Question:

I’ve been lurking around these parts lately.  A while back I saw that ROFF was going to the San Juan.  That’s just over 3 hours from home, and I fish there pretty often, so I hooked up with Bruiser and made plans to be there for the Clave.  I fish lots of waters around northern New Mexico – some because of the fishing, others because of the beauty of the places. Off to the ‘Juan we went.  The SJ is a tailwater, behind a large earthen dam, flowing through a spectacular sandstone canyon in an exceptionally dry and arid region – it gets an average of 8" of precipitation each year.  It’s near the village of Navajo Dam, east of Farmington, at 6000′.  Willi’s pictures were great – but they still don’t capture the beauty of the area. I met Bob and Charlie, Willi, Bruce, and Dan’l when they arrived Friday night.  Chuck arrived in a little while.  We had dinner and a few beers, figured out where/when we’d meet the next morning, and turned in pretty early. We started fishing early Saturday morning.  Early enough to have ice in the guides and to break through ice in the sloughs next to the river. By the time I got my flies tied on, Willi had caught a couple of fish. I understand that’s pretty common.  Everyone caught fish on Saturday. Everyone but me, it seems.  I hooked up with a few, but not as many as I should have, and landing them was almost impossible.  I got tangled, I broke off, it was like I’d never done this before!  Of course, it was still fun, but here I am, on water I know pretty well, not catching much of anything. Sunday I slept in a bit.  I got down to the river at 9:30 or 10:00. Charlie and Bob are in the Kiddie Pool, and Bruiser shows up while I’m getting ready.  Things are going kind of slow, so I put my seine in the water to see what kind of bugs were around.  Lots of light-colored midges and midge larva showed up in the net, so we tied on light-colored patterns.  And fish were on!  I was catching my share, and everyone was having a good day.  We moved around the river, to the big holes, to the fast canyon water, to the flats – pretty much all over.  Fishing was good.  Chuck fished part of the day and went home.  He was replaced by Arni and Scott. One of the big thrills of fishing the SJ is catching large fish on tiny flies.  A 12" rainbow is a tiny fish there.  Most are 14-18".  Lots are bigger, with 20+" fish not uncommon.  And they take #20-#24 midge larva – basically thread on a hook.  We made the regular jokes about fishing a #76 paramecium.  But then we figured out that the fish really wanted egg patterns.  Midge eggs.  That’s about a #84 hook. Two exceptional things happened Sunday.  Fish at the SJ collect behind the fishermen.  They see so many fishermen every day that they don’t spook too easily.  They swim behind you, sifting through the junk that your feet stir up.  I’m fishing in the Texas Hole and a big fish starts tapping on my boot!  He’s bumping it with his head!!  We figured he was trying to tell me to move my feet some more, so I’d stir up some more food. The second thing was when a beautiful blue heron came to our pool in the evening and watched us fish.  He squawked at us for a while, then he just watched. One of the problems with fishing the SJ is the crowds.  It’s become really popular.  The normal rules of stream etiquette just don’t apply, and you’re always fishing in sight of someone, and in the popular spots, with people very close by.  Except between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Monday there wer 8 people on the top ~1.5 miles of the river, from Texas Hole up to the dam (not counting two duck hunters).  7 of them were us!   It was deserted.  But the fish seemed to want to ride the tilt-a-whirl, and with fewer anglers on the river, they viciously attacked our flies.  My flies, at least.  Monday was one of those days you hear about, but seldom have.  Fish after fish after fish.  Big fish.   No tangles.  No break-offs.  Spot a fish, get a good drift to him, and he’d take.  Toss your fly in the water as you waded to a new place, and they’d find it when you weren’t expecting it.  I caught what was probably the largest trout of my life – ask Dan’l how big it was.  We layed it up against my fly rod to measure it.  I measured the fly rod later – it was a 24-25" rainbow – a true denizen of the deep.  I caught at least 4 over 20" on Monday, and lots and lots of the "small" ones. That evening, I walked over to a hole we’d been fishing every evening. I was the only one there – I couldn’t even see anyone else.  By Monday we knew what would work in this particular hole – any midge larva with red in it.  Unable to understand how fish could find such tiny flies in the failing light, I tossed in a #22 Desert Storm and started catching fish.  Pretty soon the blue heron came over to watch me.  Just me, the heron, and the fish.  I caught 5 in ~30 minutes before I decided to call it quits and head for home. It was a great weekend.  Fishing was good to great.  The weather was spectacular – the storm that was predicted went to the south and we never saw it.  Everyone got along well, and there was plenty of comraderie When do we do it again?  I’d fish with these guys any time.  Thanks Bruce, for setting this up.         – Bryan

Response:

Bryan, After a great report like that, you will be in great demand around here. Everyone enjoyed meeting you and fishing with you.  Glad to hear you had a good time.  Once we heard the "everyothercast" echo down the river, we knew you were. And I’ve got some news for you:  next year you’re the co-host! bruce h

Response:

I’ve been lurking around these parts lately.  A while back I saw that ROFF was going to the San Juan.  That’s just over 3 hours from home, and I fish there pretty often, so I hooked up with Bruiser and made plans to be there for the Clave.

    thanks for a nifty report, bryan.     funny how much your experience reminds me of fishing up in the smokies….  :( yfitons wayno

Response:

Bryan, [snip] And I’ve got some news for you:  next year you’re the co-host!

You realize that almost guarantees snow for next year, right? Sure, I’ll help.  If we act early, we can reserve most of Rizuto’s!         – Bryan

Response:

Sure, I’ll help.  If we act early, we can reserve most of Rizuto’s!

  Rizuto’s wins out over Abe’s, don’t you think?  I asked Chuck if he’d give a discount if I could get all of the roffians at next year’s clave booked there and he said yes.  Something to remember.  I knew it was a bad sign when we pulled up to #52 at Abe’s and there was the plumber’s truck sitting in front. Still not fixed after a year:)   Another great clave.  Thanks, Bruiser.  Bryan, it was nice to meet and fish with you.  You fit right in.  (Scary, isn’t’ it?)   As others have given such nice trip reports, I don’t have much to add.  I did discover the joys of studded, felt waders.  Unbelievable traction.  Should have purchased them years ago. I also bought some of that high priced Rio Fluoroflex plus tippet.  5X with a 5 lb. test.  It worked very well and I didn’t break off as many fish.   The first two days were the best for me.  I don’t know when I’ve caught as many big fish.  You couldn’t beat the weather, either.  I had a lot of fun driving down with Willi and Charlie, again.  They weren’t much fun on the way back as I think they slept the whole way.  I only took short naps as I was driving:)  It was great to see my clave buddies again and I’ll see you next year. Snoop — —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

    The first two days were the best for me.  I don’t know when I’ve caught as   many big fish.  You couldn’t beat the weather, either.  I had a lot of fun   driving down with Willi and Charlie, again.  They weren’t much fun on the way   back as I think they slept the whole way.  I only took short naps as I was   driving:)  It was great to see my clave buddies again and I’ll see you next   year. Get those pictures developed and out to me, please. Willi

Response:

Get those pictures developed and out to me, please.

  They’re being processed as we speak.  Hopefully will have them Monday.  Send me your mailing address. Snoop — —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

  Rizuto’s wins out over Abe’s, don’t you think?

Abe’s is part of the "experience."  I’ve experienced the "experience." This was the first time I’ve stayed at Rizuto’s.  Definately nicer. Seeing all those picnic tables around, I think we’ll need to haul a BBQ grill up there and have a Clave Banquet in the parking lot!   Another great clave.  Thanks, Bruiser.  Bryan, it was nice to meet and fish with you.  You fit right in.  (Scary, isn’t’ it?)

Doesn’t that mean I should be flaming somebody?  Everybody? I left one thing out of my trip report.  There were these bait fishermen.  They were fishing below the quality waters, down by the campground.  But they were staying at Rizuto’s, in room #1. AND THEY BROUGHT THEIR OWN SATELLITE TV DISH! [for those who don't know much about northern NM - you only get one TV station in Navajo Dam, and the reception of that one is pretty poor]         – Bryan

Response:

AND THEY BROUGHT THEIR OWN SATELLITE TV DISH!

Sounds like a good idea to me, assuming you have the time to watch TV. The local NM stations are the absolute worst.

Response:

Question:

Trolling?  No, I will leave that to you. I happen to have a lifetime of experience with "Gothic Egos". Who cares?  Well, we know who doesn’t care, right Hantz? George Gehrke "no fish is as large as a gothic ego"

Response:

Kiss Catch & Release good bye

Response:

Kiss Catch & Release good bye

Maybe yes, maybe no. Might keep some to eat, might catch so many that there’s no room for them. Either way, who cares? There’s plenty of fish in the sea. I hardly think C&K-ing some sea trout is gonna damage the ecosystem. But what’s it to you, anyway? Trolling? riverman

Response:

Question:

If grasshoppers had machine-guns, the birds wouldn’t fuck with them and neither would I for that matter.  <BSEG — Opie  –Planning for the Past–

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If grasshoppers are bopping about then, you can’t beat them.

Response:

I spend the summer there.  If you want to float with a guide, I would suggest the Yellowstone.  It seems the guides will be favoring either the Yellowstone or the Upper Madison, both about a 60 minute ride from Bozeman.  To wade/walk the Gallatin is just outside of Bozeman and flows south to north from Yellowstone National Park.  The other poster is right you’ve got many miles of water (go south, though, not north).  The lower Madison is too warm that time of year to spend time with if you’ve just a few days (it can produce early in the day).  July is caddis time.  The key for next summer will be water flows since the snowpack is only 50% of normal.  If you have time go to West Yellowstone (60 miles south), hire a guide and fish the Park.  The two biggest fly shops in town have websites, The Rivers Edge and Montana Troutfitters. Good Luck

Response:

I have a friend who lives in Livingston, 26 miles east of Bozeman. You have good access to the Madison, Gallatin, and Yellowstone rivers. The Madison is absolutely beautiful, the Gallatin is nice, but the Yellowstone has been the most consistent producer of nice fish for both of us. South of Livinston is Daily Lake, which has nice fish. If grasshoppers are bopping about then, you can’t beat them. In article – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Heading to Bozeman this summer in July.  Can anybody offer suggestions on streams/rivers to check while I am there and what to expect while I am doing it?  Anything would be appreciated.  A bit of a break from what I normally do is always welcome and I am really looking forward to it. Thanks.

Response:

Heading to Bozeman this summer in July.  Can anybody offer suggestions on streams/rivers to check while I am there and what to expect while I am doing it?  Anything would be appreciated.  A bit of a break from what I normally do is always welcome and I am really looking forward to it. Thanks. — Capt Gordon Churchill http://www.flyfish-nc.com Guided flyfishing on the Roanoke River and the Crystal Coast of NC out of Atlantic Beach/Morhead City/Beaufort.

Response:

Heading to Bozeman this summer in July.  Can anybody offer suggestions on streams/rivers to check while I am there and what to expect while I am doing it?  Anything would be appreciated.  A bit of a break from what I normally do is always welcome and I am really looking forward to it. Thanks. — Capt Gordon Churchill http://www.flyfish-nc.com Guided flyfishing on the Roanoke River and the Crystal Coast of NC out of Atlantic Beach/Morhead City/Beaufort.

Head north man and you have the Gallitin for 50 miles or more. Joel Axelrad

Response:

Question:

ugliest bearing remnant or piston rod (or maybe the alarm buzzer?) on the little display shelf that I call "The Chamber of Horrors."  It includes

At my house I call it the  "Hall of Shame" Iam gonna have it rebuildt. My first adventure will be  the trip back up river. I hope.. What kind of warrenty do you get on a rebuild? d mac

Response:

Yes, a humorous (to us!) post about a sad time, and we’ve all had them, but there is usually a valuable lesson-learned in any marine mishap, even on a small boat, and I found a good one buried in this one:  insure that critial alarms are audible or install remotes that will be.  Not to mention the other L RE-learned, that could’ve been more tragic in a river current: ground tackle is safety equipment!  Always know the water depths you’ll be traversing in advance (er, read a chart), and have sufficient scope (5 – 7 x depth) aboard & at the ready. Motor bearings, etc. are likely fried.  I’d fix it anyway, and put the ugliest bearing remnant or piston rod (or maybe the alarm buzzer?) on the little display shelf that I call "The Chamber of Horrors."  It includes such conversational items as a badly broken motorcycle helmet that came off my own head, a bolt fragment from inside a low suction valve bonnet that kept a chemical tanker in drydock for 3 extra days at a charter loss of millions, a stellite steam turbine blade that not only made it through the casing but pierced a forced-draft blower housing several stories higher, a peephole fitting that got buried in my fireman’s forehead (didn’t purge the furnace B4 lighting off after 38 years in the fireroom), the ring from my first marriage, and the empty envelope from the personal Christmas card Larry River$ painted for me that I accidently threw into the stove.

Response:

Fix the engine, and do the trip again to proof your wife wrong.  Just joking, but I will do the trip over myself.

Ha good point, I will finish it someday. d mac

Response:

I have no idea whats wrong but enjoyed reading your story….. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well for the last week of kids being out of school had a trip planned. Mini vacation, money tight end of summer one last cheap trip. I keep my boat at Paris Landing Tenn , stayed there a few nights and sat morning had planned for me wife 2 kids to go 50 miles to Toms creek on Tenn river to meet friends and there kids and stay  there 2 days and come back SUN…. Wife told me dont do it lets drive we know we will get there ..yang, yang, yang ect ect…… Nope Iam ready for a TRIP family time.. BOAT is a 86 28′Harris Pontoon  w/86 115 Johnson, OIL INJECTED  2nd owner, I have had 3 years nver gone anywere serviced once a year only used it once this year as in go for day. BOAT is slip kept.. 8AM SAt we take off have extra battery, cable, chart maps my 2 12 gallon tanks 20 more gallons of gas, oil reservier is FULL.. food, suit cases lots of cold beer for when I get there with my pardner , wives are good friends me and RON will kick back…. Off we go. Iam thinking hell Iam MANLY kinda guy looking for ADVENTURE!! Iam figurein  about a 3 hr trip running from 20 to 25mph.. ran my first tank out abouit a hour, was following bouys running red up river,things going good had a neat chart maps by TVA showe my marking ect.. I ran out of 1st tank of gas after about a hour changed to full tank 10 min later let son drive, he does fine 10 min later there is a CLANKing knocking nose, could tell motor was missing I started driving Talk about your a STUBBORN asshole  I TOLD YOU SO look from my wife….. I didn’t hear beeping nose(oiler beeps when not working)… no smoke , steam , smell… I cut off motor took off cover. I saw a cracked small hose that outlet that pumps water from engine to side of motor that lets you know water pump is working. I cut off bad hose pout back, this had nothing to do with problem. Engin was hot to touch.. well here I was with family floating Tenn River nobody around. what should I do? Just passed a god I know 3 wide 10 deep barge heading my way a few miles ago water dept is 40 feet in channel. My anchor ropw is 25..  I started motor back up, it was clanging more I could go forward just went slow. Fisherman came by I flagged him down he stopped, He asked me about oil told him it was 1/2 full. I cranked again he said its fixing to LOCK UP.. i shut if off.. let it cool cranked it again it just bumped didnt turn over.. HMmmm not good… we talked then I asked him the big one how far is closest mechinac.."About 5 miles that way,, I had a phone called info got marina "NOPE no one here  or gonna be here today but me" talk about being in  JAM… I told fisherman ID sure pay ya if you can tow me in… he had a RANGER 150  he said, "Ive been in your shoes before, you gotta rope?"  There is a GOD!! these fellow could have said see ya dont wanna be ya..  These  2 guys towed us a few miles told us  they had to stop saw fish in finder. They started fishing got into a mess of stripes, they cought 10 stripes it was great, wife and kids got a kick out of that… called folks we were on they were hour away they were on their way. When we got to dock and in slip I had $50 in my  hand and asked how much and the guy said "nothing the man didnt charge me anything and you just pass it on" I said please take this let me buy your lunch, take these 20 gallons of gas its not gonna do me any good. NOPE he didnt want nothing.. Well friends came picked us up (he to told me it was dumb to make the trip, so I HAD to listen to his remarks and rightfully so, I had screwed up his day driveing. We left boat over night, called had a friend pick up my trailor meet me there on SUN we picked it up now its in back yard.. END of story I had OIL in reseror tank, my water pump impeller replaced last year with cover off I can turn fly wheel about 4 turns and will turn  when starting but will come to stop and then will only bump unless your turn with had but will again come to stop and go no futher… Gonna have checked out, what ya think it is. Do I fix this motor or is it to OLD (86 Johnson 115) what could it be. d mac Tennessee

Response:

Sorry to hear your story.  Really sad, but at least you are ok. Fix the engine, and do the trip again to proof your wife wrong.  Just joking, but I will do the trip over myself. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well for the last week of kids being out of school had a trip planned. Mini vacation, money tight end of summer one last cheap trip. I keep my boat at Paris Landing Tenn , stayed there a few

Response:

Well for the last week of kids being out of school had a trip planned. Mini vacation, money tight end of summer one last cheap trip. I keep my boat at Paris Landing Tenn , stayed there a few nights and sat morning had planned for me wife 2 kids to go 50 miles to Toms creek on Tenn river to meet friends and there kids and stay  there 2 days and come back SUN…. Wife told me dont do it lets drive we know we will get there ..yang, yang, yang ect ect…… Nope Iam ready for a TRIP family time.. BOAT is a 86 28′Harris Pontoon  w/86 115 Johnson, OIL INJECTED  2nd owner, I have had 3 years nver gone anywere serviced once a year only used it once this year as in go for day. BOAT is slip kept.. 8AM SAt we take off have extra battery, cable, chart maps my 2 12 gallon tanks 20 more gallons of gas, oil reservier is FULL.. food, suit cases lots of cold beer for when I get there with my pardner , wives are good friends me and RON will kick back…. Off we go. Iam thinking hell Iam MANLY kinda guy looking for ADVENTURE!! Iam figurein  about a 3 hr trip running from 20 to 25mph.. ran my first tank out abouit a hour, was following bouys running red up river,things going good had a neat chart maps by TVA showe my marking ect.. I ran out of 1st tank of gas after about a hour changed to full tank 10 min later let son drive, he does fine 10 min later there is a CLANKing knocking nose, could tell motor was missing I started driving Talk about your a STUBBORN asshole  I TOLD YOU SO look from my wife….. I didn’t hear beeping nose(oiler beeps when not working)… no smoke , steam , smell… I cut off motor took off cover. I saw a cracked small hose that outlet that pumps water from engine to side of motor that lets you know water pump is working. I cut off bad hose pout back, this had nothing to do with problem. Engin was hot to touch.. well here I was with family floating Tenn River nobody around. what should I do? Just passed a god I know 3 wide 10 deep barge heading my way a few miles ago water dept is 40 feet in channel. My anchor ropw is 25..  I started motor back up, it was clanging more I could go forward just went slow. Fisherman came by I flagged him down he stopped, He asked me about oil told him it was 1/2 full. I cranked again he said its fixing to LOCK UP.. i shut if off.. let it cool cranked it again it just bumped didnt turn over.. HMmmm not good… we talked then I asked him the big one how far is closest mechinac.."About 5 miles that way,, I had a phone called info got marina "NOPE no one here  or gonna be here today but me" talk about being in  JAM… I told fisherman ID sure pay ya if you can tow me in… he had a RANGER 150  he said, "Ive been in your shoes before, you gotta rope?"  There is a GOD!! these fellow could have said see ya dont wanna be ya..  These  2 guys towed us a few miles told us  they had to stop saw fish in finder. They started fishing got into a mess of stripes, they cought 10 stripes it was great, wife and kids got a kick out of that… called folks we were on they were hour away they were on their way. When we got to dock and in slip I had $50 in my  hand and asked how much and the guy said "nothing the man didnt charge me anything and you just pass it on" I said please take this let me buy your lunch, take these 20 gallons of gas its not gonna do me any good. NOPE he didnt want nothing.. Well friends came picked us up (he to told me it was dumb to make the trip, so I HAD to listen to his remarks and rightfully so, I had screwed up his day driveing. We left boat over night, called had a friend pick up my trailor meet me there on SUN we picked it up now its in back yard.. END of story I had OIL in reseror tank, my water pump impeller replaced last year with cover off I can turn fly wheel about 4 turns and will turn  when starting but will come to stop and then will only bump unless your turn with had but will again come to stop and go no futher… Gonna have checked out, what ya think it is. Do I fix this motor or is it to OLD (86 Johnson 115) what could it be. d mac Tennessee

Response:

Question:

I’m planning of visiting Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks at the end of September.  Any advice on rivers and fly selection would be appreciated!  I’ll be staying in Three Rivers and Bass Lake.   Thanks Very Much!

Response:

I’m planning of visiting Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks at the end of September.  Any advice on rivers and fly selection would be appreciated!  I’ll be staying in Three Rivers and Bass Lake.  

The streams in that end of Yosemite will be too low at the end of Sept. , but it’s about an hour over to the Merced just outside the park at El Portal.  The Merced has been ok in some years and poor in others, but fishes best at this time of year.  Check with Bob at Sierra Anglers in Modesto for an up to date report.  Out of Three Rivers your best bet is the Middle Fk. of the Kaweah above Buckeye Flat campground.  Both rivers are free stone streams with lots of pocket water.  Use Elk Hair Caddis , stimulators or Humpies, the basic western Sierra drill. Good luck. …Dick

Response:

Question:

rec.outdoors.fishing.fly  newsgroup readers

[ ANGLER 2K ]

Question:

About a month ago I asked for info about fishing in N. Georgia.  The response was very good and I thank everyone.   Well, we just got back from the trip to Ga., and I have to tell ya, if I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it.  I discovered the Chatooga River, infamous for being the river where "Deliverence" was filmed.  What an absolutely beautiful piece of water!  I thought I was back in New England.  Fast, cold (61), free stone, clear trout water. There was a hatch of very small caddis, but didn’t see too many rises.  In NE I use a cased caddis fly called the Strawman; just spun deer hair trimmed short.  Gink it up so it floats.  Ga trout like it too.  Only had two days on the Chatooga, but managed a couple of nice browns (10-14 in) down-stream from the Rt 76 bridge.  Caught a few small rainbows downstream and upstream from the Rt 28 bridge.  Great river.  I also tried the Chatahootchi ( The Hootch) below Buford Dam.  Super cold – like 53; no hatches.  But lotsa fog!  Dragged a nymph or two, and lobbed a few streamers, but got zilch.  The rocks on this river are the slimiest, most slippery I’ve ever encountered!  I checked out the Hootch above the lake (iat next trip.  Also, I’d like to try the Chatooga just below the NC border.  Anyone know how to get there? The roads in Georgia are also terrific, and gas was $1.07 a gallon (it’s $1.50 here in Mass)!  Georgia’s not NH or Maine, but it’s great!   Good drifts, Dave LaCourse

Response:

[snip] The rocks on this river are the slimiest, most slippery I’ve ever encountered!

You don’t even want to ask what that slick stuff is! Also, I’d like to try the Chatooga just below the NC border.  Anyone know how to get there?

Go east from the river on Hwy 28 .  Hwy 107 will enter from the left. Take 107 north until you pass the state park on the right.  Start looking for the sign on the left for Burrells Ford road.  It’s a couple of miles down this road to the river.  When you get to the river the NC state line is about 4-4 1/2 miles upstream.  This part of the river is mainly brown trout water and is not stocked.  A good trail goes upstream on the east (South Carolina) side of the river. You can fish on the South Carolina side of the river with a Georgia license, just don’t go up any feeder streams.  As an alternate go west from the river on hwy 28.  Take the first gravel road to the right. That will bring you in to the opposite side of Burrells Ford. The roads in Georgia are also terrific, and gas was $1.07 a gallon (it’s $1.50 here in Mass)!  Georgia’s not NH or Maine, but it’s great!  

We don’t tax gas heavy but did you check the price of beer and cigs? Got to make those sinners pay! See ya, John Johnson Atlanta, GA

Response:

Question:

Want to fish with a combination wet and dry on my tippet. Problem is I’m not sure whether to attach my wet or dry as the first (dropper) fly or should I attach the wet to the dry fly hook bend? Although I’ll find this out, do the flies jumble up together when you false cast? Thanks, sjf muddler

Response:

muddler) writes: Want to fish with a combination wet and dry on my tippet. Problem is I’m not sure whether to attach my wet or dry as the first (dropper) fly or should I attach the wet to the dry fly hook bend? Although I’ll find this out, do the flies jumble up together when you false cast? Thanks, sjf muddler Wet to the bend of the dry, and yes they will "jumble." Try to keep

the false casts to a minimum.  Try a quartering cast upstream, and fully allowing the drift to play out all the way down stream, and follow the drift with your rod tip.  When the current applies the tension, and the rod is pointed straight down stream, turn your rod hand to point the reel upstream, raise the rod tip slowly loading the rod and fire the cast back up to your starting point. No back cast, no false cast.  Lengthen of shorten the cast by feeding more, or retrieving line from the down stream drag before the recast good luck jg

Response:

muddler) writes: Want to fish with a combination wet and dry on my tippet. Problem is I’m not sure whether to attach my wet or dry as the first (dropper) fly or should I attach the wet to the dry fly hook bend? Although I’ll find this out, do the flies jumble up together when you false cast? Thanks, sjf muddler

The best way I’ve found to fish a dry/wet combo is to use a dry fly on the end of your leadeder, and then tie a piece of tippet material to the bend of the dry fly’s hook and attach a wet fly or nymph to the end of the second piece.  This way you can fish both flies and you won’t get as many tangles when you’re casting.  If you put the nymph or wet on first and then attach your dry fly the dry fly won’t float well and the wet won’t sink well.  So it’s dryfly first and wet/nymph tied onto that. Other methods include tying on an extra piece of tippet and only trimming one of the tags. Then tie the dry fly onto the tag and the wet/nymph to the point.  This will tangle like crazy unless the tag is kept short (around 6") and still will tangle far more than the first method I described.                                          Hope this helps,                                                Dan Dan Gracia                                                               Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools If you kill that big fish you can’t catch ‘em again.  So what if they eat other fish?  If you kill the big ones there will only be little ones left (funny how that works!).

Response:

  I have used both methods Mr Gracia describes (wet tied to dry’s bend vs dry on a dropper) and agree that the former rig tangles less often.  On the other hand, the only fish that I have hooked on the dry were taken with the dropper rig.  I have been experimenting with multiple-fly rigs for about a year, and the solution to the tangling problem seems to lie in the casting technique — softer, more open loops, a slightly sidearm delivery, and few false casts.  I have found that one of my old glass rods works better than my graphites for this.  Perhaps some reader from the UK, where multiple fly rigs are commonly used, could enlighten us more on this method.  – Roger

Response:

Question:

Hi Dave, Hear is another stream flow site, it covers the whole US: http://h2o.usgs.gov/swr/ Once you get to that page, then you select a state and from there…? Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Response:

: Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the : rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish : there? : Regards, :       Bill

Response:

Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish there? Regards,    Bill

Hi Bill, Just out last Sunday on the Deschutes. It has calmed down alot since I first went out last month. I got a 17-inch native redside on a stonefly nymph. Alot of the bank vegitation has been either washed away or knocked down. I would say about 60% of it is gone. But I have bee fishing it three times in the last month and have had great succes on nymphs. I have seen very little hatch activity. The river flow now is about 5,000 cfs which is usually the max that you want to be fishing. Ideal is 3,000-4,000 cfs. You can call the PGE fish line at 503-464-7474 which will give you flow info on the Deschutes, Sandy, and Clackamas rivers. Right now the story on the D is nymphs and riffles. Good Luck Dan Root Portland, Oregon

Response:

Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish there?

Just talked to Cy Happy at Ray’s River Dories who floated the river on the 13th and 14th from Warm Springs to Maupin.  Flows were 5700cfs, the visibility was good at about 3 feet.  No visible hatches but Cy reported good fishing with stonefly nymphs. He mentioned that the fish were active and strong and showed few apparent effects from the strong stream flows earlier. He also cautioned boatmen that the river is different from before.  For example, there is a new large boulder in Whitehorse that has already claimed at least one boat

Response:

Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish there? Regards,         Bill

Response:

Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish there? Regards,        Bill

Check out this USGS website–gives you streamflow stats every half-hour, fresh from space.   http://wwworegon.wr.usgs.gov/rt dir/realtime/data/man.14103000.html (Work back from here for stats on other rivers.)

Response:

Question:

Can anyone provide information of good fly fishing spots in and around Ithaca New York?   Thanks GDO

Response:

Can anyone provide information of good fly fishing spots in and around Ithaca New York?   Thanks GDO

I have made the three – plus hour trip out to Ithaca from Albany a few times to fish for landlocked salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout in the spring and fall.  Mostly I have stuck to Fall Creek, but I have also fished Salmon Creek which is a short drive from Ithaca.  Fall Creek flows right through Ithaca, and some of the best fishing can be in the large pool at the base of the magnificent waterfall about 1.5 miles upstream from where the creek pours into Cayuga Lake.  For info on what when where why etc. I suggest the book "Good Fishing in Western New York"…I think it is available from Countryman Press. Right now it may be a little early for the rainbows, but browns and salmon may be in.  It’s been a dry fall around here, though, and I haven’t heard anything great about the fishing in the Finger Lakes tribs.  Of course, if you live in the area it’s no big deal to check it out…if you hear anything about the salmon run, please post it.  I am desperate to catch a landlock on my flyrod!!! Paul DiConza     NY Capital District Angler

Response: