Question:

Part III

Nice reports Warren, thanks. — Charlie…

Response:

 The Missouri is a lot different than any other waters I have fished. It was a little difficult for me to decipher because it is so slow moving.  All the other tail waters I have fished have had a lot more current to them.  I am not saying that the Missouri is weak, but it is wide, deep and pretty structureless.   I don

Question:

If you are near Rushmore you are near Rapid City.  There is excellent fishing in Rapid Creek and in Spring Creek.  I am not sure how well Spring Creek fishes during the heat of summer. Both hold lots of nice fish.  When I fished Spring Creek in May a couple of years ago I had one afternoon of good olives.  Most of the fish I caught during the two days I fished it were on small nymphs fished with weight.  I caught a lot of fish between 11" and 14" and I did catch two fish that were considerably larger. When I was on Rapid Creek there were no hatches but I did well fishing a hopper pattern with a dropper.  I fished a large madam x. Both streams are not very wide so you will not need much rod. JK

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll be visiting Mt. Rushmore next week. Can anyone give me some info on fishing opportunites in the area. I’ll be staying in a town call Lead. Info on rod size, fly selection and anything else that will help me catch some fish is appreaciated. Thanks

Response:

I’ll be visiting Mt. Rushmore next week. Can anyone give me some info on fishing opportunites in the area. I’ll be staying in a town call Lead. Info on rod size, fly selection and anything else that will help me catch some fish is appreaciated. Thanks

Response:

Question:

0] : Vision is very important in flyfishing. : …. : I wear "progressive" bifocals for everyday getting around, but at 8", my : knot-tying distance, I can see best with no glasses at all. That’s why I : find it most convenvient to wear single-prescription (not bifocal) : glasses for fishing. They’re securely fastened around my head with a : strap. I just drop them to my chest to tie knots or extract hooks from fish. : I wear contact lenses for one and only one activity — playing tennis. : They’re just perfect for that, but they’d be awful for fishing. I can’t : see close-up with contacts, so I’d have to wear an "extra strong" pair : of reading glasses for close work. That means I’d need (1) contact : lenses, (2) nonprescription sunglasses, and (3) extra-strong reading : glasses. Why bother? : — rw to be ornery, I’ll disagree with you. I wear contacts for about -4 diopter nearsightedness and am in my 50’s, so I have about the same problem as you. I prefer the hard contacts because they pretty much take out some considerable astigmatism I would otherwise have. My solution is to use your items (2) and (3) combined in one package which is sold as "Fisherman’s Bifocals"–polarized window glass on top and clear +3 diopter magnifiers in the bottom. Which brings up a point, that for knot tying, hook threading etc., what’s needed is considerably more magnification than is wanted for comfortable reading, in my case about +2. Mike — Michael McGuire                     Hewlett Packard Laboratories  (remove x’s from email if not      Palo Alto, CA 94303-0971   a spammer) Phone: (650)-857-5491              

Response:

I wear contact lenses for one and only one activity — playing tennis. They’re just perfect for that, but they’d be awful for fishing. I can’t see close-up with contacts, so I’d have to wear an "extra strong" pair of reading glasses for close work. That means I’d need (1) contact lenses, (2) nonprescription sunglasses, and (3) extra-strong reading glasses. Why bother?

        hell fire, i am in complete accord.  before i’d go through all that song and dance just to tie on an adams, i’d just go back to the cabin, drink about half a fifth of absolut, and forget about the fishin. wayno

Response:

Tripper: Exactly my situation.  I just ordered my first pair of bifocals last week, but ordered my new polarized sunglasses in single vision.  I have a flip focal on my hat that works great for knot tying.  Before I got it I was always having to take off my lenses to tie knots and last season I had to clean the bottom-of-the-canoe gunk from them a few times (fortunately never dropped them in a stream yet). I don’t bother flipping the flip-focals though – I find they are too distracting to have on a brim in the flipped-up state, and since I use a wide brimmed hat, not a baseball type hat, I just have them pinned on the back brim and rotate the whole hat when I need the magnifiers. I get a lot of curious looks from people who wonder why I have lenses on the back of my hat. –Stan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My solution: a pair of wide-field prescription polaroids (glass) and a pair of those flip-down magnifiers that clip onto my hat bill.

Response:

My solution: a pair of wide-field prescription polaroids (glass) and a pair of those flip-down magnifiers that clip onto my hat bill. Effective, cheap, and low risk.

With my prescription, the lenses would be an inch thick at the edges of ‘wide-field’ glasses. — Charlie…

Response:

aw heck, you fellas with bad eyesight obviously haven’t heard of the pj prescription. pj’s eyesight for tying a knot is abysmal, or so he claims…so, whoever happens to be "lucky" enough to fish with him is conscripted to tie on his flies.  I’ve witnessed Peter Charles submit to the pj selective service on Snowbird Creek, even tied on a dropper as i recall…ain’t no more powerful prescription out there. jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can’t see close-up with contacts, so I’d have to wear an "extra strong" pair of reading glasses for close work. That means I’d need (1) contact lenses, (2) nonprescription sunglasses, and (3) extra-strong reading glasses. Why bother? That’s basically what I use and, to me, it’s worth the bother just for the additional peripheral vision. I can read ‘normal’ sized print without reading glasses, but that’s right at my limit. I’ve been wearing glasses since third grade (44 years) and I plain do *not* like bifocals, especially for climbing over/under things and wading. I guess it’s just a matter of what you consider the bother is; to me distorted peripheral vision is more of a bother than an extra pair of glasses. Well, here’s a third take. I’ve been nearsighted enough to need glasses to drive since high school. And now that I’m almost half as old as Louie ;^) I’m starting to have trouble threading flies (I can read books without trouble – just can’t find the damned eye with the tippet without a struggle). And I won’t risk my eyes to any potential  injury/infection/whatever by using contact lenses. My solution: a pair of wide-field prescription polaroids (glass) and a pair of those flip-down magnifiers that clip onto my hat bill. Effective, cheap, and low risk. /daytripper

Response:

My solution: a pair of wide-field prescription polaroids (glass) and a pair of those flip-down magnifiers that clip onto my hat bill. Effective, cheap, and low risk.

        plus, having spent a full day with you on hazel creek,  i can testify that they do a helluva job as a stand-in for a groucho disguise. wayno

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, here’s a third take. I’ve been nearsighted enough to need glasses to drive since high school. And now that I’m almost half as old as Louie ;^) I’m starting to have trouble threading flies (I can read books without trouble – just can’t find the damned eye with the tippet without a struggle). And I won’t risk my eyes to any potential  injury/infection/whatever by using contact lenses. My solution: a pair of wide-field prescription polaroids (glass) and a pair of those flip-down magnifiers that clip onto my hat bill. Effective, cheap, and low risk. /daytripper

Yep.  That’s exactly what I use.  Sometimes, I interpose Orvis sunglasses with the built-in magnifiers but contacts I will never use. All of my hats have a flip down magnifier attached. Tom — Tom Brown The Signal Group Wake Forest, NC HEATHEN, n. A benighted creature who has the folly to worship something that he can see and feel.                – Ambrose Bierce: The Devil’s Dictionary

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My solution: a pair of wide-field prescription polaroids (glass) and a pair of those flip-down magnifiers that clip onto my hat bill. Effective, cheap, and low risk.    plus, having spent a full day with you on hazel creek,  i can testify that they do a helluva job as a stand-in for a groucho disguise.

Hell, with my beak, ’stache, and dark eyebrows,  I *am* Groucho! /daytripper ("Say the secret word and I’ll kick your Roe-Ann County arse!" ;^)

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can’t see close-up with contacts, so I’d have to wear an "extra strong" pair of reading glasses for close work. That means I’d need (1) contact lenses, (2) nonprescription sunglasses, and (3) extra-strong reading glasses. Why bother? That’s basically what I use and, to me, it’s worth the bother just for the additional peripheral vision. I can read ‘normal’ sized print without reading glasses, but that’s right at my limit. I’ve been wearing glasses since third grade (44 years) and I plain do *not* like bifocals, especially for climbing over/under things and wading. I guess it’s just a matter of what you consider the bother is; to me distorted peripheral vision is more of a bother than an extra pair of glasses.

Well, here’s a third take. I’ve been nearsighted enough to need glasses to drive since high school. And now that I’m almost half as old as Louie ;^) I’m starting to have trouble threading flies (I can read books without trouble – just can’t find the damned eye with the tippet without a struggle). And I won’t risk my eyes to any potential  injury/infection/whatever by using contact lenses. My solution: a pair of wide-field prescription polaroids (glass) and a pair of those flip-down magnifiers that clip onto my hat bill. Effective, cheap, and low risk. /daytripper

Response:

I can’t see close-up with contacts, so I’d have to wear an "extra strong" pair of reading glasses for close work. That means I’d need (1) contact lenses, (2) nonprescription sunglasses, and (3) extra-strong reading glasses. Why bother?

That’s basically what I use and, to me, it’s worth the bother just for the additional peripheral vision. I can read ‘normal’ sized print without reading glasses, but that’s right at my limit. I’ve been wearing glasses since third grade (44 years) and I plain do *not* like bifocals, especially for climbing over/under things and wading. I guess it’s just a matter of what you consider the bother is; to me distorted peripheral vision is more of a bother than an extra pair of glasses. — Charlie…

Response:

Vision is very important in flyfishing. The flyfisherman not only has to see tiny flies far away in sometimes turbulent water against the glare of the sun, but he has to thread spiderweb-like tippets through the eyes of those tiny flies, and then tie intricate knots. It’s pretty hard for people with impaired vision to cope with the demands of flyfishing, especially as we get older. People who are nearsighted can’t see things far away; people who are farsighted can’t see things close up. If you’re nearsighted you need a negative correction; if you’re far sighted you need a positive correction. Nearsightedness often starts at an early age (4th grade for me), but nearly everyone becomes farsighted with advancing age, as the lenses loses flexibility and the means to change focal length, so nearsighted people eventually need bifocals. I wear "progressive" bifocals for everyday getting around, but at 8", my knot-tying distance, I can see best with no glasses at all. That’s why I find it most convenvient to wear single-prescription (not bifocal) glasses for fishing. They’re securely fastened around my head with a strap. I just drop them to my chest to tie knots or extract hooks from fish. I wear contact lenses for one and only one activity — playing tennis. They’re just perfect for that, but they’d be awful for fishing. I can’t see close-up with contacts, so I’d have to wear an "extra strong" pair of reading glasses for close work. That means I’d need (1) contact lenses, (2) nonprescription sunglasses, and (3) extra-strong reading glasses. Why bother? — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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Question:

I’m going to Roatan, Honduras on June 8 for a week or so and I hope to do some fishing and kayaking. I will be packing an 8wt Sage and a FeatherCraft and I will be able to paddle pretty far to hit a good fishig spot. I have never been to the island, Any ideas? Any help is appreciated. peace, Brent McMahan Sibley/Peteet Design

Response:

Brent, I’ve been to Roatan but unfortunately didn’t take a fly rod.  However Jack Samson in "Saltwater Fly Fishing" Stackpool Books, 1991 has several hints about numerous fish and fishing spots around the Bay Islands. Have fun. Herb

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We are planning to spent a week over the holidays on Roatan and would like info on fly fishing in that area from anyone who has been there.

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<< We are planning to spent a week over the holidays on Roatan and would like info on fly fishing in that area from anyone who has been there.   Lee, you have no idea how lucky you are.  Roatan is really a wonderful island. The unspoiled beauty is amazing and the people are really friendly.   Be prepared though, because Roatan is about as third world as you can get. There is one road that runs most of the way down the island.  It has various deep potholes in it and it becomes dirt if you go far enough.  Many of people live in homes without windows and I would suspect dirt floors.  However, the standard of living seems to be increasing now that NCL has two ships that stop on the island.   The NCL Sea arrives on Thursday morning so you can be sure to plan your outings around the addition of 800 people to the island.  Avoid places like Tabyana beach and Fantasy Island as these are extremely popular destinations with cruise line passengers. I didn’t get a chance to fish while I was there.  We only had one day and went dolphin swimming and snorkeling at Half Moon Bay.  There was a charter boat by the pier though and he charged like $15 an hour for two people.  He had all saltwater gear though but I would bet he would take into the flats for some fly fishing. One last thing.  If you use a taxi, make sure you don’t pay them until they pick you up.  Otherwise you will only be contributing to somebodys retirement fund and will be stranded, hehe.  Email me if you have more questions . Mike

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It has been several years since I was there so things could be better.  The good news, there are fair bones and lots of permit there. The bad news, when I was there, there was only one guide and he was trying to get started. The island is so dive oriented, no one worries about fishing. Sorry, I can’t remember the name of the guide.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We are planning to spent a week over the holidays on Roatan and would like info on fly fishing in that area from anyone who has been there.

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Question:

I’ve just started this book by Thomas McGuane. It looks to be very special. This guy writes like a master and he knows flyfishing. Check it out. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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special. This guy writes like a master and he knows flyfishing. Check it out.

I have a copy of one of his older books…Outside Chance that I enjoy reading again about once a year. Big Dale

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I’ve just started this book by Thomas McGuane. It looks to be very special. This guy writes like a master and he knows flyfishing. Check it out.

    I just finished reading it last week. It seemed like I’d already ready half of it, because McGuane is quoted so often. I’d put it at the top of anybody’s "must read" list, whether or not they fish. I’d even go so far as to rate it high on my list of top ten all time list of fishing reads.

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I’ve just started this book by Thomas McGuane. It looks to be very special. This guy writes like a master and he knows flyfishing. Check it out. —

McGuane’s a superb novelist, and I have taken to heart several of his books that cut closer to home than one would like to admit although his themes are often quite similar.  If he has a new book out, I’m off to get it now. Mark Faulkner

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Question:

Hi everyone,     Is it possible to catch river whitefish with spinning rod? All I’ve heard so far is to use  fly rod. Any hint on using spinning tackle would be greatly appreciated. George

Response:

Probably not the same type of river your talking about, but I use a spinning rod with a small teardrop ice jig tipped with a wax worm when fishing for ciscoes and whitefish on the Ste. Mary’s River system. But we’re in 30′ of water, anchored. Hi everyone,     Is it possible to catch river whitefish with spinning rod? All I’ve heard so far is to use  fly rod. Any hint on using spinning tackle would be greatly appreciated. George

– Joe "Mushrat" Woytta http://www.flash.net/~mushrat Northern Pike anglers, check out http://www.flash.net/~mushrat/pikemasters

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Question:

Any input?  I’m looking to make a decision between a Redington 9′ 8/9wt. and a St. Croix of the same build.  So far Redington is in the lead because of the Unconditional Lifetime Warranty.

The st. Croix Legend is a great deal. BTW it also has a lifetime unconditional warrenty.

Response:

Any input?  I’m looking to make a decision between a Redington 9′ 8/9wt. and a St. Croix of the same build.  So far Redington is in the lead because of the Unconditional Lifetime Warranty. —       _                 Dan Siderius                    |   / _` / _` | “ |      Check out My Homepage at:       |   __,___,_|_,,_|      http://wybbs.wynalda.com/~dans        |

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8/9wt. and a St. Croix of the same build.

Dear Dan; The St. Croix may be a slightly faster action rod.  My experience ends with the 6/7 wts., but the principle may carry over to the higher weights.  They are both the same modulous graphite, but the cost of the St. Croix includes a pretty decent rod tube.  Flip a coin.  Better yet, cast ‘em both.  Even better yet, buy a Versitex! Sincerely; Jason Beary

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I’ve got a St Croix Legend (5wt, 9ft) All I can say is that it gets the job done. It’s fine, I works, I’ve got no complaints, but I know, in my heart of hearts, that I ain’t driving a Caddy. True, the warrenty is good and the fly tube is great and gbest of all, the price is excellent. I will be upgrading tho, when my big ship comes in Damn, faint praise! S. "The World is full of shipping clerks who read the Harvard Classics." –Bukowski, American writer, poet S. Duda Seattle, WA

Response:

Dan, I used to fish with a St. Croix and now I fish with a Redington.  I own a Redington 9 ft., 5wt.  My St. Croix is a 8.5 ft., 5/6 wt.  I like my Redington a lot better.  It is a little faster, and the Unconditional Lifetime Warranty has come in handy.  I work at Jacklin’s Fly Shop in West Yellowstone and My Redington worked fine out there last summer.                               Jamie. Any input?  I’m looking to make a decision between a Redington 9′ 8/9wt. and a St. Croix of the same build.  So far Redington is in the lead because of the Unconditional Lifetime Warranty. —       _                 Dan Siderius                    |   / _` / _` | “ |      Check out My Homepage at:       |   __,___,_|_,,_|      http://wybbs.wynalda.com/~dans  |

– Jamie Farrell Interests:   -fly fishing   -fly tying   -camping   -hiking

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Question:

Fly-fishing is for faggits.

Response:

Fly-fishing is for faggits.

Well, there are ’some around’ I’m sure that will be glad to talk to you about any kind of fly fishing you have in mind. Mr. Gink

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Fly-fishing is for faggits. Well, there are ’some around’ I’m sure that will be glad to talk to you about any kind of fly fishing you have in mind. Mr. Gink

Mr. Tiger didn’t join the military because he didn’t want to leave his brother’s behind. —        * * *  Some days I’d rather just give up and go fishing * * * Doug Freeman

Response:

Fly-fishing is for faggits.

That’s right, so you better keep that cute little rump of yours away from my drift… TimW

Response:

Fly-fishing is for faggits.

– And LSU is for the spelling disabled!!!! jg

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…college men from LSU     went in dumb, come out dumb too! R. Neuman,"Rednecks" 1974

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: : Fly-fishing is for faggits. : Someone once told me two things about LSU. First, the entrance requirements are so low that some can get in with nothing more than an expired driver’s license. Second, most LSU grads go to Mississippi and by doing so raise the I.Q. of both states. It appears from tiger’s post that at least the former is true. Kind regards, Steve Kernosky

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u know what ‘faggots’ were before they became ‘faggots’?….bait fishermen

Response:

Fly-fishing is for faggits.

That’s probably why you chose LSU, Tiger. You can spell that correctly!

Response:

Fly-fishing is for faggits.

                                                ^^^^-nice spelling and bait fishing is for CRETINS. Hopefully you will never flyfish, because all we need is one more Heathen on our rivers. Oh by the way, do you want to go out and do a little snagging??? Eat my fly pal.

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Fly-fishing is for faggits.

jvermil !  Thanks, very much.   You are absolutely correct !!! Thanks for pointing it out, we owe you one ! Just look at *all* the FAGGIT terms in the Flyfishing vocabulary… "Drag" "Rod Action" "Line Lubricant" "Leader Butt" "Sperm Flies" "Vise" (I have to stop, it’s grossing me out…) Yup, the whole sport is a cover-up for closet benuches.   No doubt about it.   Thanks for pointing it out.   ..and I still think you have a really nice rump. Your fantasy net lover, TimW

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Fly-fishing is for faggits.

Yes, Shall we meet. I’m 215 lbs 6 ft tall and horny.   Do  "YOU" squeal like a  pig? Woof  woof  Arrp!! R

Response:

Question:

I spoke to a guy in a Kalispell flyshop and he told me all the streams were blown out with melt. I will be traveling MT between Kalispell and Helena next week on business but should be able to fish 1-2 days. Where should I go? The flyshop guy said they were doing great at the pothole lakes near Browning. That’s way to far out of my route for me. Thanks. I hope this spring brings many scrappy fish to your lines.

Hi David, Yes most streams here in Montana are high and dirty with spring run off. One area you might check is Libby, Montana. The first 4 miles of the Kootenai River below the dam remains fairly clean during runoff and may very well be your only shot. 4 miles down stream from the dam the Fisher River will probably be pouring a lot of dirty water into the system. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Response:

The problem you have is that you talked to the fellow at Kalispell last week, and you’re coming next week.  At this time of year, that is an eternity!  In the spring, conditions are volatile.  After 10 days of cold weather, most everything is down again.  If it warms up, it will come back up. If it stays cool, the rivers stay down. You have a couple of options on how you go to Kalispell from Helena.  If you go north from Helena, the Missouri below Holter Dam has come down and is offering some good midge dry fly fishing(if the wind isn’t blowing).  You can wade that stretch of the river, and there are several fly shops in Wolf Creek and Craig, Montana.  If you go west to Missoula and then up to Kalispell you could fish Rock Creek or maybe the Bitteroot south of Missoula.  I’d recommend you talk to the fellows at Grizzly Hackle in Missoula about that fishing.   Dave Kumlien, Montana Troutfitters,Bozeman html

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I spoke to a guy in a Kalispell flyshop and he told me all the streams were blown out with melt. I will be traveling MT between Kalispell and Helena next week on business but should be able to fish 1-2 days. Where should I go? The flyshop guy said they were doing great at the pothole lakes near Browning. That’s way to far out of my route for me. Thanks. I hope this spring brings many scrappy fish to your lines.

Response:

I spoke to a guy in a Kalispell flyshop and he told me all the streams were blown out with melt. I will be traveling MT between Kalispell and Helena next week on business but should be able to fish 1-2 days. Where should I go? The flyshop guy said they were doing great at the pothole lakes near Browning. That’s way to far out of my route for me. Thanks. I hope this spring brings many scrappy fish to your lines.

Rock Creek is fishing pretty good…has is the Bitterroot..but it is pretty high.

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Question:

My brothers and I are planning a trip to Wyoming for two days of guided fishing around the Cody area in late April.  As yet, we haven’t planned for the rest of the week.  Does anyone have suggestions for good fishing, accomodations, etc., in other areas of the state.  Thanks for the help. Rob Welch

Response:

My brothers and I are planning a trip to Wyoming for two days of guided fishing around the Cody area in late April.  As yet, we haven’t planned for the rest of the week.  Does anyone have suggestions for good fishing, accomodations, etc., in other areas of the state.  Thanks for the help

HI Rob, April is very early to be fly-fishing in the Cody area.   The only fishing that I know around Cody open that early are the Shoshone river below the Buffalo Bill dam or Newton lake out north of town.  The snow will be melting in the mountains and most of the rivers (Southfork Shoshone, Northfork Shoshone, Clark’s Fork, Sunlight) will be in the runoff mode.   You can check with Tim Wade at the North Fork Anglers to check on what will be good at that particular time. Bassflyfis/AOL Nothing perfect lasts forever.  Except in our memories. (A River Runs Through It.)

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