Question:

I will be on a business trip next week in the Northern Florida area between Jacksonville & Tallahassee and into some parts of Southern Georgia.  If all goes right I will have a day or two of free time on the company and would like to find some areas to go fishing. Can any of you out there direct me to someplace where I might have reasonable chances of catching fish?  What about some Fly or Tackle Shops that I should go to for supplies or advice? Thanks in advance Rob L

Response:

I will be on a business trip next week in the Northern Florida area between Jacksonville & Tallahassee and into some parts of Southern Georgia.  If all goes right I will have a day or two of free time on the company and would like to find some areas to go fishing. Can any of you out there direct me to someplace where I might have reasonable chances of catching fish?  What about some Fly or Tackle Shops that I should go to for supplies or advice? Thanks in advance Rob L

If you’re interested in large Florida bass, try Lake Jackson, just north of Tallahassee and south of Thomasville.  If you are interested in going down to the coast, try Apalachicola or Cedar Key. HTH, R

Response:

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

Response:

- 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

Response:

<< 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

Response:

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

Response:

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

Response:

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

Response:

<< 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

Response:

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.

Response:

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….

Response:

Question:

Hi All, I just read a good article in the latest issue of  "Saltwater Flyfishing" magazine by veteran outdoor writer Bob Stearns. Bob says that 2 stroke outboard motor sales a slumping and 4 strokes will be taking over in many size categories. Keep this in mind when buying a new or used boat. — Bill Kiene

Response:

Also the stated goal of the EPA is the eventual extinction of the two stroke in all recreational motors both on and off the water. This as stated by an EPA rep at my last ABATE meeting (motorcycles).    Bill P.

Response:

Thanks Bill — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com Also the stated goal of the EPA is the eventual extinction of the two

stroke in all recreational motors both on and off the water. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This as stated by an EPA rep at my last ABATE meeting (motorcycles). Bill P.

Response:

cool, hate 2 cycle anyways (for outboards) "converted" my little one for my 14ft alum boat few years ago to a B/S 4hp It starts like a charm, and goes longer on fuel. no pollutants in water any more sinse it is air cooled, not water cooled, I ve sealed the water vents up, never fails me, no mixing , dont even have to choke the thing… wish I could get it to be quiet a little more…any suggestion on muffler will be appreciated..

Response:

Well, The bureaucrats might just do it, but they’ll be ripping my two stroke out of my fingers when the do.  In commercial, high stress environments, the four bangers have been less than impressive.  Boat motors for boats, car motors for cars.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi All, I just read a good article in the latest issue of  "Saltwater Flyfishing" magazine by veteran outdoor writer Bob Stearns. Bob says that 2 stroke outboard motor sales a slumping and 4 strokes will be taking over in many size categories. Keep this in mind when buying a new or used boat. — Bill Kiene

Response:

Well, The bureaucrats might just do it, but they’ll be ripping my two stroke out of my fingers when the do.  In commercial, high stress environments, the four bangers have been less than impressive.  Boat motors for boats, car motors for cars.

I agree wholeheartedly with you Pat!  I was out on a boat that was "powered" by a Honda 130.  I thought that the lightly loaded boat was hard starting in cold weather, slow coming up on plane and a whole lot slower than the boat should have been with a 130 hp outboard.  The new EFI and Direct Injection systems are almost as fuel efficient and environmentally friendly with reduced emissions as the 4 strokes, with all the benefits of the 2 strokes superior horsepower to weight ratio. — Steve OutdoorFrontiers.com G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods   http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Response:

Question:

Tim – I got a 9 ft #4 Stealth and love it.  I compare it to the original Scott in the same size (also have the 8′6", 8′ and 6′10" in graphite, and the 7′6" in glass), as well as Fenwick Iron Feather, BoronX and AVF in same size, as well as assorted others. Very fluid action at a variety of fishing distances, good tracking, holds fish well. tl les

Response:

I see in Fly Fisherman February 2002 that this rod comes with two tips instead of a lifetime warranty…hmmm…not sure what to make of that.   Padishar Creel — Wishing the Master of fly fishing, Mr. LaFontaine the best of luck in his battle with ALS…

Response:

Any one get one of these Gary Lafontaine stealth rods..if so what did ya think..just curious, as usual. Thanks — Tim Apple

Response:

Question:

I have used both the drying patch on my vest and a ripple foam pin-on fly holder for keeping wet flys after changeouts astream.

Great review snipped. I have used one of these now for a year and agree with the above review. There are two sizes of Fly Trap, I think both same price. I have the smaller one. Cheers Peter

Response:

I attached the Fly Trap to my mesh vest and it works admirably.

And a contrary review…I attached a fly trap to my vest and the lid came off at the hinge in the middle of the Hiwassee River. Will never use one again. Wayne Knight (remove nospam to respond via mail) Expert in the creation of  wind knots and tailing loops.

Response:

Wayne Knight: <<And a contrary review…I attached a fly trap to my vest and the lid came off at the hinge in the middle of the Hiwassee River. Will never use one again. As did mine after about 3 days of fishing.  I threw the damn thing in the trash.  Good idea.  Bad execution. Dave L.

Response:

0] : Wayne Knight: : <<And a contrary review…I attached a fly trap to my vest and the lid came off : at the hinge in the middle of the Hiwassee River. Will never use one again. : As did mine after about 3 days of fishing.  I threw the damn : thing in the trash.  Good idea.  Bad execution. : Dave L. Much to be preferred is Mike Connor’s two cent version of the same. It’s a 35mm film can with a bunch of holes punched in it. A cord passes thru a hole in the lid and is attached to the can. The other end of cord is attached to vest. Mike — Michael McGuire                     Hewlett Packard Laboratories  (remove x’s from email if not      Palo Alto, CA 94303-0971   a spammer) Phone: (650)-857-5491              

Response:

Wayne Knight: <<And a contrary review…I attached a fly trap to my vest and the lid came off at the hinge in the middle of the Hiwassee River. Will never use one again. As did mine after about 3 days of fishing.  I threw the damn thing in the trash.  Good idea.  Bad execution. Dave L.

hmmm, maybe I have one of the three good ones, I’ve had mine for 3 seasons now and haven’t had a speck of trouble with it. I hardly use a regular fly box any more, I only tie a few flies at a time, usually the night before I go fishing and they go right in the Fly Trap, between those and the ones left in it from the last time I went, there are always enough to get me thru a day. John Before you buy.

Response:

Wayne Knight: <<And a contrary review…I attached a fly trap to my vest and the lid came off at the hinge in the middle of the Hiwassee River. Will never use one again. As did mine after about 3 days of fishing.  I threw the damn thing in the trash.  Good idea.  Bad execution.

My wife and I both have one.  They’ve worked well for us for the past couple years.  I’ll have a look at ours to see if the hinge pins seem to be working loose. — Bob Jarvis Mail address hacked to foil spammers!

Response:

I have used both the drying patch on my vest and a ripple foam pin-on fly holder for keeping wet flys after changeouts astream.  I have found the pin-on gets in the way of everything and both the pin-on and drying patch have lost flys before they could be returned to the fly box.  I recently acquired a Fly Trap from Ezflyfish and gave it a try last week.  This is an interesting device as it consists of ripple foam on a fold-out shelf.  The little black box attaches to the vest, shirt, or jacket with an interesting spring clip which holds firmly and positively without damaging the material.  It is easy to attach and detach for moving between outer garments.  The front of the box drops down and sticks out at a 90 degree angle like a shelf.  It is easy to pick flys off of the ripple foam shelf or add flys to the shelf.  Vents along the sides expedite drying.  Flys closed up in the trap are secure from loss and dry effectively.  The drawbacks are the additional bulk and weight (minimal but minimalist would scrutinize every gadget)and the cost (about $20).  Certainly a ventilated film canister would work also but I think not as effectively as the Fly Trap.  A canister bottom could be dropped and lost with its cargo.  The Fly Trap could also be loaded with a dozen favorite flys and carried alone as a small stream box very effeciently.  Dropping the shelf down and looking down at a glance shows you your flys without holding the box in your hand.  Come to think about it, a vest could be made up with several of these arranged to suit the wearer.  A customizable vest so to speak. The black, non-glare finish helps small stream stealth and its overall light weight and compactness favors small stream fishing as well.  I attached the Fly Trap to my mesh vest and it works admirably. — Wayne To fish is human….To release Divine! Before you buy.

Response:

Question:

Will be in PNG for Nov/Dec, anyone have any info or URLs for flyfishing there ? Thanks, Mick

Response:

Mick, Nov-Dec will be rainy season – depending on where abouts you are and it might reduce for options for tangling with nugini bass and black bass. Dean guides there and pioneered many locations in PNG for black bass etc. and has many friends there. Regards John Knight Sydney Fly Rodders’

Response:

Question:

Hi,     I’m a newbie to this group, so please bare with me.  I have been going to school at Vanderbilt University in Nashville for 4 years now and for one reason or another have never tried fly fishing in Tennessee.  I’m from Texas where I fish saltwater often, but I can probably count the times I’ve gone fly fishing in the past 5 years on one hand.  Like many beginners, I spent no more than $100 bucks on rod, reel, and line combined.  After a relatively unsuccessful trip to the Frio river in the Texas hill country, I realized that I might have been missing out on some pretty decent fishing in East Tennessee.  I know the basics of the sport and what it entails, but there is so much more for me to learn.  If anyone out there is willing to help me out, some advice on the following things would be greatly appreciated:     1)  where in eastern Tennessee to fish     2)  what tackle works best for the fish here (fly line, leaders, tippet, flies,          fly sizes, etc.)     3)  recommended fly-casting teachers (I’m O.K., but could definitely use some help)     4)  outfitters in the Nashville area     5)  books/videos on fly fishing and fly tying     5)  anything else that would be helpful Thanks,     Tyler McAfee

Response:

If anyone out there is willing to help me out, some advice on the following things would be greatly appreciated:    1)  where in eastern Tennessee to fish    2)  what tackle works best for the fish here (fly line, leaders, tippet, flies,          fly sizes, etc.)    3)  recommended fly-casting teachers (I’m O.K., but could definitely use some help)    4)  outfitters in the Nashville area    5)  books/videos on fly fishing and fly tying    5)  anything else that would be helpful

Waters…within close proximity to you,,,the Clinch, the Hiwassee, the Tellico WMA, the Smokies….the Holston, Tailwaters a 5wt is nice. Teachers and outfitters, right next to your school, the West End Transit Company on West End Avenue, nice fly shop in back, with a member of the newsgroup working there on Fridays, Jack Schmitt (I hope I got that right)., Active TN TU chapters are a good place to start. The TN TU chapter even put out a small booklet of maps on the TN trout streams. theres another outfitter nearby, combination gun and tackle shop but the name escapes me right now. But go see Jack, he’s a good guy and won’t steer you wrong. Wayne Knight (remove nospam to respond via mail) Expert in the creation of  wind knots and tailing loops.

Response:

Hi Wayne, I appreciate the kind remarks. The shop is Cumberland Transit and is next to Vanderbilt. Due to circumstances, I will be in the shop irregularly over the next 2 months. My wife and I plan to travel the West. Jim Mauries from Colorado is there full-time and will be glad to help if I am not there. Best wishes and tight lines. Jack.

Response:

writes: The shop is Cumberland Transit and is

Sorry Jack, brain fart. have fun out west. Wayne Knight (remove nospam to respond via mail) Expert in the creation of  wind knots and tailing loops.

Response:

I’m a newbie to this group, so please bare with me.                                            ^^^^ No thanks.

Saving yourself for T-Bone (just kidding Jimbo-really) Wayne Knight (remove nospam to respond via mail) Expert in the creation of  wind knots and tailing loops.

Response:

X-no-archive: yes     I’m a newbie to this group, so please bare with me.                                            ^^^^ No thanks.

        good god.  the first inkling of humor in your roff life.  this may be a memorable occasion. wayno – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Question:

The title just about says it all.  I’m just starting out fly fishing for steelheads and am planning to haunt the NE Ohio/ NW PA lake Erie tribs in the near future.  Any information, stories, suggestions, or stern warnings would be appreciated. —                        http://members.tripod.com/~trunculo/index

Response:

Watch the weather…  I don’t know how far you will be driving, but you don’t want to have to go back home and get an ice pick.. Actually, this Winter has offered more open water than any in my memory.  PA stream conditions are posted intermittently at the NWPA Chapter of TU web site.  I do not have the url handy, but just put Northwest PA Chapter Trout Unlimited into any of the popular search engines and you will get there.

Response:

Thanks for the tips.  As luck would have it, I drove up there last week and found myself trying to calculate just how much split shot would be required to sink my egg pattern through several feet of slush to where the fishies are.  Oh well, Elk Creek is very pretty and I’ll be heading back up there. On the way home, I stopped by a local (Clear Fork Creek, by Mansfield, OH) trout stream and did pretty well on olive woolly buggers.  Life could be _much_ worse. : Watch the weather…  I don’t know how far you will be driving, but you don’t : want to have to go back home and get an ice pick.. : Actually, this Winter has offered more open water than any in my memory.  PA : stream conditions are posted intermittently at the NWPA Chapter of TU web site. :  I do not have the url handy, but just put Northwest PA Chapter Trout Unlimited : into any of the popular search engines and you will get there. —                        http://members.tripod.com/~trunculo/index

Response:

Sorry to post a double follow-up, but that url is http://www.tu.org/index.html    Thanks for the tip! : Watch the weather…  I don’t know how far you will be driving, but you don’t : want to have to go back home and get an ice pick.. : Actually, this Winter has offered more open water than any in my memory.  PA : stream conditions are posted intermittently at the NWPA Chapter of TU web site. :  I do not have the url handy, but just put Northwest PA Chapter Trout Unlimited : into any of the popular search engines and you will get there. —                        http://members.tripod.com/~trunculo/index

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : : We canoed the Quetico the 9th thru the 13th of this month and I remember : : before going reading some posts by other folks that were to be going that : : week too.  I’d like to compare notes on what your trip was like (fishing, : : Northern Lights, Wolves, Bears, weather, etc).  Anyone care to swap lies? I canoed the Boundary Waters from Sept. 13th – 20th, pretty close to Quetico. Fishing was pretty good (we caught some decent bass), and the weather was outstanding, except for a little rain on Sunday the 15th.  We didn’t see any bears, although we were careful to hang our packs just in case (we saw bear tracks and scat at several of our portages).  We did see moose, bald eagles, beavers, and a lot of other wildlife. The skies were very clear for most of our trip, and I did see the Northern Lights (which was a thrill for me, because I’m from NJ), as well as more stars than I’ve ever seen before. How was Quetico?  This was our first time at BWCA, and we’re trying to think of an equally spectacular place to go next year…. – Scot R.

We had lots of windy, rainy and cool weather so that limited how much messing around in our canoe we did.  We fished from it some one afternoon below a rapid.  Aside from that, we just used the canoe to get in and out.  We took a float plane to and from the ranger sta. at Lac LaCroix and canoed over to McAree Lake.  We camped at 2 places on the north end of the lake.  We heard no wolves, saw no Northern Lights, Moose, Beaver, otters or Deer.  We did see lots of Bald Eagles (15 or so at least), one Grouse and some Loons.  We caught a total of 8 fish (3 Northerns, I Walleye and 4 Smallmouths) and lost about as many.  We lost a ton of tackle bank fishing as close to the bottom as possible (that’s where the book said they are…..on the bottom).  The wind died down one night out of 4 and we had one pretty spectacular sunset.  We averaged seeing about one party a day and saw motorboats everyday on McAree.  That was a little more crowded than I was expecting.  We didn’t paddle down to Rebecca Falls because we heard thru the portage grapevine that the campsites were taken.  We did get to fly over them on the plane trip out and they (2 of them side by side!) looked pretty spectacular and the campsitse were still taken.  I’m glad we went during the "off" season.  I have a feeling that we’d have seen lots more folks 2 or 3 weeks earlier.  You can never predict the weather but I think we’d've caught more fish and seen more wildlife if the weather would’ve been decent.  We would’ve seen the N. Lights on Tues. night too (we compared notes with some other paddlers on the plane to St. Paul afterwords and they saw them on Tues. night, it was clear for them further into Quetico.  They also heard wolves.  Sounds like you guys hit the weather pretty good.  It was still a kick in spite of the shit-o weather. Dave

Response:

: : We canoed the Quetico the 9th thru the 13th of this month and I remember : : before going reading some posts by other folks that were to be going that : : week too.  I’d like to compare notes on what your trip was like (fishing, : : Northern Lights, Wolves, Bears, weather, etc).  Anyone care to swap lies? I canoed the Boundary Waters from Sept. 13th – 20th, pretty close to Quetico. Fishing was pretty good (we caught some decent bass), and the weather was outstanding, except for a little rain on Sunday the 15th.  We didn’t see any bears, although we were careful to hang our packs just in case (we saw bear tracks and scat at several of our portages).  We did see moose, bald eagles, beavers, and a lot of other wildlife. The skies were very clear for most of our trip, and I did see the Northern Lights (which was a thrill for me, because I’m from NJ), as well as more stars than I’ve ever seen before. How was Quetico?  This was our first time at BWCA, and we’re trying to think of an equally spectacular place to go next year…. – Scot R.

Response:

We canoed the Quetico the 9th thru the 13th of this month and I remember before going reading some posts by other folks that were to be going that week too.  I’d like to compare notes on what your trip was like (fishing, Northern Lights, Wolves, Bears, weather, etc).  Anyone care to swap lies? Dave

Response:

: We canoed the Quetico the 9th thru the 13th of this month and I remember : before going reading some posts by other folks that were to be going that : week too.  I’d like to compare notes on what your trip was like (fishing, : Northern Lights, Wolves, Bears, weather, etc).  Anyone care to swap lies? I don’t see any reason why you cannot post your lies right here.  :-) —       .                      *        .    +          .  o        B. Michael Wick      .             ‘     .    +        Carnivorous Vulgarus      .   .     o                http://www.visi.com/~wick/   *   .    ’         +  *            .          *                        *        

Response:

Question:

Question: I live in Oregon and we’ve had a warm and wet winter.  We are just recovering from a major flood.  What effect will this have on insect populations in the spring and summer?

Response:

Yo Dan, The effect of the flood will be the determining factor on the bug population, not the warm water conditons. Certainly if the flood was sustained and had heavy enough flows to scour the stream bed then you can expect some damage to the invertibrate population.   The warmer than seasonal winter flows can accelerate the hatches, that is make them come early.  Normally by mid season the hatches will get back on track unless you have a hot spring. Yippi tie one on! AuSable1

Response:

Question: I live in Oregon and we’ve had a warm and wet winter.  We are just recovering from a major flood.  What effect will this have on insect populations in the spring and summer?

Good question.  Most nymphs or larva grow very little during the winter months but the unseasonably warm water may change this.  Could see many of your normal hatches happening earlier than usual.  Then again the flooding may well have destroyed a lot of the habitat (rooted vegetation especially) with its scouring effects and you may have greatly reduced hatches and insect activity.   Then again placing all the organic materials in the rivers may actually improve habitat over the long run. This is a little like chaos theories, there are so many variables it’s real hard to predict. Probably just have to wait and see what happens. Any one else care to guess?                                                Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Schools 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:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Question: I live in Oregon and we’ve had a warm and wet winter.  We are just recovering from a major flood.  What effect will this have on insect populations in the spring and summer? Good question.  Most nymphs or larva grow very little during the winter months but the unseasonably warm water may change this.  Could see many of your normal hatches happening earlier than usual.  Then again the flooding may well have destroyed a lot of the habitat (rooted vegetation especially) with its scouring effects and you may have greatly reduced hatches and insect activity.   Then again placing all the organic materials in the rivers may actually improve habitat over the long run. This is a little like chaos theories, there are so many variables it’s real hard to predict. Probably just have to wait and see what happens. Any one else care to guess?                                                Dan My guess:  It may make the hatches come off early.  Therefore,

you should get onstream earlier in the year.  It also may make the hatches sparse.  Therefore, you should spend as much time as possible onstream.  It may make the hatches come off late, since we are just guessing here, so you should fish later into the year than you normally do.  It may stunt the hatches.  There- fore you should tie smaller flies this year.  It may cause phenomenal growth, since the flood reduced the population relative to the habitat.  So, you should tie larger flies.  It could reduce populations, causing underfed fish to virtually leap on any fly presented to them.  Therefore, you should not bother to take a variety of flies onstream.  It could displace the fish so they are unavailable to jump on your fly.  Therefore, stay home. It could go just about any way.  I plan to review the year at the end and construct a difinitive answer to this question when I have some factual^b^b^b^b^b^b^b anecdotal data to draw on. Charley

Response: