Question:

I’m going to fishing Kolob Res. next week.  Any recent fishing reports and/or fly recommendations anyone care to pass on? Thanks, Eric

Though I’ve not been there this year, my family still lives in Virgin and Kolob is one of my "home" waters.  Its best fished this time of year from a float tube.  Remember, its gonna be cold up there, so put on the extra layers. I like to "troll" a big dragonfly nymph in the north end of the lake, near were the creek comes in.  The water is shallower there and will warm faster. Also, chironomids patterns can be successful near shore. — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply.

Response:

I’m going to fishing Kolob Res. next week.  Any recent fishing reports and/or fly recommendations anyone care to pass on? Also, I will be up around the east of the South Slope of the Uintah Mountains (Uintah River) next week as well.  I’d appreciate fly recommendations on the streams and high lakes (Paradise, Pachetta) that you might have. Thanks, Eric

Response:

Question:

I’ll see what I can do, PSU tickets between the 20s are hard to find. I’d love to go to any PSU home game this year, and if I can get tickets I’ll contact you.  How much prior notice do you require?

I’m workin’ on a ticket in the visitors section from this end as well. Unfortunately, I’m well down the pecking order of Illini alums and probably won’t get one. If I do, I’d be very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have you show me some of those great PA streams around the ballgame. If we can pull this off, we’ll need to hijack Mark Faulkner and force him to fish with us. As far as prior notice, … hell, I don’t know, depends on what’s happening at the time. Don’t go to any expense on my account, the game will be on the tube anyway. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

This has the makings of an miniclave in central PA.  Let’s work on some tickets and see what happens.  After the so-called "Fighting Illini" get sent back to the playpen by the Nittany Lions – led by the quarterback now proudly known as the "defendant" – we can get to some serious fishing. Mark Faulkner – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m workin’ on a ticket in the visitors section from this end as well. Unfortunately, I’m well down the pecking order of Illini alums and probably won’t get one. If I do, I’d be very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have you show me some of those great PA streams around the ballgame. If we can pull this off, we’ll need to hijack Mark Faulkner and force him to fish with us.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll see what I can do, PSU tickets between the 20s are hard to find.  I’d love to go to any PSU home game this year, and if I can get tickets I’ll contact you.  How much prior notice do you require? I’m workin’ on a ticket in the visitors section from this end as well. Unfortunately, I’m well down the pecking order of Illini alums and probably won’t get one. If I do, I’d be very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have you show me some of those great PA streams around the ballgame. If we can pull this off, we’ll need to hijack Mark Faulkner and force him to fish with us. As far as prior notice, … hell, I don’t know, depends on what’s happening at the time. Don’t go to any expense on my account, the game will be on the tube anyway. — Ken Fortenberry

Well, I had been looking for PSU tickets for any home game already.  If I can get them, I’m sure that I will be able to find somebody around here that would want to go with me if you are unavailable.  The most available tickets are always in the student section (of course) which is at the wrong end of the field for an Illini fan…  Usually you can find tickets in the newspaper or on eBay in the week or two immediately prior to the game.  Nothing personal, but a game vs. Illinios isn’t like a game against Michigan or OSU so finding tickets may not be impossible. Tom perhaps we should be looking for the Big Ten newsgroup? Before you buy.

Response:

So I’m hoping that one of you ROFFians can help me…  Or maybe you just know somebody who might.  Anybody who fishes in the Centre/Clinton/Lycoming county region who would be willing to throw away a few hours of their time giving me a few pointers would be a blessing.  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. Thanks, Tom Before you buy.

Tom It just so happens that I will spending Labor Day weekend at my cabin along Slate Run in Lycoming County. I will arriving on Thur the 31st and departing Mon morning Sep 4. Slate Run is a beautiful wild trout stream in a remote wilderness setting as are Cedar Run and Young Womens Creek all near by. Maybe we could hookup sometime over the weekend for a little dry fly fishing. I probaby dry fly fish 95% of the time so maybe I could help you out a little there. Drop me a email message if you are interested. We would have to pick a time and place to meet before hand as there is no phone in the cabin. John Mimnall Before you buy.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll see what I can do, PSU tickets between the 20s are hard to find. I’d love to go to any PSU home game this year, and if I can get tickets I’ll contact you.  How much prior notice do you require? I’m workin’ on a ticket in the visitors section from this end as well. Unfortunately, I’m well down the pecking order of Illini alums and probably won’t get one. If I do, I’d be very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have you show me some of those great PA streams around the ballgame. If we can pull this off, we’ll need to hijack Mark Faulkner and force him to fish with us. — Ken Fortenberry

Hell Ken you could probaby be on the stream by halftime as the soon to be convict PSU quarterback will probaby run circles around the Illini defense and there would be no question as to the outcome of the game by that time. Before you buy.

Response:

Nothing personal, but a game vs. Illinios isn’t

like a game against Michigan or OSU so finding tickets may not be impossible.< Going at cut rate prices, one would assume. <g

Response:

It just so happens that I will spending Labor Day weekend at my cabin along Slate Run in Lycoming County… Slate Run is a beautiful wild trout stream in a remote wilderness setting as are Cedar Run and Young Womens Creek all near by.

John, John, John. I’m afraid you might have just inadvertently invited one Anthony Wayne Harrison, Esquire to be a permanent house guest at your cabin. Tell me–how far exactly is it to Young Womens from your cabin? –Steve

Response:

 Nothing personal, but a game vs. Illinios isn’t like a game against Michigan or OSU

    bwaaaaahaaaa!     truth always rings clear, even though the sound might be painful to certain ears. wayno

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It just so happens that I will spending Labor Day weekend at my cabin along Slate Run in Lycoming County… Slate Run is a beautiful wild trout stream in a remote wilderness setting as are Cedar Run and Young Womens Creek all near by. John, John, John. I’m afraid you might have just inadvertently invited one Anthony Wayne Harrison, Esquire to be a permanent house guest at your cabin. Tell me–how far exactly is it to Young Womens from your cabin? –Steve

No need for Mr. Harrison’s help as I already saw to it that all the young women along the creek are ‘changed’ and only have eye’s for me. Actually I think the creek was named after a young indian girl that was lost along it. Before you buy.

Response:

Nothing personal, but a game vs. Illinios isn’t like a game against Michigan or OSU so finding tickets may not be impossible. Going at cut rate prices, one would assume. <g     bwaaaaahaaaa!     truth always rings clear, even though the sound might be painful to certain ears.

All this Illini razzing is music to my ears, especially from the Buckeye and Tarheel contingent who happened to be THE major source of college football Laphroaig last season. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

No need for Mr. Harrison’s help as I already saw to it that all the young women along the creek are ‘changed’ and only have eye’s for me.

        pretty work.  so many creeks; so little time. wayno

Response:

All this Illini razzing is music to my ears, especially from the

Buckeye and Tarheel contingent who happened to be THE major source of college football Laphroaig last season. < Hey, Wayne.  Did you reseal your bottle the way I advised?  Gives Laphroaig a decent flavor.  0

Response:

All this Illini razzing is music to my ears, especially from the Buckeye and Tarheel contingent who happened to be THE major source of college football Laphroaig last season. —

"college football Laphroaig"??? isn’t that a team in texas?  no wait that’s the horned phroaigs…  oh hell, can we at least have a better quality bet this year fellas??  with Laphroaig as the trophy, it’s no wonder the heels lost and wayno paid up…who’d want that cadaver juice?  ’cept ken, of course… <G jeff

Response:

"college football Laphroaig"??? isn’t that a team in texas?  no wait that’s the horned phroaigs…  

Maybe you’re thinking of a different Forty, the north Dallas one perhaps? <g — Charlie…

Response:

"college football Laphroaig"??? isn’t that a team in texas?  no wait that’s the horned phroaigs…  oh hell, can we at least have a better quality bet this year fellas??  with Laphroaig as the trophy, it’s no wonder the heels lost and wayno paid up…who’d want that cadaver juice?  ’cept ken, of course… <G

The Laphroaig is my winnings. If the Tarheels ever put together a football squad, I’d owe Wayno some horribly expensive chardonnay. If the Buckeyes were to get real lucky I’d have to get Harry a bottle of Cardhu. In the spirit of "you can never have too much Laphroaig" I should find a sucker^H^H^H^H^H^H  football fan of the Nittany Lion persuasion to swindle^H^H^H^H^H^H^H  bet with this year. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Does anyone know what happened to my Barnoculars? Lost them sometime in college in California early 80’s… absolute necessity for college football where they frisk you as you enter… as a Democrat who encourages diversity, I’d put single malt in one half, bourbon in the other…

Response:

I am, I guess, a newbie in many respects. I’ve owned a fly rod since 1990 or so, but

Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. Tom

 Hell, if you bring the food and beer…….well, I’ll be there. I live a few hours away from Happy Valley  but try to get out that way as often as time allows. My last trip was probably a month ago so I’m due for another any weekend. Around Oct 9 I have five days free and plan on fishing/drinking my time away. Depending on my $$$ flow, I will be floating the Deleware, trying my luck at Striper fishing, searching for Salmon or camping at Hemlock Acres, which is in your neck of the woods. I’d be more than happy to give you a few pointers if I’m out that way. Have you tried Flyfishers Paradise? There’s a spot there I call the trough. Its the channel of water that flows out of the hatchery ponds. There are *big* fish there year round sipping on midges. The day before Christmas I was there- 24 degrees out and they were feeding! I’ve taught several of my friends how to midge fish there. My friend Phil caught his first fish on a fly there- a 17 inch bow on a sz. 26 midge. Its a good place to learn because the fish are immune to human presence. You can cast to them all day and they dont move. The key is to use small flies. Sz. 22 or smaller. And as long as I’m there to teach someone else, I don’t feel guilty about hooking a few myself  If I head that way, I’ll drop you a line. Tight Lines… Matt M.

Response:

I am, I guess, a newbie in many respects. I’ve owned a fly rod since 1990 or so, but have only begun fly fishing (almost) exclusively this summer.  I grew up here in central PA (Clinton Co.) fishing with spinners and salmon eggs.  I can usually catch trout quite successfully in PA streams with a Panther Martin spinner…  This is my first summer fly fishing in PA. I am woefully inept with dry flies, 95% of my fly fishing experience being in Alaska, where the notorious ‘egg hatch’ is the only hatch worth worrying about.  Of the remaining 5%, 4% is pond fishing with small poppers for bass/crappie/bream in NC and 1% has been this summer here in central PA.  Due to this experience my casting is awful (I can roll cast REAL GOOD) and I have no idea which flies to use when. So far, my luck with dry flies has been not so great.  I caught two chubs a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve gone through several leaders and plenty of tippet material trying to catch a trout.  I was surprised by the chubs–I never even considered the possibility of catching a chub on a dry fly.  Or catching chubs at all, for that matter. I only know two people that fly fish, and neither of them very seriously.  One, my aunt’s husband, probably hasn’t fished in 5 years or more.  He may have been fairly adept at it at one time but he no longer seems to have any interest.  The other, the husband of a friend of the same aunt, hasn’t been fly fishing for very long and he is strictly a nymph fisherman. So I’m hoping that one of you ROFFians can help me…  Or maybe you just know somebody who might.  Anybody who fishes in the Centre/Clinton/Lycoming county region who would be willing to throw away a few hours of their time giving me a few pointers would be a blessing.  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. Just to keep you from digging up my ‘ROFFians: who the hell are these folks?’ post, I am: 33 years old. White. Male. 5′11". 240lbs. (I carry it well, ha ha) Married. (with child, a 15 month old girl) Employed. (Systems Consultant, i.e. glorified computer sales guy) Homeowner. (100-year old Victorian house that requires a LOT of time) I can listen to almost anything, music-wise, but prefer rock-n-roll. I don’t have the most flexible schedule (see above), but I am available practically every weekend.  Saturday or Sunday–no preference here. Penn’s Creek, Spring Creek, Fishing Creek, Kettle Creek, Pine Creek, wherever.  Let’s go fishing! Thanks, Tom Before you buy.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – …  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. FREE beer ?! Just to fish with you ? Don’t know which of us will get there first, me or Waldo. If it turns out to be Waldo, FER THE LUV OF GAWD, HIDE THE BEER ! If you let Waldo have the beer BEFORE fishing, you gotta drag him around by his groaty old waders all day. He’s a MUCH better fishing partner if you make him wait til the end of the day to start chugging beers. Hmmmmm, my calendar shows that the Illini are scheduled to whup the snot out of the Nittany Lions on Oct 21. If you were to fix me up with a decent seat, say between the 20’s, on Saturday, I would gladly teach you more than a few bad dry fly fishing habits on Sunday. — Ken Fortenberry

I’ll see what I can do, PSU tickets between the 20s are hard to find. I’d love to go to any PSU home game this year, and if I can get tickets I’ll contact you.  How much prior notice do you require? Tom Before you buy.

Response:

…  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer.

FREE beer ?! Just to fish with you ? Don’t know which of us will get there first, me or Waldo. If it turns out to be Waldo, FER THE LUV OF GAWD, HIDE THE BEER ! If you let Waldo have the beer BEFORE fishing, you gotta drag him around by his groaty old waders all day. He’s a MUCH better fishing partner if you make him wait til the end of the day to start chugging beers. Hmmmmm, my calendar shows that the Illini are scheduled to whup the snot out of the Nittany Lions on Oct 21. If you were to fix me up with a decent seat, say between the 20’s, on Saturday, I would gladly teach you more than a few bad dry fly fishing habits on Sunday.   — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

If you let Waldo have the beer BEFORE fishing, you gotta drag him around by his groaty old waders all day.

I always wondered how you spell "groaty". Regards, Jeff

Response:

If you let Waldo have the beer BEFORE fishing, you gotta drag him around by his groaty old waders all day. I always wondered how you spell "groaty".

G  R  O  A  T  Y Groady, on the other hand, is spelled with a d. Wolfgang W  O  L  F  G  A  N  G

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am, I guess, a newbie in many respects. I’ve owned a fly rod since 1990 or so, but have only begun fly fishing (almost) exclusively this summer.  I grew up here in central PA (Clinton Co.) fishing with spinners and salmon eggs.  I can usually catch trout quite successfully in PA streams with a Panther Martin spinner…  This is my first summer fly fishing in PA. I am woefully inept with dry flies, 95% of my fly fishing experience being in Alaska, where the notorious ‘egg hatch’ is the only hatch worth worrying about.  Of the remaining 5%, 4% is pond fishing with small poppers for bass/crappie/bream in NC and 1% has been this summer here in central PA.  Due to this experience my casting is awful (I can roll cast REAL GOOD) and I have no idea which flies to use when. So far, my luck with dry flies has been not so great.  I caught two chubs a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve gone through several leaders and plenty of tippet material trying to catch a trout.  I was surprised by the chubs–I never even considered the possibility of catching a chub on a dry fly.  Or catching chubs at all, for that matter. I only know two people that fly fish, and neither of them very seriously.  One, my aunt’s husband, probably hasn’t fished in 5 years or more.  He may have been fairly adept at it at one time but he no longer seems to have any interest.  The other, the husband of a friend of the same aunt, hasn’t been fly fishing for very long and he is strictly a nymph fisherman. So I’m hoping that one of you ROFFians can help me…  Or maybe you just know somebody who might.  Anybody who fishes in the Centre/Clinton/Lycoming county region who would be willing to throw away a few hours of their time giving me a few pointers would be a blessing.  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. Just to keep you from digging up my ‘ROFFians: who the hell are these folks?’ post, I am: 33 years old. White. Male. 5′11". 240lbs. (I carry it well, ha ha) Married. (with child, a 15 month old girl) Employed. (Systems Consultant, i.e. glorified computer sales guy) Homeowner. (100-year old Victorian house that requires a LOT of time) I can listen to almost anything, music-wise, but prefer rock-n-roll. I don’t have the most flexible schedule (see above), but I am available practically every weekend.  Saturday or Sunday–no preference here. Penn’s Creek, Spring Creek, Fishing Creek, Kettle Creek, Pine Creek, wherever.  Let’s go fishing! Thanks, Tom Before you buy.

Response:

I am, I guess, a newbie in many respects. I’ve owned a fly rod since 1990 or so, but have only begun fly fishing (almost) exclusively this summer.  I grew up here in central PA (Clinton Co.) fishing with spinners and salmon eggs.  I can usually catch trout quite successfully in PA streams with a Panther Martin spinner…  This is my first summer fly fishing in PA.

(woes and travails of the flyfisher snipped) Tom – Contact me be email and I’ll see if I can help.  A bit limited in my activities these days – at least for the short term – but let’s see. Mark Faulkner

Response:

Question:

Recently I – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – bought an Airflo Polyleader (floating, light trout variety) from ezflyfish.com and really like its ability to turnover. Unlike Maxima, this tapered leader is very flexible – feels like a gel.  It limply rolls off my reel with nearly imperceptible coiling, every time – no need to stretch it out. Also when casting, it seems like it has better momentum transfer from fly line to leader than my hand tied leaders.  The Maxima leaders work well, but the Polyleader really rolls off the end of the cast.  However it does seem also to create a bit more disturbance when lifting off the water.   Depending on the size of the fly and making an adjustment in my casting stroke I can completely straighten out my leader using either type but the Polyleader appears to have better unfurling properties.  Rather than a leader butt, it’s more like a clear finely tapered fly line floating tip.  Might be similar to some of these new clear or clear tipped fly lines available.  Your observations? experiences?

I was introduced to the Airflo leaders in NZ this February by my guide, and have been using them ever since.  I agree with your assessment of their capabilities — they’re fantastic. Michael — www.geocities.com/yosemite/falls/3363 Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Mu We haven’t exchanged posts in a while, how’s it going?   I make my own leaders and I’ve been downsizing the butt rather than making them from thick, stiff mono.  I’ve found that the lighter lines (<5 wt.) sometimes have problems turning them over.  The line rolls out in a nice tight loop but the leader opens up then the tippet and fly lands in a heap.  A sign that the tip of the fly line wasn’t able to move the butt.  I haven’t used the poly leader but I have used their older ones and they definitely turn over better than stiff butt factory leaders.  No  question. Peter – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I’ve always heard that you need a stiff butt for your leaders for better turnover. Maxima Chameleon is stiff and I like the color and strength so I have been using it most of the time for tying my own leaders.  Recently I bought an Airflo Polyleader (floating, light trout variety) from ezflyfish.com and really like its ability to turnover. Unlike Maxima, this tapered leader is very flexible – feels like a gel.  It limply rolls off my reel with nearly imperceptible coiling, every time – no need to stretch it out. Also when casting, it seems like it has better momentum transfer from fly line to leader than my hand tied leaders.  The Maxima leaders work well, but the Polyleader really rolls off the end of the cast.  However it does seem also to create a bit more disturbance when lifting off the water.   Depending on the size of the fly and making an adjustment in my casting stroke I can completely straighten out my leader using either type but the Polyleader appears to have better unfurling properties.  Rather than a leader butt, it’s more like a clear finely tapered fly line floating tip.  Might be similar to some of these new clear or clear tipped fly lines available.  Your observations? experiences? Mu Young Lee                         Ann Arbor, MI   USA

Response:

I’ve always heard that you need a stiff butt for your leaders for better turnover. Maxima Chameleon is stiff and I like the color and strength so I have been using it most of the time for tying my own leaders<snip

Hi Mu, Thirty plus years ago, we nail knotted on an ~24" butt of clear hard Mason mono. Then we blood knotted on a Berkley tapered knotless leader. We then used Gladding ‘Gladell’ tippet from France(?). Boy, 6x ‘Gladell’ was pretty hot stuff in those days. I thought that I read something by Lefty Kreh recently that the diameter or mass of the leader butt is what caused the leader to ‘turn over’, not the stiffness. I think he is promoting soft leader butts now? The old rule of thumb was to use two-thirds the diameter of the tip or point of the fly line for a proper butt diameter. I try to get the rigidity of the mono butt section to match the rigidity of the end of the fly line. The best thing to do is get a friend to help you do some testing. One guy cast, while the other one watches the leader turn over?

Response:

I tried some polyleaders at a fly fair in Denmark, and was so impressed with the difference that I bought a whole set of them in various types, Floating, intermediate, slow sinking and ultra fast sinking.  I have not had much chance to use them yet, but I find them far superior to the standard nylon tapered leaders, and they also turn over better than my own carefully hand tied ones. I will be using them as often as possible as soon as I get to do some fishing again. ( too much work at the moment ! ).  I find the floaters do not "pick off" quite as cleanly as nylon, but that is a minor disadvantage if at all. Still have not figured out why this is, but suspect they actually do float a little lower, and this makes them more difficult to pick off. Will have to try a few experiments. Mine are not from Airflo, but from a firm called Scierra. May not be entirely the same. Tight lines ! Mike Connor

Response:

I tried some polyleaders at a fly fair in Denmark, and was so impressed with the difference that I bought a whole set of them in various types, Floating, intermediate, slow sinking and ultra fast sinking.  

Yeah, Walt sells them in a set too but I couldn’t afford to buy it so I just tried the floating one. I have not had much chance to use them yet, but I find them far superior to the standard nylon tapered leaders, and they also turn over better than my own carefully hand

I was quite surprised by that too.                 I find the floaters do not "pick off" quite as cleanly as nylon, but that is a minor disadvantage if at all. Still have not figured out why this is, but suspect they actually do float a little lower, and this makes them more difficult to pick off. Will have to try a few experiments.

The coating feels like some sort of gel.  It’s definitely not as smooth as nylon.  My guess is that under a microscope it probably will display many small inrregularites which can momentarily hold water as it’s being lifted off the surface. Mine are not from Airflo, but from a firm called Scierra. May not be entirely the same.

I believe Rio also makes similar products.  A friend had told me about Polyleaders last December but I couldn’t really find them anywhere.  A few months ago I ordered a fast sinker from a mail order outfit (Feathercraft) but they didn’t have any that were suitable for a 4 wt (they offered two varieties, a Trout series and a Salmon/Bass series). It wasn’t until I stumbled upon ezflyfish.com that I realized that Airflo also had a Light Trout series.  At ~$7 each they can get pricey.  So far I’ve been quite pleased.  The test will be to see how long they last. Mu

Response:

There’s nothing like forgetting to bring t.p. to make you keep a stiff butt. — something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

To all dos ROFFers and ROFFets who geff so yenerously to ar last butt apple Verst I vant to say dat back in May I tink it vas you guys ver dealing wit dis picture dat Torben sent from Norvey off de butt-challanged Nordska on is veb site. IAnd dis vomen had a butt dat youst made dis old man cry, becouse da vomen Ive sen parading into de  local Sons of Norway Hall in Poulsbo, Washington (USA) are more posterially endowed den dat undernourished pixie in Torbens veb site.  Vich is anuder sample of da superiority of de Nortmerican diet but dats a hole nudder kettle of lutafisc. Vell now de topic is stiff butts und I vant to extend de offer originally made on behaf off de poor Scandahovian waifs, to da sufferers off dis stiff butt ting. I don relly no dat much about it, but wat da hell it  zounds like a fit. Come on you guys, do ve need anuder Marshall Plan or vhut? Lets veed dese schildren!!! Send da tax  deductable contribution to da Ad Hoc Nordska Butt Fund, General = Delivery, Poulsbo, WA "A mind is a terrible ting to vaste, but a sckinny butt? I tell you, dats a whole lot versor. Ya you betcha!" (Now serffing da sterf butted as vell. Becas ve care a lot.) Daveff PS: un update on da Evil Torkleson Rototiller Luttefisk  barrel  record yump attemp.  Volks, he’s going fur fife barrels dis year at da Poulsbo Vikingfest, ant ittle be a ting ta see. Da new bearings are in from Harley, ant vhen Ole’s back from da halibut fishing ve vill get dem in.

Response:

I’ve always heard that you need a stiff butt for your leaders for better turnover. Maxima Chameleon is stiff and I like the color and strength so I have been using it most of the time for tying my own leaders.  Recently I bought an Airflo Polyleader (floating, light trout variety) from ezflyfish.com and really like its ability to turnover. Unlike Maxima, this tapered leader is very flexible – feels like a gel.  It limply rolls off my reel with nearly imperceptible coiling, every time – no need to stretch it out. Also when casting, it seems like it has better momentum transfer from fly line to leader than my hand tied leaders.  The Maxima leaders work well, but the Polyleader really rolls off the end of the cast.  However it does seem also to create a bit more disturbance when lifting off the water.   Depending on the size of the fly and making an adjustment in my casting stroke I can completely straighten out my leader using either type but the Polyleader appears to have better unfurling properties.  Rather than a leader butt, it’s more like a clear finely tapered fly line floating tip.  Might be similar to some of these new clear or clear tipped fly lines available.  Your observations? experiences? Mu Young Lee                         Ann Arbor, MI   USA

Response:

To all dos ROFFers and ROFFets who geff so yenerously to ar last butt apple Verst I vant to say dat back in May I tink it vas you guys ver dealing wit dis picture dat Torben sent from Norvey off de butt-challanged Nordska on is veb site.

<gasp What would St. Olaf say about all this? Mu

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve always heard that you need a stiff butt for your leaders for better turnover. Maxima Chameleon is stiff and I like the color and strength so I have been using it most of the time for tying my own leaders<snip Hi Mu, Thirty plus years ago, we nail knotted on an ~24" butt of clear hard Mason mono. Then we blood knotted on a Berkley tapered knotless leader. We then used Gladding ‘Gladell’ tippet from France(?). Boy, 6x ‘Gladell’ was pretty hot stuff in those days. I thought that I read something by Lefty Kreh recently that the diameter or mass of the leader butt is what caused the leader to ‘turn over’, not the stiffness. I think he is promoting soft leader butts now?

Absolutely right! The physics of the thing goes with limp leaders NOT stiff ones. Ideally, the whole cast (line/leader/tippet) should involve a steadily decreasing local mass being turned over by the waning energy of the cast. Here in Britain, when we’re reservoir fishing in boats ‘on the drift’, we often use leaders of straight through thin mono, sometimes 20 feet or more long, with droppers. Leader turnover isn’t a problem, because by definition we’re fishing down wind and the breeze helps straighten things out. But this kind of set up is much more difficult (sometimes impossible) to use into the wind and one knows the difference straight away, when the breeze dies to a calm. You have to shorten the leader, or (better) change to a proper tapered one to fish effectively in calms or into the wind. Tight Lines, Tony Deacon

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Question:

There are two schools of thought on this: !.  Too many guides restrict the rod’s action. 2. Too few guides allow the line to drag against the rod when it flexes. Take your pick. — Ernie Harrison Remove NOSPAM to send E-mail GO TO http://users.ccnet.com/~emh FOR TRAVEL TIE BOX PLANS Hi there! I am building a 7 foot 2-3wt st.croix rod. The problem is that I have found 2 different guide spacing charts for 7 footers. One used 8 guides the other 9. Which one should I use? Jarkko —

—                                             |    Jarkko Karvinen                            |    Student of biochemistry                    |  E. coli happens  University of Turku, Finland               |    tel. +358 (0)2 3338059                        |

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am building a 7 foot 2-3wt st.croix rod. The problem is that I have found 2 different guide spacing charts for 7 footers. One used 8 guides the other 9. Which one should I use?<BR The general rule of thumb is one guide for every foot plus the stripper, so 8 is the general rule of thumb.  One thing you might try is to tape the guides on with both the spacing for the 9 guides and the 8 guides and them string a line trhough them and see how the rod flexes.  Basically, the more guides the more friction.  But fewer is not better either – find a hapy medium by flexing the rod with line through the guides and make sure there are no dead spotsor places where the line touches the rod. Or – you might try calling St Croix.  I bet they would give you the guide spacing they use on the factory rod. Al Manchester, NH

      I know you are not the original poster but he may read this. I have an 8′ 8wt, a 7′6" 3wt and a 6′6" 5wt. The question gave me food for thought so I counted the guides on each, they all have 8, stripper included. with the exception of stripper and tip-top are all snake guides, all are factory. I also looked up the guide kits all are 8 guide.                                                              John Popp                                                           in Sanford Fl.

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I know you are not the original poster but he may read this. Ihave an 8′

8wt, a 7′6" 3wt and a 6′6" 5wt. The question gave me food forthought so I counted the guides on each, they all have 8, stripperincluded. with the exception of stripper and tip-top are all snakeguides, all are factory. I also looked up the guide kits all are 8guide. I don’t doubt that all your rods in various lengths have the same amount of gudes.  This is a subjuect that is debated as much as anythng in fly fishing. As I said "the general rule of thumb" is one per foot plus a stripper guide. Many manufacturers leave a guide or two off to save money, some rods cast better with fewer or more guides. There are a couple of ways to determine guide spacing.  Clemens and Anglers Work Shop as well as some otheres I would guess sell a tool that will allow you to test the spacing of the guides with the rod under load.  There is a program that Cane rod builders use that was written by Wayne Catanach that calculates the spacing based on the number of guides you choose and the placement of the stripper guide.  Several books list guide placement charts as well, and Blue Ridge Rod Company includes a very good one in their catalog. I personally have always used the 1 guide per foot plus the stripper for my rods.   In Skip Morris’s book "The Custon Graphite Rod" and in Handcrafting Custom Graphite Fly Rods" by L.A. Garcia, this is the information that they provide, although the spacings are a bit different and Skip Morris provides some good insight as to the actuual placement of guides based on the rod and the fishermam it is intended for, as well as some general guide lines for placement of guides on soft and fast action rods.  It is interesting reading. The mark of a true custom rod may be going to the extra step of testing the guide placement with the rod under stress.  I have done this a few times but the standard guide placements on the graphite rods I have built have all been so close that I dont worry about it any more. It’s an interesting debate for rod builders.  Could you tell me where you looked up the guide kits for these rods?  Might just be a catalog I am missing:))))) Al Manchester, NH

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Hi there! I am building a 7 foot 2-3wt st.croix rod. The problem is that I have found 2 different guide spacing charts for 7 footers. One used 8 guides the other 9. Which one should I use? Jarkko —                                             |    Jarkko Karvinen                            |    Student of biochemistry                    |  E. coli happens  University of Turku, Finland               |    tel. +358 (0)2 3338059                     |

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I am building a 7 foot 2-3wt st.croix rod. The problem is that I have found 2

different guide spacing charts for 7 footers. One used 8 guides the other 9. Which one should I use?<BR The general rule of thumb is one guide for every foot plus the stripper, so 8 is the general rule of thumb.  One thing you might try is to tape the guides on with both the spacing for the 9 guides and the 8 guides and them string a line trhough them and see how the rod flexes.  Basically, the more guides the more friction.  But fewer is not better either – find a hapy medium by flexing the rod with line through the guides and make sure there are no dead spotsor places where the line touches the rod. Or – you might try calling St Croix.  I bet they would give you the guide spacing they use on the factory rod. Al Manchester, NH

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Hi there! I am building a 7 foot 2-3wt st.croix rod. The problem is that I have found 2 different guide spacing charts for 7 footers. One used 8 guides the other 9. Which one should I use? Jarkko

I don’t know how prevelent St Croix rods are in Finland, but your best bet would probably be to find an assembled rod from the manufacturer and copy their guided size and placement. There are some rod shop owners on this group, maybe one of them can measure it for you if you can’t find the rod in your area. Good luck,      - Ken

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Hi there! I am building a 7 foot 2-3wt st.croix rod. The problem is that I have found 2 different guide spacing charts for 7 footers. One used 8 guides the other 9. Which one should I use?

Jarkko, here’s the spacing (and 7 Fuji guides) that I use on a 7ft fly rod. Note that the last (8mm2) is a 2-footed guide, the rest are single foot guides, and the measurements are in inches starting from the tip. If I recall, I got these recommendations from L.G. Custom Tackle (G. Loomis dealer and custom rod builder) many years ago. IMHO I think 9 guides is way too many for anything under 8′. I prefer the single footed Hardloy or SIC Fuji’s to the traditional snake guides which allow the line to slap against the blank. 7′ – 4(6mm), 9(6mm), 15(6mm), 22(7mm), 30(7mm), 40(8mm), 52(8mm2) Now you have 3 choices David E. Malone All opinions expressed are my own.

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Question:

Thanks Jim! I think(?) — Tight lines and sharp hooks, Capt. Mark Poirier

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Why are some people compelled to demonstrate their ignorance when they flame others? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – the first schoolies have been boiling off the beaches of the south Cape, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. White clousers, deceivers — small sizes — are catching fish, some up to 28" from the Elizabeth Islands to Harwich, where a few 28" keepers have been landed already.   I don’t give a fat shit what the "law" is, but a 28" striper s NOT a keeper. Get with the program fool!!! — Tight lines and sharp hooks, Capt. Mark Poirier

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28 inches is the new keeper size for recreational fishermen. The Division of Marine Fisheries ruling has been filed with the Secretary of State which puts it into effect immediately. The commercial quotas are still an issue, with a review of the bag limit due to be reheard next month.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The third season of fish reports from Reel-Time: The Internet Journal of Saltwater Fly Fishing kicks off with a new editor, David Peros, who reports the first schoolies have been boiling off the beaches of the south Cape, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. White clousers, deceivers — small sizes — are catching fish, some up to 28" from the Elizabeth Islands to Harwich, where a few 28" keepers have been landed already. Get the full report at: http://www.reel-time.com/fishwire/update-fw.html   I don’t give a fat shit what the "law" is, but a 28" striper s NOT a keeper. Get with the program fool!!! — Tight lines and sharp hooks, Capt. Mark Poirier

Captain Poirier, shy man that he is, confided to me in private correspondence, that what he meant to say was that he disagreed with the taking of 28 inch stripers, as they are pre-spawn fish.  He enncourages everyone to return these fish to the water. If he is correct in calling them pre-spawn fish, I agree with  him.  We have the same situation in California with several game species.  Most responsible anglers add a few inches to the 12 inch calico bass limit, the 22 inch barracuda and halibut  limit, and the 28 inch white seabass limit.  We also return the larger fish so we don’t end up with a gene pool biased to the smaller fish. He is probably going to flame me (in e-mail) again for stepping on his toes.  The last time this gentleman (?) e-mailed me, he called me a "…sprout-eating fool…" from the left coast, and we’d never even corresponded before.  If he has a heart, it could be in the right place. Jim Kozakowski Support the United Anglers of California <http://www.webworldinc.com/unitedanglers-sc/

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The third season of fish reports from Reel-Time: The Internet Journal of Saltwater Fly Fishing kicks off with a new editor, David Peros, who reports the first schoolies have been boiling off the beaches of the south Cape, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. White clousers, deceivers — small sizes — are catching fish, some up to 28" from the Elizabeth Islands to Harwich, where a few 28" keepers have been landed already. Get the full report at: http://www.reel-time.com/fishwire/update-fw.html

  I don’t give a fat shit what the "law" is, but a 28" striper s NOT a keeper. Get with the program fool!!! — Tight lines and sharp hooks, Capt. Mark Poirier

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The third season of fish reports from Reel-Time: The Internet Journal of Saltwater Fly Fishing kicks off with a new editor, David Peros, who reports the first schoolies have been boiling off the beaches of the south Cape, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. White clousers, deceivers — small sizes — are catching fish, some up to 28" from the Elizabeth Islands to Harwich, where a few 28" keepers have been landed already. Get the full report at: http://www.reel-time.com/fishwire/update-fw.html

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Question:

– Now booking inshore fly fishing wading trips for stripers for the 97 season. I supply all tackle and flies as well as casting instructions if needed. If you don’t score stripers, I don’t get paid. Fair enough? $125/single $200/two anglers for a full day wading trip. Email me at http://www.flyfishing-the-salt.com. Good fishing…Ted Bobetsky

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– Now booking inshore fly fishing wading trips for stripers for the 97 season. I supply all tackle and flies as well as casting instructions if needed. If you don’t score stripers, I don’t get paid. Fair enough? $125/single $200/two anglers for a full day wading trip. Email me at http:www.flyfishing-the-salt.com. Good fishing…Ted Bobetsky

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Question:

Mike:   The best Fly rods I use here in Oregon aren’t Sage or Orvis. I feel the best buy is either a Diamondback (Stowe, VT) or a Powell Rod (Chico,CA). Both of these rods can be purchased from $325 to $385 and the warranties are great… Ralph Glazier South Fork Fly Fishing Alsea, OR.

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I recently aquired a fly rod in an aluminum case. The rod is in a cloth case that has the name Lyon and Caulson, Buffalo NY. I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this rod or if the company is still in buisness. I don’t fish, so I’d like to get rid of it if anyone is interested. The rod appears to be in perfect shape. It has "Regent #103" just above the handle. If anyone knows anything about it or is interested in it please E-Mail me. Thanks. Rob

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Question:

I am wondering if there are any tricks to tying backing onto my reel then to my floating fly line?  It seems pretty straightforward, but I have noticed alot of talk about different fishermen’s reliance upon and use of backing. What’s the process.  Thanks for any troubleshooting tips.

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I am wondering if there are any tricks to tying backing onto my reel then to my floating fly line?  It seems pretty straightforward, but I have noticed alot of talk about different fishermen’s reliance upon and use of backing. What’s the process.  Thanks for any troubleshooting tips.

You should ask this in rec.outdoors.fishing.fly, it will likely touch off a major discussion! First off, you definitely need backing, unless you plan to spend your time catching 4" trout that are 15ft away. What you use as backing is another matter. Some guys like to lay out $$$ for custom designed fly rod backing – I prefer to use an el cheapo alternative, black dacron line. It costs about 1/4 as much as real backing and is pretty much the same thing. The backing knot is another question entirely. The folks in r.o.f.f will talk about everything from nail knots at the high end down to modified versions of a sheet bend / figure eight combination called a backing knot. Best to do some reading at the library to see what’s the best for your purposes (ie what can you be bothered tying, and how important you think it is to your type of fishing). Good luck Rod

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Question:

Well in that case I would like your opinion about it. I have tried it myself, when I ran out of my usual ‘oily-rings-on-the-water-stuff’, and man was I disappointed. Sure, it worked beautifully. For a couple of seconds. But when the fly once been drown, it stayed submerged. I followed then instructions to dry the fly and put some more of that powder on, but this time the fly didn’t even seem to notice the surface. I think the name of the stuff was ‘Dry n Shake’. Bloody expensive too…     Gink forever…./ Hans

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Well in that case I would like your opinion about it. I have tried it myself, when I ran out of my usual ‘oily-rings-on-the-water-stuff’, and man was I disappointed. Sure, it worked beautifully. For a couple of seconds. But when the fly once been drown, it stayed submerged. I followed then instructions to dry the fly and put some more of that powder on, but this time the fly didn’t even seem to notice the surface. I think the name of the stuff was ‘Dry n Shake’. Bloody expensive too…    

I’ve tried Dry Shake this summer and found that it worked fine when fishing in calm water. In moving water the powder  rinsed away to fast. I found out that you must make the fly as dry as possible before putting the stuff on it again. It worked for me. But I’m only using Dry Shake in  calm water. It is very expensive though  (100 Skr for 25 gram).. I’m still looking for the ultimate dry fly floatant! /Mikael — Mikael Andersson                        Ericsson Telecom AB Phone: +46 8 7190794                    KK/ETX/T/BDH Fax:   +46 8 6812626                    S-126 25 Stockholm

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writes: Well in that case I would like your opinion about it. I have tried it myself, when I ran out of my usual

‘oily-rings-on-the-water-stuff’, and man was I disappointed. Sure, it worked beautifully. For a couple of seconds. But when the fly once

been drown, it stayed submerged. I followed then instructions to dry the fly and put some more of that powder on, but this time the fly didn’t even seem to notice the surface. I think the name of the stuff was ‘Dry n Shake’. Bloody expensive too…     Gink forever…./ Hans

If this is the same "Shake’n Dry" stuff that I use, it isn’t meant to be a floatant, it’s supposed to dry off a drowned fly. You have to reapply your favorite floatant after it’s dried. By the way, this stuff is ordinary silica gel dessicant. You can get the same stuff for about 5 bucks (US) a pound at hobby shops. They use it for drying flowers and such. One pound will last you for a lifetime (or get together with some of your fisherman friends and split the cost) the only other thing you need to get is a suitable container (but you already have one since you bought Shake’n Dry). This stuff also works great for cul de canard flies, since you can’t use floatant on them. Darryl

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Have you tried the powder dry fly floatant?   Nntp-Posting-Host: eplu04 Organization: Erisoft AB Umea Sweden Lines: 9 Well in that case I would like your opinion about it. I have tried it myself, when I ran out of my usual ‘oily-rings-on-the-water-stuff’, and man was I disappointed. Sure, it worked beautifully. For a couple of seconds. But when the fly once been drown, it stayed submerged. I followed then instructions to dry the fly and put some more of that powder on, but this time the fly didn’t even seem to notice the surface. I think the name of the stuff was ‘Dry n Shake’. Bloody expensive too…     Gink forever…./ Hans

I have had a similar experience with the dry powder. However, I have found a flotant which is superior, for me, to Gink or Dave’s…. I do a lot of my fly on backpacking trips in the High Sierra of California, where it is pretty cold in the morning. I find Gink, etc. to be VERY viscous to the point of not flowing. I have found some silicone based flotant in Andy Puyan’s fly shop, Creative Sports, in Pleasant Hill Califorinia, which was developed by one of Andy’s fly tying students. The student was a chemist at Dow in nearby Pittsburg, CA. This stuff is the consistency of honey at any temp between 25 and 105 degrees F. I’ts called Andy’s flotant & it works really well for me. Rick Najarian

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I do a lot of my fly on backpacking trips in the High Sierra of California, where it is pretty cold in the morning. I find Gink, etc. to be VERY viscous to the point of not flowing. I have found some silicone based flotant in Andy Puyan’s fly shop, Creative Sports, in Pleasant Hill Califorinia, which was developed by one of Andy’s fly tying students. The student was a chemist at Dow in nearby Pittsburg, CA. This stuff is the consistency of honey at any temp between 25 and 105 degrees F. I’ts called Andy’s flotant & it works really well for me.

Can you give an address/phone number? — Rick

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I do a lot of my fly on backpacking trips in the High Sierra of California, where it is pretty cold in the morning. I find Gink, etc. to be VERY viscous to the point of not flowing. I have found some silicone based flotant in Andy Puyan’s fly shop, Creative Sports, in Pleasant Hill Califorinia, which was developed by one of Andy’s fly tying students. The student was a chemist at Dow in nearby Pittsburg, CA. This stuff is the consistency of honey at any temp between 25 and 105 degrees F. I’ts called Andy’s flotant & it works really well for me. Can you give an address/phone number? — Rick

Dear RW, The shop is: Creative Sports 1924 #C Oak Park Blvd. Pleasant Hill, CA 94253 (510) 938-2255 P.S. "Andy" is Andy Puyans of the "A.P. Nymph series" & this is his fly shop. Naj

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FYI, the guides I’ve talked to in Montana and the Eastern Sierras swear by "Aquel" by Loon.  It seems to hold its consistency well in the heat.

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Question:

A lucky colleague of mine has the first three weeks of April as unfettered vacation time. Ever since he saw Andros Island from the air, both live and in photo, he’s been obsessed with the notion of going there on his own, chasing bonefish all day long, and swilling tropical goodness at night. Any suggestions out there? Any first-hand experiences, either + or – , would

Talk to me in late april. I will be going to Andros for a week, mostly unguided. (Not the club, but staying on the research station there) My brother and I may split a guide for 1-2 days, but most time will be spent wading wherever we can with our wives looking for bonefish.  Alan Barrow  km4ba         | If a little knowledge…..

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A lucky colleague of mine has the first three weeks of April as unfettered vacation time. Ever since he saw Andros Island from the air, both live and in photo, he’s been obsessed with the notion of going there on his own, chasing bonefish all day long, and swilling tropical goodness at night. Any suggestions out there? Any first-hand experiences, either + or – , would help him a lot in carving this out. Thanks. (This is my first shot at this – I’ve been signed up here for only a couple of days – How am I doin’?)

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