Question:

I got an Outcast Fat Cat 66 VBoat for my birthday  and spent the day fishing a lovely pond on the edge of town. A friend who works for CO DOW gave me a tip on a low-pressure piece of stocked water and man oh man was he right! I have never in my life had a more productive day of fly fishing. This was my first time floating and I’m just amazed at the experience. I would like to meet other float tubers in the Boulder/Front Range area who would like to get together and fish. Reply here. Woo Hoo! Oh, btw, I’m 38. -bh

Response:

I got an Outcast Fat Cat 66 VBoat for my birthday  and spent the day fishing a lovely pond on the edge of town. A friend who works for CO DOW gave me a tip on a low-pressure piece of stocked water and man oh man was he right! I have never in my life had a more productive day of fly fishing. This was my first time floating and I’m just amazed at the experience. I would like to meet other float tubers in the Boulder/Front Range area who would like to get together and fish. Reply here. Woo Hoo! Oh, btw, I’m 38. -bh

Happy Birthday, B! Got me one of these devices too, but never got to try it. Blew up (Booom) on the first trip. Never reached the water though, lucky me! Just got a replacement innertube, if I dare to use it… Tight lines and safe floats! Stefan, Sweden

Response:

Question:

[snipped] Great story.  I can feel the slime and smell the penetrating odor from here

Response:

……On Saturday at a Back Yard Burger I saw four young Elvises (Elvii) getting out of a powder blue 1962 Buick convertible.

The dude DOES get around.  He spends his days picking up trash at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, here in Milwaukee. Wolfgang i guess the king of rock-n-roll biz ain’t what it used to was.

Response:

Great story.  I can feel the slime and smell the penetrating odor from here

TAKE A SHOWER ALREADY! mEMPHIS jIM No, I haven’t seen Elvis this week.

Response:

says… Great story.  I can feel the slime and smell the penetrating odor from here TAKE A SHOWER ALREADY! mEMPHIS jIM No, I haven’t seen Elvis this week.

thanks.  I was wondering what I stepped in… — Rob (but have you gone by Graceland…)

Response:

Actually that’s not true.  On Saturday at a Back Yard Burger I saw four young Elvises (Elvii) getting out of a powder blue 1962 Buick convertible. Memphis Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – No, I haven’t seen Elvis this week. thanks.  I was wondering what I stepped in… — Rob (but have you gone by Graceland…)

Response:

Boulder, ponds near Munson’s ? You mean 75th and Valmont ? Not the Sawhill’s ? How in the world is there trout in any pond near there ? The water must be 85 degrees ? Good bass’n out there, and big carp. But you say there’s some nice trout, eh ? Could you please be more specific about where these ponds are ? TIA. Bone.

BTW, TBone, I forgot to mention the graylings… hehe

Response:

Is that you, Frank?

No sir. Not Frank. Ben. -bh

Response:

Boulder, ponds near Munson’s ? You mean 75th and Valmont ? Not the Sawhill’s ? How in the world is there trout in any pond near there ? The water must be 85 degrees ? Good bass’n out there, and big carp. But you say there’s some nice trout, eh ? Could you please be more specific about where these ponds are ? TIA. Bone.

Response:

Is that you, Frank? No sir. Not Frank. Ben.

It tis nice to see others with a single minded devotion to the fish.  Hey, so what if you get a bit messy, you got a fish and these guys are just dreaming of getting some. — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply.

Response:

Boulder, ponds near Munson’s ? You mean 75th and Valmont ? Not the Sawhill’s ? How in the world is there trout in any pond near there ? The water must be 85 degrees ? Good bass’n out there, and big carp. But you say there’s some nice trout, eh ? Could you please be more specific about where these ponds are ? TIA. Bone.

You clearly know the place, what I’ve been tiold by the F&G guys that patrol the area is that the ponds are and have for some time been dumping grounds for stock. Big bass, yes. I’ve lifted an 18 inch large mouth out of the back pond on a #10 krystal bugger tied to 6X tippet and a 4wt rod. I’ve also taken more than a number of catfish ON THE SURFACE using smallish, bright white upwing something or others (I forget exactly) from the first pond. Sunfish, bluegills, small mouths, big mouths. The place is like a proving ground for fly tackle. Specifically on the trout issue: Walk back from the parking lot, past the pond with the dock. The next pond on the north side of that path is huge and damned near dry. Stand there on the south side near the aspen stand, open your eyes and prick your ears. Those big dark shadowy bug sucking monsters are trout. If we don’t get some rain soon, they will soon be trout jerky. Let me know and I’ll meet you there. -bh Boulder, CO

Response:

I spent the day fishing one of the back ponds out near Munson’s east of Boulder, CO. The current drought and a bit of local water politics has reduced many of these usually healthy potholes to small bowls of muddy, stringy soup. The hole I chose to visit today caught my eye via my ear when I heard loud slurping sounds coming from the ooze. I sat down on a clump of rye grass and watched some of the biggest lunker trout I’ve ever seen sucking bugs off of the surface, their backs complelety exposed to the air as they lay cradled in the thick weeds. I sat and I watched and I evaluated. Two big problems — 1.) the sea weed was very thick and left only small (maybe 4-5 ft. across) targets of clear (kind of) water in which to land a fly and 2.) the CO Fish and Game had encouraged aspens all along this particular bank leaving only a 10 by 10 ft "window" for me to shoot a line through. Normally I’d feel ok about a tight cast like that, but I was also standing 10-12 feet above the surface of the water which put my backcast up high and my front cast down sharply. So I sat some more and evaluated and while I did I tied on a #8 Dave’s hopper variant that I picked up in a general store in Ten Sleep, WY this summer. This version has gads of jangly rubber legs and makes all kind of ruckus on the surface when you twitch ‘em. I had no clue what they were sipping so I figured something juicy and big might bust them away from whatever hatch they were enjoying at the moment. So I sat some more and evaluated and while I did I began to realise that there was not a single sunfish or gilly or anything small at or near the water’s edge. it occurred to me that this pond had been shrinking for months and that anything small had been consumed by the elders in the water. This explained their size. Off in the distance, maybe 100 yds or so from my clump of grass were two blue herons standing in less than a foot of water. They were no doubt waiting patiently for one of these giants to glide by. I tried to imagine what that fight would look like. The scene in front of me was like an entire wildlife documentory but without the narrative. Truly unreal. So I decided it was time. I screeched off 20 or 30 feet of line from my little Princess and flicked the tippet end out toward the water. Two or three false casts swished through the air and — and this is god’s truth — I popped that little hopper right smack in the center of a clear spot in the water. I watched. I waited. I stripped in the slack and I waited some more. The water was so dark and so thick with growth that it was hard to see anything beneath the surface. I waited a minute or so and finally I gave her a twitch. My little bug pushed a bow-wave straight toward me and floated high on the water. Another ten seconds and I gave it another twitch. This time something thick and black and large rolled over and devoured my fly. I popped my wrist back and hooked up nicely. That fish — my fish — ran a slalom course through the weeds and tangled my leader 5 ways from Sunday. I stood up, fell and slid like a knothead down the bank and landed on my knees in the muck. But I still had a fish on! I stripped the slack that had formed from my fall and felt the leader knot hit the tip of my rod. I knew I was less than 9 feet from this fish and I wasn’t going to let a little slime stop me from landing him. What I didn’t plan on was the "lack of firmness" on the bottom of the pond. I stepped into the water — just a foot or so — and immediately felt the coolness of the mud slide deliciously up to my knees. I tried to step out and I felt one of my Teva’s come off my foot. Damn! I lost balance and fell back, gently and with great style, right on my ass. Here I am, all of my bits and pieces in the water and my legs being swallowed by quick sand. I worked to get my feet out of the suck, all the while trying to hang on to my rod. Eventually I got to my feet and started scanning the weeds for my fishy friend. I bent my rod gently and in doing so pulled my leader into a semi-straight line. I coould feel the fish still and I could see the hissy fit he was throwing in the growth. Laying down my rod I wrapped the leader around my hand and gently pulled him in. The trout was wrapped in so much plant material that he looked twice his actual size. I kept him in the water and slipped a wet hand under his belly. The weeds kept him still as I unhooked him and pointed him, nose first toward the center of the pond. I gathered my dignity and shlepped back to my car, my legs and shorts frosted in foul smelling green/brown goop. Well, there are no facilities at this place and I had nothing more than what I was wearing with me so I slipped out of my shorts and tshirt, put my shirt over the driver’s seat of my car and drove home wearing nothing but my Jockeys and a big smile. Upon my arrival, my wife didn’t inquire as to my condition or how it came to be. She gave me a totally unaffected look and asked me if I had had a good time. I told her that I had.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I spent the day fishing one of the back ponds out near Munson’s east of Boulder, CO. The current drought and a bit of local water politics has reduced many of these usually healthy potholes to small bowls of muddy, stringy soup. The hole I chose to visit today caught my eye via my ear when I heard loud slurping sounds coming from the ooze. I sat down on a clump of rye grass and watched some of the biggest lunker trout I’ve ever seen sucking bugs off of the surface, their backs complelety exposed to the air as they lay cradled in the thick weeds. I sat and I watched and I evaluated. Two big problems — 1.) the sea weed was very thick and left only small (maybe 4-5 ft. across) targets of clear (kind of) water in which to land a fly and 2.) the CO Fish and Game had encouraged aspens all along this particular bank leaving only a 10 by 10 ft "window" for me to shoot a line through. Normally I’d feel ok about a tight cast like that, but I was also standing 10-12 feet above the surface of the water which put my backcast up high and my front cast down sharply. So I sat some more and evaluated and while I did I tied on a #8 Dave’s hopper variant that I picked up in a general store in Ten Sleep, WY this summer. This version has gads of jangly rubber legs and makes all kind of ruckus on the surface when you twitch ‘em. I had no clue what they were sipping so I figured something juicy and big might bust them away from whatever hatch they were enjoying at the moment. So I sat some more and evaluated and while I did I began to realise that there was not a single sunfish or gilly or anything small at or near the water’s edge. it occurred to me that this pond had been shrinking for months and that anything small had been consumed by the elders in the water. This explained their size. Off in the distance, maybe 100 yds or so from my clump of grass were two blue herons standing in less than a foot of water. They were no doubt waiting patiently for one of these giants to glide by. I tried to imagine what that fight would look like. The scene in front of me was like an entire wildlife documentory but without the narrative. Truly unreal. So I decided it was time. I screeched off 20 or 30 feet of line from my little Princess and flicked the tippet end out toward the water. Two or three false casts swished through the air and — and this is god’s truth — I popped that little hopper right smack in the center of a clear spot in the water. I watched. I waited. I stripped in the slack and I waited some more. The water was so dark and so thick with growth that it was hard to see anything beneath the surface. I waited a minute or so and finally I gave her a twitch. My little bug pushed a bow-wave straight toward me and floated high on the water. Another ten seconds and I gave it another twitch. This time something thick and black and large rolled over and devoured my fly. I popped my wrist back and hooked up nicely. That fish — my fish — ran a slalom course through the weeds and tangled my leader 5 ways from Sunday. I stood up, fell and slid like a knothead down the bank and landed on my knees in the muck. But I still had a fish on! I stripped the slack that had formed from my fall and felt the leader knot hit the tip of my rod. I knew I was less than 9 feet from this fish and I wasn’t going to let a little slime stop me from landing him. What I didn’t plan on was the "lack of firmness" on the bottom of the pond. I stepped into the water — just a foot or so — and immediately felt the coolness of the mud slide deliciously up to my knees. I tried to step out and I felt one of my Teva’s come off my foot. Damn! I lost balance and fell back, gently and with great style, right on my ass. Here I am, all of my bits and pieces in the water and my legs being swallowed by quick sand. I worked to get my feet out of the suck, all the while trying to hang on to my rod. Eventually I got to my feet and started scanning the weeds for my fishy friend. I bent my rod gently and in doing so pulled my leader into a semi-straight line. I coould feel the fish still and I could see the hissy fit he was throwing in the growth. Laying down my rod I wrapped the leader around my hand and gently pulled him in. The trout was wrapped in so much plant material that he looked twice his actual size. I kept him in the water and slipped a wet hand under his belly. The weeds kept him still as I unhooked him and pointed him, nose first toward the center of the pond. I gathered my dignity and shlepped back to my car, my legs and shorts frosted in foul smelling green/brown goop. Well, there are no facilities at this place and I had nothing more than what I was wearing with me so I slipped out of my shorts and tshirt, put my shirt over the driver’s seat of my car and drove home wearing nothing but my Jockeys and a big smile. Upon my arrival, my wife didn’t inquire as to my condition or how it came to be. She gave me a totally unaffected look and asked me if I had had a good time. I told her that I had.

Is that you, Frank?

Response:

Question:

Depends on where you are (local species) . Price you are willing to spend. Local terrain of your most visited fishing water (overhanging trees vs open) Wading or bank fishing. However you can’t go wrong with the Cabelas 3forks 3wt 3piece 7.5′ combo as a starter. Ask anyone. John Popp – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I read the post on the brookie and checked out the world cup website. it seems to be a very novel idea. has this been around for a while or is it brand new….also i am interested more in flly fishing than spinning. could someone recomend a good starter setup for a novice?  thanks RJ —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

Lots of very favorable posts have surfaced recently about the rods John mentioned…they seem to be very good rods for the $$$.  The only change I would make is for starters I would suggest something in a heavier weight line, say a 5 or 6 weight.  It’s a little more versatile and easier casting heavy nymphs, streamers and bass type flys. Good luck and Tight Lines! Natty

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I read the post on the brookie and checked out the world cup website. it seems to be a very novel idea. has this been around for a while or is it brand new….also i am interested more in flly fishing than spinning. could someone recomend a good starter setup for a novice?  thanks RJ —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

Depends on where you are (local species) . Price you are willing to spend. Local terrain of your most visited fishing water (overhanging trees vs open) Wading or bank fishing. However you can’t go wrong with the Cabelas 3forks 3wt 3piece 7.5′ combo as a starter. Ask anyone.

You will quite certinly go wrong with a 3wt outfit for a complete beginner. Get a 5-6 wt first. The heavier line gives a much better feeling for the timing than a 3wt. Casting is easier with a heavier line. Wolfgang — shconnect Internet Service Grosse Strasse 17, 24392 S

Question:

Hi Bob Have a look in  our fly catalog. Let us know what you think. www.popularfishingflies.com Popular Fishing Flies Robert Lindberg. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I always seem to be looking for pix of flies I’ve heard about to try and learn something about them. Can anyone recommend several "best" sites that show a large selection of fly pictures (besides England’s and the Virtual fly box)? Thanks, Bob

Response:

Check out the site http://www.virtualflybox.com.  They have a LOT of flies and pics there. David T. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

Hi, I always seem to be looking for pix of flies I’ve heard about to try and learn something about them. Can anyone recommend several "best" sites that show a large selection of fly pictures (besides England’s and the Virtual fly box)? Thanks, Bob

http://www.mwflytying.com/default.html http://www.flyanglersonline.com http://members.mint.net/raske.index.html http://killroys.com/default.htm#sitemenu

Response:

Sorry I missed the backslash off   http://members.mint-net/raske/index.html

Response:

Pix of flies at http://www.f-deans.freeserve.co.uk – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I always seem to be looking for pix of flies I’ve heard about to try and learn something about them. Can anyone recommend several "best" sites that show a large selection of fly pictures (besides England’s and the Virtual fly box)? Thanks, Bob

Response:

Take a look at these locations: http://www.flyline.com/flys/patrns.htm http://www.flyanglersonline.com/ http://globalflyfisher.com/patterns/list.html#Stream Ernie Harrison Have you tried a Blood Knot Machine?  http://home.pacbell.net/ernie2 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Pix of flies at http://www.f-deans.freeserve.co.uk Hi, I always seem to be looking for pix of flies I’ve heard about to try and learn something about them. Can anyone recommend several "best" sites that show a large selection of fly pictures (besides England’s and the Virtual fly box)? Thanks, Bob

Response:

Hi, I always seem to be looking for pix of flies I’ve heard about to try and learn something about them. Can anyone recommend several "best" sites that show a large selection of fly pictures (besides England’s and the Virtual fly box)? Thanks, Bob

Response:

I don’t have a Web site suggestion. Instead, may I suggest a book: The Classic Guide to Fly-Fishing for Trout Charles Jardine ISBN 0-394-58719-7 It was published in 1991 in Great Britain, so it doesn’t have all the patterns you’ll come across, but it does have 60 full color pages of flies (about 8 flies per page) as well as a complete directory of fly dressings (i.e. what hook sizes and materials are used to tie each fly). For your viewing pleasure, I scanned a page of the book (warning: 200K image) and put it at: http://www.ipass.net/~stevez/images/flypics.jpg Any discoloration in fly patterns is likely an artifact of my scanner, not the author. I invite the input of experienced fly fishermen to comment on this book, but I love it. It is an absolutely beautiful hardcover book that I keep alternately on my coffee table at home and on the desk in my office. Steve Zimmerman

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I always seem to be looking for pix of flies I’ve heard about to try and learn something about them. Can anyone recommend several "best" sites that show a large selection of fly pictures (besides England’s and the Virtual fly box)? Thanks, Bob

Response:

Question:

Hello,  Steph, your geography is a fraction short. Quorn and Wilpena Pound are about 5 hours north of Adelaide, which is a good 9-10 hour drive west of Melbourne. Wilpena Pound and St Mary’s Peak are perhaps the best-known hiking trip in the Flinders Ranges, and are a spectacular walk. But take plenty of water (a litre an hour) and leave enough time to get back to camp, and take a hat. You probably won’t find much flowing water, let alone any trout in the Flinders in November! My suggestion to Cam is to try the Grampians (now known as Gariwerd as preferred by the original inhabitants of the country) for High Country. Have fun! Matthew – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll be traveling with a friend to the Melbourne area in November Altough it is relatively touristy and crowded (for an area where the next village can be 100 km away , you may check the area around Quorn and Wilpena Pound. It’s at the border of the outback, and still within reach from Melbourne. We didn’t have the time to backpack, but the area looked like a good place for it.   Stefanie Bruninghaus University of Pittsburgh                     Web: www.pitt.edu/~steffi 3939 O’Hara Street                           Phone:   (412) 624 – 6748 Pittsburgh, PA 15260 — USA                  Fax:     (412) 624 – 9149

Response:

Try Sheepyard Flats, Howya Valley up in the Victorian high country – you’ll be fishing up on the Howya River for trout that are wild – they’ll be bloody wild when you catch them – no stockies in this little river as far as I know. They are small little browns, but a pleasure to fish to. I assume your fly fishing (?) – you’ll get them on small little flies with fine leaders – try a Red Tag, Geehi Beetle (Aus. pattern), Wulffs (sp?). Upstream and down is okay. If you’re spin fishing, try a #1 Celta lure on very fine line, trundled down the stream/river. If your landing in Melbourne, go downtown to the Compleat Angler and talk to the boys. Stock up on local flies and get some good oil from them. They might even suggest a better spot than I can. If you like fishing, get a book by David Scholes (Aussie author), or just get an aussie fly fishing book – worth a read – hell, get some aussie fly tying books – Peter Leuver’s one is good. Aussie patterns are good. One warning. Most Aussie bush crawls with snakes (absolutely deadly – they’ll make you really, really sick or just plain dead in a short time) and it’ll be bloody hot. Watch yourself – no hands down holes or stupid things, e.g. don’t rush when walking. Stomp around a bit. You’ll usually see plenty of snakes darting directly away from you. Don’t rush is the best bet – and you’ll be fine. Stand up on the log, look down and then stand down, rather than stepping over a log. Play it safe. Check your bedding, don’t leave your tent door unzipped. Take a hat, drink water, swim in the river and you’ll have a bloody wonderful time of it all. BTW you treat aussie snake bites differently than North American ones – learn how to treat  - (the venom acts differently, and certainly not locally – if I’m right). One other warning – don’t drink Foster’s Lager because its the worst beer on the planet and it’ll make you terribly sick (joking – about the terribly sick part, not joking about it being shitty, shitty beer). There are other better beers that don’t see the light outside of Aus. Have a great time Cam. anon – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll be traveling with a friend to the Melbourne area in November and need counsel on where we’d have our best shot at seeing open, unpeopled high country.  We’ll be backpacking, camping in tents, and will want to fish for trout if possible.  The more remote, the better. Thanks in advance, Cam Please respond to:

Response:

I’ll be traveling with a friend to the Melbourne area in November and need counsel on where we’d have our best shot at seeing open, unpeopled high country.  We’ll be backpacking, camping in tents, and will want to fish for trout if possible.  The more remote, the better. Thanks in advance, Cam Please respond to:

Response:

Try http://www.bushwalking.org.au/ Bear in mind that it can be quite dangerous alone in unfamiliar bush, Rescue is not around the corner. There are tourist deaths every year. I’ll be traveling with a friend to the Melbourne area in November and need counsel on where we’d have our best shot at seeing open, unpeopled high country.  We’ll be backpacking, camping in tents, and will want to fish for trout if possible.  The more remote, the better. Thanks in advance, Cam Please respond to:

—Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

I’ll be traveling with a friend to the Melbourne area in November and need counsel on where we’d have our best shot at seeing open, unpeopled high country.  We’ll be backpacking, camping in tents, and will want to fish for trout if possible.  The more remote, the better.

Altough it is relatively touristy and crowded (for an area where the next village can be 100 km away , you may check the area around Quorn and Wilpena Pound. It’s at the border of the outback, and still within reach from Melbourne. We didn’t have the time to backpack, but the area looked like a good place for it.   Stefanie Bruninghaus University of Pittsburgh                     Web: www.pitt.edu/~steffi 3939 O’Hara Street                           Phone:   (412) 624 – 6748 Pittsburgh, PA 15260 — USA                  Fax:     (412) 624 – 9149

Response:

Question:

Hello, Chat with expert author Peter Kaminsky and learn the techniques you’ll need to know to land yourself a whopper! Whether you’re a novice or a veteran angler, "Fly Fishing For Dummies" offers sage advice for choosing the right kind of gear, finding out how and where to catch freshwater and saltwater fish, practicing the art of tying flies, and more. <http://www.dummies.com/community/chat/ Chat Channel: #dummies Chat Server: chat.talkcity.com Hope to see you there! Courtesy of the IDG Books Author Chat Series

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, Chat with expert author Peter Kaminsky and learn the techniques you’ll need to know to land yourself a whopper! Whether you’re a novice or a veteran angler, "Fly Fishing For Dummies" offers sage advice for choosing the right kind of gear, finding out how and where to catch freshwater and saltwater fish, practicing the art of tying flies, and more. <http://www.dummies.com/community/chat/ Chat Channel: #dummies Chat Server: chat.talkcity.com Hope to see you there! Courtesy of the IDG Books Author Chat Series

From the looks of many posts on this site, looks like you came to the right place. We make the insane ward look perfectly normal. Al Marlowe

Response:

Question:

Ole Ralph Garlalnd used to say, You never go fishing for striped bass untill the "Shad Bush" is in full bloom. Shad bush, (Forsythia), blooms in early spring, bright yellow blossoms!

Response:

Sorry, forgot to say: check out my web page for some pics of the beasts weve caught in the past: www.nh.ultranet.com/~mikec/mikec – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could any one tell me when the stripers start running in NH. coastal area. I don’ know about NH, but the stripers are almost always running at the mouth of the Merrimack River by the first week in May. But, judging by reports I’ve already heard of schoolies hitting in Rhode Island, I think it’s going to be an early year. Get your rods ready, it won’t be long now… -bd

Response:

Ive heard of divers seeing big cows just laying on the bottom during the winter months, I can imagine if you could stand the cold and drop a bait right in front of their big puss, one could catch them all year. (piscataqua river) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could any one tell me when the stripers start running in NH. coastal area. I don’ know about NH, but the stripers are almost always running at the mouth of the Merrimack River by the first week in May. But, judging by reports I’ve already heard of schoolies hitting in Rhode Island, I think it’s going to be an early year. Get your rods ready, it won’t be long now… -bd

Response:

Would that be the phorthisia (spelling) bush? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Ole Ralph Garlalnd used to say, You never go fishing for striped bass untill the "Shad Bush" is in full bloom. Shad bush, (Forsythia), blooms in early spring, bright yellow blossoms!

Response:

Ayuh, those ah nice bass. New Hampsha, Eh? Why’ve I been drivin’ down the Cape?

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Ive heard of divers seeing big cows just laying on the bottom during the winter months, I can imagine if you could stand the cold and drop a bait right in front of their big puss, one could catch them all year. (piscataqua river) Could any one tell me when the stripers start running in NH. coastal area. I don’ know about NH, but the stripers are almost always running at the mouth of the Merrimack River by the first week in May. But, judging by reports I’ve already heard of schoolies hitting in Rhode Island, I think it’s going to be an early year. Get your rods ready, it won’t be long now… -bd

I’ve heard a good early spot is out by Adams Point near the lab. Plan on going there in the next week or so if the weather gets nice.                                                                 jc

Response:

Could any one tell me when the stripers start running in NH. coastal area.

Over the past several (6) years I’ve always got into them in the first 2 weeks of May at the trestle at the Hampton R. I was there about an hour ago, in fact. Been fishing it a little for the past few weeks, nothing doing right yet, though a small baitfish followed my fly in once :- Gotta take encouragement where ya find it ! Today was windier than it looked and colder than it looked, but it beats working through lunch….                                                         jc

Response:

Ayuh, those ah nice bass. New Hampsha, Eh? Why’ve I been drivin’ down the Cape?

Probably to fish, then go to a bah and swill down some wicked pisssah bee_ahs with the boys from Sumuville ?

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John , keep us posted, too cold for me still…( think ive got bass in my basement, there enought water…) – mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Could any one tell me when the stripers start running in NH. coastal area. Over the past several (6) years I’ve always got into them in the first 2 weeks of May at the trestle at the Hampton R. I was there about an hour ago, in fact. Been fishing it a little for the past few weeks, nothing doing right yet, though a small baitfish followed my fly in once :- Gotta take encouragement where ya find it ! Today was windier than it looked and colder than it looked, but it beats working through lunch….                                                    jc

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Could any one tell me when the stripers start running in NH. coastal area.

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Could any one tell me when the stripers start running in NH. coastal area.

I don’ know about NH, but the stripers are almost always running at the mouth of the Merrimack River by the first week in May. But, judging by reports I’ve already heard of schoolies hitting in Rhode Island, I think it’s going to be an early year. Get your rods ready, it won’t be long now… -bd

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In CT. we get holdovers all winter. What we consider a run also starts early may. Schoolies in Rhode Island? I heard it too. TW – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – says… Could any one tell me when the stripers start running in NH. coastal area. I don’ know about NH, but the stripers are almost always running at the mouth of the Merrimack River by the first week in May. But, judging by reports I’ve already heard of schoolies hitting in Rhode Island, I think it’s going to be an early year. Get your rods ready, it won’t be long now… -bd

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Question:

The water is still fairly high in the park, but with some work you should do well. I would take caddis (several sizes 12-18, and colors) – mosquitos , adams, also grey and brown hackle peacocks.       For nymphs, almost anything (pt, prince, beadhead hare’ ears, etc. will do nicely. Fish the road water between the campgrounds and road’s end and walk up (2 mi. ) to bubb’s creek and fish both it and the south fork in that area.   cal Buz’s Flyshop in Visalia and talk to Mickey or Larry for latest reliable info  - 209-734-1151 — good fishing. Hank Urbach  and hunting partners Rainbow’s Eagle River Buck SH Rainbow Mac’s Starry Sky JH             Hill’s Ferry Hunting Retriever Club, CA

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I’m going to be camping in Kings Canyon National Park in mid-august near the South Fork of the Kings River and wonder if anyone has any fly pattern recommendations for this river or any of the creeks nearby or if their is a fly shop in the Fresno area you could direct me to. Thanks for your help in advance, Bob

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I’m going to be camping in Kings Canyon National Park in mid-august near the South Fork of the Kings River and wonder if anyone has any fly pattern recommendations for this river or any of the creeks nearby or if their is a fly shop in the Fresno area you could direct me to.

 Bob… I fished the So. Fk. of the Kings Thurs. & Fri. and it was fishing great. In another 2 weeks the flows will come down a little and it should be even better.  The best flies are a grey Deer Hair Caddis in #10 or 12 and a Western Coachman, a local fly that is basically a short bodied peacock Trude, #12 or 14.  Around sundown a Blue Dun Parachute size 14 or 16 is also effective.  Occasionally just before dark in the flat runs there can be a hatch of #16-18 light Cahill or PMD although a #16 Blue Dun Parachute seems to work just fine in that situation.   There is a ff section in Herb Bauer Sporting Goods in Fresno where you can get good advice if you don’t talk to anyone under retirement age, but they don’t carry the flies you really need.  The best shop is Buz’s Fly Shop in Visalia.  Larry Goates who works there has fished the Kings all his life and guides there almost every week.   Have a great trip. …Dick

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Hiya Bob, I the Kings was one of my favorite rivers when I was living in Fresno.  What you *need* to carry in your box are as follows: Blue Dun #12-16 (I prefer parachute) light cahill #14-16 various ants, both red and black, #14-18 tan/olive caddis #14-16 GRHE #12-16 PT nymph #14-18 The above flies should keep you catching fish anywhere on the river.  BTW, I’ve never seen a "full blown" blue dun hatch on the kings, but for some reason these flies are irresistable to the fish.  I’m not sure about the water flow right now, but august/sept usually has fairly low water- sneak up on the pools! There are a some fly shops in Fresno, either Heubner’s sports or Bauer’s (on Blackstone)- I think those were the names……  Bauer’s is bigger, with a larger selection, but IMHO Huebner’s has better flies. Best- Hans — "The worst monotonous drone coming from a lectern or the most eye-splitting textbook written in turgid English is nothing in comparison to the psychological Sahara that starts right in your bedroom and spurns the horizon."         -Joseph Brodsky, from "In praise of Boredom"          delivered as a commencement address at Dartmouth College. Hans T.H. Beernink, Department of Biochemistry, University of Vermont

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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:

I am a begining fly fisherman and I am going to be working in canon city, co for the summer. I will be there from May 15- August 15. I would appreciate any suggestions on good places to fish, shops for flys, and approximate times of good hatches. In other words any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance. Paul

You’ll be living right by the headwaters of the Arkansas River, which has some decent trout (so I’ve heard, haven’t gotten down there yet). Also, you won’t be too far from the South Platte, which is pretty famous for awesome catch & release only, artificial flies & lures (barbless hooks) only fishing. The South Platte will be about 1.5 to 2 hours drive from Canon City, either north into Colorado Springs and then West on route 24 to Woodland Park, and north on route 67 to Deckers, or continue through Woodland Park to Lake George, and go up Elevenmile Canyon road (3 dollar access fee you pay at a self-serve station), to the river. I’m still new at the insect hatches, so can’t give you anything of value in that area. Pick up a copy of the Colorado Angling Guide when you get here, or before if you can find it. It’s got a nice collection of Forest Service maps of the areas. As for shops, I know the Angler’s Covey on 8th and West Colorado Ave in Colorado Springs is a great place for fly fishing supplies and advice, although you should be able to find something in Canon City as well, use the yellow pages. — Scott Ferguson                               My views are not necessarily Cray Computer Corporation                    those of Cray Computer Corp.

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I am a begining fly fisherman and I am going to be working in canon city, co for the summer. I will be there from May 15- August 15. I would appreciate any suggestions on good places to fish, shops for flys, and approximate times of good hatches. In other words any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance. Paul

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