Question:

"Mona" <thehappyw…@myrealbox.com> wrote in message

news:af4vqd$b5noo$10@ID-95032.news.dfncis.de… > <snicker snort> So basically…MS was the gulf war syndrome of WW > II, where passenger pigeons were frequently used.. > — > Laura

LOL  8^) Rob

Response:

"Michael" <muirh…@island.net> wrote in message

news:af53n602v6@drn.newsguy.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> In article <wFiR8.22952$uH2.2…@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>, "Stef > says… > >"Michael" <muirh…@island.net> wrote in message > >news:af45gj018ce@drn.newsguy.com… > >> In article <iagR8.22066$uH2….@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>, "Stef > >says… > >> That would make the Queen Charlotte > >> Islands among the greatest MS hotspots on the planet… which I can assure > >you > >> they are not now, nor have they ever been. > >Why would it make Queen Charlotte a hot spot?  Whats the weather like? What > >state is it in even? > You’ve shown your ignorance of so many things in the post to which I’m replying > that I have to just pick one and stick to it… so I’ll pick the one I like to > talk about. > I’ve got news for you, Rob.  Not every place on Earth is in a US State.

I know you arent American. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The Queen Charlottte Islands are a Canadian island archipelago in the North > Pacific, centred at 53

Question:

Fished my favorite local stream today.  Testing out the back after the new treatment.  WOO WOO!  Fished for five hours and my only complaint was cold feet (as in, "who switched my feet for these bricks"). Got to the Patapsco, below Daniels Dam (Old Fredrick Rd turnout) at about 8 a.m.  Water was 48 degrees, air about 50, foggy with a light breeze. I walked up to my favorite pool and started casting a size 14 wooly bugger. After two 10 inch stocker rainbows in the riffle, I started up a conversation with an older gentleman on the walking path.  Turns out that he is a "retired" fly fisherman who can no longer wade due to two artificial hips and some heart problems.  The sun had come out and he pointed out some fish rising in the next pool down.  He then "guided" me into position by spotting my traverse across the stream.  I stayed wonderfully dry because of him. With his advice, I got into perfect position behind a rock.  I was high enough out of the water to make a decent cast, but shielded from the fishes view by the rock.  There were about twenty fish rising in a 20 foot circle. I looked on the water and saw some tiny size 30 black gnats floating by. Well, didn’t have anything that small, so settled on a 22 Griffiths Gnat. No dice.  They splashed all around it.  I retied on the black wooly bugger, but again, no joy.  I then remembered a fly in my box that I learned about whilst inspecting the Pirate’s Dry Fly Larder (the man will never again have to tie a dry).  It was a size 16 parachute Hare’s Ear.  Chaching!  These guys couldn’t get enough of it.  About every third to fifth cast I was into another fish.  One fish was still bleeding slightly in the other side of the mouth from where I had hooked him before. Man, I love stupid fish.  Even got a very confused smallie (still had his winter coat on). When the action slowed down, I looked up and the gentleman was still there, sitting on a log.  I offered him my rod, but he refused.  He didn’t buy a license and was "adding a bit of English to my casts."  We chatted for a bit more and then the fish started rising again.  When action eased, I looked up and he was gone.  I want to thank him and all other "stream side angels." He was indeed fishing without a license, but my license worked for him, because I became his arms and legs for just a bit.  My cast straightened out, my fly selection was spot on and the fish were fearless.  I firmly believe that more than words pass between master and apprentice and today, while fishing that little circle of fish, that connection with this nameless gentleman, with the Pirate, with old Floyd Turnbull who took me fishing as a kid, and many, many others, was made. I sat on that pool all morning.  Others came by and said those were the only rising fish in two miles of river.  I sat on a rock and had my sandwich with my line in the water (still my pool, dammit!).  While sitting there, a huge (for the Patapsco) trout, about 18-20 inches, flashed about ten feet out from the rock.  I sat there for a 45 minutes casting everything in my flybox, hare’s ears, pheasant tails, wooly buggers, usuals, biots, nothing worked, even though he continued to flash and dart around.  That ethereal link was still there, but there are some fish that you aren’t meant to catch. A front came through at about one o’clock, clouds, sprinkles and wind.  Shut the fish down.  I didn’t mind.  I’d had a good morning, the fishing lust was sated, and I had reached a new level in my relationship with the water, and, my past. — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply.

Response:

……a "retired" fly fisherman who can no longer wade due to two artificial hips and some heart problems.  The sun had come out and he pointed out some fish rising in the next pool down.  He then "guided" me into position by spotting my traverse across the stream…….

What greater ambition for a fly fisher than to BE that old man? Wolfgang see you at penn’s

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Fished my favorite local stream today.  Testing out the back after the new treatment.

        (snip)         i am once again reminded of the best argument for the existence of this group–gifts such as that i snipped, above. your friend in the old north state wayno

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Frank Reid wrote…

<snipped a wonderful TR A front came through at about one o’clock, clouds, sprinkles and wind.  Shut the fish down.  I didn’t mind.  I’d had a good morning, the fishing lust was sated, and I had reached a new level in my relationship with the water, and, my past.

Thanks for sharing that Frank.  Gems like that are what keep me coming back here. — Warren Henry’s Fork Clave info and Bozeman, MT fishing info www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt

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but there are some fish that you aren’t meant to catch.

Boy, that’s an evocative line…thanks for the TR, Frank. – Sid

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What greater ambition for a fly fisher than to BE that old man? Wolfgang see you at penn’s

To BE that old fly fisher and married to Anna Nicole Smith for her money?         Frank

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What greater ambition for a fly fisher than to BE that old man? Wolfgang see you at penn’s To BE that old fly fisher and married to Anna Nicole Smith for her money?         Frank

See, that’s what we love about this place…….no question asked in good faith will go unanswered!     Wolfgang

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What greater ambition for a fly fisher than to BE that old man? Wolfgang see you at penn’s To BE that old fly fisher and married to Anna Nicole Smith for her money?         Frank

Something tells me she’d insist on a strong pre-nup…

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What greater ambition for a fly fisher than to BE that old man? Wolfgang see you at penn’s To BE that old fly fisher and married to Anna Nicole Smith for her money?         Frank Something tells me she’d insist on a strong pre-nup…

Anything she wants!! Scott

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Fished my favorite local stream today.  

Great story, Frank. That was a special day that I’ll think will stay with you. Willi

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Question:

Bruiser wrote… I forgot to thank Joe Fleischman for the great gifts.  The book went to Charlie who may venture to Northern NM once in a while, and the necks went to Warren, the other birthday guy and a prolific fly tier.

Speaking of which, I owe a thanks to Joe.  The funny thing is that I needed those for my fly swap flies so you will probably be seeing them again soon Joe, in a different form of course. — Warren Henry’s Fork Clave info and Bozeman, MT fishing info www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt

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Of course, no offense to the Penn’s Clave.  Let me amend by saying: Henry’s Fork will be the mother of all Western Claves. We’re sending our DH to Penns bruce h

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  Personally, the best thing about claving is that now when I read your posts, I can hear your voices. Mu

…and there it is.  summed up nicely mu.  course, a few more and you’ll be hearing their footsteps too <g. jeff

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Jeff,  I’m not sure what brand the Tequila was, but it was good, a Reposado. It came in a brown ceramic bottle with a white picket fence molded into the front.

You seem to have found one I don’t know of.  I’ll look for it on my trip west  I coudn’t read the label with double vision!  You should see the flies I tied though.

Oh, I’ve seen ‘em, and they’re too small to see.

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Wayne Harrison wrote…    ah, the stuff of legends!  it reads wonderfully, and makes us all dream of the fabled henry’s fork, where i will plant the bonnie blue flag of the old north state, come this september.

Every couple of weeks I am going to repost this Wayno.  I am holding you to your pledge of attendance.  I would consider it both an honor and a privilege to fish with you and eagerly look forward to the day.  It would finally ease the disappointment I felt in Ennis. — Warren Henry’s Fork Clave info and Bozeman, MT fishing info www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt

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Jeff,  I’m not sure what brand the Tequila was, but it was good, a Reposado. It came in a brown ceramic bottle with a white picket fence molded into the front.  I coudn’t read the label with double vision!  You should see the flies I tied though. Tripper,  Last night it started snowing and it’s let up a little but it hasn’t stopped.  We must have been living right because the storm held off for a couple of days. Wayne,  see you at the Henry’s Fork.  I better bring my Nuevo Mexico flag. bruce h I forgot to thank Joe Fleischman for the great gifts.  The book went to Charlie who may venture to Northern NM once in a while, and the necks went to Warren, the other birthday guy and a prolific fly tier. bruce h

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If you ever get the chance and haven’t done so, attend a clave.  I have met lots of great friends this way.  Ain’t the net great?

        ah, the stuff of legends!  it reads wonderfully, and makes us all dream of the fabled henry’s fork, where i will plant the bonnie blue flag of the old north state, come this september. your friend in carolina wayno

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 Personally, the best thing about claving is that now when I read your posts, I can hear your voices.

Ah, now THAT captures it perfectly.  Perfectly. JR

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If you ever get the chance and haven’t done so, attend a clave.  I have met lots of great friends this way.  Ain’t the net great?

It is indeed. Well, we’ll get some pictures posted somewhere soon.

Definitely! Maybe rw’s got some room? We think the Henry’s Fork will be the Mother of All Claves.

Well, maybe the daughter: I’d say the Penn’s shindig has some scary numbers behind it… Thanks for visiting, everyone, I had a blast.

Very cool, thanks for the TR. It sounds like the water clarity wasn’t much of an issue. And you didn’t mention the weather – did George’s snowstorm give the valley a miss? /daytripper (Glad you all had a good trip!)

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If you ever get the chance and haven’t done so, attend a clave.  I have met lots of great friends this way.  Ain’t the net great?

Yes, my friend, it surely is. Everyone has slow days, days when you are obviously catching fewer fish than your friends.

That only happens to me on the rare days that I go fishing. Thanks to everyone for the nice gifts.  Danl brought me a cool bottle of high quality tequila…

What kind was it?

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If you ever get the chance and haven’t done so, attend a clave.  I have met lots of great friends this way.  Ain’t the net great?

No doubt about it (irrespective of Gwen Stefani’s anatomy) Hate to tell you, Mu and Bill, but Monday was the best day.

First time I ever heard *shoulda been here tomorrow* As if in a dream, that fish opened his mouth, the fly slid in, and amazingly was hooked.  In all my days there, that’s never happened for me like that before. Mu CAN throw the whole line with little or no effort.

<g What you might not have noticed from where you were watching is that half the time I was chucking a Teeny 130 – that’s why it looked so easy to make the long casts.  I don’t think I’ve ever thrown a whole floating line. Thanks for visiting, everyone, I had a blast.

Sure was a blast.  I learned quite a bit.  I’ve never fished such small flies.  I saw fish being caught in some water that often I would have overlooked.  I overheard Bruiser talking to Charlie about looking for fish in some shallow spots and that help me pick up a very nice fish one morning while casting towards shore while everyone else near me was casting to the deep water.  Watching people’s individual fishing styles was pretty cool too.  Personally, the best thing about claving is that now when I read your posts, I can hear your voices. Mu

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If you ever get the chance and haven’t done so, attend a clave.  I have met lots of great friends this way.  Ain’t the net great? Everyone has slow days, days when you are obviously catching fewer fish than your friends.  Days like those are particularly noticeable at the San Juan, where the fish are everywhere and so are the fly fishers.  Everyone had at least one day of fewer fish, including me, the host.  Imagine that. There was one exception and anyone who reads ROFF knows who that person is. Willi’s unreal.  We keep wondering when he’ll just get blanked, and in the several days I’ve been lucky enough to fish with him it’s never even been close.  Different rivers, different bugs, different conditions, same result. Willi’s letting go of another fish in that familiar fashion – he leans over, quickly grabs the hook, and releases the fish without touching it.  It’s not really all that amazing that he can nimbly release a three pound fish from a size 24 hook in that manner.  Any one of us would be as good if we’d have practiced it 10,000 times  Steve and I were talking one evening after another mini party in an Abe’s room and when we started talking about all the fish we’ve seen Willi catch we started laughing and continued for quite some time.  His skill is uncanny.  Hopefully I’m not embarassing Willi – he’s a very modest guy. Thanks to everyone for the nice gifts.  Danl brought me a cool bottle of high quality tequila that lasted until my friend Arnie arrived.  He’s the western answer to Pamlico Jim.  Charlie gave me one of those cool Fishpond tippet dispensers, Bob another shirt to replace the one he gave me last year.  Mu brought me some French flies.  Yes, I typed that right.  RW paid for my  accomodations and we had a blast fishing together all over the river.  Warren brought a ton of flies for everyone and two tons of materials.  Sorry if anyone was left out, but I still feel like a zombie. We had two or three dinners at the Sportsman (big burgers).  They have dollar bills, decorated with patron’s grafitti, covering the walls.  Last year in December (actually December 2000) I gave the waitress a dollar with the inscription:  ROFF 2000.  In at least fifteen subsequent visits I’ve failed to spot the dollar on any of the walls – my guess was it got pocketed after the unfortunate situation with our tab last year (which we made good on).  On the first night there, we were waiting for a table, and there it was, on the wall, next to the front door.  Cool. The next morning, as we were leaving the breakfast table, a guy at another table asked me if I was Bruiser and if we were ROFF.  Turns out he’s a lurker from Colorado and that we’ve known each other vaguely for years. Wow.  They were in the room across from us at Abe’s and paid our party a visit later that night, contributing heavily to Warren and Arnie’s hangovers the next day.  Something about Martini’s not mixing well with whiskey, beer, and tequila but the details aren’t important.  They are nice guys and it was fun to meet up with them at the clave. The fishing was a little tougher than usual, especially on Saturday and Sunday, when there were more people and fewer risers.  Hate to tell you, Mu and Bill, but Monday was the best day.  Even on the worst days on that river you can sneak up on a big rainbow and watch it pick adult midges off the surface – deliberately, slowly, selectively.  Bob and I cast to one of these guys without a look.  The fish continued eating real bugs,  undeterred by our artificials.  At one point the fish took a midge from *between* the two dries that Bob drifted over him.  On sunday there was a fish feeding in a similar fashion and indulged me by continuing to feed as I drifted three dry patterns over his head.  First, a tiny griffith’s.  He looked at it, but only came to within an inch and didn’t open his mouth.  Next, I tried a single adult midge parachute pattern.  The fish examined it real close, but again, didn’t open it’s mouth.  Then I remembered a fly that I’d had success with before in a similar situation.  It’s a tiny Adams with no wing, just hackle, given to me by a guide a couple years ago.  As if in a dream, that fish opened his mouth, the fly slid in, and amazingly was hooked.  In all my days there, that’s never happened for me like that before. Everyone seemed to have the spot they really liked.  Charlie’s spot is the slack water at the bottom of the cable hole,  slow current and very selective risers.  That’s also RW’s favorite.   Bob and I like to fish emergers in the Upper Flats.  Willi fishes for risers near the dam with dry flies (or a two inch strip of chamois).  Warren liked the channels between the dam and cable hole.  Danl, as well as Mu and Bill, fished everywhere and with big smiles always.  I’ve never met Mu before and he’s very cool, energetic and friendly.  It’s been said about flyrods on ROFF before, but Mu CAN throw the whole line with little or no effort. Well, we’ll get some pictures posted somewhere soon. We think the Henry’s Fork will be the Mother of All Claves. Thanks for visiting, everyone, I had a blast. bruce h

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Question:

Yes Dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can anyone tell me, if Sage-rods are really the best ones.

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Hi, Tom. I have 3 Sage rods, a 590-3SP, a 389-LL, and a DS590-4 for a backup. They all cast differently.  And they’re each suited to my needs. Sage service has been excellent, $20 for each of my problems. (I’ve had 4 through the years). The costs for new rods are not small, but you do get what you pay for. A good place to look for used or discounted Sages is www.flyshop.com Go to the auction.   Tight lines. Dick Weinkle

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Yes Dave

wow, someone from bainbridge who thinks sage rods are the best <G btw, i like them too. chris

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after working in a fly shop for quite some time while, i have found that most beginners prefer slower action rods…theyre a little more forgiving… I think that’s true, but it can be unfortunate. A beginner’s rod to some degree teaches the beginner to cast. He’ll adjust his technique to the rod. There’s a place for both fast-action and slow-action rods. You should learn how to cast both kinds.

I must say that for fly fishing on difficult chalk streams, I, too, like a slow action. I think delicacy is more important than distance3, or even accuracy. My Sage LL 3-89 is my favourite rod for difficult trout. But I agree that lots of different people make good rods, and I think that when you’re starting, you should take a cheaper rod, and then decide what you like. I’ve just persuaded two starter fly fishers to buy Hardy 9 foot classics, 5/6 or 6/7 weight, which is outdated (and therefore cheap) but one of my favourite rods. I know that a number of other people who like me fish the Itchen and Test use the same rod. Tony

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Can anyone tell me, if Sage-rods are really the best ones. What can you recomend? I whould likt to buy a new rod for dryfly-fishing (trouts in Austria). An advice for a good reel whould be helpful as well. Thanks Tom http://www.resi.at/tom-online Before you buy.

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Can anyone tell me, if Sage-rods are really the best ones. What can you recomend? I whould likt to buy a new rod for dryfly-fishing (trouts in Austria). An advice for a good reel whould be helpful as well.

Tom, It is all a matter of opinion.  Personally, I like Sage rods.  I really like the lifetime warranty and the product, but that is just me.  There are several good rods out on the market, but it is important to find the one that best suits YOU.  Don’t get a rod just because people tell you it is the best.  Cast and compare and find the one that suits your casting style and actually works for you.  Unless of course you are merely modeling your gear. — Warren Findley Member of the Clavemeister Club Before you buy.

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Can anyone tell me, if Sage-rods are really the best ones. What can you recomend? I whould likt to buy a new rod for dryfly-fishing (trouts in Austria). An advice for a good reel whould be helpful as well. Thanks Tom

Tom, That’s a very hard question to answer. It’s very difficult to say that one manufacturer’s rods are ‘the best’. There are a number of good rods around: Sage, Scott, Loomis, St. Croix, Redington, Powell, Orvis, & others. In addition, there are differences in action within a particular maker’s rods. For example, a Sage SP isn’t going to cast like an XP, which is different from an RPL+. A lot depends on your casting style, what kind of action feels good to you, and especially the conditions under which you’ll be fishing. Are the rivers large, the fish big, and will you be casting big flies ? Or are the rivers small, 10m – 15m or less, and the flies & the fish smaller as well? Unless you have a need to throw a lot of line or constantly must content with a lot of wind, a really fast action rod probably isn’t necessary. A Sage SP or a G-series Scott or similar might be just the ticket. But not if you don’t like the action. See what I mean? It’s very subjective. You really need to try as many different rods as you can to see what you like that’s within the price range you have in mind. I don’t know if you have access to St.Croix rods, but they seem to be a lot of rod for the money. I know I asked more questions than I answered, but I hope this helps some. Regards, Bob Before you buy.

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Since you’re in Europe, you might find a Vivarelli reel more easy to locate there.  Ask Mike Conner about them, they’re neat. Sage, like most companies, makes several rod actions.  I would say that there’s a best action (for you) before I would say there’s a best rod brand.  Some prefer a bit faster for fishing dries specifically, as far as purely casting goes. Jeff (looking for a used Sage VPS 9′ 5 wt myself) Can anyone tell me, if Sage-rods are really the best ones. What can you recomend? I whould likt to buy a new rod for dryfly-fishing (trouts in Austria). An advice for a good reel whould be helpful as well.

Before you buy.

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after working in a fly shop for quite some time while, i have found that most beginners prefer slower action rods…theyre a little more forgiving…dont forget, as well, to think about what youre gonna be using your rod for…and if youre not sure how that works, ask the shop pro, he/she can tell ya…and if the shop you go to doesnt ask you if you want to cast rods to try them out…id try another shop… my 2cents, roy

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after working in a fly shop for quite some time while, i have found that most beginners prefer slower action rods…theyre a little more forgiving…

I think that’s true, but it can be unfortunate. A beginner’s rod to some degree teaches the beginner to cast. He’ll adjust his technique to the rod. There’s a place for both fast-action and slow-action rods. You should learn how to cast both kinds. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

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Question:

Considering a 3-day solo (not counting dog) backpack trip mid june somewhere in the sierras.   Anyone with good experiences or heard of good areas for fishing and scenery?  Remote is good. thanks eric

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Hi Eric-    I agree, remote is good; however, with only three days remote won’t be very. For most of the range the season will be on your side. You’ll find lots of snow, many lakes will be frozen, and not many people will be hanging out.    Try the southern Sierra northeast of Bakersfield. Hike into the Golden Trout Wilderness near the Quaking Aspen campground and hike up the Kern River (either fork). Probably not much snow, nice scene, the fishing is okay and the terrain is easy enough to cover some distance in three days. Take a snake bite kit, I was bit while fishing the area a few years back and was greatful for the kit.    -Ralph Considering a 3-day solo (not counting dog) backpack trip mid june somewhere in the sierras.   Anyone with good experiences or heard of good areas for fishing and scenery?  Remote is good. thanks eric

Ralph Cutter, California School of Flyfishing. http://www.flyline.com

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Question:

I intend to visit Italy in mid May, probably the Tuscany region.  I’m intrested in fly fishing opportunities there, especially those that might lead to a story for US magazines.  Any assistance…would be much appreciated. SMN

SMN—Two years ago I met Claudio Tosti, director/instructor at Scuola Italiana Pesca A Mosca (SIM).  This flyfishing school is located, believe it or not, some where in central Italy.  I understand some Italian, but speak very little;  we had a difficult time communicating. Claudio neither spoke nor understood English.   If you decide on making contact with Claudio, best to call Gino Laghi of the Golden Gate Anglers & Casting Club, 415.753.8013.  He met Claudio at the same time and he can be your interpreter.  I know he would love to assist in this venture. Claudio’s mailing address is:                                Via Lombardi, 3                                64021 Giulianova (TE)                                Telephone: 085-8001152 Ciao!    CyberFly

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I intend to visit Italy in mid May, probably the Tuscany region.  I’m intrested in fly fishing opportunities there, especially those that might lead to a story for US magazines.  Any assistance…would be much appreciated. SMN

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Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just tell him to get rid of it, and its chickenshit to treat a wild thing like that. If he threatens you walk out. Unless he plans on running for President, one chickenshit from Texas per decade is probably enough. Dave     "Darlene stood above the second box, praying hard.  Then she gradually moved her good hand and slid it under the larger of the two rattlesnakes in the box.  It was a mild October night, and the snake was alert.  At her touch, it peeled off a tight drumroll of rattles and withdrew its head sharply.  But it did not strike.  The texture of its skin against her palm reminded her of warm, dry varnish, and she remembered how good snakehandling could feel  Then she felt Glenn’s hold on her hair loosen.     ‘OK,’ he said.  His vice was hollow, perplexed.  ’I'm going to let you live since the Lord let you handle that one’  Glenn was impressed.  All drunk and mussed up, Darlene had just handled the meanest of all his snakes. It was like the best of times in church, when God turned the strike aside and you could just feel the victory all over you.  He hadn’t expected it that way.  For now, all the murder in him was gone.  He felt uncertain how to proceed.  In the end, he led her outside and walked her to the Chevy, even lending an arm for support.  They sat in the car, listening to the night-birds in the woods, and for a long time neither spoke. Darlene was beginning to feel real bad.  The pain around the bite was extreme, hot as a hob you’d whip your hand off if only you could.  The whole left had looked swollen now, the skin stretched in an unfamiliar way.  She felt nauseous and dizzy.  Shapes were appearing in front of her eyes, little glittery yellow lozenges that fluttered like falling leaves…" Nothin’ like that in "Weekly Reader", huh?         While "Katrina" is rubbing y’alls naughty parts, there are some interesting things going on in this world.  Read a book* or something some time. Wolfgang *"The Snakebite Survivor’s Club: Travels Among Serpents", Jeremy Seal, Harcourt, Inc., 1999, for example.

or… "feast of snakes", by harry crews; and, "Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia" by Dennis Covington.  or, simply attend one of the little clapboard-sided churches filled with pentecostals around triplett, nc (near boone)… jeff

Response:

Just tell him to get rid of it, and its chickenshit to treat a wild thing like that. If he threatens you walk out. Unless he plans on running for President, one chickenshit from Texas per decade is probably enough. Dave

    "Darlene stood above the second box, praying hard.  Then she gradually moved her good hand and slid it under the larger of the two rattlesnakes in the box.  It was a mild October night, and the snake was alert.  At her touch, it peeled off a tight drumroll of rattles and withdrew its head sharply.  But it did not strike.  The texture of its skin against her palm reminded her of warm, dry varnish, and she remembered how good snakehandling could feel  Then she felt Glenn’s hold on her hair loosen.     ‘OK,’ he said.  His vice was hollow, perplexed.  ’I'm going to let you live since the Lord let you handle that one’  Glenn was impressed.  All drunk and mussed up, Darlene had just handled the meanest of all his snakes. It was like the best of times in church, when God turned the strike aside and you could just feel the victory all over you.  He hadn’t expected it that way.  For now, all the murder in him was gone.  He felt uncertain how to proceed.  In the end, he led her outside and walked her to the Chevy, even lending an arm for support.  They sat in the car, listening to the night-birds in the woods, and for a long time neither spoke. Darlene was beginning to feel real bad.  The pain around the bite was extreme, hot as a hob you’d whip your hand off if only you could.  The whole left had looked swollen now, the skin stretched in an unfamiliar way.  She felt nauseous and dizzy.  Shapes were appearing in front of her eyes, little glittery yellow lozenges that fluttered like falling leaves…" Nothin’ like that in "Weekly Reader", huh?         While "Katrina" is rubbing y’alls naughty parts, there are some interesting things going on in this world.  Read a book* or something some time. Wolfgang *"The Snakebite Survivor’s Club: Travels Among Serpents", Jeremy Seal, Harcourt, Inc., 1999, for example.

Response:

I do ROFF for the books, man, the books. Bill who finished Heinrich and has moved on to The Race to Save the Lord God Bird… with a brief P. D. James break.  (and who needs an extension for his homework assignment….)

Well, young man, it’s high time you learned about responsibility.  There is NO acceptable excuse for lateness!  You’ve known about these assignments for months.  There will be no extension.  In fact, I think you can just add reviews of ALL THREE of those books to the list! Wolfgang yeah, i know, book reports……EEEEEEEWWWWWW!……too bad!      :(

Response:

 I guess there’s something to be said for the urbanity of Atlanta after all.      

shitfire man, you ARE snakebit.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – *"The Snakebite Survivor’s Club: Travels Among Serpents", Jeremy Seal, Harcourt, Inc., 1999, for example. or… "feast of snakes", by harry crews; and, "Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia" by Dennis Covington. Dang…..never would have picked you for a herpetophile! or, simply attend one of the little clapboard-sided churches filled with pentecostals around triplett, nc (near boone)… All the churches I attended during my tenure south of the M/D line, while they served up bountiful victuals worthy of a seven star restaurant and leavened liberally with an apparently profound faith, failed to include rattlesnake either on the menu or in the service.  I guess there’s something to be said for the urbanity of Atlanta after all.       Wolfgang well shit, MORE additions to the "to be read" list.        :(

I do ROFF for the books, man, the books. Bill who finished Heinrich and has moved on to The Race to Save the Lord God Bird… with a brief P. D. James break.  (and who needs an extension for his homework assignment….)

Response:

*"The Snakebite Survivor’s Club: Travels Among Serpents", Jeremy Seal, Harcourt, Inc., 1999, for example. or… "feast of snakes", by harry crews; and, "Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia" by Dennis Covington.

Dang…..never would have picked you for a herpetophile! or, simply attend one of the little clapboard-sided churches filled with pentecostals around triplett, nc (near

boone)… All the churches I attended during my tenure south of the M/D line, while they served up bountiful victuals worthy of a seven star restaurant and leavened liberally with an apparently profound faith, failed to include rattlesnake either on the menu or in the service.  I guess there’s something to be said for the urbanity of Atlanta after all.       Wolfgang well shit, MORE additions to the "to be read" list.        :(

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I need help and I don’t know where to go for the answer. Be kind! My husband found a rattlesnake while working outside San Antiono and he put this snake in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and holes for air. The snake is now living in my garage and I don’t like it! I want to put the snake in the freezer so it doesn’t have to suffer any longer without my husband knowing. I don’t want a snanke any where near my kids. I poor snake has been in the bucket for over a month without food. How long will it take to "freeze" it ? It would be more humaine to kill it now instead of letting it suffer. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : I will soon begin receiving partridge, wood duck and pheasant skins from : friends hunting this fall. : What should I do to cure the skins without harming the feathers? It’s easy. Just takes a little time to do it right… 1. First, you want to strectch the skin out on a board (plywood works) so that the feathers are down under the skin. Pin it down with tacks or brads. The skin does not need to be drum tight, just so that it won’t wiggle around as you work on it. 2. Scrape off as much fat as possible with a dull knife or round edged scraper. With bird skins you need to be careful so that you don’t pull the skin apart in the process. Just get most of the fat. To much fat left on the skin gets into the feathers after a while. 3. Salt down the skin. Cover it under a layer of non-iodized table salt. (It is cheaper than iodized)  Many prefer to use borox instead. The trick here is to cover it completely just on the skin side. Let it sit for a day or two and then scrape it off and put on a fresh layer of salt. Do it again if you still see the salt pulling moisture out of the skin. 4. After about two weeks of the salt treatment, scrape off the final layer of salt removing all that you possibly can. I like to use a brush to completely remove the salt. Store the skins in ziplock bags or air tight boxes to keep the bugs out. Moth ball or cedar chips can help with that. I still have skins that I have salted from several years ago using this method. The feathers are still good. Jon Porter

Response:

I need help and I don’t know where to go for the answer. Be kind! My husband found a rattlesnake while working outside San Antiono and he put this snake in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and holes for air. The snake is now living in my garage and I don’t like it! I want to put the snake in the freezer so it doesn’t have to suffer any longer without my husband knowing. I don’t want a snanke any where near my kids. I poor snake has been in the bucket for over a month without food. How long will it take to "freeze" it ? It would be more humaine to kill it now instead of letting it suffer.

Just tell him to get rid of it, and its chickenshit to treat a wild thing like that. If he threatens you walk out. Unless he plans on running for President, one chickenshit from Texas per decade is probably enough. Dave

Response:

I will soon begin receiving partridge, wood duck and pheasant skins from friends hunting this fall. What should I do to cure the skins without harming the feathers? Thanks, Tom Guntzel

Response:

: I will soon begin receiving partridge, wood duck and pheasant skins from : friends hunting this fall. : What should I do to cure the skins without harming the feathers? It’s easy. Just takes a little time to do it right… 1. First, you want to strectch the skin out on a board (plywood works) so that the feathers are down under the skin. Pin it down with tacks or brads. The skin does not need to be drum tight, just so that it won’t wiggle around as you work on it. 2. Scrape off as much fat as possible with a dull knife or round edged scraper. With bird skins you need to be careful so that you don’t pull the skin apart in the process. Just get most of the fat. To much fat left on the skin gets into the feathers after a while. 3. Salt down the skin. Cover it under a layer of non-iodized table salt. (It is cheaper than iodized)  Many prefer to use borox instead. The trick here is to cover it completely just on the skin side. Let it sit for a day or two and then scrape it off and put on a fresh layer of salt. Do it again if you still see the salt pulling moisture out of the skin. 4. After about two weeks of the salt treatment, scrape off the final layer of salt removing all that you possibly can. I like to use a brush to completely remove the salt. Store the skins in ziplock bags or air tight boxes to keep the bugs out. Moth ball or cedar chips can help with that. I still have skins that I have salted from several years ago using this method. The feathers are still good. Jon Porter

Response:

I will soon begin receiving partridge, wood duck and pheasant skins from friends hunting this fall. What should I do to cure the skins without harming the feathers? Thanks, Tom Guntzel

I usualy stretch the skin on a piece of plywood and apply table salt to it. A lot of it, cover the whole skin thoroughly. I then let it sit there for 10 to 15 days. I let the skin dry in the sun or somewhere warm for about one week. I make sur ethat there are no living bugs underneath th feathers by placing the skin in a bag with some moth balls or christals for about 5 to 7 days. Be careful with bird skins, they are very delicate when dried. Mike http://www.titan.qc.ca/moucheux

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writes: I will soon begin receiving partridge, wood duck and pheasant skins from friends hunting this fall. What should I do to cure the skins without harming the feathers?

Hi Tom, Here’s what I have done not only with bird skins but small animals and one large rattlesnake. First you want to remove as much fat from the skin as possible.  This is most efficiently and easily done by stretching the skin out and tacking it to a board (feathers down, skin up) and then by scraping the fat off with a smooth edged butter knife.  Don’t rush it and don’t worry about the small stuff that doesn’t want to come off.. Next take some rock salt, spread it over the skin, rub it in and then off of the skin.  This will remove more fat and with a couple of applications like this should have the skin fairly fat free. If you really want to get carried away you can use regular salt on the last application. Finally, cover with Borax and let it dry for at least a week, preferably two.  Brush off the residue of the Borax powder and store in zip lock bags.   The result will be a clean dry cured skin that is in better shape than the stuff you buy in the stores.  It will also smell much better because there is no fat left on the hide to turn rancid.  Skins cured in this manner will last indefinitely as long as you protect them from insect infestation (keeping them in zip lock bags).  I still have a rattlesnake skin I cured with this method in 1970 and a number of bird skins from the early 1980’s.a  But then of course, I keep everything because you never can tell when you’re going to need that particular material for a top secret fly.   ;^                                      Hope this helps,                                              Dan PS I didn’t use the rattlesnake skin for fly tying.  Too noisy – afraid I’d scare the fish away. 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:

: PS I didn’t use the rattlesnake skin for fly tying.  Too noisy – afraid : I’d scare the fish away. Shoot…. They put rattles in LURES to ATTRACT the fish!  <g  I think that is you and I put our heads together, we could come up with a fly using those rattles!  <g Jon Porter

Response:

In my limited experience (one pheasant skin), rubbing hand lotion into the skin after it’s been dried makes it a lot less brittle. Andy Lamborne

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : I will soon begin receiving partridge, wood duck and pheasant skins from : friends hunting this fall. : What should I do to cure the skins without harming the feathers? It’s easy. Just takes a little time to do it right… 1. First, you want to strectch the skin out on a board (plywood works) so that the feathers are down under the skin. Pin it down with tacks or brads. The skin does not need to be drum tight, just so that it won’t wiggle around as you work on it. 2. Scrape off as much fat as possible with a dull knife or round edged scraper. With bird skins you need to be careful so that you don’t pull the skin apart in the process. Just get most of the fat. To much fat left on the skin gets into the feathers after a while. 3. Salt down the skin. Cover it under a layer of non-iodized table salt. (It is cheaper than iodized)  Many prefer to use borox instead. The trick here is to cover it completely just on the skin side. Let it sit for a day or two and then scrape it off and put on a fresh layer of salt. Do it again if you still see the salt pulling moisture out of the skin. 4. After about two weeks of the salt treatment, scrape off the final layer of salt removing all that you possibly can. I like to use a brush to completely remove the salt. Store the skins in ziplock bags or air tight boxes to keep the bugs out. Moth ball or cedar chips can help with that. I still have skins that I have salted from several years ago using this method. The feathers are still good. Jon Porter

Response:

Question:

: Most people laugh when they see my "go to" fly, but it : has worked when nothing else has. It’s what I call a : Royal Gnat. It looks like a Griffith’s Gnat, but it Stuff deleted : fly fishing. I have caught 19 brown trout in 2 1/2 hours : with this fly (largest one was 14 in.).                                  ^^^^^^ Boy, that’s one big fly! : Darryl Charley

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Re: Dry flies.
My favorite patterns are similar – elk hair caddis, lt cahill, griffin gnat
renegade, adams.  But, and I am a bit ashamed to admit this — I have caught more trout and larger trout on a #16 royal wulff than any other.  There, I said
it.  This fly has seemed to go out of favor, and I wonder why.  Am I the only
one that ties this on when nothing is working???
–
MGC Top Down Design Support

Most people laugh when they see my "go to" fly, but it has worked when nothing else has. It’s what I call a Royal Gnat. It looks like a Griffith’s Gnat, but it has a floss mid-section just like a Royal Coachman. Red floss works well, but I have caught quite a few on green and yellow also. Sizes from 16 to 20. It’s been my experience that even when the fish aren’t rising, that if you drift one of these through a riffle around a dozen times, (if there are any fish) they start coming to the surface to take a look. I know I’m going to get a lot of disbelief on this, thats why I have hesitated writing, but the last time out with a buddy, I gave him a few and told him how to fish them, and he had the best day he ever had fly fishing. I have caught 19 brown trout in 2 1/2 hours with this fly (largest one was 14 in.). Darryl

Response:

Lets see who has caught lots of fish on what flies and where? My most productive rivertrout fly is the #14 Elk hair Caddis, and the #14 Light Cahill. The biggest fish I have caught on a dry in my one and a half years of fishing is a 16 in Rainbow on HAt creek in CA. How about all of you guys. I want poeple to talk about fishing not yuppies, Thanks.

Response:

Lets see who has caught lots of fish on what flies and where? My most productive rivertrout fly is the #14 Elk hair Caddis, and the #14 Light Cahill. The biggest fish I have caught on a dry in my one and a half years of fishing is a 16 in Rainbow on HAt creek in CA. How about all of you

The most productive pattern over the last two years has been the Micro Worm (a variation on the San Juan worm). Most satisfying experience was last year when we took out a young fellow new to the sport. It was slow fishing but he hooked the first fish of the day, and the last. The last was a twenty five inch Brown. The huge grin that he was sporting is not something that will be soon forgotten. Sort of puts it all back in perspective. Flyfishing is supposed to be fun for all involved. Jim

Response:

A list of favorite patterns would have to include the Tom Thumb, pheasant tail nymph, serendipity(?), comparadun, Werners nymph. I have by best luck on the BlackWater River in B.C. and on the Deschutes in Oregon.

Response:

: Lets see who has caught lots of fish on what flies and where? My most : productive rivertrout fly is the #14 Elk hair Caddis, and the #14 Light : Cahill. The biggest fish I have caught on a dry in my one and a half years : of fishing is a 16 in Rainbow on HAt creek in CA. How about all of you : guys. I want poeple to talk about fishing not yuppies, Thanks. My best luck on dry flies comes with a #22 griffith’s gnat, #20 light cahill (both on the swift river), and #16-18 elk hair or poly wing caddis of the appropriate color (on the deerfield river).  The adams can’t be beat for a standard search pattern or as a reasonable facsimile of most hatches.

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For both here in Upper Michigan and Alaska, I like the Humpy.  Great floatability in the fast waters I fish.  I went through no less than forty of them here in the U.P. last year.  My second favorite is the elk hair caddis.      Steve Kernosky   *         Accept me for what I am, Michigan Tech. Univ.  *         completely unacceptable.

Response:

Lets see who has caught lots of fish on what flies and where? My most productive rivertrout fly is the #14 Elk hair Caddis, and the #14 Light Cahill. The biggest fish I have caught on a dry in my one and a half years of fishing is a 16 in Rainbow on HAt creek in CA. How about all of you guys. I want poeple to talk about fishing not yuppies, Thanks.

My favorite pattern, the one I find myself digging for again and again is a #20-22 blond elk-hair caddis.  Caught the most on these boys. (central and southern Missouri) My biggist fish (20 1/2"  #4 3/4 Brown) was on a #6 McSalmon on the Madison. Kevin Franden                                   Informix Software, Inc.                                                 16011 College Blvd uunet!infmx!kevinf #include <patchlevel.h fprintf(DISCLAIMER,"I said what I said.n");       You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough                               Carpe Diem

Response:

Lets see who has caught lots of fish on what flies and where? My most productive rivertrout fly is the #14 Elk hair Caddis, and the #14 Light Cahill. The biggest fish I have caught on a dry in my one and a half years of fishing is a 16 in Rainbow on HAt creek in CA. How about all of you guys. I want poeple to talk about fishing not yuppies, Thanks.

I carry lots of  flys but give me a Pheasant Tail Nymph, a Prince Nymph, and an assortment of  Elk Hair caddis and Para-duns and  I’ll be happy 90% of  the time. Here are my favorite patterns Nymphs & wet flys: Pheasant Tail Nymph ( Al Troth version)   Prince Nymph Zug Bug           Jay’s Stone ( my own ) March Brown Spider   Mini Leech                 Wooly Bugger               Dry Flys: Elk Hair Caddis Para-Dun Mac Salmon Dave’s Hopper Black Ant Griffiths Gnat Humpy Old Standbys: Adams Black Gnat Light Cahill Royal Wulff Muddler Minnow Ive done most of my fly fishing in Oregon and I have had the best fishing in these streams and some high lakes: Lower Deschutes Crooked River Metolius Wood Williamson Klamath

Response:

My favorite has to be the Humpie. It’s produced many memorable days. Second is the Parachute Adams or  a similiar fly tied in brown. Biggest was a 24"  Rainbow( really) on a floating foam chrionomid. Bead head hairs ears are the favorite nymph- while maybe the Prince should be number one.

Response:

Re: Dry flies. My favorite patterns are similar – elk hair caddis, lt cahill, griffin gnat renegade, adams.  But, and I am a bit ashamed to admit this — I have caught more trout and larger trout on a #16 royal wulff than any other.  There, I said it.  This fly has seemed to go out of favor, and I wonder why.  Am I the only one that ties this on when nothing is working??? — MGC Top Down Design Support

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Re: Dry flies. My favorite patterns are similar – elk hair caddis, lt cahill, griffin gnat renegade, adams.  But, and I am a bit ashamed to admit this — I have caught more trout and larger trout on a #16 royal wulff than any other.  There, I said it.  This fly has seemed to go out of favor, and I wonder why.  Am I the only one that ties this on when nothing is working??? — MGC Top Down Design Support Most people laugh when they see my "go to" fly, but it has worked when nothing else has. It’s what I call a Royal Gnat. It looks like a Griffith’s Gnat, but it has a floss mid-section just like a Royal Coachman. Red floss works well, but I have caught quite a few on green and yellow also. Sizes from 16 to 20.

This sounds a lot like a "Sierra Bright Dot". It has grizzly hackle at the head and butt of the fly and *bright* orange floss in the middle.  I’ve done real well with them on some high country Sierra Nevada lakes. — John Fereira   "Guru of Miscellany" Pleasanton, CA Viacom Cable Division

Response:

Question:

   I am seeking information on wet flies and their overall effectiveness.  I used them quite a bit last summer and found them productive when both dry flies and nymphs were not.  I would be interested in other people’s opinions and experiences with this category of flies; what conditions, patterns etc. Thank you in advance Craig Horning

Response:

   I am seeking information on wet flies and their overall effectiveness.  I used them quite a bit last summer and found them productive when both dry flies and nymphs were not.  I would be interested in other people’s opinions and experiences with this category of flies; what conditions, patterns etc. Thank you in advance Craig Horning

I have always enjoyed using soft hackled flies, especially as tied in Sylvester Nemes book, The Soft Hackled Fly Addict. Although I can’t give up my parachutes, wulfs and GR hares ears, I do enjoy little yelow soft hackles and variations tied with peacock herl and others with Hares Ear. I must admit, I generally use leftover partridge, grouse, sparrow or even mottled inexpensive capes instead of using some of the harder to find or expensive bird feathers used in Nemes’ book.(but then I’m kinda cheap) I find they work well fished like a dry, or fish them like a nymph. Depending on the situation and lie, I find they sometimes work well during a hatch, maybe taken as emergers. Anyway, I always have some with me in 18-14 sizes, and some Hares ear soft hackles, tied with a longer body on a 9672 in up to size 10, unweighted, to use when GR hares ears are too heavy for shallow water. Kevin Williams, Indianapolis, IN

Response:

Hello All         Well in reference to wet flies…a wet fly man/woman will catch more day in and day out than any dry fly man/woman can hope for.  At least that is what the late great Charles Brooks said…and I agree.  I have a pattern I have varied off a dark spruce.  I call it a little bow’.  I don’t know anything else to call it.  It is tyed on a size 10-14 9671 mustad…it has a dark olive tail…a peacock herl body…and have way up the thorax…so to speak…put in a couple wraps of red floss.  Then continue wrapping up the body with the peacock herl and tye off.  Then put on a couple wraps of grizzly colored pattridge…at the head.  It works wonderful…try a few different thread colors…6/0 is the size I like or 8/0 unithread. I found dark olive and red threads work real well…and yes it can make a difference.  It is a faster water fly…but I have caught 10 fish in half hour with this fly…and have yet to find a place it doesn’t work. From montana…to southern Idaho…and that is alot of water.         Enjoy and let me know how it works

Response:

Are they any better than flies with hackle? Is it not difficult to get them to float? Regards Knut Uleberg.

Response:

: Are they any better than flies with hackle? : Is it not difficult to get them to float? Hi Knut, My application of no-hackle dry-flies is almost always stillwater, or slow-water fishing and almost always with the deer-hair comparaduns. The rivers here in the rockies will drown a no hackle, but unless you are a strict halfordian, this is no great thing anyway. For the swift waters, I’ll sometimes use 3 or more premium hackles per fly. Happy Holidays, Tim Walker

Response:

writes: No hackle flies are especially good on calm water. Trout seem to examine body length and color more in calm water, and no-hackle flies ride better in the surface film to allow trout a longer and better look. Matching size and color of the naturals is especially critical with no-hackle flies. Hope this helps. Cordially, Bob Elliott

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