Question:

Ever had one of those days that just keeps getting better and better?  I came home from work today and had a slip to go pick up a package at the post office.  I stayed up tying flies and then someone knocked on the door.  It was the post man with another package from Wayno with raffle items.  Cool shirt and a very nice picture.  So, I go back to tying flies and at 11 am go to the post office and pick up a box from my aunt and uncle.   I get home and there is a fedex guy walking ahead of me.  He stops at the mail boxes after saying hello and I go on to my apartment.  A few moments later there is a knock on the door.  Open the door and Mr FedEx is there.  We both kinda laughed since he could have just given me the envelope outside.  I come back inside and open the box from aunt and uncle and it is one of those talking bass things.  After reading about them here I was a little skeptical so I opened the envelope (again from Wayno). Inside the envelope were a bunch of pictures of the Carolina clave.  I went through these a couple of times and had fun reading the notes on the back of them.  Then I fired ol’ Billy Bass up and got a chuckle from that.  I went through the pictures from Wayno again and think I got more chuckles from those however. So around 12:30 I decide I better get some sleep.  I have to get up at 4:30 to go to work so I lay down and almost as soon as I start falling asleep the phone rings.  I debated on answering it, but given the short time to the clave I decided I better because it might be a clavester in need of assistance.  I answer the phone and it was Bob Card whom you might remember from here a while back.  He and I have been emailing each other for a while because he was supposed to come out here on a business trip.  Didn’t hear from him for about a month so I emailed him again about a week and a half ago. Well, turns out that Bob is going to be in Bozeman this coming up weekend.  He and a friend will be arriving just in time for the clave and will be able to show up friday when they are done and then some on saturday before leaving from Butte Saturday at 6 pm.  Talk about luck!   Bob and I chatted for a bit, but now I am afraid to go to sleep because something else might happen.  I should run out and buy a lotto ticket or something.  The way today is going I will be tired, but I sure as hell am enjoying today anyway!  I even got another dozen tied for my fly box Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the neat flies that somebody sent me.  Got those when I was home for lunch last night.  I shall guard their name as closely as I guard the names of my favorite fishing spots unless they wish to name themselves and start tying up dozens more for the people who will no doubt want a set too <g   Well, maybe I should try and get some sleep. Warren X#-[

Trout Dwellers Unite! Western Conclave Guru For info: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/sp_ROFF_people/wclave/wclave.html

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 Oh, Clavemeister.    You don’t have to guard the name.  They are Frank’s Fightin’ Craws tied in a size ten and a tan color to match Montana crawdads.  With my compliments, I hope they work.                   Frank Reid

You better start tying now.  I imagine you will be receiving orders *very* soon <g  Just make sure to caution everyone that these things do bite.  Took me an hour once I unleashed them to gather them back up and contain them again. Thanks again Frank.  I can’t get over how cool these things are. Warren X#-[

Trout Dwellers Unite! Western Conclave Guru For info: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/sp_ROFF_people/wclave/wclave.html

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Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the neat flies that somebody sent me.  Got those when I was home for lunch last night.  I shall guard their name as closely as I guard the names of my favorite fishing spots unless they wish to name themselves and start tying up dozens more for the people who will no doubt want a set too <g

   Oh, Clavemeister.     You don’t have to guard the name.  They are Frank’s Fightin’ Craws tied in a size ten and a tan color to match Montana crawdads.  With my compliments, I hope they work.                    Frank Reid Before you buy.

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Question:

at about 10 am on saturday, matt called me from the shop to let me know his guided trip was cancelled. it was sleeting/snowing and the outside temp. was about 28. we decided it was perfect weather to go fishing. so we got together, geared up, and headed over to tn to fish the tailwaters on the watauga. after a lunch stop at jeff miller’s favorite burger franchise, we headed to the parking area, put waders on and made our way down to the river. the watauga river at this stretch is about 40 to 50 yards wide with an awesome cliff face acting as the opposite bank. there is a water-level cave in the cliff face that as legend goes, was used by the confederates to hide ammo and stores in the recent unpleasantness. as we approached the water, a few other anglers were pulling out, explaining as they went that the water was going to be coming up from the generating station 12 miles east of where we were and it would get pretty hairy if you were out in the river. i asked one of the guys what kind of increase, and he pointed to his chest…in other words, about 3′ of higher water. well hell, we decided to stay close to shore (mama didn’t raise a fool) and try our luck. i tied on a bead-head pheasant tail, size 14 and started dead drifting it through a run and picked up a 12" or so rainbow. i noticed that i was now standing in about 2 feet of water where before it was only about a foot. i checked a rock that i was keeping an eye on, and sure enough, water was starting to flow over it. i hailed matt and told him we better move back some and as he was pulling in his contraption (for lack of a better term for the established guide rig) a rainbow took one of the many flies he was drifting. another gentleman, who was downstream from us, made his way up towards us and we all entered into discussion about what a great strech of river it was and how much higher the water would rise. neal was fishing a beautiful leonard bamboo rod with a princess reel, awesome. he was testing a new crane-fly pattern that he had tied up. as we were just standing in 6 or so inches of water trying to decide what to do about the riskier conditions, i started dead drifting again. bam, a fish. bam, another, fish. as matt was talking about leaving, bam, another fish. to hell with leaving….i say. the river had come up (a foot or two), the water was faster, but it was definetly fishable. here we were, just the three of us, on the most coveted trophy section of the watauga tail-race. cool. to shorten the story….many more fish were caught (matt even managed a big rainbow at about 18-20), some regal (pabst) beer was consumed, and afterwords, it only took 3 hours for my feet to thaw. walt — Ezflyfish.com http://www.ezflyfish.com BRBG http://www.abebooks.com/home/BLUEBOOKS P.O. Box 5112  Banner Elk, NC 28604 (828)963-5001

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So how far is it from Raleigh to the Watauga? Steve Zimmerman

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – excellent trip report snipped… walt

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About 5.5 hours, Steve, if the weather’s OK and I-40/85 doesn’t have more than 10 wrecks in the construction zones between Durham and Hwy 421. Tom — Tom Brown The Signal Group Wake Forest, NC HEATHEN, n. A benighted creature who has the folly to worship something that he can see and feel.                – Ambrose Bierce: The Devil’s Dictionary – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -.. So how far is it from Raleigh to the Watauga? Steve Zimmerman excellent trip report snipped… walt

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Question:

Do you know good river like Big Horn? I came from Italy to USA in August for flyfishing holiday. My trip start in Oregon for Wyoming and go-back. I know only the Umpqua and the Deschutes, the Big  Horn and Shoshone Ok for C&R. Thank you for informations Giovanni Bartolozzi  Il Martin Pescatore Mosca Club

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I live in Bend, Oregon.  I can help you with lots of questions on fly fishing in Central Oregon.  I mostly do stillwater fishing. But can get answers to any questions you might have.  chow  gjbend

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Will be in bend 1st week of April. Do you think davis Lake will be accessable and is a float tube adequate?

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I think thats what the rumor is that Davis wood be accessable April 1.  I have my doubts tho.  I fished Fall River Tues. and the parking lot still has 2 feet of snow and had to park on the hwy.  Fall River and Crooked might be an option.  Actually, Chickahomany(sp) should be thawed and  ready too.  Good luck.

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Geeez….would   not wood.  Saw that as I sent.  :(

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How was fall river, BWO’s?

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If the weathers keeps warm you might try BWO.  I used a #20 black midge with cdc wing that worked great. The fish were lightly nibbleing at the surface so just drifted fly about 2 inches below the surface.  If you have ever fished there you know what its like to watch the fish suck up your fly.

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Question:

    Another question from me.. what is the best temp.(water temp) do the fish work at have been trying to read anything on the situation but so far have had no luck and am reluctant to ask the folks at the shop in case they think I am crazy.. have heard different numbers being bandied about but am wondering in specific areas like here in the foothills (calgary to be exact) what a "right" temperature might be?? Any ideas would be appreciated thanks for lending an ear and a hand in advice! Pierre

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trout can be very active at water temp 45F to 65F,    53-57 best.  Depends greatly on the local adaptations, and the "hatches". Schuhfly

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Also 35F to 40F water as on the San Juan. Devon – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – trout can be very active at water temp 45F to 65F,    53-57 best.  Depends greatly on the local adaptations, and the "hatches". Schuhfly

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    Another question from me.. what is the best temp.(water temp) do the fish work at have been trying to read anything on the situation but so far have had no luck and am reluctant to ask the folks at the shop in case they think I am crazy.. have heard different numbers being bandied

Fish prefer different water temperatures, when they are likely to feed most actively, e.g. approx. 60 Fahr. for stream trout, 70 for smallmouth bass, etc.  Recommended temperatures are in several books, e.g. McClane’s Fishing Encyclopedia.  Water temp. is a guide how to fish, e.g. wet or dry, not whether to fish or not.  If you can present a fly really close to a fish without scaring him, he is likely to take it whatever the temperature. — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

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The "rule" I follow is to ensure that the air and water temp. do not vary by more than 10 c. This is for Atlantic Salmon fishing in the Maritimes. I cannot tell you if there is any documentation on this, however, the "good old boys" on the River will say this.                                           Robert – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    Another question from me.. what is the best temp.(water temp) do the fish work at have been trying to read anything on the situation but so far have had no luck and am reluctant to ask the folks at the shop in case they think I am crazy.. have heard different numbers being bandied about but am wondering in specific areas like here in the foothills (calgary to be exact) what a "right" temperature might be?? Any ideas would be appreciated thanks for lending an ear and a hand in advice! Pierre

Response:

   Another question from me.. what is the best temp.(water temp) do the fish work at have been trying to read anything on the situation but so far have had no luck and am reluctant to ask the folks at the shop in case they think I am crazy.. have heard different numbers being bandied about but am wondering in specific areas like here in the foothills (calgary to be exact) what a "right" temperature might be?? Any ideas would be appreciated thanks for lending an ear and a hand in advice! Pierre

Hi All, Different species have different comfort ranges. I think that the activity can vary from stream to stream depending the norm. I have noticed that trout feed better between 55 and 65 degrees. If the water is a little too cold, I always fish more in the mid-day when the water is warming. If the water is too warm, I fish very early and late in the day when the water is cooler. Most fisheries have a two to six week window in the spring/early summer when the water is coming down and warming with all the larger bugs hatching. They can have a fall season too, when the water is cooling and the fish are feeding up for winter. Here in Northern California on a normal snow pack/runoff year, June and October are our top months for trout at a medium elevation (2,000 to 6,000′). Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY www.kiene.com

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trout can be very active at water temp 45F to 65F,    53-57 best.  Depends greatly on the local adaptations, and the "hatches".

…and the species.  Lake trout like it colder than Brown trout, for example. Also I find trout seem to tolerate excesses of cold more than heat. — -Wayne Trzyna                           Fight spam! Join CAUCE (Coalition  http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~trzyna    See http://www.cauce.org/

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Question:

Hello, all… I am leaving for Minnesota (from Michigan) this Saturday morning on a week fishing & camping trip. Can anyone tell me good places for fly-fishing?  Good places for trout, smallmouth bass, etc… I am species indifferent.

Without knowing where you are going to be, I would have to say that anywhere is just fine. 14,000 lakes are filled with bass and sunnies galore.  Carp too, if you can get one. There are plenty of rivers offering smallies, drum, white bass, etc. The trout live in the northeast area above Duluth and also in the southeast along the Whitewater and Root river systems. Have fun and leave a few for the locals. Jon Russell FlyFish Minnesota

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Hello, all… I am leaving for Minnesota (from Michigan) this Saturday morning on a week fishing & camping trip. Can anyone tell me good places for fly-fishing?  Good places for trout, smallmouth bass, etc… I am species indifferent. Thanks, –Kris Jacobs Kalamazoo, MI

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: Hello, all… I am leaving for Minnesota (from Michigan) this Saturday : morning on a week fishing & camping trip. : Can anyone tell me good places for fly-fishing?  Good places for trout, : smallmouth bass, etc… I am species indifferent. Geez….. That state is a fair sized piece of real estate! How far are you willing to drive?  Could you be a little more particular about which corner your gonna be in? If it were up to me, I’d go straight to the BWCA.  But then again, I’m gonna be there next month. — Jon Porter

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Question:

I’m an italian fly fisherman,i will be in Vancouver for the next August i need some address of fly fishing shops, thanks Massimiliano

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I’m an italian fly fisherman,i will be in Vancouver for the next August i need some address of fly fishing shops, thanks Massimiliano i do not know which vancouver you are asking about (B.C. or WA), both have great fishing nearby.  if you meant vancouver, wa you might try The Greased Line Fly Shop at 360-573-9383.  i have been in a couple times and they are knowledgeable in the ways of steelhead. Enjoy the west coast while you’re out here.  If you meant BC, forget this message

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I’m an italian fly fisherman,i will be in Vancouver for the next August i need some address of fly fishing shops, thanks Massimiliano

If Vancouver BC: Babcock’s 931-5044 Michael & Young’s 588-2833 Outdoors unlimited 463-0707 Ruddick’s 434-2420(Burnaby) or 681-3747 (Granville Island – downtown) Terminal Tackle 536-4665 B.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m an italian fly fisherman,i will be in Vancouver for the next August i need some address of fly fishing shops, thanks Massimiliano If Vancouver BC: Babcock’s 931-5044 Michael & Young’s 588-2833 Outdoors unlimited 463-0707 Ruddick’s 434-2420(Burnaby) or 681-3747 (Granville Island – downtown) Terminal Tackle 536-4665 B.

Ruddicks in Burnaby will be moving soon.  They have a sale on stuff ’til the end of the month. — The views expressed are my own and does not represent those of my employer.

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  Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.fishing.fly   Ruddicks in Burnaby will be moving soon.  They have a sale on stuff ’til   the end of the month.

How does (did) the Burnaby branch compare to the Granville Island store in terms of selection etc.  I’ve never been to that branch. thanks,         -tony — Tony Gades. Seattle, WA.  USA http://weber.u.washington.edu/~tgades http://weber.u.washington.edu/~tgades/Fishing/fish_page.html email: replace the "this_address_is_wrong" with "tgades"

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SNIP How does (did) the Burnaby branch compare to the Granville Island store in terms of selection etc.  I’ve never been to that branch. thanks,         -tony — Tony Gades. Seattle, WA.  USA http://weber.u.washington.edu/~tgades http://weber.u.washington.edu/~tgades/Fishing/fish_page.html email: replace the "this_address_is_wrong" with "tgades"

Burnaby store is older, larger, more stuff, more selection, less swanky.  They also offer fly tying classes there.                         -cheers — The views expressed are my own and does not represent those of my employer.

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:   Ruddicks in Burnaby will be moving soon.  They have a sale on stuff ’til :   the end of the month. : How does (did) the Burnaby branch compare to the Granville Island : store in terms of selection etc.  I’ve never been to that branch. The store out in Burnaby was "the big one", while the one on Granville Island was a small one meant to snag a few bucks from the large number of folks who go down to the island daily. Not certain why they’re closing out that location. I like Michael & Young; I also visit a little place called "Hanson’s" (perhaps "Hansen’s") in the high-rent district in downtown Van (it’s on Hornby, I believe, only a couple of blocks from my employer’s corporate offices in the Waterfron Centre). Not big, few tying supplies, but you can buy a rod and a few flies, or book a guide who can speak Japanese or Cantonese or German. — 3798 Woodland Drive     voice: (250) 368-9315 Trail, BC               data:  (250) 368-9341

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For Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada I would recommend my favorite, Michael & Young Flyshop in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver.(604-588-2833) The shop is a short walk (1/2 mile) from the Surrey skytrain station by Surrey Centre Mall (30 min. skytrain ride from downtown).  They supply equipment and excellent advice to flyfishermen looking for action locally, at  not too distant hotspots like Kamloops, Merritt, or Vancouver Island (2-3 hrs drive) or even in exotic places like Mexico.  Ruddicks Fly Shop in Burnaby (another suburb) may be closer and is supposed to provide similar service, though I haven’t been there. (604-434-2420) Hope you enjoy your trip. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m an italian fly fisherman,i will be in Vancouver for the next August i need some address of fly fishing shops,

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I’m an italian fly fisherman,i will be in Vancouver for the next August i need some address of fly fishing shops, thanks Massimiliano

For Vancouver BC try Hanson’s Fishing Outfitters, 102-580 Hornby Street, in downtown Vancouver. Ph 604 684 8988.  They also have a web site but I don’t know the URL. Peter Sealy

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Question:

I ve in northern MA. I would like to try fly fishing for shad. I would drive to Holyoke or Enfield Ct and fish the dams there, which, I understand, are both hot spots. But, does anyone have any thoughts or current info about the Merrimack or North Rivers or anywhere else? joe hardman

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Hey Joe, Where ya been hidin’?   Under a snow drift? <G I hear the shad have moved up the Merrimack and should be up to the Essex dam in downtown Lawrence any time now.  I talked to a guy at my TU meeting tonight who got a lot of shad last weekend at the Rocks Village Bridge in Haverhill.   There will probably be some schoolies mixed in with them.  I hope to get down there and try it within the week.   Tight Lines, Gerry Crow

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I ve in northern MA. I would like to try fly fishing for shad. I would drive to Holyoke or Enfield Ct and fish the dams there, which, I understand, are both hot spots. But, does anyone have any thoughts or current info about the Merrimack or North Rivers or anywhere else? joe hardman

Ran into a guy at the Seabrook estuary yesterday who told me he did real well on shad this week at Rock Village in Haverhill. Incoming tide, sinking line, small flies. have fun,                 jc

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Question:

I have been fly fishing for awhile now and I always hear that chirnomids are the key.  Any info on how to fish these little creatures would be most helpful!

Depends on whether you’re fishing them in rivers or lakes. In rivers generally I like to fish them dead drift (both pupa and larval imitations).   I fish them under an indicator with 6x (hopefully) or 7x (if I must) tippet set to the depth of the water and a small split shot about 6" above the fly.  In spring creeks the indicator will only move once out of every 4 strikes or so and you’re better off watching the fish for a feeding move if you can see him when the ‘cator gets close.  If the fish’s head snaps from the side to center, STrike! If the fish moves over and stops, STRike!  If you see the white flash of the fish’s mouth opening, wait until it closes and STRIke!   If you think it might be your fly but you’re not sure, STRIKe!!   You have nothing to lose and if it was you and you didn’t strike, the fish may not pick it up again and you’ve lost out.  If in doubt, STRIKE!! You can also fish a pupa imitation in the film by putting some fly floatant only on the thorax).  This will allow it to hang down from the suface just like the natural does (this only works on a fresh fly not a waterlogged one).  You’ll see the strike as a sipping rise. If they are taking the fully emerged adults, fish the midge on the surface.  If you get a refusal – the fish turns away or the water just bulges under your fly, trim the hackle off the bottom of the fly and cut the tail in half. This will drop it slightly into the film and will usually take the fish that just refused it.  If you don’t see a small bubble in the riseform, then the fish is not breaking the surface and hanging it an inch under the water sometimes works real well.  Treat your leader with fly floatant up to about 1"-2" away from the fly but not on the pupa itself.  This will hang the fly just under the surface.  Sometimes the take is visible as a rise and sometimes the take just looks like a bulge in the water – STRIKE! In lakes I also often use an indicator with my pupa imitations to more accurately imitate the manner in which  they approach the surface.  Attach the indicator about 5′ above the fly and a small split shot about 6" from the fly.  Cast the fly out and allow it to sink for 10 seconds or so. Strip the fly back to you in 6-7" strips with the rod tip in the water so that when you pull on the line you are pulling on the fly.  Strip it just fast enough to make a small wake with the indicator.  This method makes the fly swim up to the surface more vertically than without an indicator and makes a big difference in success.  Watch the ‘cator closely as the fish will often take the fly as it stops moving and sinks a little before the next strip.  Even if the fish takes it as you have it under tension, the indicator will twitch slightly before you feel it.  These are most effectively fished over weedbeds (chironomid hotels). I set up dries and emergers in lake the same way I outlined for rivers, but I try to give them a little twitch from time to time since there is no current. Helps attract the fish’s attention and adds a little more realism to the presentation.  Remember this is a twitch not a 1 or 2" pull – would have to be super midge to move that far.  If you get the slack out of the line and get your rod tip slightly under water you can do this twitch pretty effectively. Don’t overdo it.                            Hope this helps,                                    Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Schools 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!).

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Question:

: DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A QUALIFIED MAN OR WOMAN WHO WOULD BE : INTERESTED IN PROVIDING FLY CASTING CLASSES TO CUSTOMERS OF AN : ORVIS FULL DISTRIBUTORSHIP IN ALBUQUERQUE NM?  ALSO LOOKING FOR : LICENSED GUIDES WHO CAN WORK THE PECOS, RIO GRANDE, CIMARRON, OR : CHAMA.   Call Harry D. Knox…he has a great school…

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DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A QUALIFIED MAN OR WOMAN WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING FLY CASTING CLASSES TO CUSTOMERS OF AN ORVIS FULL DISTRIBUTORSHIP IN ALBUQUERQUE NM?  ALSO LOOKING FOR LICENSED GUIDES WHO CAN WORK THE PECOS, RIO GRANDE, CIMARRON, OR CHAMA.   — manuel monasterio

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The FFF now has a program of certified fly fishing instructors, as well as a directory of those who have been certified.  Contact them in Montana. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A QUALIFIED MAN OR WOMAN WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING FLY CASTING CLASSES TO CUSTOMERS OF AN ORVIS FULL DISTRIBUTORSHIP IN ALBUQUERQUE NM?  ALSO LOOKING FOR LICENSED GUIDES WHO CAN WORK THE PECOS, RIO GRANDE, CIMARRON, OR CHAMA.   — manuel monasterio

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Question:

HELP!!! My wife is insisting on a family vacation this summer to a resort in Durango Colorado. Can anyone suggest places to fly fish nearby? Thanks in advance for your help. Duane

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When in Rome… Be sure to check in with the fine folks at the Durangler fly shop

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