Question:

This reel seems to have left the market. Anyone have any info about what, where and how I could find another?

Response:

This reel seems to have left the market. Anyone have any info about what, where and how I could find another?

Todd Vivian at Lamiglas is a good guy.  Drop him a line, he might know of someone who still has some in stock.  His email address is: Ian Scott http://www.about-flyfishing.com/

Response:

Question:

Response to stress signals put out by hooked fish, – to make a meal out of the hooked fish – to eat anything regurgitated – to eat the fly/lure if is visible – and perhaps, curiosity.

Reflexive schooling response?

Response:

Response to stress signals put out by hooked fish, – to make a meal out of the hooked fish – to eat anything regurgitated – to eat the fly/lure if is visible – and perhaps, curiosity. Reflexive schooling response?

Exactly.  Schooling is a behavior that has many rewards.  Thus, fish that school have survived to pass on the tendency to school. Trout are Darwinian.

Response:

I’ve seen spawners do that.  Lots of times there will be two males hanging around a female.  Of course I’ve only caught spawners by accident bruce h

Response:

J. Butler writes: I noticed when I hooked a trout in a small stream that as it ran it was flanked on either side by two of its fellows.

(snip)   Land locked salmon and brook trout display the same behavior.  My theory:  the trout on the hook emits a distress signal of some sort and the other trout are there to pick up anything regurgitated.  I have seen bigger trout actually attack the hooked trout.  In waters that contain trout and pike, it is not unusual for a pike to come up and take the entire trout in its mouth. Dave

Response:

I have seen bigger trout actually attack the hooked trout.  In waters that contain trout and pike, it is not unusual for a pike to come up and take the entire trout in its mouth.

Was in the local shop last week listening to the owner’s stories about bonefishing in Abacos.   His boat was in the midst of a large school of bones, and large sharks were beginning to enter the school and snap off hooked fish.   He claims (and this is fishing shop talk) that if he watched his hooked fish and a shark came near, he could give the fish enough line to swim normally, and the shark would swim past and search other prey. Joe F.

Response:

He claims (and this is fishing shop talk) that if he watched his hooked fish and a shark came near, he could give the fish enough line to swim normally, and the shark would swim past and search other prey.

I have observed this with bass and hooked bluegill on several occasions. My own interpretation is that the big fish is looking for a wounded or ailing little fish to eat rather than trying to track down a healthy one, the latter being much harder to catch. –Steve

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -J. Butler writes: I noticed when I hooked a trout in a small stream that as it ran it was flanked on either side by two of its fellows. (snip)   Land locked salmon and brook trout display the same behavior.  My theory:  the trout on the hook emits a distress signal of some sort and the other trout are there to pick up anything regurgitated.  I have seen bigger trout actually attack the hooked trout.  In waters that contain trout and pike, it is not unusual for a pike to come up and take the entire trout in its mouth. Dave

Two years ago I was fishing the Thompson R. in N.W. Montana. While bringing in a small rainbow I had a bull trout (I assume) grab said fish and drop down to the stream bottom. Couldn’t budge him and he wouldnt let go. Eventually had to bust the 5x tippet. Have also seen smallmouth feed on minnows regurgitated by a hooked fish. G.Cleveland

Response:

Zimbo writes: I have observed this with bass and hooked bluegill on several occasions. My own interpretation is that the big fish is looking for a wounded or ailing little fish to eat rather than trying to track down a healthy one, the latter being much harder to catch.

But, I have seen small fish follow the bigger hooked fish.  I had on a 20 inch brook trout and had 12 – 15 inch trout following its every move.  (????) Dave

Response:

George Cleveland writes: Two years ago I was fishing the Thompson R. in N.W. Montana. While bringing in a small rainbow I had a bull trout (I assume) grab said fish and drop down to the stream bottom. Couldn’t budge him and he wouldnt let go. Eventually had to bust the 5x tippet.

I got into a large bull trout on the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River.  The guide got a "glimpse" of him as he raced by and went to the bottom of a fairly deep pool.  I too could not budge him and had to break the 5X FC . It is illegal to intentionally fish for the bull in Idaho.  It is a protected species.   I’ve caught Dolly Vardens on the Aleutians in Alaska, but they were’nt anywhere near as mean as the ones I saw in Idaho! Dave

Response:

I have observed this with bass and hooked bluegill on several occasions. My own interpretation is that the big fish is looking for a wounded or ailing little fish to eat rather than trying to track down a healthy one, the latter being much harder to catch.

No doubt about that.  But I imagined the OP was talking about fish the same size swimming with the hooked one.  I’m kind of curious about that too.

Response:

I have observed this with bass and hooked bluegill on several occasions. My own interpretation is that the big fish is looking for a wounded or ailing little fish to eat rather than trying to track down a healthy one, the latter being much harder to catch. No doubt about that.  But I imagined the OP was talking about fish the same size swimming with the hooked one.  I’m kind of curious about that too.

i believe the flee response of fish is often similar enough to a feeding response (especially for saltwater species)… also, i think some of it might be curiousity…. like wondering why the hooked fish is behaving so strangly… plus, often hooked fish will regurgitate food items… so a fish could be following picking off bits of food.  without being a fish it’s always gonna be guesses about the exact reason for their behavior. chris

Response:

 Has anyone else observed other fish accompanying a caught one?

I reckon they just see a mate in distress and attck him while he’s down. One less fish to have to fight about over food & sexual partners. But then that’s just what zoology drummed into me for years and years. They probably got it wrong. Ari Ari Bert                                        Gaelle Bert +27 (0) 83 232 9903                             +27 (0) 83 236 5308 Flyfishing Corner +27 (0) 11 447 7230                             Shop 94, Admirals Court +27 (0) 11 882 8537 (fax)                       Cnr Craddock & Tyrwhitt www.troutfishing.co.za                                Street, Rosebank P.O.Box 79067 Senderwood 2145 South Africa

Response:

I have observed this with bass and hooked bluegill on several occasions. My own interpretation is that the big fish is looking for a wounded or ailing little fish to eat rather than trying to track down a healthy one, the latter being much harder to catch. No doubt about that.  But I imagined the OP was talking about fish the same size swimming with the hooked one.  I’m kind of curious about that too.

I’ve seen this more than once and put it down to this: Response to stress signals put out by hooked fish, – to make a meal out of the hooked fish – to eat anything regurgitated – to eat the fly/lure if is visible – and perhaps, curiosity. It is unquestionably not top "help out" as fish do not have the brain capacity for altruism.  All their responses are evolved around, eat, avoid being eaten, and procreation. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

Response:

No doubt about that.  But I imagined the OP was talking about fish the same size swimming with the hooked one.  I’m kind of curious about that too. I’ve seen this more than once and put it down to this: Response to stress signals put out by hooked fish, – to make a meal out of the hooked fish – to eat anything regurgitated – to eat the fly/lure if is visible – and perhaps, curiosity.

Seems like a complete list to me. I can’t remember seeing this with trout. Maybe with stockers? It is more common with some other fishes. I’ve noticed it particularly with Smallmouth. The fish following generally appear VERY agitated. Smallmouth have a tendency to regurgitate when hooked.   It is unquestionably not top "help out" as fish do not have the brain capacity for altruism.   All their responses are evolved around, eat, avoid being eaten, and procreation.

There are a few others. For example, seeking a suitable temperature sometimes takes precedence over everything else. Willi

Response:

Could the fellows simply have accompanied the one they thought had found a meal and tried to chase the same source of food without seeing it?

That’s what my hypothesis is. This has happened to me numerous times. One time I had one hooked that got away, as soon as he swam off another took the hook. It was very cool to see. Was the trout you caught a rainbow? It seems to me RB’s exhibit this behaviour more than others. I might be mistaken though. Jim

Response:

I noticed when I hooked a trout in a small stream that as it ran it was flanked on either side by two of its fellows.  They did not follow just away from me, by towards me and in an arc the caught one swam.  Has anyone else observed other fish accompanying a caught one?  Does anyone have an hypothesis as to why other fish would accompany a caught one?  Could the accompanying fish been unaware the other had been caught and just exhibit schooling behavior?  Could the accompaning fish been aware their caught fellow was in distress and aiding it in some way?  Could the fellows simply have accompanied the one they thought had found a meal and tried to chase the same source of food without seeing it?  Did they simply respond to the caught one’s flight and accompany it away from danger?  Too bad I wasn’t fishing a dropper to pick up one of its mates!

Response:

Question:

The rare blue amadou is found growning in rectangular white nesting boxes fastened to the uprights that hold the roofs over gas pumps in rural areas.  Individual specimens are large,, abjut 8 1/2 by 11 and they cluster tightly in the white nesting boxes.  When the pump jockey has his back turned, gently poke a couple of fingers into the nesting box, stroke the amadous belly to relax it and swipe a 1/2 dozen or so. When folded to make a pad, does a great job of instantly drying small flies and removing slime. Seriously, corresponded with a brit some time ago and it is a fungus that grows on trees that is quite common in Europe…dunno if it occurs naturally in US or not, but Orvis and Cabellas both have it for sale now…..the blue amadous is easier to get though. My piece of Amadou(sp?) has hit the dust and my local shops don’t carry it. Anyone know of a web based or mail order store that does? Willi

– Mike in PDX "When the trout are lost, smash the state."                          Tom McGuane

Response:

Bill,    Amadou is too expensive, just crush up some desiccant and put it in a 35mm film canister.  when you want to dry your fly put it in the canister, put the top on and shake it. Ernie Harrison See Ernie’s Fly-Fishing Stuff:   http://home.pacbell.net/ernie2

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -My piece of Amadou(sp?) has hit the dust and my local shops don’t carry it. Anyone know of a web based or mail order store that does? Willi

Response:

I believe I saw some in the Orvis or Bean catalog. Bean, I think. — To him, all good things — trout as well as eternal salvation– come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy  ……Norman Maclean

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My piece of Amadou(sp?) has hit the dust and my local shops don’t carry it. Anyone know of a web based or mail order store that does? Orvis (really). — Charlie…

Response:

My piece of Amadou(sp?) has hit the dust and my local shops don’t carry it. Anyone know of a web based or mail order store that does? Willi

   Willi,     If you don’t want to bother with mail order, Bob’s in Loveland has some in stock.

Response:

My piece of Amadou(sp?) has hit the dust and my local shops don’t carry it. Anyone know of a web based or mail order store that does? Willi

Response:

My piece of Amadou(sp?) has hit the dust and my local shops don’t carry it. Anyone know of a web based or mail order store that does?

Orvis (really). — Charlie…

Response:

My piece of Amadou(sp?) has hit the dust and my local shops don’t carry it. Anyone know of a web based or mail order store that does?

Cabela’s sells both the Samadou, a synthetic, and Amadou but both varieties come attached to leather. I prefer just a hunk of Amadou stuffed in the front pocket of my vest. I get them from John Norris of Penrith, for a catalogue see: http://www.johnnorris.co.uk — Ken Fortenberry Illini 3 – Tar Heels 1

Response:

Question:

In 14 hours, the EBAY auction for a Beautiful Hardy Marquis 6 Fly Fishing Reel – No Reserve – will be completed. Please check it out. You may see it here: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=141623991 Thanks!

Response:

I am sick of this damn ad. Big Dale

Response:

Me too. Bob Elliott – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am sick of this damn ad. Big Dale

Response:

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.        :(

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. – 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

Response:

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:

Wait a minute!  The Deschutes River is NOT near Portland, Oregon.   It’s gotta be a 3-4 hour drive, at least.  And it’s not that easy to fish from shore.  What about smaller streams on the slopes of Mt Hood or an hour or so west of Portland near Vernonia/Mist or down in Yamhill County (seem to remember some creeks in there near McMinnville – Yamhill River?)?  Anyway, if you consider total travel time, a 3-hour drive is fairly long way to go for an hour or two of fishing.  Where do busy Portlanders REALLY go?

I can make it from McMinnville to Maupin in less than three hours, less from portland. IMHO it is worth the drive, but it does make it a long day. There are some nice small streams out here in Yamhill County. They hold mostly small wild cutthroat and hatchery rainbow. They also get very low in summer and I usually stop fishing them by mid June. I would stay away from the main Yamhill River, unless you are into warmwater fish and don’t mind raw sewage. The upper forks of the Yamhill have small cutthroat and can be fun but nothing great. Tight Lines, Jay Whitworth

Response:

Wait a minute!  The Deschutes River is NOT near Portland, Oregon. It’s gotta be a 3-4 hour drive, at least.  And it’s not that easy to fish from shore.  What about smaller streams on the slopes of Mt Hood or an hour or so west of Portland near Vernonia/Mist or down in Yamhill County (seem to remember some creeks in there near McMinnville – Yamhill River?)?  Anyway, if you consider total travel time, a 3-hour drive is fairly long way to go for an hour or two of fishing.  Where do busy Portlanders REALLY go? — Ken Brown Satis elequontiae, sapientiae parum.

Seriously, people.  Hit the coastal streams.  The searun cutthroat are in and many streams have summer steelhead as a bonus.  But seriously, my son and I target the cutthroat.  They are the best fly rising fish in the state–yes we fish on top–and it is not a 3 hour drive.   And if the fish are not cooperating–there is the beach, maybe the jetties, and a whole smorgasbord of good cafes and restaurants. Paul

Response:

The Deschutes is not 3 hours from Portland. It usually takes me less than two hours to get to Maupin where there is aproximately 25-30 miles of outstanding bank fishing for steelhead and Trout. (And plenty of whitefish if you are nymphing.)

Response:

Wait a minute!  The Deschutes River is NOT near Portland, Oregon. It’s gotta be a 3-4 hour drive, at least.  And it’s not that easy to fish from shore.  What about smaller streams on the slopes of Mt Hood or an hour or so west of Portland near Vernonia/Mist or down in Yamhill County (seem to remember some creeks in there near McMinnville – Yamhill River?)?  Anyway, if you consider total travel time, a 3-hour drive is fairly long way to go for an hour or two of fishing.  Where do busy Portlanders REALLY go? — Ken Brown Satis elequontiae, sapientiae parum.

Busy Portlanders aren’t real fisherpeople.  Real fisherpeople go to the …… Mike in PDX "When the trout are lost, smash the state."                           Tom McGuane

Response:

: Busy Portlanders aren’t real fisherpeople.  Real fisherpeople go to …. Anywhere in Idaho? (Except Leitheiser… he bailed out.  Don’t really blame him, it’s tough to come back to Oregon waters after getting spoiled by all those big Cutts.) — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

Response:

I’ll be in the Portland, OR area the end of June – beginnig of July.  I’d appreciate suggestions on places to fish for 2 days (Sat and Sun).  I’ll have a car and don’t have to return to Portland Sat nite.. Thanks in advance for your help. Martin

Response:

I’ll be in the Portland, OR area the end of June – beginnig of July.  I’d appreciate suggestions on places to fish for 2 days (Sat and Sun).  I’ll have a car and don’t have to return to Portland Sat nite.. Thanks in advance for your help. Martin You may want to try the coastal streams–a lot closer than the Deschutes

and the searun cutthroats are the most wonderful fly rod fish you can find.  A friend of mine is a guide.  If you want to, call Glenn Young at (503) 642-4570. A secret–these fish are active surface takers!!!!! Let me know if you go and how you do. Paul

Response:

The Deschutes River – where else.  Call Kaufmann’s Streamborn in Portland for information on the Deschutes and guides (if you want or need one).

Response:

Wait a minute!  The Deschutes River is NOT near Portland, Oregon.   It’s gotta be a 3-4 hour drive, at least.  And it’s not that easy to fish from shore.  What about smaller streams on the slopes of Mt Hood or an hour or so west of Portland near Vernonia/Mist or down in Yamhill County (seem to remember some creeks in there near McMinnville – Yamhill River?)?  Anyway, if you consider total travel time, a 3-hour drive is fairly long way to go for an hour or two of fishing.  Where do busy Portlanders REALLY go? — Ken Brown Satis elequontiae, sapientiae parum.

Response:

writes: Wait a minute!  The Deschutes River is NOT near Portland, Oregon.   It’s gotta be a 3-4 hour drive, at least.  And it’s not that easy to fish from shore.

Whoa!  The Deschutes is about 100 miles from Portland via very good freeways.  This makes it about an hour and a half to an hour and three quarters travel time.  As for fishing from shore, you can’t legally fish from a boat unless you are disabled amd have the proper permits.  I’ll agree that you do have to wade it to flyfish, but that’s true of most any stream!

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [deleted] This is a form of hunting, no more no less, with all of the qualities of hunting.  This is not golf. It is not a game. It involves an animal. You are sticking sharpened steel into an animals face. If this bothers you, then you might want to consider something else… God, Tim you sure the life of the party these days. Howdy Don, Just applying the "does he want to flyfish or just look like ‘a flyfisher’ test big guy… I, do NOT welcome ‘all’ newbies to the sport in some kind of "Barneyesque Lemming Hugs and Kisses" fashion.

        i couldn’t agree more.  in fact, there are quite a few "old boys" out there that could use a lot less time on the water in the carolina blue ridge. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to sell them anything.

        once again, right on the nose, timbo.  please see "orvis jeeps", "orvis trout schools", "orvis approved guides" for documentation. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -TimW

Response:

He said I did not need any flys for now just practice with the pole. Sure…., put a fly to the line and practice in a bass water or whatever U like to catch. Best training there is, and who knows, U even migth catch something. I saw a martin bass rig for 49.95 in Bass Pro’s spring catalog.  Will this be a good learner set? Thanks John

Put a fly on the line when you practice and use a leader/tippet of about 9feet as this will alter the way your line will cast.  It does not cast properly without a fly and you will even notice a change when you use different weight flies.   Also, I agree with the other guy, go practice on some water, choose a place where there is not too much vegitation to get caught up in and don’t try to cast too far first off, accuracy is far more important when your starting out. Good luck and stick with it, once you get the hang of it you’ll never use a baitcaster again! Darren (New Zealand)

Response:

: I, do NOT welcome ‘all’ newbies to the sport in some kind of : "Barneyesque Lemming Hugs and Kisses" fashion. Allright!  I’m pretty sure this is our first Barney reference.  Way to go Tim. —

No,  I’ve made several Barney remarks…but, I do always keep in mind…                   "Everyone is someone elses Barney" XXXOOO’s TimW

Response:

I just took my first fly fishing weekend course. I liked it. I could see myself doing it better than I ever spin or bait fished. My instructor told me to get a 5/6 pole and weight forward line with a reel of some type.

Skip the WF line and go for a Double Taper instead……You won’t get the same distance but it’s much easier to learn to do other than the "standard" overhead cast…….It’s probably cheaper too…… He said I did not need any flys for now just practice with the pole.

Sure…., put a fly to the line and practice in a bass water or whatever U like to catch. Best training there is, and who knows, U even migth catch something. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I saw a martin bass rig for 49.95 in Bass Pro’s spring catalog.  Will this be a good learner set? Thanks John

Response:

Chief-petty-officer to the newbie – Boy, we need to tie that down, go to supply and get me a 100′ of shoreline. While you’re out pick up a bucket of relative bearing grease…

Oh, I think it got left on the signal bridge. Either there or in shaft alley #3.  Better check both places. kill -9 -1 | sort | init                         1965 IH Scout                         1908 Win 30-30                  

Question:

I will be taking a two week trip to the yukon canoeing down the Yukon river this summer and would like to know if anyone has done this before. I would like to fish for grayling, artic char etc and would appreciate hearing from anyone what flies & methods i should use. If anyone has done this trip fishing or not, please drop me a line

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I will be taking a two week trip to the yukon canoeing down the Yukon river this summer and would like to know if anyone has done this before. I would like to fish for grayling, artic char etc and would appreciate hearing from anyone what flies & methods i should use. If anyone has done this trip fishing or not, please drop me a line

Response:

My Name: My, this reminds me of an incident that I wittnessed while I was stationed at Galena Air Force Station in 1963/64.  Galena is located on the banks of the Yukon river in central Alaska. I and some friends were drinking beer and cooking hamburgers/hotdogs one afternoon when we spied a canoe pulling up to shore where we were. As soon as the canoe was pulled up on shore the two occupants split at a trot in different directions without saying a word to us or each other. We got a good laugh out of this and continued eating and drinking. The next day I talked with one of the canoeists and he said that they had seen so much of each other and hardly no one else that they were ready to pitch in and fight each other and had been at each other’s throat for a while.  I guess they finally settled their differences as they left a day or two later in the canoe and together. The feude undoubtly arose out of the ever present bowman/sternman dispute. The bowman can’t pick a route and the sternman can’t steer. So don’t ( as they say in the Eastern Shore of Delaware ) "fall into a fight" with your partner. Richard Warren Raleigh, NC

Response:

Question:

I am an avid flyfisherman, both streams and lakes (mostly lakes). I am 17 years old and try to go fishing as much as possible.  What I wanted to know is if there are any decent dry damselfly patterns out there.  I have seen a few with extended deer hair bodies, polypropylene wings, and parachute hackles, but I also wanted to know if there where any other patterns for this insect.  I have not yet seen any dry dragonfly patterns, so I want to know about them as well.  Although I personally don’t prefer dry fly fishing on stillwaters but, it can be very succesful at times. Scott Laliberte . —    ___       __  ____    ___  /    (__/ /    /   /      |  Student of Computing Science, SFU

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am an avid flyfisherman, both streams and lakes (mostly lakes). I am 17 years old and try to go fishing as much as possible.  What I wanted to know is if there are any decent dry damselfly patterns out there.  I have seen a few with extended deer hair bodies, polypropylene wings, and parachute hackles, but I also wanted to know if there where any other patterns for this insect.  I have not yet seen any dry dragonfly patterns, so I want to know about them as well.  Although I personally don’t prefer dry fly fishing on stillwaters but, it can be very succesful at times. Scott Laliberte . —    ___       __  ____    ___  /    (__/ /    /   /      |  Student of Computing Science, SFU

I’ve been told that the reason for the lack of dragon fly dry imitations is because the fish only take them in mid flight, not sitting on the water (when is the last time you saw a dragon sitting on the water?).  With damsels, I tie an extended deer hair parachute adams in both blue (for the female) and tan (for the male), and have gotten limited success.  My most interesting catch was when a natural mounted my dry and tried to copulate with it in mid cast!  I’ve had my best luck fishing waters laden with damsels using a yellow marabou nymph.  Basically, it looks like a long AP, but tied with palmered marabou for a body instead of dubbing.  Good luck. . Lenny Bloksberg . .

Response:

Philippe Laliberte) writes: any dry damsel patterns?

Look in the book "Tying Dry Flies"  by R. Kaufmann. Has a  "braided butt damsel" using braided leader butt for the extended body. These flies are also available in the Kaufmann catalog. I have an example of this fly in front of me now and it is a fine rendition. After hatching, adult damsels are often blown onto the water where the trout feast on them.

Response:

I am an avid flyfisherman, both streams and lakes (mostly lakes). I am 17 years old and try to go fishing as much as possible.  What I wanted to know is if there are any decent dry damselfly patterns out there.  I have seen a few with extended deer hair bodies, polypropylene wings, and parachute hackles, but I also wanted to know if there where any other patterns for this insect.  I have not yet seen any dry dragonfly patterns, so I want to know about them as well.  Although I personally don’t prefer dry fly fishing on stillwaters but, it can be very succesful at times.

  The best pattern I’ve found is the Borger damsel which has a body made of braided leader material which you dye with pantone markers (blue or brown & black).  Tie this on the hook then tie on a post of crystal flash (blue or brown) then wind a big grizzly hackle on this post papachute style.  Now dub on a short body and eyes if you want them then pull the hackle to the back so it splays 180 deg. in the rear, pull down the post and tie it off like a nymph wing case.     You can’t tell this thing from a real bug on the water and I’ve had males try and mate with my blue imitations.   Tim

Response:

Philippe Laliberte) writes:

<I am an avid flyfisherman, both streams and lakes (mostly lakes). I am 17 years old and try to go fishing as much as possible.  What I wanted to know is if there are any decent dry damselfly patterns out there. Curtis: Have been fly fishing for trout and bass for 20 years. I think I’ve seen some big fish hit damselfly nymphs, but cannot confirm it. I know I have never observed a big fish rise for a damselfly dry. I’ve tied several different patterns myself and have copied Dave Whitlock and R. Kaufmann patterns without success. Personally, I think it is a waste of time to focus on damselfly dry patterns. If anyone disagrees, please let me know. I’d appreciate insights based on observations. Thanks…Bob Elliott. Rochester, NY

Response:

Last summer I landed 2 22"+ trout on adult damsels and hooked 2 other fish that easily went 26" on them too,  loosing one when my reel fell apart after all my line and 1/2 my backing was gone.  Big fish gulp damsels at the right time and they do work. Tim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Curtis: Have been fly fishing for trout and bass for 20 years. I think I’ve seen some big fish hit damselfly nymphs, but cannot confirm it. I know I have never observed a big fish rise for a damselfly dry. I’ve tied several different patterns myself and have copied Dave Whitlock and R. Kaufmann patterns without success. Personally, I think it is a waste of time to focus on damselfly dry patterns. If anyone disagrees, please let me know. I’d appreciate insights based on observations. Thanks…Bob Elliott. Rochester, NY

Response:

Curtis: Have been fly fishing for trout and bass for 20 years. I think I’ve seen some big fish hit damselfly nymphs, but cannot confirm it. I know I have never observed a big fish rise for a damselfly dry. I’ve tied several different patterns myself and have copied Dave Whitlock and R. Kaufmann patterns without success. Personally, I think it is a waste of time to focus on damselfly dry patterns. If anyone disagrees, please let me know. I’d appreciate insights based on observations. Thanks…Bob Elliott. Rochester, NY

Bob, I have seen fish jump out of the water a good foot for a damselfly sitting on some grass.   This happened at a lake near Cody Wyoming.  These trout would swim all around you in about 1 to 3 ft. of water.  They would sit and eye the damselfly for a second or two and then spring out of the water for the insect.  It was really quite interesting watching this fish do this and of course I did not have any damselfly patterns with me. Tim Trujillo

Response:

What I wanted to know is if there are any decent dry damselfly patterns out there. Curtis: Have been fly fishing for trout and bass for 20 years. I think I’ve seen some big fish hit damselfly nymphs, but cannot confirm it. I know I have

I cannot compete with you regarding years fished, but I have to disagree. patterns without success. Personally, I think it is a waste of time to focus on damselfly dry patterns. If anyone disagrees, please let me know. I’d appreciate insights based on observations. Thanks…Bob Elliott.

If you would go to any Western lake in British Columbia or Alberta, damselflies are your "bread and butter" flies.  Especially on trophy lakes in BC.  Many of times, especially on widy days that’s the only fly the big trout (20" plus) will take.  It’s quite nice watching these about 1 inch long, slender creatures wiggle and struggle on their journey just to be taken with a VERY AGGRESSIVE splash. Not too complicated to tie, one of the best patterns is from G. Borger’s Designing Trout Flies.  The only modification I’ve made is that I’m using seal in a dubbing loop instead of recommended hackle.  Of course, the fly has to have an action, so tying it on a dry fly hook is better than nymph hook (the new Accupoint from Mustad is just great!).  Fish it just on or couple inches below the surface with jerky, short strips. Respectfully J.K.

Response:

Question:

I’d like to learn how to fly fish, and I’m thinking about attending the LL Bean Fly Fishing School in Freeport. Does anyone have any good or bad comments about this school? Does anyone know of any other fly fishing schools in the Northeast? — Michael D’Alessandro, M.D., Deptartment of Radiology, The Children’s Hospital, Boston

Response:

I highly recommend the LL Bean Fly Fishing School.  My husband Scott and I attended the Introductory school in Freeport last April.  The student/instructor ratio is good; there were about 8 instructors and maybe 35 students.  The sessions were a nice mix of classroom time and time on the water.  They pack a lot of information in 3 days and everything ran like clockwork; they really have their act together.  In addition to the casting lessons there were sessions on fly tying, knots, bugs, reading the water, and safety. Every instructor was very enthusiastic about the sport and that really came through in the sessions.  In addition to learning a lot, being there was just a lot of fun. The course runs about $400, and was well worth the cost.  I’m not sure about the Intermediate school at a fishing camp in Grand Lake Stream, now up to $1200… Good Luck, -Cathy p.s  Good coffee there too!

Response: