Question:

..by coincidence, and when someone posted about the tattoo convention  I decided to spend Friday checkign it out. Anyone have anything to say about the seminars that day   I lucked out and will be staying at a friends house just right up the street….

Response:

..by coincidence, and when someone posted about the tattoo convention  I decided to spend Friday checkign it out. Anyone have anything to say about the seminars that day   I lucked out and will be staying at a friends house just right up the street….

Strange that you post to both of my two favorite newsgroups AND you’re in my neck of the woods. The seminars are listed on the convention’s site, http://www.evolutiontattooconvention.com/indexsem.html No opinion on the seminars for friday, except the history presentation would be educational rather than the last two seminars which are performances for entertainment purposes. fr0glet

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ..by coincidence, and when someone posted about the tattoo convention  I decided to spend Friday checkign it out. Anyone have anything to say about the seminars that day   I lucked out and will be staying at a friends house just right up the street…. Strange that you post to both of my two favorite newsgroups AND you’re in my neck of the woods. The seminars are listed on the convention’s site, http://www.evolutiontattooconvention.com/indexsem.html No opinion on the seminars for friday, except the history presentation would be educational rather than the last two seminars which are performances for entertainment purposes.

Mmm one more thing I found on the convention site, 2 decent drum&bass DJ’s if you’re into electronica at all. Nitsuj and Slantooth are both from the 360bpm crew in Seattle, excellent beats. Don’t know about the rest of the DJ’s they have lined up. Sadly the best DJ from the 360bpm crew won’t be there, Zacharia. Also NO FRICKIN EMCEES!!! fr0glet

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<< Strange that you post to both of my two favorite newsgroups AND you’re in my neck of the woods.   hmmm am I stalking you unconsciously?   what particular set of woods is your neck in? I just caught on – you post in the herp group (snakes not VD).  Tiny world. I had seen your posts in the other group, but since I tend to check each group one after another, I just blurred them…      You don’t post in the alt.binaries.gaynazi-flyfishing group also do you? I am in Portland, driving to Seattle in the morning….

Response:

fr0glet wrote… << Strange that you post to both of my two favorite newsgroups AND you’re in my neck of the woods. hmmm am I stalking you unconsciously?

Sweet!! We need more stalkers around here. Lish hogs them all. what particular set of woods is your neck in?

The Skagit Valley woods, further north. You don’t post in the alt.binaries.gaynazi-flyfishing group also do

you? rec.outdoors.fishing occasionally But uh… my ISP doesn’t carry any gaynazi groups I am in Portland, driving to Seattle in the morning….

I doubt I’ll be at the convention, else I’d offer to meet. I’ll be in Portland celebrating at a wake for my mother. Cheers! fr0glet

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I’m sorry to hear about your mother… Mine is still recovering from a brain tumor she had removed 6 months ago; knowing how difficult even thinking about losing your mother can be, i can’t imagine how hard that is for you. greg

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f Sweet!! We need more stalkers around here. Lish hogs them all.         i’m quite sure i don’t know what you’re talking about.         besides, MY stalkers GIVE me stuff. & they don’t know where i live. is that the best or what?#!? lish                                                "please don’t talk. 36.9% / 31                                                RANA 125 / 68

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I’m sorry to hear about your mother… Mine is still recovering from a brain tumor she had removed 6 months ago; knowing how difficult even thinking about losing your mother can be, i can’t imagine how hard that is for you. greg

Glad to hear your mother is in recovery, count your blessings every single day. fr0glet

Response:

..by coincidence, and when someone posted about the tattoo convention  I decided to spend Friday checkign it out. Anyone have

anything to say about the seminars that day   I lucked out and will be staying at a friends house just right up the street….

Do tell what you thought of the convention. My roommate went and said it suuuucked… fr0glet

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<< Do tell what you thought of the convention. My roommate went and said it suuuucked.. well…anytime I spend $20 to get into anywhere I make it a point to try and find the positive so that I don’t sit around pissed about not having that $20 back.      It was almost entirely tattooists, a few piercers and a couple of shirt and sticker booths. If you were going for a tattoo it would be a decent place to shop around, take a look at the wide spectrum of tattoo styles and quality. I picked up a few cards for future reference.  I imagine that if you are intimidated with walking into a shop off the street that this would be a good place to go. I saw some great stuff there.      I also saw some things that distressed me. Without getting specific, I saw some equipment handling and bandage work that seemed less than appropriate. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to try and impose a standard on a building full of tattooists, but I suspect by the end of the weekend some of their peers  probably set them straight.      I was hoping that there might be some equipment sales but this show catered primarily to the tattoo consumer. I did get to see a number of other lefties work though…      greg

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Do tell what you thought of the convention. My roommate went and said it suuuucked..

I wasn’t overly impressed. I felt like I paid $20 just to look at different people’s portfolios. It was also very hot, crowded and parking was a nightmare with the tall ships show just down the street. Some of the music was ok, but you couldn’t escape it. It was very difficult to have a conversation in a normal tone of voice anywhere in the place.

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Look up some of these guys: http://runarena.com/cgi-bin/ra?id=friedturd hella kewl ppl

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ..by coincidence, and when someone posted about the tattoo convention  I decided to spend Friday checkign it out. Anyone have anything to say about the seminars that day   I lucked out and will be staying at a friends house just right up the street….

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Question:

    It is now the a.m. where in I can actually recognize the keyboard as a keyboard, not a checkers board.  The FBI has left my door and life is getting back to normal (who knew that using a keyboard as a checker board would hit the right url and password to deploy the black helicopters to Stewart, Iowa?).     I want to wish you all a happy New Year.  This has been a tremendous year of growth in my fly fishing skill, due in no small part to ROFFians. The Pirate’s School of Fishing With Floaty Pieces of Yarn, followed by Mike Makela’s School of Stare at the Water and Will the Fish onto your Hook (Zen subdivision) taught me nymphing.  Petah and the Pirate, after watching me go fishless all day, telling me I’ve got too much bow in my line (‘cudda said something earlier).  Wayno threatening to beat me silly if I flexed my wrist on my back cast.  Tony Norton getting me out on skinny water so I could learn stealth.     Did I fish as much as I wanted to this year? No.  Did I more than make up for it with new friends that accept me as me? Yes.   Folks who open their homes like Dave and Jo, Wayne and Dianna.  Guys who haul me from spot to spot like Stan, and the whole Boston Massacre II Clave crew.  Not one had ever met me, but you all came out to fish with me.  To Penns and Rappahannock crew and to all of you I’ve yet to fish with, to those who put in the wonderful TR’s and advice, even to those who’ve added a bit of controversy the group, I wish you all the best in the coming year. — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply.

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Frank, the pleasure was all mine.  I enjoyed your company and fishing with you.  I have named that pool on the Penns "The Frank Pool".    And, Jo and I are enjoying the quilt.   Best Wishes for a safe and wonderful New Year to you and yours, Frank.  Hope to see you at Penns. Dave

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Frank, the pleasure was all mine.  I enjoyed your company and fishing with you. I have named that pool on the Penns "The Frank Pool".    And, Jo and I are enjoying the quilt.   Best Wishes for a safe and wonderful New Year to you and yours, Frank.  Hope to see you at Penns. Dave

I’ll echo those comments – see you at Penns, beside the Frank Pool. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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Question:

"Mike S. Medintz" wrote… Even though I had dry feet at the end of it, it turned out to be a looong day.

I hear that – getting soaked through and through is really uncomfortable. Reminds me of a time on Mud Run in PA.  Was downstream from the flyfishing only section, in a steep gorge.  Only way in or out was through the creek itself.  Had just cautiously approached what appeared to be a big brown in a pool, when the sky cracked and the downpour started.  It was one of those Pennsylvania downpours where you can’t see two feet in front of you.  Pelting pounding driving rain. No way out, lightening strikes all around.  Would have stayed drier if I’d gone into the creek. Afterwards, my tobacco was in a foil pouch and was fine, but the disposable butane lighter was soaked on the flint and striker, and I had nothing to dry it with. Most uncomfortable walk back to the truck and drive home.  In retrospect, should have taken off the clothes and wrung them out good – probably would have been more comfortable. Timothy Juvenal

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That was super funny Tim.  I read your post and was thinking capsized boat, not rain. bruce h

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Not waterproof: my rain jacket. (snip)

Hmmm, effective marketing eh? Natty

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Not waterproof: Expensive Motorola handheld radios. Thank god the thing worked again once it dried-I’d have hell to explain otherwise.  Not waterproof: expensive cell phones with 100+  numbers painstakingly entered into memory.  And  no, it didn’t work again after it dried.  Maybe  because the wave that got it was saltwater …

Not to put too fine a point on it, however I would consider that a good thing. ; ^ ) Sorry honey I could not phone the cell broke! Sorry honey I waited for your call but turns out the cell got wet and I Just a thought!   M. Wm.

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When will the Institute release its findings on the relative flammability of fisherpersons? — Michael Collier Citizen Fisherman

Response:

After conducting a controlled scientific experiment to determine the relative water resistance of sundry articles commonly carried by fisherpersons, the Juvenal Institute of Scientific Inquiry has reached the following conclusions: I’m sure we’ll be conducting more tests in the future.

I’ve had the questionable fortune to have conducted similar tests at work. Waterproof: cheap butane lighters, so long as they are inside a pocket. Not waterproof: Expensive Motorola handheld radios. Thank god the thing worked again once it dried-I’d have hell to explain otherwise. Waterproof: Streamlight flashlights. Not waterproof: my rain jacket. Waterproof: My boots, which saved me a long day Not waterproof: My "Water-Resistant to 100 meters" Timex Expedition watch Waterproof: A stainless steel multi-tool. Not waterproof: My smokes. Even though I had dry feet at the end of it, it turned out to be a looong day. — Mike S. Medintz please forgive the weirdness-testing new software

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After conducting a controlled scientific experiment to determine the relative water resistance of sundry articles commonly carried by fisherpersons, the Juvenal Institute of Scientific Inquiry has reached the following conclusions: Not Waterproof: Cloth covered sheepskin-lined streamer wallet.  Very absorbent. Waterproof: Aluminum fly boxes by Perrine and Okuma.  Although vented, the don’t take on water very fast and they dry very quickly. Waterproof: 2 AA cell Maglite.  Maybe the best thing ever made. Not Waterproof: Blue LED emergency light.  Takes in water, which allows a small leakage current.  LED glowed faintly for hours, but it still lights up afterwards.  I was able to get a faint glow in a blue LED with as little as .01 amps at 3 volts, so it won’t run the battery down that fast, but would still be a better emergency light if it weren’t susceptible to moisture-induced current leakage, eh? Waterproof:  Pentax zoom90WR camera.  A little heavy and bulky, but fits in a cargo pants pocket, and all my pictures of herons, wet dogs, and tiny fish are safe. Waterproof:  Jeantet Saturne pipe.  Good as new. Not Waterproof: Plastic lined leather tobacco pouch.  What a mess. Not Waterproof: Remington pocketwatch.  Filled up with water, shorted out, and corroded.  You can’t get anything good for twelve bucks anymore. Waterproof:  Case XX fishing knife.  Usually I prefer carbon steel blades, but good thing these are stainless. Waterproof: Silver flask with art deco nekkid lady engraving.  Good thing, too; believe me I needed it after all that testing! I’m sure we’ll be conducting more tests in the future. Timothy Juvenal After all, fishing trips are supposed to be fun.  If they can also be informative, so much the better.             -Gary A. Borger

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Question:

central PA. Third week of July. Need guide and/or boat rental info,

http://www.billsguideservice.com/ RichZ

Question:

        oh, god, have you got any pictures?

Didn’t come out very well.  Not enough light to stop action of bodies flying from one bed to the other.  Will provide lurid written transcript for small fee.

Response:

My girlfriend and I stayed a couple of nights at Oliver’s Green Mountain Cabins in Estes Park last year.  For about $60 per night we got two queen size beds (it was the last unit available) and a kitchenette.  Very clean and comfortable. oh, god, have you got any pictures? wayno le voyeur

Uh, he said *two* beds. –Steve

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Uh, he said *two* beds.

Exactly, I am bisexual.  Done it twice!   Uh…….wait a

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My girlfriend and I stayed a couple of nights at Oliver’s Green Mountain Cabins in Estes Park last year.  For about $60 per night we got two queen size beds (it was the last unit available) and a kitchenette.  Very clean and comfortable.

        oh, god, have you got any pictures?           wayno le voyeur – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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[deleted] Try http://www.fryingpananglers.com/ Ask for the quide Mitch Mulhall.

Excellent advice Jim, they just don’t get any better than Mitch Mulhall. — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…" B.M.P.I.A.

Response:

My buddy and I are planning a trip this summer to either the RMNP (Estes Park) or Aspen areas. Any recommendations of guides and places to stay (no campgrounds) would be very much appreciated.

My girlfriend and I stayed a couple of nights at Oliver’s Green Mountain Cabins in Estes Park last year.  For about $60 per night we got two queen size beds (it was the last unit available) and a kitchenette.  Very clean and comfortable.

Response:

My buddy and I are planning a trip this summer to either the RMNP (Estes Park) or Aspen areas. Any recommendations of guides and places to stay (no campgrounds) would be very much appreciated.

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Question:

Just finished watching a piece on Fashion TV, CITY-TV, Toronto where they interviewed Karen Graham.  The former Vogue model was sought out by Estee Lauder, lured away from her fly fishing school and brought in to promote stuff for older women.  She’s going to have a TV ad running soon as well. And boy,  she can double-haul me any day.  ( No honey, I’m not serious. . . . stop looking over my shoulder . . . yes I love that rod you bought me, . . .  stop whacking me with it. . . .) Cheers Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.cgocable.net/~pcharles/index.html

Response:

I just saw a piece about Karen Graham on Oprah recently… very interesting.  Besides being very beautiful, she was charming and down to earth as well.  And most importantly, she casts beautifully. ;^) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just finished watching a piece on Fashion TV, CITY-TV, Toronto where they interviewed Karen Graham.  The former Vogue model was sought out by Estee Lauder, lured away from her fly fishing school and brought in to promote stuff for older women.  She’s going to have a TV ad running soon as well. And boy,  she can double-haul me any day.  ( No honey, I’m not serious. . . . stop looking over my shoulder . . . yes I love that rod you bought me, . . .  stop whacking me with it. . . .) Cheers Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.cgocable.net/~pcharles/index.html

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Question:

Let’s go fishin soon, It’s been wonderfully nice here in Illinoise. Maybe we could meet up somewhere and just cast at whatever will take a fly. Up here toward rockford, there are quite a few dams with warm run off, we could maybe try to get some smallies. Let me know what you think. Tim Apple " Always one step closer to going Postal! "

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Let’s go fishin soon, It’s been wonderfully nice here in Illinoise. Maybe we could meet up somewhere and just cast at whatever will take a fly. Up here toward rockford, there are quite a few dams with warm run off, we could maybe try to get some smallies. Let me know what you think.

Tim: After all these years, my own thread. I can do smallies by my house in Geneva in the Fox River if that’s what you want to do. Joel and I tried to track you down a few weeks ago. We’re thinking a mini trip to the Madison area either weekend of March 13th or March 27th. Early season opens March 1 for troutlets. You know, I never bought an Illinois fishing license. Email me with what you think you want to do. Wayne Knight Geneva IL                            

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Let’s go fishin soon, It’s been wonderfully nice here in Illinoise.

        if you think it’s been nice in illinoise, you ought to get a taste of north caroliner. no malice, timmy. wayno

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Wayne, You can get your Illinois license instantly on the Internet.  Go the the DNR site and links will take you to the license site (run by a contractor). I’ve done this the last two years.  I wish more states would put licenses online, it seems a simple thing to do. Also you might try the DuPage between the dam in Warrenville and the one in Naperville.  There are some really nice smallmouths in that stretch. — — Sherman Dunnam www.flyfishingjournal.com Stream Reports, Free Classifieds & More – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Let’s go fishin soon, It’s been wonderfully nice here in Illinoise. Maybe we could meet up somewhere and just cast at whatever will take a fly. Up here toward rockford, there are quite a few dams with warm run off, we could maybe try to get some smallies. Let me know what you think. Tim: After all these years, my own thread. I can do smallies by my house in Geneva in the Fox River if that’s what you want to do. Joel and I tried to track you down a few weeks ago. We’re thinking a mini trip to the Madison area either weekend of March 13th or March 27th. Early season opens March 1 for troutlets. You know, I never bought an Illinois fishing license. Email me with what you think you want to do. Wayne Knight Geneva IL

Response:

writes: Also you might try the DuPage between the dam in Warrenville and the one in Naperville.  There are some really nice smallmouths in that stretch.

Thanks, I think I know where that’s at. Wayne Knight Geneva IL                            

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Question:

I have had this happen to me on occasion. I use a hemostat and open the gap of the hook a small amount as well as off-setting the point a bit. This seems to occur most often when I’m using very small flies, 18-24. Just my 2 cents worth and it helps my hook ups when I can’t seem to hook anything.

Response:

Mike, Maybe you should talk to your Doc.  I just had knee surgery and my Doc said fishing and in particular float tubeing is great therapy.  i.e. cold water for swelling and good low impact excercise.  Talk to a sports medicine specialist.  Which is all We have in Tahoe.   As to missed hook ups?  I miss just as many from a boat as from a tube go figure. Dick W.

Response:

Soft mouths may be part of the problem, it seems when this occurs, the sharper the hook, the larger the tear it makes in the tissue, resulting in a larger oblong hole, enabling the hook to let itself work free easier. Another problem may be fish caught and released rather frequently whose hmouth hasn’t had a chance to heal yet….I mean, I’m sure we’ve all been in a place where we’ve caught the same fish twice in one outing and you know what I’m talking about. What’s the answer? Hell, I dunno…it’s not barbed or duller hooks, that’s fersure! Larry #:)#

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I have seen people dunk the rod tip in the water to prevent the fish jumping. Never tried it myself preferring to keep the tension on the line as the fish jumps. That is quite difficult, I don’t need to tell you. Good observation on the angle in a float tube. I had never thought about that

In salmon fishing, it is normal to "bow to the fish" by dropping the rod tip (not necessarily into the water) when he jumps.  With such large fish, it is prudent to reduce sudden shocks to the hook hold. — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

Response:

Hi Dennis, Nice to see you on this newsgroup.  Sounds like you had a nice day fishing!!! As you can see, I am fairly limited this year due to the leg but still plan on taking my trip to the Mill Hole on the Kettle River this Summer!

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I had a really strange occurance happen to me this weekend.   I was fishing one of my favorite lakes from a raft (tore up the ligaments in my left knee so no float tube for me this Summer!) with my Sage SP+.  The fishing was really good and I hooked into about 18 fish.  Of these 18, 4 got off via jumping and tossing the barbless fly, 1 actually made it to the boat and the rest of them had the fly pull out of their mouths during the fight.   My hooks were sharp and I didn’t feel like I was doing anything different then normal.  The only thing I can think of is the combination of the odd angle I had to sit in the raft combined with using my 9 foot SP+ (The wrong rod choice for this situation in hind sight.  Should have used my softer DS II.)  I did speak to another angler who reported that his fishing party was having the same problems.   I know fish will develop soft mouths when the water gets really warm but this is a high mountain lake and the water was still quite cool.  Any other ideas? Mike

Mike I wouldn’t think the rod or the angle has much to do with it.  Sunday, I couldn’t get a hookup or land a fish to save my life.  I think it has more to do with what the fish are taking.  Emergers and duns they have to rush, spinners and cripples they can take their time. Yesterday, they were feeding on spent trico spinners.  In retrospect, I should have been slower on the hook set.  I was probably yanking the fly out of their mouths’.  I know, it’s tough to slow down when you’re keyed for the strike.  The previous few times that I have been out, the fish were consistently taking duns and emergers and I missed only a few. Worth a try. Peter

Response:

We have a different problem in the small streams in New Mexico and Colorado.  3 to 6 " small fish jump all over a dry fly and when you snap your wrist from the sudden and violent strike, the 3" to 6" small trout flies by your ear (right ear if right handed, etc.) and lands behind you.  We have found that these "flying" fish will shoot off when released so we assume they enjoy this. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t know if this applies to your situation, but I’ve found that if you apply direct pressure when a fish is facing you, pullouts are much more likely.  I apply pressure to the side when a fish is facing me and try to get it turned and fighting away from me. This is especially true in streams and rivers where you want the fish fighting the current instead of using it to their advantage. Willi I had a really strange occurance happen to me this weekend.   I was fishing one of my favorite lakes from a raft (tore up the ligaments in my left knee so no float tube for me this Summer!) with my Sage SP+.  The fishing was really good and I hooked into about 18 fish.  Of these 18, 4 got off via jumping and tossing the barbless fly, 1 actually made it to the boat and the rest of them had the fly pull out of their mouths during the fight. My hooks were sharp and I didn’t feel like I was doing anything different then normal.  The only thing I can think of is the combination of the odd angle I had to sit in the raft combined with using my 9 foot SP+ (The wrong rod choice for this situation in hind sight.  Should have used my softer DS II.)  I did speak to another angler who reported that his fishing party was having the same problems.   I know fish will develop soft mouths when the water gets really warm but this is a high mountain lake and the water was still quite cool.  Any other ideas? Mike

Response:

Hi Mike, How are you? Sounds like you haven’t given up FF! Either have I, got several 20 to 22 inch brookies and bows last Monday on the Connetquot River. It was a great day. As for fast vs slow rods. I like slow rods for casting drys and faster rods for streamers. As for loosing fish. I can loose as many fish on a fast rod as can on a slow rod. Still casting flies and telling lies. Dennis

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<<I don’t want to start a rod fight but I’ve seen fishermen of various experience levels have problems with Sage RPL+ and other very fast rods. As I understand it the SP+ is even faster. I watched a fishing friend last year on the Madison above Quake Lake lose fish after fish with a brand new RPL+. I gave him my Loomis GL-3 and he started landing fish. I admit last month I would have given my left something for the RPL+ on Gray Reef with the wind howeling in my face and the Loomis just wasn’t enough gun to reach fish that under normal circumstances would have been easy to cast to. I have used my SP+ for two years now and haven’t ever felt I lost a fish due to the rod being too stiff until this particular weekend.  In fact, on rivers, it is my rod of choice. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I normally fish in my float tube. Sitting in the tube is similar to standing thus I haven’t had a problem hooking and keeping fish.  This occurance in the raft was just unique enough that I thought I would share it and see if anybody else has ever has this type of problem who wasn’t in a full leg brace and sitting at an angle in a rubber raft <grin The most likely cause was my sitting position combined with having a stiffer rod but I wanted to find out if anybody had ever run across trout who seemed to have really soft mouths like a Silver does.  This particular lake was just rehabilitated last year so this is a different gene pool of trout and it is possible that this is a genetic characteristic of the trout that were planted in the lake. Anyway, it really doesn’t matter much.  I had a great time and the one fish I did land was the largest of the year so I have nothing to complain about. Mike

Response:

I have seen people dunk the rod tip in the water to prevent the fish jumping. Never tried it myself preferring to keep the tension on the line as the fish jumps. That is quite difficult, I don’t need to tell you. Good observation on the angle in a float tube. I had never thought about that before. Gary

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I had a really strange occurance happen to me this weekend.   I was fishing one of my favorite lakes from a raft (tore up the ligaments in my left knee so no float tube for me this Summer!) with my Sage SP+.  The fishing was really good and I hooked into about 18 fish.  Of these 18, 4 got off via jumping and tossing the barbless fly, 1 actually made it to the boat and the rest of them had the fly pull out of their mouths during the fight. My hooks were sharp and I didn’t feel like I was doing anything different then normal.  The only thing I can think of is the combination of the odd angle I had to sit in the raft combined with using my 9 foot SP+ (The wrong rod choice for this situation in hind sight.  Should have used my softer DS II.)  I did speak to another angler who reported that his fishing party was having the same problems.   I know fish will develop soft mouths when the water gets really warm but this is a high mountain lake and the water was still quite cool. Any other ideas? Mike

Response:

<<I don’t want to start a rod fight but I’ve seen fishermen of various experience levels have problems with Sage RPL+ and other very fast rods. As I understand it the SP+ is even faster. I watched a fishing friend last year on the Madison above Quake Lake lose fish after fish with a brand new RPL+. I gave him my Loomis GL-3 and he started landing fish. I admit last month I would have given my left something for the RPL+ on Gray Reef with the wind howeling in my face and the Loomis just wasn’t enough gun to reach fish that under normal circumstances would have been easy to cast to. I have used my SP+ for two years now and haven’t ever felt I lost a fish due to the rod being too stiff until this particular weekend.  In fact, on rivers, it is my rod of choice.   Like I mentioned in my previous post, I normally fish in my float tube. Sitting in the tube is similar to standing thus I haven’t had a problem hooking and keeping fish.  This occurance in the raft was just unique enough that I thought I would share it and see if anybody else has ever has this type of problem who wasn’t in a full leg brace and sitting at an angle in a rubber raft <grin The most likely cause was my sitting position combined with having a stiffer rod but I wanted to find out if anybody had ever run across trout who seemed to have really soft mouths like a Silver does.  This particular lake was just rehabilitated last year so this is a different gene pool of trout and it is possible that this is a genetic characteristic of the trout that were planted in the lake. Anyway, it really doesn’t matter much.  I had a great time and the one fish I did land was the largest of the year so I have nothing to complain about. Mike

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I don’t want to start a rod fight but I’ve seen fishermen of various experience levels have problems with Sage RPL+ and other very fast rods. As I understand it the SP+ is even faster. I watched a fishing friend last year on the Madison above Quake Lake lose fish after fish with a brand new RPL+. I gave him my Loomis GL-3 and he started landing fish. I admit last month I would have given my left something for the RPL+ on Gray Reef with the wind howeling in my face and the Loomis just wasn’t enough gun to reach fish that under normal circumstances would have been easy to cast to. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I had a really strange occurance happen to me this weekend.   I was fishing one of my favorite lakes from a raft (tore up the ligaments in my left knee so no float tube for me this Summer!) with my Sage SP+.  The fishing was really good and I hooked into about 18 fish.  Of these 18, 4 got off via jumping and tossing the barbless fly, 1 actually made it to the boat and the rest of them had the fly pull out of their mouths during the fight. My hooks were sharp and I didn’t feel like I was doing anything different then normal.  The only thing I can think of is the combination of the odd angle I had to sit in the raft combined with using my 9 foot SP+ (The wrong rod choice for this situation in hind sight.  Should have used my softer DS II.) I did speak to another angler who reported that his fishing party was having the same problems.   I know fish will develop soft mouths when the water gets really warm but this is a high mountain lake and the water was still quite cool.  Any other ideas? Mike

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I don’t know if this applies to your situation, but I’ve found that if you apply direct pressure when a fish is facing you, pullouts are much more likely.  I apply pressure to the side when a fish is facing me and try to get it turned and fighting away from me. This is especially true in streams and rivers where you want the fish fighting the current instead of using it to their advantage. Willi – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I had a really strange occurance happen to me this weekend.   I was fishing one of my favorite lakes from a raft (tore up the ligaments in my left knee so no float tube for me this Summer!) with my Sage SP+.  The fishing was really good and I hooked into about 18 fish.  Of these 18, 4 got off via jumping and tossing the barbless fly, 1 actually made it to the boat and the rest of them had the fly pull out of their mouths during the fight. My hooks were sharp and I didn’t feel like I was doing anything different then normal.  The only thing I can think of is the combination of the odd angle I had to sit in the raft combined with using my 9 foot SP+ (The wrong rod choice for this situation in hind sight.  Should have used my softer DS II.)  I did speak to another angler who reported that his fishing party was having the same problems.   I know fish will develop soft mouths when the water gets really warm but this is a high mountain lake and the water was still quite cool.  Any other ideas? Mike

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I had a really strange occurance happen to me this weekend.   I was fishing one of my favorite lakes from a raft (tore up the ligaments in my left knee so no float tube for me this Summer!) with my Sage SP+.  The fishing was really good and I hooked into about 18 fish.  Of these 18, 4 got off via jumping and tossing the barbless fly, 1 actually made it to the boat and the rest of them had the fly pull out of their mouths during the fight.   My hooks were sharp and I didn’t feel like I was doing anything different then normal.  The only thing I can think of is the combination of the odd angle I had to sit in the raft combined with using my 9 foot SP+ (The wrong rod choice for this situation in hind sight.  Should have used my softer DS II.)  I did speak to another angler who reported that his fishing party was having the same problems.   I know fish will develop soft mouths when the water gets really warm but this is a high mountain lake and the water was still quite cool.  Any other ideas? Mike

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Question:

I will be heading north the last weekend in June and would like any input on where to fish or what we should be using. Also, does anyone know a reliable fly shop around Pittsburg that could help direct us to some fish, preferably salmon? Thanks BillW Bill W

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Bill W writes:

<<Also, does anyone know a reliable fly shop around Pittsburg that could help direct us to some fish, preferably salmon? There is a fly shop between town  and Back Lake (on the right). I was in the Conn. Lakes Region a couple of years ago and it is a big disappointment to what it was in the forties/fifties (what isn’t?). If you have access to a canoe, try East Inlet (to 2nd Lake).   Also, the river between First Lake and Lake Francis.  And, below the Lake Francis Dam.  Count on a hatch of caddis (Elk Hair, Henryville Specials, Goddard ought to do.)  Stonefly nymphs (big and black) should also work well. Green caddis worm, pheasant tail, and ever-present wooly bugger should round out your repertoire. When I was a kid, there were nice brookies in Middle Pond, Moose Pond, Harris Pond (big walk) and Round Pond.  Also, Scotts Bog above 2nd Lake.  However, today it is probably all stocked stuff.  Tall Timbers and other camps used to maintain boats at these ponds.  Don’t know if they still do. Treat yourself to a meal at the Glen on Second Lake. It is beautiful country.  The catching might not be all that good, but the fishing sure is. Dave LaCourse  

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Question:

Previous posts on breathable waders have mentioned their durability and some problems that have developed. I wondered if there was more personal experience out there on this topic. How durable have the different breathable wader brands been in your experience (Simms microfibers, Hodgmann wadelite, LL Bean Gore-Tex, Orvis Gore-Tex and any others you know of)?

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Previous posts on breathable waders have mentioned their durability and some problems that have developed. I wondered if there was more personal experience out there on this topic. How durable have the different breathable wader brands been in your experience (Simms microfibers, Hodgmann wadelite, LL Bean Gore-Tex, Orvis Gore-Tex and any others you know of)?

Hi Jonathan, I guided 83 trips and several personal trips as well in my Simms and they worked very well. I developed one pin hole leak after charging through some wild roses but the leak was very easy to repair. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

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