Question:

Thomas, Thanks for the notice!  I live up in Portland so it’s not easy to get down there.  Does the Mid Willamette group have a website? Brad Before you buy.

Response:

Thanks for the notice!  I live up in Portland so it’s not easy to get down there.  Does the Mid Willamette group have a website?

The MWFF does not yet have a web site.  There is a new Oregon Council Federation of Fly Fishers web site that lists all the Oregon fly fishing clubs, and has links to those that do have web pages.      http://oregonfff.org Thomas Gilg

Response:

This December 12th, 2000, fly fishing writer, photographer and cartoonist Gene Trump will be giving a slide show to the Mid-Willamette Fly Fishers (Corvallis, Oregon) on "Fly Fishing for Shad in Oregon".      First Presbyterian Church      8th and Monroe in Corvallis      Free – No Admission Cost Gene’s slide presentation will focus on shad fly-fishing in the State of Oregon. Often called "mini-tarpon", shad of 3-7 lbs. return by the 100,000+ in several of Oregon’s coastal streams, and by the millions in the Columbia River Basin. Largely unknown to many anglers, shad are easily caught by fly anglers and fight hard. Gene will reveal all he knows. Next month, the Mid-Willamette Fly Fishers will hold their yearly banquet (1/6/2000), and will have Rick Hafele as the nights speaker. Rick has helped write many of the insect/hatch books that fly fishers in the west depend on. Banquet tickets are on sale at Wilson Motors in Corvallis and at the 12/12 meeting. Please call me if you have any questions – 541-715-2756 during the day, or 541-753-4276 during the evening. The Mid-Willamette Fly Fishers general meeting is the 2nd Tuesday of all months except January, July, August and September, when the banquet and outings dominate the schedule. All meetings and outings are open to the public – membership is NOT required. For those that can make it, my wife (Donna) and I will be giving a presentation to the Santiam Fly Casters in Salem Oregon on 12/14/2000.  Donna and I have a slide show "His and Hers Alaska" which contrasts 4 "grungy macho guy trips in rafts" against 1 "civilized real-food real-heat trip in cabins/houseboat" that the wife forced the guy into  Though my portion of the slide show ends with burning underware (low cost laundry), Donna is substantially meaner towards the male of the species, with her "selective femenism" theory (guys do all the hard junk women don’t choose to do). Thomas Gilg – President, Mid-Willamette Fly Fishers – VP Conservation, Oregon Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers

Response:

Tom, This sounds very ineresting, especially in light of the huge run of shad below Bonneville dam, near where I live.  Any chance of posting a transcript or highlights of the presentation? Thanks, Pat K – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This December 12th, 2000, fly fishing writer, photographer and cartoonist Gene Trump will be giving a slide show to the Mid-Willamette Fly Fishers (Corvallis, Oregon) on "Fly Fishing for Shad in Oregon".      First Presbyterian Church      8th and Monroe in Corvallis      Free – No Admission Cost Gene’s slide presentation will focus on shad fly-fishing in the State of Oregon. Often called "mini-tarpon", shad of 3-7 lbs. return by the 100,000+ in several of Oregon’s coastal streams, and by the millions in the Columbia River Basin. Largely unknown to many anglers, shad are easily caught by fly anglers and fight hard. Gene will reveal all he knows. Next month, the Mid-Willamette Fly Fishers will hold their yearly banquet (1/6/2000), and will have Rick Hafele as the nights speaker. Rick has helped write many of the insect/hatch books that fly fishers in the west depend on. Banquet tickets are on sale at Wilson Motors in Corvallis and at the 12/12 meeting. Please call me if you have any questions – 541-715-2756 during the day, or 541-753-4276 during the evening. The Mid-Willamette Fly Fishers general meeting is the 2nd Tuesday of all months except January, July, August and September, when the banquet and outings dominate the schedule. All meetings and outings are open to the public – membership is NOT required. For those that can make it, my wife (Donna) and I will be giving a presentation to the Santiam Fly Casters in Salem Oregon on 12/14/2000.  Donna and I have a slide show "His and Hers Alaska" which contrasts 4 "grungy macho guy trips in rafts" against 1 "civilized real-food real-heat trip in cabins/houseboat" that the wife forced the guy into  Though my portion of the slide show ends with burning underware (low cost laundry), Donna is substantially meaner towards the male of the species, with her "selective femenism" theory (guys do all the hard junk women don’t choose to do). Thomas Gilg – President, Mid-Willamette Fly Fishers – VP Conservation, Oregon Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers

Before you buy.

Response:

Question:

I’m totally new to fly fishing and have a few Q’s about casting…After my backstroke how far should my wrist go forward (10 o’clock?, or what?)? and how long so I let the line drop before I use backstroke again? I think the best way to learn is to watch somebody, but if you can please help. And when fishing for salmon in rivers, do you use weights? Thanks for any help, Chad

Response:

Hi Chad, The question regarding casting is a highly debated topic to which many a method, rhyme and reason exists.  In essence when false casting (the line is literally in constant motion) the hand/wrist/arm position-motion closely resembles that of a pianists metronome.  A balance of speed and motion on either side of vertical (12 o’clock position).  So the classic 10 to 2 method really sets up a nice Horizontal cast, where the flyline appears to be in a purely horizontal plane. If you were to change that relationship (10 o’clock is the backcast and 2 o’clock the forward cast for example) then a casting stroke of 9 to 1 would yield a high forward cast which would inevitably ‘fall short’ of the target (puddle cast) and a 11 to 3 would produce a cast which would drive into the water with quite a splash. But, the classic 10 to 2 is not what you would always use when your out fishing so it is very important that you experiment with varying degrees of the ‘clock’.  There will be times when you would want to cast a ’soft’ presentation so maybe a 9 to 1 would do fine… No matter what happens, give yourself a steady casting tempo, don’t rush a casting direction because you fear the line will hit the water mid cast. Watching someone cast is alright but it is the ‘feel’ of a cast that is most difficult to put into words.  Have someone take you in-hand to let you know what a cast feels like and not just what it looks like! As for salmon fishing, I use sinktip and full sink lines as well as floaters when fishing.  Occasionally I add some split shot but most of my fly’s have weights in them when necessary. Good luck and have fun up there! Roger M. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m totally new to fly fishing and have a few Q’s about casting…After my backstroke how far should my wrist go forward (10 o’clock?, or what?)? and how long so I let the line drop before I use backstroke again? I think the best way to learn is to watch somebody, but if you can please help. And when fishing for salmon in rivers, do you use weights? Thanks for any help, Chad

Response:

Is there any reason why that unfurling loop couldn’t have lift?

Maybe this will help: http://www.lerc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/lift1.html — Charlie…

Response:

I could be wrong technically.  What I meant to point out was that a fly line unfurling with a tight loop looks like an airfoil in crossection. But with a solid airfoil, a low pressure zone on the top makes the whole thing lift by virtue of the fact that the bottom is solidly connected to the top.  The top can’t lift the bottom unless the two are connected in some stable way.  At least I can’t imagine how it could. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m not so sure. Clearly a moving fly line is affected in some way by the air around it; otherwise we’d all use soft rods on windy days. The question is what kind of aerodynamics are involved. I think fluid dynamics would apply. In water, similar wave structures can be created either with the water moving and the wave staying still (rivers)(analogize the "flexible" water with the "flexible" line?) or with the water staying basically motionless but the wave moving (oceans). A flycast (as it unrolls-not necessarily on the backcast) is sort of like an ocean wave; the bottom of the loop consists of line that’s no longer moving but the loop still moves forward, unfurling. Is there any reason why that unfurling loop couldn’t have lift? Any aero engineers out there? What you want is a reasonably small loop that actually looks like the leading edge of an airplane wing (I heard tell the line actually "flies" that way). That would be impossible since the line is flexible.

– Regards, Jeff Before you buy.

Response:

Good point. What I’m thinking is that the top is exerting some upward pressure on the bottom — ie, if you get the top hung up in a branch, the bottom won’t fall to the water. On a much lower scale, maybe any lift created by the top exerts some slight force on the bottom as well, delaying the descent until the whole line’s out straight. Or maybe not. This is a passing reference I saw in a video. Really: anyone versed in airfoil fluid mechanics out there?

Response:

I could be wrong technically.  

        the effort that statement must have required is simply awe inspiring. wayno

Response:

Or maybe not. This is a passing reference I saw in a video. Really: anyone versed in airfoil fluid mechanics out there?

Again, you could look at the reference I posted earlier and learn enough to see that fly lines don’t ‘fly’. — Charlie…

Response:

Please repost that url; my box wouldn’t go there last time (and I subsequently deleted messages). I’ll look at it carefully.

Response:

Please repost that url; my box wouldn’t go there last time (and I subsequently deleted messages). I’ll look at it carefully.

http://www.lerc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/lift1.html — Charlie…

Response:

I’m convincing myself. Maybe I’ll forward this string to a prof somewhere for analysis…

Oh well… — Charlie…

Response:

Here you go, boys. Just plug in the boundary conditions and solve these equations. Unfortunately, you’ll need a supercomputer. Maybe you can get a grant. When I worked at the NASA Ames Research Center (Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation) they gave a grant to somebody to study the aerodynamics of tennis balls. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam) [ equations.html 1K ]

Response:

OK, thanks for the reference. Good page! However, it tends to confirm my theory. Here are three relevant excerpts from NASA’s explanation of lift: 1.  "For a body immersed in a moving fluid, the fluid will remain in contact with the surface of the body. If the body is shaped, moved, or inclined in such a way as to produce a net deflection, or turning, of the flow, the local velocity is changed in magnitude, direction or both. Changing the velocity creates a net force on the body." 2.   "Viscosity: As an object moves through the air, the viscosity (stickiness) of the air becomes very important. Air molecules stick to any surface, creating a layer of air near the surface (called a boundary layer) that, in effect, changes the shape of the object. To make things more confusing, the boundary layer may lift off or "separate" from the body and create an effective shape much different from the physical shape of an object. And to make it even more confusing, the flow conditions in and near the boundary layer are often unsteady (changing in time). The boundary layer is very important in determining both the drag and lift of an object.  3.  "Newton[s] position that lift is the reaction force on a body caused by  deflecting a flow of gas." Here’s how I integrate that: per quote 1 above, a body does not need to move to generate lift. It only must be "moved, shaped, or inclined." I think that the unfurling of a fly line creates the shape required to create lift. Quote 1 also confirms that lift is a function of fluid mechanics, which supports my idea that, just as waves can be standing or moving, so could an airfoil. Finally, an accelerating fly line has just the sort of velocity change needed to create lift (there’s an extensive discussion of the role of acceleration on the NASA site). A stiffer action rod creates greater line speed; and it casts the line farther. That may be a factor of acceleration/lift, as well as simple Newton gravity/trajectory math. What’s puzzled me is how a round fly line could act as an airfoil in its interaction with individual molecules. Sure, the shape is an airfoil, but I couldn’t see how the specific line-to-molecule interaction could act like a plane (in both the popular and Euclidian senses!). Quote 2 might explain: if the line moving through the air creates a boundary layer, that layer could function more as an airfoil than the line itself does. Finally, can’t ignore the simple component that the wing’s angle of attack gives. Bernoulli’s principle (yeah, I knew what it was called before!) explains most lift, but some comes from the simple fact of air hitting the bottom of the wing (if the wing’s inclined slightly upward). That’s why attack angle is a fact in flying characteristics. So, where do we usually stop our forward cast? 10:00; exactly the same slight upward angle you’d use if you were trying to coax a little more lift out of an airfoil. Finally, there’s the simple Bernoullian theory itself: air on bottom of wing doesn’t have to move much, air on top does, ergo lift. With a fly line, it’s: bottom of loop doesn’t really move (the first ten feet from your rod tip go forward and just hang there while the rest of the line unfurls); the top of your loop — the part that’s accelerating forward the fastest — moves maybe a hundred feet or more, displacing air while it does so. Why wouldn’t there be lift? I’m convincing myself. Maybe I’ll forward this string to a prof somewhere for analysis…

Response:

Well, that was a lot of interesting stuff, but for me the problem is that a fly line moving through the air probably does not fit the definition of a solid object.  If it’s in a straight line with force being applied in direct opposition at each end, maybe.  When it’s furled and forces are acting at different angles, I don’t think so. OK, thanks for the reference. Good page! However, it tends to confirm my theory. Here are three relevant excerpts from NASA’s explanation of lift:

Regards, Jeff

Response:

No matter what happens, give yourself a steady casting tempo, don’t rush a casting direction because you fear the line will hit the water mid cast. Watching someone cast is alright but it is the ‘feel’ of a cast that is most difficult to put into words.  Have someone take you in-hand to let you know what a cast feels like and not just what it looks like!

Possibly the most sensible thing that has been written about casting a fly! The *FEEL* of what is happening to the line is vital. — Bill http://www.graigroad.demon.co.uk

Response:

Also learn to look at the loops created when you cast, especially the one behind you. I was given some pictures of myself fishing a couple years ago when I was starting, and the loops were great big open things, which couldn’t transmit any power or forward momentum to the line. What you want is a reasonably small loop that actually looks like the leading edge of an airplane wing (I heard tell the line actually "flies" that way). Too big, no power and no distance. Too small (too quick a tempo), and you may pop a fly off and/or cut the tip of your rod off if a heavy setup hits it. Look at some pics of casters in brochures and books and you’ll see the golden mean!

Response:

What you want is a reasonably small loop that actually looks like the leading edge of an airplane wing (I heard tell the line actually "flies" that way).

That would be impossible since the line is flexible. Regards, Jeff

Response:

I’m not so sure. Clearly a moving fly line is affected in some way by the air around it; otherwise we’d all use soft rods on windy days. The question is what kind of aerodynamics are involved. I think fluid dynamics would apply. In water, similar wave structures can be created either with the water moving and the wave staying still (rivers)(analogize the "flexible" water with the "flexible" line?) or with the water staying basically motionless but the wave moving (oceans). A flycast (as it unrolls-not necessarily on the backcast) is sort of like an ocean wave; the bottom of the loop consists of line that’s no longer moving but the loop still moves forward, unfurling. Is there any reason why that unfurling loop couldn’t have lift? Any aero engineers out there? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What you want is a reasonably small loop that actually looks like the leading edge of an airplane wing (I heard tell the line actually "flies" that way). That would be impossible since the line is flexible.

Response:

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have never fished before except once at a trout farm where you drop in a line and the fish attack it. I go canoeing alot on a local reservoir and I’d like to get started fishing it. The lake has bass, trout, walleye, crappie and some others. I just got a Shimano spinning combo but I dont know how to get line on the spool or exactly how the spinning reel works. Any help/advice about spinning rods and fishing in general will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 p[0]       Have a look at the Feild and Stream Web site they have articles on filling your reel and properly setting the drag on you spinning reel as well as the proper way to use the rod to fight the fish. You can find them at http://www.fieldandstream.com/     You might also want to try having a look at the In-Fisherman Web site. They have several of the articles on line and the search engine will help you find techniques for any of the fish you are after. Their URL is http://www.in-fisherman.com     Finally you can try the web site for many of the popular tackle companies. You can find a list of many of them at http://www.acc.umu.se/~widmark/lwmanufa.html     Good luck hope this helps some Maurice. Regards,   —

Response:

I have never fished before except once at a trout farm where you drop in a line and the fish attack it. I go canoeing alot on a local reservoir and I’d like to get started fishing it. The lake has bass, trout, walleye, crappie and some others. I just got a Shimano spinning combo but I dont know how to get line on the spool or exactly how the spinning reel works. Any help/advice about spinning rods and fishing in general will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Response:

I just got a Shimano spinning combo but I dont know how to get line on the spool or exactly how the spinning reel works. Any help/advice about spinning rods and fishing in general will be greatly appreciated.

Advise you to take your reel to your local bait shop or sporting goods store. They will fill your reel usually for 2 or 3

Question:

‘nospam’ in my address.   We are willing to give a

Question:

Can anyone give me some tips about fishing the runoff. The rivers up here (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) are pretty murky and fast from the recent rains and snow melt.  I headed out to the Elbow River at the weekend but got nothing. Tried black/olive wooly buggers (to me they looked just like the rest of the debris floating by), GRHE’s and Blace Dace streamers. Not even a nibble. I tied some white and red crystal streamers tonight and may give them a go. I’m thinking that maybe something white will be more visible through the murk. Any and all advice gratefully recieved KB

Response:

In high murky river waters IMHO the best thing you cano do is keep moving and fish the margins.  The fish do not want to expend more energy than they can get from a meal.  The fast water causes them to expend too much energy so they snuggle up to obtructions – boulders, river bends, undercut banks, sand bars, downed logs.  They usually won’t move far so you have to practically hit them in the nose with the fly.  The good news is stealth is usually not an issue since their ability to perceive in murky water is limited.  I have found had some good success with large terrestrial insect patterns in high murky, summer water. Grasshoppers, beetles, bees, or imitations of large aquatics such as Royal Coachman, Humpies, Goddard Caddis and Elk Hair Caddis, fished dry, have produced some great days when the water seemed just too high, too fast, and too colored. As far as nymphs are concerned, high water dislodges tons of the suckers.  I believe the best patterns to use in these water conditions are suggestive of life, rather than exact imitations.  A furry Hare’s Ear, Beadhead Prince, and Weighted Stonefly are three of my favorites. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can anyone give me some tips about fishing the runoff. The rivers up here (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) are pretty murky and fast from the recent rains and snow melt.  I headed out to the Elbow River at the weekend but got nothing. Tried black/olive wooly buggers (to me they looked just like the rest of the debris floating by), GRHE’s and Blace Dace streamers. Not even a nibble. I tied some white and red crystal streamers tonight and may give them a go. I’m thinking that maybe something white will be more visible through the murk. Any and all advice gratefully recieved KB

Response:

Question:

I have recently started fly fishing with a $35 combo rod/reel I bought at Sports Authority – its made by South Bend.  I thought that $35 was a good gamble if I didn’t like fly fishing, I wouldn’t be out alot of cash. The problem is, I love it!  I have had more fun than I can tell you! Freshwater Bass is a blast on the fly and now I am going after Snook in the brackish waters of the Indian River Lagoon here in SE Florida. I am interested in networking with others who can share information with me with regard to what flys work best and what brand/size rod and reel I should consider steping up to.

Response:

There are a number of great fly fishing sites that offer a wealth of information, include bulletin boards, chat rooms, etc. All of these can be valuable. For a start, log onto our site and go to the links page. Click through those links and they, in turn, will lead you to others. — Hope you always have the time to go fishing! Jerry in Lodi Al & Jerry’s Excellent Adventures http://www.softcom.net/users/dorado Al & Jerry’s Fishing Forum http://pluto.beseen.com/boardroom/m/19629

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Question:

Howell Raines’ great book "Fly Fishing the Midlife Crisis" is on sale for only $5.99 at www.bargainbookwarehouse.com. In the stores it sells for $22. I don’t think they have any other fishing books.

Response:

"Fly Fishing Through the Midlife Crisis" I agree that it is an excellent read, and I’m not even at mid-life yet…Clint – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howell Raines’ great book "Fly Fishing the Midlife Crisis" is on sale for only $5.99 at www.bargainbookwarehouse.com. In the stores it sells for $22. I don’t think they have any other fishing books.

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, The last fly rod I bought was in 1973 when I purchased a Fenwick 4 piece travel rod for use in California mountain streams. Now I live in New Mexico and have access to the San Juan and a few other large trout waters and my 7′ pack rod doesn’t quite cut it. I looked around town for Redington (after following posts in this group) and no-one has ever heard of it. I liked a [very pricey] Orvis 9′  5 wt I found in one shop. The last shop I went to only sold Sage rods.  This guy tells me Orvis isn’t that good of quality any more and Sage is the way to go. I checked out to of the rods and for my taste they are to still. I really think $400.00  plus is too much, but the less expensive rods I looked at were pretty poor for what I considered a lot of money. Any suggestions?

I have a St. Croix 8 foot, 4-5wt rod…it’s a 4-piece travel rod and they also make a 8′6" 5-6wt 4 piece.  I bought mine for $100 and they may be $125 now.  It is a very nice rod for the price (I also have a Sage 590RPL which costs a lot more). I actually prefer the slightly slower action of the St. Croix.  When the situation demands it, the rod is still capable of throwing a lot of line.   A friend of mine really likes the action of the Sage Discovery Series rods (their introductory line of rods).  Good luck. August Kristoferson http://www.eskimo.com/~augustk

Response:

writes: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hello, The last fly rod I bought was in 1973 when I purchased a Fenwick 4 piece travel rod for use in California mountain streams. Now I live in New Mexico and have access to the San Juan and a few other large trout waters and my 7′ pack rod doesn’t quite cut it. I looked around town for Redington (after following posts in this group) and no-one has ever heard of it. I liked a [very pricey] Orvis 9′  5 wt I found in one shop. The last shop I went to only sold Sage rods.  This guy tells me Orvis isn’t that good of quality any more and Sage is the way to go. I checked out to of the rods and for my taste they are to still. I really think $400.00  plus is too much, but the less expensive rods I looked at were pretty poor for what I considered a lot of money. Any suggestions? Mike

Hi Mike, If the $400 price range is a bit spendy for you check out the Orvis HLS RM series.  Rods are $240 -$250 for 2 peice and are made from the same blanks that 1995’s premium HLS used last year.  With the fancier fittings these rods sold for $350.  You get the same performance with a less fancy reel seat and handle, 2 coats of epoxy on the wraps instead of the 4 coats of low-build polyurethane varnish and a price tag of $100 less.  I would suggest you try the HLS RM "Adams" (8 1/2ft. 4 wt., $240), the HLS RM "Bighorn" (8 1/2ft. 5 wt., $240), and the HLS RM "Colorado" (9ft. 5wt., $250).  4 piece rods are about $50 more.  All of these are medium fast action rods made from a high modulus graphite.  Because of the line speed generated by the newer graphites you can use a 5 wt. where you used to need a 6 wt. and a 4 wt. where you used to need a 5 wt.  These rods are covered by the same 25 yr. "any way you break it guarantee" that Orvis has given since 1988, so you don’t need to worry about breakage even if it’s your fault.  Try them out and see what you think.                                    Hope this helps,                                                Dan Dan Gracia                                                               Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools If you kill that big fish you can’t catch ‘em again.  So what if they eat other fish?  If you kill the big ones there will only be little ones left (funny how that works!).

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, The last fly rod I bought was in 1973 when I purchased a Fenwick 4 piece travel rod for use in California mountain streams. Now I live in New Mexico and have access to the San Juan and a few other large trout waters and my 7′ pack rod doesn’t quite cut it. I looked around town for Redington (after following posts in this group) and no-one has ever heard of it. I liked a [very pricey] Orvis 9′  5 wt I found in one shop. The last shop I went to only sold Sage rods.  This guy tells me Orvis isn’t that good of quality any more and Sage is the way to go. I checked out to of the rods and for my taste they are to still. I really think $400.00  plus is too much, but the less expensive rods I looked at were pretty poor for what I considered a lot of money. Any suggestions?

The most popular size fly rod sold in the West is a 9′ #5  2 piece.  If you are traveling on aircraft or back packing you might consider a 3 or 4 piece.  I would try to cast as many rods that you can and choose one that feels good. Many rod companies have unconditional warranties and if you keep this next one for 23 years you will get your moneys worth at any price. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA

Response:

Hello, The last fly rod I bought was in 1973 when I purchased a Fenwick 4 piece travel rod for use in California mountain streams. Now I live in New Mexico and have access to the San Juan and a few other large trout waters and my 7′ pack rod doesn’t quite cut it. I looked around town for Redington (after following posts in this group) and no-one has ever heard of it. I liked a [very pricey] Orvis 9′  5 wt I found in one shop. The last shop I went to only sold Sage rods.  This guy tells me Orvis isn’t that good of quality any more and Sage is the way to go. I checked out to of the rods and for my taste they are to still. I really think $400.00  plus is too much, but the less expensive rods I looked at were pretty poor for what I considered a lot of money. Any suggestions? Mike

Response:

Question:

There was an article in Field and Stream a few years back all about the Bow R. — check out one of the magazine databases on CompuServe.

Response:

FISHING IN ALBERTA AND THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES (CANADA). I have got a friend that is going to Canada on the 16′th of July and therefore he is very interested in getting some informations about fishing for trouts in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. To be more specific he would like to know something about: 1) Fishing in the Bow River. For example what part of the river has got the best fishing, would it be possible to do a combination of fishing/canoeing down the river and if so where can he rent a canoe? Is it legal to camp on the bank and if not what othe All informations about fishing/canoeing on the Bow River are most welcome. 2) Concerning the Northwest Territories he is interested in hearing from anyone that can tell something about fishing for lake trouts in Great Bear Lake/Great Slave Lake (or any other place that is recommendable) If anyone can help with something of the above mentioned please respond bye email, before the 8′th of July  

Response:

Mr Bo Max Andersen asked on 21 June: 1) Fishing in the Bow River. For example what part of the river has got the best fishing, would it be possible to do a combination of fishing/canoeing down the  river and if so where can he rent a canoe?

Is it legal to camp on the bank and if not what othe <??? All informations about fishing/canoeing on the Bow River are most welcome. The "best" part of the Bow is the special regulations water from the 22x Highway Bridge to the Caresland Irrigation Weir.  It has the greatest numbers of trout per km and the heaviest hatches.  All of the water in this stretch is pretty tame – your friend shouldn’t have any trouble. HOWEVER, I hear from friends that the Bow is running off very heavily and heavy rains have made it worse – when it’s high, some stretches are a little rougher to run through.  I suspect the river will be fishing okay by mid-July, but it is likely to be high, so the dry fly activity may be hard to find – hit the back channels hard.  Streamers can be a blast in higher water, though. As for camping, you will not be well advised to camp on the banks.  They are private property above the high-water marks and prosectution can really spoil the fun.  The islands in mid-stream, however, are not.  We used to camp on those with no problem.  Your friend would be well advised to hit one of the fly shops in Calgary and get a river map and advice (a couple of the islands are actually private). Assuming a pretty sedate pace, the lower Bow from 22x down is about three days, though with a canoe and high water it might only be two. This assumes getting out pretty often.  Policeman’s (about 5 miles downstream from Calgary) to McKinnon Flats is normally a long day’s float. Public access can be had at a number of places in Calgary, then 22x, Policeman’s, McKinnon’s and Carseland.  Vehicle shuttles are pretty easy to get. Hope this helps, Ian Brown

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I guess little things in life please me; last weekend while tying some flies with a friend, his father showed us the trick of how to tie the head of a Muddler Minnow. I had always marvelled at these seemingly intricate flies and wondered "How in the world do you tie this?".

Pete,      Cool, huh?  As Scott indicates in response to this same posting, spinning deerhair is a basic technique that’s been around a long time. You can also spin other materials such as wool (woolhead sculpins) tow yarn (glow bugs) or any hollow animal hair.      Back in high school I reluctantly began tying commercially for local fly shops and a large mailorder firm.  I tried to stick mostly to custom tying because it didn’t get as boring (I would tie dozens of a pattern and color rather than grosses) and I made better money. Excellent spending (fishing) money for a teen by the way.  Anyway, I tied tons of muddlers.  Popular fly.  To form the head on a muddler you shouldn’t need to spin more than one clump of hair.  First, always use a heavier than normal thread when spinning hair.  Cut a suitable sized clump and stack the tips (even the hair tips).  These tips will form your muddler’s collar.  Make two loose wraps of thread around the hair and hook with the tips of the hair positioned to form the collar (usually about half way down the hook shank).  Begin to tighten your thread to flare the hair and wrap through the flared deerhair. Tie off and trim the flared butt ends and some of the tip ends of the deerhair.  The muddler should take less than 5 minutes to tie plus it’s a great fly.  I think you’ll find this method for muddler heads quicker, easier, and neater.  Have fun tying! John

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I guess little things in life please me; last weekend while tying some flies with a friend, his father showed us the trick of how to tie the head of a Muddler Minnow. I had always marvelled at these seemingly intricate flies and wondered "How in the world do you tie this?". The trick is that you take deer hair and wrap it to the hook near the head, splitting the length of the hair in 2.  As you let go of the deer hair, it fans out in a perpendicular fashion to the hook.  After wrapping several bunches of deer hair to the hook, the previous bunches get pushed backwards.  Then you just trim away the bulk of the dear head and sculpt the head of the muddler minnow. Its quite simple !  What a revelation!  I tied my 1st muddler and it looked AWESOME.                                                         pete                                                                            |_    

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Its quite simple !  What a revelation!  I tied my 1st muddler and it looked AWESOME.

The "trick" you describe is pretty much standard practice (its called hair spinning and is described in many fly tying books).. You did say in your original message that you were just trimming the hair to shape the head..  After you trim, you can use a match (or lighter if youre careful) to further refine the head’s shape.. Scott —             |                UUCP: ..!uunet!plains!wilken       |               | WWW page -= http://www.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu/~wilken |

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