Question:

George, You seem to be the Rofiian expert here so……. Could you tell me where I would be able to purchase balde eagle feathers? I have an idea for a great dry fly pattern that would require these beauties….. Thanks Georgie……. Robert

Response:

George, You seem to be the Rofiian expert here so……. Could you tell me where I would be able to purchase balde eagle feathers? I have an idea for a great dry fly pattern that would require these beauties….. Thanks Georgie……. Robert

Ye Olde lil’ wayno’s?

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I pondered this post a bit. Now we have plenty of baldies around so if you want a feather or two all you have to do is come down here, shiney up a tree where there is a nest, wait for the bird, grab a few and come back down. That’s the easy part. The hard part is explaining to a wildlife dude holding a smoke pole in your geezer that what you have is a turkey feather and all those scratches you have you got from a thistle while you picked up the feather. Would you like me to bring you anything on visitors day?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – George, You seem to be the Rofiian expert here so……. Could you tell me where I would be able to purchase balde eagle feathers? I have an idea for a great dry fly pattern that would require these beauties….. Thanks Georgie……. Robert

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Vasoline?  Soap on a rope?  Pictures of Wayno naked?      Frank Would you like me to bring you anything on visitors day?

Response:

George, You seem to be the Rofiian expert here so……. Could you tell me where I would be able to purchase balde eagle feathers? I have an idea for a great dry fly pattern that would require these beauties….. Thanks Georgie……. Robert

You can get one loaned to you by an American Indian.  How’s that for a legal answer and it happens to be a fact. — (C) George Gehrke 2001 http://www.gink.com/shopcart/index.html     fine bamboo flyrods & blanks

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Yes, I know its fact George….just having a little fun…… (some snippage) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – George, You seem to be the Rofiian expert here so……. Thanks Georgie……. Robert You can get one loaned to you by an American Indian.  How’s that for a legal answer and it happens to be a fact.

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Question…the bald eagle…or ‘iggle’ as the guide at the denver show called them…is no longer on the endagered or even threatened species list…correct ? — Halfordian Golfer .

Response:

Question…the bald eagle…or ‘iggle’ as the guide at the denver show called them…is no longer on the endagered or even threatened species list…correct ?

According to http://endangered.fws.gov/ they are classified as "threatened, proposed de-listing", but they are still on the list. — Charlie…

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Question…the bald eagle…or ‘iggle’ as the guide at the denver show called them…is no longer on the endagered or even threatened species list…correct ? According to http://endangered.fws.gov/ they are classified as "threatened, proposed de-listing", but they are still on the list.

And I don’t think you’d be able to possess the feathers or hunt them regardless of their status on that list.  IIRC, the possession, hunting, etc. would still be controlled as are other "birds of prey" like hawks, and carrion-eating birds like vultures, would they not? TC, R

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RDean writes: And I don’t think you’d be able to possess the feathers or hunt them regardless of their status on that list.  IIRC, the possession, hunting, etc. would still be controlled as are other "birds of prey" like hawks, and carrion-eating birds like vultures, would they not?

Time for a grandson story: Jeff and I were in Labrador in July of ‘98.  The guide pointed out the remains of a bald eagle laying on a sandy beach just above the area we were fishing. Jeff walked back and took all of the wing bones from  the skeleton.  When he showed them to me after dinner that night, I told him that I though possession of them was illegal.  I checked with the guide and he confirmed my suspicions. The next day Jeff asked if we could stop by the sandy beach.  When we did, he approached the eagle’s remains and very carefully placed each bone in the position he had found it.  It took him several minutes to complete his task. He was very solemn when he returned to face us.  He saw that I was near tears witnessing this tender moment of his.  He took his fly rod from me, smiled and said, "C’mon, Poppop.  Let’s catch some biggggg brookies."  We did.  <g Dave LaCourse, aka Pop Pop

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I have a friend who has a few, but you better belong to the same type of tribe he does or else it gets costly.  Last I talked to him (3 months) they were still controled with a heavy fine if you weren’t Native American. Lou

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Question…the bald eagle…or ‘iggle’ as the guide at the denver show called them…is no longer on the endagered or even threatened species list…correct ? According to http://endangered.fws.gov/ they are classified as "threatened, proposed de-listing", but they are still on the list. And I don’t think you’d be able to possess the feathers or hunt them regardless of their status on that list.  IIRC, the possession, hunting, etc. would still be controlled as are other "birds of prey" like hawks, and carrion-eating birds like vultures, would they not? TC,

I heard tell some folks call bald turkeys vultures, ifn thats so there goes next thanksgiven turkey, guess this next year itl be storebought. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – R

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I’m in awe of the birds of prey… *Why* are they treated differently than non bop’s ? Not a rhetorical question. Everything lives somewhere on the food chain…right ?

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Tim Walker writes: I’m in awe of the birds of prey… *Why* are they treated differently than non bop’s ? Not a rhetorical question. Everything lives somewhere on the food chain…right ?

I think their treatment is the result of their resurgence.  For years there were no BOPs around because of ddt usage and other pollutions.  Today we have red tail hawks nesting on our land, and goshawks have also been spotted nearby.  After a recent snow storm, when the snow was still fresh and beautiful, a red tail swooped down the forested hill behind the house and swooped up a feeding bluejay.  There was a shadow, then an explosion of feathers as it flew off with the jay.  The impact area looked like a bomb crater with  many of the jay’s feathers spread out from "ground zero".   Dave L.

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I’m in awe of the birds of prey… *Why* are they treated differently than non bop’s ? Not a rhetorical question. Everything lives somewhere on the food chain…right ?

well, i look around my neck of the woods at birds that seem abundant and cannot be killed (seagulls, bald eagles, turkey vultures, etc.) and i wonder how bad things would smell and how much extra garbage would be laying around without all these birds (and other animals) around to eat all of the dead animals and edible garbage… something to think about. cb

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I have a friend who has a few, but you better belong to the same type of tribe he does or else it gets costly.  Last I talked to him (3 months) they were still controled with a heavy fine if you weren’t Native American.

My brother-in-law got one for his high school graduation last year. I’ll have to ask him if he knows the current rules.      - Ken

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If you look in our local phonebook yellow pages under Native American, it says "see Indian". I just thought that was interesting. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a friend who has a few, but you better belong to the same type of tribe he does or else it gets costly.  Last I talked to him (3 months) they were still controled with a heavy fine if you weren’t Native American. My brother-in-law got one for his high school graduation last year. I’ll have to ask him if he knows the current rules.      - Ken

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In Montana, you cannot possess any feather fron any raptor unless you hold a valid and current falconers license (Native Americans excepted). Having one "loaned" to you by a Native American doesn’t count (at least not here). — Tight Lines! Brian D. Nelson Diamond N Outfitters, Missoula, Montana http://www.montana.com/dno/dno.htm 406-626-4022

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – George, You seem to be the Rofiian expert here so……. Could you tell me where I would be able to purchase balde eagle feathers? I have an idea for a great dry fly pattern that would require these beauties….. Thanks Georgie……. Robert You can get one loaned to you by an American Indian.  How’s that for a legal answer and it happens to be a fact. — (C) George Gehrke 2001 http://www.gink.com/shopcart/index.html     fine bamboo flyrods & blanks

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I’m in awe of the birds of prey… *Why* are they treated differently than non bop’s ? Not a rhetorical question. Everything lives somewhere on the food chain…right ? well, i look around my neck of the woods at birds that seem abundant and cannot be killed (seagulls, bald eagles, turkey vultures, etc.) and i wonder how bad things would smell and how much extra garbage would be laying around without all these birds (and other animals) around to eat all of the dead animals and edible garbage… something to think about.

Same could be said of rats too.  They eat all sorts of garbage!  :-) However,  I’ll keep shooting the longtail every chance I get.

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I’m in awe of the birds of prey… *Why* are they treated differently than non bop’s ? Not a rhetorical question. Everything lives somewhere on the food chain…right ?

I think that those creatures lower down in the food chain can recover from dire times a lot easier than those higher up.  An easy way to illustrate this is to compare the breeding rates of lower down food chain species like rats and mice with the breeding rates of the predators.  I saw a program that informed of the sheer breeding power of the brown rat.  One pair of rats can create thousands or even hundreds of thousands of rats in one year; the rats are phenomenal multipliers.  I suppose that the food chains are like the Chinese Triad,  a wide and stable base to support the diminushing by layer orders above.  If the upper layers are removed,  then the lower orders become erratic and quite unstable. The top level predators are the product of the genetic refinery  and represent the cutting edge of evolution  (e.g. bats, dolphins,  (humans) and allsorts of others).  Whilst all levels are as important as each other in maintaining the appropriate balance,  the top level predators  are possibly more affected on a  numerical basis.  i.e.  breeding rates.

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orders become erratic and quite unstable.

This is some sort of Republican Party code isn’t it?  <g The top level predators are the product of the genetic refinery  and represent the cutting edge of evolution  (e.g. bats, dolphins,  (humans) and all sorts of others)….

This idea that there is "progress" in evolution is a common fallacy.  A good book on this subject is "The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design," by Richard Dawkins. JR

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This idea that there is "progress" in evolution is a common fallacy.  A good book on this subject is "The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design," by Richard Dawkins.

Actually, the notion that there is no "progress" in evolution a cause championed most famously by Stephen J. Gould, who happens to be Dawkins’ intellectual enemy. Their feud goes way back, and I think it’s fair to say that they detest each other. I once asked Dawkins’  what he thought about a paper by Gould and Lewontin (The spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian paradigm: A critique of the adaptationist programme. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B205:581-598) that bears on exactly this issue. He (Dawkins) raved for at least ten minutes about how stupid and misguided the paper is. Dawkins’ own views on the subject are more accurately summarized in the book "Climbing Mount Improbable," which definitely gives the impression that there is "progress" of a sort in evolution (i.e., climbing higher on the Mount Improbable). My own opinion is that if there weren’t progress in evolution we’d still be blue-green algae, or worse. The problem is that "progress" is a subjective concept. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

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Jeff and I were in Labrador in July of ‘98.  The guide pointed out the remains of a bald eagle laying on a sandy beach just above the area we were fishing. Jeff walked back and took all of the wing bones from  the skeleton.  When he showed them to me after dinner that night, I told him that I though possession of them was illegal.  I checked with the guide and he confirmed my suspicions. The next day Jeff asked if we could stop by the sandy beach.  When we did, he approached the eagle’s remains and very carefully placed each bone in the position he had found it.  It took him several minutes to complete his task. He was very solemn when he returned to face us.  He saw that I was near tears witnessing this tender moment of his.  He took his fly rod from me, smiled and said, "C’mon, Poppop.  Let’s catch some biggggg brookies."  We did.  

Thanks Dave, These personal anecdotes are my favorite posts. Willi

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You’re right that definitions of progressive evolution differ.  The disagreement between Dawkins and Gould on this matter is in fact is pretty much a difference in definitions.  Dawkins believes that in order to deny progress in evolution, Gould insists on a human-chauvanistic definition "which makes it all too easy to deny progress in evolution."   His own definition he calls "adaptationist;" i.e., "a tendency for lineages to improve cumulatively their adaptive fit to their particular way of life, by increasing the numbers of features which combine together in adaptive complexes."   No doubt Gould thinks this definition makes it all too easy to *propose* progress in evolution.  Nevertheless, Dawkins, like Gould, does not and never has believed in the sort of "progress" implied in the concept of a "ladder of life," on which there are higher and lower orders.  This is the sort of evolutionary progress I believe Michael was referring to in his original post. I tend to think that the feud between Dawkins and Gould is blown out of proportion by the popular (and popularizing) press and that it is unlikely they "detest" each other.  I’ve read reviews by Dawkins of Gould’s books and reviews that, while disagreeing strongly with one argument or another, display no rancor or animosity. Quoted from a response by Dawkins to a Guardian article about the "feud": "Stephen Gould certainly is an ‘implacable opponent of . . . genetic determinism’.  Right then, Dawkins must be in favour of it – otherwise there wouldn’t be a feud, and that would be no fun. In fact, as anybody would know who reads what I actually say instead of what I am supposed to say, I too am an implacable opponent of genetic determinism. "Gould thinks that the extinction of the dinosaurs had nothing to do with natural selection. Sorry to spoil the fun, but so do I.  Gould thinks natural selection is not the only force shaping the course of evolution. Well, I know it seems a shame, but so do I, and I have devoted large portions of my books to explaining this." ***** Just what did Dawkins disagree with in the Gould / Lewontin article? BTW, you don’t think the idea that something older than blue-green algae on the evolutionary scale is somehow "worse" than blue-green algae (or us) is just the sort of human chauvinism that *both* Dawkins and Gould would rave against. <g JR – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This idea that there is "progress" in evolution is a common fallacy.  A good book on this subject is "The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design," by Richard Dawkins. Actually, the notion that there is no "progress" in evolution a cause championed most famously by Stephen J. Gould, who happens to be Dawkins’ intellectual enemy. Their feud goes way back, and I think it’s fair to say that they detest each other. I once asked Dawkins’  what he thought about a paper by Gould and Lewontin (The spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian paradigm: A critique of the adaptationist programme. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B205:581-598) that bears on exactly this issue. He (Dawkins) raved for at least ten minutes about how stupid and misguided the paper is. Dawkins’ own views on the subject are more accurately summarized in the book "Climbing Mount Improbable," which definitely gives the impression that there is "progress" of a sort in evolution (i.e., climbing higher on the Mount Improbable). My own opinion is that if there weren’t progress in evolution we’d still be blue-green algae, or worse. The problem is that "progress" is a subjective concept.

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My own opinion is that if there weren’t progress in evolution we’d still be blue-green algae, or worse. The problem is that "progress" is a subjective concept.

Perhaps the most succinct and irrefutable refutation of one’s own opinion that I have ever seen. Wolfgang o.k., this oughta be good!

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Question:

Northern California Coastal Steelhead fishing in January and February is very, very dependent upon the weather.  Heavy rains create tremendous silting and blows out most North Coast rivers and it may take 5 to 10 days (without more rain) to recover enough for the fishing to get average. Alternate choices are Big Lagoon and Stone Lagoon.  When heavy rainfall is coupled with high tides and high wind and storms, these lagoons burst and adult steelhead rush in creating tremendous fishing opportunities from boats drifting steelhead flies.  But, timing is everything! The two best rivers for different reasons are the Smith and the Mad.  The Smith has less siltation and recovers quicker sometimes as fast as 24 hours. The Mad supports good fishing even with siltation due to the Mad River Hatchery.  While waiting for rivers to recover, may I suggest sunny days inland at Lewiston Lake.  In January and February the 11:00 AM Calibaetis hatch belies the extreme complexity and skill required to land the largest Rainbows of this super sophisticated fishery.  Size 16 to 20 nymphs and emergers, very coldwater float tubing and frequent changes prior,during and post the hatch(s) may be an ample challenge.  As the locals say, "Many are called, but few are chosen". For Northcoast rivers, lagoons and Lewiston Lake status, call Mike Kuczynski at the Eureka Fly Shop.  1-800-435-9546. Good Luck, Tight lines, John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi All, I have been following the cold water/warm water steelhead thread a bit and thought perhaps someone might like to offer some suggestions on places to fish in late Jan early Feb. The missus has temporarily moved to San Diego for work and I thought when I visited in February I might take the opportunity for a trip to the northern part of the state and try to catch a fish or 3. Everything will be frozen solid locally so it is a chance to break the winter doldrums. I will also be over next month but I suspect if I head off fishing the first time I visit she may get a tad miffed. I have only very limited knowledge of the state, I cycled from Seattle to San Francisco several years ago and that’s it. I have had some experience catching large lake-run rainbows in SW Ontario and New Zealand but this would be my first chance to have a go at some salties and thought it might be fun. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will be starting out from a meeting in Ventura, so at least it will not be quite so far to the south as San Diego. thanks Vaughan

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Hi All, I have been following the cold water/warm water steelhead thread a bit and thought perhaps someone might like to offer some suggestions on places to fish in late Jan early Feb. The missus has temporarily moved to San Diego for work and I thought when I visited in February I might take the opportunity for a trip to the northern part of the state and try to catch a fish or 3. Everything will be frozen solid locally so it is a chance to break the winter doldrums. I will also be over next month but I suspect if I head off fishing the first time I visit she may get a tad miffed. I have only very limited knowledge of the state, I cycled from Seattle to San Francisco several years ago and that’s it. I have had some experience catching large lake-run rainbows in SW Ontario and New Zealand but this would be my first chance to have a go at some salties and thought it might be fun. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will be starting out from a meeting in Ventura, so at least it will not be quite so far to the south as San Diego. thanks Vaughan

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Question:

I’ll see what I can do, PSU tickets between the 20s are hard to find. I’d love to go to any PSU home game this year, and if I can get tickets I’ll contact you.  How much prior notice do you require?

I’m workin’ on a ticket in the visitors section from this end as well. Unfortunately, I’m well down the pecking order of Illini alums and probably won’t get one. If I do, I’d be very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have you show me some of those great PA streams around the ballgame. If we can pull this off, we’ll need to hijack Mark Faulkner and force him to fish with us. As far as prior notice, … hell, I don’t know, depends on what’s happening at the time. Don’t go to any expense on my account, the game will be on the tube anyway. — Ken Fortenberry

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This has the makings of an miniclave in central PA.  Let’s work on some tickets and see what happens.  After the so-called "Fighting Illini" get sent back to the playpen by the Nittany Lions – led by the quarterback now proudly known as the "defendant" – we can get to some serious fishing. Mark Faulkner – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m workin’ on a ticket in the visitors section from this end as well. Unfortunately, I’m well down the pecking order of Illini alums and probably won’t get one. If I do, I’d be very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have you show me some of those great PA streams around the ballgame. If we can pull this off, we’ll need to hijack Mark Faulkner and force him to fish with us.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll see what I can do, PSU tickets between the 20s are hard to find.  I’d love to go to any PSU home game this year, and if I can get tickets I’ll contact you.  How much prior notice do you require? I’m workin’ on a ticket in the visitors section from this end as well. Unfortunately, I’m well down the pecking order of Illini alums and probably won’t get one. If I do, I’d be very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have you show me some of those great PA streams around the ballgame. If we can pull this off, we’ll need to hijack Mark Faulkner and force him to fish with us. As far as prior notice, … hell, I don’t know, depends on what’s happening at the time. Don’t go to any expense on my account, the game will be on the tube anyway. — Ken Fortenberry

Well, I had been looking for PSU tickets for any home game already.  If I can get them, I’m sure that I will be able to find somebody around here that would want to go with me if you are unavailable.  The most available tickets are always in the student section (of course) which is at the wrong end of the field for an Illini fan…  Usually you can find tickets in the newspaper or on eBay in the week or two immediately prior to the game.  Nothing personal, but a game vs. Illinios isn’t like a game against Michigan or OSU so finding tickets may not be impossible. Tom perhaps we should be looking for the Big Ten newsgroup? Before you buy.

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So I’m hoping that one of you ROFFians can help me…  Or maybe you just know somebody who might.  Anybody who fishes in the Centre/Clinton/Lycoming county region who would be willing to throw away a few hours of their time giving me a few pointers would be a blessing.  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. Thanks, Tom Before you buy.

Tom It just so happens that I will spending Labor Day weekend at my cabin along Slate Run in Lycoming County. I will arriving on Thur the 31st and departing Mon morning Sep 4. Slate Run is a beautiful wild trout stream in a remote wilderness setting as are Cedar Run and Young Womens Creek all near by. Maybe we could hookup sometime over the weekend for a little dry fly fishing. I probaby dry fly fish 95% of the time so maybe I could help you out a little there. Drop me a email message if you are interested. We would have to pick a time and place to meet before hand as there is no phone in the cabin. John Mimnall Before you buy.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll see what I can do, PSU tickets between the 20s are hard to find. I’d love to go to any PSU home game this year, and if I can get tickets I’ll contact you.  How much prior notice do you require? I’m workin’ on a ticket in the visitors section from this end as well. Unfortunately, I’m well down the pecking order of Illini alums and probably won’t get one. If I do, I’d be very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to have you show me some of those great PA streams around the ballgame. If we can pull this off, we’ll need to hijack Mark Faulkner and force him to fish with us. — Ken Fortenberry

Hell Ken you could probaby be on the stream by halftime as the soon to be convict PSU quarterback will probaby run circles around the Illini defense and there would be no question as to the outcome of the game by that time. Before you buy.

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Nothing personal, but a game vs. Illinios isn’t

like a game against Michigan or OSU so finding tickets may not be impossible.< Going at cut rate prices, one would assume. <g

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It just so happens that I will spending Labor Day weekend at my cabin along Slate Run in Lycoming County… Slate Run is a beautiful wild trout stream in a remote wilderness setting as are Cedar Run and Young Womens Creek all near by.

John, John, John. I’m afraid you might have just inadvertently invited one Anthony Wayne Harrison, Esquire to be a permanent house guest at your cabin. Tell me–how far exactly is it to Young Womens from your cabin? –Steve

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 Nothing personal, but a game vs. Illinios isn’t like a game against Michigan or OSU

    bwaaaaahaaaa!     truth always rings clear, even though the sound might be painful to certain ears. wayno

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It just so happens that I will spending Labor Day weekend at my cabin along Slate Run in Lycoming County… Slate Run is a beautiful wild trout stream in a remote wilderness setting as are Cedar Run and Young Womens Creek all near by. John, John, John. I’m afraid you might have just inadvertently invited one Anthony Wayne Harrison, Esquire to be a permanent house guest at your cabin. Tell me–how far exactly is it to Young Womens from your cabin? –Steve

No need for Mr. Harrison’s help as I already saw to it that all the young women along the creek are ‘changed’ and only have eye’s for me. Actually I think the creek was named after a young indian girl that was lost along it. Before you buy.

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Nothing personal, but a game vs. Illinios isn’t like a game against Michigan or OSU so finding tickets may not be impossible. Going at cut rate prices, one would assume. <g     bwaaaaahaaaa!     truth always rings clear, even though the sound might be painful to certain ears.

All this Illini razzing is music to my ears, especially from the Buckeye and Tarheel contingent who happened to be THE major source of college football Laphroaig last season. — Ken Fortenberry

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No need for Mr. Harrison’s help as I already saw to it that all the young women along the creek are ‘changed’ and only have eye’s for me.

        pretty work.  so many creeks; so little time. wayno

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All this Illini razzing is music to my ears, especially from the

Buckeye and Tarheel contingent who happened to be THE major source of college football Laphroaig last season. < Hey, Wayne.  Did you reseal your bottle the way I advised?  Gives Laphroaig a decent flavor.  0

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All this Illini razzing is music to my ears, especially from the Buckeye and Tarheel contingent who happened to be THE major source of college football Laphroaig last season. —

"college football Laphroaig"??? isn’t that a team in texas?  no wait that’s the horned phroaigs…  oh hell, can we at least have a better quality bet this year fellas??  with Laphroaig as the trophy, it’s no wonder the heels lost and wayno paid up…who’d want that cadaver juice?  ’cept ken, of course… <G jeff

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"college football Laphroaig"??? isn’t that a team in texas?  no wait that’s the horned phroaigs…  

Maybe you’re thinking of a different Forty, the north Dallas one perhaps? <g — Charlie…

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"college football Laphroaig"??? isn’t that a team in texas?  no wait that’s the horned phroaigs…  oh hell, can we at least have a better quality bet this year fellas??  with Laphroaig as the trophy, it’s no wonder the heels lost and wayno paid up…who’d want that cadaver juice?  ’cept ken, of course… <G

The Laphroaig is my winnings. If the Tarheels ever put together a football squad, I’d owe Wayno some horribly expensive chardonnay. If the Buckeyes were to get real lucky I’d have to get Harry a bottle of Cardhu. In the spirit of "you can never have too much Laphroaig" I should find a sucker^H^H^H^H^H^H  football fan of the Nittany Lion persuasion to swindle^H^H^H^H^H^H^H  bet with this year. — Ken Fortenberry

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Does anyone know what happened to my Barnoculars? Lost them sometime in college in California early 80’s… absolute necessity for college football where they frisk you as you enter… as a Democrat who encourages diversity, I’d put single malt in one half, bourbon in the other…

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I am, I guess, a newbie in many respects. I’ve owned a fly rod since 1990 or so, but

Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. Tom

 Hell, if you bring the food and beer…….well, I’ll be there. I live a few hours away from Happy Valley  but try to get out that way as often as time allows. My last trip was probably a month ago so I’m due for another any weekend. Around Oct 9 I have five days free and plan on fishing/drinking my time away. Depending on my $$$ flow, I will be floating the Deleware, trying my luck at Striper fishing, searching for Salmon or camping at Hemlock Acres, which is in your neck of the woods. I’d be more than happy to give you a few pointers if I’m out that way. Have you tried Flyfishers Paradise? There’s a spot there I call the trough. Its the channel of water that flows out of the hatchery ponds. There are *big* fish there year round sipping on midges. The day before Christmas I was there- 24 degrees out and they were feeding! I’ve taught several of my friends how to midge fish there. My friend Phil caught his first fish on a fly there- a 17 inch bow on a sz. 26 midge. Its a good place to learn because the fish are immune to human presence. You can cast to them all day and they dont move. The key is to use small flies. Sz. 22 or smaller. And as long as I’m there to teach someone else, I don’t feel guilty about hooking a few myself  If I head that way, I’ll drop you a line. Tight Lines… Matt M.

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I am, I guess, a newbie in many respects. I’ve owned a fly rod since 1990 or so, but have only begun fly fishing (almost) exclusively this summer.  I grew up here in central PA (Clinton Co.) fishing with spinners and salmon eggs.  I can usually catch trout quite successfully in PA streams with a Panther Martin spinner…  This is my first summer fly fishing in PA. I am woefully inept with dry flies, 95% of my fly fishing experience being in Alaska, where the notorious ‘egg hatch’ is the only hatch worth worrying about.  Of the remaining 5%, 4% is pond fishing with small poppers for bass/crappie/bream in NC and 1% has been this summer here in central PA.  Due to this experience my casting is awful (I can roll cast REAL GOOD) and I have no idea which flies to use when. So far, my luck with dry flies has been not so great.  I caught two chubs a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve gone through several leaders and plenty of tippet material trying to catch a trout.  I was surprised by the chubs–I never even considered the possibility of catching a chub on a dry fly.  Or catching chubs at all, for that matter. I only know two people that fly fish, and neither of them very seriously.  One, my aunt’s husband, probably hasn’t fished in 5 years or more.  He may have been fairly adept at it at one time but he no longer seems to have any interest.  The other, the husband of a friend of the same aunt, hasn’t been fly fishing for very long and he is strictly a nymph fisherman. So I’m hoping that one of you ROFFians can help me…  Or maybe you just know somebody who might.  Anybody who fishes in the Centre/Clinton/Lycoming county region who would be willing to throw away a few hours of their time giving me a few pointers would be a blessing.  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. Just to keep you from digging up my ‘ROFFians: who the hell are these folks?’ post, I am: 33 years old. White. Male. 5′11". 240lbs. (I carry it well, ha ha) Married. (with child, a 15 month old girl) Employed. (Systems Consultant, i.e. glorified computer sales guy) Homeowner. (100-year old Victorian house that requires a LOT of time) I can listen to almost anything, music-wise, but prefer rock-n-roll. I don’t have the most flexible schedule (see above), but I am available practically every weekend.  Saturday or Sunday–no preference here. Penn’s Creek, Spring Creek, Fishing Creek, Kettle Creek, Pine Creek, wherever.  Let’s go fishing! Thanks, Tom Before you buy.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – …  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. FREE beer ?! Just to fish with you ? Don’t know which of us will get there first, me or Waldo. If it turns out to be Waldo, FER THE LUV OF GAWD, HIDE THE BEER ! If you let Waldo have the beer BEFORE fishing, you gotta drag him around by his groaty old waders all day. He’s a MUCH better fishing partner if you make him wait til the end of the day to start chugging beers. Hmmmmm, my calendar shows that the Illini are scheduled to whup the snot out of the Nittany Lions on Oct 21. If you were to fix me up with a decent seat, say between the 20’s, on Saturday, I would gladly teach you more than a few bad dry fly fishing habits on Sunday. — Ken Fortenberry

I’ll see what I can do, PSU tickets between the 20s are hard to find. I’d love to go to any PSU home game this year, and if I can get tickets I’ll contact you.  How much prior notice do you require? Tom Before you buy.

Response:

…  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer.

FREE beer ?! Just to fish with you ? Don’t know which of us will get there first, me or Waldo. If it turns out to be Waldo, FER THE LUV OF GAWD, HIDE THE BEER ! If you let Waldo have the beer BEFORE fishing, you gotta drag him around by his groaty old waders all day. He’s a MUCH better fishing partner if you make him wait til the end of the day to start chugging beers. Hmmmmm, my calendar shows that the Illini are scheduled to whup the snot out of the Nittany Lions on Oct 21. If you were to fix me up with a decent seat, say between the 20’s, on Saturday, I would gladly teach you more than a few bad dry fly fishing habits on Sunday.   — Ken Fortenberry

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If you let Waldo have the beer BEFORE fishing, you gotta drag him around by his groaty old waders all day.

I always wondered how you spell "groaty". Regards, Jeff

Response:

If you let Waldo have the beer BEFORE fishing, you gotta drag him around by his groaty old waders all day. I always wondered how you spell "groaty".

G  R  O  A  T  Y Groady, on the other hand, is spelled with a d. Wolfgang W  O  L  F  G  A  N  G

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am, I guess, a newbie in many respects. I’ve owned a fly rod since 1990 or so, but have only begun fly fishing (almost) exclusively this summer.  I grew up here in central PA (Clinton Co.) fishing with spinners and salmon eggs.  I can usually catch trout quite successfully in PA streams with a Panther Martin spinner…  This is my first summer fly fishing in PA. I am woefully inept with dry flies, 95% of my fly fishing experience being in Alaska, where the notorious ‘egg hatch’ is the only hatch worth worrying about.  Of the remaining 5%, 4% is pond fishing with small poppers for bass/crappie/bream in NC and 1% has been this summer here in central PA.  Due to this experience my casting is awful (I can roll cast REAL GOOD) and I have no idea which flies to use when. So far, my luck with dry flies has been not so great.  I caught two chubs a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve gone through several leaders and plenty of tippet material trying to catch a trout.  I was surprised by the chubs–I never even considered the possibility of catching a chub on a dry fly.  Or catching chubs at all, for that matter. I only know two people that fly fish, and neither of them very seriously.  One, my aunt’s husband, probably hasn’t fished in 5 years or more.  He may have been fairly adept at it at one time but he no longer seems to have any interest.  The other, the husband of a friend of the same aunt, hasn’t been fly fishing for very long and he is strictly a nymph fisherman. So I’m hoping that one of you ROFFians can help me…  Or maybe you just know somebody who might.  Anybody who fishes in the Centre/Clinton/Lycoming county region who would be willing to throw away a few hours of their time giving me a few pointers would be a blessing.  Hell, I’ll bring the food AND the beer. Just to keep you from digging up my ‘ROFFians: who the hell are these folks?’ post, I am: 33 years old. White. Male. 5′11". 240lbs. (I carry it well, ha ha) Married. (with child, a 15 month old girl) Employed. (Systems Consultant, i.e. glorified computer sales guy) Homeowner. (100-year old Victorian house that requires a LOT of time) I can listen to almost anything, music-wise, but prefer rock-n-roll. I don’t have the most flexible schedule (see above), but I am available practically every weekend.  Saturday or Sunday–no preference here. Penn’s Creek, Spring Creek, Fishing Creek, Kettle Creek, Pine Creek, wherever.  Let’s go fishing! Thanks, Tom Before you buy.

Response:

I am, I guess, a newbie in many respects. I’ve owned a fly rod since 1990 or so, but have only begun fly fishing (almost) exclusively this summer.  I grew up here in central PA (Clinton Co.) fishing with spinners and salmon eggs.  I can usually catch trout quite successfully in PA streams with a Panther Martin spinner…  This is my first summer fly fishing in PA.

(woes and travails of the flyfisher snipped) Tom – Contact me be email and I’ll see if I can help.  A bit limited in my activities these days – at least for the short term – but let’s see. Mark Faulkner

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Question:

Any thoughts by anyone as to what (sometimes) works there, if anything-ever, would be MOST appreciated.

Bob, Best fishing is in low light conditions….dawn, dusk/dark, rain. (refer back to my ‘Fishing in the rain’ post, the location was the flat water below the Y-Pool.)  In daylight, small flies on 7X/8X tippets will work when the trout are feeding. Sight fishing works much better than using an indicator. Many times the trout simply don’t feed during daylight. If you get too frustrated, go downstream and play with the little rainbows…..they feed all the time. George Adams "From the rockin’ of the cradle to the rollin’ of the hearse, the goin’ up was worth the comin’ down." ___Kris Kristofferson "The Pilgrim/Chapter 33"

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……back channel me and I will type it for you…

Oh man, this place is getting REALLY disgusting!! Wolfgang "She said,’That ain’t the way to have fun, son.’"

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I think that the absolutely most frustrating place I have ever, ever, fished has to be the Y pool on the Swift below the Quabbin.

<snipped Bob, just got back from a morning on the stream…anyway the owner of the local fly shop was my partner and I brought him up to show him the Roffians and my new vise.  He read your post and muttered, "South Platte Brassy, that’ll do it."  I have no idea if it will, of course,  but I felt compelled to send his suggestion on…If your are at all interested and you don’t have the formula, I found it in one of my books, just back channel me and I will type it for you… Padishar Creel

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello: I think that the absolutely most frustrating place I have ever, ever, fished has to be the Y pool on the Swift below the Quabbin. Was there again yesterday from about 8 AM  to noon, and the Rainbows were so thick you literally had to watch where you stepped.  The density of them was just incredible; it was as if you were in a Hatchery. Naturally, as usual, I didn’t catch anything there.  Must be the world’s most discriminating trout. Not that the few others there did much better-I think one fellow caught one while i was trying. Tried just about everything in the Orvis catalog, from large to midges, dries, nymphys, etc. Even a streamer.  Anyway, was a most beautiful day. Any thoughts by anyone as to what (sometimes) works there, if anything-ever, would be MOST appreciated.

LOL! I’ve been fishing at the deflectors and have witnessed people storming down the trail from the Y-pool just a cussin’ and a fumin’ like you wouldn’t believe. By this time of year those fish will take you to school. I guess it can get the better of you if you aren’t careful… I’ve fished the Y on and off for 35 years. Caught my first big rainbow on a fly there when I was 13. Over the years I’ve had luck at the Y using small PT nymphs, RFSH nymphs, Sulfur dries (late evening hatch), beetles (especially Jassids using real JC nails), ants of various styles, and of course, micro-minutiae midge larva (ie: a #26 is a big one). If the fish aren’t actively feeding, I  still start out with a PT nymph and see what happens.  If the trout are into their "smutting" act, you can try bowling tiny gray or rust midge larva on a long 7x-8x tippet at the risers and strike on anything close. Tough on the eyes – I was much better at this when I was twenty years younger – but it will work. Less often successful, but a lot easier on the eyes, is to plop an ant or beetle down along the rocks on the far side of the tail-out… Fwiw, I used to watch the Old Man of the Y Pool stand for hours catching trout using a small light-blue-over-white streamer. Go figure… /daytripper

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Hello: I think that the absolutely most frustrating place I have ever, ever, fished has to be the Y pool on the Swift below the Quabbin. Was there again yesterday from about 8 AM  to noon, and the Rainbows were so thick you literally had to watch where you stepped.  The density of them was just incredible; it was as if you were in a Hatchery. Naturally, as usual, I didn’t catch anything there.  Must be the world’s most discriminating trout. Not that the few others there did much better-I think one fellow caught one while i was trying. Tried just about everything in the Orvis catalog, from large to midges, dries, nymphys, etc. Even a streamer.  Anyway, was a most beautiful day. Any thoughts by anyone as to what (sometimes) works there, if anything-ever, would be MOST appreciated. Bob

Response:

Try another catalogue perhaps? TL MC — "In order to know what is possible one must constantly attempt the impossible" http://www.mikeconnor.de – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello: I think that the absolutely most frustrating place I have ever, ever, fished has to be the Y pool on the Swift below the Quabbin. <SNIP Tried just about everything in the Orvis catalog, from large to midges, dries, nymphys, etc. Even a streamer.  Anyway, was a most beautiful day. Any thoughts by anyone as to what (sometimes) works there, if anything-ever, would be MOST appreciated. Bob

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Question:

Planning on Rock Creek, then to Libby, first week August.  Any info on the better campgrounds for us tent campers appreciated.  I was raised on Rock Creek, long, long ago– before electification.    Also info on guides in Libby for drifting, Also info on cabins, accomodations as well as campgounds  (if it rains us out)   Al Schuh-fly

Response:

I’d check on the water levels at Rock Creek first, if you mean THE Rock Creek East of Missoula.  The last report I heard was fishing could be over there for the season in the next week or so- water levels are way below normal – check with Doug at the Rock Creek Mercantile (406)825-6440 John

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Planning on Rock Creek, then to Libby, first week August.  Any info on the better campgrounds for us tent campers appreciated.  I was raised on Rock Creek, long, long ago– before electification.    Also info on guides in Libby for drifting, Also info on cabins, accomodations as well as campgounds (if it rains us out)   Al Schuh-fly

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Planning on Rock Creek, then to Libby, first week August.  Any info on the better campgrounds for us tent campers appreciated.  I was raised on Rock Creek, long, long ago– before electification.    Also info on guides in Libby for drifting, Also info on cabins, accomodations as well as campgounds  (if it rains us out)   Al Schuh-fly

Bring your roller skates! — /* Sandy Pittendrigh                  –oO0  * http://montana-riverboats.com/  */

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For river reports. check this URL: http://www.fourrivers.net/index.htm They’re saying that the flow of Rock Creek is down to 332 cfs, which ain’t too good. We’re going out there tomorrow (7/8) and will be back on the 16th. The campground where we’re staying is on Rock Creek, but we’re going to concentrate on fishing the Blackfoot and the Bitterroot. For tent camping, see the following: http://travelmontana.state.mt.us/faq/links.htm …it has links to all sorts of travel and accomodation sites all over the state. Regards, LR

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Planning on Rock Creek, then to Libby, first week August.  Any info on the better campgrounds for us tent campers appreciated.  I was raised on Rock Creek, long, long ago– before electification.    Also info on guides in Libby for drifting, Also info on cabins, accomodations as well as campgounds (if it rains us out)   Al Schuh-fly

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http://montana.usgs.gov/rt-cgi/gen_tbl_pg for Montana streamflows. http://montana.usgs.gov/rt-cgi/gen_stn_pg?station=12334510 for current Rock Creek conditions. The creek is definitely low but then all the rivers are (at least this side of the divide). The bigger waters are fishing extremely well right now. Lots of Golden Stone and evening caddis right now with good PMD’s late morning to early afternoon. — Tight Lines! Brian D. Nelson Diamond N Outfitters, Missoula, Montana http://www.montana.com/dno/dno.htm 406-626-4022

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d check on the water levels at Rock Creek first, if you mean THE Rock Creek East of Missoula.  The last report I heard was fishing could be over there for the season in the next week or so- water levels are way below normal – check with Doug at the Rock Creek Mercantile (406)825-6440 John Planning on Rock Creek, then to Libby, first week August.  Any info on the better campgrounds for us tent campers appreciated.  I was raised on Rock Creek, long, long ago– before electification.    Also info on guides in Libby for drifting, Also info on cabins, accomodations as well as campgounds (if it rains us out)   Al Schuh-fly

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Question:

Yep, I know, probably two words you don’t expect to see in the same sentence, but check this out: Last week, Walt Winter ended a piece of correspondence by wishing me tight lines and screaming reels.  I left the next day for three days on the Miramichi to fish for Atlantic Salmon.  Hooked and landed 4 the first day, biggest one was 15 lbs.  Next day, hooked 4 and landed 1. River was up and dirty from snowmelt the next day, so I didn’t fish.   That pretty much beats any whole salmon SEASON I’ve ever enjoyed, never mind a single weekend.  Talk about your tight lines and screaming reels: just about toasted my old Beaudex. I attribute this success 100% to Walt, so if you ever get email from him that ends with ‘tight lines and screaming reels’, drop everything and get the hell to the river.  Probably wouldn’t hurt to carry a paper copy of the email, either, as extra insurance. thanks walt brent

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yep, I know, probably two words you don’t expect to see in the same sentence, but check this out: Last week, Walt Winter ended a piece of correspondence by wishing me tight lines and screaming reels.  I left the next day for three days on the Miramichi to fish for Atlantic Salmon.  Hooked and landed 4 the first day, biggest one was 15 lbs.  Next day, hooked 4 and landed 1. River was up and dirty from snowmelt the next day, so I didn’t fish. That pretty much beats any whole salmon SEASON I’ve ever enjoyed, never mind a single weekend.  Talk about your tight lines and screaming reels: just about toasted my old Beaudex. I attribute this success 100% to Walt, so if you ever get email from him that ends with ‘tight lines and screaming reels’, drop everything and get the hell to the river.  Probably wouldn’t hurt to carry a paper copy of the email, either, as extra insurance. thanks walt brent

anytime my friend. dang wayno, these distilled mountain phenacite brews work! waldo the soothsayer? —                 waldo’s palmistry and flyshop      P.O. Box 5112  Banner Elk, NC 28604     ezflyfish.com for your flyfishing gear:           http://www.ezflyfish.com

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waldo the soothsayer?

Careful there, Walt.  Next think you know you’ll start playing with snakes, and…well, just remember what happened to Cassandra… — Bob Jarvis Mail address hacked to foil spammers!

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waldo the soothsayer? Careful there, Walt.  Next think you know you’ll start playing with snakes, and…well, just remember what happened to Cassandra… — Bob Jarvis Mail address hacked to foil spammers!

        bob, in watauga county, nc, playing with snakes is a prerequisite to graduation from high school.   don’t you fret about ol waldo and them timber rattlers. wayno – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -ubject:        Re: How do you spline a 4 piece rod? Huskers writes: I have never built a 4 piece rod before.  How do you spline it? Each Piece individually, two 2-piece sections or what?  The blanks in the mail so… Help! Well, consider that you cast the entire rod, not the individual sections.  Spine the entire blank, all put together. Very bad advice. You can end up with a very odd handling rod. The tip section spline and mid-section splines should be determined and the butt section, if possible, also. Buy a book on custom rod building to learn the complete procedure for splining. Del Clemens, L.A. Garcia or Skip Morris all have written good rod building books. The general method is to bend a section against a table and rotate the section at the same time. There should be two bumps or jumps during the rotation, the larger jump locates the spline. A short butt section spline might be hard to detect. Mark each section’s spline position for use during guide placement. A fly rod  built with the guides located 180 degrees from the spline. Each section’s spline will line up with the other splines when you assemble the completed rod. Don Burns IHMO, use at your own risk, etc.    

I usually locate the spline on each section of a 4 pc., then assemble it into 2 pcs and re-check. Haven’t had one move yet…

Response:

A new web site has info on how to spline a rod. URL:       http://fishdoc.com/ Also has guide spacing for rods, looks like Sage guide spacing. Don Burns P.S. For those of you who keep asking me about why "Spin4trout", AOL for some reason doesn’t allow screen-names to start with the word "FLY". G.O.K!!!  Tried "trout"+xxx – no luck. Didn’t like troutxyz, trout069 or troutvjfvfj and other unused names. After 30 minutes of trying to get a name somehow related to flyfishing I gave up. Since I’ve used my spinning gear with my dad, fishing for lake trout since the 1960’s, I came up with "spin4trout".  Sorry guys. Now if I could find a cheap Ross C-1 or Lamson 1.0,  I might be willing to turn in my spinning rods. <G

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 I agree with the splining advise but would add one thing.  I use a weight on a piece of monofillement with a loop on the end. This I pass over the thin end of the rod piece very loosely. Then turn the section on a table as mentioned before. You can watch the weight dip. Use different size weights for each section. On the 3 weight I I built I use about 1 oz for the tip section, but about 2 lbs for the butt section.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -ubject:     Re: How do you spline a 4 piece rod? Huskers writes: I have never built a 4 piece rod before.  How do you spline it? Each Piece individually, two 2-piece sections or what?  The blanks in the mail so… Help! Well, consider that you cast the entire rod, not the individual sections.  Spine the entire blank, all put together.

Very bad advice. You can end up with a very odd handling rod. The tip section spline and mid-section splines should be determined and the butt section, if possible, also. Buy a book on custom rod building to learn the complete procedure for splining. Del Clemens, L.A. Garcia or Skip Morris all have written good rod building books. The general method is to bend a section against a table and rotate the section at the same time. There should be two bumps or jumps during the rotation, the larger jump locates the spline. A short butt section spline might be hard to detect. Mark each section’s spline position for use during guide placement. A fly rod  built with the guides located 180 degrees from the spline. Each section’s spline will line up with the other splines when you assemble the completed rod. Don Burns IHMO, use at your own risk, etc.    

Response:

Question:

The mission requires a boat, the Kenai is the best one to start on.  only a few minor rapids.  there is a boat rental in Anch. called Wild Alaska Rivers Co. on old seward hwy. (907-344-wild)  get a raft.  The only bummer on the trip is a lake that must be rowed across , you can also get a motor for more $.  but the trip on the skyloc lake is worth it.  Many camping possibiltiy and Bear are abundant.  A fisherman on the russian river was mauled on the butt,  lucky.  It’s the best way to avoid the crowds.   Iteleboard (Jon Y.)

Response:

Yes, there are plenty of road accessible streams and rivers, but getting a guide is really the way to go.  Some of the rivers are quite robust and I wouldn’t want to fish them without boat access.  Also, for Kings especially, guides can quickly point out the common resting holes.   To begin, I would recommend getting the fishing regulations from the DNR and other tourist information.  These are very precise, and will point out flies only spots.Plenty of famous spots on the Kenai, but if you go for Kings it could be "combat fishing".  There are plenty of good spots off the main drag to Talkeetna…check the fishing regs for flies only locations. This can also be mobbed during the King runs.   For an absolutely fabulous car tour, drive an hour or two to Portage, put your car on the flat bed of a train to Whitier.  It goes right through the mountains…there’s no other way to get there.  Then at Whitier put the car on the fairy to Valdez (about 8 hrs.).  Fantastic views of Price William sound, glaciers, whales ect.  Spend the night at Valdez and fish the Copper River basin.  Good spots near Glenallen, without the Anchorage-based crowds (still recommedn a guide though).  From there take the dirt road to Denali, see the park, then down to fish the Talkeetna basin.  The perfect Alaska trip, and it will bring right next to some of the best fishing they have to offer.  Kings on Fly rod…WOW!  Monster rainbows…delicate char.  Lucky dog. Have a good one. Tom

Response:

Dan:    Your query is one I have pursued for over 25 yrs.  Best suggestions:    Kenai River (if you can tolerate crowds), Deep Creek(same reservation), Anchor River (same) and a hike into Crescent Lake for greyling (float tube helpful); all above on the Kenai peninsula.  North of Anchorage try the Kepler Bradley Lakes (buy local folding maps which show lakes and raods) and further north, try lakes and streams along the Denali Hwy for wonderful greyling fishing, esp Clearwater Crk.  Local dealers at mcAfee’s fly shop and Mtn View Sprts. are helpful w/ directions. Good luck, Tom Nelson

Response:

Hello, I’d like to go Anchorage, Alaska this summer and flyfish for any species of char, salmon, or trout without using guides or lodges.  I’d like to try to do this trip by driving from Anchorage (any distance) or taking a ferry and then wading or paddling on any streams or lakes. I’d like to camp or stay in motels.  So where and when are the best places for independent fishing, Kenai, North of Anchorage, or Kodiak, ect?  Are there any good books on the subject? Thanks in advance. Dan Janies University of Florida

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Question:

I live in CO., and I’m planning on doing some fly fishing for lake trout this year.  I know several places to go, but I don’t know what flies or techniques to use.  Please post any suggestions on fly patterns and methods to use for lake trout.

Response:

planning on doing some fly fishing for lake trout this year.  I know several places to go, but I don’t know what flies or techniques to use.  Please post any suggestions on fly patterns and methods to use for lake trout."     I’ve never ffed in CO, but in CA I’ve had some success with calebaetis sparkle duns, fished in shallow water near weed beds, during the mid-day hatch.  Fish were taking size16, but that was last Sept–maybe larger in spring.  Some swear by nymphs, like a PT, but I find drys easier & more fun when fish will take them.  By the way, the lake I’m talking about has a water temp around 47 deg F, even in warm weather, and I fish from a boat.  

Response:

I live in CO., and I’m planning on doing some fly fishing for lake trout this year….

I go for lakers in NH on a regular basis.  Almost always trolling large (2,4 6X-10X) streamers, especially early in the year.  Gray ghost, red ghost, Lake St. John are some good patterns.  See American Angler on tying New England streamers from this winter.  Have fun. Martin

Response:

Question:

I’m considering a 10-day trip in Montana’s Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Specifically I was looking at the area around Jordan Pass and Wounded Man Lake. Can anyone offer estimates about how heavily travelled this part of the world will be this summer? And how about in September? Finally, I’d welcome any suggestions about loops–on or off the trail–that might not be too popular with other hikers. Thanks much.

Response:

I’m considering a 10-day trip in Montana’s Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Specifically I was looking at the area around Jordan Pass and Wounded Man Lake. Can anyone offer estimates about how

           story;  does anyone know it?

Response:

I’m considering a 10-day trip in Montana’s Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Specifically I was looking at the area around Jordan

There was an article in Backpacker not to long ago on this area.

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I’m considering a 10-day trip in Montana’s Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Specifically I was looking at the area around Jordan Pass and Wounded Man Lake. Can anyone offer estimates about how heavily travelled this part of the world will be this summer? And how about in September? Finally, I’d welcome any suggestions about loops–on or off the trail–that might not be too popular with other hikers. Thanks much.

I do not have any current information, but I couldn’t help but reply to this post as it brought back many fond memories – and perhaps some of the information will be helpful. I’ve backpacked in this area twice – once in 1976 on a 6-day trip and again in ‘78 on my honeymoon for an 8-day trip. In both cases, we approached the wilderness from the north out of Big Timber, Montana, along the Boulder River. From the end of the road, we went west on the ‘76 trip (into the Absoraka range) and east on the ‘78 trip (towards Beartooths). The latter is the area you refer to. The 6-day trip was one of my most memorable wilderness experiences. Six days in early July, moving every day, and we only saw one other person.  Fishing was outstanding, beautiful scenery (more gentle than the Beartooth neighbors to the east), perfect weather, and lots of wildlife: elk, moose, deer, and a bighorn sheep (up close and personal while sitting on top of a peak – within 15 yards). On our honeymoon (I’m a lucky guy , we headed east from the parking lot at the end of the boulder river road, then a little south, and reached the Stillwater River in 4 days. We saw a "lot" of people the first day, "a few" the second, and none for the next four days (isn’t that a surprise?:-). We were here in August, which may partly explain the greater number of people. We made about a 75 mile loop in the 8 days. Again, as we started back towards the car, we started seeing more and more people. There seemed to be a lot of outfitters hauling people in and out of base camps on horseback near, yes, Wounded Man Lake. We camped one night near Wounded Man Lake. Sorry, I don’t know the story, but there was a crippled moose at that lake! She could walk with a serious limp, but apparently not run. It is a beautiful lake and we had it to ourselves, although I didn’t do too well fishing there. However, the fishing was GREAT in some small lakes to the west of Wounded Man lake. I don’t remember their names, but they were below the pass that crossed into the headwaters of a stream that eventually flowed into Boulder River. As usual, my wife caught the biggest trout – and to think she had fly-fished for the first time in her life 5 days earlier! One interesting observation – all outfitters and at least one backpacker were carrying firearms. This is prime grizzly country. Oh yeah – and the mosquitos nearly drove my wife crazy. What a great honeymoon. You asked about September – you might want to check the hunting season schedules for that area. It looked like prime big game hunting country. Have a great trip. If you want any more specific information, let me know. I’d love to have an excuse to pull out the ol’ topos. — Harvard Townsend, Systems Manager Kansas State University Dept. of CIS, (913)532-6350

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