Question:

Why thank you kindly gents.

(another sonnet snipped) Mike:  you’re most welcome. Your literary skills are most welcome here, and always appreciated.   Mark Faulkner

Response:

A talent like Mike’s should not go unpunished, I suggest we all raise our glasses of Old Grouse in a toast to him. — Ernie Harrison

Response:

A talent like Mike’s should not go unpunished, I suggest we all raise our glasses of Old Grouse in a toast to him. — Ernie Harrison

my apologies but I drink Grant’s. I’ll hoist one for Mike tonight. Not hard to persuade me eh? Ralph H "I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams." – Hamlet

Response:

A talent like Mike’s should not go unpunished, I suggest we all raise our glasses of Old Grouse in a toast to him.

He is so good in fact that I was thinking that he’s like an ‘online poetry synthesis machine’. ….I was wondering if he could not charge people to make poetry out of whatever they like. …he could have an interactive web site. "RhymeTime" …and since people could log in and get instant prose it could be. "Real-Time RhymeTime" You go Mike. — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A talent like Mike’s should not go unpunished, I suggest we all raise our glasses of Old Grouse in a toast to him. He is so good in fact that I was thinking that he’s like an ‘online poetry synthesis machine’. ….I was wondering if he could not charge people to make poetry out of whatever they like. …he could have an interactive web site. "RhymeTime" …and since people could log in and get instant prose it could be. "Real-Time RhymeTime" You go Mike. — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

I agree Timbo…..in fact, as I offer my salud later today, I’ll know that we are very lucky to have Mike here at ROFF and be blessed with his style and wit. –Wataugan "is it 4pm yet?" Walt

Response:

Why thank you kindly gents. Glad you find the rhymes pleasing, or even perhaps a bit teasing, I hope they amuse, and are not too abstruse, and keep you constantly wheezing ! I raise my glass here too, it couldnt be done without you, for a rhyme or two, you give me the cue, and sometimes even a few ! So here is my return toast, to the stalwart ROFFIAN host, cheers ! Good health, long life and wealth, to you all,  but the drinkers the most ! Tight lines ! Mike Connor

Response:

(timbo’s post snipped) I agree Timbo…..in fact, as I offer my salud later today, I’ll know that we are very lucky to have Mike here at ROFF and be blessed with his style and wit. –Wataugan "is it 4pm yet?" Walt

        as a matter of fact, i think he’s so *damn* good that i intend to toast him at least five or six times before 10 pm.  by 8:15 he will be runnin line for line with robert frost.  and saturday night, he’ll be neck and neck with w. shakespeare hissownself! wayno, always willing to recognize talent – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

I agree Timbo…..in fact, as I offer my salud later today, I’ll know that we are very lucky to have Mike here at ROFF and be blessed with his style and wit.

(ahem) 5pm! It’s time to reboot, Scrolling away, ROFF’s always a hoot! Tho’ when I click onto Connor, It’s always an honor, That everything else said is moot. Tony Ritter www.gonefishing-gs.com

Response:

A couple of generations advance over the old ‘bot eh? Ralph H

Very good Ralph. –Wataugan "love a good touche" Walt

Response:

A talent like Mike’s should not go unpunished, I suggest we all raise our glasses of Old Grouse in a toast to him. He is so good in fact that I was thinking that he’s like an ‘online poetry synthesis machine’.

 A couple of generations advance over the old ‘bot eh? Ralph H "I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams." – Hamlet

Response:

_______ Can’t begin to tell you how much more I like that fly fishing handle of "T-Bone" much better?! There is no other name that explains you better.  Salt of the earth.  Western Bone Bred, and bad ass on the stream.

Question:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, NicoloMidges come in a variety of colours with black as only one of the more

common.  If you wish to fish these activity periods whihc I strongly reccomend read lake fishing by kaufmann tie up a bunch of pupae, some long leaders and sit back and wait for the freight train!!! Be very careful, midging has some strong parallels to cocaine… Ian

Response:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Hi Nicolo Midges comes in a variety of colors including cream/tan and black. Take care and … — Tight Lines ….. Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products On line catalog – tips & tricks at: http://www.btsflyfishing.com

Response:

As you discribe the hatch as small moths It sounds like small Caddis not midges. You might look in you local fly shop at a book about the Hatch. I’ve got a small book put out by Orvis that works well to define the hatch. — Larry D. Madison Quote of the week: Life without Black would surely make White blind You. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors?

Howdy Nicolo, "Minescule moths…" sounds like MicroCaddis ? Were the fish plimpin’ or floppin’ after these bugs ? Any small elk hair caddis would probably work if they were MC… To answer your other question… Midges can be grey, black, tan, red, green and probably many others. Effective midge ties can be devastatingly simple. Here is a tie that I have refined over the winter…it is called: You Can See The Damned Thing Biot Packing Midge #18-#22 TMC200 Tail: 2 fibers of fine crystal flash Body: Natural Grey Goose biot ribbed with crystal Legs (hackle): One or Two turns Grizzly dry fly tied shoulder style Wing: Thin strip of closed cell foam (used in shipping electronics)       folded and tied up and out.  (You could color this with       your fav flourescent marker if you had absolutely no pride…) You can see the fricken’ thing because of that unsinkable foam flag… the crystal in the rear looks like a shuck, adds some attraction and the weight of the bend will pull the sparse biot body under a la   natural…drinking glass testing has been encouraging… The first prototype used NewDub instead of crystal for the shuck, but then this would have been a Palamino Midge Variant. Also, pheasant is excellent as midge body material and a very simple fly is nothing more then a small hook wrapped sparsely with a couple of pheasant fibers and a little ball of well waxed dubbing up near the eye…way easy to do… Good luck solving your mystery hatch… — TimW Halfordian Golfer

Response:

: Be very careful, midging has some strong parallels to cocaine… No way, man.  I was always way to shaky to tie one of those little buggers on.   But I found I could tie a lot of them, very quickly. — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/

Response:

Midges come in lots of colors, but mainly red ones and black ones. White, too. You also could have seeing very small mayflies, down to size 22–tricorhythodes and pseudocolen (I may have misspelled these). Next time, grab a few and see if they have mayfly like tails and wings. toney – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi Nicolo, It sounds like what you saw were Caenis, or as they are commonly termed ‘Fisherman’s Curse’ . It’s a very small fly, and when they hatch off they can do so in their millions, and the trout can become totally preoccupied with them. You can try fishing an imitation pattern, but this is a bit ‘needle in a haystack’, although there are some patterns that look like two or three Caenis tied on one hook. Try picking out an individual fish, (they are usually right up in the surface film, supping them up) and see if you can’t drop your imitation about a foot in front of it. It may take, but it’s a very frustrating business. Alternatively, you could try stripping a brightly coloured Muddler or such like across their noses, and see if you can provoke a take like this! As for midges, they are in the family of Chironomids, commonly called ‘Buzzers’ among other things ( for the noise they make when they fly into your ear!), and they live as bloodworms in the silt of lakes and rivers for a year or two, before eventually turning into pupae, and gradually making for the surface, where they hatch out as the adult ‘Buzzer’. Contrary to popular belief  they don’t bite or suck your blood, like Mosquitos do, as they have no mouth parts as such.They are a staple diet of most trout, and you can always catch a trout or two on them when all else fails. They come in various colours, ranging from black through to green, red, even orange, although if you have a chat with a local at your reservoir, they tell you the commonest colours there, as they vary around the country. I’ve caught the majority of my fish on the buzzer, and it’s a very rewarding way of fishing. Hope this is of some help.

Response:

Hi Nicolo, It sounds like what you saw were Caenis, or as they are commonly termed ‘Fisherman’s Curse’ . It’s a very small fly, and when they hatch off they can do so in their millions, and the trout can become totally preoccupied with them. You can try fishing an imitation pattern, but this is a bit ‘needle in a haystack’, although there are some patterns that look like two or three Caenis tied on one hook. Try picking out an individual fish, (they are usually right up in the surface film, supping them up) and see if you can’t drop your imitation about a foot in front of it. It may take, but it’s a very frustrating business. Alternatively, you could try stripping a brightly coloured Muddler or such like across their noses, and see if you can provoke a take like this! As for midges, they are in the family of Chironomids, commonly called ‘Buzzers’ among other things ( for the noise they make when they fly into your ear!), and they live as bloodworms in the silt of lakes and rivers for a year or two, before eventually turning into pupae, and gradually making for the surface, where they hatch out as the adult ‘Buzzer’. Contrary to popular belief  they don’t bite or suck your blood, like Mosquitos do, as they have no mouth parts as such.They are a staple diet of most trout, and you can always catch a trout or two on them when all else fails. They come in various colours, ranging from black through to green, red, even orange, although if you have a chat with a local at your reservoir, they tell you the commonest colours there, as they vary around the country. I’ve caught the majority of my fish on the buzzer, and it’s a very rewarding way of fishing. Hope this is of some help.

Response:

Question:

Anyone ever try the Gun Powder River in Maryland ?  Curious to know what it is like and how crowded it gets.  Any info would help. thanks

Response:

Ask Phil Gay from Trout and About he guides it and is a very nice guy that is always happy to help folks out.Good luck.  703/525/7127 Regards, James Uncle Jammer’s Guide Service Vermont Fly Fishing, Hunting, River and Woodland Outings

Response:

Question:

Thomas and Thomas makes an 11′ 6/7 wt with an in between length handle.

Response:

I use the 13.5′ 7/8.  A small fish’s effort applied at the tip of this long lever arm applies more torque to my arms than the same fish on a smaller rod.  Large trout over 20" feel good and sprightly on it and can put a good bend in it. SNIP About that $560 – I think the blank is only about $250 for a build it yourself cost around $325.

Thanks for the info Mark.  Sounds like you enjoy the rod, and would… ahem… one day will.  Where I would use it there are simultaneous runs of Half Pounders and Adults to 9 lbs, the half pounders outnumbering the big boys about 12 to 1 (in my fishing log anyway).  I’ve tried building rods.  They come out fine, but the cost is always way more than what you stated (Okay!  I confess, I bought the components in my fly shop, not from a catalogue!), and took so much time for me to get it the way I wanted that it just wasn’t worth it to me.  Plus on a super light spey rod I’d be concerned about Warranty.  I agree that Car Door warranties are going too far, but if in the middle of a big single spey (within the limits of performance), if the Mid Section implodes for no reason other than the cast, I want a replacement! Phil

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have fished beside a few folks with the long, two handed rods and the only problem that I see is that they really overpower an 8-10 lb steelhead…the rods seem much better suited to a 20 lb salmon. Depends on the spey rod…  For some applications, like I use the 13.5′ 7/8.  A small fish’s effort applied at the tip of this long lever arm applies more torque to my arms than the same fish on a smaller rod.  Large trout over 20" feel good and sprightly on it and can put a good bend in it. I haven’t caught 8-10 pounders on it but a 12 and a 20 lber both took all it had to move them.  The long rod goves a big advantage in the end game as you can turn the fish back and forth and the rod will absorb any abrupt actions, but I would say that this rod overpowers them any more than another 8 weight. To me any eight weight overpowers trout under 20". This 7/8 wt.is just light enough for me to cast one handed with great

I my book anything over 4 wt. is too much for trout under 20"! Just my 0.02 cents, -Burton — L. Burton Hawley           2330 NW Hummingbird Dr. Corvallis, OR

Response:

I have fished beside a few folks with the long, two handed rods and the only problem that I see is that they really overpower an 8-10 lb steelhead…the rods seem much better suited to a 20 lb salmon.   Depends on the spey rod…  For some applications, like half-pounders though that 7/8 would be a ton of fun!  Would love one for summer and fall steelhead, and fall browns, but at $560 bucks it ain’t gonna’ happen…

I use the 13.5′ 7/8.  A small fish’s effort applied at the tip of this long lever arm applies more torque to my arms than the same fish on a smaller rod.  Large trout over 20" feel good and sprightly on it and can put a good bend in it. I haven’t caught 8-10 pounders on it but a 12 and a 20 lber both took all it had to move them.  The long rod goves a big advantage in the end game as you can turn the fish back and forth and the rod will absorb any abrupt actions, but I would say that this rod overpowers them any more than another 8 weight. To me any eight weight overpowers trout under 20". This 7/8 wt.is just light enough for me to cast one handed with great effort.   I would be curious to find a six weight, not necessarily with the big two handed handle but longer than 10′ and tapered for spey casting. Something you could use two or one handed but mostly for spey casting. The rhythm and grace and line control and the easier two hand motion would be desireable in a lighter rod too. Once you know spey casts you’ll want better spey abilities in a trout rod, but I don’t think this is compatible with delicate casting action. That would really be a hoot for the juvenile delinquent half pounders. I’ll try some experiments with just the upper three sections and see how it works. If any rod builders want to build one I’d test it very well for you. About that $560 – I think the blank is only about $250 for a build it yourself cost around $325.   Mark VInsel — http://www.lanminds.com/local/vinnie/gallery.html

Response:

I have fished beside a few folks with the long, two handed rods and the only problem that I see is that they really overpower an 8-10 lb steelhead…the rods seem much better suited to a 20 lb salmon.  Yet I know it is best to play and release quickly….so it seem the question is between having a little fun by having to really play the fish, or getting them in in a hurry and thereby helping the fish.  I guess I don’t really see an answer to this "problem."  Any help? Fred Rickson

A good spey rod is *really* soft, and they used to say you should have time to light up and smoke a pipe while you were making the cast. In these terms, most modern sticks that call themselves spey rods are too stiff and these do cut down playing times on fish weighing less than ten pounds. I guess it is like the difference between landing a salmon on a Sage RPL and on a 4 weight bamboo – you’ll get the fish in eventually with the bamboo, but you’ll bank it in five minutes with the Sage. I have about thirty rods, because I have no sense of self-control, and I use them all! I tend to use spey rods on rivers where I can’t make a long backcast because of banks or trees or whatever, or on big rivers where I would have to double-haul into the future. I am not the world’s best distance caster with a shooting head, although I am working on it. I also find that the longer rod gives greater line control, letting me mend a double taper almost down to the fly at thirty yards. I guess it boils down to what your aims are in fishing. I have caught (and released) two big steelhead, one on the Bulckley (hope I spelled that OK) and the other on the Kispiox. The Kispiox fish I hooked on a nine foot Sage, and took me twenty five minutes. The Bulckely fish I hooked, after a double spey in a tight corner, on a fifteen foot rod, and I banked it in fifteen minutes. Both the fish were pretty fit afterwards, although I wasn’t too keen to catch another one too soon after the Kispiox fish! I got talking to one of the guides, and we used a spring balance to check the maximum pull the rods could exert on a fish. The fifteen foot rod actually pulled half a pound less than the Sage with the rods vertical, near as we could judge. So why did the long rod bank a fish faster? Probably because you have more line out of the water and can pull the fish’s head *up* more of the time – I don’t know. Of course, this doesn’t apply to salt water, where using a long rod on a big fish would be pretty stupid! So, if it is any help, I’d use a long rod where you can’t use a short one, or where it would help to be able to mend the line on a larger river, or when you just feel it would be a pleasant thing to do. The other thing you have to watch in some places is the politics! There is something about spey rods which gives some fishermen a problem, why I have no idea. I once got pursued by a guy for three days who had his head up his ass about catching fish with a rod longer than nine feet. In the end I pulled out my midge rod and fished that for the remainder of the week – all the while wingeing about grown men like him using rods twice as long as mine to catch salmon (man, you should have seen me generating line speed with that one.) Rods are just rods, they aren’t worth losing sleep over! Andrew (-:

Response:

Spey rods are best. Single handed rods are jokes! (as is this don’t bother to reply – fake email address) DH

Response:

Spey rods are best. Single handed rods are jokes! (as is this don’t bother to reply – fake email address) DH

OK, we know that. If you have more experience than that tell us all about it. (if you like even by email). Just got my first Spey rod and am eager to hear more. Thomas — Thomas Urbig

Response:

Spey rods are best. Single handed rods are jokes!

I guess you mean two-handed rods when saying Spey rod. (Spey rod are two handed rods specially designed for Spey casts) Two-handed rods are certainly superior to single handed rods in many situations. But I wouldn’t count 1-handed out… It’s a matter of how large the river is, how heavy flies you are casting, if regular overhead casts are possible or not etc… I fish with both, depending on the situation and I’m happy with that.  - Tord

Response:

Spey rods are best. Single handed rods are jokes!

I sometimes fish 6 ft wide, fast running freestone streams, targeting wild trout of about 8 inches.  I fish with a 7.6 2#.  I will admit that I have never tried it, but I think that a spey rod may just not be the optimal rod for this situation. Bruce….

Response:

Spey rods are best. Single handed rods are jokes! I sometimes fish 6 ft wide, fast running freestone streams, targeting wild trout of about 8 inches.  I fish with a 7.6 2#.  I will admit that I have never tried it, but I think that a spey rod may just not be the optimal rod for this situation. Bruce….

you’re little trout would be transformed into might flying fish when you set up… — TimW Halfordian Golfer

Response:

Spey rods are best. Single handed rods are jokes! (as is this don’t bother to reply – fake email address) DH

I have to say that over the years I have discovered that my fifteen foot double-hander, while great fun for salmon, is not quite the optimal weapon for dry fly fishing on our local beck. Andrew

Response:

I have fished beside a few folks with the long, two handed rods and the only problem that I see is that they really overpower an 8-10 lb steelhead…the rods seem much better suited to a 20 lb salmon.  Yet I know it is best to play and release quickly….so it seem the question is between having a little fun by having to really play the fish, or getting them in in a hurry and thereby helping the fish.  I guess I don’t really see an answer to this "problem."  Any help? Fred Rickson

Response:

I have fished beside a few folks with the long, two handed rods and the only problem that I see is that they really overpower an 8-10 lb steelhead…the rods seem much better suited to a 20 lb salmon.  

Depends on the spey rod.  I have the Sage 14 foot four piece for 9/10. It only weighs seven ounces, and one look at the grip tells you it ain’t the telephone pole you might expect it to be.  Very light, very sensitive.  I can cast it one handed up to 45 feet (I’m 6′ 4", 250), and can feel when I pick up a small leaf on my fly on the swing.  Picked up a seven pound (29" by 14.5") steelhead last wednesday and it was great fun.   Sage now makes a 15 foot four piece 8/9 (that sounds like it would be a hoot!) to go along with their 13.5 foot 7/8 model (also softer than you’d think).  Personally, I wouldn’t trade my 9140-4 for the 7/8 model, because my ability to throw a line with interchangeable heads (up to a type six 10 wt!  No not Rio),  is why I catch winter steelhead while others practice casting.  For some applications, like half-pounders though that 7/8 would be a ton of fun!  Would love one for summer and fall steelhead, and fall browns, but at $560 bucks it ain’t gonna’ happen while I still own my 8 year old 10 foot seven one hander. Haven’t seen or tried the new 15 foot 8/9 yet.  The moral of the story is No two companies spey rods are alike, and you have to find one that is designed for the size and type of fish you want to catch.  I can’t recommend the Sage 4 piece rods highly enough.  Wouldn’t touch the three piecers if you paid me. Phil

Response:

Question:

I am considering a 4-piece Legend 4 or 5-weight. I would be grateful if anybody have some experiences or knowledge to share. The rod is not marketed in Norway, so it is difficult for me to test it personally. Grateful for any comments Jan Erik Frithjofsen

Response:

I am considering a 4-piece Legend 4 or 5-weight. I would be grateful if anybody have some experiences or knowledge to share. The rod is not marketed in Norway, so it is difficult for me to test it personally. Grateful for any comments Jan Erik Frithjofsen

Hi Jan, I’ve found all of the St Croix fly rod to be very good including the 4 piece rods.  I’ve cast several of the their 4 piece rods and liked them but I never paid much attention to the actual name. Sorry! — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (97 catalog) http://www.flyshop.com/Expo/Specialty/BTsPdcts/index.html

Response:

I am considering a 4-piece Legend 4 or 5-weight. I would be grateful if anybody have some experiences or knowledge to share. The rod is not marketed in Norway, so it is difficult for me to test it personally. Grateful for any comments Jan Erik Frithjofsen

Hi Jan,  I own 2 St Croix flyrods, a 2pc 7′ 3wt, and because I was so impressed with that one, I bought their Imperial Series 4pc 5/6wt. In my opinion, they are a "best buy" for the money. The Legend you ask about is their top-end fly rod, a little more expensive than the Imperial Series. I also own 5 Sage rods, so I have a fair basis for comparison. Considering the cost of a Sage, unless you absolutely have to have the best, the St Croix is the better buy. Now all you have to decide is whether you like the action of the rod. The Legend has a fast action (44 million modulus) while the Imperial is listed as a moderate action (42 mil mod) The difference in price between the Imperial and Legend travel rods is $135 vs $220. BTW, my 5/6 travel rod handled some very tough smallmouth bass this summer with no problems. It rides in my pickup truck behind the seat everywhere I go. Tight lines……. Frank Church Elkhart, IN —

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am considering a 4-piece Legend 4 or 5-weight. I would be grateful if anybody have some experiences or knowledge to share. The rod is not marketed in Norway, so it is difficult for me to test it personally. Grateful for any comments Jan Erik Frithjofsen Hi Jan,  I own 2 St Croix flyrods, a 2pc 7′ 3wt, and because I was so impressed with that one, I bought their Imperial Series 4pc 5/6wt. In my opinion, they are a "best buy" for the money. The Legend you ask about is their top-end fly rod, a little more expensive than the Imperial Series. I also own 5 Sage rods, so I have a fair basis for comparison. Considering the cost of a Sage, unless you absolutely have to have the best, the St Croix is the better buy. Now all you have to decide is whether you like the action of the rod. The Legend has a fast action (44 million modulus) while the Imperial is listed as a moderate action (42 mil mod) The difference in price between the Imperial and Legend travel rods is $135 vs $220. BTW, my 5/6 travel rod handled some very tough smallmouth bass this summer with no problems. It rides in my pickup truck behind the seat everywhere I go. Tight lines……. Frank Church Elkhart, IN —

A correction to my post…the Imperial rods are 33 million modulus, not 42 as stated previously. Frank Church Elkhart, IN —

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)

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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/

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[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

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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

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: 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

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*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!).

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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:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I recently had my 4-pc Sage 890 RPL replaced by Sage (with new blanks) because the finish was defective.  I had the blanks drop-shipped to the guy who made the first rod.  When he sent me the finished rod, he noted that the new "8-wt." had a huge butt section.  I got the rod back just as I was leaving for Belize, so i didn’t have a chance to look at it.   However, when I laid my rods out in the panga, I couldn’t tell the difference between the new 8-wt and my 4-pc 9-wt.RPLX.  The rod said 890 RPLB (B stood for blank, according to Sage).  I used the rod as an 8-wt for bones and truthfully can’t say if it was different from the original rod…other than the larger butt. Can anyone out there offer an explanation?  Sage told me to send them the rod, but I can’t do that as it is my favorite bassing rod at home (I’ll have to wait until the season ends). Adam

Hi Adam, The new RPL+’s have larger butts, faster action. Maybe you got the new one !! Great rod with power in the butt for more powerful casts. Dennis Grant Atlantic FLy Fishing SChool

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I recently had my 4-pc Sage 890 RPL replaced by Sage (with new blanks) because the finish was defective.  I had the blanks drop-shipped to the guy who made the first rod.  When he sent me the finished rod, he noted that the new "8-wt." had a huge butt section.  I got the rod back just as I was leaving for Belize, so i didn’t have a chance to look at it. However, when I laid my rods out in the panga, I couldn’t tell the difference between the new 8-wt and my 4-pc 9-wt.RPLX.  The rod said 890 RPLB (B stood for blank, according to Sage).  I used the rod as an 8-wt for bones and truthfully can’t say if it was different from the original rod…other than the larger butt. Can anyone out there offer an explanation?  Sage told me to send them the rod, but I can’t do that as it is my favorite bassing rod at home (I’ll have to wait until the season ends). Adam Hi Adam, The new RPL+’s have larger butts, faster action. Maybe you got the new one !! Great rod with power in the butt for more powerful casts. Dennis Grant Atlantic FLy Fishing SChool

Larger butts, power in the butt for more powerful cast…hmmmm…I need to get off this diet!

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I recently had my 4-pc Sage 890 RPL replaced by Sage (with new blanks) because the finish was defective.  I had the blanks drop-shipped to the guy who made the first rod.  When he sent me the finished rod, he noted that the new "8-wt." had a huge butt section.  I got the rod back just as I was leaving for Belize, so i didn’t have a chance to look at it.   However, when I laid my rods out in the panga, I couldn’t tell the difference between the new 8-wt and my 4-pc 9-wt.RPLX.  The rod said 890 RPLB (B stood for blank, according to Sage).  I used the rod as an 8-wt for bones and truthfully can’t say if it was different from the original rod…other than the larger butt. Can anyone out there offer an explanation?  Sage told me to send them the rod, but I can’t do that as it is my favorite bassing rod at home (I’ll have to wait until the season ends). Adam

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Question:

I am contemplating a trip to the Denver/Golden/Boulder area on either April 22 or may 5. Is there a general time when the snowmelt makes the rivers unfishable? I am also interested in fishing for trout in lakes via float tube and would appreciate suggestions for guides, lakes favorite fly shops etc. Please E-me with any details. Thanks in advance. JT

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Try the S Platte in Cheesman Canyon!!  Can be great at that time of the year.  It’s about a 90-minute drive s.w. of Denver. Lakes and floattubes are really out, at that time of the year. j.

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Question:

Could someone post a primer on steelhead fishing on the Lake Ontario Tributaries?  Where, what flys, what other types of bait/rig are used (not that I would use anything but a fly, but I have an 8 year old who dreams of landing a big fish and he spins), how to work the fly and the stream.  I’ve read that they haven’t yet come in but we are waiting none too patiently.  Thanks in advance. — Jeffrey D. Morris Applied Math and Statistics Kodak Research Labs Rochester, NY 14650-2205

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Could someone post a primer on steelhead fishing on the Lake Ontario Tributaries?  Where, what flys, what other types of bait/rig are used (not that I would use anything but a fly, but I have an 8 year old who dreams of landing a big fish and he spins), how to work the fly and the stream.  I’ve read that they haven’t yet come in but we are waiting none too patiently.  Thanks in advance. — Jeffrey D. Morris Applied Math and Statistics Kodak Research Labs Rochester, NY 14650-2205

        I believe most people use a roe sac with a bobber and just drift it downstream. Flyfishing is not something I would recommend if the fish are running. Any stream with a hint of movement is covered with anglers crowded almost shoulder to shoulder. If the fish are not in season and you are hoping to pick up stragglers you might be better off.  Most of the flyfishermen I have talked to in the area find that larger bucktails seem to work better than most. keep the hook sharp and the tip up

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Lafleur) writes:

Extreme crowded conditions are the norm during the king salmon runs of September-October.  Steelhead enter the tribs from mid-Oct. all the way until April.  The Salmon River in Pulaski NY is often crowded but if you arrive on a weekday there are most certainly places to fish.  The lower few miles of the river is a private  pay to fish section ($10 weekdays, $15 weekends) and only a a certain number of people are allowed on this property each day.  Overall, the crowds are not bad after the salmon runs are over.  The best bait rig to use is a small salmon egg sac on a #6-10 egg hook dead drifted on bottom using very light line (2-8lb) and a long (9-12 foot) limber rod, called noodle rods around here.  The best fly patterns this time of year are anything that looks like a salmon egg in sizes #6-10 (ex. glow bugs, yarn flies, ect…).  The best colors are usually chartreuse, orange, and a combination of chart. and blue (yup I said blue). These should be fished on a 9-11 ft. rod (slow action preferred), and 2-5x tippets.  The Salmon River is deep and fast, several flyfishers in the area have developed a technique in which 2-4 weight floating lines are used in order to decrease drag caused by heavier lines.  I have not graduated to this level and still use 5-7 weight floating lines.  You will need lots of lead, especially if the waters up, I would suggest purchasing what are called slinky sinkers.  They dont snag on bottom nearly as much as regular split shot and will save you lots of time and money.  Casting with lots  of lead on your line ain’t easy, but it is the only way to get to the fish on some days (we call the casting technique the "chuck and duck"). Hope this was helpfull.                                   Mark Arrigo                                  SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry                                   Syracuse NY 13210

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Question:

well it looks as though I will be moving to the Herndon, VA area. Could someone send me a list of some suggested fly fishing areas

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Could someone please send me a list of possible fishing spots in the Leesburg and Herndon area of northern VA

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writes: Order books from Ed Murry’s fly shop in Edinsburg, VA for info re VA. KimD7.

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