on the Philippines tourism industry at the time, so there were very few other divers around. All I can say is, great! More for us. We virtually had the run of the place in all three locations we had visited; diving with a maximum of three other divers at any time during the trip. This gave us the added bonus of having carte blanche in dictating the dive times and destinations. Cool. The morning was fairly bright and skies were reasonably clear. When we jumped in the water we saw we had the best visibility we had seen in this spot at just over 20 metres. We had previously been given instructions on how to behave to minimise threatening behaviour. That included staying low over the reef (which was easy since it had been decimated by dynamite fishing to the point it resembled a wasteland), and staying as close together as possible. If there were any sightings of either manta or thresher the group was to stop immediately and drop onto knees on the bottom. This would allow the creatures to come as close as they felt comfortable. The fish were actually quite inquisitive and would come quite close as long as there was no threatening behaviour. As soon as we descended as a group we headed off along the edge of the shoal in about 24m of water. We were all pumped up to see some Manta on this dive and it wasn’t long before we reached the point where we had seen all the previous action. We slowly cruised around hoping that something would happen here. The suspense was killing me, and with Shayne and Elizabeth on my right, I thought we were going to be out of luck when the action began. Over my right hand shoulder glided this three and a half metre wide Manta. It was only about three metres away from me and it was eyeballing us out as it glided over. They are truly fantastic creatures. They seem huge when you see them up close, which they are, but they have a graceful elegance that belies their hulking body mass. With a silent swoosh of its giant wings it moved over the top of us and towards the chasm in the shoal in front of us. David, who was about 4 metres in front of us, had yet to see it and the three of us were all too afraid of startling it to shout into our regs to get his attention. I will probably remember Dave’s reaction more than the manta itself. We all wanted Dave to see the manta so he could take some snaps with his camera that was attached to his BC. When Dave finally saw it it was cruising less than 2 metres above him. Dave must have got the surprise of his life as I saw Dave visibly jump when he turned to see this giant manta so close to him. I had to press my mask against my face to stop it from filling with water I was smiling so much. He cursed us afterwards but we did the right thing. I think he still got a photo or two. It casually glided over Dave and across a chasm in the shoal. Looking into the distance we saw another slightly smaller manta swimming in our direction towards the other manta. As they passed each other they actually circled each other as if in greeting and then headed off in opposite directions into the gloom. After they had gone, we noticed that off in the distance across the chasm there was another group of divers being entertained by a thresher shark that was parading in front of them. In the group of divers we could see the Japanese and American women we had dived with earlier, flashing away madly with their underwater digital cameras. The shark must have noticed us too as it decided to come over and have a look at us. As it crossed the chasm we could see that there was a large amount of heavy line, presumably fishing line hanging out of its mouth. It came closer than any of the other sharks we had seen, and swam back and forth in front of us, maybe only five metres away. At one stage it looked like it was heading directly towards me and for a second I felt a little nervous. Then it turned to do another lap in front of us. It didn’t look too happy to actually be carrying the line behind it, and we saw its whole body shudder once or twice as it tried in vain to dislodge the line. It seemed like today was our lucky day as before the shark disappeared, another thresher rose up out of the void and swam with the first shark. For about 15 seconds we sat there mesmerised with the two thresher sharks swimming back and forwards in front of us. After they left we sat there waiting for the next show to begin. We were about leave again, but there was one more thing in store for us to see. One more manta decided to swoop in suddenly over heads as if to do a flyby before changing its angle of attack and ascending again, swimming off into the distance, leaving us with only the smiles on our faces. I remember we almost went into deco on that dive as we headed back to the anchor line ascending to mid water to make the swim back. We surfaced into sunshine, but to be honest I can’t remember any more of today’s trip. The other group of divers which had been entertained by the threshers first, had some great shot of the sharks, but had missed out on the mantas all together. We had been extremely fortunate. Daniel, the other divemaster told us they rarely see more than one manta together at the one time. We had been graced with three. Over our late breakfast of bacon and eggs at Sunshine Bar we discussed our plans for the rest of the day. We probably had one more chance for a dive that afternoon if we wanted it. Jacques suggested the possibility of a ride out to one of the wrecks that were available, but we were only interested in one thing, more Mantas! Gregg and Dave decided to wait this one out however, so it would just be Shayne, Elizabeth and myself from our group. Later on that afternoon we found ourselves again at the bottom of the anchor rope ready to go looking for more big fish. We were eager to have another session like we had had that morning. We swam as a group out to the very spot where we had been this morning, constantly checking up, down, left, right waiting for the next leviathan to unexpectedly appear from nowhere. We stopped and perched ourselves in the spot, and waited, and waited, and waited. Then we turned around and swam back towards the anchor line, still hoping we would get a final glimpse of something before we had to return to the mundane air filled world above. But nothing came, and as we surfaced for the final time I was happy. The non-eventful dive we had just had was a confirmation of the miraculous experience we had had that morning. I still appreciate that second dive. The people who had stayed missed out on the affirmation of just how lucky we had all been that morning. Once we got back we helped unload the boat and washed out gear thoroughly for the first time in two and a half weeks. Tomorrow afternoon we would ride the banca back to Maya followed by a painful three and a half-hour trip over pot-holed roads back to Cebu City for the night. The day after we would fly back to Manila and then onto Adelaide overnight, landing just after lunch on Saturday, three weeks since we took off. We dove with Philippine Islands Divers which is owned by a friendly long time European expatriate, Jacques Trotin, who comes highly recommended. (More information can be found at www.phildivers.com) The resort we stayed in at Malapascua was called Blue Water resort. It is run by a Filipina, who does everything from office administration, change beds, cook all the meals, and serve behind the bar. She also does security as witnessed first hand when there was trouble between rival masseuses. The fact that she is almost 6 foot and just about bigger than any male Filipino I saw probably helps her out. She is helped out by a small but highly entertaining group of philipinos, including Joseph, Analimba, and Decilma. The accommodation was a lot more basic than the standard offered by Atlantis, and after the initial adjustment I found myself enjoying this place perhaps more than any of the other spots we had been to. Even though there was no hot water and only a tiny curtain for privacy, the lack of facilities highlighted the true beauty and value of the Philippines as a holiday destination. This was a week of pure luxury as far as I’m concerned; an abundance of relaxation in a stunning picturesque setting, great diving, great food, and great friends. What more can you ask for? Brenton Collas Trip photos: http://www.geocities.com/kwailo73/ph2001/ph2001.htm
What a difference a day makes… Wednesday was to be our last day of diving for the whole trip, and after discussing it briefly with Gregg, Elizabeth and Shayne the unanimous decision was to head out to Monad Shoal again searching for Mantas and Thresher sharks. The dive site was about 20 minutes from Malapascua by banca, and to ensure the best chance of seeing either species, we had to get up early (at 7 am) to get out to the dive site as early as possible. We had spoken to several people in Malapascua and in Sabang about the best time to go, and although everyone we spoke to said to go as early as possible for the threshers, others said the chances of seeing mantas would be a little later. So, we decided to pick the civilised time of 7am to rise and get out to the dive site. This would theoretically give us a decent chance at seeing both. I think that our chances were considerably improved by the lack of other divers operating in the area. The Abu Sayyef situation had really had a bad influence on the Philippines tourism industry at the time, so there were very few other divers around. All I can say is, great! More for us. We virtually had the run of the place in all three locations we had visited; diving with a maximum of three other divers at any time during the trip. This gave us the added bonus of having carte blanche in dictating the dive times and destinations. Cool. The morning was fairly bright and skies were reasonably clear. When we jumped in the water we saw we had the best visibility we had seen in this spot at just over 20 metres. We had previously been given instructions on how to behave to minimise threatening behaviour. That included staying low over the reef (which was easy since it had been decimated by dynamite fishing to the point it resembled a wasteland), and staying as close together as possible. If there were any sightings of either manta or thresher the group was to stop immediately and drop onto knees on the bottom. This would allow the creatures to come as close as they felt comfortable. The fish were actually quite inquisitive and would come quite close as long as there was no threatening behaviour. As soon as we descended as a group we headed off along the edge of the shoal in about 24m of water. We were all pumped up to see some Manta on this dive and it wasn’t long before we reached the point where we had seen all the previous action. We slowly cruised around hoping that something would happen here. The suspense was killing me, and with Shayne and Elizabeth on my right, I thought we were going to be out of luck when the action began. Over my right hand shoulder glided this three and a half metre wide Manta. It was only about three metres away from me and it was eyeballing us out as it glided over. They are truly fantastic creatures. They seem huge when you see them up close, which they are, but they have a graceful elegance that belies their hulking body mass. With a silent swoosh of its giant wings it moved over the top of us and towards the chasm in the shoal in front of us. David, who was about 4 metres in front of us, had yet to see it and the three of us were all too afraid of startling it to shout into our regs to get his attention. I will probably remember Dave’s reaction more than the manta itself. We all wanted Dave to see the manta so he could take some snaps with his camera that was attached to his BC. When Dave finally saw it it was cruising less than 2 metres above him. Dave must have got the surprise of his life as I saw Dave visibly jump when he turned to see this giant manta so close to him. I had to press my mask against my face to stop it from filling with water I was smiling so much. He cursed us afterwards but we did the right thing. I think he still got a photo or two. It casually glided over Dave and across a chasm in the shoal. Looking into the distance we saw another slightly smaller manta swimming in our direction towards the other manta. As they passed each other they actually circled each other as if in greeting and then headed off in opposite directions into the gloom. After they had gone, we noticed that off in the distance across the chasm there was another group of divers being entertained by a thresher shark that was parading in front of them. In the group of divers we could see the Japanese and American women we had dived with earlier, flashing away madly with their underwater digital cameras. The shark must have noticed us too as it decided to come over and have a look at us. As it crossed the chasm we could see that there was a large amount of heavy line, presumably fishing line hanging out of its mouth. It came closer than any of the other sharks we had seen, and swam back and forth in front of us, maybe only five metres away. At one stage it looked like it was heading directly towards me and for a second I felt a little nervous. Then it turned to do another lap in front of us. It didn’t look too happy to actually be carrying the line behind it, and we saw its whole body shudder once or twice as it tried in vain to dislodge the line. It seemed like today was our lucky day as before the shark disappeared, another thresher rose up out of the void and swam with the first shark. For about 15 seconds we sat there mesmerised with the two thresher sharks swimming back and forwards in front of us. After they left we sat there waiting for the next show to begin. We were about leave again, but there was one more thing in store for us to see. One more manta decided to swoop in suddenly over heads as if to do a flyby before changing its angle of attack and ascending again, swimming off into the distance, leaving us with only the smiles on our faces. I remember we almost went into deco on that dive as we headed back to the anchor line ascending to mid water to make the swim back. We surfaced into sunshine, but to be honest I can’t remember any more of today’s trip. The other group of divers which had been entertained by the threshers first, had some great shot of the sharks, but had missed out on the mantas all together. We had been extremely fortunate. Daniel, the other divemaster told us they rarely see more than one manta together at the one time. We had been graced with three. Over our late breakfast of bacon and eggs at Sunshine Bar we discussed our plans for the rest of the day. We probably had one more chance for a dive that afternoon if we wanted it. Jacques suggested the possibility of a ride out to one of the wrecks that were available, but we were only interested in one thing, more Mantas! Gregg and Dave decided to wait this one out however, so it would just be Shayne, Elizabeth and myself from our group. Later on that afternoon we found ourselves again at the bottom of the anchor rope ready to go looking for more big fish. We were eager to have another session like we had had that morning. We swam as a group out to the very spot where we had been this morning, constantly checking up, down, left, right waiting for the next leviathan to unexpectedly appear from nowhere. We stopped and perched ourselves in the spot, and waited, and waited, and waited. Then we turned around and swam back towards the anchor line, still hoping we would get a final glimpse of something before we had to return to the mundane air filled world above. But nothing came, and as we surfaced for the final time I was happy. The non-eventful dive we had just had was a confirmation of the miraculous experience we had had that morning. I still appreciate that second dive. The people who had stayed missed out on the affirmation of just how lucky we had all been that morning. Once we got back we helped unload the boat and washed out gear thoroughly for the first time in two and a half weeks. Tomorrow afternoon we would ride the banca back to Maya followed by a painful three and a half-hour trip over pot-holed roads back to Cebu City for the night. The day after we would fly back to Manila and then onto Adelaide overnight, landing just after lunch on Saturday, three weeks since we took off. We dove with Philippine Islands Divers which is owned by a friendly long time European expatriate, Jacques Trotin, who comes highly recommended. (More information can be found at www.phildivers.com) The resort we stayed in at Malapascua was called Blue Water resort. It is run by a Filipina, who does everything from office administration, change beds, cook all the meals, and serve behind the bar. She also does security as witnessed first hand when there was trouble between rival masseuses. The fact that she is almost 6 foot and just about bigger than any male Filipino I saw probably helps her out. She is helped out by a small but highly entertaining group of philipinos, including Joseph, Analimba, and Decilma. The accommodation was a lot more basic than the standard offered by Atlantis, and after the initial adjustment I found myself enjoying this place perhaps more than any of the other spots we had been to. Even though there was no hot water and only a tiny curtain for privacy, the lack of facilities highlighted the true beauty and value of the Philippines as a holiday destination. This was a week of pure luxury as far as I’m concerned; an abundance of relaxation in a stunning picturesque setting, great diving, great food, and great friends. What more can you ask for? Brenton Collas Trip photos: http://www.geocities.com/kwailo73/ph2001/ph2001.htm
You want to explain this one. When did O’Meara let Tiger’s friendship start dictating his tournament schedule? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – O’Meara respects his good friend Tiger way too much to show up at Hilton Head this week.
You missed all those NAACP folks picketing outside the Worldcom? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You want to explain this one. When did O’Meara let Tiger’s friendship start dictating his tournament schedule?
O’Meara respects his good friend Tiger way too much to show up at Hilton Head this week. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I happened to be in line behind Mark O’Meara and 2 of his fishing friends this morning at the coffee and bagel store this morning. They were ready to head out and do some fly fishing. Don’t know about their mental state, though. Who would want to go wading in a freezing river in 30 degree weather with snow showers when you could be in warm and sunny Hilton Head! 
He has a place up here in Park City, UT. I’ve seen him around town every now and again. Kitty
I happened to be in line behind Mark O’Meara and 2 of his fishing friends this morning at the coffee and bagel store this morning. They were ready to head out and do some fly fishing. Don’t know about their mental state, though. Who would want to go wading in a freezing river in 30 degree weather with snow showers when you could be in warm and sunny Hilton Head! He has a place up here in Park City, UT. I’ve seen him around town every now and again. Kitty
Actually, my son got me up in Montana once and the trout were rising throughout the snow showers. After the first bite, I didn’t notice the weather at all. Heck, you are standing in 34 degree water all day anyhow! — regards, RichG .
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I happened to be in line behind Mark O’Meara and 2 of his fishing friends this morning at the coffee and bagel store this morning. They were ready to head out and do some fly fishing. Don’t know about their mental state, though. Who would want to go wading in a freezing river in 30 degree weather with snow showers when you could be in warm and sunny Hilton Head! He has a place up here in Park City, UT. I’ve seen him around town every now and again. Kitty
I have seen an inflatable boat under a wing. Does anyone have info or experiences with this craft. Seems to be the logical choice for the Florida Keys. — Bragging may not bring happiness, but no man having caught a large fish, goes home through the alley. Anonymous http://fish-n-net.com/
Try SEAIR at www.seair.com They make a 2 place wieght shift "trike" plane mated to a small hard-bottom inflatible boat with out-rigger pontoons. Their info vido raises a few questions: The demo pilot flies with a helmet chin strap loose… Then he flies a bit close to a palm tree, striking a frond with his wing tip! In a recent issue of "Yachting" magazine I saw an ad for a similar Rogollo wing trike mated to a Zodiac type boat. Good luck. Rocky Kyle
The plane you are talking about is called a "Polaris" and the one of the sales outlets is in Florida. Dave Loveman http://www.ultralightnews.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have seen an inflatable boat under a wing. Does anyone have info or experiences with this craft. Seems to be the logical choice for the Florida Keys. — Bragging may not bring happiness, but no man having caught a large fish, goes home through the alley. Anonymous http://fish-n-net.com/
ulnews.vcf
< 1K Download
I have seen such a craft. Call Mike Jacober at Arctic Sparrow aviation in Birchwood Alaska (I haven’t got the phone number handy – it’s in the book) for more info. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have seen an inflatable boat under a wing. Does anyone have info or experiences with this craft. Seems to be the logical choice for the Florida Keys. — Bragging may not bring happiness, but no man having caught a large fish, goes home through the alley. Anonymous http://fish-n-net.com/
The phone # I have is 1-800 950-8830 for the Polaris the website is at http://www.polarismotor.it/ Dave Loveman http://www.ultralightnews.com *** Posted from RemarQ – http://www.remarq.com – Discussions Start Here ™ ***
The plane you are looking for is a Polaris and it can be found at http://www.polarismotor.it/ Dave Loveman http://www.ultralightnews.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have seen such a craft. Call Mike Jacober at Arctic Sparrow aviation in Birchwood Alaska (I haven’t got the phone number handy – it’s in the book) for more info. I have seen an inflatable boat under a wing. Does anyone have info or experiences with this craft. Seems to be the logical choice for the Florida Keys. — Bragging may not bring happiness, but no man having caught a large fish, goes home through the alley. Anonymous http://fish-n-net.com/
ulnews.vcf
< 1K Download
Try SEAIR at www.seair.com They make a 2 place wieght shift "trike" plane mated to a small hard-bottom inflatible boat with out-rigger pontoons. Their info vido raises a few questions: The demo pilot flies with a helmet chin strap loose… Then he flies a bit close to a palm tree, striking a frond with his wing tip! In a recent issue of "Yachting" magazine I saw an ad for a similar Rogollo wing trike mated to a Zodiac type boat.
I have a 3-man inflatable but I am in Oklahoma, and I don’t see shipping. No one wants to send loot ahead, and I don’t see trusting them, either. I ask $85 for it, you pick it up. It should carry one man and a trike, with the wheels off. Mounting it is your problem. Or I might trade for something good. Ham radio, ot rest gear, handgun, machine tools or test gear, whatever. "The learned Fool writes his nonsense in better language, but ’tis still nonsense." B.Franklin ‘Poor Richard Improved’ (1754) Lou H. Prolific inventor, Lousy Salesman, Incompetent businessman. (Typical of the Breed) Looking for both around Tulsa OK, USA
Hi, I’m new to this NG and want to start with flyfishing, Can anyone give me some info on do’s and don’t ? Are there any good sites with info ? Any help would be appreciated Thanks Fred.
Search dejanews on this ng and you’ll find all kinds of good advice on technique, lots of sometimes conflicting advice on equipment, and some downright weird advice on politics and ethics<g. Have fun and welcome aboard. Hi, I’m new to this NG and want to start with flyfishing, Can anyone give me some info on do’s and don’t ? Are there any good sites with info ? Any help would be appreciated Thanks Fred.
– Charlie…
threads as we get this question (FAQ) "Frequently Asked Question more then a doze times a year. However; I’ll give you my version in how it is best answered. 1) Buy the book "Matching the Hatch" and use it as your number one fly fishing bible. Buy this book first. 2) Go to a fly shop fishing pro and find yourself a mentor and/or take lessons out of that store. 3) Take a fly tying course. Remember, there are different stages of fly fishermen who catch the most fish. 1) The beginner 2) The intermediate 3) The master 4) The local ? you ask? The local is the one that usually breaks the most fishing laws and is probably the main poacher in the area. They think they own everything. Hope this helps you get off on the right foot. Finally, use Gehrke’s Gink to float all your flies and Xink to sink all your wets. Your wife will like that Fred. ; ) George Gehrke/President Gehrke’s Gink Hi, I’m new to this NG and want to start with flyfishing, Can anyone give me some info on do’s and don’t ? Are there any good sites with info ? Any help would be appreciated Thanks
All Writings
Charlie Chock: <<Stop in at or call Unicoi Outfitters in Helen. They are on the main hiway (Rt 75?) next to the Hooch just before you go into Helen (from the south). They will know what’s going on and where.
They also have a ‘pay to fish’ stretch of the river now by their shop I hear. — Charlie… Yeah. They tried to get me to rent a half day. They have some pix of big fish being taken, but somehow I couldn’t see myself paying to fish. I did, however, have a reservation at Dukes Creek (off of 75A). Cost $3.00 to park, they inspect your hooks to make sure they are barbless. Great water, but it is all C and R. Dave LaCourse
I did, however, have a reservation at Dukes Creek (off of 75A). Cost $3.00 to park, they inspect your hooks to make sure they are barbless. Great water, but it is all C and R.
Waters Creek has similar regs but you can keep 1/per day and 3/yr if they meet the size limit. Haven’t caught a keeper there yet though<g. — Charlie…
Cindy Wolfe: <<Anyone fly fish in North Georgia, specifically the Dahlonega and Helen area. We are planning a trip there soon, and we’d like to know where they are biting… Stop in at or call Unicoi Outfitters in Helen. They are on the main hiway (Rt 75?) next to the Hooch just before you go into Helen (from the south). They will know what’s going on and where. Dave LaCourse
Cindy Wolfe: <<Anyone fly fish in North Georgia, specifically the Dahlonega and Helen area. We are planning a trip there soon, and we’d like to know where they are biting… Stop in at or call Unicoi Outfitters in Helen. They are on the main hiway (Rt 75?) next to the Hooch just before you go into Helen (from the south). They will know what’s going on and where.
They also have a ‘pay to fish’ stretch of the river now by their shop I hear. — Charlie…
Anyone fly fish in North Georgia, specifically the Dahlonega and Helen area. We are planning a trip there soon, and we’d like to know where they are biting… Thanks for the replies…
Check out http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ngto/. There is a wealth of information there. Also, as was suggested. Unicoi Outfitters in Helen is a good source. — Charlie…
Anyone fly fish in North Georgia, specifically the Dahlonega and Helen area. We are planning a trip there soon, and we’d like to know where they are biting… Thanks for the replies…
Cindy, there is lots of great water in North Georgia. Chatahoochee runs through Helen. Its easily accesible. I like fishing the Toccoa. It’s about an hour from Dahlonega following 60. Doesn’t seem to get much pressure. Mind the dam generation schedule (TVA). They typically do not generate on the weekends. Also in that area is Coopers Creek and Rock Creek. You’ll seen the forest service signs on the way to the Toccoa. Good Luck! Kevin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anyone fly fish in North Georgia, specifically the Dahlonega and Helen area. We are planning a trip there soon, and we’d like to know where they are biting… Thanks for the replies…
I head into the hospital for ACL reconstruction of my left knee this morning and am out of business for the next 5 to 6 months.
I had my left knee done last October, the right one done in December and was on the water again in April. Had the lakes been open, I might have been fishing even sooner – the Doc told me a kickboat would be excellent therapy. In any case, good luck with the surgery. Regards, Dennis Smith Loveland, CO Dennis Smith Loveland, CO
Well it is time to hang up my fly rod for the year. I head into the hospital for ACL reconstruction of my left knee this morning and am out of business for the next 5 to 6 months. Mike
Mike, Here’s wishing you a successful visit to the hospital, and get over it quickly. Good luck. Regards from Wales. — Bill
Well it is time to hang up my fly rod for the year. I head into the hospital for ACL reconstruction of my left knee this morning and am out of business for the next 5 to 6 months. Mike
– Mike, Good luck with your surgery and we’ll be sure to save some fish fer ya… –Walt
Well it is time to hang up my fly rod for the year. I head into the hospital for ACL reconstruction of my left knee this morning and am out of business for the next 5 to 6 months. All of you flyfishing nuts will have to make sure and post your adventures to the newsgroup so that I can at least read about flyfishing. All was not lost for the year, I did get the opportunity to catch a 20 pound Rainbow Trout two weeks ago. Definetly the highlight of my fishing life. Unfortunately, August was the wrong month to get the Gerrard’s in Kootenay Lake on a fly rod so will have to go back in April or May and attempt to get one. Have fun and enjoy the rest of your Summer! Mike
Mike: Sorry to hear about the knee problems. What kind of reconstruction are you having? I had patellar graft reconstruction on my left knee 6 years ago and have been *extremely* happy with the result. You might even find that you could still get some fishing in this season. By three months post-op, I was doing a lot of the things I wanted to, just being careful. Best of luck to you. It is amazing what they can do to repair things these days. Bob
Well it is time to hang up my fly rod for the year. I head into the hospital for ACL reconstruction of my left knee this morning and am out of business for the next 5 to 6 months. All of you flyfishing nuts will have to make sure and post your adventures to the newsgroup so that I can at least read about flyfishing. All was not lost for the year, I did get the opportunity to catch a 20 pound Rainbow Trout two weeks ago. Definetly the highlight of my fishing life. Unfortunately, August was the wrong month to get the Gerrard’s in Kootenay Lake on a fly rod so will have to go back in April or May and attempt to get one. Have fun and enjoy the rest of your Summer! Mike
Is flyfishing a sport or is it recreation? How about assigning it to a ng about addictions? BobE.
Is flyfishing a sport or is it recreation? How about assigning it to a ng about addictions? BobE.
The answer is "Yes". This is what I always considered this ng to be about…Addiction…Capital "A"… Dennis
I have a difficult decision to make, though it is one I wish I had to make more often… Two friends of mine are visiting me in Colorado in mid-September and we’re planning on four days of fishing. All of us have been angling for many years, and on this trip we don’t want to shit around. We’ve been throwing around ideas on a destination and have narrowed it down to either the San Juan in NM or the Green in UT. The final decision has been left to me and I need help from anglers who know these waters. Which one is preferable in September? Any advice on guides, camping/lodging, patterns, etc would be greatly appreciated. E-mail is fine; please include any phone numbers you might have. Thanks in advance, Spinoleo
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a difficult decision to make, though it is one I wish I had to make more often… Two friends of mine are visiting me in Colorado in mid-September and we’re planning on four days of fishing. All of us have been angling for many years, and on this trip we don’t want to shit around. We’ve been throwing around ideas on a destination and have narrowed it down to either the San Juan in NM or the Green in UT. The final decision has been left to me and I need help from anglers who know these waters. Which one is preferable in September? Any advice on guides, camping/lodging, patterns, etc would be greatly appreciated. E-mail is fine; please include any phone numbers you might have. Thanks in advance, Spinoleo
I’ve just returned from a week on the San Juan. Absolutely incredible. Don’t miss a chance to fish here. There is abundant water and HUGE fish. Although some spots do attract a large number of fisherman, I was able to find quiet waters without too much difficulty. Be prepared to fish extremely small flies, both emerger and dry, to extremely large fish. One day I had to go down to a #26 midge. Baetis were a bit slow by San Juan standards, but still abundant. PMD were present, but seemed to be ignored by fish for the most part. As for guides, the people at Santa Fe Flyfishing School ((505) 986-3913) are great. I believe they only offer wading trips, which in my mind is a great way to see and fish the San Juan. Accomodations can be had at any number of places on or close to the river. My preference is the Enchanted Hideaway ((505) 632-2634). Condo style lodging, convenient, and not cramped. Good luck. David
The Green is an exceptional fishery. Sometimes tiny flies are the norm, but in Sept. hoppers and crickets kill them in the backwater eddies. And the crowds start to thin out after Labor Day. And though I have never fished the San Juan, I heard that access without a boat is limited as opposed to the Green where you can walk and wade the entire river with no problem. And there is ample camping space and a great store in Dutch John that has all the information and flies you could ever need. The Green is my favorite river, bar none.
And though I have never fished the San Juan, I heard that access without a boat is limited as opposed to the Green where you can walk and
The water just below the damn on the San Juan is easy access. At least the first few miles. Not necessarily easy to wade which depends on the water flow.
Want to fish with a combination wet and dry on my tippet. Problem is I’m not sure whether to attach my wet or dry as the first (dropper) fly or should I attach the wet to the dry fly hook bend? Although I’ll find this out, do the flies jumble up together when you false cast? Thanks, sjf muddler
muddler) writes: Want to fish with a combination wet and dry on my tippet. Problem is I’m not sure whether to attach my wet or dry as the first (dropper) fly or should I attach the wet to the dry fly hook bend? Although I’ll find this out, do the flies jumble up together when you false cast? Thanks, sjf muddler Wet to the bend of the dry, and yes they will "jumble." Try to keep
the false casts to a minimum. Try a quartering cast upstream, and fully allowing the drift to play out all the way down stream, and follow the drift with your rod tip. When the current applies the tension, and the rod is pointed straight down stream, turn your rod hand to point the reel upstream, raise the rod tip slowly loading the rod and fire the cast back up to your starting point. No back cast, no false cast. Lengthen of shorten the cast by feeding more, or retrieving line from the down stream drag before the recast good luck jg
muddler) writes: Want to fish with a combination wet and dry on my tippet. Problem is I’m not sure whether to attach my wet or dry as the first (dropper) fly or should I attach the wet to the dry fly hook bend? Although I’ll find this out, do the flies jumble up together when you false cast? Thanks, sjf muddler
The best way I’ve found to fish a dry/wet combo is to use a dry fly on the end of your leadeder, and then tie a piece of tippet material to the bend of the dry fly’s hook and attach a wet fly or nymph to the end of the second piece. This way you can fish both flies and you won’t get as many tangles when you’re casting. If you put the nymph or wet on first and then attach your dry fly the dry fly won’t float well and the wet won’t sink well. So it’s dryfly first and wet/nymph tied onto that. Other methods include tying on an extra piece of tippet and only trimming one of the tags. Then tie the dry fly onto the tag and the wet/nymph to the point. This will tangle like crazy unless the tag is kept short (around 6") and still will tangle far more than the first method I described. Hope this helps, Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools If you kill that big fish you can’t catch ‘em again. So what if they eat other fish? If you kill the big ones there will only be little ones left (funny how that works!).
I have used both methods Mr Gracia describes (wet tied to dry’s bend vs dry on a dropper) and agree that the former rig tangles less often. On the other hand, the only fish that I have hooked on the dry were taken with the dropper rig. I have been experimenting with multiple-fly rigs for about a year, and the solution to the tangling problem seems to lie in the casting technique — softer, more open loops, a slightly sidearm delivery, and few false casts. I have found that one of my old glass rods works better than my graphites for this. Perhaps some reader from the UK, where multiple fly rigs are commonly used, could enlighten us more on this method. – Roger
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO FISH THE S.PLATTE RIVER NEAR DECKERS COLORADO LET ME KNOW I CAN SHOW SOME GREAT PLACES TO FISH… ALSO IF YOU NEED LODGINGS I CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER FOR LODGING RIGHT ON THE RIVER!!!!! I will be in Denver around May 1 and have several days to fish. Would like to fish the S. Platte, but worry about the crowds. Which section do you recommend: the Decker’s section or Cheesman Cyn? Would it be better to go elsewhere to avoid the crowds, e.g the Frying Pan knowing I’ll waste half a day getting there? Are there other streams near Denver that offer good fishing and more solitude? Would appreciate your advice.
If you’re willing to drive from Denver to Basalt (Frying Pan), you’ll cross several good rivers, and actually drive along about 100 miles of fine water. Beyond Eisenhower Tunnel, there’s The Blue, and just over Vail Pass there’s Gore Creek and the Eagle River, just to name a few. Crowds are less a problem the farther west you travel (until you get to the Frying Pan). Time is the question, however. If you’re not familiar with these areas, and you’re based in Denver, you will spend most of the day driving.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO FISH THE S.PLATTE RIVER NEAR DECKERS COLORADO LET ME KNOW I CAN SHOW SOME GREAT PLACES TO FISH… ALSO IF YOU NEED LODGINGS I CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER FOR LODGING RIGHT ON THE RIVER!!!!!
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO FISH THE S.PLATTE RIVER NEAR DECKERS COLORADO LET ME KNOW I CAN SHOW SOME GREAT PLACES TO FISH… ALSO IF YOU NEED LODGINGS I CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER FOR LODGING RIGHT ON THE RIVER!!!!!
I will be in Denver around May 1 and have several days to fish. Would like to fish the S. Platte, but worry about the crowds. Which section do you recommend: the Decker’s section or Cheesman Cyn? Would it be better to go elsewhere to avoid the crowds, e.g the Frying Pan knowing I’ll waste half a day getting there? Are there other streams near Denver that offer good fishing and more solitude? Would appreciate your advice.
Advice is usually worth what you pay for it, but having been in Co. for 22 yrs let me share my thoughts: 1. N. Platte is not only crowded, but very tough!! Need to have a great deal of skill to walk away with a good day. 2. The Pan is great that time of year, but also can get crowded. If your interested, give me a call and I’ll fax a map of a few little know spots on the Pan where the crowds won’t get in your way. 3. Parts of the Blue below the resv. can be good. 4. Do you want just Rivers or are you able to belly boat? 5. There are a few spots on the Roaring Fork that are good w Green Drake coming off in late May. Hope this helps…. (Dick Fischer) writes:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO FISH THE S.PLATTE RIVER NEAR DECKERS COLORADO LET ME KNOW I CAN SHOW SOME GREAT PLACES TO FISH… ALSO IF YOU NEED LODGINGS I CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER FOR LODGING RIGHT ON THE RIVER!!!!! I will be in Denver around May 1 and have several days to fish. Would like to fish the S. Platte, but worry about the crowds. Which section do you recommend: the Decker’s section or Cheesman Cyn? Would it be better to go elsewhere to avoid the crowds, e.g the Frying Pan knowing I’ll waste half a day getting there? Are there other streams near Denver that offer good fishing and more solitude? Would appreciate your advice.