Question:

Hokay, so which product is best? Most versatile? Best for planning? Annotating? Printing? I need to choose one of these. What’re the best determinants of the choice? – Scott

Response:

Hi Scott, First you need to ask yourself about coverage. Do either of these products cover all the areas you’d potentially want to map?  How many CDs will you need to buy to cover all the places you’d want to go? , Doug www.travelbygps.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hokay, so which product is best? Most versatile? Best for planning? Annotating? Printing? I need to choose one of these. What’re the best determinants of the choice? – Scott

Response:

Hokay, so which product is best? Most versatile? Best for planning? Annotating? Printing? I need to choose one of these. What’re the best determinants of the choice? – Scott

For me, it’s Maptech all the way. Even though you have to buy more CDs to cover an area, you’ll never have to buy another topo map. You can print sections, thumbnails, add notes, trails, waypoints, etc. (And you can include some or all extras in any given view while keeping them all in the file for convenience.) Yours in the north Maine woods, Pete Hilton aka The Ent — You can’t guard against the arbitrary.    anon.

Response:

Well, coverage isn’t an issue. They can both cover Washington state, and I’m looking at North Cascades. While I can’t say price isn’t an issue, my main concern is ‘killer features’ or ‘killer bugs.’ I just need some voices of experience, someone who’s had the chance to compare the two. – Scott – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First you need to ask yourself about coverage. Do either of these products cover all the areas you’d potentially want to map?  How many CDs will you need to buy to cover all the places you’d want to go? Hokay, so which product is best? Most versatile? Best for planning? Annotating? Printing? I need to choose one of these. What’re the best determinants of the  choice?

Response:

Well, coverage isn’t an issue. They can both cover Washington state, and I’m looking at North Cascades. While I can’t say price isn’t an issue, my main concern is ‘killer features’ or ‘killer bugs.’ I just need some voices of experience, someone who’s had the chance to compare the two.

I have DeLorme’s TopoUSA-Flyfishing edition & the maps are quite mawkish; I’m told they are vector images. Whatever the technical explanation, I find the accuracy level far, far below the most casual hiker/camper’s needs. The Maptech gives full scans of actual USGS topos & offers a number of enlargement ratios; the detail from an average injet printer is nearly up to actual printed topos. These aren’t bug, just limitations. I use the Maptech program to port waypoints to/from my GPS as well as build a personal atlas of my favorite portions of the Maine woods. Even have it on my laptop for field use. Yours in the north Maine woods, Pete Hilton aka The Ent — You can’t guard against the arbitrary.    anon.

Response:

Hokay, so which product is best? Most versatile? Best for planning? Annotating? Printing? I need to choose one of these. What’re the best determinants of the choice? – Scott

Both Maptech and TOPO!/National Geographic start with scans of 7.5 minute USGS maps, and both have different but useful interfaces. It works out to a good resolution for hiking. The regular DeLorme product is vector based, and works out to less detail but more coverage. It tends to be not enough detail for hiking. The different brands bundle states differently, so where you want to cover would make a big difference. Also, they work differently with GPS interfaces, if that is important to you. Happy trails, Gary (net.yogi.bear) at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom

Response:

Question:

Hi Possibly head down to the everglages for a few days. Trying to plan ahead for the hols. hope to hear from someone soon. Neil

Bad idea, mosquito city. go to the west coast orthe keys. Capt. Gary S. Colecchio West Palm Beach "The only people who have any business fishing are  young boys and married men. Everyone else should be  out getting laid." …I said that

Response:

"The only people who have any business fishing are  young boys and married men. Everyone else should be  out getting laid." …I said that

You’ve not met our beloved barrister from Rowan County. A man of many talents he can, and has, combined business, fishing, being married AND getting laid. Or… he used to could. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Head over to the Oak Hill area. Go by way of Merritt Island. Go to Titusville, across the causeway left to Haul Over Canal and just pick a spot somewhere on the route. Check a map of the area, you’ll see. John Popp in grass dead Sanford Fl

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Anyone know of any fly fishing areas around Orlando,  Possibly Head down to the everglages for a few days. Trying to plan ahead for the hols. hope to hear from someone soon. Neil * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free! Check with Rick at The Fly Fisherman on Orange Ave. in Orlando. HTH, R

Response:

Hi Anyone know of any fly fishing areas around Orlando,  Possibly Head down to the everglages for a few days. Trying to plan ahead for the hols. hope to hear from someone soon. Neil * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Check with Rick at The Fly Fisherman on Orange Ave. in Orlando. HTH, R

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "The only people who have any business fishing are  young boys and married men. Everyone else should be  out getting laid." …I said that You’ve not met our beloved barrister from Rowan County. A man of many talents he can, and has, combined business, fishing, being married AND getting laid. Or… he used to could. — Ken Fortenberry

        um, well, of course, all such activities involved the same lady, of course, like when we go on family trips to the smokys and i have to call the office.         ken, will you give me a call tomorrow, please? wayno

Response:

Head over to the Oak Hill area. Go by way of Merritt Island. Go to Titusville, across the causeway left to Haul Over Canal and just pick a spot somewhere on the route. Check a map of the area, you’ll see. John Popp in grass dead Sanford Fl

They also have a location in Titusville, FWIW, but I’ve never been there.  I suspect Rick and the guys there know pretty much the whole area, however. R PS  John, Was over on Cedar Key last week and things where decent over there, plus it’s still cool (-ish, better than Orlando area, anyway), the rates at the inns are low this time of year and the crowds are light – us and a flyfishing! Virginia couple in a big trailered Whaler at the hotel marina.  Even got some of the last Stone claws at Charlie’s in Crystal River – yeee-uuumm!!  Kinda sorry to be back in Texas and hot as hell….<G. TC, R – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Anyone know of any fly fishing areas around Orlando,  Possibly Head down to the everglages for a few days. Trying to plan ahead for the hols. hope to hear from someone soon. Neil * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free! Check with Rick at The Fly Fisherman on Orange Ave. in Orlando. HTH, R

Response:

Hi Anyone know of any fly fishing areas around Orlando,  Possibly Head down to the everglages for a few days. Trying to plan ahead for the hols. hope to hear from someone soon. Neil * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

Question:

This is a good idea.  We need an eight lined ‘Angler’s Toast’.  Maybe we need three or four of them? Mike Connor, you have been challenged to supply the first entry. Possibly, we should have an "Angler’s Toast Contest?"  for the Conclave?! shush!  quiet everyone.  There is a click of glasses and Wayne Harrison stands up to give a toast – "- ah?

Response:

Georg G: <<….shush!  quiet everyone.  There is a click of glasses and Wayne Harrison stands up to give a toast – "- ah? "Row tiddly row Defecate or bust Never let your testes Dangle in the dust." Hey, it worked in Japan 40+ years ago! Dave L.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Georg G: <<….shush!  quiet everyone.  There is a click of glasses and Wayne Harrison stands up to give a toast – "- ah? "Row tiddly row Defecate or bust Never let your testes Dangle in the dust." Hey, it worked in Japan 40+ years ago! Dave L.

— Mr. G. All Writings

Question:

I would appreciate any recommendations from people on good places to stay in Montana for a week in August. Wishes are: reasonably close to good fly fishing, right on or near some water would be excellent; a cabin with some personality and a kitchen in a somewhat private, open setting (not a town); fairly quiet with a small number of other guests; prefer moderate price, premium price for perfect spot OK. I’m open to any location in Montana, but am somewhat familiar to Twin Bridges area and liked it a lot. Also liked fishing in Yellowstone Park rivers so near that might be good. Have not fished Big Hole, hear I should. Any suggestions very much appreciated. Thank you. AWilson

Response:

I would appreciate any recommendations from people on good places to stay in Montana for a week in August.

August is generally (but of course not ALWAYS) the worst month of the year. It’s hot, and the water levels are low, and the fish  (specially browns) are in a nocturnal phase then. August should be particularly skunky this year, as we have an anemic, El Nino snow pack–Utah and Colorado got all our snow.     At that time of year, the best fishing is at high altitude: beaver ponds, small brook trout creeks and mountain lakes. —  * Center for Computational Biology  * Montana State Bozeman  (406) 994-7061  * http://www.nervana.montana.edu/~sandy */

Response:

Question:

I’ve rented a cabin on the back of Hiwassee river near Murphy for the first week in April, and would like to know what kind of flies are recommended for that area that time of year.  I’ve only fly fished saltwater in Florida, so I’m really looking forward to something new and different.   Thanks, Terry

Response:

I’ve rented a cabin on the back of Hiwassee river near Murphy for the first week in April, and would like to know what kind of flies are recommended for that area that time of year.

        royal wulff, adams wulff (called a "thunderhead" in n.c.) and some dark bodied elk hair caddis.  all in size 12-16.  hare’s ear and squirrell tail nymphs, size 12.  that’s it.  now pretend you’re an otter hunting fish.  upstream, quietly and slowly.         a. wayne harrison

Response:

I’ve rented a cabin on the back of Hiwassee river near Murphy for the first week in April, and would like to know what kind of flies are recommended for that area that time of year.  I’ve only fly fished saltwater in Florida, so I’m really looking forward to something new and different.   Thanks, Terry

– Hi Terry, Good luck with your adventure. For early spring dries you will need some: fly…                size Elk Hair Caddises    12-16 Blue-Wing Olives     16-18 Adams parachutes     12-16 March Brown          12-14 for nymphs: tellicos             12-14 bead head hares ear  12-14 pheasent tail        12-14 and for wets working downstream: wooly bugger         6-10 soft-hackled wets    12-14               you can use the soft-hackled wets as a dropper behind the other flies if you choose to. Also, the smaller the tippet you use the more success you will have with the dry flies. The fish should be actively feeding but they will scatter and hide at the smallest disturbance, including a leader splash. Be smooth and gentle with your presentation and you should do just fine. –Walt The Blue Ridge Book Gallery | We are located 8 miles south of Boone on Rt. 1 Box 975-23            | Hiway 105 in Foscoe in the heart of the Banner Elk, NC 28604        | beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Please (704) 963-5001              | visit us when you’re in the area.                             |  Thanks….Marie & Walter Winter http://www.mercury.net/~wgwinter/         also on Interloc…

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve rented a cabin on the back of Hiwassee river near Murphy for the first week in April, and would like to know what kind of flies are recommended for that area that time of year.  I’ve only fly fished saltwater in Florida, so I’m really looking forward to something new and different. Thanks, Terry — Hi Terry, Good luck with your adventure. For early spring dries you will need some: fly…                size Elk Hair Caddises    12-16 Blue-Wing Olives     16-18 Adams parachutes     12-16 March Brown          12-14 for nymphs: tellicos             12-14 bead head hares ear  12-14 pheasent tail        12-14 and for wets working downstream: wooly bugger         6-10 soft-hackled wets    12-14 you can use the soft-hackled wets as a dropper behind the other flies if you choose to. Also, the smaller the tippet you use the more success you will have with the dry flies. The fish should be actively feeding but they will scatter and hide at the smallest disturbance, including a leader splash. Be smooth and gentle with your presentation and you should do just fine. –Walt The Blue Ridge Book Gallery | We are located 8 miles south of Boone on Rt. 1 Box 975-23            | Hiway 105 in Foscoe in the heart of the Banner Elk, NC 28604        | beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Please (704) 963-5001              | visit us when you’re in the area.                             |  Thanks….Marie & Walter Winter http://www.mercury.net/~wgwinter/         also on Interloc…

    Hi Walter        I saw by one of the other sites that the non-resident NC license went to $30.00, TRUE ?                                                        John Popp                                                      in Sanford Fl.

Response:

   Hi Walter       I saw by one of the other sites that the non-resident NC license went to $30.00, TRUE ?                                                       John Popp                                                     in Sanford Fl.

Hi John, I’m not sure what a day/3 day/or week license costs but a non-resident year license costs $40.00. –Walt — The Blue Ridge Book Gallery | We are located 8 miles south of Boone on Rt. 1 Box 975-23            | Hiway 105 in Foscoe in the heart of the Banner Elk, NC 28604        | beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Please (704) 963-5001              | visit us when you’re in the area.                             |  Thanks….Marie & Walter Winter http://www.mercury.net/~wgwinter/         also on Interloc…

Response:

Question:

My wife bought me a fly fishing rod and some gear for christmas. I have never fly fished before but have always wanted to. Where can I go in the San Diego area to get some lessions in fly fishing? Also, are there any good places to fly fish (for trout) in San Diego? Thanx in advance Mike — MGS

Response:

Call Jeff Solis at the San Diego Fly Shop 619-283-3445. Tell him Fritz told you.

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering if someone could provide me with information on LL Bean’s LL Saltwater Rods.  For instance: 1.      Who makes the blanks. 2.      To which models made by their competitors is the action most comparable. 3.      How well do they hold up (i.e., do they tend to break when fighting fish). 4.      Would they be suitable for steelhead fishing? I am considering getting a 9 wt.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

I don’t know anything about the LLBean rod but I suspect they are not making it themselves. I can however give a glowing recommendation to G Loomis IM6 9wght 9′.   Its great!  Has good feel and balance.  I do alot of steelhead fishing in the northshore of Lake Superior and the lakes south shore along wisconsin.  I have never lost a fish because of that rod and have had a lot of fun with it.   Good luck! Lee Clore "I once caught a brook trout smaller than the mosquitoe that was chewing the shit out of my arm"                 Quote from unnamed flyfisherman in Whitewater St Park, MN

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering if someone could provide me with information on LL Bean’s LL Saltwater Rods.  For instance: 1.      Who makes the blanks. 2.      To which models made by their competitors is the action most comparable. 3.      How well do they hold up (i.e., do they tend to break when fighting fish). 4.      Would they be suitable for steelhead fishing? I am considering getting a 9 wt.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

A few issues back one of the saltwater flyfishing mags did an article called "9 Weight Shootout" or something to that effect. Virtually all the better known manufacturers submitted rods to be evaluated. The rods were tested with several different lines. It was similar to tests in ski magazines, and I thought it was well done. Anyway, the L.L.Bean rod was rated as one of the top 1 or 2 rods. I don’t remember if it was in "Fly Fishing In Salt Waters" or in "Saltwater Fly Fishing", but I’d recommend you check it out. I’ll see if I can locate it tonite.                                                         jc

Response:

I can however give a glowing recommendation to G Loomis IM6 9wght 9′.   Its great!  Has good feel and balance.  I do alot of steelhead fishing in the northshore of Lake Superior and the lakes south shore along wisconsin.  I have never lost a fish because of that rod and have had a lot of fun with it.   Good luck! Lee Clore

Lee, I saw your post about fishing Superior along the Wisconsin border.  I’ve been invited to fish the Bruel the 2nd week of Oct.  Any info you can give me regarding the conditions I could expect would be appreciated. Also, what kind of rig do you use.  I’ve had the "chuck & Duck" system described to me (i.e.. little or no fly line), but would be interested in your opinions on the matter. Thanks Rick Padgett

Response:

i have a 11 weight rod, action is a little stiff, casts well in windy conditions, ive caught stripped bass in the 30-35 inch range without any difficultly

Response:

(MaineTrip) writes: ive caught stripped bass in the 30-35 inch range without any difficultly

Bummer, if I’m catching fish that large I’d be disappointed if they didn’t give me some difficulty.        Jim

Response:

I was wondering if someone could provide me with information on LL Bean’s LL Saltwater Rods.  For instance: 1.      Who makes the blanks. 2.      To which models made by their competitors is the action most comparable. 3.      How well do they hold up (i.e., do they tend to break when fighting fish). 4.      Would they be suitable for steelhead fishing? I am considering getting a 9 wt.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

Response:

Question:

1. What significance does water color/clarity have for fishing strategy?   Also, is water level important on a particular stream?

Changes in colour/clarity may be more important than default colour/clarity.  Usual folklore is that FF success declines when a spate river is growing muddy and improves as it gets clearer.  But fish are adapted to the default environment (and can live all the time in permanently clouded water, as you find in clay/limestone regions.) Similarly, rising or falling water levels probably matter more than default levels.  The changes are important since they enlarge or reduce living space for both fish and their prey. The simplest tactic is to fish upstream as far as possible, to reduce the chances of the trout’s seeing you first. — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

Response:

Dear Anglers: I’m a newbie to the sport and I have enjoyed it very much so far.  Haven’t caught anything yet, but my casting is improving tremendously with regular practice (though I have to admit that it’s a hell of a lot more fun practicing on the water than in the grass at the park like everyone recommends).  Now, I have a couple of questions for the experts: 1. What significance does water color/clarity have for fishing strategy?   Also, is water level important on a particular stream?

Hi Anthony Usually water clarity & level does affect fishing.  What you need to decide is what the norm is and go from there.  Water that is dirty after a storm may put the fishing off.  On the other hand if the fish have been suffering from water that is shallow and too warm, raising off colored water may very well improve fishing. Another very important consideration is water temperature in relation to the species of fish you are interested in.  Trout like cooler water than bass as an example. 2. I’ve read of fly fishers using Clouser minnows or streamers in the riffles, and other dry flies and such in slow moving/calm water.  Do you change your fly every few minutes as you are fishing your way down a stream or do you hit the riffles and then come back for the eddys and slow spots?

I do not change my fly every few minutes but instead decide what I want to fish — streamer, dry, or nymph — and do so.  I base my decision on what seems to be happening on the water at any given time.  If the fish are actively feeding I determine what they are eating and try to match that.  I often fish two flies when fish are feeding on or near the surface — a dry and an emerger of whatever species is hatching.   If nothing is happening on the water I usually fish nymphs or a nymph/streamer combination.  To fish the combo I tie a nymph on my tippet,then tie an additional piece of tippet to the bend of the nymph’s hook and tie on a streamer.  This rig will look like a small fish chasing a nymph and can be real effective.  Cast it quartering up-stream and let it dead drift as long as the current will allow.  Then let it swing accross current until it is downstream from you. Then repeat the process. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Response:

I’m a newbie to the sport … 1. What significance does water color/clarity have for fishing strategy? Also, is water level important on a particular stream?

Colour/clarity is siginificant, as is water level.  The impact and degree of these varies widely.  A normally clear stream which is suddenly high and muddy after a big rain will be mostly unfishable, until it starts to clear.  It can still be FFed, though with a big weighted nymph or wet fly.  (The fish still need to eat.) 2. I’ve read of fly fishers using Clouser minnows or streamers in the riffles, and other dry flies and such in slow moving/calm water.  Do you change your fly every few minutes as you are fishing your way down a stream or do you hit the riffles and then come back for the eddys and slow spots?

Basically, NO.  That is, don’t complicate things.  If you want to use a dry fly, then use a dry fly.  If you want to use a streamer (such as Clouser minnow), then do that.  For starters, use a big nymph, or maybe an attractor wet fly.  Cast across and let the fly swing downstream.  When it gets straight down below you, strip in line, a few inches at a time, and repeat.  The areas that you want to concentrate on are the seams (where the fast water makes a noticable line against the slower stuff) and around visible structure like rocks.  You can do the same with an attractor dry fly.  I know it’s BIG HERESY, but you can cast across, and let the fly swing down in the current.  Try to minimize, and eventually eliminate drag (the wake produced by the fly being pulled across the water by the line/leader).  Again, concentrate on the seams and visible structure. Don’t worry about big long casts.  Unless you fish some huge river like the Missouri, most of your casts will probably be less than 30 or 40 feet.  Focus on not slapping the line, not dropping your backcast too low, and such. When you get comfortable with this basic stuff, then you might try "strategies" like fishing nymphs downstream, and working your way down the river for several hundred yards, then coming back up with a dry, this time casting in the "proper" upstream method. Then there’s matching the hatch and all that, which will eventually come. To answer your basic question, most of us DO NOT do as you pictured: dry fly this yard and a half of water, wet fly that, nymph another couple of feet, streamer across there, back to a dry, then another streamer.  We pretty much focus on one strategy/concept/idea/dream and K.I.S.S. Hope that helps, see you OUT THERE. — Bob Lundy IWFFC Mississauga, ON, Canada **new**     http://home.ican.net/~rlundy/

Response:

[rip !] 1. What significance does water color/clarity have for fishing strategy? Also, is water level important on a particular stream?

I love it when the water goes off color.   I whip out my big flies and my 3X.  I am a bit of a heretic because I relish the highest, muddiest part of runoff.  No people and I nail big trout my friend.  I do not seek perfect conditions ever in my fishing, I simply try to see that perfection which is always there.   2. I’ve read of fly fishers using Clouser minnows or streamers in the riffles, and other dry flies and such in slow moving/calm water.  Do you change your fly every few minutes as you are fishing your way down a stream or do you hit the riffles and then come back for the eddys and slow spots?

Good question.  The answer is, only if one or the other is not producing.   If you’re catchin’ ‘em in the tail outs or riffles, you ain’t be movin’ down to the pockets, will ya ? TimW

Response:

Dear Anglers: I’m a newbie to the sport and I have enjoyed it very much so far.  Haven’t caught anything yet, but my casting is improving tremendously with regular practice (though I have to admit that it’s a hell of a lot more fun practicing on the water than in the grass at the park like everyone recommends).  Now, I have a couple of questions for the experts: 1. What significance does water color/clarity have for fishing strategy?   Also, is water level important on a particular stream? 2. I’ve read of fly fishers using Clouser minnows or streamers in the riffles, and other dry flies and such in slow moving/calm water.  Do you change your fly every few minutes as you are fishing your way down a stream or do you hit the riffles and then come back for the eddys and slow spots? Thanks in advance, — Anthony J. Petrella University of Pittsburgh Department of Mechanical Engineering

Response:

: runoff.  No people and I nail big trout my friend.  I do not seek : perfect conditions ever in my fishing, I simply try to see that perfection : which is always there.   Tim Walker, demonstrating that he is actually the roff Buddha. — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

Response:

*SNIP* The worst caster in the world is going to catch more fish then (boy, is this going to cause a rumpus) an olympic gold medal caster (if there was one) if they can make their fly float more naturally while it’s on the water.

Only true if the worst caster in the world can get it to land delicately on target.  If you can’t get your fly to the target, everything else is a moot point.   But, you’re right, it doesn’t have to look pretty it just has to work. The thing you  may find out is that it’s a lot easier to consistently put the fly on the  target if your casting is good. I agree totally with your comment on drift.  In real estate it’s "location, location, location"  IMO in fly fishing it’s "presentation, presentation, presentation".                                                            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!).

Response:

I’m no expert, but have caught a few trout over the years, so I can only tell you what I’m most comfortable with and what works for me. And, I’ll just be addressing dry flies. 1- if the water is very high fast and dirty I don’t bother. If it’s high fast and clear, well…. I’ll get to that in a sec. 2- I fish mostly attractors, and, worry about matching a hatch only if we’re in the middle of a major hatch period. Of course I’ll give a hopper or some such a chance later in the season. 3- I fish and travel UP and cross stream, fishing ahead of myself and letting the fly float down past me. 4- a good cast is all very well and good, and looks impressive as hell to somebody watching from the shore, but, the fish could care less about a cast as long as the fly dosn’t slam down on the water and you don’t lay your line right over the fish. The worst caster in the world is going to catch more fish then (boy, is this going to cause a rumpus) an olympic gold medal caster (if there was one) if they can make their fly float more naturally while it’s on the water. Lolo Mt.

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Question:

You should really do your homework befor going to the devils river. Legally, your cannot step on the streambed due to mexican land grants. You might wan’t to check out the water temperatures as well. Jeff goodwin **  Ashley Laurent,Inc. **  Software Development  **     Consulting          ** *                                   *                                         * * 10,000 Research Blvd, Suite 128   *     voice: 512-478-0776                 * * Austin, Texas 78759               *     fax  : 512-478-0803                 * *                                   *                                         * * Microsoft Solution Provider       *     Complete Systems Design/Development * * OS/2 Premier Developer            *     Workflow and Workgroup Solutions    * * Novell Professional Developer     *     Industrial Appl./Device Drivers     * – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m heading to Texas in late March to flyfish for smallmouth on Devil’s River.  I’ve never been there before, nor have I done much fly-fishing for smallmouth.  Can anyone recommend flies or provide any other useful advice?  I was thinking of just tying some muddlers and wooly buggers, and maybe some ghosts.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Ashley: I live in south-central Texas and have fished the Devil’s on several occasions. Right now the river is going to be low because of the drought along the border. Generally speaking the best source of information is probably from Jim Kuper at The Tacklebox Outfitters in San Antonio, Tx. Jim is knowledgeable about floating the Devil’s from Baker’s Crossing to Lake Amistad. Contact Jim at (210) 821-5806. As I said, I’ve fished the Devil’s several times over the last 3 years. Because of the draught each year seems to get worse. Last summer I decided not to go back until the draught broke… I’m still waiting. DNW

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To Any UK or European Angler Types,   Does anyone out there have a good groundbait recipe for fish other than carp? Specifically I am looking for something attractive to small predatory or insect eating fish along the line of Bream and Perch Thanks in Advance

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There is an article on ground bait in this months issue of In-Fisherman. I must admit, until I read the article, I had never heard of ground bait. (Apparently, it is very popular in Europe). The article specifically targets Bluegill (Shellcrackers). They mention using Spam, and other ingredients. Sorry, I dont have the issue with me or I would include the recipie. One thing I do remember was that they claimed that there is no better bait for Bluegill that have been attracted by groundbait than Maggots. I hope you can find a copy of the issue.

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To Any UK or European Angler Types,  Does anyone out there have a good groundbait recipe for fish other than carp? Specifically I am looking for something attractive to small predatory or insect eating fish along the line of Bream and Perch Thanks in Advance

Chopped worms added either to peat (as a binder) or to a breadcrumb based groundbait always works well for perch. Tench and bream go for it too. Bream are traditionally groundbaited for with bread crumb based groundbait, containing samples of whatever the hook bait is.  There are lots of commercial groundbaits and additives which are good for roach, bream, rudd etc. Having said that, loose fed maggots are usually sufficient for perch. Steve

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First I’d like to indroduce myself for this is my first posting this   newsgroup. I live in the northern part of Germany and I’m thirty years old, I’ve been   fishing for various species with a lot methods for nearly twenty years.   I’ve been a serious carp angler for ten years but nowadays I spend most of   the time fishing for seatrout in the baltic sea either with fly or   spinning baits and I enjoy flyfishing for atlantic salmon in Norway Anyway, here we go:. To Any UK or European Angler Types,   Does anyone out there have a good groundbait recipe for fish other than carp? Specifically I am looking for something attractive to small predatory or insect eating fish along the line of Bream and Perch Thanks in Advance

Hello Curtis, Well, attracting bream is quite simple, first you need a lot of groundbait   because bream feed in great schoals and eat a lot. To hold them in place   for a longer time really needs a lot of bait. For a 5 hour bream session I   would recommend at least 3 gallons of groundbait, if there is a good stock   of bream the water. The difficulty in bream fishing is to get larger specimen (4 lbs + fish),   for they tend to travel solitarily the bigger they get. Smaller bream are easy to attract and to catch, if the water holds a good   stock and they live in large schoals.. The basic substance should be breadcrumb or bread. The groundbait should   be sweet for bream, vanilla is a very common additive and caramel, sugar   or koprah molasses are widely used by European bream anglers. Add maggots   or other live bait (worms) to the groundbait, about 1/4 of a gallon or so.   A good substance to add to bream groundbait are crushed butter cookies,   they can make up to 1/3 or even more of the mix. Don’t buy them in a   supermarket, try to get substandard goods from a factory or bakery. Good hook baits for bream are: maggots lobworms combination of maggot/lobworm combination of sweetcorn and maggot breadflake The "sweet bream mix" works very well for tench  either. When fishing for roach the mixture should be less sweet than for bream.   Hemp meal is very attractive for roach and cooked hemp is a fine hook bait   for this species (the basic substance beeing breadcrumb as well). And a substance used by European competions anglers is dove shit, believe   me or not, not much, some 2% or so. The Dutch and Belgian anglers have   used that for a number of years. Good hook baits for roach and rudd are maggots or casters. and especially for rudd the breadflake You’ll get a problem when there are a lot of carp in the water, because   carp like these groundbaits too. And they drive away the smaller fish   from your swim, when the occur in larger numbers. The only way of dealing with them in such a case is to get out the carp   rods …. . Attracting perch with groundbait doesn’t work. You can use a catapult and   shoot maggots in larger quantities into the water, this will attract some   perch but will attract more and more roach and/or rudd. Kind regards Wolfgang — Rivers and the inhabitants of the watery elements are made for wise men to   contemplate and for fools to pass by without consideration. (Izaak Walton,   The compleat angler, London 1653) ## CrossPoint v3.02 ##

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