Question:

Wow, I just had a great time fishing in front of the school on the Lielupe River! Thanks to you guys here on ROFF (whatever that is..). I was headed home after work, glanced over at the usually rather full fishing spot, and not one local was there, probably because of the overcast skies and promise of rain. The space with the clear zone for a backcast was wide open, and as I stood there thinking about it, 2 big old rises appeared <right there.  Easy decision: tossed the briefcase in the car, peeled off the shoes and socks, stepped into my mudboots, and assembled the 4-weight. Strolled over to the bank and watched for a minute. The skeeters were there, but so were these tiny little black flying things and the perch were rising for them all over. Not the big thrashing rises from the other day, but some respectable rises nontheless. And lots of them. I tied on a 6x tippet, gave myself about 1 meter of lead, and looked at my flycase. I recently bought a nice old Soviet cigarette case at a junk shop and lined it with foam as a nymph case for my 4-wt, and saw a fly that looked interesting. Its a type of caterpillar, I think, with a palmered hackle around a yellow-orange body on a #12(?) hook. Looks like a wolly bugger without a tail. I was thinking about what Mike said about colors, and how Perch nip at the tails and to use a wolly with a short tail, so I tied this on. Also, the water is getting shallow, and this fly can float if you lay it out gently, so I figured it would work for presentation practice, too. First cast was short and easy, as someone suggested here. Then I gradually stretched out my false casts farther and farther, thinking ‘back and UP’, and as someone else suggested, watching over my shoulder for the line to straighten. It was a LONG wait…the line would do a sort of ‘double tug’ at the end of my backcast: once when the tailing loop of the backcast would hit the far end, then again when the entire line was laid out up there. Dunno how the line can defy gravity for so long waiting to stretch out taut, but it does. Then, I swept it forward firmly and sharply, pointing it like a sword (as someone else suggested), and was amazed at how my casts were straight, long, and perfectly presented. First cast, fish on! Of course, it was some little 6-inch thing, but hey!, it was just what I wanted. I brought it in with the line, not bothering to spool up the reel, and let it go with my heartfelt thanks. Then I cast out again, watching the line behind me and waiting forever for the backcast to load up. The forward cast and watching the fly stay ‘above the line’ as Jarmo suggested made total sense, and it felt just right. Second cast, fish on! Too cool! This guy was a bit bigger (6.1 inches, probably), but I got that feeling that it was working just like it was supposed to! All those tiny details were making sense, and it was great. Then the skies opened up and it started to rain. I remembered the thread about how fish seem to bite better at one time or another, and figured the Perch seemed to like to hit just before the skies open up. A few minutes later, when the rain stopped and the sun broke through, there were no rises. As the clouds covered up again, the rises came more and more regularly until just before it rained again. At some point, I decided to experiment with flies as the caterpillar was getting soaked and starting to snag on the muck at the bottom. I took it off and tied on a very tiny yellow thing I have; I think its a #18 yellow Comparadun. Anyway, I was laying it out there exactly where the big rises were and letting it lie there, but no takes. Finally, I decided to head home and started retrieving it slowly. Wham! it got hit and spit out. Wham! it got hit again. Ahhh, so THATS the secret! So I spent the next half hour casting and gently retrieving it, hauling in fish with almost every cast. Great. Of course, these were no great monsters, and I realize that perch are pathetically easy to catch, but at least now I have a baseline to experiment with, and grow from. I know there are some BIG perch in this stretch of water, so I’m ready to start learning how to aim for them. All in all, it was a great way to spend an hour after work, and I was thinking of all the tidbits of advice from folks here about everything, from how to cast, to the effect of cloud cover, to what color and type of fly to use, to knots, to everything. Thanks, guys!! riverman (happy boy)

Response:

Wow, I just had a great time fishing in front of the school on the Lielupe River! Thanks to you guys here on ROFF (whatever that is..).

Congratulations!    Just one point though, catching small perch may seem "pathetically easy" sometimes. The larger ones can be quite a challenge. Even a medium sized perch will give you a good run for your money on a #4 wt. If you only seem to be catching small ones, try fishing a streamer anyway, occasionally, a large perch will be hanging around waiting for one of his smaller brethren to make a mistake. TL MC

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Question:

Hi. I am looking for your help and information on a project that I have going at present. I am producing a guide to the best places to fish and require information from your area. The information I need is of course the best fishing locations,species to target,methods of catching the fish,tackle used,local tackle shops accommodation etc.Please also classify the type of fishing it is,i.e boat,game,fly,coarse etc…. If the information provided is used,you will receive a credit to your name for providing the information. You may even be contacted as the local guide for the area if you wish. If possible,I would like information as to where the location is,be it by hand drawing or other,the nearest airport and port. This is a big project and your help will be greatly appreciated. Please send details by return e-mail and an acknowledgement will be sent to you. Kind regards. Paul Suggitt If you received this e-mail in error,then please accept my sincere apologies for bothering you. If you type remove in the subject line and return the mail,I will ensure that you will not be bothered again!

Response:

One should be careful of posts like this, it MAY open you up to spam in your personal emailbox, and being added to a master email list for unsolicited ads that get sold these days. Post suggestions to the ng, thats what this is for right? JohnM

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hi. I am looking for your help and information on a project that I have going at present. I am producing a guide to the best places to fish and require information from your area. The information I need is of course the best fishing locations,species to target,methods of catching the fish,tackle used,local tackle shops accommodation etc.Please also classify the type of fishing it is,i.e boat,game,fly,coarse etc…. If the information provided is used,you will receive a credit to your name for providing the information. You may even be contacted as the local guide for the area if you wish. If possible,I would like information as to where the location is,be it by hand drawing or other,the nearest airport and port. This is a big project and your help will be greatly appreciated. Please send details by return e-mail and an acknowledgement will be sent to you. Kind regards. Paul Suggitt If you received this e-mail in error,then please accept my sincere apologies for bothering you. If you type remove in the subject line and return the mail,I will ensure that you will not be bothered again!

Response:

Hey ,watch out for this guy , I read his post on the NG and the next day got the same crap through my e-mail program. How do you anti-spammerize your e-mail programs. I use 3 different programs to filter some of the crap out. But it still gets through. —– The RodMaker ICQ# 9754996 http://geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/2865

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Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you. — MB  Healy

Response:

Can anyone tell me what it would cost to mail a one ounce letter from Australia to the United States via air mail?  Please supply the postage rate in local currency.  Thank you.

Like most of the civilised world, Australia uses the metric system. Standard size letters up to 20g are $1.05; up to 50g is $1.50. I believe one ounce is approximately 28g, making the cost $1.50. JR

Response:

I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats??

Response:

I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats??

Good question.

Response:

I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats??

What puzzles me is why everybody in this newsgroup is a Liberal. Or a Democrat. — Gordon

Response:

I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats?? What puzzles me is why everybody in this newsgroup is a Liberal. Or a Democrat. — Gordon

I AM NOT!

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Gordon wrote… I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats?? What puzzles me is why everybody in this newsgroup is a Liberal. Or a Democrat. It’s the way you set up your kill file :)

ROTFL! I meant Democrat or Republican, I guess! Put it down to ignorance….. — Gordon

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Gordon wrote… I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats?? What puzzles me is why everybody in this newsgroup is a Liberal. Or a Democrat. It’s the way you set up your kill file :) ROTFL! I meant Democrat or Republican, I guess! Put it down to ignorance…..

Well, that’s what you get in a country with a two party system.  BTW, Pooler is neither. cheers bob

Response:

In article

I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats?? What puzzles me is why everybody in this newsgroup is a Liberal. Or a Democrat. — Gordon

All the U.S. participants are part of what some chose to call a "Two Party System"……

Response:

Gordon wrote… In article

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats?? What puzzles me is why everybody in this newsgroup is a Liberal. Or a Democrat. It’s the way you set up your kill file :) ROTFL! I meant Democrat or Republican, I guess! Put it down to ignorance….. Well, that’s what you get in a country with a two party system. BTW, Pooler is neither. cheers bob

And, BTW, neither is the Nixon. I voted the Reform Party in the last National Election and am likely to do so again……. McDAve – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Gordon wrote… In article I’m doing a research paper for Tom Daschle. Please help. Why is it that almost all of the ARAB terrorists they’ve discovered within our country, are registered Democrats?? What puzzles me is why everybody in this newsgroup is a Liberal. Or a Democrat. It’s the way you set up your kill file :) I meant Democrat or Republican, I guess! Put it down to ignorance….. Well, that’s what you get in a country with a two party system. BTW, Pooler is neither. And, BTW, neither is the Nixon. I voted the Reform Party in the last National Election and am likely to do so again…….

Well, I’m all for revolution, sorry – reform. — Gordon

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Question:

Flyfishing for bonefish in the stressfree environment of the Keys in March is the way to spend time for yourself and family. Try your skills on bonefish being caught from 9lbs and up. If you would like to spend a day on the flats, go to http://www.boneranger.com and plan your trip today! Hope to see you on the flats!

Response:

Flyfishing for bonefish in the stressfree environment of the Keys in March is the way to spend time for yourself and family. Try your skills on bonefish being caught from 9lbs and up. If you would like to spend a day on the flats, go to http://www.boneranger.com and plan your trip today! Hope to see you on the flats!

If you can go bonefishing just once in your life, do it. I am trying to get everyone to go, but especially the people that have fish for a life time in fresh water. It is so neat and if you are looking for a way to do it cheap, I can give you some advise. Going with a guide is really the best. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

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Question:

Happy Holidays!!! How about a place you LIKE to fish? J

Response:

Happy Holidays!!! How about a place you LIKE to fish? J

befuddled. TimW

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Live in Homestead Florida, love to fish the back country of the Everglades, Florida Bay, Biscayne Bay And Upper Keys. Temp is 76 degrees this afternoon, slight breeze great fishing weather. Wishing all of you a great holiday. George Allen – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Happy Holidays!!! How about a place you LIKE to fish? J

Response:

Idaho by far is the worst place in the world for flyfishing. For one thing the fish are all about four inches long and they almost never hit a fly. Mostly whitefish and carp. The only thing they will hit is a piece of Green Giant Corn on an #4 egg hook. Even if you do manage to get one of the sluggish bastards to bite, when they feel the hook they just roll over and swim to you. The water is always murky and of questionable quality.  All you will find is two (the Snakebite & Never-See-A-Salmon Rivers) scummy little drainage ditches next to the freeway. Mostly polluted to the point you can

Question:

Does anyone know what is available in hip waders for preschoolers and where they can be purchased? Thanks,Paul and his little buddy Zack.

Response:

Does anyone know what is available in hip waders for preschoolers and

where they can be purchased? Thanks,Paul and his little buddy Zack.

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood the subject.  I though you were talking about waders that would be hip to kids.  You know, they would probably be 8 sizes too big and hang down below the underwear? David B.

Response:

Does anyone know what is available in hip waders for preschoolers and

where they can be purchased? Thanks,Paul and his little buddy Zack.

Hi Zack and his big bud Paul-    Call Ron Pylki in Eugene Oregon at (503) 773-2181 or (503) 779-8008. He used to specialize in this kind of application through his company NeoSports. I haven’t heard from NeoSports in a while and am afraid they might no longer be in business. Even if they’re defunct, Ron should still have all the dies and stuff and be able to whip up a pair for cheap.    -Ralph —

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Question:

I will be traveling through Montana in June and would like some advice of the high spots I might fish.  I will probably enter Montana at Twin Falls and exit to Sheridan in Wyo.  Can anyone give me an itenerary or a list of the high spots I might try in two or three days?  my email I’m impressed at the response that "Montana in August" received.   Thanks in advance.

Response:

You have the Bitterroot, by Dillon, Grasshopper creel, by Dillon, The Big Hole, then you could swing up and hit Rock Creek, Blackfoot and the Little Blackfoot(might be getting too north here….) Then cut back toward Wy. and drive along the Madison…… Let me know if you need more help

Response:

I will be traveling through Montana in June and would like some advice of the high spots I might fish.  I will probably enter Montana at Twin Falls and exit to Sheridan in Wyo.  Can anyone give me an itenerary or a list of the high spots I might try in two or three days?  my email I’m impressed at the response that "Montana in August" received.   Thanks in advance.

Hi There are several private lakes and spring creeks in the Livingston area. For reservation on said waters call the River’s Edge in Bozeman at 406-586-5373 or RJ Cain at 406-587-9111. Sorry to tell you that the rivers in Montana in June are usually very high and dirty. We have a snow pack that is well above 100% so spring run off will probably be fairly long. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Product Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Response:

I will be traveling through Montana in June and would like some advice of the high spots I might fish.  I will probably enter Montana at Twin Falls and exit to Sheridan in Wyo.  Can anyone give me an itenerary or a list of the high spots I might try in two or three days?  my email I’m impressed at the response that "Montana in August" received.   Thanks in advance.

If you are going to travel through Yellowstone Park during your trip, you might want to check out the Firehole and the upper Madison. You might run into some PMD’s, baetis, and caddis hatches.  Soft hackles and a variety of suggestive nymphs are often productive when the insects are not active.  Have fun. Take Care,

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Question:

Has anyone been hitting reds (or specks for that matter) in or around Corpus, the Laguna Madre or Aransas Pass lately? We have been getting skunked in the Laguna using Clousers and other attractors.         john koon

Response:

I was at Baffin Bay two weeks ago with our fly fishing club and the reds were really turned on there. No one using fly rods caught reds less than 27" long, and one member caught a 34-incher. The winds were howling that day – 40 knots, which made the fish much less wary, especially at 9 Mile Flat.

Response:

I’m going to fish Pine Creek, Slate Run and Cedar Run, PA for the first time from May 20-25.  If anyone has some good advice or anecdotes about the area, I’d really appreciate it.  Any hints on nymphing would be great. I’ve been camping in the area before and plan to camp up Slate Run at the campground.  Is it free? crowded?  I read Charles Meck’s book on PA trout streams and also plan to call the local fly fishing shop at Slate Run, which apparently has a hotline. Also, any thoughts on the Little Juniata? Thanks a million

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Question:

                            FLY FISHING BOOKS                                  FOR THE                                 SPORTSMAN * The American Sportsman Treasury, ‘71, by Knopf.  A collection of Fly Fishing and Hunting stories, with terrific art work and photos.  Chapters on fly fishing for Brown and Rainbow Trout, fly patterns that produce results, bamboo fly rods; and hunting white tail deer, woodcock, water foul, mountain sheep, grouse, etc. All written by famous authors, eg. Charles F. Waterman, Lee Wulff, Leonard M. Wright, Roderick Haig-Brown, William G. Sheldon and many others. An excellent book for the all around sportsman, and a way to reflect on the sporting heritage. * The Treasury of Angling, ‘63 by Koller.  A comprehensive history of angling, and the birth and growth of fly fishing. Chapters on angling in antiquity, early american angling, tackle, flies, entomology, Salmon, Trout, Bass, and other fresh water fish.  Terrific photos and art work.  Learn about the history of fly fishing and game fish, and gain a full sporting knowledge of the art of fly fishing. E-mail me if interested in these books, and I will e-mail cost info. JWTrout/2/11/96

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Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just don’t understand any logical reason for the way "sizes" are determined. A 7 wt. rod is lighter than a 9 wt. rod. OK. A 4 wt. line is smaller than a 5 wt. line, but a size 10 hook is smaller than a size 6 hook. A 10 pound test line is stronger than an 8 pound test line, but a 5x tippet is stronger (larger) than a 7x tippet. I don’t understand. Maybe I am just looking for too much logic. A lot of the things that we do are a matter of convention. To tighten something, you turn it to the right, to loosen it, you turn it to the left. To turn on the water, you turn the handle to the left and to turn it off, you turn it to the right. The size with the larger number is the larger size. These are things that are pretty well established.  They follow a logical order of uniformity. (I know there are exceptions). I would think that there would be some order to fishing gear ’sizes’. Maybe there is and I just don’t understand it. There must be at least one person out there that understands the "system". Please explain it to those of us who aren’t smart enough to figure it out on our own.

Boy am I rusty on this, but I will give a quick note on what I can rember, which will be mostly pointers to directions rather than simple answers.  The idea of smaller size being a larger number can most easily be explained with sandpaper sizes.  A 100 grit paper is made of grains of sand that are 1/100 inch in diameter.  An 80 grit has 1/80 inch, and a 200 grit has 1/200 inch grains of sand.  A similar thing happens in bullet sizes.  A 22 caliber bullet is 0.22 (or 22 hundredths’) of an inch, a 45  caliber bullet is 0.45 inches in diameter.  Many old style sizes are fractions, and the size is actually the top or bottom number of a fraction where everyone once agreed to keep the other side constant.  I beleive that hook sizes are based on the diameter of the wire used to make them by some old convention like this.   There was once a specified proportion for the size of the gap and length for a given wire size.  Today many people re-invent the scale to accomodate their own idea of what would be a better product, so a Mustad #8 is not the same as a Tiemco #8. . For rod size, the number refers to the weight of line that is required to give the right amount of flex to the rod for casting.  The weight is measured in grains, and the number is proportional to that weight.  Who uses grains to measure any more, and how you convert that to pounds or AFTMA line weight I don’t know anymore.  For tippet size, their are 3 measures that I am familiar with; "x", pound test, and diameter.  Diameter is measured in thousandths of an inch with a micrometer and is expressed as "0.020" or something.  It is very logical and dependable, but not very useful.  Pound test is more useful, ans is measured as the static weight (not bounced) required to break the line.  Finally, "x" is an archaic measure left over from the days when tippets were made of horse hair, and I don’t remember exactly what it refers to, but it supposedly made sense back then (horse sense if you will) and is pretty meaningless today. . Good luck Lenny . .

Response:

Thread and tippet sizes are purely arbitrary.  In the past somebody(s) decided that a particular thickness of thread was size 0 – greater thicknesses have larger numbers, up to a point, where letters take over.  Thinner threads don’t have letters, but use 1/0, 2/0, 3/0…, indicating "below zero" in thickness.  I suppose that had this been done in the more technological twentieth century we could have used negative numbers or actual thicknesses.  Tippets are similar, with the 1x, 2x,.. indicating greater amounts below some arbitrary 0x thickness.

I believe that there is a historical reason that larger tippet sizes are used for thinner tippets.  Originally tippets were made from silk. To reduce the diameter of the tippet it was drawn through progressively smaller dies until the desired thickness was acheived.  0x was the original tippet size without any thinning (.011"). When a tippet had been forced through a die to reduce the size 5 times, it was 5x tippet with a diameter .005" smaller than the original diameter.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just don’t understand any logical reason for the way "sizes" are determined. A 7 wt. rod is lighter than a 9 wt. rod. OK. A 4 wt. line is smaller than a 5 wt. line, but a size 10 hook is smaller than a size 6 hook. A 10 pound test line is stronger than an 8 pound test line, but a 5x tippet is stronger (larger) than a 7x tippet. I don’t understand. Maybe I am just looking for too much logic. A lot of the things that we do are a matter of convention. To tighten something, you turn it to the right, to loosen it, you turn it to the left. To turn on the water, you turn the handle to the left and to turn it off, you turn it to the right. The size with the larger number is the larger size. These are things that are pretty well established.  They follow a logical order of uniformity. (I know there are exceptions). I would think that there would be some order to fishing gear ’sizes’. Maybe there is and I just don’t understand it. There must be at least one person out there that understands the "system". Please explain it to those of us who aren’t smart enough to figure it out on our own.

I understand your confusion.  There are many different "weights" and "sizes" to become familiar with.  The ones you mentioned can be broken down into two categories: 1) based on an absolute meaurement 2) based on a dimensionless "scale" Fly line weights are in the first category, being based on the actual weights of the first thirty feet, I believe, of the line in grains.  Test weights are in the first category, based on actual pull strengths of the line in pounds.  Different physical characteristics, but the numbers are based on some physical measurements, made further confusing by different units. Thread and tippet sizes are purely arbitrary.  In the past somebody(s) decided that a particular thickness of thread was size 0 – greater thicknesses have larger numbers, up to a point, where letters take over.  Thinner threads don’t have letters, but use 1/0, 2/0, 3/0…, indicating "below zero" in thickness.  I suppose that had this been done in the more technological twentieth century we could have used negative numbers or actual thicknesses.  Tippets are similar, with the 1x, 2x,.. indicating greater amounts below some arbitrary 0x thickness.  Of course, to make things more confusing, hook sizes go the opposite way with 1/0, 2/0,… meaning asending sizes above the "0" size hook. Actually there is no "0" size hook, it just goes … 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0… Mark Miller

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I just don’t understand any logical reason for the way "sizes" are determined. A 7 wt. rod is lighter than a 9 wt. rod. OK. A 4 wt. line is smaller than a 5 wt. line, but a size 10 hook is smaller than a size 6 hook. A 10 pound test line is stronger than an 8 pound test line, but a 5x tippet is stronger (larger) than a 7x tippet. I don’t understand. Maybe I am just looking for too much logic. A lot of the things that we do are a matter of convention.

I have wondered about this myself.  Things that are measured in "gauges" seem to be counter-intuitive:  larger numbers are smaller sizes.  Hooks, leader, wire, sheet metal, and nails are all sized this way.  Does anyone know the history behind this measuring convention? To tighten something, you turn it to the right, to loosen it, you turn it to the left. To turn on the water, you turn the handle to the left and to turn it off, you turn it to the right.

This one I can explain.  Think of the faucet handle as a screw cap, which it essentially is.  To turn on the water, you must loosen the screw, and thus turn in to the left.  Turn to the right, or tighten down, to close it and turn off the water. — Hewlett Packard Co.                         Fort Collins, Colorado       "Midnight shakes the memory as a madman shakes a dead geranium."                                             – T.S. Eliot

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Actually, I believe the "X" referred to the number of times a strand of silkworm gut, the old "gut" leader, was drawn through a die to size the material.  Each time the material was drawn through the die, the diameter became smaller since the material was somewhat elastic.  Given the variation in quality from one piece of material to another, the diameter of the material provided a more consistant measuring methodology than lb. test for that particular material.                                                           Mike in PDX                "When the trout are lost, smash the state."                                            Tom McGuane

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<Size/number ordering systems Both hook and tippet size-numbering systems derive from the old needle/hookmaker sizing scheme. Today, this sizing scheme is still carried in the wire trade. A size (gauge) 12 wire is thicker than a size (gauge) 14 and so in. Just be glad we never opted for a denier system! JL 8-Wt Editor

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I have wondered about this myself.  Things that are measured in "gauges" seem to be counter-intuitive:  larger numbers are smaller sizes.  Hooks, leader, wire, sheet metal, and nails are all sized this way.  Does anyone know the history behind this measuring convention?

Ummm, not to be a pain, but the last time I looked in my bags a 16d (penny) nail was roughly 1 1/2 times as large as an 8d. I seem to remember hearing that the size of nails was based on the weight/cost of a fixed number of them, but don’t quote me on it. Also the size of a 16d sinker is different from that of a 16d box. Back to the real topic now… Steve

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Paul, Hook sizes were derived from the needle makers of Redditch in the UK. I believe that the size used to refer to the thicckness of the wire that was used.  Fly line weights are AFTM nos, which I am sure you know already. Personally, I ratherr liked the old system that used letters to denote the tapers, the weight and the like. And in the nicest possible way, can I question your desire to have a logical basis for everything? Half the fun of this sport that it isn’t always predictable.  To paraphrase Oscar Wilde "Order is the sign of a boring mind". Hope thta this does not enflame you to much Chris Enstone – "fishing is just like working except that you do not get paid and you enjoy it"

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I just don’t understand any logical reason for the way "sizes" are determined. A 7 wt. rod is lighter than a 9 wt. rod. OK. A 4 wt. line is smaller than a 5 wt. line, but a size 10 hook is smaller than a size 6 hook. A 10 pound test line is stronger than an 8 pound test line, but a 5x tippet is stronger (larger) than a 7x tippet. I don’t understand. Maybe I am just looking for too much logic. A lot of the things that we do are a matter of convention. To tighten something, you turn it to the right, to loosen it, you turn it to the left. To turn on the water, you turn the handle to the left and to turn it off, you turn it to the right. The size with the larger number is the larger size. These are things that are pretty well established.  They follow a logical order of uniformity. (I know there are exceptions). I would think that there would be some order to fishing gear ’sizes’. Maybe there is and I just don’t understand it. There must be at least one person out there that understands the "system". Please explain it to those of us who aren’t smart enough to figure it out on our own.

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| BTW, what is pop gear? | | Pop gear (I don’t know why it is called that) is another name for Cow Bells, | Ford Fenders, and other large hunks of metal crap that people drag around | lakes to troll for 12" trout.   I know I am showing my age here, but the gray hair was at one time premature. Years ago Les Davis made several kinds of trolling attractors.  "Pop Gear" was the first that I knew of.  Its named like the " Doc Shelton" after its inventor.  The Ford Fender was another Les Davis product.  Each of them has a different shaped blade. BTW referring to attractors as pop gear puts you in the old fart category. . Tight Lines Mark O’Shea — Mark O’Shea Stuff happens, things change.

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I do all my trolling with downriggers, but lead core is more popular in this area.  From talking to others, and hearing conversations on the radio I do know that when fish are at about 40ft. most people will be letting out about 8 colors.  This will normally be trolling 3/4-1 oz. bucktails with 17 lb. test lead core.  If you’re going to be trolling at only 1 to 1.5 mph I would guess that you would want to let out 6-7 colors. We normally don’t troll quite that slow. BTW, what is pop gear?

Pop gear (I don’t know why it is called that) is another name for Cow Bells, Ford Fenders, and other large hunks of metal crap that people drag around lakes to troll for 12" trout.  I will admit that at times an attractor is beneficial in attracting more strikes from rainbow and kokanee, but you should use as little as you can get away with.  VERY small attractors like a Teeny Troll (V shaped mylar with reflective tape) 2-blade Doc Sheltons or #000 flashers for deep kokanee are effective.  I’ve been very successful using a #2 FST with a spruce fly about 8" behind.  This creates some attraction with very little weight.  Some of the large flashers are 3 feet long with 6-8 graduated size spinner blades.  No thank you. Terry — Terry Turner              If people paid more attnetion to the critical things 503-685-3649              poles. *****Opinions here are my own and not necessarily the views of Tektronix****

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