Question:

I was given my first fly rod …. a cheap cane one bought at Sears …. a Ted Williams or something, as I recall I took it to Yellowstone in 1970 on vacation and caught my first fly caught trout …. and it changed my life. What was the "value" of that old "cheap, give away’ rod?     To me, it has been priceless …. the rod, itself is long gone…. but, what it started grows faster each passing year… a love of trout, fly fishing, and the places both require About 20 years ago I gave a ‘kid" that worked for me an old Fenwick glass fly rod, I had "advanced" to graphite.    To make a long story short, he got hooked, went to school in fisheries biology, and now works for  Fish and Game.    I just got a phone call from him, to tell me where the ducks and geese where at, in case I wanted a good hunt, in a little known spot. The value of the old glass rod?…. well, what is somehing that points a young person towards a good career worth?  What is an "insider" phone call worth when the fishing gets hot?… I get several a year because of that rod. A number of  years ago, a fellow, then in his 80’s,  that I barely knew gave me an E.C. Powell rod and told me it’s history.  To my "why me?" he answered, " I saw you fishing Silver Creek, and it’s rare to see a person enjoying the sport that much, I walked by you within feet and you never even noticed, you were totally absorbed, in your fishing.   The rod comes with a requirement …do no ‘collect’ this rod.   I’m giving it to you becasue I want it FISHED, not collected." I do fish it, too, a few times each year.  It could be "collected"…  Walton Powell, wanted it for his collection when he was still alive.   But, when I get to the point where I can’t fish it, you will see me walking the banks, looking for the right person to pass it on to …. and he will be told to fish it, not collect it. Got an old rod, that you don’t really use?  Consider giving it to a "kid" …. even if it’s "just a rod" to you, it won’t be to him, if it gets him out on the streams Got a valuable collectors item …. at least consider fishing it, now and then.   Imho, that is the best way to honor it’s maker

Response:

  A number of  years ago, a fellow, then in his 80’s,  that I barely knew gave me an E.C. Powell rod and told me it’s history.  To my "why me?" he answered, " I saw you fishing Silver Creek, and it’s rare to see a person enjoying the sport that much, I walked by you within feet and you never even noticed, you were totally absorbed, in your fishing.   The rod comes with a requirement …do no ‘collect’ this rod.   I’m giving it to you becasue I want it FISHED, not collected."

Your settings are right on the mark, Larry.

Response:

Larry, Were you born on March 25th 1945 ? — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com   I was given my first fly rod …. a cheap cane one bought at Sears …. a Ted Williams or something, as I recall   I took it to Yellowstone in 1970 on vacation and caught my first fly caught trout …. and it changed my life.   What was the "value" of that old "cheap, give away’ rod?     To me, it has been priceless …. the rod, itself is long gone…. but, what it started grows faster each passing year… a love of trout, fly fishing, and the places both require   About 20 years ago I gave a ‘kid" that worked for me an old Fenwick glass fly rod, I had "advanced" to graphite.    To make a long story short, he got hooked, went to school in fisheries biology, and now works for  Fish and Game.    I just got a phone call from him, to tell me where the ducks and geese where at, in case I wanted a good hunt, in a little known spot.   The value of the old glass rod?…. well, what is somehing that points a young person towards a good career worth?  What is an "insider" phone call worth when the fishing gets hot?… I get several a year because of that rod.   A number of  years ago, a fellow, then in his 80’s,  that I barely knew gave me an E.C. Powell rod and told me it’s history.  To my "why me?" he answered, " I saw you fishing Silver Creek, and it’s rare to see a person enjoying the sport that much, I walked by you within feet and you never even noticed, you were totally absorbed, in your fishing.   The rod comes with a requirement …do no ‘collect’ this rod.   I’m giving it to you becasue I want it FISHED, not collected."   I do fish it, too, a few times each year.  It could be "collected"…  Walton Powell, wanted it for his collection when he was still alive.   But, when I get to the point where I can’t fish it, you will see me walking the banks, looking for the right person to pass it on to …. and he will be told to fish it, not collect it.   Got an old rod, that you don’t really use?  Consider giving it to a "kid" …. even if it’s "just a rod" to you, it won’t be to him, if it gets him out on the streams   Got a valuable collectors item …. at least consider fishing it, now and then.   Imho, that is the best way to honor it’s maker

Response:

  Larry,   Were you born on March 25th 1945 ?   —   ahhh…pretty close…right age group, for sure.   but, I don’t know the significance of that date … am I being dumber than my normal, very dumb, self ???  

Response:

Question:

[snip] All in all, it was a pretty typical outing, tho shorter than most.

Somehow, I missed this TR but it has a familiar ring to it.  :) Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

Response:

Darn sight safer than coming out of the Air & Space Museum at 11:30 and the car won’t start or hitting a pothole on 295 and blowing two tires!  Now THAT will crease your seat! — Wayne To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  Thanks.  I assume that you fished there after dark.  Did you  feel reasonably safe doing that ? After dark is best on stripers with an in-running tide.  Try a black Clouser with yellow eyes and a touch of Crystal Flash. —

Response:

I too caught a channel cat in the Potomac many years ago, almost in the same spot that you did.  Judging by my very limited sample, there must be a lot of them in  there.  I caught a good-sized one above the Chain Bridge last  year.  I was sure that I had a nice largemouth on until I saw it.  I did a good amount of heavy-duty rowing for that one.

I foul-hooked a couple of cats this spring.  Lots of fun until it is time to take them off the hook… The first time I fished there this year, I was on the VA side below Chain Bridge.  I wasn’t having much luck, but a Good Old Boy was reeling in catfish after catfish after catfish.  After a while, he shouted across from me, bragging about his catching and my not.  When I complemented him on doing so well, he told me that last week was better.  He took home 57 catfish after a day’s fishing.  Ate them in one sitting.  Fed his entire family.  The DC license states, in big letters, not to eat catfish, carp, or eels because they are full of PCBs.  I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt.  I don’t think he had a DC license to read. JR

Response:

 Ok.  I asked because when I was at Fletcher’s one evening,  the owner there was anxious to close up to avoid taking a  chance on being held up.

On the evening of my encounter with the GOB, I walked back up to the parking area on the VA side of Chain Bridge to find the extended cab window on the passenger side broken.  Lost a book of CDs.  Does that count? John

Response:

 that well and the travel rod I was using wasn’t ideal for a heavy  Teeny/clouser combo.   I’d get the line out 45-50 feet, which meant  that the fly reached bottom just as it was passing the boat, and  was rising back up no more than 10 feet later.

I used to have a hell of a time throwing sinking lines with my soft St. Croix Pro Graphite until I learned to make an underhand backcast.  I too caught a channel cat in the Potomac many years ago, almost in the same spot that you did. Mu

Response:

After dark is best on stripers with an in-running tide.  Try a black Clouser with yellow eyes and a touch of Crystal Flash. — Wayne To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  Just upstream from downtown DC, the Potomac flows  through a heavily wooded gorge alongside the Chesapeake  and Ohio Canal.   Up a ways, but still within DC limits,  is Fletcher’s Boat House, a family business of some 100  years of renting rowboats and canoes.  Also at this time of  the year there are striped bass in the river, and I hadn’t  had a chance to fish for those since late last summer.  According to the boat house web site reports, early morning  was the best time for the stripers.  That aligned neatly with  a late start for meetings on Sunday.  I grabbed a cab from  my hotel and was at the boat house at a quarter to six.  The  boat house was still closed, but one of the owners was down  on the dock getting ready to fish.  He offered to let me take a  rowboat on a promise to do the paperwork and payment when  I got back.  The boat house sits on a shallow inlet.  On the outer edge  of the inlet on the upstream side is a shoal marked by a buoy.  I rowed for that spot, intending to fish the seam between  the river and the inlet just below the shoal.  Since the river  moves at a good clip in the main channel and the water is at  least 10 feet deep, I decided to use my Teeny 300 line.  By now it was 6 AM.  None of the usual weekday noises – from  cars, planes, helicopters –  were in the air, and I could imagine  myself back three hundred years, with nothing downstream  but water and woods, and herring surfacing all over.  I tried a #1 hook clouser first, since I figured that I had the best  chance of getting close to the bottom with it on the fast side of  the seam.  I had some problems with that, since I don’t cast all  that well and the travel rod I was using wasn’t ideal for a heavy Teeny/clouser combo.   I’d get the line out 45-50 feet, which meant  that the fly reached bottom just as it was passing the boat, and  was rising back up no more than 10 feet later.  After a bit of this, casting on both sides of the seam, I decided to  try a white deceiver, tied on a 1/0 hook, partly because it came  closest to looking like the herring that were all over the river.   I  concentrated on the slow side of the seam, letting out some  additional line and letting it dangle, twitching it a bit, when it  was fully downstream from me.  The third time down, something  clobbered the deceiver and I had my first striper on !   Well, a  little striper.  Well, maybe something else.  Well, how about a  modest-sized channel cat ?  Things continued to go downhill after that: I lost the deceiver  on the following cast, then several clousers.  The Fletcher  Boat House guy was fishing upstream from me a ways, and  seemed to have a fish on his line every time I looked up.  I told  myself that he was just bait-fishing, but I didn’t *really* know  that for sure.  Then I snagged bottom again.  Deciding I had lost  one fly too many,  I pulled anchor determined to recover my fly and  then try a slow-moving chute between two large boulders about 100 feet away.  With the anchor up the boat begin to drift quickly  with the current.  Grabbing the oars, while holding on to the rod, I  tried to manipulate three ungainly objects with two hands and in one  of those series of moves –    the very complicated ones which the  great athletes make look easy –  I snapped the fly rod in two.  I rowed back to shore, docked, and watched two deer graze within  40 feet of me before they sauntered off into the woods.  I walked up  to the boat house, now open, with my busted weapon in hand.  Owner #2 gave me some coffee in consolation and then offered to  lend me one of his spinning rods.  I told him that he didn’t *really*  want to do that.  He assured me that he broke as many rods as I did.  I assured him that he didn’t.  All in all, it was a pretty typical outing, tho shorter than most.

Response:

Question:

Planning a trip to the DR. do not want to stay at all inclusive , desire beach bunglo or hotel with a no hassel policy on visitors in room, and most importantly great salt water flyfishing, Thankx in advance.

Response:

Try  looking at hotels in Sosua.  Not sure about the fishing though.  Try debbiesdominicantravel.com.  Lots of info there. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Planning a trip to the DR. do not want to stay at all inclusive , desire beach bunglo or hotel with a no hassel policy on visitors in room, and most importantly great salt water flyfishing, Thankx in advance.

Response:

Question:

So before you spend big $$s on tying technique books, ‘a kit’, materials you don’t know, vises, new gizmos, threads, hooks, gear, etc. contact me. There’s NO charge, NO fee. Just sound FREE advice from someone who has no affiliation to any manufacturer, catalog company, fly shop or publisher. And, if I can’t answer your question, I’ll say so!

Allan, that’s extremely nice of you and I assume that most people will take you at your word. Don’t be suprised, though, if a few people are skeptical because (1) your subject line is in all capital letters, (2) unless I’m mistaken, you haven’t posted much if at all on this newsgroup in the past, and (3) the phraseology of your post sounds a bit like one of those "too good to be true" sales pitches. Unfortunately, the combination of these three things gives your post the flavor of SPAM. I hope that’s not the case. One litmus test of whether or not someone has solely commercial interests in participating in this newsgroup is a simple examination of his or her posting habits. That said, I hope you’ll make a habit of sharing your fly tying insight with us. So here’s your first question… I’ve considered starting fly tying but can never quite justify it in my mind since I’m not sure it’s something I would enjoy. Here’s what I’d probably tie: parachute Adams, EHC, very small pheasant tail nymphs with and without bead, orange and yellow stimulators, foam beetles, yellow humpies, winged red ants, black gnats, tiny cream midges, even tinier griffiths gnats, and assorted woolly buggers. Is there one vise I can buy that will allow me to tie these flies? How much would I have to spend on supplies and materials to be able to tie these flies? –Steve

Response:

This group appears only to be interested in advice coupled with at least a modicum of bullshit. So basically, no bullshit, no dice. The group exists for exchanging information ( and bullshit), so that everybody can participate. What is the point of going to e-mail ? If ROFF can not answer your questions, we will do it anyway. TL MC — "Where fishing is concerned, most anglers are basically manic excessives" http://www.mikeconnor.de – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s..

Response:

<< So here’s your first question… I’ve considered starting fly tying but can never quite justify it in my mind since I’m not sure it’s something I would enjoy. Here’s what I’d probably tie: parachute Adams, EHC, very small pheasant tail nymphs with and without bead, orange and yellow stimulators, foam beetles, yellow humpies, winged red ants, black gnats, tiny cream midges, even tinier griffiths gnats, and assorted woolly buggers. Is there one vise I can buy that will allow me to tie these flies? How much would I have to spend on supplies and materials to be able to tie these flies? –Steve    Very nice.  And can he field strip an M50, blindfolded? GKT

Response:

Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s..

        great to have you back, connelly…but there’s no need for that false name and addy! wayno – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s..    great to have you back, connelly…but there’s no need for that false name and addy! wayno

<SPLORK!

Response:

Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s..

Should it be legal to patent or trademark a pattern ? Thanks man, — Halfordian Golfer It is impossible to catch and release a wild trout. A cash flow runs through it.

Response:

Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s.. Should it be legal to patent or trademark a pattern ?

I don’t see why not. Might be hard to enforce, though. If you determine the genetic sequence of a natrual insect you can patent it under fairly broad conditions. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

Response:

Allan,    Your offer is appreciated by the members of ROFF, and are you also willing to share the price of your flies? Ernie

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s.. After 40 years of fly tying (probably over 50,000 flies) mostly for trout up here in the n.e. (Catskills), fly fishing and reading all that I can get my hands on I think I’ve learned some things that may help you find solutions to your fly tying and maybe fly fishing problems. So before you spend big $$s on tying technique books, ‘a kit’, materials you don’t know, vises, new gizmos, threads, hooks, gear, etc. contact me. There’s NO charge, NO fee. Just sound FREE advice from someone who has no affiliation to any manufacturer, catalog company, fly shop or publisher. And, if I can’t answer your question, I’ll say so! Tight Wraps Allan

Response:

Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s..

Without ANY b.s. ? Boy, are you ever in the wrong newsgroup. Just kiddin’ Allan, but it would be more appropriate to just chime in here on the newsgroup for all to read when you have something to contribute rather than popping in here unannounced and soliciting private email. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s.. After 40 years of fly tying (probably over 50,000 flies) mostly for trout up here in the n.e. (Catskills), fly fishing and reading all that I can get my hands on I think I’ve learned some things that may help you find solutions to your fly tying and maybe fly fishing problems. So before you spend big $$s on tying technique books, ‘a kit’, materials you don’t know, vises, new gizmos, threads, hooks, gear, etc. contact me. There’s NO charge, NO fee. Just sound FREE advice from someone who has no affiliation to any manufacturer, catalog company, fly shop or publisher. And, if I can’t answer your question, I’ll say so! Tight Wraps Allan

Thanks Allan, I have a question or two….. questions that concern legitimacy. To the best of my recollection, this is your first message to this august body. Hence, my natural-borne skepticism. Are questions to be posted here at ROFF where you will answer them here publically at ROFF? Or do you prefer that questions be sent to you via e-mail? If the latter, what is your privacy policy concerning the security of e-mail addresses of questionaires? Since you mentioned that you had no affilition with fly shops, etc., but failed to mention that you had *no* affiliation with internet marketeers, I ask these hard questions not to dissuade your altruism, but to clarify your position concerning the privacy of ROFFians who visit this newsgroup, and who, unwittingly, may fall prey to the tentacles of ever-present address collectors who share or sell their lists to spammers. My questions are not posed nor meant to demean your knowledge and your apparent willingness to share that knowledge. That is commendable. *But*, please excuse my skepticism…. we’ve seen these types of posts before. –Walt — Ezflyfish.com: http://www.ezflyfish.com Blue Ridge Book Gallery: http://users.boone.net/wgw/brbg.html

Response:

Do you have a fly tying question?  I don’t have all the answers but, what I do know, I’m willing to share without any b.s.. After 40 years of fly tying (probably over 50,000 flies) mostly for trout up here in the n.e. (Catskills), fly fishing and reading all that I can get my hands on I think I’ve learned some things that may help you find solutions to your fly tying and maybe fly fishing problems. So before you spend big $$s on tying technique books, ‘a kit’, materials you don’t know, vises, new gizmos, threads, hooks, gear, etc. contact me. There’s NO charge, NO fee. Just sound FREE advice from someone who has no affiliation to any manufacturer, catalog company, fly shop or publisher. And, if I can’t answer your question, I’ll say so! Tight Wraps Allan

Response:

Question:

But Ken, who makes those blanks? — ~~~~ The RodMaker (aka) The Shadow

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –      if you had a chance to have a custom rod made, whos blank would you chose?     light spinning rod , 6 to 6 1/2 foot I don’t have experience with their spinning rod blanks, but in flyrods I’m impressed with Angler’s Workshop IM6 blanks, for the money. http://www.anglersworkshop.com — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

But Ken, who makes those blanks?

Does it matter ? It’s quality IM6 graphite, or at least their flyrods are, for a good price. I suppose if you were to tell me that they’re manufactured by starving slaves in a third world hovel and marketed by profiteering commies using the proceeds to finance the violent overthrow of the US government, I would probably expect them to be a lot cheaper , but I’ve done business with Angler’s Workshop in the past and have been quite happy. Of course, this assumes that the original poster can buy whatever blank he wants. Most custom builders that I know of insist on using their own blanks or charge a premium to build a rod on the customer’s blank. I use Angler’s Workshop ’cause I roll my own. YMMV — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Do you continue to pay retail prices for these blanks you buy? — ~~~~ The RodMaker (aka) The Shadow

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – But Ken, who makes those blanks? Does it matter ? It’s quality IM6 graphite, or at least their flyrods are, for a good price. I suppose if you were to tell me that they’re manufactured by starving slaves in a third world hovel and marketed by profiteering commies using the proceeds to finance the violent overthrow of the US government, I would probably expect them to be a lot cheaper , but I’ve done business with Angler’s Workshop in the past and have been quite happy. Of course, this assumes that the original poster can buy whatever blank he wants. Most custom builders that I know of insist on using their own blanks or charge a premium to build a rod on the customer’s blank. I use Angler’s Workshop ’cause I roll my own. YMMV — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Do you continue to pay retail prices for these blanks you buy?

Sure. I’m just a do-it-yourselfer who buys blanks for personal use and the occasional birthday gift/Christmas present. I wouldn’t expect a quantity discount or a professional discount. I assume when you find a blank that you like that you buy several of the same blank at a time. I buy ‘em one at a time as I need them,and I hardly ever buy the same blank twice. Apples & oranges, RodMaker, you’re a pro who deserves his discount, I’m just an amateur hobbyist. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Ok, One thing I should have made more clear concerning the Lamiglass (Perigee) series. What I meant was that Lamiglass designed these blanks for custom builders(already stated that) but what I forgot to mention was that Lamiglass themselves will not use these blanks to build rods for resale! Have you tried their fly rod blanks yet? — ~~~~ The RodMaker (aka) The Shadow

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Do you continue to pay retail prices for these blanks you buy? Sure. I’m just a do-it-yourselfer who buys blanks for personal use and the occasional birthday gift/Christmas present. I wouldn’t expect a quantity discount or a professional discount. I assume when you find a blank that you like that you buy several of the same blank at a time. I buy ‘em one at a time as I need them,and I hardly ever buy the same blank twice. Apples & oranges, RodMaker, you’re a pro who deserves his discount, I’m just an amateur hobbyist. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

… Have you tried their fly rod blanks yet?

No, I haven’t. Lamiglas doesn’t make a 10′ 7wt. blank. The next flyrod I build for bassin’ will be a 10′ 7wt. I like the 10′ length because I sit so close to the water in my canoe. I like a slow action flyrod, that’s why I’m so partial to IM6, and my current 10′ 7wt. is sloooooow. But while a slow action rod is great for some things, bassin’ ain’t one of them, I’d like a faster action for bassin’. I’ll probably build the new one on a Sage 71003SP, it’s a lot faster than my current rod but still slow enough to be comfortable for me. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

The next flyrod I build for bassin’ will be a 10′ 7wt. I like the 10′ length because I sit so close to the water in my canoe. I like a slow action flyrod, that’s why I’m so partial to IM6, and my current 10′ 7wt. is sloooooow. But while a slow action rod is great for some things, bassin’ ain’t one of them, I’d like a faster action for bassin’. I’ll probably build the new one on a Sage 71003SP, it’s a lot faster than my current rod but still slow enough to be comfortable for me. — Ken Fortenberry

Hey Ken, It’s been a while since I built a new rod and I’m getting the fever.  I never thought of using a 10 footer or a 7 weight, but reading your post makes me want to hear more from you on the idea.  What conditions do you fish in?  What bugs do you throw?  Etc? I do some fly fishing from kickboats and tubes.  I don’t generally make long casts because it’s so easy to simply position my craft so that I’m the right distance from what ever target I choose.  My current fly rod is a 20-year-old Cabela’s 9 foot 8 weight.  The reason I use this particular rod is that it is the rod I happen to own and carry in my truck.   Now I’m starting to fish more from a sit-on-top kayak which is much better suited for covering distances of water than either a tube or a kickboat.  But it’s not as easy to position and is far more susceptible to the wind.  For those times when it’s hard to hold a position near the shoreline, I can see the advantage of a longer rod, but I don’t understand the advantage of a slower rod, or of the 7 weight.  (As I write this, it just occurred to me that if you add a foot in length, your wrist and arm will very likely be tireder at the end of the day and that a lighter rod might well be a blessing — is that it?)  At any rate, I’d like to hear more about the advantages of a slow rod vs. a faster rod, etc. etc.   —– Family, Friends, Fishing Rob Storm http://www.stormsrestaurants.com

Response:

Hey Ken, It’s been a while since I built a new rod and I’m getting the fever.  I never thought of using a 10 footer or a 7 weight, but reading your post makes me want to hear more from you on the idea.  What conditions do you fish in?  What bugs do you throw?  Etc?

Hi Rob, My "home water" is a collection of reclaimed strip mine ponds and the tributaries of the Vermillion River in east central Illinois. http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=40.106&lon=-87.7429&size=s&s=50 Conditions here on the prairie are usually windy and I fish out of a canoe. I’ll throw everything in the box at ‘em, poppers, Dahlberg divers, Clouser minnows, bunny leeches, wooly buggers, deer hair frogs etc., everything but crayfish flies, I don’t like fishin’ down on the bottom and losing 6 flies an hour. The difference between 7 & 8 wt is personal preference, the 8wt is the classic weight for a bass flyrod but a 7wt has enough backbone. The 10′ length gets the rod tip up a bit off the water, which is an advantage when you’re sitting low in the water like in a canoe (or a kayak). It’s also an advantage on a stream for mending and rollcasting. … I’d like to hear more about the advantages of a slow rod vs. a faster rod, etc. etc.

To oversimplify and generalize, slow action rods are preferred for delicate presentation (dry flies), and chucking a lot of weight (split shot to get nymphs down). Fast action rods are preferred for powering through the wind and for tossing big wind eating flies like deer hair and bigger poppers. So for bass fishin’ most folks prefer a faster action flyrod. My current 10′ 7wt is a Thomas & Thomas XL, a slow action rod that’s ideal for steelhead but not so for bassin’. A slow 7/8 wt rod can double as a steelhead rod and a pike/carp rod while a fast 7/8 wt rod can double as a bass rod and a bonefish rod. That’s why I’d like to build another 10′ 7wt on a faster blank. Take care, — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Hi Ken, Thanks for the info.  I think the last slow fly rod I had was an old glass Herter rod I built in the early ’60s.  Maybe it’s time to try another.   I agree with you about fishing on the bottom.  It never appealed to me even though I know that with a sinking line and a floating bug you can show the fish a presentation they don’t often see.  When I fish a fly rod, I like the action to be right in front of me.  Flies or plugs, I like my lure to be on the surface whenever possible. You mention pike and carp.  I’ve caught the odd carp while casting small streamers for white bass, but I’ve never had the pleasure of fighting a pike on a fly rod.  Am planning a trip to Andrew Lake in Alberta for June 2001.  I ‘ll probably take along a 5 weight for grayling, but after reading your post, I might want to pack the 8 weight as well.   Thanks again for the info. —– Family, Friends, Fishing Rob Storm http://www.stormsrestaurants.com

Response:

     if you had a chance to have a custom rod made, whos blank would you chose?     light spinning rod , 6 to 6 1/2 foot

Response:

     if you had a chance to have a custom rod made, whos blank would you chose?     light spinning rod , 6 to 6 1/2 foot

Personally I would go with whatever RodMaker here in this group told me to. Good fishing, Richard L. LaFay  | (248) 753-6940 (work) 2887 Pontiac Court  | (248) 373-6865 (home) Auburn Hills, Michigan   48326 Ranger Boats, Lowrance Electronics, Berkley Trilene, Rippler, Bill Norman Lures, and Aqua-Vu underwater cameras. I use them because I think they’re the best!

Response:

     if you had a chance to have a custom rod made, whos blank would you chose?     light spinning rod , 6 to 6 1/2 foot

I don’t have experience with their spinning rod blanks, but in flyrods I’m impressed with Angler’s Workshop IM6 blanks, for the money. http://www.anglersworkshop.com — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Question:

I’m heading to see my brother for a few days and will be in the Boulder area.  Can anyone recommend some areas/ types of flyfishing.  My preference is drys but just want to enjoy some great scenery.  Wild fish preferred! thanks much! Bruce

Response:

<snipped Bruce, I know Mike Medintz lives up in that area.  I went up there a month ago and fished the Big Thompson with moderate success.  I was using a black midge with a red bead head and got some good action.  We started fishing just below the dam at Estes(?) Park in the early morning, then drove down about 4 miles and fished a really good stretch with a lot of big boulders breaking up the water.  Nice area. bc. — Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. -Benjamin Franklin

Response:

Question:

I have a Cortland 7" 3/4 wt. rod, is this good for pond fishing in a canoe? I am new to fly fishing although I have 2 old 9" rods. Thanks Mike — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.

Response:

As with so many things in life, it isn’t how big it is that matters, it’s what you do with it. I take three rods in my canoe, depending on what I’m fishing for.  For bass I use a 10ft 7 wt (big honkin’ rod).  For trout on a dry fly (or bluegills), I have a lovely 8′6" 4wt.  And for trout on streamers I prefer a 9′ 6wt.   If you canoe with someone else, consider carefully how many rods you can fit in the canoe without increasing the risk of stepping on a rod tip. I have a Cortland 7" 3/4 wt. rod, is this good for pond fishing in a canoe? I am new to fly fishing although I have 2 old 9" rods. Thanks Mike — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.

– James A. Foster                                Assoc. Prof Center for Secure & Dependable Computing/SCI   U. of Idaho http://www.cs.uidaho.edu/~foster              208.885.7062 pgp key at: ftp://ftp.cs.uidaho.edu/pub/foster/pgp-key.asc

Response:

Thanks James, You forgot to say how many rods will fit in a van before one meets up with the door as did my last one.

Response:

Mike     I fish from a canoe also, and feel the 7 footer is a bit of a handicap since it limits how much line you can comfortably pickup. Stillwater conditions frequently call for casting in different directions on short notice,especially when the fish are really on the move, and the short rod would make me crazy. I’d recommend nothing shorter than 8 feet. Jeff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a Cortland 7" 3/4 wt. rod, is this good for pond fishing in a canoe? I am new to fly fishing although I have 2 old 9" rods. Thanks Mike — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.

Response:

Question:

Friends from England expect visit Vanc. Isl. -Nanaimo and north- late June / early July.They would like to do some flyfishing, prefer dry fly, either fishing lakes from canoe or river wading.  Would appreciate any suggestions of suitable waters and reccommened fly patterns. Thanks in advance

Response:

Friends from England expect visit Vanc. Isl. -Nanaimo and north- late June / early July.They would like to do some flyfishing, prefer dry fly, either fishing lakes from canoe or river wading.

For fly patterns, etc. Roderick Haig-Brown’s books are unbeatable:  he lived there (besides being one of the top angling writers of the century.) For geography, the best source 20 years ago was paperback guidebooks by Alec Merriman of the Victoria Daily Colonist, published by Saltaire. Your friends should also be aware of tidewater fishing for sea-dwelling cutthroat trout, which many people think the best summer angling on Vancouver Island. — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

Response:

Contact: 1. Murphy’s Sportsfishing Centre in Port Alberni, B.C. (on the island), 4213 Princess Ave., V9Y 5R2, 604-723-8022 2. http://deepcove.com/fish_hotline/ 3. http://vvv.com/flyfish/ 4. http://www.nwlink.com/~mmurphy/wbc.html B. PS. Can someone tell me how to take bookmarks and imbed them into a e-mail/post? Or at least how to copy the text and paste it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Friends from England expect visit Vanc. Isl. -Nanaimo and north- late June / early July.They would like to do some flyfishing, prefer dry fly, either fishing lakes from canoe or river wading. Would appreciate any suggestions of suitable waters and reccommened fly patterns. Thanks in advance

Response:

Question:

I’ve heard Montauk State Park is located on the headwaters of the Current River and has access to trout flyfishing area.  Looking for more info from someone who knows this area.  I’m thinking of going there in May. Regards to all, Robert

Response:

Try: http://www.agron.missouri.edu/flyfishing/ John Nesselrode Shawnee, KS

Response:

You’re right. Montauk is the head of the current river, and offers considerable amount of trout water. But it’s going to be fairly crowded, even on the stretch of flies-only water. –

Response:

I’ve heard Montauk State Park is located on the headwaters of the Current River and has access to trout flyfishing area.  Looking for more info from someone who knows this area.  I’m thinking of going there in May. Regards to all, Robert

Go! The fishing in the park is mostly corn etc, yet there are some sections for flies only. Good if you want to go fishmarket fishing. Nice place. Great place for kids. The park has a couple of places for catch and release fishing, a small stream and a lake. Current river itself is beautiful. There are a couple of access points just downstream of the park. (get a map and a sturdy vehicle) "Baptist Camp" is the one I usually go to and fish up and down stream. I have had some great days upstream under the canopy of trees. Generally it’s best to find a guide and float the river (canoe) if you want to get the most out of it due to somewhat limited access due to purposeful design. The canoe is used mainly for transportation to wade spots, although I have caught a few from the boat. I have never caught any really large fish on the Current, but normally catch quite a few in the 14 to 25 category. I used a guy by the name of Tom Shipley. Don’t know his wherebouts these days. Maybe you will get some names on this posting. Kevin Williams

Response:

Question:

Tim,   Rick Kustich (sp) has a book called "Fly Fishing the Great Lakes Tribs. It has lots of info for new commers and a large selection of flies.  If you want to be saved the hassle of buying the book, the author states that if he had a choice of two flies, he would choose the wooly bugger and the Glo-Bug. Tie the glo-bugs in lots of colors chartreuse, orange, pink, cream, blue, etc and the buggers in black, white chartreuse, purple, olive, brown, etc. I heartily agree with this statement as it has worked for me in L. Ontario tribs. The egg-sucking variety of the bugger, the egg sucking bugger, is also effective. In the spring, nymphs are effective. Good Luck, Chuck Abbott

Response:

Hi I’m looking for fly patterns to fish for salmon or rainbow in creeks/rivers along the north shore of lake Huron and Manitoulin Island. Any help or ideas would be appreciated, the address is: Thanks Tim

Response: