Question:

Does anyone have any experience fishing for these fish in Florida, with flys? I see lots of guides, etc., but they seem to be traditional tackle guys. Fred

Response:

with flys? I see lots of guides, etc., but they seem to be traditional tackle guys.

You might try looking up Steve Kantner "aka The Land Capitan." He writes an article occasionaly for The Fly Tyer Magazine. I have not fished with him yet, but would like to and hope to do so sometime this spring. He is a Florida guide that specializes in walk-in fishing for snook, tarpon, and peacock bass. He last had an article on some of his flies in the Summer 2002 issue of the Fly Tyer. Big Dale

Response:

Question:

Riverrat…  ever seen an anglerfish?  i figger if the fish use attractants, i oughtta too.  it’s the only thing me and the ol anglerfish got goin for us.  but, i do like stimulators nearbout as much <G jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – and whatabout the area, isn’t it a restricted stream where you can’t use attracters? <vbg RiverRat

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If it’s the same Mrs. Hathaway that I remember, she ran for Congress in the 80’s in south central PA.  Died a few years later.

That’s the one (Nancy Kulp). — Charlie…

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<snipped In the old days long before I was around, they used deer fat to grease leaders.   There is an article on the web talking about using Albolene for flys and deer fat for leaders: http://www.fieldandstream.com/looking_back/19980101.html bc.

Response:

listen fellas….honest, i don’t know who hacked into my system and wrote that crazy stuff.  some drunk sob, i’m sure. …but i did find a fly floating (still at 8:53 am) in a bowl of water and some streaks of bacon grease on my keyboard….   jeff   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – …y’all snicker, but 5:27 pm and the damn fly is still floating…i’m on the lookout for bears though!  …         Come and listen to a story bout a man named jeffro         barely kept his sanity while thinkin to and fro;         then one day, while cookin some breakfast food,         he found the bacon grease, when to the fly applied,         yielded results that raised a grin far and wide.         Crude, but mighty good… better’n Miss Hathaway nude.         hawg squeezins, chitlin fixins…         fly’s still a-floatin, Ms. Hathaway longing… satisfied… jeffro  (ya can call me mr.J – ain’t got no meter, just a puzzled peter) BTW, who is Ms. Hathaway and how did she get dragged into this? Inquiring minds want to know. She was a character on the TV sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies", and I confess I was the one who brought her up in relation to ‘Jethro’ Miller<g. — Charlie…

Response:

it’s tough bein on the leadin edge of new adventures.  my rag tag outfitter company, Ursa Urticants R Us, Inc., is always looking for fresh meat, er…talent. you appear to meet all of our criteria.  an application is in the mail. jeff PS – Great story…any photos available?   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Grizzly Fishing 101 . Having fished for grizzlies,  I would like to advise that a bacon greased dry presentation simply does not cut it when attempting to "match the hatch".  From personal experience, one is advised to use a much larger stimulator or attractor pattern. About 15lb. larger to be exact. Case Study: On our yearly trip to the Karluk we are routinely "asked" to share prime water with the local grizzly or three.  Last year a sow and her two cubs could be expected to make a daily circuit up or down the middle of the river easily taking coho, steelhead, sockeye and dolly from our favorite runs. As mom and the kids could usually be seen coming from some distance, our strategy was to simply begin fishing our way back to camp. Cast, walk during the swing, retrieve quickly and cast again making steady progress toward camp. One eye on the happy family, one eye on your line as it makes the swing. Quickly now. On one occasion, I was first to camp so hurried to my tent to retrieve a camera to record what had become a daily ritual. Several of my compatriots were still fishing but were making increasingly rapid progress to camp as the distance between the two groups of fishers was decreasing . At this point, something few fishermen can imagine occurred. When is the last time you made a cast where you DIDN’T want to catch a fish ?  Worse , having made the unimaginable cast, you hook a bright 15lb.coho, who, in her suicidal wisdom heads straight for big mama. Apparently a #4 Egg Sucking Leach was not going to be a "grizzly" enough finish for this lady. Photo 1: Both fishermen look in surprise as the coho decides to go airborne 3 feet in front of larger fisher. Confused look on both faces. One of opportunity, one of desperation. Photo 2: Sensing easy fodder, mama heads for coho while puny male human is captured with  rod horizontal, pulling in desperation trying to break off one of his best fish of the day. Wakes are apparent in the water as each make their way to their individual destinations. A touch of the McCallan is shared to honor the first grizzly to the "fly". MS level courses in hooking and landing are being developed. Ph.D. in C&R is unlikely. Tight lines all, — Jeff www.teleport.com/~salmo/jp.htm bears – Ms. Hathaway – bears – Ms. Hathaway…hmmmm…. ok…i’ll redirect my efforts here… well, you guys are always looking for a new adventure…how about – flyfishing for grizzlies…yeah, that’s it.  it’ll be like swimming with the white sharks in australia.  lacourse, you fry the bacon and i’ll weld us up some steel cages to "fish" from…

Response:

and whatabout the area, isn’t it a restricted stream where you can’t use attracters? <vbg RiverRat

Response:

Grizzly Fishing 101 . Having fished for grizzlies,  I would like to advise that a bacon greased dry presentation simply does not cut it when attempting to "match the hatch".  From personal experience, one is advised to use a much larger stimulator or attractor pattern. About 15lb. larger to be exact. Case Study: On our yearly trip to the Karluk we are routinely "asked" to share prime water with the local grizzly or three.  Last year a sow and her two cubs could be expected to make a daily circuit up or down the middle of the river easily taking coho, steelhead, sockeye and dolly from our favorite runs. As mom and the kids could usually be seen coming from some distance, our strategy was to simply begin fishing our way back to camp. Cast, walk during the swing, retrieve quickly and cast again making steady progress toward camp. One eye on the happy family, one eye on your line as it makes the swing. Quickly now. On one occasion, I was first to camp so hurried to my tent to retrieve a camera to record what had become a daily ritual. Several of my compatriots were still fishing but were making increasingly rapid progress to camp as the distance between the two groups of fishers was decreasing . At this point, something few fishermen can imagine occurred. When is the last time you made a cast where you DIDN’T want to catch a fish ?  Worse , having made the unimaginable cast, you hook a bright 15lb.coho, who, in her suicidal wisdom heads straight for big mama. Apparently a #4 Egg Sucking Leach was not going to be a "grizzly" enough finish for this lady. Photo 1: Both fishermen look in surprise as the coho decides to go airborne 3 feet in front of larger fisher. Confused look on both faces. One of opportunity, one of desperation. Photo 2: Sensing easy fodder, mama heads for coho while puny male human is captured with  rod horizontal, pulling in desperation trying to break off one of his best fish of the day. Wakes are apparent in the water as each make their way to their individual destinations. A touch of the McCallan is shared to honor the first grizzly to the "fly". MS level courses in hooking and landing are being developed. Ph.D. in C&R is unlikely. Tight lines all, — Jeff www.teleport.com/~salmo/jp.htm

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – bears – Ms. Hathaway – bears – Ms. Hathaway…hmmmm…. ok…i’ll redirect my efforts here… well, you guys are always looking for a new adventure…how about – flyfishing for grizzlies…yeah, that’s it.  it’ll be like swimming with the white sharks in australia.  lacourse, you fry the bacon and i’ll weld us up some steel cages to "fish" from…

Response:

BTW, who is Ms. Hathaway and how did she get dragged into this? Inquiring minds want to know.

She was Mr. Drysdale’s sado-masochistic lover/secretary who was always trying to get Jethro to show her his (fly) rod.   Or something like that. Shoot your television, Bob Scott

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Ya, save her for Louie.  She’s already past changing. Her and LaPlac would make a fine looking couple at the places IJ sends him to<g. — Charlie…

Be great fun watching them decide who would lead.  :) Peter

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…y’all snicker, but 5:27 pm and the damn fly is still floating…i’m on the lookout for bears though!  …  

<Interesting lyric snipped Damn Jeff! Don’t know what you’re smoking down there, but winter’s coming and we yankees could sure use some. George Adams "From the rockin’ of the cradle to the rollin’ of the hearse, the goin’ up was worth the comin’ down." ___Kris Kristofferson  "The Pilgrim/Chapter33"

Response:

floating…i’m on the lookout for bears though!  …      Come and listen to a story bout a man named jeffro    barely kept his sanity while thinkin to and fro;

Well Peter it sounds like he made it to the likker cabinet. Big Dale

Response:

BTW, who is Ms. Hathaway and how did she get dragged into this? Inquiring minds want to know. She was a character on the TV sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies", and I confess I was the one who brought her up in relation to ‘Jethro’ Miller<g. — Charlie… Ahhh.  I remember – but can she cook?  Seems to me she was only good at wearing bad tweed suits and lusting.

If it’s the same Mrs. Hathaway that I remember, she ran for Congress in the 80’s in south central PA.  Died a few years later. Mark faulkner

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – BTW, who is Ms. Hathaway and how did she get dragged into this? Inquiring minds want to know. She was a character on the TV sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies", and I confess I was the one who brought her up in relation to ‘Jethro’ Miller<g. — Charlie… Ahhh.  I remember – but can she cook?  Seems to me she was only good at wearing bad tweed suits and lusting. If it’s the same Mrs. Hathaway that I remember, she ran for Congress in the 80’s in south central PA.  Died a few years later. Mark faulkner

        aw, hell no, markey!  they’re talking about the "jane hathaway" from "beverly hillbillies", *not* the "ms. hathaway" you taught to do the "dirty macarena"  in the holiday inn just south of carlisle…         wayno, just keepin the record straight – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

…while cooking breakfast for rachel this morning, i also steamed some of the hackles on several of my well-used and misshapen flies.  the parallel universe i was drifting through at the time caused me to think about bacon fat grease as a floatant.  once cool, it becomes a waxy substance like gink, aquel, etc.  It could be easily strained and poured into an applicator before it hardens up, and with a squeeze it will ooze out of a gink bottle in its cool state.  It’s hard as hell to clean out of the pan with soap and water, so it adheres pretty good…whaddayathink, would a dab or two work as a floatant on a dry fly?  If so, perhaps lacourse’s bacon fryin will be good for something in May besides causing involuntary streamside bowel movements, eh? jeff (always thunking…)

  No disrespect jeff, but what morning herb produced this Parallel Universe? The stuff would turn to rock as soon as it hit the water. More than just a few bears may want to have a parallel experence with you  as well Harry Mason www.Troutflies.com

Response:

..whaddayathink, would a dab or two work as a floatant on a dry fly?  If so, perhaps lacourse’s bacon fryin will be good for something in May besides causing involuntary streamside bowel movements, eh?

I think Jethro tried that once on the Beverly Hillbillies, but it just got Miss Hathaway excited if I recall correctly<g. — Charlie…

Response:

bears – Ms. Hathaway – bears – Ms. Hathaway…hmmmm…. ok…i’ll redirect my efforts here… well, you guys are always looking for a new adventure…how about – flyfishing for grizzlies…yeah, that’s it.  it’ll be like swimming with the white sharks in australia.  lacourse, you fry the bacon and i’ll weld us up some steel cages to "fish" from… ok, carrying this bit of foolishness to it’s illogical extreme, i’ve now tested the bacon grease thing in 64 degree water…it seems to float the fly, sort of…oops, it’s goin under…no, wait, it’s in the meniscus of the glass bowl, exuding a slick…ok, time to change parallels here…do ya think it might be xink-like?  you know, catch those early mornin breakfast trout?  … for those more into the Ms. Hathaway thing, i’m sure the bacon gease could serve the same blissful purpose as albolene in coating those… um, i’ll let you know how that one turns out….oh, rachel, dear… jeff (dropped on his head as a child -)   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – …while cooking breakfast for rachel this morning, i also steamed some of the hackles on several of my well-used and misshapen flies.  the parallel universe i was drifting through at the time caused me to think about bacon fat grease as a floatant.  once cool, it becomes a waxy substance like gink, aquel, etc.  It could be easily strained and poured into an applicator before it hardens up, and with a squeeze it will ooze out of a gink bottle in its cool state.  It’s hard as hell to clean out of the pan with soap and water, so it adheres pretty good…whaddayathink, would a dab or two work as a floatant on a dry fly?  If so, perhaps lacourse’s bacon fryin will be good for something in May besides causing involuntary streamside bowel movements, eh? jeff (always thunking…)   No disrespect jeff, but what morning herb produced this Parallel Universe? The stuff would turn to rock as soon as it hit the water. More than just a few bears may want to have a parallel experence with you  as well Harry Mason www.Troutflies.com

Response:

[a bunch of floating blithering and dithering snipped] jeff (dropped on his head as a child -)  

Jeffy, follow this carefully.  Go to the likker cabinet.  Pick out the strongest thing you got.  Drink it all.  Lie down until you feel better.  Then go to the nearest Orvis store and buy the floatant gunk. Leave the bears to Tripper.  He’s an expert when it comes to the mating rituals of oversized and dangerous wildlife.  As for Ms. Hathaway, leave her for Louie.  I hear he’s not too fussy about such things.  I’ll take the bacon and eggs.  (eggs sunnyside up and bacon well done but not crispy, don’t forget the toast and coffee)  And keep your flies outa my bacon. Peter (who knows his priorities)

Response:

BTW, who is Ms. Hathaway and how did she get dragged into this? Inquiring minds want to know. Peter

Response:

BTW, who is Ms. Hathaway and how did she get dragged into this? Inquiring minds want to know.

She was a character on the TV sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies", and I confess I was the one who brought her up in relation to ‘Jethro’ Miller<g. — Charlie…

Response:

BTW, who is Ms. Hathaway and how did she get dragged into this? Inquiring minds want to know. She was a character on the TV sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies", and I confess I was the one who brought her up in relation to ‘Jethro’ Miller<g. — Charlie…

Ahhh.  I remember – but can she cook?  Seems to me she was only good at wearing bad tweed suits and lusting. Ya, save her for Louie.  She’s already past changing. Peter Cheers Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.cgocable.net/~pcharles/index.html

Response:

…y’all snicker, but 5:27 pm and the damn fly is still floating…i’m on the lookout for bears though!  …           Come and listen to a story bout a man named jeffro         barely kept his sanity while thinkin to and fro;           then one day, while cookin some breakfast food,         he found the bacon grease, when to the fly applied,         yielded results that raised a grin far and wide.         Crude, but mighty good… better’n Miss Hathaway nude.         hawg squeezins, chitlin fixins…         fly’s still a-floatin, Ms. Hathaway longing… satisfied… jeffro  (ya can call me mr.J – ain’t got no meter, just a puzzled peter) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – BTW, who is Ms. Hathaway and how did she get dragged into this? Inquiring minds want to know. She was a character on the TV sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies", and I confess I was the one who brought her up in relation to ‘Jethro’ Miller<g. — Charlie…

Response:

   fly’s still a-floatin, Ms. Hathaway longing… satisfied… jeffro  (ya can call me mr.J – ain’t got no meter, just a puzzled peter)

If you’ve been a messin’ with Ms. Hathaway, no wonder your peter’s puzzled.  "Boss?  Why are you abusin’ me so?" Peter

Response:

Ya, save her for Louie.  She’s already past changing.

Her and LaPlac would make a fine looking couple at the places IJ sends him to<g. — Charlie…

Response:

…while cooking breakfast for rachel this morning, i also steamed some of the hackles on several of my well-used and misshapen flies.  the parallel universe i was drifting through at the time caused me to think about bacon fat grease as a floatant.  once cool, it becomes a waxy substance like gink, aquel, etc.  It could be easily strained and poured into an applicator before it hardens up, and with a squeeze it will ooze out of a gink bottle in its cool state.  It’s hard as hell to clean out of the pan with soap and water, so it adheres pretty good…whaddayathink, would a dab or two work as a floatant on a dry fly?  If so, perhaps lacourse’s bacon fryin will be good for something in May besides causing involuntary streamside bowel movements, eh? jeff (always thunking…)

Response:

Jeff I don’t know about the flies, but the bears will love it. Ernie

<snip If so, perhaps lacourse’s bacon fryin will be good for something in May

besides causing involuntary streamside bowel movements, eh? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -jeff (always thunking…)

Response:

Question:

Next month there will be a fly fishing/tying seminar, January 9 & 10 at Boise State University.  Big names like Jack Dennis, Mike Lawson, and Gary LaFontaine are the headliners.  Two day seminar; each day different, and you can go for one or both days.  Cost is $25 for one day, $45 for both.  A free video with admission.  Raffles, other good stuff. Good way to spend that extra Christmas cash you will find in your stocking. Better yet, hint to your spouse or email Santa Claus that a seminar pass would be a great Christmas gift. The local fishing clubs, like the Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Boise Valley Fly Fishermen, Fly Fishers of Idaho etc. are working with the Idaho Angler to put this on.  Proceeds will go to a special account set up for the purpose of making some appropriate investments at Mormon Reservoir, the new trophy trout reservoir south of Fairfield, Idaho. For more information, or to sign up call the Idaho Angler at:  800-787-9957,

Response:

The seminar is actually on January 10 and 11, Saturday & Sunday.

Response:

Question:

No question about it being a useful fishing tool. However I retired it because of its sentimental value to me But not before teaching my son to fly fish with it. It now has a place next to my desk in my office along with the old remains of the old bamboo rod and my fathers willow creel. I was just curious about its value. It sounds to me, perhaps, that it is priceless. TimW

Damn good answer *              Standard Disclaimer Applies<<<                *       *                                                               * *  ENTOMOLOGIST    ANTIQUE TACKLE COLLECTOR    ALL-AROUND NUT   * * "the line between human and nonhuman is, like all lines,      * *  one that should be drawn in pencil, so that it can be moved  * *  to accomodate moral evolution and the realization of moral   * *  reality"                                                     * *  –Rutgers University Prof. G L Francione (who, incidentally, * *  as of 13 Feb 1997 uses the Rutgers University logo on the    * *  very same web page where he hawks his rather dry, poorly-    * *  written books…..AND posted to talk.politics.animals        * *  recently using a pseudonym)                                  * *                                                               * *  "Animal rights lunatics are misguided fools" –me            *        

Response:

No question about it being a useful fishing tool. However I retired it because of its sentimental value to me But not before teaching my son to fly fish with it. It now has a place next to my desk in my office along with the old remains of the old bamboo rod and my fathers willow creel. I was just curious about its value.

It sounds to me, perhaps, that it is priceless. TimW

Response:

No question about it being a useful fishing tool. However I retired it because of its sentimental value to me But not before teaching my son to fly fish with it. It now has a place next to my desk in my office along with the old remains of the old bamboo rod and my fathers willow creel. I was just curious about its value. — Regards, Ken

Ken,         If it is Brass and has a Bulldog emblem, it would be the Pfleuger Progress reel, value about $55. Reed

Response:

I have an old Pfluger fly real that was passed to me when I was kid (back in the ice age). It is the essence of simplicity and made mostly of brass. Small in size. It was mounted on an old cheap (as in originally didn’t cost much) split bamboo three piece rod. No label, guides or tip survived the ravages of storage in my parents basement. Question is, does the real have any value other then the obvious sentimental value? — Regards, Ken

Ken- Value, as in could you turn around and sell it for a Whoop of cash?  NO… ..but it’s still a plenty useful fishing tool.  I’d recommend taking it to the gas station and blowing air through it to remove all the dust, giving it a good wipe down and lube job and checking all the screws to make sure they’re tight.. cuz they’re getting tough to replace.  You may want to consider removing the screws and applying a drop of LocTite to them (or head cement) and then threading them back in place. I still have 6 old Pflugers and use them quite a bit….they tend to be rather heavy on the newer graphite rods and are tough to "balance" to an outfit, but it depends on the type (and volume!) of fishing you’re doing if this will pose a "reel" problem   =8^)) Larry #:)#

Response:

No question about it being a useful fishing tool. However I retired it because of its sentimental value to me But not before teaching my son to fly fish with it. It now has a place next to my desk in my office along with the old remains of the old bamboo rod and my fathers willow creel. I was just curious about its value. — Regards, Ken Dry lines catch no fish! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ken- Value, as in could you turn around and sell it for a Whoop of cash? NO… ..but it’s still a plenty useful fishing tool.  I’d recommend taking it to the gas station and blowing air through it to remove all the dust, giving it a good wipe down and lube job and checking all the screws to make sure they’re tight.. cuz they’re getting tough to replace.  You may want to consider removing the screws and applying a drop of LocTite to them (or head cement) and then threading them back in place. I still have 6 old Pflugers and use them quite a bit….they tend to be rather heavy on the newer graphite rods and are tough to "balance" to an outfit, but it depends on the type (and volume!) of fishing you’re doing if this will pose a "reel" problem   =8^)) Larry #:)#

Response:

I have an old Pfluger fly real that was passed to me when I was kid (back in the ice age). It is the essence of simplicity and made mostly of brass. Small in size. It was mounted on an old cheap (as in originally didn’t cost much) split bamboo three piece rod. No label, guides or tip survived the ravages of storage in my parents basement. Question is, does the real have any value other then the obvious sentimental value? — Regards, Ken Dry lines catch no fish!

Response:

Question:

I am going to be in the Dominican Republic in the next month.  Has anyone heard of any fly fishing there, either fresh or salt water?  Any information would be appreciated.

Response:

I am going to be in the Dominican Republic in the next month.  Has anyone heard of any fly fishing there, either fresh or salt water?  Any information would be appreciated.

Chris, I lived in the DR for a couple of years back in the 60s. Can’t say there would be much freshwater flyfishing; it’d be dangerous in any case. The fresh water streams are infected with Bilharzia. The eastern end of the island has a nice relatively shallow bay, Samana, bordered on the north and south by the eastern ends of the Cordillera Septentrional and the Cordillera Central. It is (or was) a great area for scuba diving, and probably is for fishing, too. Good luck. I envy you, especially at this time of year. Luther

Response:

Thanks for the information.  By the way, what is Bilharzia?   It sounds like some kind of unpleasant parasite and doesn’t seem encouraging for any backcountry exploration.     – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am going to be in the Dominican Republic in the next month.  Has anyone heard of any fly fishing there, either fresh or salt water?  Any information would be appreciated. Chris, I lived in the DR for a couple of years back in the 60s. Can’t say there would be much freshwater flyfishing; it’d be dangerous in any case. The fresh water streams are infected with Bilharzia. The eastern end of the island has a nice relatively shallow bay, Samana, bordered on the north and south by the eastern ends of the Cordillera Septentrional and the Cordillera Central. It is (or was) a great area for scuba diving, and probably is for fishing, too. Good luck. I envy you, especially at this time of year. Luther

Response:

Question:

I think the biggest advantage of barbless hooks is its easier to get them out of your clothes, waders, and skin :<

drying patch, fly box and the other tunnels into the spiritual plane. TimW

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : : Umm… Bud?  Isn’t Sedona, like, in the desert? : I don’t want to condone the spam-like message to "SAVE SEDONA" but : thought : I’d comment about the surrounding area. Sedona is about 5000′ elevation : and : to the north sits Oak Creek Canyon. The creek can produce some nice fish : (17" rainbow caught last weekend) and 18" browns caught earlier this : year. I’m amazed by this.  I’ve only been there in summer(once) and winter(once) but each time there was *so much* activity in the stream by little humans that I didn’t believe it was a viable fishing spot for anything larger than 10 inches. Is it possible you caught planted stock?  Is it possible you are engaging in the oldest fishing pastime and stretching things a wee bit? : A 10 mile drive up the canyon will put you in the largest ponderosa pine : forest : in the U.S. at about 7000′ elevation (Yes it does snow in Arizona!!!). : Living only : 30 minutes away from the creek makes it a popular after work flyfishing : spot for : me. I wasn’t putting the area down, only trying to tone down the rhetoric which follows many tourist centers:  "We have everything, and it’s great!" I love the Sedona area for what it is… a wonderful desert area fairly close to respectable (if picked clean) mountains.  The area surely has much to offer, but my limited experience suggests it is not a destination fly fishing area.  I admit, I fished the lower parts of the creek, and there, the water seemed too warm to support large fish.  (Perhaps I should fact the fact I can only catch larger fish in water I know.)  I’m surprised to learn the humans haven’t scared the fish away. —

Rick, I’m not claiming Oak Creek is place to go catch large fish on a regular basis. In fact, 8 to 10 inch fish are the norm. On those rare occasions, some larger fish can be caught.  No way as far as planted stockers go (we affectionately call those things finless wonders here in AZ). I’ve been known to stretch the truth on some occasions. This weekend (at Oak Creek) I landed a brown that I thought went 15". Actual measurement was just over 14" (using the lettering on my flyrod). Even if I was off on the other fish a 17" brown and 16" rainbow aren’t bad for Oak Creek. As far as people pressure goes you’re right. I’ve had some tough days due to the number of tourists, hikers, swimmers, etc on the creek. So I fish it real early and stay away from the campgrounds (6am – 10am I didn’t see a soul on the creek this weekend). If you ever wander through Sedona again stop by the store at Don Hoel’s cabins. They have some pictures from the 1960’s to the late 1980’s showing browns in the 21-25 inch range. There may not be alot of those big hogs in Oak Creek now-a-days but I know where a few lay. Jeff Anderson http://www.woolybugger.com

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: : Umm… Bud?  Isn’t Sedona, like, in the desert? : I don’t want to condone the spam-like message to "SAVE SEDONA" but : thought : I’d comment about the surrounding area. Sedona is about 5000′ elevation : and : to the north sits Oak Creek Canyon. The creek can produce some nice fish : (17" rainbow caught last weekend) and 18" browns caught earlier this : year. I’m amazed by this.  I’ve only been there in summer(once) and winter(once) but each time there was *so much* activity in the stream by little humans that I didn’t believe it was a viable fishing spot for anything larger than 10 inches. Is it possible you caught planted stock?  Is it possible you are engaging in the oldest fishing pastime and stretching things a wee bit? : A 10 mile drive up the canyon will put you in the largest ponderosa pine : forest : in the U.S. at about 7000′ elevation (Yes it does snow in Arizona!!!). : Living only : 30 minutes away from the creek makes it a popular after work flyfishing : spot for : me. I wasn’t putting the area down, only trying to tone down the rhetoric which follows many tourist centers:  "We have everything, and it’s great!" I love the Sedona area for what it is… a wonderful desert area fairly close to respectable (if picked clean) mountains.  The area surely has much to offer, but my limited experience suggests it is not a destination fly fishing area.  I admit, I fished the lower parts of the creek, and there, the water seemed too warm to support large fish.  (Perhaps I should fact the fact I can only catch larger fish in water I know.)  I’m surprised to learn the humans haven’t scared the fish away. — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

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: there, the water seemed too warm to support large fish.  (Perhaps I should : face the fact I can only catch larger fish in water I know.)  I’m : surprised to learn the humans haven’t scared the fish away. I forgot to mention the obvious: I stand corrected. — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

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: there, the water seemed too warm to support large fish.  (Perhaps I should : face the fact I can only catch larger fish in water I know.)  I’m : surprised to learn the humans haven’t scared the fish away. I forgot to mention the obvious: I stand corrected.

and those neoprenes show every bulge too… ohhh…COrected…! My mistake ! TimW

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : : Umm… Bud?  Isn’t Sedona, like, in the desert? : I don’t want to condone the spam-like message to "SAVE SEDONA" but : thought : I’d comment about the surrounding area. Sedona is about 5000′ elevation : and : to the north sits Oak Creek Canyon. The creek can produce some nice fish : (17" rainbow caught last weekend) and 18" browns caught earlier this : year. I’m amazed by this.  I’ve only been there in summer(once) and winter(once) but each time there was *so much* activity in the stream by little humans that I didn’t believe it was a viable fishing spot for anything larger than 10 inches. Is it possible you caught planted stock?  Is it possible you are engaging in the oldest fishing pastime and stretching things a wee bit?

Is it possible you were huffin’ some Sedona Red ? TimW

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Umm… Bud?  Isn’t Sedona, like, in the desert?

I don’t want to condone the spam-like message to "SAVE SEDONA" but thought I’d comment about the surrounding area. Sedona is about 5000′ elevation and to the north sits Oak Creek Canyon. The creek can produce some nice fish (17" rainbow caught last weekend) and 18" browns caught earlier this year. A 10 mile drive up the canyon will put you in the largest ponderosa pine forest in the U.S. at about 7000′ elevation (Yes it does snow in Arizona!!!). Living only 30 minutes away from the creek makes it a popular after work flyfishing spot for me. That’s my 2cents worth. Jeff Anderson http://www.woolybugger.com

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Umm… Bud?  Isn’t Sedona, like, in the desert?<

Yee who doesn’t know shouldn’t open his mouth.  Seeing is believing. dp

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: !!! SAVE SEDONA !!! : HELP US SAVE SEDONA : If you support Fishing Opportunities, Umm… Bud?  Isn’t Sedona, like, in the desert? — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

Rick, Visit Sedona someday and you will find a lovely little desert town with a very nice river running through it (to borrow a phrase).   Besides, anyone who lives in "Moscow" should not cast stones at other places.   Dave — Dave http://avery.med.virginia.edu/~dcb/home.html David C. Benjamin, Ph.D., Professor               Office (804) 924-2631 Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research   Lab    (804) 982-1679 MR4 Box 4012, University of Virginia Health       FAX    (804) 924-1221 Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908        Email

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: !!! SAVE SEDONA !!! : HELP US SAVE SEDONA : If you support Fishing Opportunities, Umm… Bud?  Isn’t Sedona, like, in the desert?   — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

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!!! SAVE SEDONA !!! Thank you for taking the time to read my post … I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP! My name is Rama and I am the owner of the only REAL bikeshop (Mountain Bike Heaven) in Sedona AZ and I need your help! The local Forest Service folks are having their final meeting at 9AM tomorrow morning (9/4) to accept final public input on the new management plan =93Ideas for the Future=94. One of the proposals included in the =93Ideas for the Future=94 are more lands trades within our surrounding area.  Here=92s the way it works, the Forest Service gives a chunk of our local Forest to a developer and the developer hands them cash and a deed to some unknown piece of land.  Of course, the Forest Service always tells us these =93deals=94 are always for the =93best interests=94 of all concerned parties.   The problem is they (USFS) keep trading away all our local hiking, biking, equestrian and nature opportunities. WE DONT NEED ANY MORE DEVELOPMENT! Our local infrastructure is already at the boiling point trying to cope with too much growth: no sewers, no roads, no phones … HELP US SAVE THE FORESTS! HELP US SAVE SEDONA If you support Hiking Opportunities, If you support Biking Opportunities, If you support Camping Opportunities, If you support Climbing Opportunites, If you support Fishing Opportunities, If you support Equestrian Opportunities, If you support any Outdoor Opportunity, If you like Sedona, If you like Arizona If you like the Forest, If you like Nature … Write your own letter or copy and mail the passage below.  I will take your email to the meeting tomorrow and we will show the Forest Service that we don=92t want anymore land trades.  Thanks for your help. Dear Forest Service Folks, I am opposed to ALL land trades in and around the Sedona area.  Please register my opinion and take it into consideration as you construct your =93Ideas for the Future=94 …         Name …         Age …         State …         City …         Country … Thanks for your Support!   Thanks for your help! RAMA BTW … when you=92re in Sedona stop by my shop "Mountain Bike Heaven" in West Sedona and say Hi! If I have some time maybe we can go for a ride. Wait, I have regularly scheduled FREE group rides on Wed, Sat and Sun — I can always ride then … Have Fun! is at http://www.ibike.com/mountainbikeheaven/index.htm

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Question:

Okay, I tie on a dry fly and go out and fish.  But I don’t catch anything and want to change my fly (as opposed to closing my fly).  How do I do this?  Cut the old one off?  Untie (how) the fly that is already on?  What?  Sure sound like dumb but important questions to me and I hope someone can help a beginner.  Thanks. — Gerald Strom University of Illinois at Chicago

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Okay, I tie on a dry fly and go out and fish.  But I don’t catch anything and want to change my fly (as opposed to closing my fly).  How do I do this?  Cut the old one off?  Untie (how) the fly that is already on?  What?  Sure sound like dumb but important questions to me and I hope someone can help a beginner.  Thanks. —

cut it off…put the dry on you hatband of drying patch… if this makes your tippet too short then cut this off and replace it too… TimW

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Okay, I tie on a dry fly and go out and fish.  But I don’t catch anything and want to change my fly (as opposed to closing my fly).  How do I do this?  Cut the old one off?  Untie (how) the fly that is already on?  What?  Sure sound like dumb but important questions to me and I hope someone can help a beginner.  Thanks.

Hi Gerald First off there is no such thing as a dumb question.  That’s what this group is all about — questions and answers. When you want to change a fly just cut one off and tie on another.  There are special nippers made for this purpose OR if you don’t have one a small finger nail clipper will work just fine.  When I first started I used a finger nail clipper on a loop of old fly line around my neck for several years. There are several different knots used to tie on flies.  You can go to the library and find a book on fly fishing or check at your local fly shop.  There is a neat little book (about 3"x5") on knots available today.  I personally like the Uni Knot but there are other good knots as well.  Many of the fly line manufacturers include knot tying instructions with there fly line.  Also I have an old aluminum Perine fly box that has the knot tying instruction on the front of the box. Keep asking the questions and I’m sure you’ll find someone more experienced on this group who will help. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT(96 catalog)

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Okay, I tie on a dry fly and go out and fish.  But I don’t catch anything and want to change my fly (as opposed to closing my fly).  How do I do this?  Cut the old one off?  Untie (how) the fly that is already on?  What?  Sure sound like dumb but important questions to me and I hope someone can help a beginner.  Thanks. —

I must admit that I have never thought about it till now.  basicly i cut (bite) the old one off,  I guess that this results in the tippet ( end of the leader) becomming shorter and shorter.   In the UK you can get in small "snap" links from Mustard which are designed for easy fly changing Julian

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Just cut fly off as close to hook as as possible then tie on new fly.Best to have someone show you improved clinch knot or uni knot

best of luck -jkralic

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Heck, if you haven’t caught the darn thing in a tree behind you, you can’t be that dumb… Just snip it off and buy lots of tippet.

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writes: Okay, I tie on a dry fly and go out and fish.  But I don’t catch anything and want to change my fly (as opposed to closing my fly).  How do I do this? Cut the old one off?  Untie (how) the fly that is already on?  What?  Sure sound like dumb but important questions to me and I hope someone can help a beginner.  Thanks.

No need to apologize for your question.  the only stupid question is the one that doesn’t get asked.  Enjoyed the pun by the way ;^ When you want to change flies, you simply cut off the first one and tie on another. Eventually this will shorten your tippet (if you don’t lose it to a fly eating tree or bush first, or cast some wind knots into it), but then you cut that off and tie on a new piece.  Orvis has a waterproof knot booklet for about $5 that has the appropriate knots listed and how to tie them. Personally I use the Orvis knot to tie on most trout flies and a Trilene knot to tie on any fly large enough to pass the tippet through the eye twice (large streamers, bass flies, steelheadsalmon flies, saltwater flies).  On flies that I want to use a lot of action on I will often use a Duncan’s loop.                            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!).

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In follow up to one beginners question to another, does it matter what size leader you use as long as the tippet is a smaller size? Do I need to change leaders if I’m going to the trout stream after I’ve been fishing for bluegill in a pond, or just the tippet? Thanks. D. Lowe

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In follow up to one beginners question to another, does it matter what size leader you use as long as the tippet is a smaller size? Do I need to change leaders if I’m going to the trout stream after I’ve been fishing for bluegill in a pond, or just the tippet? Thanks. D. Lowe

I myself work on the premise that my tippet should be either the same or one size smaller than the tip section of my leader. For determining the end "tippet" size a good general rule is too devide your hook size by three. Example: Size 12 adams – use a 4x tippet. Reel simple

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In follow up to one beginners question to another, does it matter what size leader you use as long as the tippet is a smaller size? Do I need to change leaders if I’m going to the trout stream after I’ve been fishing for bluegill in a pond, or just the tippet? Thanks. D. Lowe I myself work on the premise that my tippet should be either the same or one size smaller than the tip section of my leader. For determining the end "tippet" size a good general rule is too devide your hook size by three. Example: Size 12 adams – use a 4x tippet. Reel simple

One approach is to use a 3X leader and then step down to the desired tippet size  using 6 – 8 inch long transition sections.  For example, if you want to use a 6X tippet, you would use 8 inches of 4X and 8 inches of 5 X between the leader and tippet section. This way you only carry one size leader. Regards, Chuck

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One approach is to use a 3X leader and then step down to the desired tippet size  using 6 – 8 inch long transition sections.  For example, if you want to use a 6X tippet, you would use 8 inches of 4X and 8 inches of 5 X between the leader and tippet section. This way you only carry one size leader. Regards, Chuck

Not a bad idea Chuck except for me personally I find it very difficult to  tie on those little pieces of tippet material while there is a feeding frenzy going on. For some reason my fingers and brain seem to disconnect while whatching trout splashing and jumping all around me, not to mention the problem of cold fingers or low light. I generally carry a range of leaders sizes 3x-6x pretied with 3 feet of tippet section done while at home whatching a fishing show or something. This allows me more time to fish and less aggravation on the water. I only tie on the water if I have to. Tight lines Russ

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(DLowe21757) writes: In follow up to one beginners question to another, does it matter what size leader you use as long as the tippet is a smaller size? Do I need to change leaders if I’m going to the trout stream after I’ve been fishing for bluegill in a pond, or just the tippet? Thanks. D. Lowe

Boy this can be a can of worms! Commercial knotless tapered leaders consist of three parts – butt section (which is heavy and level or very slightly tapered), the tapering section (which rapidly tapers down to your tippet size), and the tippet section (which is also level and the part that you tie onto the fly).  So your leader already has a tippet on it.  You can replace the tippet as needed as you break it off or cut it down from changing flies.  Much less expensive to tie on a new tippet section than to change an entire leader every time you mess up the tippet.  You can also change how your leader performs by cutting back or adding tippet.  If you add tippet you will get more slack out near the fly, if you cut back tippet you will get more power delivered to the fly resulting is less slack and more ease in turning over large flies or regular flies in windy conditions.  You can play around with the butt section in the opposite manner to accomplish the same thing, but that means tying two knots instead of one.  And of course if you really want to get carried away you can vary both to fine tune the leader to your needs. A good approximate guide to which tippet size to use is to divide the size of your fly by 3 and use the resultant number for your tippet X number. For instance: size 18 fly divided by 3 = 6X tippet, size 12 divided by 3 = 4X, size 16 divided by 3 = 5X and a little left over.  In slow clear water with spooky trout you may have to go one X smaller, and in fast pocket water you may be able to go one X larger.  Listen to what the fish say, they’ll tell you. Length of leader is more a function of the water type than anything else. We use longer leaders for greater subtlety (less obtrusive than the fly line) and more suppleness.  Long leaders – 9 to 12 ft.- are most commonly needed in slow clear water with spooky trout.  That is because the trout gets a long time to inspect your fly in slow water and are typically more critical of drag.  Short leaders – 6 to 7 1/2 ft. – are used in faster water for better control with typically larger flies in fast water conditions.  In fast water the trout gets only a short time to see your fly before he takes it or rejects it and there is not usually as much food available (harsher conditions) so he tends to be more opportunistic than in the slower water conditions.  Since we don’t need the added subtlety and suppleness of the longer leader in faster conditions we don’t use it. Always best to use the shortest heaviest leader you can get away with. Again listen to the trout.   If the trout aren’t taking your fly you probably need to go longer and finer.  Sometimes the shortest stoutest leader that will work is a 12 ft. 6X or 7X leader.                      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!).

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Question:

A FF partner is visiting Switzerland for several weeks in Aug/Sep and he is wondering what FF opportunities and requirements exist for said same. Please E me or post. "The true angler is always content to fish alone" Brian Di Carlo

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  A FF partner is visiting Switzerland for several weeks in Aug/Sep and he is   wondering what FF opportunities and requirements exist for said same. Please   E me or post.   "The true angler is always content to fish alone"   Brian Di Carlo If he’s going to the Geneva area I think the best bet is to go to the nearby French rivers (known to be the best in France) the ‘loue’, ‘doubs’, ‘ain’ and ‘bienne’  and catch trout and grayling. These are all within 2-3 hours drive from Geneva. Closer still is the Rhone river leaving lake Geneva in the middle of town.  It is not as famous for its fly fishing though. I don’t know the german part of Switzerland, but found a URL on the web. http://www.access.ch/whoiswho//zulauf8.html   If he’s going to the Geneva area, drop me an email and I’ll provide some addresses and phone numbers. Cheers,         Peter. —  Peter Sollander, CERN ST/MC/TCR  Tel: (+41) 22.767.8081          Fax: (+41) 22.767.8910        

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Question:

Howdy everyone!  I am in the planning stages of a trip to South-West Alaska.  I have this brochure from Alaska Fish and Game that tells of the fishing conditions on Prince of Wales Island.  From the description I read it sounds like a cross between the Henry’s Fork and New Zealand, ie pristine streams packed with rainbows and grayling.  Then I talked to my friend who was there two years ago and he said Prince of Wales Island is a clear-cut eyesore with only small trout.  What gives?  Can anyone confirm or deny this situation? -John —      Its not that flyfishing is everything, it is just that everything      else in my life is less important.                                                      -Moi

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Howdy everyone!  I am in the planning stages of a trip to South-West Alaska.  I have this brochure from Alaska Fish and Game that tells of the fishing conditions on Prince of Wales Island.  From the description I read it sounds like a cross between the Henry’s Fork and New Zealand, ie pristine streams packed with rainbows and grayling.  Then I talked to my friend who was there two years ago and he said Prince of Wales Island is a clear-cut eyesore with only small trout.  What gives?  Can anyone confirm or deny this situation? -John —     Its not that flyfishing is everything, it is just that everything     else in my life is less important.                                                     -Moi

It depends on where you are.  It is possible to be a quarter mile from a clear-cut area and think you are in a pristine forest.  The only way to get a good look at these ugly scars is from the air.  The lumber industry keeps telling everyone that they can harvest at a renewable sustained yield.  Then they come to Alaska and chop down old growth forests with Uncle Sam underwriting the cost.  The main players are Japanese firms that turn the trees into pulp, I guess they use it for VCR instruction books. BTW if you go to southwest Alaska you’ll be about 1,000 miles from POW Island. R. Wood in Alaska

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Question:

Hello I have a Caddis Float Tube and fins.  I have been reading about these force fins.  Where can I get more infor on these fins.  I belong to two Fly fishing Clubs in Cincinnati and I think the membership might be interested in these fins. Hope to hear from someone soon. Thanks for your help Keith Haungs Buckeye United Fly Fishers Northern Kentucky Fly Fishers

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Keith;         Cabela’s sells force fins at a reasonable (albeit still expensive) price.  My wife bought me some a couple of years ago and I love them.                   Dennis – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hello I have a Caddis Float Tube and fins.  I have been reading about these force fins.  Where can I get more infor on these fins.  I belong to two Fly fishing Clubs in Cincinnati and I think the membership might be interested in these fins. Hope to hear from someone soon. Thanks for your help Keith Haungs Buckeye United Fly Fishers Northern Kentucky Fly Fishers

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