Question:

I’m still looking for some help to get Fly fishing america magazine, anyone can help me! I got the last one with the 58 travel rod review, but i would like to get the other one that will come out! please contact me directly if you can help me! Got questions?  Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

Response:

As some of you know i can’t get that nice magazine in Canada, some nice fellow board member sent me the last one with the review of the 58 travel rod.

Bob, here is the web page for the magazine www.flyfishamerica.com/ and I sent Bill Battles email suggesting he allow the folks in the boonies an opportunity to subscribe (or in my case prescribe) to his fine magazine. Maybe if enough of us do ask, we might be able to convince them to mail us the latest issues?  Who knows? Padishar Creel

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Fly fishing america magazine…. Thanks Padishar, They seem a bunch of nice folks tough! I’m trying to find someone who can send me copy regularly as they came out!  Too bad we can’t subscribe ‘caus i would. A canadian in distress! Got questions?  Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

Response:

As it happens, I’m planning to head down to the shop this afternoon.   If it’s there, I’ll get it for you.

Sorry, nothing new.   The "Travel Rod" issue was the only issue in the shop. Joe F.

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Thanks for your effort Joe, Be sure  to let me know when the next issue comes out! Thanks again! Robert Got questions?  Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

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As some of you know i can’t get that nice magazine in Canada, some nice fellow board member sent me the last one with the review of the 58 travel rod. Is the new one out yet if so, would somebody be kind enough to send me two copies! I’ll cover the shipping! Please get in touch with me

Your timing is very good Robert.   As it happens, I’m planning to head down to the shop this afternoon.   If it’s there, I’ll get it for you. Joe F.

Response:

As some of you know i can’t get that nice magazine in Canada, some nice fellow board member sent me the last one with the review of the 58 travel rod. Is the new one out yet if so, would somebody be kind enough to send me two copies! I’ll cover the shipping! Please get in touch with me Got questions?  Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

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Question:

Beeswax, among other various uses, is one of the few materials used for lining moulds etc in the food  and confectionery trades for preventing particularly sticky sweets from sticking. They are known as release, or separation agents.  Glue is not used for this purpose. Bees use wax as a construction material, not as a glue. The whole construction of the comb is pure wax.  Glue is a foreign substance used to join similar or dissimilar materials. Paraffin wax is used for similar purposes to beeswax in other areas. Practically nothing will stick to a polished wax surface. Both of these waxes, and indeed a number of other substances may be used to prevent ferrules "binding". In this sense they are used partly as lubricants, and partly as solid separating agents. Binding ( in the case of carbon fibre, and other rod ferrules),is invariably caused by a substance rubbing against an identical substance, especially when the joint is tapered.    Wax of practically any sort will prevent this for varying periods of time, depending on how often the joint is used. Hard white wax works best, lasts longest, and is cheap and  convenient to use. Solid beeswax will stick to more or less nothing apart from itself, and only then when it is warm enough to melt, and the same applies to solid paraffin wax.  Most especially so, when polished after application. Liquid waxes, and other substances used for lubrication, like various oils etc, will indeed stick to things, trap dust, grit etc, and the lubricant coat providing the separation of surfaces will break down much more rapidly, simply because it will flow away. Hard polished wax will neither stick to things, nor will it flow away.  It is also intrinsically waterproof. This makes it ideal for treating ferrules. Some info on wax may be obtained here: http://www.wetestit.com/wax.htm Personally I don

Question:

Can anyone help me.  I love biking and flyfishing in lakes in the South. It just seems natural that i should have a small one man fishing boat with pedals like a bicycle.  Ideally it would have gears much like a 3-speed, or 10-speed bike. Could a bicycle frame be adapted to  power a small boat?  If anyone knows of such a beast or kits/plans, etc. please let me know.  Thank you.

Response:

We have plans for pedal boats.  These date back to the 40’s and 50’s. I do not recall whether any of them have gearing like a 3 or 10 speed bike.  We charge $15 for copying and mailing.  Contact us if you are still interested. Good Luck and Fair Seas Marshall and Jo Duhaime,Jr. Classic Boatworks of Maine – We build and restore classic wood boats. http://www.nemaine.com/classicboatworks

Can anyone help me.  I love biking and flyfishing in lakes in the South. It just seems natural that i should have a small one man fishing boat with pedals like a bicycle.  Ideally it would have gears much like a 3-speed, or 10-speed bike. Could a bicycle frame be adapted to  power a small boat?  If anyone knows of such a beast or kits/plans, etc. please let me know.  Thank you.

Response:

We have plans for pedal boats.  These date back to the 40’s and 50’s. I do not recall whether any of them have gearing like a 3 or 10 speed bike.  We charge $15 for copying and mailing.  Contact us if you are still interested. Good Luck and Fair Seas Marshall and Jo Duhaime,Jr. Classic Boatworks of Maine – We build and restore classic wood boats. http://www.nemaine.com/classicboatworks

Can anyone help me.  I love biking and flyfishing in lakes in the South. It just seems natural that i should have a small one man fishing boat with pedals like a bicycle.  Ideally it would have gears much like a 3-speed, or 10-speed bike. Could a bicycle frame be adapted to  power a small boat?  If anyone knows of such a beast or kits/plans, etc. please let me know.  Thank you.

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Question:

JARDINES DE LA REINA – Cuba – provides some of the finest bonefishing in the world. There will be areas, such as Christmas Island, where you will find more fish, and others, such as Florida where you can find bigger fish- but nowhere are you likely to find larger number of big size fish- the norm there is 4-6 lbs. With angler having daily opportunity of fish in the 8-10 lbs class, and good chances of a shot at larger fish during the week. The area also possesses a wonderful variety of angling opportunities. In one recent weeks, 20 different species of fish were caught, including Tarpon (up to 50 lbs), Permit (one angler recently landed 3 in a week to 40 lbs), Barracuda, Bonito, Shark and many different types of Jack and Snapper. Fax 39-2-714447 or 39-2-76118214             Internet     http://www.gse.it/avalon  

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Interesting information, but I have no desire to contribute in any way  to an oppressive communist dictatorship. A.T. Spencer

— Spare me A.T. 1. Until the end of Communist Russia, the US had state dinners with its leaders as it fought the 3d World, underdeveloped "Commies." 2. One of the reasons I turned against our government during Vietnam was: here’s the enemy–Commies, heathens, Gooks–trying to kill me. So why is President Nixon having dinner with Chou-en-Lai, Mao?!the leaders supplying the VC/NVA. What BS! 3. Let’s see, Tiananmen Square, China, same leaders then as now. So we’re trading with that country. What is this country’s obsession with bringing down Castro when we support more ruthless leaders in the world. 4. Nelson Mandela supports(ed) Communism, we made him a hero during his visit to this country. Enough, this is a fly fishing NG.

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Sometimes I’m embarassed to be an american. As if the US doesn’t support far more oppressive regimes. Also, if you expand your notion of what oppression is, you might see that there is far more in the US. I once spoke to someone that lived under Franco who said that he felt far more free there. He didn’t get all sorts of capitalist goodies but had no fears for his safety, no matter where he went. We are all alone in the world in our view of Cuba. I agree completely that his dictatorship is wrong but can you really say that the Cuban voter is more impotent than the american voter?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – JARDINES DE LA REINA – Cuba – provides some of the finest bonefishing in Interesting information, but I have no desire to contribute in any way to an oppressive communist dictatorship. A.T. Spencer

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Fax 39-2-714447 or 39-2-76118214             Internet

(snip) http://www.gse.it/avalon Interesting information, but I have no desire to contribute in any way to an oppressive communist dictatorship. A.T. Spencer

Then you don’t buy anything from China, right?  And is it just oppressive COMMUNIST dictators, or is it oppressive dictators in general?   Del Cecchi Rochester, MN

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Fax 39-2-714447 or 39-2-76118214             Internet (snip) http://www.gse.it/avalon Interesting information, but I have no desire to contribute in any way to an oppressive communist dictatorship. A.T. Spencer Then you don’t buy anything from China, right?  And is it just oppressive COMMUNIST dictators, or is it oppressive dictators in general? Del Cecchi Rochester, MN

  Thanks Del I always liked people from Minnisota, must be the proximity to God’s country! While this is not really the forum to extend this thread. I was wondering where Mr. Spencer and his buddies Torricelli, Helms and Burton fish now that the pinkos have taken over Nicaragua? I suppose there is always Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico etc. Mark "commie" Brown Calgary, Alberta

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JARDINES DE LA REINA – Cuba – provides some of the finest bonefishing in the world. There will be areas, such as Christmas Island, where you will find more fish, and others, such as Florida where you can find bigger fish- but nowhere are you likely to find larger number of big size fish- the norm there is 4-6 lbs. Interesting information, but I have no desire to contribute in any way to an oppressive communist dictatorship. A.T. Spencer

Oh, puh-lease. I don’t like Castro, but his regime is no more oppressive than dozens of others the United States supports, such as the PRC or any of the ultra-right-wing dictatorships we’ve propped up in Central and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia over the last 50 years. We’ve had many opportunities to co-opt Castro over the years in positive economic and humanitarian ways but we haven’t done it. Instead, we go for the d.f. military or blockade or boycott methodology. Even today, our state department makes it difficult to go to Cuba while at the same time, just about anyone can go to the PRC. If that isn’t b.s., what is? — To respond via EMAIL to a newsgroup post, remove -nospam from my address. – - – - – - This is your brain.  Postscript on brain your is This.

Response:

JARDINES DE LA REINA – Cuba – provides some of the finest bonefishing in the world. There will be areas, such as Christmas Island, where you will find more fish, and others, such as Florida where you can find bigger fish- but nowhere are you likely to find larger number of big size fish- the norm there is 4-6 lbs.

Snip-snip negative replies removed.. Oh, puh-lease. I don’t like Castro, but his regime is no more oppressive than dozens of others the United States supports, such as the PRC or any of the ultra-right-wing dictatorships we’ve propped up in Central and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia over the last 50 years. We’ve had many opportunities to co-opt Castro over the years in positive economic and humanitarian ways but we haven’t done it. Instead, we go for the d.f. military or blockade or boycott methodology. Even today, our state department makes it difficult to go to Cuba while at the same time, just about anyone can go to the PRC. If that isn’t b.s., what is?

OK, so here’s one for ya’. I am one of the persons who actually TRIED to go fishing in Cuba. I sent a letter to the ministry of tourisim in Havana, and got back a nice letter. It was all in spanish, and I had to have it translated. The Cuban Government informed me that I would have to obtain a tourist visa from the Chechoslovakian Embassy in Washington, DC. I would then have to fly from Tampa to Montreal, Canada, where I could catch a flight to Havana. From there, things got worse. Hey, Cuba is a short distance from Florida. Go to Montreal? The headache and expense was enormous, when all was said and done. I canceled the trip. Now, I have little doubt that there is a State Department file somewhere about me asking about the fishing in Cuba. Guess I’ll just keep fishing Florida! Mike Lott Fish Florida Magazine http://www.fishflorida.com

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Interesting information, but I have no desire to contribute in any way  to an oppressive communist dictatorship. A.T. Spencer — Spare me A.T. 1. Until the end of Communist Russia, the US had state dinners with its leaders as it fought the 3d World, underdeveloped "Commies." 2. One of the reasons I turned against our government during Vietnam was: here’s the enemy–Commies, heathens, Gooks–trying to kill me. So why is President Nixon having dinner with Chou-en-Lai, Mao?!the leaders supplying the VC/NVA. What BS! 3. Let’s see, Tiananmen Square, China, same leaders then as now. So we’re trading with that country. What is this country’s obsession with bringing down Castro when we support more ruthless leaders in the world. 4. Nelson Mandela supports(ed) Communism, we made him a hero during his visit to this country. Enough, this is a fly fishing NG.

The "oppressive" regimes the U.S. has supported is almost an endless list. Whatever reasons remain to isolate Cuba are not credible.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Oh, puh-lease. I don’t like Castro, but his regime is no more oppressive than dozens of others the United States supports, such as the PRC or any of the ultra-right-wing dictatorships we’ve propped up in Central and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia over the last 50 years. We’ve had many opportunities to co-opt Castro over the years in positive economic and humanitarian ways but we haven’t done it. Instead, we go for the d.f. military or blockade or boycott methodology. Even today, our state department makes it difficult to go to Cuba while at the same time, just about anyone can go to the PRC. If that isn’t b.s., what is? You seem to have taken a place among the minority on this point. However, as is usually the case, we can ever be thankful that the decision by the majority not to succumb to the illogical demands of an un-knowing minority is obviously the correct one. BTW…To answer your last question I submit everything you said preceding it. Finally, since this is an inappropriate topic for this newsgroup this shall be my final post on it. A.T. Spencer

Actually, several recent opinion polls have shown that a majority of Americans *favors* restablishment of full diplomatic relations with Cuba. Even the Pope, who is as conservative as one can be, favors full normal relations between the U.S. and Cuba. Every other country on the planet has full diplomatic relations with Cuba. Cuba is an appropriate subject for a fishing newsgroup. The island has had a long history as a sportfishing mecca. Avid fishermen who have been there and would like to go back are interested. So are younger fishermen who have read fishing tales from Cuba or perhaps only Hemingway’s novella.

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(snip) Actually, several recent opinion polls have shown that a majority of Americans *favors* restablishment of full diplomatic relations with Cuba. Even the Pope, who is as conservative as one can be, favors full normal relations between the U.S. and Cuba. Every other country on the planet has full diplomatic relations with Cuba. Cuba is an appropriate subject for a fishing newsgroup. The island has had a long history as a sportfishing mecca. Avid fishermen who have been there and would like to go back are interested. So are younger fishermen who have read fishing tales from Cuba or perhaps only Hemingway’s novella.

  A nice posting Harry,

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Question:

Looking for tips, patterns, rivers, fly shops, etc. in the vicinity of Brevard and Asheville, North Carolina.  We’ll be there for a few days the end of April, and want to get on the local waters.   Thanks in advance.

Response:

Hi Keith I’ve found two sites on the internet that work well for me when traveling or preparing to travel. They are Switch Board and Map Quest. A quick Lycos search should get you the addresses. With Switch Board you get telephone listings for any area either by individual or by type of business. With Map Quest, you can print out a map on how to find any address. Good luck. Al Looking for tips, patterns, rivers, fly shops, etc. in the vicinity of Brevard and Asheville, North Carolina.  We’ll be there for a few days the end of April, and want to get on the local waters.   Thanks in advance.

Tight Lines ….. Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products http://www.btsflyfishing.com

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Looking for tips, patterns, rivers, fly shops, etc. in the vicinity of Brevard and Asheville, North Carolina.  We’ll be there for a few days the end of April, and want to get on the local waters.

In asheville, there’s Hunter Banks. They should provide you with the info you want. I know that they have an occasional net presence but I’m not familiar with it. Might be worth a search using Hunter Banks as the subject. Hope this helps. DA

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Looking for tips, patterns, rivers, fly shops, etc. in the vicinity of Brevard and Asheville, North Carolina.  We’ll be there for a few days the end of April, and want to get on the local waters. Thanks in advance.

Appalachian Angler – 164 Old Shull’s Mill Rd. Boone, NC 28607. (704-963-5050 Haden and his brother run the oldest guide servive in the area.They guide float and wading trips in NC, Tenn, and also run float trips in Alaska 100 days a year. Hope to be heading up there soon myself. BTW, there is an Orvis shop just down the road from them, but they wern’t nearly as informed or as helpful when I have stopped in to talk with them. I don’t remember the shops name or have their address, but it is located in Banner Elk, NC. Hope this helps, Steve Hike the Florida National Scenic Trail   For information: www: http://www.florida-trail.org/~fta Florida Trail Association P.O. Box 13708, Gainesville Fl. 32604 (800)343-1882

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Question:

Vinsel) writes: This brings up the question for the cane rod builders: what was the impregnating that was popular on many rods in the seventies – Orvis, Leonard, Powell…  Was that a pressurized epoxy system?  Why do so few makers do this today?  I would expect that it takes large and expensive equipment and would also stiffen the action of the rod. Anyone with more info?

The impregnation system that Orvis used and still uses is a phenolic resin.  Originally it was bakelite, in fact some of the rods from 1946 said "Bakelite Impregnated".  It’s changed a little since then, but not much.   Wes Jordan was the first rod maker to successfully apply impregnation to bamboo rods in 1946.  It drove him nuts during World War II that Orvis could make impregnated bamboo ski poles for the ski troops for the war effort that were impervious to heat and moisture and yet could not produce a bamboo rod with predictable action with the same process.  He finally figured out that by flaming the rod to remove most of the moisture content, building the rod completely and by cooking it at precisely controlled temperatures in the phenolic resin for a couple of days he could impregnate the rod with the resin and achieve predictable results. Then, to demonstrate that the impregnated rod was impervious to weather and for advertisement purposes, he would freeze a rod in a 50 lb. block of ice and then pour boiling water over the ice until the it melted away from the rod.  In 1946 there were no varnishes that could withstand this treatment. If the impregnation process was improperly done it could make the rod heavy and "loggy".  Properly done, the impregnation goes into the cane a few thousandths of an inch and replaces the residual moisuture usually found in the power fibers.The heat curing process (originally flamed, now done with a heat box) makes the rod stiffer and allows it to be impregnated with the resin.  Without the heat curing process, there is too much moisture in the bamboo to impregnate the rod successfully. Impregnating the rod is an extra step and although it eliminates the varnishing process, it is more time consuming than varnishing and  If you don’t control the heat of the phenolic resin precisely, you ruin the rod. Action of the rod is more dependant on the design of the rod not the impregnation of it.  If you pick up an Orvis "Wes Jordan era" rod it will be almost mahogany in color from the flaming and faster in action than the rods currently produced.  This is due in large part to the preference of the rod designer Wes Jordan.  Howard Steare, who worked with Wes and took over rod production after Wes Jordan retired, preferred a higher moisture content in the bamboo which resulted in a slower action.  Howard retired a couple of years ago and for the first time in many years Orvis is producing 3 new bamboo rods for 1997 with reportedly crisper and quicker actions.  I’ll be curious to get them in my hands. You can find some more info on this at the Orvis web site (www.orvis.com) under the "timeline" part of the Orvis story section.  You can jump right to it at the following url "http://www.alloutdoors.com/orvis/Story/Impregbamb.html"  There is also a book out about Wes Jordan from Centennial Press that has a lot more info.                                         Hope this helps,                                                Dan Dan Gracia                                                               Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools If you kill that big fish you can’t catch ‘em again.  So what if they eat other fish?  If you kill the big ones there will only be little ones left (funny how that works!).

Response:

[stuff deleted] This brings up the question for the cane rod builders: what was the impregnating that was popular on many rods in the seventies – Orvis, Leonard, Powell…  Was that a pressurized epoxy system?  Why do so few makers do this today? Impregnating the rod is a way a few manufacturers finish their rods, but in general, impregnation slows down the action of a rod. The air spaces get filled with epoxy, adding to the weight, thus slowing down the action. There is a saying that Orvis makes their rods to last, not to cast.

Well, almost.  I worked for Leonard in the late 70s.  The Duracane impregnated rod blanks were made for Leonard to their specs in England. The stuff used was bakelite, if I remember correctly.  I’m pretty sure it wasn’t epoxy.  As for weight, the impregnated rods were pretty close to the weight of the varnished rods, they just didn’t have as complex tapers, as thin tips, or as fancy reelseats, although they did have silk wraps, very nice wood reelseats, and the same nickel- silver ferrules.  I always sort of wished I had bought a Duracane 7′ 4 wt. since they cast beautifully.  In fact, the entire Duracane line was very, very nice. As for impregnation, it only soaks in a few thousands of an inch, hardly enough to affect the action in any really meaningful way. As for Orvis, if you don’t like the way their rods cast, it’s because of the design, not because of the impregnating.  Orvis rods have very slow tapers.  This is because that’s how they want them.  It would take a little more work to make a rod with a very thin tip, but in general, Orvis cane rods have slow actions because that’s how they were designed. Barry Smith

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I don’t think epoxy varnish is correct. I am not familiar with epoxy varnish but in general epoxies are two-part systems that you mix, and when they solidify they are very difficult to remove. Most epoxies are clouded and weakened by UV light so I don’t think this is right for an overall coating, unless you were going to varnish over the epoxy (getting pretty thick by now…)

You are right, most epoxies are unsuitable for coating, although as coating for guide wraps they work fine. I think you want a marine-grade spar varnish, which would be phenolic or polyurethane based, with a UV inhibitor.  That way you can remove it with alcohol and steel wool to restore every twenty years or so.

There are several ways to finish a cane rod. Tung oil, spar varnish, or polyurethane varnish can be used. Polyurethane is probably the most resistant to water, solvents, weather, etc., but the hardest to refinish if it ever becomes neccesary to do so. About the only way to remove polyurethane is to sand it off. This brings up the question for the cane rod builders: what was the impregnating that was popular on many rods in the seventies – Orvis, Leonard, Powell…  Was that a pressurized epoxy system?  Why do so few makers do this today?  I would expect that it takes large and expensive equipment and would also stiffen the action of the rod. Anyone with more info?

Impregnating the rod is a way a few manufacturers finish their rods, but in general, impregnation slows down the action of a rod. The air spaces get filled with epoxy, adding to the weight, thus slowing down the action. There is a saying that Orvis makes their rods to last, not to cast. Darryl Hayashida

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… you can improve the stick’s water resistance by a couple of thin coats of epoxy varnish…

I don’t think epoxy varnish is correct. I am not familiar with epoxy varnish but in general epoxies are two-part systems that you mix, and when they solidify they are very difficult to remove. Most epoxies are clouded and weakened by UV light so I don’t think this is right for an overall coating, unless you were going to varnish over the epoxy (getting pretty thick by now…) I think you want a marine-grade spar varnish, which would be phenolic or polyurethane based, with a UV inhibitor.  That way you can remove it with alcohol and steel wool to restore every twenty years or so. This brings up the question for the cane rod builders: what was the impregnating that was popular on many rods in the seventies – Orvis, Leonard, Powell…  Was that a pressurized epoxy system?  Why do so few makers do this today?  I would expect that it takes large and expensive equipment and would also stiffen the action of the rod. Anyone with more info? Mark Vinsel http://www.lanminds.com/local/vinnie/gallery.html

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I found an old cane rod that hasn’t much care recently.  One wrap is starting to loosen.  What solution does one use on the wraps to hold them and what does one put on the cane to waterproof it? Thanks

Response:

I found an old cane rod that hasn’t much care recently.  One wrap is starting to loosen.  What solution does one use on the wraps to hold them and what does one put on the cane to waterproof it?

Don’t put adhesives on loose wrap.  Carefully cut the old whipping off and redo it afresh.  (If one has already loosened, another is going to soon, and every handy angler needs to know how to make a neat whipping.  It’s not difficult.) If you know this is a good stick, you might as well refinish it throughout, whipping on new (rustproof) guides correctly spaced and sized.  If you remove everything except ferrules and handle, you can improve the stick’s water resistance by a couple of thin coats of epoxy varnish, before you reattach guides (at least 2 weeks later, to be sure the varnish is totally dry.) — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

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Question:

I live on the Olympic Peninsula in Port Angeles.  I fly fish most of the many streams both bank and float.  If you can’t afford a guide then try the Hoko, a small stream on the far west in near the town of Sekiu.  The upper reaches are the only fly fishing catch and release steelhead waters on the entire peninsula.  The best fly fishing on peninsula rivers is March when all the natives tend to be in the rivers.  The Hoh, Solduck, and Bochachial rivers are all good but best fished by boat.  If you stay in the town of Forks you can easily fish all these rivers from town. Drop me a line if you plan a trip and I may be able to give you more specific advice regarding patterns and places.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  I am looking for information on steelhead fishing on the  Olympic  Peninsula in March.  I checked into a couple of guide services that go  out on the Sol Duc and Hoh rivers but they are simply too expensive.  I  would like some basic info on access, tackle, technique etc.  I hope that  the rivers will not be too high and will be accessible.   The best info I have is: Hoh River – Fall and Spring Chinook. Best in August. Good in May and November.  Winter Steelhead.  Best December into April.  Hwy 101 follows the river for about 8 miles. Sol Duc River – Fall and Spring Chinook.  Best in October.  Good in September, November, May and June.  Also carries both Summer and Winter Steelhead and a variety of Trout.  Mostly accessible from trails in Olympic National Park. Hope that’s some help.                    - Jewelee

Most interesting that the access is best from trails in the park where the river is small when there are 5 bridges over the lower river on Highway 101.  Where do you get your information? Mike

Response:

 Sol Duc River – Fall and Spring Chinook.  Best in October.  Good in  September, November, May and June.  Also carries both Summer and  Winter Steelhead and a variety of Trout.  Mostly accessible from trails  in Olympic National Park.  Hope that’s some help.                        - Jewelee  Most interesting that the access is best from trails in the park where  the river is small when there are 5 bridges over the lower river on  Highway 101.  Where do you get your information?  Mike

So you’ve got 5 access points – some of them limited, I might add – on the highway.  The lower river is best fished from a boat.  Lots of the upper river in Olympic National Park is accessible.  By the way, there is nothing wrong with small water and what you consider small is to me an ideal trout stream.

Response:

dont waste your time on areas you dont know.  Hire a guide.

Response:

I am looking for information on steelhead fishing on the  Olympic Peninsula in March.  I checked into a couple of guide services that go out on the Sol Duc and Hoh rivers but they are simply too expensive.  I would like some basic info on access, tackle, technique etc.  I hope that the rivers will not be too high and will be accessible.   Mike, Carson City, NV –

Response:

I am looking for information on steelhead fishing on the  Olympic Peninsula in March.  I checked into a couple of guide services that go out on the Sol Duc and Hoh rivers but they are simply too expensive.  I would like some basic info on access, tackle, technique etc.  I hope that the rivers will not be too high and will be accessible.   Mike, Carson City, NV –

I have a Western Washington Steelhead River Report on the Web. It is updated at least weekly and includes links to real time river flow information and graphs as well as a lot of recent fish stories. The URL is http://www.halcyon.com/dweitl/wwrive~1.htm Check it out and contribute to it. It is produced in conjunction with The Anadromous Page and made up by volunteers contributing their fishing knowledge. Check it out at http://www.peak.org/~robertr/fishing.html

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 I am looking for information on steelhead fishing on the  Olympic  Peninsula in March.  I checked into a couple of guide services that go  out on the Sol Duc and Hoh rivers but they are simply too expensive.  I  would like some basic info on access, tackle, technique etc.  I hope that  the rivers will not be too high and will be accessible.  

The best info I have is: Hoh River – Fall and Spring Chinook. Best in August. Good in May and November.  Winter Steelhead.  Best December into April.  Hwy 101 follows the river for about 8 miles. Sol Duc River – Fall and Spring Chinook.  Best in October.  Good in September, November, May and June.  Also carries both Summer and Winter Steelhead and a variety of Trout.  Mostly accessible from trails in Olympic National Park. Hope that’s some help.                         – Jewelee

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Question:

writes:    A lot of people are touting the blood knot.

For more interesting reading on knots, including blood knots, try the current issue of FLY FISHERMEN where their test indicate that only two knots retain 100% line strength, given current tippet materials: the Palomar and the Trilene knot. Very interesting…

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I gave up on the clinch and trilene this year because they kept pulling out on big fish, despite very cautious tying. I quit using them because I decided

Without commenting on which knots are best, let me point out that most break-offs will occur at a knot, no matter which knot you use.  The UIAA routinely tests mountaineering ropes, and this is common knowlege to such testing agencies.  It makes intuitive sense when you think about it: stress is concentrated at the bends in a knot. — -Wayne Trzyna

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  A lot of people are touting the blood knot. Blood knots are not as good as they used to be! The newer multi polymer monofilaments are so hard and slick, the blood knot (and the clinch, inproved clinch, and Trilene knots) does not bite. We have a very sophisticated (read expensive) motor driven strain guage device that tests lines and knots to .01 pounds. 7 turn blood knots on Orvis SSS, Dai Riki, and Umpqua pull themselves apart at somewhere around 60-70% of the material breaking strength.

Ralph, I’ve abandoned the blood-knot alltogether because I’ve noticed an alarming decrease in strength in that connection with the new leader materials in recent years. I was beginning to fear that my own ability to tie the knot effectively had diminished, but your breaking strength measurements tell the real story. I now use the double-surgeon’s knot to connect the tapering segments of my leader and the double-surgeon’s loop-to-loop connection to attach tippets. Have you had the opportunity to measure the breaking strength of double-surgeons knots? Does the triple-surgeon’s provide significant additional strength? Thanks, Fred

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  A lot of people are touting the blood knot. Blood knots are not as good as they used to be! The newer multi polymer monofilaments are so hard and slick, the blood knot (and the clinch, inproved clinch, and Trilene knots) does not bite. We have a very sophisticated (read expensive) motor driven strain guage device that tests lines and knots to .01 pounds. 7 turn blood knots on Orvis SSS, Dai Riki, and Umpqua pull themselves apart at somewhere around 60-70% of the material breaking strength.

I gave up on the clinch and trilene this year because they kept pulling out on big fish, despite very cautious tying. I quit using them because I decided that after all these years of using them I must have lost the ability to tie them properly ! I never suspected the mono may be a contributing factor. Used the non-slip mono loop all year and it worked pretty well for me. I use double surgeon’s loops to join tippet to butt (when I use a butt).                                                 jc

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7 turn blood knots on Orvis SSS, Dai Riki, and Umpqua pull themselves apart at somewhere around 60-70% of the material breaking strength. Ralph,

Thanks for telling me the names of leader material to avoid when constructing tapered leaders. Ernie Harrison

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   A lot of people are touting the blood knot. Blood knots are not as good as they used to be! The newer multi polymer monofilaments are so hard and slick, the blood knot (and the clinch, inproved clinch, and Trilene knots) does not bite. We have a very sophisticated (read expensive) motor driven strain guage device that tests lines and knots to .01 pounds. 7 turn blood knots on Orvis SSS, Dai Riki, and Umpqua pull themselves apart at somewhere around 60-70% of the material breaking strength. I gave up on the clinch and trilene this year because they kept pulling out on big fish, despite very cautious tying. I quit using them because I decided that after all these years of using them I must have lost the ability to tie them properly ! I never suspected the mono may be a contributing factor. Used the non-slip mono loop all year and it worked pretty well for me. I use double surgeon’s loops to join tippet to butt (when I use a butt).                       jc

I’ve noticed the same thing with blood knots!  Thanks for the explanation.  I replaced the blood knot with the triple surgeons knot for any line/line connection.  According to a recent study, this line holds 100% of the weaker lines strength, wet or dry.  It’s simple to tie.  The only problem is that the any of the popular "double line through the eye" knots seem to be about the strongest, most durable knot I can find.  Anyone got a very strong, non-tightening loop knot as I fish for Stripers and like the free swing for the fly.  Most loops that I tie either slip or break and I’m looking for alternatives.  Most tippets I use are from 12-24lb Dai Rikki.  Thanks.     Tim —- "Just say no to bait"

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Hi Dan! Thanks for the kind words regarding the slide show.         Re: blood knots. Your formula for X number of turns for X size tippet is rational.          We lubricate the line with KY jelly (it is water soluble unlike silicone) prior to drawing up the knots. Then we soak the line in water to a). remove the lubricant, and b) to test the wet strength of the line and knot. It defies common sense to depend on dry strength for fishing line; however, I’ve NEVER seen anyone else do it.          Wet testing demonstrates some pretty wierd changes in tippet diameter, static strength, dynamic strength, stretch, and abraision resistance. The fluorocarbon lines really shine when compared against standard nylon and multi polymer monofilaments.         You probably want to know what leaders I use?! Umpqua pre tapered leaders because I get them at cost. I replace the tippet section with Dai Rikki Velvet for normal (trout) conditions or with Dai Rikki Diver when I need abraision resistance (toothy critters or abraisive bottom structure).         Tight lines, Ralph —

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   A lot of people are touting the blood knot. Blood knots are not as good as they used to be! The newer multi polymer monofilaments are so hard and slick, the blood knot (and the clinch, inproved clinch, and Trilene knots) does not bite. We have a very sophisticated (read expensive) motor driven strain guage device that tests lines and knots to .01 pounds. 7 turn blood knots on Orvis SSS, Dai Riki, and Umpqua pull themselves apart at somewhere around 60-70% of the material breaking strength.    Back to back uni- knots are excellent as are three turn surgeons knots. I still use blood knots on the heavier parts of my leader because the line is so strong there, someting up front is going to break even though the blood knots is not 100%. Blood knots look cool, sound neat as they click through the guides and don’t tend to catch as much gunk as other joining knots. In short I like ‘em alot but use them with with prejudice.    The strongest loop knot for attaching flies is the monofilamnet loop knot as seen in Kreh’s new knot book. Lefty claims the uni-knot is weak, but our machine says it consistently tests 90-100%. In practice it’s easy to tie and doesn’t take up as mucj material as the monofilament loop knot. Its big disadvantage is that the loop cinches up where the monofilament loop knot is permanent.    tight knots! Ralph —

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Question:

Would like to know some effective patterns for Northern Pike.  Will be fishing Gods Lake in Manatoba Canada in mid August.

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There is an excellent book on the subject that also discusses multiple patterns.  "PIKE on the FLY" by Barry Reynolds and John Berryman.  If your local fly shop doesn’t carry it Wilderness Adventures Sporting Books does carry them at $16.00.  1-800-925-3339 or P.O. Box 1410, Bozeman, M.T. 59771, that is where I got Mine.  My favorite pattern is Bunny Bug a 3/0 Mustad #34007 with a 25-pound hard mono weed guard, Black thread, tail-4" long black rabbit strip topped with a few strands of black Krystal Flash, butt-White or Yellow marabou, body-Black rabbit strip 6" long palmered to 1/4 " of the eye.  Decievers in Red/White or Black/White are also great.  I use Orvis wire leaders on the above.   The book shop above also has an  great video by Berry Reynolds that makes you want to catch a plane up to Northern Sask!  Good Luck

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Jason Chartrand here, fly-fishing for pike is the BEST (I wish to say only, but it isn’t) way to go. Some really fun flies to try are anything that floats (fur mice, poppers, etc . . . ).  Actually seeing the hit is really exciting.  But honestly, I don’t get much success this way. Nearly any concoction that you can dream up could work, but my favorite is tied like this:         1/0 (2/0) short shank salt water hook         gold tinsel ribbing, or silver         Krystal flash: yellow, green, orange, mixed together, tied in at the         head in buck tail fashion.         Heavy black thread This sounds too simple, but it works great!!  

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: Would like to know some effective patterns for Northern Pike.  

Try a RoadKill Streamer!  Thread a regular-length-hook  (of suitable size) several times through the rear end of a  4" – 8" strip of fox or rabbit fur. Then tie on a 20lb test  shock tippet, to the eye of the hook. Make an overhand knot  (with the shock tippet) around the front end of the fur,  and then make a perfection loop in the shock tippet. Put split  shot on the tippet, at the front end of the fly. That’s it,  although you can knot some Flashabou or whatever in the  overhand knot, as you make it. Other variations include  a second hook at the front, which allows lashing the  front end of the fur (with fly tying thread) to the front hook.  Smaller versions of this fly make good brown trout flies  during fall spawning. Friends of mine have used RoadKills with  good success for Pike and Smallmouth bass in Quebec.     —

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Question:

I just would like to see names of rivers, lakes included in some of this mail.  … I just am tired of this attitude of hiding even the name of the place.  Yes, you are right in that you can get pretty close from the description, but then why not just tell the name outright.

Names of rivers, dates, and specific "how, when and where" information is just what the magazine editors want too. Thank god they don’t get it, most of the time. The late Norman Strung, of Field and Stream, or Outdoor Life…I’m not sure which one… made a living out of giving secrets away. He was a Bozeman Montana area writer who had a lot of friends. There were a lot of people who didn’t like him very much too. Especially those who still had secrets they wanted to keep….fishing holes they didn’t want overrun. Secrets are for sharing with close friends. Not for broadcast news to the whole universe. —

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I just would like to see names of rivers, lakes included in some of this mail.  … I just am tired of this attitude of hiding even the name of the place.  Yes, you are right in that you can get pretty close from the description, but then why not just tell the name outright.   Very few will make this arduous journey.

As a general rule, the smaller or more fragile a fishery is, the more reluctant I am to draw large-scale attention to it.  There are several reasons for my attitude: 1. Probably everyone has that one special place, a slice of heaven they    consider their own, that they would prefer keep secret.  If someone    works hard to discover such a place, and takes a personal interest in    its long term health, more power to them; and the right to keep it    a secret should be their’s – they deserve it. 2. Small fisheries, especially small creeks and small lakes (~15 acres)    can be severely impacted by sudden intense fishing pressure.  I’m    not concerned about telling everyone that the Siletz River has great    searun cutthroat and steelhead fishing.  It’s so damn big, it takes    years to figure out a few good holes.  Small waters on the other hand    are a different story.    I’ll add that "arduous" journeys or remote places do *not* guarantee    protection.  Heck, those are the places I’m attracted to, and    everyone else I know. 3. People who draw large-scale attention to secret fishing spots they’re    told about tend to be frowned upon.  If Wayne for example was told    about the lake in question by someone else, it’s wrong and certainly    awkard for Wayne to be expected to tell all for our benefit. 4. There’s more to fishing than being told which water to hit, which    fly to use, which hole to cast in, etc.   Half the fun should be    figuring it out for yourself. Thomas Gilg

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just would like to see names of rivers, lakes included in some of this mail.  … I just am tired of this attitude of hiding even the name of the place.  Yes, you are right in that you can get pretty close from the description, but then why not just tell the name outright.   Names of rivers, dates, and specific "how, when and where" information is just what the magazine editors want too. Thank god they don’t get it, most of the time. The late Norman Strung, of Field and Stream, or Outdoor Life…I’m not sure which one… made a living out of giving secrets away. He was a Bozeman Montana area writer who had a lot of friends. There were a lot of people who didn’t like him very much too. Especially those who still had secrets they wanted to keep….fishing holes they didn’t want overrun. Secrets are for sharing with close friends. Not for broadcast news to the whole universe. —

I think it’s upto the person who knows to tell if he wants to or not. I know I spend a fair bit of time spotting  pools/areas to fish and there are others who do the same. I wouldn’t want the place I’m fishing to be on some fishing show or the local newspaper because it brings out alot of people who wouldn`t come otherwise! I’m still pissed off at that Canadian Sportsfishing show where the two idiots (Henry and Italo) named the creek on a steelhead show. They caught fish after fish but didn’t tell anyone that they were fishing a private land area that the general public has no access to and they fished it the one year where they was a huge late run. There were so many people at the public areas with very few fish. It has taken about 4 years for the crowd to go away because they didn’t catch anything at all. If I ever see them out fishing one day, I’m going to give them a piece of my mind!!!!

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