Question:

I can’t go anymore.  I just got this new job and couldn’t get time off and will have family in town.  Why can’t I find a job that just lets me fish? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 26 days to go.  I’m getting a bit anxious. I offered a while back to provide transportation if there was anyone interested in meeting up in Seattle, or between Seattle and Devils Lake.  I’m still interested in that, but I’m also considering going on to Chicago for my 30th college reunion after the clave.  It’s another 800 miles or so, and I’m only about half interested.  If I’m giving someone a ride, I’ll be able to blow off the reunion. Warren had expressed some interest in a ride, as had someone else in Washington or Oregon, I can’t remember for sure, but maybe it was Padishar Creel (Chris)?  I’m expecting to go for the whole week, leaving Seattle Friday, May 17 plus or minus a day, and returning Sunday May 26 plus or minus a couple days. I’ve got room for two people and gear.  I’m planning on bringing my Dave Scaden Escalade and possibly my canoe. Anyone interested? Chas P.S.  Kevin, are you going to post those fly pictures I sent on the website? Fix underscore in address to reply

– Warren change addy to yahoo for email Henry’s Fork Clave info and Bozeman, MT fishing info http://www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt3/HFclave.html

Response:

Well, Warren, you’re a step ahead of most folks, not only do you know what your problem is, you know the solution.  All that’s left is findind a way to implement it. We’ll miss you in ND.  Any interest in a day or two of fishing in Montana on either end of the clave? Chas I can’t go anymore.  I just got this new job and couldn’t get time off and will have family in town.  Why can’t I find a job that just lets me fish? — Warren change addy to yahoo for email Henry’s Fork Clave info and Bozeman, MT fishing info http://www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt3/HFclave.html

Fix underscore in address to reply

Response:

We’ll miss you in ND.  Any interest in a day or two of fishing in Montana on either end of the clave?

I can probably swing something on either end of the clave, but the 17th or 18th would work better for me.  Drop me an email and we can figure something out. — Warren change addy to yahoo for email Henry’s Fork Clave info and Bozeman, MT fishing info http://www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt3/HFclave.html

Response:

26 days to go.  I’m getting a bit anxious. I offered a while back to provide transportation if there was anyone interested in meeting up in Seattle, or between Seattle and Devils Lake.  I’m still interested in that, but I’m also considering going on to Chicago for my 30th college reunion after the clave.  It’s another 800 miles or so, and I’m only about half interested.  If I’m giving someone a ride, I’ll be able to blow off the reunion. Warren had expressed some interest in a ride, as had someone else in Washington or Oregon, I can’t remember for sure, but maybe it was Padishar Creel (Chris)?  I’m expecting to go for the whole week, leaving Seattle Friday, May 17 plus or minus a day, and returning Sunday May 26 plus or minus a couple days. I’ve got room for two people and gear.  I’m planning on bringing my Dave Scaden Escalade and possibly my canoe. Anyone interested? Chas P.S.  Kevin, are you going to post those fly pictures I sent on the website? Fix underscore in address to reply

Response:

Question:

Hi, I haven’t received my flies yet Paul EARTHLINK SUCK

You were expecting the flies by e-mail?  I doubt it’s Earthlink’s problem. BTW – current plan is to be in NY Friday after all…  Fingers crossed and gear already in the car.

Response:

I haven’t received my flies yet

Mine parcel arrived today.  I spent quite some time going over all of the flies.  The flies already mentioned, as well as the rest, are indeed nice flies.  One in particular really jumped out at me.  The woven soft hackle Isonychia nymph tied by Glenn Tippy really caught my eye.  I guess I kind of have a fascination with woven bodied flies but have limited myself to larger patterns in the past.  I keep fly swap flies for examples in my own endeavors and I plan on replicating this one after the conclave when I have some time to get out and shop for the materials.  I am also thinking about some modifications for different species, etc.  Oustanding tie Glenn and thanks for the inspiration. — Warren Findley Remove (nospamZZ) to respond via email http://www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt/

Response:

Got home from vacation in NH today and found the package on top of the inevitable pile of junk mail.  Made taking the kayaks and canoe off the car, and all the other crap of unpacking, fly. Thanks to all. Glenn Tippy GKT

Response:

Joe, I also received my flies in great shape a couple of weeks ago.  Sorry for the long delay in letting you know.  I have been busy at work and in fishing so I have been away from the group for the last two weeks.  Thanks guys for the great ties!  I hope mine met with everyone’s expectations if not let me know and I will tie you a better one and send it off to you. Later Ed Bleck AKA Didymus

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jay Peck is a friend of mine, a non – roffian, and  I invited him to join the swap.  He is from the Rochester area, and works as a guide at a fly shop there.  You must be, too, as is evidenced by your "Caledonia scud", no doubt intended for Spring Creek. Peter Collin Got the package of flies yesterday.  Looked them all over and everybody did a great job!  I am going fishing next week for 4 days and will be using them.  I am definitely going to try out that "Mink Coat" where I know it should work. Great job everybody Rob Hey Joe- Flies received safe and sound.  Good job.  Kudos to the swapmeister, and the flies are great as well. Who is Jay Peck, by the way (tied a burnt wing mayfly)?  Is he from the Rochester area? Scott Aha!  It is the same Jay– a talented guy.  I know he’s a fine tyer, and pretty well represented in pattern books dedicated to the Northeast.  He works out of Coleman’s (of Tony Germuga fame )  He’s a very talented guide and salmon and steelhead fisherman.  I think Rick Kustich also uses some of his photographs in his books. Peter–where do you fish?  Lets get together sometime when you’re in the area.  You’re dead-on about my poor excuse for a scud.  I would have tied them better if I knew Jay was going to see it!!  My understanding is that it was designed to hide the lead for way back when Spring Creek was no-lead. Another historical fly from that era was the "Nickel Nymph", which was tied on a huge hook.  I think that pattern called for Condor!!  I would love to get my hands on one of those flies. Scott

Response:

How did you get those? Those were extra flies I tied for the swap meister. I put them in an envelope that said swap meister on the front.

I’m back at the hotel & have only had one beer so far, so here’s the simple explanation:   I had everybody tie 25 flies so they would get one of their own back in the fly swap set.   That way, I didn’t have to keep track of who’s set was who’s.   However, a few guys miscounted & only sent 24.   For those guys, I put their name on the plastic cup, & skipped them when sorting their respective sets of flies.  They didn’t get one of their own, but everybody else did.   Simple so far, eh?  (If anyone didn’t get one of their own flies in the swap, that’s why.) Well, yours (Dave) was one of the first sets I sorted, & because you labelled those two little envelopes, I mentally assigned the first two cups to Paul Goodwin (photos) & myself (swapmeister).   I put the correct envelopes into the correct cups.   Then I came across the first set of 24 (instead of 25) & forgetting what I’d done earlier, I must have taped Peter’s name on the second cup since he was the first "swapper-specific" set.   Later on, to my surprise, it turned out that I too had miscounted (only 24) & had to put my name on a cup to skip as well.   Unfortunately, it was not the same cup I’d put your "Swapmeister" envelope in. Told you it was a simple explanation.  :-) Joe F. DDFS alum.

Response:

Would you like them back?  I’d hate to cheat the swapmeister!  Or is this like the ball games, where you get to keep the ones that go into the stands? Pete

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, both were in the little manila envelope that said "swapmeister". But I didn’t know Joe was doing three patterns.  Maybe they were strays that somehow fell into the pile.  I’ll consider them a bonus. Oops.   I didn’t tie those (& from my hotel room here I can’t remember who did), but that swapper identified one envelope for the photos & one for me personally.   In my haste, I screwed up & sent that one to you (I remember how, but it’s too complicated before breakfast <g).  I pretty much packed the boxes, mailed ‘em, & headed out of town, so I wouldn’t have realized my mistake for a week or so.   If that’s my only screw up, I’ll be happy. Joe F. DDFSwapmeister (who figured out the internet connection in his hotel room)

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jay Peck is a friend of mine, a non – roffian, and  I invited him to join the swap.  He is from the Rochester area, and works as a guide at a fly shop there.  You must be, too, as is evidenced by your "Caledonia scud", no doubt intended for Spring Creek. Peter Collin Got the package of flies yesterday.  Looked them all over and everybody did a great job!  I am going fishing next week for 4 days and will be using them.  I am definitely going to try out that "Mink Coat" where I know it should work. Great job everybody Rob Hey Joe- Flies received safe and sound.  Good job.  Kudos to the swapmeister, and the flies are great as well. Who is Jay Peck, by the way (tied a burnt wing mayfly)?  Is he from the Rochester area? Scott

Aha!  It is the same Jay– a talented guy.  I know he’s a fine tyer, and pretty well represented in pattern books dedicated to the Northeast.  He works out of Coleman’s (of Tony Germuga fame )  He’s a very talented guide and salmon and steelhead fisherman.  I think Rick Kustich also uses some of his photographs in his books. Peter–where do you fish?  Lets get together sometime when you’re in the area.  You’re dead-on about my poor excuse for a scud.  I would have tied them better if I knew Jay was going to see it!!  My understanding is that it was designed to hide the lead for way back when Spring Creek was no-lead.   Another historical fly from that era was the "Nickel Nymph", which was tied on a huge hook.  I think that pattern called for Condor!!  I would love to get my hands on one of those flies. Scott

Response:

Jay Peck is a friend of mine, a non – roffian, and  I invited him to join the swap.  He is from the Rochester area, and works as a guide at a fly shop there.  You must be, too, as is evidenced by your "Caledonia scud", no doubt intended for Spring Creek. Peter Collin

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Got the package of flies yesterday.  Looked them all over and everybody did a great job!  I am going fishing next week for 4 days and will be using them.  I am definitely going to try out that "Mink Coat" where I know it should work. Great job everybody Rob Hey Joe- Flies received safe and sound.  Good job.  Kudos to the swapmeister, and the flies are great as well. Who is Jay Peck, by the way (tied a burnt wing mayfly)?  Is he from the Rochester area? Scott

Response:

Got the package of flies yesterday.  Looked them all over and everybody did a great job!  I am going fishing next week for 4 days and will be using them.  I am definitely going to try out that "Mink Coat" where I know it should work. Great job everybody Rob

Hey Joe- Flies received safe and sound.  Good job.  Kudos to the swapmeister, and the flies are great as well. Who is Jay Peck, by the way (tied a burnt wing mayfly)?  Is he from the Rochester area? Scott

Response:

How did you get those? Those were extra flies I tied for the swap meister. I put them in an envelope that said swap meister on the front. Any ways the red one is an electric leach and the streamer is called cutt bait. The streamer is actually a saltwater pattern I use for sea run cutts and salmon but I figure there are green back minnows anywhere in the world. Later Dave —

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There were two flies I go with no tag on them.  One was a red woolybuggery sort of  thing and the other was a chartreuse streamer.  Can anybody claim these? Peter Collin

Response:

Well, both were in the little manila envelope that said "swapmeister". But I didn’t know Joe was doing three patterns.  Maybe they were strays that somehow fell into the pile.  I’ll consider them a bonus.

Oops.   I didn’t tie those (& from my hotel room here I can’t remember who did), but that swapper identified one envelope for the photos & one for me personally.   In my haste, I screwed up & sent that one to you (I remember how, but it’s too complicated before breakfast <g).  I pretty much packed the boxes, mailed ‘em, & headed out of town, so I wouldn’t have realized my mistake for a week or so.   If that’s my only screw up, I’ll be happy. Joe F. DDFSwapmeister (who figured out the internet connection in his hotel room)

Response:

Well, both were in the little manila envelope that said "swapmeister".  But I didn’t know Joe was doing three patterns.  Maybe they were strays that somehow fell into the pile.  I’ll consider them a bonus. Peter Collin

Response:

Got the package of flies yesterday.  Looked them all over and everybody did a great job!  I am going fishing next week for 4 days and will be using them.  I am definitely going to try out that "Mink Coat" where I know it should work. Great job everybody Rob

Response:

I think my favorite was the Madame X.  It was tied very expertly, and is the kind of floating attractor that works well on my local streams. Peter Collin

Response:

!! Definitely an inspiration to improve upon my skills for the next swap to come. tight lines to all…… Thom Adams – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Got the package of flies yesterday.  Looked them all over and everybody did a great job!  I am going fishing next week for 4 days and will be using them.  I am definitely going to try out that "Mink Coat" where I know it should work. Great job everybody Rob

Response:

There were two flies I go with no tag on them.  One was a red woolybuggery sort of  thing and the other was a chartreuse streamer.  Can anybody claim these? Peter Collin

Response:

There were two flies I go with no tag on them.  One was a red woolybuggery sort of  thing and the other was a chartreuse streamer.  Can anybody claim these?

Hmmm, I don’t see those in my collection, so I’ll take a guess.  Since there’s no red anything in my box it might be mine.  Is it a pinkish orange foam body with a white comparadun style wing and a bushy brown tail?  If so, it’s my Orange Woof bluegill fly (some of them had green rubber legs, some didn’t).  The streamer might be Big Dale’s Foam Spider.  Does it have rubber legs?

Response:

I could be wrong, but I have some of Big D’s foam spiders and I don’t believe they would be considered streamers.  However, he could very well have tied a different type of foam spider pattern than I have, I guess? Op

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There were two flies I go with no tag on them.  One was a red woolybuggery sort of  thing and the other was a chartreuse streamer.  Can anybody claim these? Hmmm, I don’t see those in my collection, so I’ll take a guess.  Since there’s no red anything in my box it might be mine.  Is it a pinkish orange foam body with a white comparadun style wing and a bushy brown tail?  If so, it’s my Orange Woof bluegill fly (some of them had green rubber legs, some didn’t).  The streamer might be Big Dale’s Foam Spider.  Does it have rubber legs?

Response:

I could be wrong, but I have some of Big D’s foam spiders and I don’t believe they would be considered streamers.  However, he could very well have tied a different type of foam spider pattern than I have, I guess? Op

I wouldn’t call it a streamer but it has a marabou tail and is the right color.  Nothing else really looks like a streamer except for Joe’s Madame X (bullethead deer hair) and Wayne’s Mink Coat. I’m hoping we can get Paul Goodwin to do pics next week which will end all speculation.  It’s in your court Paul, the database is set up. –Stan

Response:

Hi, I haven’t received my flies yet Paul EARTHLINK SUCK

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I could be wrong, but I have some of Big D’s foam spiders and I don’t believe they would be considered streamers.  However, he could very well have tied a different type of foam spider pattern than I have, I guess? Op I wouldn’t call it a streamer but it has a marabou tail and is the right color.  Nothing else really looks like a streamer except for Joe’s Madame X (bullethead deer hair) and Wayne’s Mink Coat. I’m hoping we can get Paul Goodwin to do pics next week which will end all speculation.  It’s in your court Paul, the database is set up. –Stan

Response:

Question:

Joe joemit writes: One guy I know fished for his two week vacation and landed 114 landlocks. That’s not shabby anywhere I know of. Downriggers, leadcore or wire line are a must. Troll needlefish or small spoons and look for fish suspended over  water 80′ plus suspended from 40-5-0 feet (less in the early morning). Good luck if you get the chance to go. Let me know how you make out.

Not shabby?  Uhhhh, it is if you are posting to a fly fishing newsgroup.  <g Eighty feet deep?  Shit, I’ll be into my backing just to get the fly down that deep. I’d much rather fish streams and rivers in Maine and consistantly catch ouananiche in the two pound range, sometimes bigger, on dry flies and nymphs. Streamers work too. Dave LaCourse

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Joe joemit writes: One guy I know fished for his two week vacation and landed 114 landlocks. That’s not shabby anywhere I know of. Downriggers, leadcore or wire line are a must. Troll needlefish or small spoons and look for fish suspended over  water 80′ plus suspended from 40-5-0 feet (less in the early morning). Good luck if you get the chance to go. Let me know how you make out. Not shabby?  Uhhhh, it is if you are posting to a fly fishing newsgroup. <g Eighty feet deep?  Shit, I’ll be into my backing just to get the fly down that deep. I’d much rather fish streams and rivers in Maine and consistantly catch ouananiche in the two pound range, sometimes bigger, on dry flies and nymphs. Streamers work too. Dave LaCourse

… using the same technique

Response:

Paul Goodwin writes: Not shabby?  Uhhhh, it is if you are posting to a fly fishing newsgroup. <g Eighty feet deep?  Shit, I’ll be into my backing just to get the fly down that deep. I’d much rather fish streams and rivers in Maine and consistantly catch ouananiche in the two pound range, sometimes bigger, on dry flies and nymphs. Streamers work too. Dave LaCourse … using the same technique

LOL.  Yeah.  Fall off the X rock into the current and get dragged into the pond and you’ll *swear* the water is 80 foot deep. Dave LaCourse

Response:

Joe, thanks for the post, although it’s a bit out of place in a flyfishing group.  Hell, I love to fish the Quabbin, but 50 feet deep is still 40 feet deeper than I ever fish a flyline.  Flyfishing for landlocks?  I don’t think so.  Not even in the early season when they’re  up on top.  The only flyfishing I’ve done in the main res. is for the smallies in May when they come into the shallows. –Stan

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I haven’t posted on this site since last winter as I’d rather be fishing than typing but I just had to take second and let any readers from New England know about the great landlock fishingwe’ve been having at Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts. The cold wet summer we’ve had have kept the fish up and they’re suspending at 40-50 feet rather than 60+ as they do most years.<and cetera

Response:

Yankee fish? A local lake here in Nova Scotia has a native stock. But thanks for your effort ;^) — Jamie http://clik.to/flyfish

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "ouananiche" Spell it as it is pronounced please. um, let’s see…oh you a-nah neesh?  no?  well, what about wah nah nish?  not right, eh?  well, how about…oh the hell with it. goddam stupid yankee fish, anyways. wayno, a man with better things to do

Response:

Are they on top in the fall, winter or spring? Thanks. — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I haven’t posted on this site since last winter as I’d rather be fishing than typing but I just had to take second and let any readers from New England know about the great landlock fishingwe’ve been having at Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts. The cold wet summer we’ve had have kept the fish up and they’re suspending at 40-50 feet rather than 60+ as they do most years. The result has been some great fishing. Any trip will bring at least a couple salmon and many days produce 10 or more fish. A lot are small in the 1 1/2 pound class but enough are three pounds plus to make it interesting and a few six po8unders have been landed. A state fisheries biologist recently predicted the bigger fish 6 lb. + are in teh closed section of the reservoir over the really deep water fro thd summer but should begin moving into the fishable water in mid Sept. so things should get even better. One guy I know fished for his two week vacation and landed 114 landlocks. That’s not shabby anywhere I know of. Downriggers, leadcore or wire line are a must. Troll needlefish or small spoons and look for fish suspended over  water 80′ plus suspended from 40-5-0 feet (less in the early morning). Good luck if you get the chance to go. Let me know how you make out.

Response:

Jamie Heim: "ouananiche" Spell it as it is pronounced please.

I did:  "ouananiche". Dave LaCourse

Response:

Dave L. writes: Jamie Heim: "ouananiche" Spell it as it is pronounced please. I did:  "ouananiche". Dave LaCourse

Ooops!  Forgot.  I believe the word is northeast/Canadian Indian – Algonquin, Cree – and is pronouced: wa – na- neesh, with the emphasis on the last sylable. However, land locked salmon seems to work best in Maine.  <g Dave LaCourse

Response:

"ouananiche" Spell it as it is pronounced please.

        um, let’s see…oh you a-nah neesh?  no?  well, what about wah nah nish?  not right, eh?  well, how about…oh the hell with it. goddam stupid yankee fish, anyways. wayno, a man with better things to do

Response:

"ouananiche" Spell it as it is pronounced please. — Jamie http://clik.to/flyfish

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Paul Goodwin writes: Not shabby?  Uhhhh, it is if you are posting to a fly fishing newsgroup. <g Eighty feet deep?  Shit, I’ll be into my backing just to get the fly down that deep. I’d much rather fish streams and rivers in Maine and consistantly catch ouananiche in the two pound range, sometimes bigger, on dry flies and nymphs. Streamers work too. Dave LaCourse … using the same technique LOL.  Yeah.  Fall off the X rock into the current and get dragged into the pond and you’ll *swear* the water is 80 foot deep. Dave LaCourse

Response:

I haven’t posted on this site since last winter as I’d rather be fishing than typing but I just had to take second and let any readers from New England know about the great landlock fishingwe’ve been having at Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts. The cold wet summer we’ve had have kept the fish up and they’re suspending at 40-50 feet rather than 60+ as they do most years. The result has been some great fishing. Any trip will bring at least a couple salmon and many days produce 10 or more fish. A lot are small in the 1 1/2 pound class but enough are three pounds plus to make it interesting and a few six po8unders have been landed. A state fisheries biologist recently predicted the bigger fish 6 lb. + are in teh closed section of the reservoir over the really deep water fro thd summer but should begin moving into the fishable water in mid Sept. so things should get even better. One guy I know fished for his two week vacation and landed 114 landlocks. That’s not shabby anywhere I know of. Downriggers, leadcore or wire line are a must. Troll needlefish or small spoons and look for fish suspended over  water 80′ plus suspended from 40-5-0 feet (less in the early morning). Good luck if you get the chance to go. Let me know how you make out.

Response:

Question:

Tom , My friend your singing to The Choir .   Harry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – :  #17-Outlaw all types of fishing in any of the river so reclamied. : After all it’s about the fish …right? You bet, Harry. I’m with you on that one. Rather than proposing to make it pure C+R, why not have a 1-weekend season? Hunting seems to work rather well like that. If the fish can handle pure C+R, they can handle some harvest. Why bias the policy against the vast majority of fishermen who like to keep some fish? : : 15.) Bill nations with an exorbitant military service fee for resolving their : wars with our military. This huge windfall of trillions of dollars would fund : the government. clean up the environment/save the wild fish and lower our : taxes. Should this be taken as "I’m not willing to pay for it myself"? Of course, sending a bill doesn’t mean you actually collect money. Do you *really* think we’d reap a "windfall"? No, if they have the money, rather than pay us, they’d keep that money and raise their own army. Then we’d be back to square one. It is in our own interest for these nations to not keep large standing armies. That’s what gives us the title "superpower". If a country had the money to build a strong military, it probably would not need US aid to protect itself from other nations. For example, England would not need US intervention in the foreseeable future, but Kosovo will. Meanwhile, the US spent over a billion dollars on Kosovo and we never see that money again. The US will end up fighting over there again without compensation because of Milosevic or some other tyrant and we will spend billions of dollars to try to solve a problem that will never be solved without 50 or more years of commitment. As far as I am concerned, the US environmental problems are more important than Kosovo. Congress whines "a Billion dollars has been spent on the salmon in the last 20 years….", but is a happy camper whenever we blow billions of dollars in a few weeks to try to rectify a problem that has existed for 1000’s of years in the false hope that we can make things better in a month of bombing when the Serbs and Kosovars have been intolerant of each other for hundreds, if not thousands of years. A few years of peacekeeping will not make things better and the US will spend more on Kosovo, a place more than 3000 miles away from America than it will on fixing our environmental problems in the next few years. When was Kosovo a part of the US? Is it the 51st state? It is wrong for the government to spend more money on Kosovo than it does for many states. I bet the people of Wyoming are pleased that the citizens of Kosovo get more Wyoming taxpayer dollars than the people of Wyoming. If Kosovo wants our help, they better pay their share of the taxes. Whenever Americans need improvements or protection, Americans pay their government for those services. Why should another nation who uses our Governement to solve their problems be absolved from paying for the services that they used? Anyways, the *real* question is how much are *you* willing to have *your* taxes increase to fund all of your points?  If you are not willing to pay for it yourself, then it’s all just hot air. no, I am willing to pay my taxes even with an increase, but the government should be efficient with the money it collects from taxpayers. It is not right for the government to spend billions of dollars on the problems of other nations while we have so many problems at home to solve. If the government is going to spend money on other nations, the government should demand payment for services rendered. I pay to fish by buying a license and that money is used to manage fisheries. My payment pays for the management services provided by my state. Why should the military be any different? If a country has a problem that has to be resolved by the military and they ask for our help, that US military aid should be paid for by the country that is asking for our help. What’s wrong with paying for services delivered? It’s ridiculous to let our tax dollars be spent without demanding compensation for what has been done. Spend the money on the salmon/steelhead, forests, waterways, educational system, infrastructure and technology instead of throwing money into a fire. Tom JonCook.

Response:

Are there any other rivers in the lower 48 states that a summer Steelhead will take a fly on the surface?   I’ve had many days of ten fish on the Deschutes river in Oregon skating fly’s on the surface for Steelhead.  Wonder why they take a fly on the surface on the Deschutes, and not on other rivers? — Sharp Hooks, Pat Holdzit Fishing Products Inc. http://www.holdzit.com Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

At the right time and place they’ll take a dry on any water.

Response:

I believe wild fish come to the surface more readily than planted fish. I know that Bill McMillan swears by surface fishing for steal head in his book Dry Line Fishing For Pacific Steelhead.

Response:

I believe wild fish come to the surface more readily than planted fish. I know that Bill McMillan swears by surface fishing for steal head in his book Dry Line Fishing For Pacific Steelhead.

Hi All, There are two ways to dry fly fish for steelhead. Waking or skating dry flies and dead drifting dry flies. We met an old English angler on the Bulkley River in B.C. who said that the only tasteful way was to dead drift dries. I think wild fish are preferable. Sun off the water and 60 degree water temperater also can help. You are looking for water that is less than 10 feet deep, moving at a medium speed and with a pretty smooth surface. Maybe late September, early October? There are less Steelhead than ever, but if you want to work hard enough for them, they can still be found.

Response:

There are less Steelhead than ever, but if you want to work hard enough for them, they can still be found.

Why do you think that is, Bill? I mean, why are there fewer steelhead than ever? — something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

says… There are less Steelhead than ever, but if you want to work hard enough for them, they can still be found. Why do you think that is, Bill? I mean, why are there fewer steelhead than ever?

Excessive commercial fishing pressure, improperly designed dams, water pollution, destruction of habitat and improperly managed sport fisheries….. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text — something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

If you catch enough steelhead, the nonsense about a difference between hatchery and wild fish becomes obvious.  I have always found steelhead come up for dries best in the tail of a pool, usually on a side.  Probably just less water overhead and that they usually are found in this area at the start and end of the day which probably means they have not been disturbed for some time.  If you spot a fish in such a location, a little skate when the fly is about 2 foot above the fish’s lie helps. Fred – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I believe wild fish come to the surface more readily than planted fish. I know that Bill McMillan swears by surface fishing for steal head in his book Dry Line Fishing For Pacific Steelhead.

Response:

There are less Steelhead than ever, but if you want to work hard enough for them, they can still be found. Why do you think that is, Bill? I mean, why are there fewer steelhead than ever? — something bogus to avoid spam)

I started fishing steelhead in the 60s in northern California. It was still pretty good fishing then, but the older guys really saw it in it’s ‘hay days’. I have fished with an old group of anglers that fished for them heavily from the end of W W II till just recently. Mostly, they are too old to wade and secondly in the last 10 years they have lost interest. We still have a pretty strong younger group that travel up and down the northwest coast of North America. I have listened to them tell the stories of fishing 50 years ago on the great un-damed rivers of North America. The mighty Russian, Eel, Trinity, Klamath, Rogue, Umpqua and on up through Oregon, Washington and the great rivers of British Columbia. It is a crime what we let happen to our great rivers. We mostly wipped out the wild steelhead in the 1900s. Bad logging, too many dams, de-watering and agriculture have lead to the loss of habitate for the might ‘Iron Head’. Commercial netting up north in BC is to blame also. If they could just start working on some of the good rivers that are left we could save some wild steelhead stocks. I have been thinking about this for the last 10 years. Take a few rivers and turn them back to wild rivers with no hatchery fish. Close them for 10 years and build back up a good population. No logging on the drainage. No dams. No more roads. Steelhead should all be wild and all be catch and release. If you have caught wild steelhead on a fly rod with a floating line and dry or unweighted steelhead fly, you can understand this kind of thinking. Hell, if you caught a wild steelhead on any kind of tackle you would understand. Rather than complain all the time, we should try to save what is left.

Response:

says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are less Steelhead than ever, but if you want to work hard enough for them, they can still be found. Why do you think that is, Bill? I mean, why are there fewer steelhead than ever? — something bogus to avoid spam) I started fishing steelhead in the 60s in northern California. It was still pretty good fishing then, but the older guys really saw it in it’s ‘hay days’. I have fished with an old group of anglers that fished for them heavily from the end of W W II till just recently. Mostly, they are too old to wade and secondly in the last 10 years they have lost interest. We still have a pretty strong younger group that travel up and down the northwest coast of North America. I have listened to them tell the stories of fishing 50 years ago on the great un-damed rivers of North America. The mighty Russian, Eel, Trinity, Klamath, Rogue, Umpqua and on up through Oregon, Washington and the great rivers of British Columbia. It is a crime what we let happen to our great rivers. We mostly wipped out the wild steelhead in the 1900s. Bad logging, too many dams, de-watering and agriculture have lead to the loss of habitate for the might ‘Iron Head’. Commercial netting up north in BC is to blame also. If they could just start working on some of the good rivers that are left we could save some wild steelhead stocks. I have been thinking about this for the last 10 years. Take a few rivers and turn them back to wild rivers with no hatchery fish. Close them for 10 years and build back up a good population. No logging on the drainage. No dams. No more roads. Steelhead should all be wild and all be catch and release. If you have caught wild steelhead on a fly rod with a floating line and dry or unweighted steelhead fly, you can understand this kind of thinking. Hell, if you caught a wild steelhead on any kind of tackle you would understand. Rather than complain all the time, we should try to save what is left.

I think the steelhead and salmon could come back to historic proportions if the following things were done: 1.) All remaining undammed rivers are allowed to flow freely for eternity. 2.) Cities built near spawning habitat should be forced stop all development     near the spawning habitat. 3.) Ban commercial fishing for coldwater fish in the sea or freshwater. Catch     and Release only for wild stocks and certain hatchery stocks should be     maintained to create fisheries for the average angler while saving the     wild fish with prudent management. Seafood farming (the planting and     raising of seafood)would be implemented instead of commercial fishing. 4.) Train and pay former commercial fishermen to help study and protect the         fish stocks.     5.) Create tree farms for necessary lumber and ban logging in pristine         forests. Hire loggers to log the tree farms and use their expertise to             assist in the reclaimation of logged forests. Train loggers to fight         forest fires, maintain national parks and use their forestry skills             /training to help wilderness areas. 6.) retrofit all amenable dams with fish ladders to allow fish migration. 7.) breach all dams that cannot be retrofitted to help the salmon/steelhead         migrations. 8.) All hatchery plantings be restricted to planting native river stocks only     and augmenting the hatchery stock by a yearly infusion of native river.     stocks. 9.) Ban all logging, development and restrict access in sensitive areas. 10.) Reward organizations and industrial firms by giving huge tax breaks to companies that actively seek to help the environment by complying with the environmental regulations. 11.) Punish (15,000% tax rate)all firms that show wanton disregard for the environment by heavy taxation. 12.) Punish firms that try to leave the US in effort to circumvent the rules with a 20,000% tax rate. 13.) Punish (100,000% tax rate) rogue firms that try to lay off workers to offset financial punishments due to environmental callousness and ineptitude. 14.) after implementation of rules 10-13, all firms will be in compliance as it will be unprofitable to intentionally pollute. 15.) Bill nations with an exorbitant military service fee for resolving their wars with our military. This huge windfall of trillions of dollars would fund the government. clean up the environment/save the wild fish and lower our taxes. 16.) With the 15 rules above, the salmon, steelhead and other wild stocks would be saved, fisheries for the average angler would exist, the environment would be cleaner, the old growth forest would remain, wars would cease, loggers would still be employed, development would be carefully controlled, taxes would be lower, the military would be superpowerful/well funded and we would have enough money to enhance America’s future and resolve many of our problems.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – :  #17-Outlaw all types of fishing in any of the river so reclamied. : After all it’s about the fish …right? You bet, Harry. I’m with you on that one. Rather than proposing to make it pure C+R, why not have a 1-weekend season? Hunting seems to work rather well like that. If the fish can handle pure C+R, they can handle some harvest. Why bias the policy against the vast majority of fishermen who like to keep some fish? : : 15.) Bill nations with an exorbitant military service fee for resolving their : wars with our military. This huge windfall of trillions of dollars would fund : the government. clean up the environment/save the wild fish and lower our : taxes. Should this be taken as "I’m not willing to pay for it myself"? Of course, sending a bill doesn’t mean you actually collect money. Do you *really* think we’d reap a "windfall"? No, if they have the money, rather than pay us, they’d keep that money and raise their own army. Then we’d be back to square one. It is in our own interest for these nations to not keep large standing armies. That’s what gives us the title "superpower".

If a country had the money to build a strong military, it probably would not need US aid to protect itself from other nations. For example, England would not need US intervention in the foreseeable future, but Kosovo will. Meanwhile, the US spent over a billion dollars on Kosovo and we never see that money again. The US will end up fighting over there again without compensation because of Milosevic or some other tyrant and we will spend billions of dollars to try to solve a problem that will never be solved without 50 or more years of commitment. As far as I am concerned, the US environmental problems are more important than Kosovo. Congress whines "a Billion dollars has been spent on the salmon in the last 20 years….", but is a happy camper whenever we blow billions of dollars in a few weeks to try to rectify a problem that has existed for 1000’s of years in the false hope that we can make things better in a month of bombing when the Serbs and Kosovars have been intolerant of each other for hundreds, if not thousands of years. A few years of peacekeeping will not make things better and the US will spend more on Kosovo, a place more than 3000 miles away from America than it will on fixing our environmental problems in the next few years. When was Kosovo a part of the US? Is it the 51st state? It is wrong for the government to spend more money on Kosovo than it does for many states. I bet the people of Wyoming are pleased that the citizens of Kosovo get more Wyoming taxpayer dollars than the people of Wyoming. If Kosovo wants our help, they better pay their share of the taxes. Whenever Americans need improvements or protection, Americans pay their government for those services. Why should another nation who uses our Governement to solve their problems be absolved from paying for the services that they used? Anyways, the *real* question is how much are *you* willing to have *your* taxes increase to fund all of your points?  If you are not willing to pay for it yourself, then it’s all just hot air.

no, I am willing to pay my taxes even with an increase, but the government should be efficient with the money it collects from taxpayers. It is not right for the government to spend billions of dollars on the problems of other nations while we have so many problems at home to solve. If the government is going to spend money on other nations, the government should demand payment for services rendered. I pay to fish by buying a license and that money is used to manage fisheries. My payment pays for the management services provided by my state. Why should the military be any different? If a country has a problem that has to be resolved by the military and they ask for our help, that US military aid should be paid for by the country that is asking for our help. What’s wrong with paying for services delivered? It’s ridiculous to let our tax dollars be spent without demanding compensation for what has been done. Spend the money on the salmon/steelhead, forests, waterways, educational system, infrastructure and technology instead of throwing money into a fire. Tom – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -JonCook.

Response:

 #17-Outlaw all types of fishing in any of the river so reclamied. After all it’s about the fish …right? HM – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – says… There are less Steelhead than ever, but if you want to work hard enough for them, they can still be found. Why do you think that is, Bill? I mean, why are there fewer steelhead than ever? — something bogus to avoid spam) I started fishing steelhead in the 60s in northern California. It was still pretty good fishing then, but the older guys really saw it in it’s ‘hay days’. I have fished with an old group of anglers that fished for them heavily from the end of W W II till just recently. Mostly, they are too old to wade and secondly in the last 10 years they have lost interest. We still have a pretty strong younger group that travel up and down the northwest coast of North America. I have listened to them tell the stories of fishing 50 years ago on the great un-damed rivers of North America. The mighty Russian, Eel, Trinity, Klamath, Rogue, Umpqua and on up through Oregon, Washington and the great rivers of British Columbia. It is a crime what we let happen to our great rivers. We mostly wipped out the wild steelhead in the 1900s. Bad logging, too many dams, de-watering and agriculture have lead to the loss of habitate for the might ‘Iron Head’. Commercial netting up north in BC is to blame also. If they could just start working on some of the good rivers that are left we could save some wild steelhead stocks. I have been thinking about this for the last 10 years. Take a few rivers and turn them back to wild rivers with no hatchery fish. Close them for 10 years and build back up a good population. No logging on the drainage. No dams. No more roads. Steelhead should all be wild and all be catch and release. If you have caught wild steelhead on a fly rod with a floating line and dry or unweighted steelhead fly, you can understand this kind of thinking. Hell, if you caught a wild steelhead on any kind of tackle you would understand. Rather than complain all the time, we should try to save what is left. I think the steelhead and salmon could come back to historic proportions if the following things were done: 1.) All remaining undammed rivers are allowed to flow freely for eternity. 2.) Cities built near spawning habitat should be forced stop all development    near the spawning habitat. 3.) Ban commercial fishing for coldwater fish in the sea or freshwater. Catch    and Release only for wild stocks and certain hatchery stocks should be    maintained to create fisheries for the average angler while saving the    wild fish with prudent management. Seafood farming (the planting and    raising of seafood)would be implemented instead of commercial fishing. 4.) Train and pay former commercial fishermen to help study and protect the         fish stocks.         5.) Create tree farms for necessary lumber and ban logging in pristine         forests. Hire loggers to log the tree farms and use their expertise to             assist in the reclaimation of logged forests. Train loggers to fight         forest fires, maintain national parks and use their forestry skills             /training to help wilderness areas. 6.) retrofit all amenable dams with fish ladders to allow fish migration. 7.) breach all dams that cannot be retrofitted to help the salmon/steelhead         migrations. 8.) All hatchery plantings be restricted to planting native river stocks only     and augmenting the hatchery stock by a yearly infusion of native river.    stocks. 9.) Ban all logging, development and restrict access in sensitive areas. 10.) Reward organizations and industrial firms by giving huge tax breaks to companies that actively seek to help the environment by complying with the environmental regulations. 11.) Punish (15,000% tax rate)all firms that show wanton disregard for the environment by heavy taxation. 12.) Punish firms that try to leave the US in effort to circumvent the rules with a 20,000% tax rate. 13.) Punish (100,000% tax rate) rogue firms that try to lay off workers to offset financial punishments due to environmental callousness and ineptitude. 14.) after implementation of rules 10-13, all firms will be in compliance as it will be unprofitable to intentionally pollute. 15.) Bill nations with an exorbitant military service fee for resolving their wars with our military. This huge windfall of trillions of dollars would fund the government. clean up the environment/save the wild fish and lower our taxes. 16.) With the 15 rules above, the salmon, steelhead and other wild stocks would be saved, fisheries for the average angler would exist, the environment would be cleaner, the old growth forest would remain, wars would cease, loggers would still be employed, development would be carefully controlled, taxes would be lower, the military would be superpowerful/well funded and we would have enough money to enhance America’s future and resolve many of our problems.

Response:

Question:

[ polish.txt < 1K ]

Dear Friends, I now carry "Wenol" famous metal polish.This is great for Auto,Boats,Antiques,Cycles and more.(Wheels,Silver,Brass,Formica tops and more). 1.Original Wenol (Red Tube)- our work horse, is an aggressive cleaner for all metals.A small amount will do the job! 2."Ultra-Soft" auto Wenol (Blue Tube)-The first ever and only true "Show Quality"polish made.This extra gentle polishing compound is ideal for maintaining expensive custom wheels,silver and all fine metals.A little dab will do ya! (Long lasting shine you have ever seen) Each tube costs: $12.00 ea. (4 oz.) 3 or more costs: $10.00 ea. (4 oz.) Shipping costs: $2.00 ea. tube Big 40 oz.can= $49.95 ea. plus $4.75 shipping Same day shipping! 100% Quaranteed! Send check or money order to: Parick R. McNeil (PRM Marketing) 4454 Lugo Ave. Chino Hills, Calif. 91709  USA (909) 597-5932 info:

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Dear Friends, I now carry "Wenol" famous metal polish.This is great for Auto,Boats,Antiques,Cycles and more.(Wheels,Silver,Brass,Formica tops and more). 1.Original Wenol (Red Tube)- our work horse, is an aggressive cleaner for all metals.A small amount will do the job! 2."Ultra-Soft" auto Wenol (Blue Tube)-The first ever and only true "Show Quality"polish made.This extra gentle polishing compound is ideal for maintaining expensive custom wheels,silver and all fine metals.A little dab will do ya! (Long lasting shine you have ever seen) Each tube costs: $12.00 ea. (4 oz.) 3 or more costs: $10.00 ea. (4 oz.) Shipping costs: $2.00 ea. tube Big 40 oz.can= $49.95 ea. plus $4.75 shipping Same day shipping! 100% Quaranteed! Send check or money order to: Parick R. McNeil (PRM Marketing) 4454 Lugo Ave. Chino Hills, Calif. 91709  USA (909) 597-5932 info:

Hey Patrick, This is a flyfishing newsgroup. Don’t advertise your non-flyfishing shit on it. JACKASS!

Response:

Question:

I’m considering getting a spey type rod for SW fishing in Maine.  I fish a lot of tidal rivers.  Any suggestions on types of lines to consider (shooting heads or just a plain floating line ?)  My main reason for considering a 2 handed rod is to not get so worn out flailing the water with my conventional 9 wt rod.   I’ve never used a 2 handed rod but understand that it can be more efficient. Or should I just sit down and smoke a cigarette instead of beating the water to a froth when the fish aren’t biting ; ^). Thanks John

Response:

I’m considering getting a spey type rod for SW fishing in Maine.  I fish a lot of tidal rivers.  Any suggestions on types of lines to consider (shooting heads or just a plain floating line ?)  My main reason for considering a 2 handed rod is to not get so worn out flailing the water with my conventional 9 wt rod. I’ve never used a 2 handed rod but understand that it can be more efficient. Or should I just sit down and smoke a cigarette instead of beating the water to a froth when the fish aren’t biting ; ^). Thanks John

John, Spey rods can work great in northeast saltwater. Doug Jowett, a well-known and respected guide in the Brunswick, Maine area recommends them. I haven’t used one yet, but I know what you mean about wearing out your shoulder on the 9 wt.

Response:

Hi ! PFMJI, but the theme touches me too. I just ordered a two-handed rod, that felt very easy to throw and is a good overhead casting machine, but I doubt it’ll be a good Speycasting device, nor I expect it to be good at windy conditions. Mine will be a G.Loomis GLX 11′ 6" 8/9 wt. Does anybody have expierience with casting such short 2-handed sticks? Isn’t, for Speycasting in particular, a longer Doublehanded rod nesseccary ? Thus, I doubt, a twohanded rod is a _good_ SW-Rod because of it’s _average_ length linked with the mostly windy conditions. So I expect it to be more tiring than a shorter rod. Any expieriences ? Thanks for your time

Response:

Just bought an Orvis Silver 15′  10 wt. fast action for sw use in Florida, both for shore fishing fast tide water in passes and for casting to Tarpon, Redfish and Snook from a boat. Neat thing of the two hander is the ability to throw 60′ to 80′ with no backcast ( a modified roll cast) thereby not jeprodizing beach walkers and others on board when fishing from a boat. Have spent 4 to 5 hours at a time blind casting with a conventional 9 ft.12 wt. for Tarpon and a 9 ft. 9 wt. for Snook and Reds and can verify that the two hander, while a bit unwieldy to store and handle aboard a small boat, is sure a lot less tiring to use for extended periods. Largest fish so far was a 25# Sting Ray(ugh) on a 12# tippet which was beached and released in about 10 minutes, and a long line release of a Tarpon (50#??) after two jumps and about 10 minutes. I’m sold on it for certain conditions.

Response:

Just bought an Orvis Silver 15′  10 wt. fast action for sw use in Florida, both for shore fishing fast tide water in passes and for casting to Tarpon, Redfish and Snook from a boat. Neat thing of the two hander is the ability to throw 60′ to 80′ with no backcast ( a modified roll cast) thereby not jeprodizing beach walkers and others on board when fishing from a boat. Have spent 4 to 5 hours at a time blind casting with a conventional 9 ft.12 wt. for Tarpon and a 9 ft. 9 wt. for Snook and Reds and can verify that the two hander, while a bit unwieldy to store and handle aboard a small boat, is sure a lot less tiring to use for extended periods. Largest fish so far was a 25# Sting Ray(ugh) on a 12# tippet which was beached and released in about 10 minutes, and a long line release of a Tarpon (50#??) after two jumps and about 10 minutes. I’m sold on it for certain conditions.

Hi Jay, We will be using two handed, 14′ rods for Shad in the American River this spring. I think it will be good practice for Steelhead and Atlantic Salmon fishing. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY www.kiene.com

Response:

Question:

I’m planning a mid-March trip to the Eureka area.  Can anybody tell me the name and/or e-mail address of a good fly shop in the area.  What are the current conditions.  Is there a preferred river among the Mad, Eel, Klamath or Smith?  I would appreciate any information from locals or others knowledgeable of the area.

Response:

Check the following site for N. Californaia coast fishing and river information. http://www.northcoastweb.com/fishing/ For fly shop in Eureka check: Eureka Fly Shop 505 H st. Eureka, Ca 707-444-2000 URL:  http://www.northcoastweb.com/fishing/efs/index.htm Mike

Response:

Path:

news-s01.ny.us.ibm.net!news-m01.ny.us.ibm.net!newsfeed.uk.ibm.net!arclight. uore gon.edu!news.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!newsxfer3.itd.umich.e du!p ortc01.blue.aol.com!newstf02.news.aol.com!audrey01.news.aol.com!not-for-mai l – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.fishing.fly Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Lines: 7 NNTP-Posting-Host: ladder01.news.aol.com Xref: news-s01.ny.us.ibm.net rec.outdoors.fishing.fly:58966 I’m planning a mid-March trip to the Eureka area.  Can anybody tell me the name and/or e-mail address of a good fly shop in the area.  What are the current conditions.  Is there a preferred river among the Mad, Eel, Klamath or Smith?  I would appreciate any information from locals or others knowledgeable of the area.

Contact Eureka Fly Shop…707-444-2000

Response:

Question:

Has anyone had any experience using horse hair, (mane in particular), in fly tying.  Any input would be appreciated. Tight line!

Response:

writes: Has anyone had any experience using horse hair, (mane in particular), in fly tying.  Any input would be appreciated. Tight line!

Yes, both horse mane and horse tail.  Back in the 70’s took a one day class at a local JC in Oregon.  Older fellow who taught the 3 hour session had a collection of various materials in coffee cans and tin cracker boxes.  Part of his selection was horesehair dyed in various colors.  We tied up some caddis using some dyed green horse hair tied on and then wrapped like floss for one of the flies and then twisted to give a segmented body on another one.  It was actually pretty easy to handle. Need to be a little careful when twisting the horsehair as it goes from "twisted nicely" to "broken by twisting too much" very quickly.  Evidently it used to be easily available.  I haven’t seen any since that one time.                                  Good Luck,                                      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:

Has anyone had any experience using horse hair, (mane in particular), in fly tying.  Any input would be appreciated.

tying some Mr. Ed Beadheads ? TimW

Response:

Has anyone had any experience using horse hair, (mane in particular), in fly tying.  Any input would be appreciated.

Horsehair bodies (over painted hook shanks) were the basis of J.W. Dunne’s theory of imitation (approx. 1920) and remained in use in Britain for some time (cf. Robert Hartman, About Fishing, 1935) — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

Response:

Question:

Need info on Olympic Steelhead.  Will be in WA March 6-10.  Called some guides fish the Sol Duc and Hoh, but they are way to expensive.  Need info on possibility of taking myself and a buddy steelheading.  I’m worried that the rivers may be too high.

Response:

Need info on Olympic Steelhead.  Will be in WA March 6-10.  Called some guides fish the Sol Duc and Hoh, but they are way to expensive.  Need info on possibility of taking myself and a buddy steelheading.  I’m worried that the rivers may be too high.

I’d suggest you call one of the Seattle area fly shops, such as Kaufmanns, Swallows Nest, Avid Angler or Patrick’s.  They should have good, up-to-date information on all the area streams, including the Olympic Peninsula.  Access on most of the major Peninsula streams is fairly limited, though there are exceptions;  a raft or drift boat can be a major advantage.  A good map is essential – the DeLorme ‘Atlas and Gazeteer’ will *generally* get you where you need to be, but forest service (Olympic National Forest) maps can be useful as well.   Stream conditions are NEVER certain – you pays your money and you takes your chances, whether visitor or local – but, in general, March tends to offer generally decent water.  But there just are no guarantees;  the whole month can be blown out or low, clear and fish-less.  One real plus of March is native (typically catch and release) fisheries on several of the local streams.  On the Peninsula, the Sol Duc comes to mind (also has some sections that are reasonably accessible).   On the subject of C&R, you might also want to check out some of the streams north of Seattle, such as the Skykomish, Skagit and Sauk. Fishing can be excellent at that time of year for very large native fish and most of these streams have pretty extensive access (though floating is still an advantage).  They also have some excellent fly water.   One last word of advice:  Guides may be expensive, but can make the difference between bust and boom, particularly on unfamiliar waters and unfamiliar fisheries.  Some streams, or even sections of streams, here fish best in ways that are not intuitive, even to experienced steelhead fly anglers.  You can easily spend months (hell, years! <g) fishing the wrong streams or the right streams wrong.  A day with a good guide at the beginning of the trip, can be parlayed into days (or even a lifetime) of successful fishing.  Any of the local shops can put you in touch with a good FF guide.  Also there are a number of excellent  independent guides, including John Farrar, who probably best exemplifies the ‘teaching guide’ approach.    (BTW, *most* Peninsula guides are, in my experience, mainly drift gear/plug fishermen;  be careful to get a full-time FF guide, no matter where you go).   -Wes Wes Neuenschwander Seattle, WA

Response:

Question:

I operate a Cortland Pro Shop and Stock over 300 DIFFERENT Cortland Fly Lines. I also build custom rods and have lots of other neat stuff.  If I can help out anyone with anything let me know. George E. Hoskin/Hoskin Enterprises RFD 1, Box 841 West Bath, Maine 04530 1-207-443-6064 1-800-244-7744

Response: