Question:

Hi John, there is a great deal of help available on the net.  A couple of these sites should be of considerable help to you with basic stuff. Most of them have specific beginners sections.  If you have trouble with any of the terms etc, then just post to the group again, somebody will help you. Here are the URL

Question:

Lawrence, Just as long as you don’t wee on anyone.  :-) Ernie "lawrence" wrote Hi I hope you don’t mind sometimes I like to have a wee prattle! <snip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Regards Lawrence

Response:

Come out to Oregon and we’ll go for summer steelies on the Deschutes. Remember, you don’t have to tie your line to your reel! Then we’ll send you out bonefishing with Randall Kaufmann… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  you could possible do without tying your line to your real as that end of the line rarely sees daylight.

Response:

My fly reel holds about 250 metres/yards of line and backing and when 200 yards gets stripped by a fish hooked on a size 14 treble I start running Of course (Ernie from previous reply) others have been known to wee themselves Lawrence — http://www.f-deans.freeserve.co.uk http://www.flytyer.co.uk off my Lily Pad by writing: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Come out to Oregon and we’ll go for summer steelies on the Deschutes. Remember, you don’t have to tie your line to your reel! Then we’ll send you out bonefishing with Randall Kaufmann…  you could possible do without tying your line to your real as that end of the line rarely sees daylight.

Response:

My post was pretty snide. Wasn’t personal! At least when a fish that big strips your spool, you know it’s moving in the opposite direction!

Response:

Hi I hope you don’t mind sometimes I like to have a wee prattle! When I were a lad I remember fishing one day with a stick a cord and a piece of pin for a hook. I had at least three or four knots in the cord when this old codger said to me.  "Son you’ll never catch a fish with that it’s got too many knots in it" Whats knots got to do with it I replied. He said with a smile  "If you hook a fish, every knot between you and the fish is a weak spot. You have at least three or four weak spots, you can guarantee that it will be easier for the bigger fish to break one of these weak spots" "If you can son aim for one knot between you and the fish" I said which one would that be then? "The one that ties on the hook" he grinned and off he went. His legacy left to me all those years ago is with me to this day. Do not have more weak links between you and the fish than you need. I guess it’s impossible to fish with only one knot, between you and the fish, but you can minimise the effect. My fishing setup has a knot joining my line to my reel and a knot joining my line to my hook these two are a necessity. Well almost you could possible do without tying your line to your real as that end of the line rarely sees daylight. In between that (the weak spots) I have a permanently whipped loop on the end of my fly line. This joins to the leader with another loop and that is it! The only other weak spot I have is that I like to prattle every now and then Regards Lawrence — http://www.f-deans.freeserve.co.uk http://www.flytyer.co.uk

Response:

Question:

No, not the muskie lure.  Over the years I’ve read many posts here extolling the virtues of spinner baits.  I never much liked them, preferring crankbaits, body baits and soft plastics. However, this year I decided to give them a serious try.  In deep dark water I have thrown a black/red with heavy single Colorado blade.  In the spring I was using a silver plated double willow leaf with pumpkinseed colored skirt.  Muddy, post-rain storm conditions on the river I switch to a chartreuse buzzbait.   Over the tops of slop and lily pads.  OK, I like them.  I’ve had good success with spinnerbaits all season. The coup de grace came yesterday. I was standing up on top of the boat, one foot on the gunwhale and one on the dashboard of my friend’s boat.  I had my wide brimmed hat and wrap around polarized sunglasses.  I was fly casting and wanted a high vantage point.  My friend told me that if I damaged his dashboard I’d be crawling back to shore on my hands.  Anyway, it was really slow going.  Suddenly I spotted a large isolated fish cruising in just inches of water.  It was well camouflaged and even with my glasses I could only pick out the silhouette of its dark back.  I wasn’t sure if it was a bass or some other fish.  I turned to my other friend and told him where the fish was.  He threw a chartreuse and white buzzbait just perfectly – ahead of and to the side of the fish in such a way that once retrieved it moves across the field of vision of the fish but also away from the fish, appropriate prey behavior.  The fish changed course once it saw the lure and slowly followed but wouldn’t take.  Finally he stopped retrieving and while it dropped, I saw the mouth opening and the silicone skirt disappear.  "He’s got it! Set the hook!" I yelled and the fish was on.  It was well over five pounds.  The whole episode was very exciting but it all happened so perfectly that we were left speechless for a few moments.  I put away my fly rod and picked up my casting rod which already had a spinner bait attached.  I soon caught a smallish pike. OK, so that was only one incident but it capped off a couple of weeks of good fishing with spinnerbaits and I have gained much more confidence in them.  I still don’t use spoons or jigs too often.   Mu

Response:

Excellent story, thanks for sharing. — Early to Bed, Early to Rise…    Fish all Day, Make up Lies    Shawn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – No, not the muskie lure.  Over the years I’ve read many posts here extolling the virtues of spinner baits.  I never much liked them, preferring crankbaits, body baits and soft plastics. However, this year I decided to give them a serious try.  In deep dark water I have thrown a black/red with heavy single Colorado blade.  In the spring I was using a silver plated double willow leaf with pumpkinseed colored skirt.  Muddy, post-rain storm conditions on the river I switch to a chartreuse buzzbait. Over the tops of slop and lily pads.  OK, I like them.  I’ve had good success with spinnerbaits all season. The coup de grace came yesterday. I was standing up on top of the boat, one foot on the gunwhale and one on the dashboard of my friend’s boat.  I had my wide brimmed hat and wrap around polarized sunglasses.  I was fly casting and wanted a high vantage point.  My friend told me that if I damaged his dashboard I’d be crawling back to shore on my hands.  Anyway, it was really slow going.  Suddenly I spotted a large isolated fish cruising in just inches of water.  It was well camouflaged and even with my glasses I could only pick out the silhouette of its dark back.  I wasn’t sure if it was a bass or some other fish.  I turned to my other friend and told him where the fish was.  He threw a chartreuse and white buzzbait just perfectly – ahead of and to the side of the fish in such a way that once retrieved it moves across the field of vision of the fish but also away from the fish, appropriate prey behavior.  The fish changed course once it saw the lure and slowly followed but wouldn’t take.  Finally he stopped retrieving and while it dropped, I saw the mouth opening and the silicone skirt disappear.  "He’s got it! Set the hook!" I yelled and the fish was on.  It was well over five pounds.  The whole episode was very exciting but it all happened so perfectly that we were left speechless for a few moments.  I put away my fly rod and picked up my casting rod which already had a spinner bait attached.  I soon caught a smallish pike. OK, so that was only one incident but it capped off a couple of weeks of good fishing with spinnerbaits and I have gained much more confidence in them.  I still don’t use spoons or jigs too often. Mu

Response:

Mu, I got into spinner baits last year, blame it on Warren. Recently, my oldest son and I was out.  I picked up one of my rods pretied with a spinner bait.  He fishes mostly with natural looking lures, and gave me a odd look.  "You catch things on that?", he asked. When you think about it, a spinner bait looks nothing like what the Beauties normally forage on.  Can’t imagine what ran through the mind of the person who invented the first one! On my second cast, I hooked into a nice 2+ pound beauty.  "Sometimes," I said! —    Go Fishing.  And may your fish be as big as your tales.    Columbia, SC  Lake Murray – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – No, not the muskie lure.  Over the years I’ve read many posts here extolling the virtues of spinner baits.  I never much liked them, preferring crankbaits, body baits and soft plastics. However, this year I decided to give them a serious try.  In deep dark water I have thrown a black/red with heavy single Colorado blade.  In the spring I was using a silver plated double willow leaf with pumpkinseed colored skirt.  Muddy, post-rain storm conditions on the river I switch to a chartreuse buzzbait. Over the tops of slop and lily pads.  OK, I like them.  I’ve had good success with spinnerbaits all season. The coup de grace came yesterday. I was standing up on top of the boat, one foot on the gunwhale and one on the dashboard of my friend’s boat.  I had my wide brimmed hat and wrap around polarized sunglasses.  I was fly casting and wanted a high vantage point.  My friend told me that if I damaged his dashboard I’d be crawling back to shore on my hands.  Anyway, it was really slow going.  Suddenly I spotted a large isolated fish cruising in just inches of water.  It was well camouflaged and even with my glasses I could only pick out the silhouette of its dark back.  I wasn’t sure if it was a bass or some other fish.  I turned to my other friend and told him where the fish was.  He threw a chartreuse and white buzzbait just perfectly – ahead of and to the side of the fish in such a way that once retrieved it moves across the field of vision of the fish but also away from the fish, appropriate prey behavior.  The fish changed course once it saw the lure and slowly followed but wouldn’t take.  Finally he stopped retrieving and while it dropped, I saw the mouth opening and the silicone skirt disappear.  "He’s got it! Set the hook!" I yelled and the fish was on.  It was well over five pounds.  The whole episode was very exciting but it all happened so perfectly that we were left speechless for a few moments.  I put away my fly rod and picked up my casting rod which already had a spinner bait attached.  I soon caught a smallish pike. OK, so that was only one incident but it capped off a couple of weeks of good fishing with spinnerbaits and I have gained much more confidence in them.  I still don’t use spoons or jigs too often. Mu

Response:

I flat-out love spinnerbaits and fish them every chance I get. They are easy to use, extremely versatile, they seldom snag and they really catch fish. Interesting how the more I use them and the more things I try, the more I catch on them. I have probably used spinnerbaits about every way they can be used, except with a float (and that will probably happen someday). One of my favorite ways to use spinnerbaits is rapidly coming upon us; summertime deep water patterns. I particularly enjoy catching fish deep with my spinnerbaits while my boatmates are trying to unhang their crankbaits, and then rubbing it in as I land a nice one and promptly go back after another. A great method here is to jig a 3/8 oz. to 1/2 oz. crawfish-colored spinnerbait with a single small ( #3 Oklahoma or #5 Indiana) nickel blade, which I fish with a swift lift of 2′ to 4′ and follow with a slow controlled drop where the strikes take place. It can often be deadly and is always fun. — ~Bob Rickard Vote early and often this November; the country you save may be your own.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Mu, I got into spinner baits last year, blame it on Warren. Recently, my oldest son and I was out.  I picked up one of my rods pretied with a spinner bait.  He fishes mostly with natural looking lures, and gave me a odd look.  "You catch things on that?", he asked. When you think about it, a spinner bait looks nothing like what the Beauties normally forage on.  Can’t imagine what ran through the mind of the person who invented the first one! On my second cast, I hooked into a nice 2+ pound beauty.  "Sometimes," I said! —    Go Fishing.  And may your fish be as big as your tales.    Columbia, SC  Lake Murray No, not the muskie lure.  Over the years I’ve read many posts here extolling the virtues of spinner baits.  I never much liked them, preferring crankbaits, body baits and soft plastics. However, this year I decided to give them a serious try.  In deep dark water I have thrown a black/red with heavy single Colorado blade.  In the spring I was using a silver plated double willow leaf with pumpkinseed colored skirt.  Muddy, post-rain storm conditions on the river I switch to a chartreuse buzzbait. Over the tops of slop and lily pads.  OK, I like them.  I’ve had good success with spinnerbaits all season. The coup de grace came yesterday. I was standing up on top of the boat, one foot on the gunwhale and one on the dashboard of my friend’s boat.  I had my wide brimmed hat and wrap around polarized sunglasses.  I was fly casting and wanted a high vantage point.  My friend told me that if I damaged his dashboard I’d be crawling back to shore on my hands.  Anyway, it was really slow going.  Suddenly I spotted a large isolated fish cruising in just inches of water.  It was well camouflaged and even with my glasses I could only pick out the silhouette of its dark back.  I wasn’t sure if it was a bass or some other fish.  I turned to my other friend and told him where the fish was.  He threw a chartreuse and white buzzbait just perfectly – ahead of and to the side of the fish in such a way that once retrieved it moves across the field of vision of the fish but also away from the fish, appropriate prey behavior.  The fish changed course once it saw the lure and slowly followed but wouldn’t take.  Finally he stopped retrieving and while it dropped, I saw the mouth opening and the silicone skirt disappear. "He’s got it! Set the hook!" I yelled and the fish was on.  It was well over five pounds.  The whole episode was very exciting but it all happened so perfectly that we were left speechless for a few moments.  I put away my fly rod and picked up my casting rod which already had a spinner bait attached.  I soon caught a smallish pike. OK, so that was only one incident but it capped off a couple of weeks of good fishing with spinnerbaits and I have gained much more confidence in them.  I still don’t use spoons or jigs too often. Mu

Response:

Question:

Does anyone have any recent information of the runoff and snowpack for this year in the Yellowpine Idaho area? Any recent readings on the Krassel ranger station gauge (South Fork of the Salmon)? Also, what has been the general behavior of the runoff this year (early melt?, recent snowfall? etc etc- you know what I mean)? Thanks Jon

Response:

You might check http://www.webpak.net/~rafter/    Vince’s Idaho Whitewater Page.  I believe he has a very complete set of links to flow gauges among other things Penny Specialty Outdoors: Sewing and Repair for Outdoor Enthusiasts Tips for making your own gear! http://www.nextdim.com/users/pschwyn/tips.htm

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Does anyone have any recent information of the runoff and snowpack for this year in the Yellowpine Idaho area? Any recent readings on the Krassel ranger station gauge (South Fork of the Salmon)? Also, what has been the general behavior of the runoff this year (early melt?, recent snowfall? etc etc- you know what I mean)? Thanks Jon

Response:

Late runoff this year.  It has been cold and rainy/snowy up there.  I was in the area this weekend, and the pack is mostly gone finally. The creeks are running pretty good.  Johnson creek is running 1430 today.  Lots of rain has been keeping the ground saturated.   Does anyone have any recent information of the runoff and snowpack for this year in the Yellowpine Idaho area? Any recent readings on the Krassel ranger station gauge (South Fork of the Salmon)? Also, what has been the general behavior of the runoff this year (early melt?, recent snowfall? etc etc- you know what I mean)? Thanks Jon

patrickatcyberhighwaydotnet

Response:

Does anyone have any recent information of the runoff and snowpack for this year in the Yellowpine Idaho area? Any recent readings on the Krassel ranger station gauge (South Fork of the Salmon)? Also, what has been the general behavior of the runoff this year (early melt?, recent snowfall? etc etc- you know what I mean)? Thanks Jon

 try this: http://www.idwr.state.id.us/idwr/planpol/techserv/flows.htm flows are steady but not outrageous due to cooler than norm weather.

Response:

Does anyone have any recent information of the runoff and snowpack for this year in the Yellowpine Idaho area? Any recent readings on the Krassel ranger station gauge (South Fork of the Salmon)?

2200 cfs yesterday. Are you planning on kayaking there?  If so when?  We will be there some time near the end of June. Bob Langley Winters, CA

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone have any recent information of the runoff and snowpack for this year in the Yellowpine Idaho area? Any recent readings on the Krassel ranger station gauge (South Fork of the Salmon)? Also, what has been the general behavior of the runoff this year (early melt?, recent snowfall? etc etc- you know what I mean)? Thanks Jon  try this: http://www.idwr.state.id.us/idwr/planpol/techserv/flows.htm flows are steady but not outrageous due to cooler than norm weather.

Jim, Thanks. I had not seen this page before. The Krassel gauge readout has always been our benchmark for the area. Particularly because there are often large discrepancies between flow on the E.Fork of the S. Fork (below Johnson creek) and the Upper S. Fork. Its funny that this is available yet I have called out there are the rangers don’t even know the Krassel gauge reading. Excellent resource. Thanks again. Jon

Response:

Does anyone have any recent information of the runoff and snowpack for this year in the Yellowpine Idaho area? Any recent readings on the Krassel ranger station gauge (South Fork of the Salmon)? 2200 cfs yesterday. Are you planning on kayaking there?  If so when?  We will be there some time near the end of June. Bob Langley Winters, CA

Bob, Yes, we will be doing some paddling there. We are having a rendezvous of long time friends and will be at the Warm Lake campground from June 27-July 4. This group has paddled that area since the mid-70’s and has many long time class V paddlers. However, many of us the last 2 or 3 years have had kids and have backed off class V, primarily because we don’t have the time to paddle enough to maintain our edge to do class V safely and we tend to approach paddling with a group-oriented safety ethic. If you are around, come up to the site. We have the big group site at the Warm Lake campground. I don’t know if you will be able to scare up a group for class V but there will be paddling going on, as well as mtn. biking, flyfishing and general lounging. The trip has been structured to be more family friendly than our old hair trips. If you just want to paddle hair, this may not be your best group. Also, if you tend to be a solo wild card on the river, the may not be the best group for you as we are all very into 1) fun and 2) group safety. You decide. If you are around drop in a say hello and see what’s cooking. Jon McAnulty

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi I have what I believe to be green sunfish. This fish were found in a shipment of baitfish that came from Arkansas. I live in central New York and our local DEC officer said they are not found in this area. People I know have said they are called Arkansas bluegill or shellcrackers. From books I have the fish that looks most like these fish is the green sunfish. They have the bodyshape of a rock bass. They have dark vertical stripes on their sides, a dark spot on the back of the gill cover, starting in front of the eye they have light metallic blue markings that go to the back of the gill cover, the over all body color is almost black and mottled with lighter scales throughout, all fins except the pectorals are edged with white with the pelvics being all white with black and brownish yellow streaks. The fish I believe to be females are less colorful. I have nine of these fish, the smallest is about 3 inches and the largest is about 7 inches. Does anyone know if this is indeed the green sunfish? How large do they get and what is their native range? They are living in a 75 gallon tank and doing fine. They eat anything I give them. Thanks for any information. Leah    

I think that you have it right.  We have them hear in California.  According to A.J. McClane’s New Standard Fishing Encyclopedia there are 30 species of sunfish that include bluegills and large mouth bass.  The only sunfish east of the rockies was the Sacramento Perch, all others have been introduced.  We call the green sunfish a "war mouth bass".  It is like a cross between a bass and a blueguill.  They are a great fish on light tackle. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA

Response:

Hi I have what I believe to be green sunfish. This fish were found in a shipment of baitfish that came from Arkansas. I live in central New York and our local DEC officer said they are not found in this area. People I know have said they are called Arkansas bluegill or shellcrackers. From books I have the fish that looks most like these fish is the green sunfish. They have the bodyshape of a rock bass. They have dark vertical stripes on their sides, a dark spot on the back of the gill cover, starting in front of the eye they have light metallic blue markings that go to the back of the gill cover, the over all body color is almost black and mottled with lighter scales throughout, all fins except the pectorals are edged with white with the pelvics being all white with black and brownish yellow streaks. The fish I believe to be females are less colorful. I have nine of these fish, the smallest is about 3 inches and the largest is about 7 inches. Does anyone know if this is indeed the green sunfish? How large do they get and what is their native range? They are living in a 75 gallon tank and doing fine. They eat anything I give them. Thanks for any information. Leah    

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi I have what I believe to be green sunfish. This fish were found in a shipment of baitfish that came from Arkansas. I live in central New York and our local DEC officer said they are not found in this area. People I know have said they are called Arkansas bluegill or shellcrackers. From books I have the fish that looks most like these fish is the green sunfish. They have the bodyshape of a rock bass. They have dark vertical stripes on their sides, a dark spot on the back of the gill cover, starting in front of the eye they have light metallic blue markings that go to the back of the gill cover, the over all body color is almost black and mottled with lighter scales throughout, all fins except the pectorals are edged with white with the pelvics being all white with black and brownish yellow streaks. The fish I believe to be females are less colorful. I have nine of these fish, the smallest is about 3 inches and the largest is about 7 inches. Does anyone know if this is indeed the green sunfish? How large do they get and what is their native range? They are living in a 75 gallon tank and doing fine. They eat anything I give them. Thanks for any information. Leah    

Leah, the fish you have sounds just like a green sunfish to me. However, fish hatcheries are known to make hybrids between: green sunfish/bluegill green sunfish/red ear sunfish red ear sunfish/bluegill        obviously we don’t need to consider this one I still believe what you have is a pure green sunfish, because the hybrids that look like green sunfish have bright orange fins, and get larger. I have never heard a green sunfish called a shellcracker – shellcrackers are Red Ear Sunfish. If they are pure green sunfish, they won’t get much larger, maybe 8.5". If they are a hybrid they could reach 10". I don’t have a book in front of me, so I’m not sure about the range, other than I have caught them in Ohio, Indiana, and Texas. — Hunting and Fishing are the only sports that are even fun to FAIL at… as long as you don’t fail too often!  ;^)

Response:

Question:

Every year, hunter friends give me deer hides and tails. Is there anyone out there who has successfully dyed deer hair? I would like to end up with vibrant yellow, red, and green. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Response:

In regards to your question, I have been somwhat succesful with dyeing hair. I fyou have some of the under belly, (all white) thats the best to work with. You are able to dye over the natural, but it is not as bright and vivid. I use Rit-Dye and just follow the directions. I dont use any of the acid-dyes, simply because I think it is to complicated. I hope this was of some help. Mike

Response:

Every year, hunter friends give me deer hides and tails. Is there anyone out there who has successfully dyed deer hair? I would like to end up with vibrant yellow, red, and green. Any help would be greatly appreciated

There are no shortcuts.    Step 1. Degrease and clean the hair with Veniard’s degreaser.     Step 2. Bleach the hair with *commercial* hair bleach such as Basic White (the best I’ve used . . . must be purchased through a beauty salon). The over the counter bleaches will simply turn your hair a yellowish brown.    Step 3. Dye with your favorite die. I like Veniard’s for the most intense colors possible. For more eathy colors like greens, browns, straw, etc., Rit is fine.    Tight lines, Ralph Ralph Cutter, California School of Flyfishing. http://www.flyline.com

Response:

Thanks Ralph. Good advice. As usual, there never is an acceptable shortcut to a proper end-product. Unfortunately, I am not at all familiar with the Veniard product line. Any clues as to where I might start looking? Your input much appreciated.

Response:

Every year, hunter friends give me deer hides and tails. Is there anyone out there who has successfully dyed deer hair? I would like to end up with vibrant yellow, red, and green. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Method 1: Home Brew I’ve dyed deer hair yellow, red, green and black using RIT brand LIQUID dyes bought at the grocery with results as good as you can buy, but I can’t call them vibrant. The belly hair takes better than the darker parts. Make sure the hide scrap is clean. I use dishwashing liquid. Mix the dye as strong as you like. Soak scraps in hot solution for about 20 minutes. Make sure to "set" the dye by adding white vinegar to the brew when the color is dark enough. Method 2: Totally Scientific Look to the 3 part series in ‘94 issues of American Angler for a dye-meister’s techniques. The may/june, july/august & september/october issues have William T. Roubal’s techniques for truly vibrant colors with modern dyes, natural dyes, etc. He is supposed to have a book out on the same subject. If you can’t locate back issues drop me e-mail and I’ll Xerox the series and mail it to you. Make big fun. mayfly

Response:

In regards to your question, I have been somwhat succesful with dyeing hair. I fyou have some of the under belly, (all white) thats the best to work with. You are able to dye over the natural, but it is not as bright and vivid. I use Rit-Dye and just follow the directions. I dont use any of the acid-dyes, simply because I think it is to complicated. I hope this was of some help. Mike

Mike, Take a look at A.K. Best’s "Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying Materials"  It’s a great book and goes in depth into degreasing etc… Good Luck! Jack

Response:

Does A.K.’s book deal with rit dye or is is all acid dyes? I have read the articles in American Angler(except for the first and last one, cant find those issues) and it seems to complicated for me. I just want some good colors and I think I am abel to get them with the rit-dye method. -Mike

Hi Mike, In addition to Rit dye I also use Veniards. If you can find them their colors are much brighter and vibrant. Good Luck! Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Response:

Question:

Fish for Dolly Varden, wild trout, Steelhead, Salmon, and more! Join us at our logde for the fishing experience of a lifetime. Check out our web site at <http://www.libby.org/davis/welcome.html

Response:

: Fish for Dolly Varden, wild trout, Steelhead, Salmon, and more! Join us : at our logde for the fishing experience of a lifetime. Check out our web : site at <http://www.libby.org/davis/welcome.html I feel  compelled to respond to the specific claims made on what species are available. My father visited camp Kiklukh last year during the latter part of August into the first few days of September.  He found that this is basically a one fish fishery, silver salmon. Of all the people in camp at the same time, there were only a handful of dolly varden caught and he *heard* of one cutthroat trout being caught. Now, I am not at all trying to be negative on the whole trip because that is not the case.  There were many parts of the trip that were fantastic.  George and Debbie Davis were described as outstanding people.  Of the places we have visited in Alaska, my father’s opinion of Camp Kiklukh was the  absolutely best food he has had and the best silver fishing.  If the fishing was poor around the camp, the anglers were flown out to the Tsiu at no additonal cost just to make sure they got into great numbers of silvers. As I said, I just wanted to clarify what species of fish are available in significant numbers at camp Kiklukh. Kind regards, Steve Kernosky  Ph.D. Michigan Tech University

Response:

Question:

I’m doing an informal survey on anglers favourite magazines and authors, (or TV hosts, etc..). Email me with yours! Thanks. Paradigm Management Group

Response:

American Angler is my favorite.  I gave up on the others, since they seemed to have become more travelogue, than anything else.  I don’t have a favorite TV show, but if I had to make a choice, I’d say "Fishing the West."

Response:

In my opinion they all seem to rehash much of the same old stuff and of course they survive on advertising.  It just that sometimes they seem to be almost in an alliance with their advertisers to the point that it seems that thats what its all about.  Their is one new magazine out of Livingston MT, "The Angler Journal" that seems to be a little less commercial.  They at least have stated the quality is their goal.

Response:

Do you get _Fly Rod & Reel_?  See, the reason I ask is that in the current issue one feature article is far from the same old thing…Flyfishing for largemouths in New York’s central park.  I doubt highly that this was an ad gig.         If you think that all the magazines rehash the same old stuff, try to think of something that’s truely original in this sport that warrants a feature article.  I for one will not sit still through six pages on the advent of a fly hackled about the hook bend, yet this seems to be the most original thing to come down the pike.  What’s left then are the destination pieces, but it’s been shown that exotic trips are a turn-off to readers.  So what’s left to hold the readers’ interest?  This recent article is an intelligent step forward.  If you have a good idea for a story, send it to the editors or better yet, write it.  They’re always looking for good stuff. Jamus

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Question:

check out the fly fishing page at this site.  The fly fishing info changes on a monthly basis. http://www.accelerated.com  ::::::::::::::::::::<<< INTERNETWORKING THE DESKTOP ::::::::::::::::::::  John Loschky  SPRY, Inc.                          Phone: (206) 442-8225  316 Occidental Avenue South         FAX:   (206) 447-9008      Seattle, WA  98104                  http://www.spry.com  :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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check out the fly fishing page at this site.  The fly fishing info changes on a monthly basis. http://www.accelerated.com

One word: Weak <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< < Digital Equipment Corp.    Alpha Server Engineering  < <           "Read this and nobody gets hurt"           < <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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I was just talking to someone else about these little buggers.  In my local the most popular pattern is the bastardized Wooley B, the Egg Sucking Leach.  Outside of it’s outstanding name, and the fact no one has ever seen a leach with an egg in it’s maw, it has caught on and works fabulously for salmon, big char and rainbows in sizes 8 to 2 tied on streamer hooks.  During a long winter of giving tying classes and tying too many flys, I tied one on a 96840 #12.  It looked so good I tied a coulple of dozen before all the ice was off the first lake I was wondering why I never though to do it before.  Give this a try.

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The strangest pattern I’ve seen imitated pellet fish food.  Great on stocked streams on opening day. -Bob

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 . . . I occasionally come across an empty corn can left along the banks. It is apparently one of the rednecks’ favorite baits.  Libby’s brand is the standard. I’ve never seen any other brand.

        Actually, I prefer Nibblets…                 T O D D . . .

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When I was a kid,my fishing buddy inherited his grandfather’s fly rods and flies.  In one of the fly boxes were 4 quarter inch long eigth inch dowels tied on a #12.  They were labelled as opening day and post stocking "flies".  Apparently they looked just like the hatchery pellets the stockies were fed.  Maybe that’s what the cigarette butts look like too. Crashjibe

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 . . . I occasionally come across an empty corn can left along the banks. It is apparently one of the rednecks’ favorite baits.  Libby’s brand is the standard. I’ve never seen any other brand.         Actually, I prefer Nibblets…                 T O D D . . .

Nibblets seems to be the favorite on the Clinch in TN too! (what an exciting topic of conversation  :*D)   A sunny day,      a box of midges,         and a wandering stream…   Man, this MUST be heaven!   <    Steve Kulpa    <<

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The most insane pattern I’ve come accross is a cigarette butt imitation.  A friend of mine tied one after occasionally comming accross them in trout stomachs.  I’m not sure if trout take this as a caddis case or whether they are nicotine junkies, but i’ve seen him catch a few fish on it too.   Cheers Olaf

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I need to go fishing! I think I am going out of my mind. I have been tying flys for the past month now, but I think I started to early with it. Tying is starting to make things worse because now I want to go out and use them. I live in CA and river trout season doesn’t start until the saturday before may. Also there has been a lot of snow in the mountains here and it isn’t going to clear up for a long time. Does anyone know how to overcome the insanity? Because of all the time I have had tying I played around with some different patterens and I invented my own. It is a cross between a stonefly Nymph and a damselfly Nymph. It is tyed on a size 8 hook with black thread and has a gold bead head. Tail: bunch of black hackle tips. Body: olive dubing. Rib: thin red copper wire. Thorax: bronze peacock herls tyed larger than the bead. Hackle: before the peacock put three or four turns of black cock hackle behind the bead. Trim the hackle so they point down, then tie in the peacock. I call this pattern the bead head green thing. I had no particular bug in mind when I tyed it but I think it might work. Please give me some input on it. If you can go fishing now, tie one up and give it a try, then  tell me how it worked. TimFLYFISH P.S. If you have any Patterns of your own I would like to give them a try.

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regarding insane patterns. Iwas in a fly shop in Asheville, NC called Hunter Banks one day last year shooting the breeze, and the subject of ridiculous patterns came up. The owner, with a twinkle in his eye, pulled out his latest pattern: The Corn Fly. It is tied with yellow poly and looks just like a kernal of Libby’s finest. Back in the blue ridge mountains, even on well known FF only waters, I occasionally come across an empty corn can left along the banks. It is apparently one of the rednecks’ favorite baits.  Libby’s brand is the standard. I’ve never seen any other brand. The fly, incidentally, was tied as a joke. They don’t sell them.  People think egg flies, san juan worms, etc are flies, so what the hell, its not much of a stretch, I guess. Dale Owens

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