Question:

Shanghai– A fishing-village-turned metropolis, Shanghai offers one of the best examples where the east meets the west, the Chinese meets the foreign, and the traditional meets the modern. The city equals many of the world’s metropolises in terms of the pace of life and the speed of change. A Los Angeles Times report in Sept.2001 says that, attracted by Shanghai’s glitz, more than 300,000 Taiwanese, mostly businesspeople, have settled down in the city in recent years. Chongqing– The Red Star Pavilion in the Pipasha Park, the Kansheng Pavilion in the Eling Park, and a place called Yikeshu on the Nanshan Mountain are vintage points for observing the nocturnal scenes of the mountain city of Chongqing. At night the entire city is inundated in an ocean of lights, which form a colorful three-dimensional painting, with waves of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers glistening against the moonlit, star spangled sky. Wuhan– Wuhan is described as the "Homeland of White Clouds and Yellow Crane" The Yangtze River and the Han River join here,dividing the city into three towns:Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang. Wuhan has many scenic spots and historical sites. Among them are the 2,400 years old Zenghouyi Chime Bells known as one of the world wonders; the 1,700 yearsold Yellow Crane Tower, one of the three famous towers in South China: the East Lake whose natural beauty rivals that of the West Lake in Hangzhou;the TY Tower on Tortois Hill known as the highest mast of Asia; the ancient Guiyuan Temple, and the modern International Amusement Park. Day 1. SHANGHAI to CHONGQING Fly to Chongqing. Greeted by tour guide at the airport. Leisure time, then transfer to Regal China Cruises. Overnight at the Cruises Day 2. CHONGQING to FENGDU (B. L. D.) Departs Chongqing 8:00am. Shore excursion at Fengdu. Overnight at the Cruises Day 3. BADONG to SANDOUPING (B. L. D.) Pass through the magnificent Qutang Gorge and beautiful Wu Gorge. Transfer to a small sampan to cruise the Shennong Stream. Overnight at the Cruises Day 4. SANDOUPING (B. L. D.) Visit the Three Gorges Dam. Sail through Xiling Gorge and pass Gezhouba Dam Ship lock. Overnight at the Cruises Day 5. WUHAN to SHANGHAI (B. L.) Morning continue to sail along the Yangtze River. Arrives Wuhan 12:00N. Visit Yellow Crane Pagoda, proceed to transfer to airport and fly back to Shanghai. [Remark]: 1. Please make reservation for Spring Tour one week at least prior to the departure! 2. Tour cost for Child (below 12): 90% and 75% of the normal cost separately for occupying bed and no bed. 3. Tour cost fluctuates according to the season. TOUR COST (Per Person) $450   Single Supplement $200 DEPARTURES Sorry! There are no available tour packages for you now. Please inform us of your demands! We’ll do our best to arrange the tour package only for you

Response:

REGAL THREE GORGES PACKAGE—-DOWNSTREAM Shanghai– A fishing-village-turned metropolis, Shanghai offers one of the best examples where the east meets the west, the Chinese meets the foreign, and the traditional meets the modern. The city equals many of the world’s metropolises in terms of the pace of life and the speed of change. A Los Angeles Times report in Sept.2001 says that, attracted by Shanghai’s glitz, more than 300,000 Taiwanese, mostly businesspeople, have settled down in the city in recent years. Chongqing– The Red Star Pavilion in the Pipasha Park, the Kansheng Pavilion in the Eling Park, and a place called Yikeshu on the Nanshan Mountain are vintage points for observing the nocturnal scenes of the mountain city of Chongqing. At night the entire city is inundated in an ocean of lights, which form a colorful three-dimensional painting, with waves of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers glistening against the moonlit, star spangled sky. Wuhan– Wuhan is described as the "Homeland of White Clouds and Yellow Crane" The Yangtze River and the Han River join here,dividing the city into three towns:Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang. Wuhan has many scenic spots and historical sites. Among them are the 2,400 years old Zenghouyi Chime Bells known as one of the world wonders; the 1,700 yearsold Yellow Crane Tower, one of the three famous towers in South China: the East Lake whose natural beauty rivals that of the West Lake in Hangzhou;the TY Tower on Tortois Hill known as the highest mast of Asia; the ancient Guiyuan Temple, and the modern International Amusement Park. Day 1. SHANGHAI to CHONGQING Fly to Chongqing. Greeted by tour guide at the airport. Leisure time, then transfer to Regal China Cruises. Overnight at the Cruises Day 2. CHONGQING to FENGDU (B. L. D.) Departs Chongqing 8:00am. Shore excursion at Fengdu. Overnight at the Cruises Day 3. BADONG to SANDOUPING (B. L. D.) Pass through the magnificent Qutang Gorge and beautiful Wu Gorge. Transfer to a small sampan to cruise the Shennong Stream. Overnight at the Cruises Day 4. SANDOUPING (B. L. D.) Visit the Three Gorges Dam. Sail through Xiling Gorge and pass Gezhouba Dam Ship lock. Overnight at the Cruises Day 5. WUHAN to SHANGHAI (B. L.) Morning continue to sail along the Yangtze River. Arrives Wuhan 12:00N. Visit Yellow Crane Pagoda, proceed to transfer to airport and fly back to Shanghai. [Remark]: 1. Please make reservation for Spring Tour one week at least prior to the departure! 2. Tour cost for Child (below 12): 90% and 75% of the normal cost separately for occupying bed and no bed. 3. Tour cost fluctuates according to the season.

Response:

Question:

Nothing ventured, nothing gained…go for it.  My experience on Lakes Michigan and Superior in a 24-ft cabin boat has been good, but I venture out with radar, GPS-chartplotter, Loran, 2 VHF radios, 2 depthfinders, and a backup 15-hp outboard motor.  And I nearly always see, at the boat launch, some crusty old fisherman heading out in a 14-ft jon boat with 25-hp outboard…amazing balls. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

Response:

Unless you get 4 miles to the gallon, forget it.  1/3 out, 1/3 in and a 1/3 in reserve.  Tuna requires trolling, lots at about 8-9 mph.  Not enough fuel capacity, unless the albies get inside of about 10 miles.  I have a 21′ and carry 67 gallon, and get about 2 mpg and I won’t do it.  Post a request to be a hitchhiker on the www.Coastsidefishingclub.com board and you will get a ride and live to fish again. Bill

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you. I’ve gone 20-30 miles in the Atlantic in smaller boats than that. You really need expertise in weather observation, a high antenna on a fixed, not portable, VHF radio, an extra battery and enough smarts to know when not to go out. And bring along a spare six gallon tank and hose. Try going out in the company of a couple of boats. And buy yourself some Type I life jackets, the real deal kind, and consider an EPIRB. Make sure you have a way to climb back in your boat if you get knocked overboard. Same here.  The buddy system applies.  Dont’ quite agree with the 6 gallon tank theory, however.  That would get me about 5 miles closer before I choke…..

Response:

Hello, Thanks for the replies and will not venture out without the recommendations. No EPIRB here. Just some safety flares. The boats a 1990 Bayliner cuddy, dual batteries, reliable with rebuilt powerhead. I bought this second hand and always thought it had a 30gallon tank. I always refill the tank before a trip so dont know how much it really holds..lol. thanks! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This is all well and good. It is not the size of the boat in question. The boat you mention obviously held a lot more than 30 gallons of fuel. I would also strongly suspect that he had more than a hand held VHF for emergency communication needs. Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Tred Barta made his name fishing bigeyes 85-90 miles out of Shinnecock Inlet in the "Randi Strike", a 19′ Mako CC. That was 25 years ago.

Response:

Be nice Harry… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, Thanks for the replies and will not venture out without the recommendations. No EPIRB here. Just some safety flares. The boats a 1990 Bayliner cuddy, dual batteries, reliable with rebuilt powerhead. I bought this second hand and always thought it had a 30gallon tank. I always refill the tank before a trip so dont know how much it really holds..lol. thanks! This is all well and good. It is not the size of the boat in question. The boat you mention obviously held a lot more than 30 gallons of fuel. I would also strongly suspect that he had more than a hand held VHF for emergency communication needs. Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Tred Barta made his name fishing bigeyes 85-90 miles out of Shinnecock Inlet in the "Randi Strike", a 19′ Mako CC. That was 25 years ago.

Response:

Be nice Harry…

How can he? He’s the consummate evildoer of this NG. — Skipper

Response:

Hello, Thanks for the replies and will not venture out without the recommendations. No EPIRB here. Just some safety flares. The boats a 1990 Bayliner cuddy, dual batteries, reliable with rebuilt powerhead. I bought this second hand and always thought it had a 30gallon tank. I always refill the tank before a trip so dont know how much it really holds..lol. thanks!

Yikes!  Is it a Force outboard?  I wouldn’t trust that setup, 13 years old, offshore.  Especially if you don’t know how much gas it holds.  How old are the batteries?  Do you have towing insurance?  Just some more questions to think about…

Response:

JAX has just reduced his percentage of useful posts to about 8% with the latests posts…

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ben thur, dun dat writes to tell us just how scared he is of the water with: (way to go, bt,dd) geesh.  another guy tied to the dock when the wind is greater than 8 knots and telling how safety conscious he is. Like Harry, I would strongly suggest an installed VHF with tall antenna – hand held only broadcast 3-5 miles with their 3 watt output max. (you might get a little better in ideal conditions – but don’t bet your life on it! Installed will get you up to around 25 mile range fairly reliably (potential further)- 25 watts out put makes a world of difference. I also agree that EPIRB would be a good idea. But definitely do not trust the hand held VHF to get you help in a jam. Dan touched on what may be an even bigger concern – 30 gallon gas tank. You state that you have a 120 HP. Is this an outboard or I/OF? What is your gas consumption = MPG? If this is a gas I/OF – very common in 20′ cuddies I would be very concerned about getting out 20 miles and back on that amount of fuel. If you hit any surprises in weather – cut MPG in half or more! Most I/Os on that size boat will get around 2 -3 MPG in reasonably calm conditions. Not a lot of room for error. Weather is the real wildcard. Pick your days and keep an eye on the sky. I have been out 20 miles in a center console about that size off Hatters, NC. It is doable…but keep a real close eye on the weather — gets pretty breezy & rough in the area you are talking about. I fished on a charter in that basic area a couple of years ago – charter boat was mid 30′ bridge boat – we got tossed around pretty good. About six weeks ago I was fishing out of Ft. Lauderdale.  We ended up a bit over 20 miles out before we gave up on fishing and decided to go to Bimini (Bahamas).  I found it on my GPSmap 76 and off we went.  It was 58 miles from port to port and we made the trip back in just over two hours.  The amazing part is that we burned only 28 gallons of gas on this 116 mile round trip with at least a hour of trolling included.  We were in my 20′ center console with a 115 four stroke. It’s all a matter of sea conditions and the weather.  This was an incredibly flat day with clear skies.  We were prepared to leave the boat in Bimini and fly back as a last resort if the weather went to hell on us.  This was one of those stupid "so I can say I was there" trips. Typically I will go out only 15 – 20 miles.  At that point there are still plenty of other boats in the area and usually cell phone coverage if the VHF craps out. Are you sure you only have a 30 gallon fuel tank?  That would be my #1 concern.  The handheld VHF would be right there at #2. Dan Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

Response:

Well, I’ve never been "offshore" except twice around Cape Caution, but…    I agree about the redundancy. Get, at the least, a good "get-you-home" kicker with a separate fuel tank.    An in-dash VHF is under $200 – why not? And it sounds like an EPIRB is a good idea too.    Another good idea would be an inflatable dinghy to get into if the boat DOES sink. "Real" offshore boats have special emergency rafts that autoinflate, etc. but you probably don’t need to go that far.    And I can never understand boaters who don’t know how much fuel they carry, or what their range is! DEFINELY find out what your range is, and the range of your kicker, before venturing any distance. Lloyd Sumpter "Valkyrie" Campion 18 – 20 gals, 110mile range – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, Thanks for the replies and will not venture out without the recommendations. No EPIRB here. Just some safety flares. The boats a 1990 Bayliner cuddy, dual batteries, reliable with rebuilt powerhead. I bought this second hand and always thought it had a 30gallon tank. I always refill the tank before a trip so dont know how much it really holds..lol. thanks! This is all well and good. It is not the size of the boat in question. The boat you mention obviously held a lot more than 30 gallons of fuel. I would also strongly suspect that he had more than a hand held VHF for emergency communication needs. Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Tred Barta made his name fishing bigeyes 85-90 miles out of Shinnecock Inlet in the "Randi Strike", a 19′ Mako CC. That was 25 years ago.

Response:

Your comments on redundancy are right on the money in my experience. On the other hand, I’ve seen those "gentle blue water rollers" break onto the deck of a 50 footer.  On a 50 foot boat that just creates a little commotion for a few seconds, but in a 20 foot cuddy you’re likely to get a sinking sensation. Looking beyond gear failure, there are some other risks difficult to avoid such as late afternoon thunderstorms, fast moving cold fronts, and breaking conditions in the inlets caused by tide and offshore swells.  Things can change in a hurry even on a day that starts board flat and looks stable.  Important to remember that small boats have small safety margins. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I always have been told and adhered to the redundancy rule. A backup for everything when going off-shore. Such as engines, fuel tanks, radios, batteries(you got that covered), safety equipment, food, water etc. Are you sure you want to trust everything to your set up with no redundancy? I spend my time in the mid Chesapeake Bay in a 26′ Bayliner. The rollers there can get pretty nasty with high frequency four to six footers. I’ve been told blue water rollers are more gentle because of the lower frequency. Your seamanship is to be applauded, but I suggest you adopt more redundancy.

Response:

I always have been told and adhered to the redundancy rule. A backup for everything when going off-shore. Such as engines, fuel tanks, radios, batteries(you got that covered), safety equipment, food, water etc. Are you sure you want to trust everything to your set up with no redundancy? I spend my time in the mid Chesapeake Bay in a 26′ Bayliner. The rollers there can get pretty nasty with high frequency four to six footers. I’ve been told blue water rollers are more gentle because of the lower frequency. Your seamanship is to be applauded, but I suggest you adopt more redundancy. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, Thanks for the replies and will not venture out without the recommendations. No EPIRB here. Just some safety flares. The boats a 1990 Bayliner cuddy, dual batteries, reliable with rebuilt powerhead. I bought this second hand and always thought it had a 30gallon tank. I always refill the tank before a trip so dont know how much it really holds..lol. thanks! This is all well and good. It is not the size of the boat in question. The boat you mention obviously held a lot more than 30 gallons of fuel. I would also strongly suspect that he had more than a hand held VHF for emergency communication needs. Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Tred Barta made his name fishing bigeyes 85-90 miles out of Shinnecock Inlet in the "Randi Strike", a 19′ Mako CC. That was 25 years ago.

Response:

ben thur, dun dat writes to tell us just how scared he is of the water with: (way to go, bt,dd) geesh.  another guy tied to the dock when the wind is greater than 8 knots and telling how safety conscious he is. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Like Harry, I would strongly suggest an installed VHF with tall antenna – hand held only broadcast 3-5 miles with their 3 watt output max. (you might get a little better in ideal conditions – but don’t bet your life on it! Installed will get you up to around 25 mile range fairly reliably (potential further)- 25 watts out put makes a world of difference. I also agree that EPIRB would be a good idea. But definitely do not trust the hand held VHF to get you help in a jam. Dan touched on what may be an even bigger concern – 30 gallon gas tank. You state that you have a 120 HP. Is this an outboard or I/OF? What is your gas consumption = MPG? If this is a gas I/OF – very common in 20′ cuddies I would be very concerned about getting out 20 miles and back on that amount of fuel. If you hit any surprises in weather – cut MPG in half or more! Most I/Os on that size boat will get around 2 -3 MPG in reasonably calm conditions. Not a lot of room for error. Weather is the real wildcard. Pick your days and keep an eye on the sky. I have been out 20 miles in a center console about that size off Hatters, NC. It is doable…but keep a real close eye on the weather — gets pretty breezy & rough in the area you are talking about. I fished on a charter in that basic area a couple of years ago – charter boat was mid 30′ bridge boat – we got tossed around pretty good. About six weeks ago I was fishing out of Ft. Lauderdale.  We ended up a bit over 20 miles out before we gave up on fishing and decided to go to Bimini (Bahamas).  I found it on my GPSmap 76 and off we went.  It was 58 miles from port to port and we made the trip back in just over two hours.  The amazing part is that we burned only 28 gallons of gas on this 116 mile round trip with at least a hour of trolling included.  We were in my 20′ center console with a 115 four stroke. It’s all a matter of sea conditions and the weather.  This was an incredibly flat day with clear skies.  We were prepared to leave the boat in Bimini and fly back as a last resort if the weather went to hell on us.  This was one of those stupid "so I can say I was there" trips. Typically I will go out only 15 – 20 miles.  At that point there are still plenty of other boats in the area and usually cell phone coverage if the VHF craps out. Are you sure you only have a 30 gallon fuel tank?  That would be my #1 concern.  The handheld VHF would be right there at #2. Dan Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

Response:

Like Harry, I would strongly suggest an installed VHF with tall antenna – hand held only broadcast 3-5 miles with their 3 watt output max. (you might get a little better in ideal conditions – but don’t bet your life on it! Installed will get you up to around 25 mile range fairly reliably (potential further)- 25 watts out put makes a world of difference. I also agree that EPIRB would be a good idea. But definitely do not trust the hand held VHF to get you help in a jam. Dan touched on what may be an even bigger concern – 30 gallon gas tank. You state that you have a 120 HP. Is this an outboard or I/OF? What is your gas consumption = MPG? If this is a gas I/OF – very common in 20′ cuddies I would be very concerned about getting out 20 miles and back on that amount of fuel. If you hit any surprises in weather – cut MPG in half or more! Most I/Os on that size boat will get around 2 -3 MPG in reasonably calm conditions. Not a lot of room for error. Weather is the real wildcard. Pick your days and keep an eye on the sky. I have been out 20 miles in a center console about that size off Hatters, NC. It is doable…but keep a real close eye on the weather — gets pretty breezy & rough in the area you are talking about. I fished on a charter in that basic area a couple of years ago – charter boat was mid 30′ bridge boat – we got tossed around pretty good.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – About six weeks ago I was fishing out of Ft. Lauderdale.  We ended up a bit over 20 miles out before we gave up on fishing and decided to go to Bimini (Bahamas).  I found it on my GPSmap 76 and off we went.  It was 58 miles from port to port and we made the trip back in just over two hours.  The amazing part is that we burned only 28 gallons of gas on this 116 mile round trip with at least a hour of trolling included.  We were in my 20′ center console with a 115 four stroke. It’s all a matter of sea conditions and the weather.  This was an incredibly flat day with clear skies.  We were prepared to leave the boat in Bimini and fly back as a last resort if the weather went to hell on us.  This was one of those stupid "so I can say I was there" trips. Typically I will go out only 15 – 20 miles.  At that point there are still plenty of other boats in the area and usually cell phone coverage if the VHF craps out. Are you sure you only have a 30 gallon fuel tank?  That would be my #1 concern.  The handheld VHF would be right there at #2. Dan Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

Response:

Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy?

Tred Barta made his name fishing bigeyes 85-90 miles out of Shinnecock Inlet in the "Randi Strike", a 19′ Mako CC. That was 25 years ago.

Response:

This is all well and good. It is not the size of the boat in question. The boat you mention obviously held a lot more than 30 gallons of fuel. I would also strongly suspect that he had more than a hand held VHF for emergency communication needs.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Tred Barta made his name fishing bigeyes 85-90 miles out of Shinnecock Inlet in the "Randi Strike", a 19′ Mako CC. That was 25 years ago.

Response:

30 gallons sounds awfully small for a 20 ft. boat.  

Agreed.  And 120Hp seems like a very small engine, as well. My 18′ CC has a 150HP Merc OB and a 60-gallon tank.   I would strongly advise against going further out, without making some major adjustments in his capabilities. e.g. installing more fuel capacity, and being almost fanatical about weather-watching. I’ve been 40-50 miles out (in a commercial fishing boat) in the Pacific out of Oregon, and it was pretty scary.  Unlike the short-period waves we have in the Gulf, these were HUGE rollers, a city block or more thick.  I’d hate to be out there when they started kicking up. 120hp and 30 gallons of gas, in a 20 footer? No way. Ron M.

Response:

Jim,     I’d be surprised if your handheld VHF was strong enough, 25 miles out, to reach shore without an external antenna. Paul — "The opinions expressed in the article are the opinions of the author, not of Ford Motor Company. " – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

Response:

I go out about 20 miles off Boston Harbor sometimes in my 19 foot boat, but only when there is flat water and a stable high presure area in place with little chance of bad weather kicking up. I keep my vhf on and monitor the weather channel and radio stations for any surprize weather. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

Response:

About six weeks ago I was fishing out of Ft. Lauderdale.  We ended up a bit over 20 miles out before we gave up on fishing and decided to go to Bimini (Bahamas).  I found it on my GPSmap 76 and off we went.  It was 58 miles from port to port and we made the trip back in just over two hours.  The amazing part is that we burned only 28 gallons of gas on this 116 mile round trip with at least a hour of trolling included.  We were in my 20′ center console with a 115 four stroke. It’s all a matter of sea conditions and the weather.  This was an incredibly flat day with clear skies.  We were prepared to leave the boat in Bimini and fly back as a last resort if the weather went to hell on us.  This was one of those stupid "so I can say I was there" trips. Typically I will go out only 15 – 20 miles.  At that point there are still plenty of other boats in the area and usually cell phone coverage if the VHF craps out. Are you sure you only have a 30 gallon fuel tank?  That would be my #1 concern.  The handheld VHF would be right there at #2. Dan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

Response:

30 gallons sounds awfully small for a 20 ft. boat.  I’ve got a 26′ powercat with twin 150’s and 180 gallons of fuel and I am always a little nervous (rightly so) about going off more than 20 miles.  A handheld VHF will NOT cut it, as Dan mentioned, nor the 30 gallon fuel tank.  You just can’t trust the weather service with forcasts.  They might say that the winds will pick up in 24 hours, but all of the sudden, you are in 20 kt winds.  Then you are in real trouble.  Usually I burn about 65 gal on a normal 12 hour trolling trip, but once, when the weather turn on me prematurely, it took about 130 gal to get home in terribly steep head seas. In general, I wouldn’t recommend it.  I’m usually the smallest boat out in the deep and I definitely feel it when the weather turns.  There are way too many things that go wrong. BTW, you didn’t mention an EPIRB in your list… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

Response:

Hello, I fish regularly at Halfmoon Bay up to Pacifca (CA) for salmon, halibut, etc. I want to go out farther for Albacore but have never ventured more than a couple miles offshore. I have fished through 10ft swells but never any high winds. With my etrex GPS and handheld VHF, can I go out 25 miles offshore in my 120HP, 30gallons, 20ft cuddy or does that sound crazy? Any opinions would be appreciated…thank you.

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Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – When using large plugs for pike, or any other spinning gear, single barbless hooks Large single hooks have a larger gape than trebles and are more likely to hook the fish.  Large single hooks however typically are made of thicker wire than trebles so they might have a tougher time penetrating the fish’s *lips*.  If you replace the trebles with singles they must be appropriately sized so as not to turn the plug out of balance.  I saw a good tip in a fishing newspaper once.  In order not to alter the balance of a plug but also to minimize damage to fish and angler, one fisherman bent two out of the three hooks on all his trebles inwards so that they looked like extreme circle hooks.  Those two would not be able to hook fish nor human. Mu

I use single, fine wire, straight eyed  hooks, on double split rings ( so that they hang right! ), and I crimp a piece of lead to the shank, so that they weigh the same as the trebles.  It is sometimes a good idea to experiment with weight on various plugs and spinners, one may improve the action on some, quite considerably. TL MC

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<SNIP Here’s one maybe you have thought about. If you are standing in fast water and you do not want to let the slack line float below, why is that when you hold the loops in your hand they always tangle up? You would think you are holding the loops in an organized way, yet they end up as a spaghetti when you go to cast. What do you do? — Gary M

You must hold the loops in a specific way.  Use wide loops and ensure that they are  placed in order in your hand and held lightly, to prevent one loop going over another. Do not twist the loops when retrieving. ( This is quite difficult to do). If your line suffers much from memory, this will not work anyway, as the loops will tend to form figure eights, and this will cause a tangle when the line is shot, or released. In this case, you should use "figure of eight" storage to start with. This may sound silly, but if you hold the line in your left hand in loose SMALL! figure of eights, in a bunch, it will not tangle when shot. This technique is common among English reservoir anglers. You can shoot line from your hand, if you observe the above. It is best to practice a bit before you do it. The amount of line you can hold in this way is also limited. It is more difficult to do with backing, but not impossible, it depends to a large extent on the backing. In such situations, it is invariably much easier to use a line tray. TL MC

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When using large plugs for pike, or any other spinning gear, single barbless hooks

Large single hooks have a larger gape than trebles and are more likely to hook the fish.  Large single hooks however typically are made of thicker wire than trebles so they might have a tougher time penetrating the fish’s *lips*.  If you replace the trebles with singles they must be appropriately sized so as not to turn the plug out of balance.  I saw a good tip in a fishing newspaper once.  In order not to alter the balance of a plug but also to minimize damage to fish and angler, one fisherman bent two out of the three hooks on all his trebles inwards so that they looked like extreme circle hooks.  Those two would not be able to hook fish nor human. Mu

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Since you effectively twist the line 180 degrees for each loop that you make, small loops would make the problem worse. I

Question:

 I am fishing in Hawaii for Bluefin trevally(omilu). I have had limited sucess and am fishing from shore.I have found areas that have them via. catches and snorkling. But the fish are particular, most days they chase the fly to the beach,only to stop shot of a complete strike.Other times they are just ON the hook and running. Is there anyone who could shed some lite on my short strikes.. Three days without a hook up,,,,, Jeff Brazda

Response:

Hello Jeff, I have fished for them in Christmas Island south of Hawaii just above the equator where they are probably more plentiful and more aggressive. They like red/yellow streamers there most of the time. They like fly rod salt water poppers too. In a populated area, I would fish for them in the AM, PM and at night. With lower light levels they can be more aggressive. Also try to go places where no one else fishes. A boat would be an advantage to get to places that are not heavily fished. — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am fishing in Hawaii for Bluefin trevally(omilu). I have had limited sucess and am fishing from shore.I have found areas that have them via. catches and snorkling. But the fish are particular, most days they chase the fly to the beach,only to stop shot of a complete strike.Other times they are just ON the hook and running. Is there anyone who could shed some lite on my short strikes.. Three days without a hook up,,,,, Jeff Brazda

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I am fishing in Hawaii for Bluefin trevally(omilu). I have had limited sucess and am fishing from shore.I have found areas that have them via. catches and snorkling. But the fish are particular, most days they chase the fly to the beach,only to stop shot of a complete strike.Other times they are just ON the hook and running. Is there anyone who could shed some lite on my short strikes.. Three days without a hook up,,,,, Jeff Brazda

Hello Jeff… I have had the same problem when fishing here in South Africa and Mozambique. The trick it seems is to use a fly (deceiver) with little flash. Just one or two strands of flashabou on the sides are sufficient. Best fly colours are chartreuse, then pink. Poppers are excellent, but if the fish are sitting in deep water, then they will rarely shoot up to the surface to hit the popper. Deceivers and a sinking line work best in this case. Also, the retrieve is as fast as you can. Hope this helps Regards Sudesh Pursad Bamba Flyfishing Adventures www.bamba.co.za Regards Sudesh Pursad Bamba Flyfishing Adventures www.bamba.co.za

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Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My wife and I are college professors who are retiring this month. We’d like to cruise. We are currently shopping for an older Prout 37. Meanwhile, we need to improve our sailing skills. Could we barter you teaching us to sail for us teaching you our skills? Our competencies include: computer skills (both of us have extensive teaching experience), writing (wife has experience in teaching composition), fly-fishing (husband has 30 years of teaching experience) References available. We have motor home in Orlando, Florida, will travel to you. or Cell phone: 541.953.7081

Ahoy Captain Bob: Live in Cocoa, FL area so just east of Orlando.  When I turned 40 took a break from job–a "sabbatical" that turned into ALL seven years.  During that time did a lot of sailing.  One trip was Gibraltar to Barbados as crew on a Prout 37! No longer own a boat<sigh but will trade knowledge for chance to sail<grin. Allan "He who would go to sea for pleasure, would go to hell for a pastime."                          -old British saying

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My wife and I are college professors who are retiring this month. We’d like to cruise. We are currently shopping for an older Prout 37. Meanwhile, we need to improve our sailing skills. Could we barter you teaching us to sail for us teaching you our skills? Our competencies include: computer skills (both of us have extensive teaching experience), writing (wife has experience in teaching composition), fly-fishing (husband has 30 years of teaching experience) References available. We have motor home in Orlando, Florida, will travel to you. or Cell phone: 541.953.7081

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For years I dreamed daily (almost continuously) of buying a Prout 37 or 39 and taking off.  When the time came, however, we chose a PDQ36 as being more appropriate for the type of cruising we’re doing – mostly ICW and coastal. At the boatshow where we made our final decision PDQ and Prout were next to each other – we went back and forth between them and kept concluding the PDQ was a better fit.  We’ve had no regrets, though during those rare moments that I dream about sailing around the world, its in a Prout 45! -jeff "The sport that requires the least effort" Albert Einstein on Sailing

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My wife and I are college professors who are retiring this month. We’d like to cruise. We are currently shopping for an older Prout 37. Meanwhile, we need to improve our sailing skills. Could we barter you teaching us to sail for us teaching you our skills? Our competencies include: computer skills (both of us have extensive teaching experience), writing (wife has experience in teaching composition), fly-fishing (husband has 30 years of teaching experience) References available. We have motor home in Orlando, Florida, will travel to you. or Cell phone: 541.953.7081

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Question:

Thanks, I may give it a shot sometime soon. In a sit-on-top kayak, staying dry is not much of an option<g. I would expect to stay in pretty close to shore and away from other boats though. I’m not sure since I have never kayaked…but I have used a lake canoe out there.  It is advisable of course to use it in areas where you can avoid heavy boat traffice <obviously. But to answer your question simply…yes…it would probably be a godsend for you. Make sure you have enough room to keep stuff dry Tight lines,

– Charlie…

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I’m not sure since I have never kayaked…but I have used a lake canoe out there.  It is advisable of course to use it in areas where you can avoid heavy boat traffice <obviously. But to answer your question simply…yes…it would probably be a godsend for you. Make sure you have enough room to keep stuff dry Tight lines, — Nicholas J. Slodki

:Nicholas, : :Would a sea kayak be any good down there. I just bought a sit-on-top :and have been thinking about trying it around that area (I’m in :Atlanta). Thanks. : : :Bryan, : :I’ve lived in that area many times before and visit constantly. : :What I suggest is an outfit from 7-10 wt., WF Intermediate or sinktip type :II, and a reel with a min. of 220 yards of 20lb.  backing. : :If you head over toward panama city or are able to get back in the marshes :in Choctawhatchee and St. Andrews Bays, you’re in for a treat.  They haven’t :had much rain down there until this last week and the water should be :relatively clear and the bottom stable.  Redfish and Seatrout will be moving :into the back harbors and inlets at this time of year as winter is :approaching.  On the jetties at the pass entrances, spanish mackerel, reds, :pomano in the surf and flats, jacks, possibly some blues, specks and small :sharks should be everywhere. : :Leaders should be no less 7′ and tapered to a min. of 10lb. class tippet. :Shock tippets would be good for the spanish…about a foot of 30lb. :albrighted to the tippet. : oppers are a must on the flats in the early mornings or evenings for reds, :specks and jacks.  Some dredging flies <McCrab, clousers, Puffs no larger :than a size 1 hook are good during the day.  Also deceivers in red/yellow, :white/yellow, white/black are excellent.  For the spanish macks, glass :minnows in a fast retrieve are way good. : :Make sure you bring a good pair of wading shoes that protect your feet from :shell debris and stingrays (yes, they’re everywhere too lol), a hat, and a :good pair of sunglasses. : :Hope this was helpful to you. : :– :Charlie…

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Bryan, I’ve lived in that area many times before and visit constantly. What I suggest is an outfit from 7-10 wt., WF Intermediate or sinktip type II, and a reel with a min. of 220 yards of 20lb.  backing. If you head over toward panama city or are able to get back in the marshes in Choctawhatchee and St. Andrews Bays, you’re in for a treat.  They haven’t had much rain down there until this last week and the water should be relatively clear and the bottom stable.  Redfish and Seatrout will be moving into the back harbors and inlets at this time of year as winter is approaching.  On the jetties at the pass entrances, spanish mackerel, reds, pomano in the surf and flats, jacks, possibly some blues, specks and small sharks should be everywhere. Leaders should be no less 7′ and tapered to a min. of 10lb. class tippet. Shock tippets would be good for the spanish…about a foot of 30lb. albrighted to the tippet. Poppers are a must on the flats in the early mornings or evenings for reds, specks and jacks.  Some dredging flies <McCrab, clousers, Puffs no larger than a size 1 hook are good during the day.  Also deceivers in red/yellow, white/yellow, white/black are excellent.  For the spanish macks, glass minnows in a fast retrieve are way good. Make sure you bring a good pair of wading shoes that protect your feet from shell debris and stingrays (yes, they’re everywhere too lol), a hat, and a good pair of sunglasses. Hope this was helpful to you. — Nicholas J. Slodki

:I am looking for anyone who may have some tips to share for fly fishing near :the Sandestin Resort in Florida.  I am planning to go mid October. Any :information on areas and tackle would be very helpful to a new initiate. : : :

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Nicholas, Would a sea kayak be any good down there. I just bought a sit-on-top and have been thinking about trying it around that area (I’m in Atlanta). Thanks. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Bryan, I’ve lived in that area many times before and visit constantly. What I suggest is an outfit from 7-10 wt., WF Intermediate or sinktip type II, and a reel with a min. of 220 yards of 20lb.  backing. If you head over toward panama city or are able to get back in the marshes in Choctawhatchee and St. Andrews Bays, you’re in for a treat.  They haven’t had much rain down there until this last week and the water should be relatively clear and the bottom stable.  Redfish and Seatrout will be moving into the back harbors and inlets at this time of year as winter is approaching.  On the jetties at the pass entrances, spanish mackerel, reds, pomano in the surf and flats, jacks, possibly some blues, specks and small sharks should be everywhere. Leaders should be no less 7′ and tapered to a min. of 10lb. class tippet. Shock tippets would be good for the spanish…about a foot of 30lb. albrighted to the tippet. Poppers are a must on the flats in the early mornings or evenings for reds, specks and jacks.  Some dredging flies <McCrab, clousers, Puffs no larger than a size 1 hook are good during the day.  Also deceivers in red/yellow, white/yellow, white/black are excellent.  For the spanish macks, glass minnows in a fast retrieve are way good. Make sure you bring a good pair of wading shoes that protect your feet from shell debris and stingrays (yes, they’re everywhere too lol), a hat, and a good pair of sunglasses. Hope this was helpful to you.

– Charlie…

Response:

I am looking for anyone who may have some tips to share for fly fishing near the Sandestin Resort in Florida.  I am planning to go mid October. Any information on areas and tackle would be very helpful to a new initiate.

Response:

Question:

I have sold my tools and materials, now I am offering my books and magazines.  $35.00 + shipping takes all. "Expert Fly-Tying,"  Paul Fling & Donald Puturbaugh, 1986 "Favorite Flies and Their Histories," Mary Orvis Marbury, 1892 (1995 reprint) "Fly-Tyer Pattern Bible," 1985 "Creative Fly-Tying & Fly Fishing," Rex Gerlach, 1974 "Practical Flies & Their Construction," Lacey Gee & Erwin Sias, 1966 My homemade note book with appx. 675 patterns, most with color pictures "Fly Tyer"  Aug ‘84, Nov ‘84, Spring ‘85, Fall ‘85 "American Fly Tyer:"  Spring ‘86-Winter ‘87, most issues "American Angler & Fly Tyer"  Spring ‘88-Fall ‘90, most issues "American Angler"  jan’91-June ‘91 If interested, email Jim at the above email address

Response:

Thanks to all of you who responded.  I sold the books to the first e-mail response I received. Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have sold my tools and materials, now I am offering my books and magazines.  $35.00 + shipping takes all.

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Question:

:   : Fishing Company and we have the Fly Tech waders in our online catalog at : I have been hearing good things about these waders and suspect that they I bought a pair of Fly-Techs 2 summers ago, looking for low-cost, light wieght pack waders. These were *junk*! The seam broke on the second use — the store took them back and said every one they sold ripped rightaway. They sent what they had left back, and will not stock FlyTech stuff again. I definitely wouldn’t buy these mail-order. But I’m just relating my experience; perhaps others have had better. Because of the boot-foot’s popularity in hunting, etc., you can get decent (though heavy) boot-foot waders at a reasonable price (my Red Balls are still going strong). But I’m still searching for some stocking-foot waders FRU (For the Rest of Us)… JonCook.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – :   : Fishing Company and we have the Fly Tech waders in our online catalog at : I have been hearing good things about these waders and suspect that they I bought a pair of Fly-Techs 2 summers ago, looking for low-cost, light wieght pack waders. These were *junk*! The seam broke on the second use — the store took them back and said every one they sold ripped rightaway. They sent what they had left back, and will not stock FlyTech stuff again. I definitely wouldn’t buy these mail-order. But I’m just relating my experience; perhaps others have had better. Because of the boot-foot’s popularity in hunting, etc., you can get decent (though heavy) boot-foot waders at a reasonable price (my Red Balls are still going strong). But I’m still searching for some stocking-foot waders FRU (For the Rest of Us)… JonCook.Jammerlab

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Rich, In response to your inquiry about boot foot vs stocking foot waders I prefer the bootfoot waders since my waders pull double duty for waterfowl hunting. I am always concerned about losing a boot when encoutering the muck associated with waterfowling. I am a representative of Champion Fishing Company and we have the Fly Tech waders in our online catalog at http://championfishing.com I have been hearing good things about these waders and suspect that they will be a good seller for us. Both stocking foot and boot foot waders are offered in both 3.5 and 5 mm weights as well as wading boots for the stocking foot waders. If you are interested in the Champion Fishing Company business opportunity check out my website at http://members.aol.com/blind10691/index.htm or e mail me for more info and a copy of our 200 page print catalog. Happy Fishing, Brett Lindsey

Brett,      I just pulled up "http://championfishing.com" and I was at the "Kerrville Telephone Company’s I-NET service" web page.  You may want to have someone look into this. However:    http://www.championfishing.com seems to work fine. Brian

Response:

Hi Rich, In response to your inquiry about boot foot vs stocking foot waders I prefer the bootfoot waders since my waders pull double duty for waterfowl hunting. I am always concerned about losing a boot when encoutering the muck associated with waterfowling. I am a representative of Champion Fishing Company and we have the Fly Tech waders in our online catalog at http://championfishing.com I have been hearing good things about these waders and suspect that they will be a good seller for us. Both stocking foot and boot foot waders are offered in both 3.5 and 5 mm weights as well as wading boots for the stocking foot waders. If you are interested in the Champion Fishing Company business opportunity check out my website at http://members.aol.com/blind10691/index.htm or e mail me for more info and a copy of our 200 page print catalog. Happy Fishing, Brett Lindsey

Response:

I fish exclusively in southern chile. I used to fish with boots. not anymore. shoes are far more pleasant to use than boots. I use Hodgman shoes and like them. That is my experience. Others may disagree. Mario http://www.inteligente.cl/Clientes/Sur_de_Chile/sur.html

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Fished in bootfoot wader for years and its time for a new pair.   Before I make the plunge for new ones would like to hear some of your opinions on which kind to buy (boot or stocking) as I can only afford one pair.  Also any comments on brands, types and/or styles would be appreciated. Thanks Rich

Hi Rich, Boot foot waders are very fast and easy to put on and are warmer in extreme cold. Great for certain situations. Stocking foot with lace up boots give you better foot protection and stability for hiking on streams. In our store in California we sell  99% stocking foot waders. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

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How about durability ? I have owned a pair of Orvis stockingfoot for 5 years, I have used them a lot, and as a result there is still some neoprene between the patches and the aquaseal, I believe. Anyway, I have notices that even though I use gravel cuffs, I tend to get leaks in the foot area, because of friction between the boot and the wader (it is unavoidable, the shoe is flexible, thus there is friction). I am wondering if bootfoot waders are better from the viewpoint of leaks, or if they develop leaks at the joint between the wader and the boot. -Vittorio – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Fished in bootfoot wader for years and its time for a new pair. Before I make the plunge for new ones would like to hear some of your opinions on which kind to buy (boot or stocking) as I can only afford one pair.  Also any comments on brands, types and/or styles would be appreciated. Thanks Rich Hi Rich, Boot foot waders are very fast and easy to put on and are warmer in extreme cold. Great for certain situations. Stocking foot with lace up boots give you better foot protection and stability for hiking on streams. In our store in California we sell  99% stocking foot waders. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

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Fished in bootfoot wader for years and its time for a new pair.   Before I make the plunge for new ones would like to hear some of your opinions on which kind to buy (boot or stocking) as I can only afford one pair.  Also any comments on brands, types and/or styles would be appreciated. Thanks Rich

Response:

Fished in bootfoot wader for years and its time for a new pair. Before I make the plunge for new ones would like to hear some of your opinions on which kind to buy (boot or stocking) as I can only afford one pair.  Also any comments on brands, types and/or styles would be appreciated. Thanks Rich

i think that it depends on what time of year you do most of your fishing and how much walking you do in them.  i would never be without my bootfoots for winter fishing (they keep your feet so much toastier, and are so easy to get in and out of)  since you already own a pair you know the one major drawback is that they are a pain to dry out, from taking a cold water dunking or sweat.  in warmer weather i wear stocking foots, but am thinking of getting some bootfoots, because they are so much easier to get in and out of.  one other thing, if you have bad or weak ankles, bootfoots may not provide you with enough ankle support.  i would recommend quiet sport or bare waders.  both have great reputations.

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Best advise don’t buy rotten/cheap wading shoes….get the Borger shoe company that makes them ….sorry no address in WI somewhere…Millwaukee? Anyway once in awhile they have seconds which are of the high end boots like Simms, Streamline as they won’t wear any better or worse than any of the others. use a pair of nlyon Hodgeman’s about $40…..again 3 years old just died due to barb wire…….Cabela’s neoprenes are $90 aren’t bad……Mike — Enter the WWW fly tying contest by visiting my web site:http://www.commonlink.com/~Midwestflytying

Response:

Fished in bootfoot wader for years and its time for a new pair. Before I make the plunge for new ones would like to hear some of your opinions on which kind to buy (boot or stocking) as I can only afford one pair.  Also any comments on brands, types and/or styles would be appreciated. Thanks Rich

I find that stockingfoot/boot combo feels more secure and gives me better ability to cope with uneven river bottoms in the current. However, I keep my first pair of bootfoots around for use in the salt, so I don’t have to worry about corrosion of grommets, etc. on the boots. By the way, I got a pair of Danners, which are kind of pricey, but certainly not as much as a good pair of hiking boots. If you like to get into strong current from time to time, I would highly recommend trying a pair on. The Danners feel like good athletic shoes compared to some of the stiffer wading boots. I have seen an ad for a wading shoe by Bare that looks very similar in construction to the Danner, and may have the same benefits. Fish on, Allen

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Question:

We are announcing the opening of a new full service flyfishing resort located in North Central Colorado, near Walden, Colorado.  The new lodge has a maximum capacity of 12 anglers per week and features gourmet foods, outstanding new accommodations and twelve miles of  private virgin headwaters of the North Platte that have never been fished by the public.  Excellent populations of browns, brookies, rainbows, cutthroats and cutbows in the same water.  All walk and wade.  Guided.  Instruction available.  No extra costs.  Catch and release.  For further information, check out http://little-grizzly-creek.com/lgc.html or  7113 N. Tatum, Paradise Valley, Arizona  85253. 602-952-9732.

Response:

We are announcing the opening of a new full service flyfishing resort located in North Central Colorado, near Walden, Colorado.  The new lodge has a maximum capacity of 12 anglers per week and features gourmet foods, outstanding new  accommodations and twelve miles of virgin headwaters of the North Platte that have never been fished by the public.  Good populations of browns,  brookies, rainbows, cutthroats and cutbows in the same water.  All walk and wade.  Guided.  Instruction available.  No extra costs.  Catch and release. For further information, check out http://little-grizzly-creek.com/lgc.html  7113 N. Tatum, Paradise Valley, Arizona  85253  602-952-9732

Response:

: We are announcing the opening of a new full service flyfishing resort located : in North Central Colorado, near Walden, Colorado.  The new lodge has a maximum [snip] : that have never been fished by the public.  Good populations of browns, :  brookies, rainbows, cutthroats and cutbows in the same water.  All walk and It’s not new anymore!  You’ve been advertising here for many, many months. Give us a rest… — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Assistant 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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Question:

Help!  The good news is that I’m going on a dive trip in a few weeks to Puerto Rico and Grand Cayman.  The bad news is that I’ve never caught a bonefish and would sure like to fix that during this trip.  Anybody out there have some knowledge about flyfishing these areas for bones, permits, tarpon, whatever.  I’m looking for locations, outfitters, phone numbers, anything.  I live in Southeast Alaska and would be glad to return the favor for anglers heading this way next year.

If you call the Cayman Is. Tourism board in (I think) New York, they will send you the current copy of the Cayman Angler, which lists current action, as well guides. I’ve tried the west side of Puerto Rico several times with no luck as far as bones go (found cuda, jacks, snappers, etc.). The SE corner looked more promising but I haven’t gotten a chance to go back. I met a guy from P.R. in a tackle shop in Maine, and he said the lagoons around the airport and San Juan all hold tarpon, which he regularly took on spinning gear. There is one guide in P.R. who advertises in the back of Saltwater Sportsman too. He appears to be more offshore oriented, but he may be able to help you out. If you can’t find a copy let me know, I’ll try to dig it up.                                                         jc

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Help!  The good news is that I’m going on a dive trip in a few weeks to Puerto Rico and Grand Cayman.  The bad news is that I’ve never caught a bonefish and would sure like to fix that during this trip.  Anybody out there have some knowledge about flyfishing these areas for bones, permits, tarpon, whatever.  I’m looking for locations, outfitters, phone numbers, anything.  I live in Southeast Alaska and would be glad to return the favor for anglers heading this way next year.

Response: