Question:

All, I have a stripping guide and a top guide where the inner ring is made of the mineral Agate. I had planned to use these with a split cane blank, but on closer inspection i found the top guide damaged. There’s a small piece missing in the Agate ring. My question is: Do any of you know if there’s a company that manufactures these kind of guides today? — Any help appreciated. / Roger Daytime engineer Lifetime flyfisherman If you feel like it, visit http://home.bip.net/angler/ for info on flyfishing in Sweden

Response:

All, I have a stripping guide and a top guide where the inner ring is made of the mineral Agate. My question is: Do any of you know if there’s a company that manufactures these kind of guides today?

If You master japanese, http://www.bluedun.net/RodBuilding-Guides.htm   ( http://babelfish.altavista.com/ for translation) http://www.snakeguides.com/ , maybe more comprehensible. Always a start! Stefan

Response:

I get all my rodbuilding stugff from www.AnglersWarehouse.com They definitely have what you want. Be prepared to pay a lot for agates! Pete Collin

Response:

My question is: Do any of you know if there’s a company that manufactures these kind of guides today?

     I know of several sources for the agate stripper guides, but I haven’t seen new agate tiptops around. After reading your post, I went down and looked through my own stash of rod parts, and every agate tiptop I have is cracked and unusable, so unless you’re working on a restoration, you might not want to use one. Agate strippers otoh can last a very long time if properly cared for; they are available at Angler’s Workshop, among other places. I recently spent an afternoon pawing through the parts bins at Rick’s Rods in Denver, and I think they’d have used or nos agate tiptops.

Response:

Question:

Think caddis flies in June, Frank.  Green Rock Worm, tan LaFontaine caddis emerger, throw in a few small PTs (they always work) and a few Goddard Caddis, and voila, you’re there. Dave Well, I’ll start tying now if I can find my vise.  Now, wasn’t that on top of the truck?

What girls did you "visit" while in Coburn? Sounds like you were in a real hurry to get out of town. — TL, Tim

Response:

I forgot to add: I took a ful Reid (without water).  My rock hopping days are surely limited. My feet went out from underneath me like I was on an icy slope.  Smashed by back up pretty good (or is that pretty bad?).  The same shit I suffered through a few months back.  If I bend over, I have trouble getting back up.  (No smart-ass remarks either!) d;o)

Response:

I forgot to add: I took a ful Reid (without water).  My rock hopping days are surely limited. My feet went out from underneath me like I was on an icy slope.  Smashed by back up pretty good (or is that pretty bad?).  The same shit I suffered through a few months back.  If I bend over, I have trouble getting back up.  (No smart-ass remarks either!) d;o)

hey, take care Louie, you’ve got an important fishing date coming up. Hey Dave, if it hurts when you bend, don’t bend.  You have to come and see us soon.  I’m practicing on my new stove.   This is the Jag of all Jags.   The Thanksgiving turkey, the meat pies will all be waiting for you. Did I mention the pumpkin pie? Love Suzie XOXOXO

Response:

…   The Thanksgiving turkey, …

Canadian Thanksgiving makes WAY more sense than the American version. The second Monday of October is a great time to have a real fall harvest fest. The end of November sucks, and besides it’s too close to Xmas. — Ken Fortenberry- left in disgust at the start of the 4th quarter

Response:

Suzie Homemaker writes: he Thanksgiving turkey, the meat pies will all be waiting for you. Did I mention the pumpkin pie? Love Suzie XOXOXO

You’re too much, Jo.  Is it any wonder Petah loves you so.  My Jo says hi.  See you in a week.  Pumpkin pie, eh? Dave

Response:

Suzie Homemaker writes: he Thanksgiving turkey, the meat pies will all be waiting for you. Did I mention the pumpkin pie? Love Suzie XOXOXO You’re too much, Jo.  Is it any wonder Petah loves you so.  My Jo says hi.  See you in a week.  Pumpkin pie, eh? Dave

Can’t wait to see you both on the 13th. Love Suzie

Response:

 Smashed my back up pretty good (or is that pretty bad?).

Enjoyed your TR but sorry to hear about your bad luck. You reminded me that some years ago, an announcer at a Penn State football game announced that a player who had been hurt, and was coming off the field, was "limping pretty good."  I wondered if that was the opposite of "limping pretty bad," or if it meant he was doing it in an accomplished and artistic manner. Hope you get well soon. vince

Response:

Vince Norris writes: You reminded me that some years ago, an announcer at a Penn State football game announced that a player who had been hurt, and was coming off the field, was "limping pretty good."  I wondered if that was the opposite of "limping pretty bad," or if it meant he was doing it in an accomplished and artistic manner. Hope you get well soon. vince

Fortunately I wasn’t hurt badly.  A friend (in his early 70s) saw it, and thought I had to be hurt bad (good?), so he got on his rather sophisticated radio and called his son fishing downriver at Harbeck Pool.  His son started back to help in the "rescue", but when my friend saw me up and about, he called and told the son I was ok.  Nice to know someone was watching out for me. Dave

Response:

ok.  Nice to know someone was watching out for me. Dave

Hey, I worry about you big guy.  With all the luck you’ve had, a wonderful wife, trips to Lakewood left, right and center, that land yacht of yours, I figure your lucks gotta run out sometime. Good report.  I can’t wait to get up there next year.  Ya gotta give me an idear as to what those flies were and if you tinks dayums would work in June. — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply

Response:

Frank Reid writes: Ya gotta give me an idear as to what those flies were and if you tinks dayums would work in June.

Think caddis flies in June, Frank.  Green Rock Worm, tan LaFontaine caddis emerger, throw in a few small PTs (they always work) and a few Goddard Caddis, and voila, you’re there.   Dave

Response:

Think caddis flies in June, Frank.  Green Rock Worm, tan LaFontaine caddis emerger, throw in a few small PTs (they always work) and a few Goddard Caddis, and voila, you’re there. Dave

Well, I’ll start tying now if I can find my vise.  Now, wasn’t that on top of the truck? — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply

Response:

The boat was waiting for us when we arrived at South Arm.  It is always amusing to see Henry jump from the car, run down to the dock and get aboard Lakewood’s boat.  (Lakewood owns the boat, so the apotrophe is correct)   After a quick lunch, I headed to the dam.  No one in sight.  I picked one of the good spots and started with Bruiser’s #20 PT, tied on a scudd hook.  Second cast and I had a decent brookie, dressed to the nines in her fall colors.  A few casts later, another brookie.  It went on like this until I lost the fly. %, I only had one.  Fortunately I brought along the fly box that Bruiser gave me at the SJ clave two years ago.  It was filled with little size 20 – 24 jewels.  I selected something similar, and it was *better*.  What an outstanding afternoon.  The catch of brookies to salmon was about 5 to 1.  I can remember when it was 10 to 1 salmon to brookies.  And it wasn’t that long ago.  C & R works (sorry Timbo) On Monday morning I went to Pond in the River – not much happening with the standard stuff.  However, an old stand-by, the Jail Bird tied on a size 20 dry fly hook brought two very nice brook trout from the wing dam pool.  That fly has never failed me!  Very simple tie, too.  After a sumptuous lunch, I was a bit tired, so I napped until mid-afternoon and then hit the dam.   As before, Bruiser’s tiny SJ flies did their magic.  I dredged Zimbo’s Run and landed several nice (+14 inch) brookies, as well as some  salmon about the same size.  The fish looked to be in remarkable condition, especially the brookies. Only a couple of salmon that I caught (the entire week) had sores on their jaws from being hooked.  There was a team of biologists surveying the river for the power company.  I had a conversation with them at dinner and asked about the mortality of C&R.  Although they didn’t give me a percentage, their feelings were that the brookies are very strong and their mortality is very, very low, whereas the salmon, dumber and not as strong, still have a low mortality.  With the number of fish I caught that looked healthy, I’d say they were spot on in their estimation. Tuesday was a repeat of Monday, with the exception of a 19 inch brookie taken on one of Bruisers #20 nymphs.  I also worked some rising salmon.  There was a hatch on, and I cast a tiny little black fly.  In general, they were small fish – in the 8 to 12 inch range, and no brookies.  So, I switched back to the little nymphs and continued to have luck at any spot at the dam.  Again, the brookies were ferocious with Bruiser’s flies. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were the same, except Friday it rained harder than it did at Henry’s Fork (if that is possible).  We got about 4 inches of water in less than 24 hours.  Fishing remained fairly good, however, and I finally got a chance to wear my SST jacket.  Kept me dry and warm.  Sleeping in one of Lakewood’s cabins is always a treat, but when it is cold and raining, it is extra sweet.   The season ends on Tuesday.  I’ve been home three hours and I’m ready to go back.  It is gonna be a long winter……. Dave

Response:

Question:

  You could pose the question at fishnet.com.au in the flyfish chatbd,   perhaps someone there has a little info.   If you have info from the locals such as a beach location just suck it   and see … thats half the fun!!  Grab an 8-10 wt and have at it!   Steve

Response:

Thanks Steve, have posted there. Clark

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   You could pose the question at fishnet.com.au in the flyfish chatbd,   perhaps someone there has a little info.   If you have info from the locals such as a beach location just suck it   and see … thats half the fun!!  Grab an 8-10 wt and have at it!   Steve

Response:

Last weeks episode: Fishzilla bites back.

Capital report, chap.  Top descriptions. Mu

Response:

  Sorry Norfolk is way out of my stomping grounds, its closer to you than   me.  There will be fish, beach, rock or estuary is the question. Best   bet would be the locals, I’d start with the people organising the event.     Half your luck on the junket. Steve

Response:

Thanks Steve, have lots of fishing info from the locals but not much on fly opportunity. As I’m relatively a novice in the salt myself I was hoping an Aussie may know. Thanks anyways. Clark

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   Sorry Norfolk is way out of my stomping grounds, its closer to you than   me.  There will be fish, beach, rock or estuary is the question. Best   bet would be the locals, I’d start with the people organising the event.   Half your luck on the junket. Steve

Response:

Nice trip report Steve. I have been invited to be a Guest Artist at the Norfolk Island Country musical festival in May 2002 (Yep, I sing a bit as well www.clarkreid.cjb.net) and have six days on the beautiful island and only need perform 2  30 minute sets. This made me wonder what the possible saltwater flyfishing possibilities are there. Do you have any idea? Or could you point me somewhere I might find out? Clark

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – On occasion, I just don’t feel like fishing. This is particularly so when it seems I would be better off meeting the next deadline early – then fishing. Bitter experience has shown me the truth of that adage "the amount of work required to complete a task expands to fill the amount of time you have to complete it." I need to constantly remind myself:  Fish now, work later (and better usually).  It didn’t work this week … so I had some time on my hands. Last weeks episode: Fishzilla bites back. "A long time ago in a land far, far away" Westernport bay was formed by islands French and Phillip (sounds like an English comedic pairing ) not fitting into the mainland.  A shallow bay covered in seagrass and reefs where eons of strong tidal currents have cut deep channels through the mud. It opens on to the horrors of Bass strait but mercifully is protected from the worst of the strait’s excesses by Philip Island. (PI is famous for the 500cc motorcycle grand prix, and the ‘Penguin Parade’ – I always thought a parade implied some sort of organisation and consent on the part of the paraders, but I am yet to see the penguins’ views on the subject aired anywhere … ) Phillip Island is is rocky island (volcanic rock mainly from what I can see) with steep cliffs, headlands and the occasional sandy beach, and within a couple of hours drive of Melbourne. The beauty of an island is that there is a lee to be found no matter what the weather direction.  We were going to need this becuase the forecast was basically for foul weather worsening.  The weather rarely keeps us from the salt and we’ve always done pretty well when the weather has been inclement, always catching a few fish for our efforts. We arrived at the end of the road and beginning of the walk to a cloudy day, with a slight ripple and no breeze to speak of, not so foul afterall. Looking around the meniscus of the bay as it curved from right to left, all sorts of interesting looking structure beckoned, neither of us had been here before, new water is often lots of fun. About half way through the walk waders slung around my neck were filling up and billowing with the following _breeze_ – another use for waders, -spinnakers.  Along soft sand, up and over dune slips and head high boulders, finally we rounded the point and found two other fisherman already setup.  A couple of elderly nordic gentleman one of whom we’d met before, were ensconced in a lovely little cove that warrants a look when we pass by next time.  Pleasantries exchanged, we continued on around several more promontories finally coming to the end of the way. Steep cliffs and 100 foot drops got in the way as only they can – very, very immoveably. A feature of headlands and cliffs is their appeal to sea birds , in this case the soft ground above the rocky cliffs and shoreline was riddled with shearwater (muttonbird) nests, interspersed with flowering pigface and other almost flourescent purple blloming plants. (Floracation isn’t my long suite … faunacation however …). Not a bird to be seen apart from the odd carcass – and little evidence of their arrival though some nests had been recently cleared out. There was a smell though, faint but pungent, I suspect it would be a most unpleasant place in the heat of summer with all the birds in residence. Traipsing through the rookery on the plateau would be quite dangerous with the risk of collapsing nests and harming ourselves or the nests’ residents quite high (if they were home). We did scout around a little for any sign of a walking trail back down and one area looked quite promising.  It was a section of flattened vegetation that turned out to be a 8 feet or so wide.  From a distance it looked for all the world like a track, closer inspection however showed it to be just the 60 feet long.  What we were looking at was the shearwaters’ airstrip,  at one end was a 100ft drop into nothing but the updrafts associated with such places, and at the other the rookery. With the rookery immediatelty above and behind our platform, access will be nearly impossible in summer when the rookery is populated – we’ll not be responsible for trampling chicks, collapsing nests etc. not to mention the possibility of attack from the birds protecting their nests or the tiger snakes that go bite in beak with mutton bird rookeries.  I would dearly love to see them using that landing strip though … Fishing? Oh yes there was fishing.  There were fish to.  Initially, the incoming tide produced a salmon or two, and a horde of wrasse from the kelp below our platform.  The little (and not so little) buggers have spikes in their dorsal fin, usually I don’t have a problem but one fish, a sizeable one of the blue lipped variety, punctured me five times. We were perched on boulders above a submerged ledge about 8-10 feet down. The ledge was covered in weed and kelp and had a healthy population of these wrasse and probably other fishes which we didn’t see or catch. The ledge itself fell away into perhaps another 20 feet of water with a sandy bottom, a strip which I suppose was about 60 feet wide and continued on around the promontory to the right and petered at a point on the left. A nice little location for all sorts of fishes. The fish had gone quiet as the tide fell, and with the wind now reaching gale levels from our left (thank goodness) we were having difficulty keeping contact with our flies.  Between the wind and the wash a typical 60 foot cast was looped out to about 90 feet of line. Then it rained. We huddled in the lee of a boulder till the scudding rain passed, and when the sun came out picked up our rods with renewed vigour. A weak sun to be sure but enough to burn the shnozz as I found out later. As well as drying things off we could see into the water better and the additional light seemed to turn the fish on as well. Tim’s first cast saw his wobbler fly  sliced off by a sizeable ‘couta.  The fish arrowed up from the depths to take the fly just over the ledge.  Well hooked, it continued its mad rush to the surface where the razor sharp teeth did a job on the tippett.  In a flash of silver and spray it was gone. Heavy tippet all round, 60lb mono. Through a gap in the ledge we saw dark shapes cruising down below the ledge level and occasionally one above it.  These fish in the upper column were striped though, and not ‘couta, probably fishzilla.  To see one of these things peel away from the shadows, and swim over to ( in no particular rush – the top of the food chain is rarely hurried) and swallow your fly is heart stopping.  Initially the shape just looks like another trick of the light produced by the ripple, then as it puts more distance between itself and the comouflage background, your brain starts to put together the outline. (If you’ve ever seen aerial footage of a shark over a sandy bottom, you’ll be able to get the picture … re-reading this I just had another image spring to mind … When the brain decides that the shape is heading for your fly, is when the adrenalin kicks in.  Then you lift, feel weight and know your luck is in.  It is very dissappointing to have the leader part in such circumstances.  A tad presumptuous on the luck part … that’s two of these fish that have done me, perhaps third time lucky. (mental note: check the WHOLE leader when changing tippett … wrassen frassen fisshen..) We saw several of the ‘couta and fishzilla but didn’t manage to get a hookup till one ‘couta chased Tim’s chartreuse clouser to his feet. Tim thought he ran out of water, I thought it was a rejection of the colour as these fish are fast and could overtake the fastest retrieve of any fisherman if they want to.  A synthetic based natural looking clouser went onto the tippett and resulted in an almost immediate hook-up.  At last! A sizeable ‘couta paraded around the sandy bottom, then tried to snag the line in the kelp … smooth drag, powerful fish, and a reasonable tippet what more can you ask for.  Everything held up and an obliging wave with impeccable timing bought the fish onto a ledge for happy snaps and release. As it turns out, we were lucky to get him up, even though couta aren’t renowned for their stamina, they do have a turn of speed and a fine set of choppers … the tippett, 60lb mono was worn through to about 1/3 its normal diameter in places. Silly grins all round.  Leaving not long after, not unusually, the trek out seemed about half as long as the one in, though yours truely did do a full uphill face plant into the soft turf (and thankfully, not a bird turd). The earth smelt good, the laugh felt good. We discussed the fishzilla problem – we both have copped a fair bit of derision seemingly knowledgeable anglers when we talk about fishzilla (we think its a southern species of barracuda).  These big fish have been written about before as inhabiting southern waters, but either they have passed from memory or have been in decline.  Certainly if you are not rigged for them you will be sliced off, and in the areas the fish frequent, anglers wouldn’t normally be gearing up for them with bite tippets. They

… read more »

Response:

On occasion, I just don’t feel like fishing. This is particularly so when it seems I would be better off meeting the next deadline early – then fishing. Bitter experience has shown me the truth of that adage "the amount of work required to complete a task expands to fill the amount of time you have to complete it." I need to constantly remind myself:  Fish now, work later (and better usually).  It didn’t work this week … so I had some time on my hands. Last weeks episode: Fishzilla bites back. "A long time ago in a land far, far away" Westernport bay was formed by islands French and Phillip (sounds like an English comedic pairing ) not fitting into the mainland.  A shallow bay covered in seagrass and reefs where eons of strong tidal currents have cut deep channels through the mud. It opens on to the horrors of Bass strait but mercifully is protected from the worst of the strait’s excesses by Philip Island. (PI is famous for the 500cc motorcycle grand prix, and the ‘Penguin Parade’ – I always thought a parade implied some sort of organisation and consent on the part of the paraders, but I am yet to see the penguins’ views on the subject aired anywhere … ) Phillip Island is is rocky island (volcanic rock mainly from what I can see) with steep cliffs, headlands and the occasional sandy beach, and within a couple of hours drive of Melbourne. The beauty of an island is that there is a lee to be found no matter what the weather direction.  We were going to need this becuase the forecast was basically for foul weather worsening.  The weather rarely keeps us from the salt and we’ve always done pretty well when the weather has been inclement, always catching a few fish for our efforts.   We arrived at the end of the road and beginning of the walk to a cloudy day, with a slight ripple and no breeze to speak of, not so foul afterall. Looking around the meniscus of the bay as it curved from right to left, all sorts of interesting looking structure beckoned, neither of us had been here before, new water is often lots of fun. About half way through the walk waders slung around my neck were filling up and billowing with the following _breeze_ – another use for waders, -spinnakers.  Along soft sand, up and over dune slips and head high boulders, finally we rounded the point and found two other fisherman already setup.  A couple of elderly nordic gentleman one of whom we’d met before, were ensconced in a lovely little cove that warrants a look when we pass by next time.  Pleasantries exchanged, we continued on around several more promontories finally coming to the end of the way.   Steep cliffs and 100 foot drops got in the way as only they can – very, very immoveably. A feature of headlands and cliffs is their appeal to sea birds , in this case the soft ground above the rocky cliffs and shoreline was riddled with shearwater (muttonbird) nests, interspersed with flowering pigface and other almost flourescent purple blloming plants. (Floracation isn’t my long suite … faunacation however …).   Not a bird to be seen apart from the odd carcass – and little evidence of their arrival though some nests had been recently cleared out. There was a smell though, faint but pungent, I suspect it would be a most unpleasant place in the heat of summer with all the birds in residence. Traipsing through the rookery on the plateau would be quite dangerous with the risk of collapsing nests and harming ourselves or the nests’ residents quite high (if they were home). We did scout around a little for any sign of a walking trail back down and one area looked quite promising.  It was a section of flattened vegetation that turned out to be a 8 feet or so wide.  From a distance it looked for all the world like a track, closer inspection however showed it to be just the 60 feet long.  What we were looking at was the shearwaters’ airstrip,  at one end was a 100ft drop into nothing but the updrafts associated with such places, and at the other the rookery. With the rookery immediatelty above and behind our platform, access will be nearly impossible in summer when the rookery is populated – we’ll not be responsible for trampling chicks, collapsing nests etc. not to mention the possibility of attack from the birds protecting their nests or the tiger snakes that go bite in beak with mutton bird rookeries.  I would dearly love to see them using that landing strip though … Fishing? Oh yes there was fishing.  There were fish to.  Initially, the incoming tide produced a salmon or two, and a horde of wrasse from the kelp below our platform.  The little (and not so little) buggers have spikes in their dorsal fin, usually I don’t have a problem but one fish, a sizeable one of the blue lipped variety, punctured me five times.   We were perched on boulders above a submerged ledge about 8-10 feet down.   The ledge was covered in weed and kelp and had a healthy population of these wrasse and probably other fishes which we didn’t see or catch. The ledge itself fell away into perhaps another 20 feet of water with a sandy bottom, a strip which I suppose was about 60 feet wide and continued on around the promontory to the right and petered at a point on the left. A nice little location for all sorts of fishes. The fish had gone quiet as the tide fell, and with the wind now reaching gale levels from our left (thank goodness) we were having difficulty keeping contact with our flies.  Between the wind and the wash a typical 60 foot cast was looped out to about 90 feet of line. Then it rained. We huddled in the lee of a boulder till the scudding rain passed, and when the sun came out picked up our rods with renewed vigour. A weak sun to be sure but enough to burn the shnozz as I found out later.   As well as drying things off we could see into the water better and the additional light seemed to turn the fish on as well. Tim’s first cast saw his wobbler fly  sliced off by a sizeable ‘couta.  The fish arrowed up from the depths to take the fly just over the ledge.  Well hooked, it continued its mad rush to the surface where the razor sharp teeth did a job on the tippett.  In a flash of silver and spray it was gone. Heavy tippet all round, 60lb mono. Through a gap in the ledge we saw dark shapes cruising down below the ledge level and occasionally one above it.  These fish in the upper column were striped though, and not ‘couta, probably fishzilla.  To see one of these things peel away from the shadows, and swim over to ( in no particular rush – the top of the food chain is rarely hurried) and swallow your fly is heart stopping.  Initially the shape just looks like another trick of the light produced by the ripple, then as it puts more distance between itself and the comouflage background, your brain starts to put together the outline. (If you’ve ever seen aerial footage of a shark over a sandy bottom, you’ll be able to get the picture … re-reading this I just had another image spring to mind …   When the brain decides that the shape is heading for your fly, is when the adrenalin kicks in.  Then you lift, feel weight and know your luck is in.  It is very dissappointing to have the leader part in such circumstances.  A tad presumptuous on the luck part … that’s two of these fish that have done me, perhaps third time lucky. (mental note: check the WHOLE leader when changing tippett … wrassen frassen fisshen..) We saw several of the ‘couta and fishzilla but didn’t manage to get a hookup till one ‘couta chased Tim’s chartreuse clouser to his feet. Tim thought he ran out of water, I thought it was a rejection of the colour as these fish are fast and could overtake the fastest retrieve of any fisherman if they want to.  A synthetic based natural looking clouser went onto the tippett and resulted in an almost immediate hook-up.  At last! A sizeable ‘couta paraded around the sandy bottom, then tried to snag the line in the kelp … smooth drag, powerful fish, and a reasonable tippet what more can you ask for.  Everything held up and an obliging wave with impeccable timing bought the fish onto a ledge for happy snaps and release. As it turns out, we were lucky to get him up, even though couta aren’t renowned for their stamina, they do have a turn of speed and a fine set of choppers … the tippett, 60lb mono was worn through to about 1/3 its normal diameter in places. Silly grins all round.  Leaving not long after, not unusually, the trek out seemed about half as long as the one in, though yours truely did do a full uphill face plant into the soft turf (and thankfully, not a bird turd). The earth smelt good, the laugh felt good.   We discussed the fishzilla problem – we both have copped a fair bit of derision seemingly knowledgeable anglers when we talk about fishzilla (we think its a southern species of barracuda).  These big fish have been written about before as inhabiting southern waters, but either they have passed from memory or have been in decline.  Certainly if you are not rigged for them you will be sliced off, and in the areas the fish frequent, anglers wouldn’t normally be gearing up for them with bite tippets.   They could be hooking up with them ok, but never get close enough to see them. The quest continues … Steve ‘couta – barracoutta – not to be confused with Barracuda.

Response:

Question:

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  ;-)  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Yup. He clean missed that one. A classic "whiff" job…

Harry Mason www.Troutflies.com

Response:

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  ;-)  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yup. He clean missed that one. A classic "whiff" job…

Response:

Dave LaCourse wrote Fiddle Away writes: Well than.  Maybe their’s less diffrince then you think! LOL.  Very good (well?).  You could make two sentences out of it too. "Maybe there’s less diffrince (sic).  *Then* you think.  Naw…..I like your’s betterer.

They’res (sic) a good boy now.  If ur a gwine ta quote me, git the spellin raht! —                                                       -dnc-

Response:

[stuff about SPAM snipped]

Speaking of SPAM, have you all tried: http://pemtropics.mit.edu/~jcho/spam/ (try it.  you’ll like it!) —                                                       -dnc-

Response:

Fiddle Away writes: Well than.  Maybe their’s less diffrince then you think!

LOL.  Very good (well?).  You could make two sentences out of it too.  "Maybe there’s less diffrince (sic).  *Then* you think.  Naw…..I like your’s betterer. Dave L.

Response:

Fiddle Away writes: Well than.  Maybe their’s less diffrince then you think! LOL.  Very good (well?).  You could make two sentences out of it too.  "Maybe there’s less diffrince (sic).  *Then* you think.  Naw…..I like your’s betterer. Dave L.

dry. . . Mr. G  Always confused about them . . . ? — http://www.gink.com/ Latest Updates

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Party time. How nice. You’ve invited SPAM Luncheon Meat to your party. What’s that? It’s a SPAM Party. Well then, you’ll want a SPAM Party Pack. It’s got everything you need to give your party a distinctive SPAM flavor. Everything, that is, except SPAM, which of course can easily be found at your local fishing newsgroup. The SPAM Party Pack serves 12. Cost: $39, plus a shipping and handling charge of $7. Pack includes:                                             SPAM invitations.                                             SPAM paper tablecloth.                                             SPAM paper napkins.                                             SPAM plastic ware.                                             SPAM paper plates.                                             SPAM balloons.                                             SPAM plastic serving tray.                                             SPAM plastic stadium cups.                                             SPAM pennant.                                             SPAM recipe book.                                             And, just for you, a SPAM apron. SPAM Party Packs.                                        No. of SPAM Party                                        Amount enclosed: ($39 ea + $7.00 shipping/handling)                                        Email                                        Payment type: (check one)                                        _____ Check                                        _____ Credit Card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover)                                        Credit Card Type:_____(Visa) _____(MC)                                        _____(Disc.)                                        Credit Card                                        Credit Card                                        Expiration                                        Mail this form with payment to:                                        SPAM Party Pack                                        Gift Center                                        1 Hormel Place                                        Austin, MN 55912 — Levi Life is anything that dies when you stomp on it.                                                         — Dave Barry

You forgot the SPAM TUBE and SPAM SOCK for an additional $100. Oh, that’s right you don’t HAVE to order them They come automaticaly whether you aked for them or not. Bob ( working on a catchy tag line ) Before you buy.

Response:

actually dedicate their entire lives to fly fishing.  They have Web Sites which can contain vast reservoirs of information.  The simpler the address the more valuable the site can be to either the owner or to those seeking free information.   User friendly is a must in cyber fishing for there is the lure of water in all of mankind.  The lure of owning a proper .com web site can and should reflect that sense of wanting to go a certain direction, to join in on the fun, or to simply gravitate to that which makes one feel at home. Conclave Web Sites can be quickly constructed for a News Group for instance just like FAQ sheets can be readily made available. Yellowstoneflyfishing.com could very well create a magnetic draw worth much in more ways then just money.  The hardest part of being on the internet is supporting and maintaining the computer.  But these sites take time and "TIME" is what we all have little of.  For instance, in our case we are spending hundreds of hours on an ongoing basis, just trying to keep our .com sites up to date and new.  People consume reading matter faster then they use toilet paper.  The appetite for information is nearly like owning a black hole.  No matter how original, no matter how fresh your material is, it is old news within a week.   The skills of most fly fishermen will become more deadly then ever before because of this FLY FISHING Information Waterway!  Where can I go here, or there, because I’m going to be in the area on 28 Jul 00, is answered immediately.  The secret places are becoming less sacred as more and more new rods attack.  Not unlike W.W.II, "Loose Lips Sink Ships," today equates to "Loose Lips, Kills Fish". A news groups such as ROFF and ROFFT are really not as Darwinian as they are self serving.  The old saying, "Familiarity Breeds Contempt," turns friendships into like an old oil slick that slowly spreads and discolors the waters of that same Information Waterway.  The world of .coms takes great disciplines and with a group that is willing to keep an eye on verbal manners with each other, the question slowly becomes to Web Site Owners, why am I beating my brains out to help the Me Now Generation when that same generation doesn’t return basic, common courtesies of speech? Web Sites should be user friendly and most are, but News Groups should not enter those sites and then demean years of hard work that brings joy to tens of thousands of people with a simple demeaning hit of the return key.  We all are judged by our words.  The days of yore were much more user friendly until the college nerds started entering fly fishing without knowing years of our previous history, but that is another story. Marketing is like a balancing act.  If you trip on that high wire, the fall could kill you.  The same goes for News Groups. Mr. G. — http://www.gink.com/ Latest Updates

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [Blah blah] Mr. G. — http://www.gink.com/ Latest Updates I couln’t agree more george. Let’s take your site as an example. You have several addresses all short sweet and related to fly fishing. Yet when you look at the site there really is very little content. However, you freely post you wealth of information on public news groups. Forget about bamboo rods. you’re sitting on a gold mine and you don’t even know it. Spend some time and build your web site. If you build it they will come. All those pairs of eyes and for every pair of eyes that go to your site you can collect advertizing revenues (from complementary products not competing ones).

_______  Thank you for the thoughtful suggestion and advisement. However; David Ion and I are currently doing a massive site update and installing our new SHOPPING CREEL program, which by the way will be available to any other Dealers interested in a clean, e-commerce solution for their web site.  They will also be able to order all site programs we use via the new SHOPPING CREEL.  Per  your exact thoughts, I choose to follow your advice.  FEED ME! Expound more please.  We are kicking butt on a daily basis and we are working until past 0300 AM every day.  We are getting about 5 hours a sleep a day.  Our coding is as good as it can get. Again, thank you Salmon_fly. Mr. G. & I The next thing you know your site’s hit rate will make Amazon’s look like a stale link. Take it public and Gherke will be known in every household in the world. Then the ROFFians can look back and say we knew him when. TImes a wasting get to work. Before you buy.

– http://www.gink.com/ Latest Updates

Response:

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  ;-)  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [Blah blah] Mr. G. — http://www.gink.com/ Latest Updates I couln’t agree more george. Let’s take your site as an example. You have several addresses all short sweet and related to fly fishing. Yet when you look at the site there really is very little content. However, you freely post you wealth of information on public news groups. Forget about bamboo rods. you’re sitting on a gold mine and you don’t even know it. Spend some time and build your web site. If you build it they will come. All those pairs of eyes and for every pair of eyes that go to your site you can collect advertizing revenues (from complementary products not competing ones). _______  Thank you for the thoughtful suggestion and advisement. However; David Ion and I are currently doing a massive site update and installing our new SHOPPING CREEL program, which by the way will be available to any other Dealers interested in a clean, e-commerce solution for their web site.  They will also be able to order all site programs we use via the new SHOPPING CREEL.  Per  your exact thoughts, I choose to follow your advice.  FEED ME! Expound more please.  We are kicking butt on a daily basis and we are working until past 0300 AM every day.  We are getting about 5 hours a sleep a day.  Our coding is as good as it can get. Again, thank you Salmon_fly. Mr. G. & I The next thing you know your site’s hit rate will make Amazon’s look like a stale link. Take it public and Gherke will be known in every household in the world. Then the ROFFians can look back and say we knew him when. TImes a wasting get to work. Before you buy.

Harry Mason www.troutflies.com

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Dave LaCourse wrote Planeties writes: by the way every place you used the word " then " it should have been " than ". LOL.  He has been told that numerous time, Bob.  He doesn’t understand the difference.

Well than.  Maybe their’s less diffrince then you think! —                                                       -dnc-

Response:

Party time. How nice. You’ve invited SPAM Luncheon Meat to your party. What’s that? It’s a SPAM Party. Well then, you’ll want a SPAM Party Pack. It’s got everything you need to give your party a distinctive SPAM flavor. Everything, that is, except SPAM, which of course can easily be found at your local fishing newsgroup. The SPAM Party Pack serves 12. Cost: $39, plus a shipping and handling charge of $7. Pack includes:                                             SPAM invitations.                                             SPAM paper tablecloth.                                             SPAM paper napkins.                                             SPAM plastic ware.                                             SPAM paper plates.                                             SPAM balloons.                                             SPAM plastic serving tray.                                             SPAM plastic stadium cups.                                             SPAM pennant.                                             SPAM recipe book.                                             And, just for you, a SPAM apron. SPAM Party Packs.                                        No. of SPAM Party                                        Amount enclosed: ($39 ea + $7.00 shipping/handling)                                        Email                                        Payment type: (check one)                                        _____ Check                                        _____ Credit Card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover)                                        Credit Card Type:_____(Visa) _____(MC)                                        _____(Disc.)                                        Credit Card                                        Credit Card                                        Expiration                                        Mail this form with payment to:                                        SPAM Party Pack                                        Gift Center                                        1 Hormel Place                                        Austin, MN 55912 — Levi Life is anything that dies when you stomp on it.                                                         — Dave Barry

Response:

Mr. G. — http://www.gink.com/ Latest Updates

muchpreachy drivel snipped. with you george it’s "do as i say and not as i do".by the way every place you used the word " then " it should have been " than ". tick tick tick, Bob Before you buy.

Response:

[Blah blah] Mr. G. — http://www.gink.com/ Latest Updates

I couln’t agree more george. Let’s take your site as an example. You have several addresses all short sweet and related to fly fishing. Yet when you look at the site there really is very little content. However, you freely post you wealth of information on public news groups. Forget about bamboo rods. you’re sitting on a gold mine and you don’t even know it. Spend some time and build your web site. If you build it they will come. All those pairs of eyes and for every pair of eyes that go to your site you can collect advertizing revenues (from complementary products not competing ones). The next thing you know your site’s hit rate will make Amazon’s look like a stale link. Take it public and Gherke will be known in every household in the world. Then the ROFFians can look back and say we knew him when. TImes a wasting get to work. Before you buy.

Response:

dot shit ? — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

Planeties writes: by the way every place you used the word " then " it should have been " than ".

LOL.  He has been told that numerous time, Bob.  He doesn’t understand the difference. Dave L.

Response:

dot shit ? — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

got gink?

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Question:

Nice trip Frank!  Bluegill can be a hoot when they are active and hitting on top. Wayne To fish is human…to release divine. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As promised, here ’tis. (nice trip snipped) Frank (sunburned in Elkhart) Church Elkhart, IN

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As promised, here ’tis. Met my brother Monday at Jackson L. in south central Florida about noon.  Temps in the low 80’s and an absolutely gorgeous day graced us. We fished first for bass, both of us missed a couple of good strikes, but that’s about it for the afternoon.  BTW, the strikes came on a wooly bugger popper that was shown in Warm Water Flyfishing mag. Nothing more than a wooly bugger (long shank hook) with a popper head on the front. I added rubber legs and eyes as well. This was a ‘dry’ camp, (no, not booze) but no water, no trash cans, and one pit toilet that defies description. (PU!!)  We spent the nite in our pickups as it turns out, tho we had planned to sleep in bivy tents. The preponderance of alligators suggested the prudent thing to do was get off the ground.  Shining a 5 cell light out on the water after dark revealed dozens of eyeballs staring back at us, and we had seen some ‘big’ ones during the day. The next morning we woke to peasoup fog, so opted to wait awhile for it to lift. As soon as we could make out trees in the gloom, we shoved off and stayed within sight of the trees.  Again, we both missed strikes.  I then switched to my St Croix 2 wt and began throwing tiny poppers, and then the fun began. Caught really nice size bluegill, and had a helluva time with the 2 wt, love it!!  During the time we were in the middle of this herd of ‘gills, one hit at my popper, I jerked it so hard that the popper sailed over my head and landed in the water behind me, guess what, another nailed it there before I could recover the ‘bad backcast’ and go after the first one. All in all, it was a fun time and really nice to get in walking shorts and sandals again. I don’t need to catch fish to have a good time, and a bonus was the wildlife…bald eagles, heron, egrets, coons, anhingas, and, of course, the ever present alligators. I will arrange another delivery down that way by the end of the month and try again. Frank (sunburned in Elkhart) Church Elkhart, IN

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Question:

I have only read one article on anything close to a home-made +ACI-braided+ACI- leader.  It is a section on +ACI-furled+ACI- leader in the book titled +ACI- Micro Patterns+ACI- by Darrel Martin.  Though a book about fishing flies sizes 16 or smaller, this section may be of help to you in terms of method and materials.  Give it a try anyway. tight lines. jimmy

+AD4-Please accept my apologies for the previous message – it appears there is +AD4-some problem with my service provider. +AD4- +AD4-I am looking at what woule be involved in braiding my own fly lines from +AD4-mono for salt water/suf type situations. As far as I can determine, getting +AD4-the weight of the line itself right is one of the major obstacles (to +AD4-ensure that the line is balanced to the rod, but what other problems am i +AD4-likely to come up against? +AD4- +AD4-Does anyone else have any experience in this area? +AD4- +AD4-TIA, +AD4- +AD4-    Vic

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Home braided fly lines are the ideal compliment to hand whittled tapered leaders…. I remember grandpa out on the porch braiding up fly lines for the whole damned neighborhood. He’d do a line fer ya in exchange for a bottle of Mead back during prohibition. — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

Here we go again, the first liar doesn’t stand a chance.  Did he whittle them out of a solid block? — Ernie Harrison Want To Tie Tapered leaders? Go To: http://users.ccnet.com/~emh/knots – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Home braided fly lines are the ideal compliment to hand whittled tapered leaders…. I remember grandpa out on the porch braiding up fly lines for the whole damned neighborhood. He’d do a line fer ya in exchange for a bottle of Mead back during prohibition. — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

Must have been one hell of a leader to fetch such a high price.  People went to jail for that, you know. jimmy

+AD4-Home braided fly lines are the ideal compliment to hand whittled tapered +AD4-leaders…. +AD4- +AD4-I remember grandpa out on the porch braiding up fly lines for the whole +AD4-damned neighborhood. +AD4- +AD4-He’d do a line fer ya in exchange for a bottle of Mead back during +AD4-prohibition. +AD4- +AD4— +AD4-TimW, Halfordian Golfer +AD4AIg-Guilt replaced the creel…+ACI- +AD4- +AD4- +AD4-

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I am looking at what woule be involved in braiding my own fly lines from mono for salt water/suf type situations. As far as I can determine, getting the weight of the line itself right is one of the major obstacles (to ensure that the line is balanced to the rod, but what other problems am i likely to come up against?

Friction drag in the air seems the main problem. For either unit weight or unit length, braided mono fly line would have much more surface than standard plastic line, thus incur much more drag in the air. You would probably need an unusual fly rod to be able to aerialize it for any cast longer than that available with a standard line. — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

Response:

Please accept my apologies for the previous message – it appears there is some problem with my service provider. I am looking at what woule be involved in braiding my own fly lines from mono for salt water/suf type situations. As far as I can determine, getting the weight of the line itself right is one of the major obstacles (to ensure that the line is balanced to the rod, but what other problems am i likely to come up against? Does anyone else have any experience in this area? TIA,    Vic

Hi Vic, I experimented along these lines ( pardon the pun ! ) for quite a while. Practically None of the results were satistactory. It was very complex and time consuming, and I could hardly cast the results.  The best result was with braided terylene cord. I unravelled this and plaited the end down to a taper.  It was a terrible mess about but it works OK. It also floats of itself without dressing etc. In the meantime I reckon one is better off buying a line than trying to make one. The experiments with mono just cost me a lot of time for nothing really. There is also some braided cord available which I think is courlene, which gave fairly good results, I am still playing about with this. Hope this helps. Tight lines ! Mike Connor

Response:

Please accept my apologies for the previous message – it appears there is some problem with my service provider. I am looking at what woule be involved in braiding my own fly lines from mono for salt water/suf type situations. As far as I can determine, getting the weight of the line itself right is one of the major obstacles (to ensure that the line is balanced to the rod, but what other problems am i likely to come up against? Does anyone else have any experience in this area? TIA,     Vic

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Question:

Hi there!  With flyfishing season coming up, I’m looking for a #4 weight rod no more than 9 feet long.  A good quality rod such as Fenwick,Sage, Scientific angler would do.  Willing to pay up to $200 cdn Let me know if you have one to sell thanks! Mike

Response:

  Hi, I just bought a nice little 4wt loomis GL2, 7.5ft. Beautifull rod, well finished with a nice med action. The best part was it only set me back $140 cdn. Great rod at a great price!

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Question:

will be in outer banks for the thanksgiving holidays.. would like to find small  blues etc.. any recommendations would help.. also is there the possibility of  a trout stream near that area.. Kevin

Response:

will be in outer banks for the thanksgiving holidays.. would like to find small blues etc.. any recommendations would help.. also is there the possibility of a trout stream near that area.. Kevin

At Thanksgiving there should be some small blues about but what about the big boiyz!  they are going to be there at that time.  AS wellas striped bass and red drum.  There will be plenty of trout, speckled sea trout, at the lighthouse for a person fishing a clouser minnow with a sinking line. No streams within 8 hour drive, sorry.  Check my website for NC flyfishing stuff. — Flyfish NC                                                   Gordon Churchill                                        http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/3853                                                                     Dragon’s Hope Publishing Heidi Dragon Churchill                                               Business cards, ad design, forms and all manner of desktop publishing.      

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Question:

I’m headed for Potter county, PA weekend of 7/12. Local hatch chart calls for a "slate drake." Anyone have a recipe for this fly? I don’t see it in my reference materials. Thanks.

Response:

I’m headed for Potter county, PA weekend of 7/12. Local hatch chart calls for a "slate drake." Anyone have a recipe for this fly? I don’t see it in my reference materials. Thanks.

There was a big brown drake hatch on Skaneateles lake (one of the Finger Lakes in NY) last week and I talked to a guy that fished it and did rather well.  He runs a flyfishing shop a couple of miles from the lake (right on Skaneateles creek) and he showed me the flies that he used. I don’t know the size of the slate drakes that you’re trying to immitate but the brown drakes were tied on size 8 hooks comparadun style.  If you don’t get any specific recipe’s I’d get some dark microfibbets or dark blue dun and make a split tail, add some dark grey dubbing, and tye on some dark deer hair comparadun style.   — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

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I’m headed for Potter county, PA weekend of 7/12. Local hatch chart calls for a "slate drake." Anyone have a recipe for this fly? I don’t see it in my reference materials. Thanks.

The slate drake is a colorful name for the Isonychia dun.  I’m sure your reference has patterns for this.  If not, try posting at rec.outdoors. fishing.fly.tying.

Response:

Question:

I will be in Yellowstone NP in middle through late July. I am taking my family and will have limited time to fish. I have read all of the standard publications (e.g. Brooks). I am looking for some local advice with respect to the streams and patterns for area. I have fished here several times in the distant past and am an experienced Flyfisherman. This will be my son’s first trip. Thanks in advance.

Response:

I will be in Yellowstone NP in middle through late July. I am taking my family and will have limited time to fish. I have read all of the standard publications (e.g. Brooks). I am looking for some local advice with respect to the streams and patterns for area. I have fished here several times in the distant past and am an experienced Flyfisherman. This will be my son’s first trip. Thanks in advance.

Hi Bill When you arrive be sure to check with one of the local shops like Bob Jacklin’s Fly Shop (406-646-7336).  They can provide up-to-the minute pattern information.  Good general patterns are Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Hare’s Ears, small Soft Hackles, Grass Hoppers, Humpies, Royal Wulffs, H&L Variants, Renegades, and Compara or Sparkle Duns. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

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I will be in Yellowstone NP in middle through late July. I am taking my family and will have limited time to fish.

Hi Bill, There are great family opportunities in YNP. My favorite is Yellowstone Lake. I was just at the lake over the weekend and fishing was the best I have ever experienced there. Water levels are at record highs, concentrating the fish in the shoreline shallows. Woolly buggers in any style were producing well, sink tip lines, erratic retrieves. "Fish on" no less than once every ten casts, with the cutts ranging from 15" – 19". Best areas right now are around the West Thumb, although I heard of decent, but not excellent fishing around Bridge Bay. Great place to take a kid. Also, the upper Yellowstone River will be open July 15, and if you can manage to find places to fish (i.e., beat the crowds), the Buffalo Ford Picnic Area on the Yellowstone River is a great place to catch nice cutthroats, with not "too" much challenge (does not apply into August-September, however, when the fish can be somewhat difficult to catch!). The water should be clear by then. It was fishable but slightly cloudy this weekend. For the more experienced and patient, the Firehole and Madison are both fishing very well right now, and shouldn’t change for a few weeks, unless park thunderstorms wreak havoc on those drainages. In late July and August, however, my favorite kids picks are the small creeks. They provide a tremendous learning environment, the fish eat #8 Royal Wulffs, and there are plenty creeks to go around without being crowded. There are so many of these that contain great populations of small brookies and cutthroats that I can’t begin to name them. My recommendation is to consult the book, "Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park" (or "Guide to Fishing YNP" or something like that, a little paperback, 125 pages or so, gives a summary of park waters by "sections"). For fly selections, take Buggers and Leeches if you hit Yellowstone Lake (tied beadhead style or with a little flash), Wulffs, Trudes, Humpies, or Elk Hair Caddis for the small creeks (size 14 typical), Fluttering Caddis, Partridge Caddis, Thorax Duns, Parachute Duns, Sparkle Duns (i.e., slow water/flat water style flies) for the Yellowstone, Madison, or Firehole Rivers to match darker mayflies (olive size 16-18, brown size 14) and lighter mayflies (pale yellow size 14-16), tan/brown caddis (#12-14), gray caddis (#16), and black caddis (#18-20). For emergers/nymphs in these rivers, my picks include pheasant tails (#14-18), Lawson- or Harrop-style cripple duns (#16-18), and Z-Caddis or LaFontaine caddis emergers. Good Luck! Ryan Jordan

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