Question:

 I’ll let you turn on the furnace, Peter. Dave

Damn right ’cause I’m not letting you cuddle up to me.   I would very much like to do the Kennebec, the more I hear about it, the more intrigued I am.  Sounds like you had a wonderful time. BTW, I’ve run into John Valk twice since the float trip and he keeps saying nice things about you.  You made an impression.  :) Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

Response:

Peter writes: BTW, I’ve run into John Valk twice since the float trip and he keeps saying nice things about you.  You made an impression.  :)

He loves me because I can cast over my left shoulder in the rear and the front of the boat, thereby avoiding his ears.  d;o) Can’t wait for May……  I think I will stay with my 8 weight and buy a new Lamson large arbor.  From him, of course. And, you will love the Kennebec.  It is meant for streamer fishing. Dave

Response:

That fish wasn’t nothin but icing on the cake of a fine trip…… john

Response:

<snipped good TR This morning I opted not to fish because it was cold.

I had the same problem this morning. I woke up early to go and decided my bed was *really* nice and warm. Damn this New England/Winter thing! — TL, Tim

Response:

This morning I opted not to fish because it was cold. I had the same problem this morning. I woke up early to go and decided my bed was *really* nice and warm. Damn this New England/Winter thing! — TL, Tim

Wuss.  Went ‘fishing for science’ today on a little gem of an urban pond (in Dave LaCourse’s old neighborhood).  We were helping a water quality monitoring program by harvesting some fish for analysis (the fish are being FedExed to UMaine for heavy metal and PCB testing).  I caught a lot of bluegills on slowly retrieved Zug Bugs and picked up two really nice chain pickerel (over 16" apiece, fat and feisty) and a couple of ‘keeper’ sized bass on unweighted wooly buggers on my 4 wt.  Jim picked up several calicos (black crappie) on a trolled damsel nymph.  It was really nice once the sun came out.

Response:

Great report Dave where on the Kennebec do you go what town that is. They had a TU program a few months ago on the Kennebec River they were catch browns and bows.                    Handyman Mike           Standing in a river waving a stick

Response:

This morning I opted not to fish because it was cold. I had the same problem this morning. I woke up early to go and decided my bed was *really* nice and warm. Damn this New England/Winter thing! — TL, Tim Wuss.

Yeah, I know. I did finally get out at around 10:00 when it warmed up a bit. Caught a *big* brown with two extra flies and some tippet attached. Hopefully, he’s swimming more comfortably now. My hands got very cold once I started fishing. Are there any special or modified gloves you folk would recommend? — TL, Tim

Response:

Jo and I arrived at The East Outlet, Kennebec River, about 2:30 on Friday afternoon.  It was  a beautiful late fall day, with promises of colder temperatures.

    ahh, louie my friend, pretty work.  what a life! yfitons wayno

Response:

Jo and I arrived at The East Outlet, Kennebec River, about 2:30 on Friday afternoon.  It was  a beautiful late fall day, with promises of colder temperatures.   I parked the rv within yards of the river, leveled it, and while Jo unpacked and made camp, I went fishing.   I fished the nice run at the old put-in spot ("stairs"), and fished up-stream for about an hour.  With two hits, two fish on, and none landed, but my hands freezing, I called it quits and returned to the warmth of the rv.  The river was running at 1700 cfs, just a little more than I like it, but the water was cold and the salmon had come up-river from Indian Pond.   After a dinner of grilled hamburgers and home-made baked beans (lots of brown sugar, maple syrup, and a little onion), we settled in and watched a movie. The wind had come up and the falling leaves on the roof made for a wonderful feeling.  We were warm, well fed, entertained, and the sounds of the river and wind added to the ambiance.  We could have used the furnace all night.  We should have used the furnace all night.  Instead, Jo cracked one of the bedroom windows about a half inch, and we settled in for sleep without heat.   Well, it was a two dog night and we only had one, Henry.  Jo got up about midnight and added a down comforter to our 3 blanket pile.  That’s when Henry joined us and promptly settled in under the comforter.  The wind got stronger and the rain started about 1 a.m., beating a cacophony of rhythm on the flat roof.  It was great sleeping. When I awoke, the rain had ended and it was cold.  After a hot breakfast I headed down-stream to my favorite run.   I tied on one of Bruiser’s little nymphs (size 22), and on the second cast I was into a fairly nice salmon.  After a short battle, he broke off.  It would be awhile before I had on another fish.  These flies that Bruiser tied have been very successful on Maine’s rivers.  At first I found it remarkable that such large fish could be brought to hand with such small hooks.   I doubt my parents tied/fished anything smaller than a size 16 back in the forties/fifties.  They would be surprised and happy to seem me catch such beautiful fish on such itty-bitty flies. After lunch and a nap I set up my Sage 6 weight to lob some streamers, and returned to the same run.  It was raining and cold, but I was snuggled under several layers of fleece and a good raincoat.  I had several hits, but no hook-ups.  (Peter:  I was using a variation of the fly I used on the Saugeen.)  When I noticed that I was the only one on the stream, no drift boats, and it was *very* cold and did I mention *snowing*, I headed back to the rv.  I love to fish, but there are limits.  It took a long time to thaw out my hands.  I wish they made a fishing glove that would keep your hands/fingers warm and still allow the dexterity needed to tie knots and control your line.  I use fingerless fleece gloves, and while they do give some protection from the cold even when wet, the tips of my old fingers just can not handle the exposure. I slept very well that night.  The snow turned back to hard rain, and lulled me to sleep.  This morning I opted not to fish because it was cold.  Earlier I said it would be awhile before I had on another fish

Question:

The way a fish takes a nymph has to do with a number of different things including what nymphs the fish are feeding on, the depth they’re feeding

Here’s an example from about two weeks ago.  I was fishing an unweighted wooly bugger.  Bass would not hit a swimming bugger.  All our hits came as we were distracted and had let our flies sink to the bottom.  Then as we lifted our rods to begin the backcast, that’s when the largemouth bass would strike.  I had noticed plenty of drake shucks floating around and when I got home read in Dick Pobst’s Trout Stream Insects (Orvis Streamside Guide form Lyons Press) to imitate the green drake nymph by lifting it from the bottom of slackwater.   Mu

Response:

Mu Young Lee wrote… Here’s an example from about two weeks ago.  I was fishing an unweighted wooly bugger.  Bass would not hit a swimming bugger.  All our hits came as we were distracted and had let our flies sink to the bottom.

Hey, that’s great news because I get easily distracted. Or at least that’s what my wife tells me. She was telling me that just last week while we were outside in the yard… Wait, what was I talking about? –Steve

Response:

One technique I can suggest to you that is just a small variation on the tight line system you’re trying out. No bobber required!! It is an up, down and across presentation. The same or similar terminal rig as you’re using with your tight line system. The difference is that you need to keep an almost tight line, instead of a tight one. It does require quite a bit of mending, line retrieval etc. to keep the flies along the bottom and still have some contact with them.  The takes are usually pretty apparent either visually or by feel. You do need to vary the amount of weight with each new area you fish. I like this technique for big heavy water, especially in water with good stonefly populations.

Sounds similar to what I intend to do on the weekend.  We’ll see what happens. I do too, but over a season, don’t you take more fish on a dry fished drag free? I think the same holds true for nymphs.

Yes, I just like to try different methods. Since you’re a good streamer fisherman and know that technique well, I’m sure you’ll get some fish on nymphs fished in the same manner. Personally, I’d like to watch you fish streamers. I’ve never had the chance to fish with someone or watch someone effectively fish streamers to stream trout. Don’t see many people flinging streamers in the Rockies. Willi

My wife and I are hoping to get to the Grand Canyon in 2 or 3 years, so unless in the meantime the Avs meet the Leafs in the playoffs, we may get our chance then. Peter

Response:

Despite the lack of hookups, one of the outcomes of the test, was the proof that we miss many strikes in typical bobber nymphing.  No way would I have detected some 20+ strikes in that water with a bobber. All true, however my tests are an attempt to challenge the conventional wisdom of nymphing, mainly ’cause it bores me to tears and I’m not very good at it (not necessarily in that order.)

Dead drifting nymphs in all its many variations, is the most effective and consistent way to catch trout in moving water, but it is not much fun if you’re doing it right unless you’re a madly possessed trout hunter. That’s why I do less and less of it, my mad possession is a thing of the distant past. Dead drifting nymphs requires alot of physical work, terminal tackle changing, concentration, etc. etc. etc. and because I do less and less of it, I’m not as good at it as I used to be. One technique I can suggest to you that is just a small variation on the tight line system you’re trying out. No bobber required!! It is an up, down and across presentation. The same or similar terminal rig as you’re using with your tight line system. The difference is that you need to keep an almost tight line, instead of a tight one. It does require quite a bit of mending, line retrieval etc. to keep the flies along the bottom and still have some contact with them.  The takes are usually pretty apparent either visually or by feel. You do need to vary the amount of weight with each new area you fish. I like this technique for big heavy water, especially in water with good stonefly populations. My test of swimming Hendricksons in slow water proved to me that fish also react quickly and aggressively to moving food even under conditions that enable them to get a good look at the imitation.  The taut line was no problem due to the aggressive take.  BTW, I frequently drag or skitter dries and pick up the odd fish, especially when it’s windy.

I do too, but over a season, don’t you take more fish on a dry fished drag free? I think the same holds true for nymphs. My test was conducted in some fairly heavy current and stained water so by rights, the fish should have been taking aggressively but I think the combo of a broadside presentation of a scud hook and taut line screwed me.  (The Hendricksons were mostly taken from behind.) Anyway, I still consider the test partially successful as it taught me a few things. Hoepfully on the weekend I’ll get a chance to try out the wobble nymphs on a typical streamer swing through the same water.  We’ll see what happens.

Since you’re a good streamer fisherman and know that technique well, I’m sure you’ll get some fish on nymphs fished in the same manner. Personally, I’d like to watch you fish streamers. I’ve never had the chance to fish with someone or watch someone effectively fish streamers to stream trout. Don’t see many people flinging streamers in the Rockies. Willi

Response:

As the nymph enters  she clamps down for probably two reasons, one she must be sure it’s  a nymph not debris, plus she has to kill it.  Nymphs can have  pretty good jaws, especially the big ones, and they can give a good nip.

Interesting, never occurred to me…. it does make you wonder what they think of the hook though, when they mouth it… So if I purposely design a mayfly nymph with the same characteristics of weight and eye placement, I should get the same wobble giving a reasonable facsimile of a swimming nymph.

I’ve seen video footage of nymphs tied in this manner moving in the water, and the wobbling action does look impressive.  Another thing you can do is check into the nymph hooks that have split wire near the eye that create a wide flat body.  Example: www.flytying.com/FlyTying/hookbook/xPARTRIDGE_MASTER/partridgeH3S T.html I haven’t tried this yet, but you got me interested again! * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

good post deleted. My experience is that with any tight line technique ( I assume you are talking about tight line technique and not a true dead drift one ), lots of fish are missed. Most of the fish you do hook, generally hook themselves. I also don’t find scud hooks as having the best hooking characteristics. That would explain quite a few misses but not 0 for 20 or 30. I think the main reason for the missed strikes is the presence of the tight line itself. Nymphs do not pull back and if they do, they are rejected quickly. This is ONE of the advantages to fishing a true dead drifted nymph.   The way a fish takes a nymph has to do with a number of different things including what nymphs the fish are feeding on, the depth they’re feeding at etc., but I believe the biggest factor is the speed and type of water. In pockets water and the heavy flows at the heads of pools, the strikes are quick and sharp.  This makes it much easier to fool and hook the fish. Fly selection is usually not very important. These are the same waters that work well with attractor dries. In areas of more sedate current, the nymphs are usually taken in a patient, manner allowing the fish to scrutinize the fly. This can result in more bumps, refusals, rejections, etc. and more missed strikes, very similar to "fussy" fish on a dry. I think the comparison to fishing dries holds true in other ways. Usually dead drifted dries are more effective than flies with drag or motion. The same applies to nymphs. Most nymphs are taken when they are drifting with the current, not when they are swimming. Caddis and stoneflies are the most frequent exceptions because the nymphs can be active swimmers and the adults active on the surface. Although a dead drifted nymph or dry may lack the movement trigger to elicit a strike, it will never be seen as unnatural. Drag or motion on a dry or a nymph will often be seen by the trout as unnatural. Willi

Response:

Although a dead drifted nymph or dry may lack the movement trigger to elicit a strike, it will never be seen as unnatural. Drag or motion on a dry or a nymph will often be seen by the trout as unnatural.

Willi, I agree drag is unnatural, but I don’t think Peter’s example of "wobbling" is unnatural, do you?  He was talking about "swimming" nymphs, but when you think about a flat bodied nymph, I think these do it too.  Is something like a Hare’s Ear really the best imitation?  It’s basically tied "round" – i.e. no matter which angle the trout sees it from, it appears broad, as if it were always seeing the broad, flat side of a natural.  That might be why it works.  But tying it to be shaped like a natural might give it a little wobbling motion.  Seems good to me. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – good post deleted. My experience is that with any tight line technique ( I assume you are talking about tight line technique and not a true dead drift one ), lots of fish are missed. Most of the fish you do hook, generally hook themselves. I also don’t find scud hooks as having the best hooking characteristics. That would explain quite a few misses but not 0 for 20 or 30. I think the main reason for the missed strikes is the presence of the tight line itself. Nymphs do not pull back and if they do, they are rejected quickly. This is ONE of the advantages to fishing a true dead drifted nymph.  

My original post was supposed to have a few sentences that explained that I had built the leader, added weight and the bead head precisely to get as taut a line as possible.  I knew that the taut line contributed to the problem.  I wrote this Friday night at my bro-in-law’s after numerous beers so I plead guilty to TWI.   Despite the lack of hookups, one of the outcomes of the test, was the proof that we miss many strikes in typical bobber nymphing.  No way would I have detected some 20+ strikes in that water with a bobber. The way a fish takes a nymph has to do with a number of different things including what nymphs the fish are feeding on, the depth they’re feeding at etc., but I believe the biggest factor is the speed and type of water. In pockets water and the heavy flows at the heads of pools, the strikes are quick and sharp.  This makes it much easier to fool and hook the fish. Fly selection is usually not very important. These are the same waters that work well with attractor dries. In areas of more sedate current, the nymphs are usually taken in a patient, manner allowing the fish to scrutinize the fly. This can result in more bumps, refusals, rejections, etc. and more missed strikes, very similar to "fussy" fish on a dry.

All true, however my tests are an attempt to challenge the conventional wisdom of nymphing, mainly ’cause it bores me to tears and I’m not very good at it (not necessarily in that order.)  My test of swimming Hendricksons in slow water proved to me that fish also react quickly and aggressively to moving food even under conditions that enable them to get a good look at the imitation.  The taut line was no problem due to the aggressive take.  BTW, I frequently drag or skitter dries and pick up the odd fish, especially when it’s windy. My test was conducted in some fairly heavy current and stained water so by rights, the fish should have been taking aggressively but I think the combo of a broadside presentation of a scud hook and taut line screwed me.  (The Hendricksons were mostly taken from behind.) Anyway, I still consider the test partially successful as it taught me a few things. I think the comparison to fishing dries holds true in other ways. Usually dead drifted dries are more effective than flies with drag or motion. The same applies to nymphs. Most nymphs are taken when they are drifting with the current, not when they are swimming. Caddis and stoneflies are the most frequent exceptions because the nymphs can be active swimmers and the adults active on the surface. Although a dead drifted nymph or dry may lack the movement trigger to elicit a strike, it will never be seen as unnatural. Drag or motion on a dry or a nymph will often be seen by the trout as unnatural. Willi

Hoepfully on the weekend I’ll get a chance to try out the wobble nymphs on a typical streamer swing through the same water.  We’ll see what happens. Peter

Response:

Some time back I wrote a piece about straight-line nymphing and about how I had a phenomenal hit rate and an abysmal hookup rate.  I swear that in one run I must have had something like 20 for 0 or 30 for 0 strikes to hookups.  I had a method that would enable me to detect strikes but I couldn’t hookup worth a damn.  Talk about frustration so I’ve put the method aside.  Two things have occurred since that have set me to thinking about straight-line nymphing again; I read that post Sandy put out about soft-bodied nymphs and my failure with a crayfish design that wobbled like a Red Devil on the retrieve.  These two events have given me a clue into a new type of fishing that could prove very successful. (I hope.)  I’m in the middle of my northern NT trip and with nothing to do on the long trip to Timmins, so I’m doing my best to use the time productively <g to try and figure out why my straight-line nymphing was a failure.  I’m not a biologist and I’ve never talked to one about this so read the following with that proviso.  I’ve been trying to visualize how a trout takes a nymph. A trout resting in her lie doesn’t really have to work hard for dinner.  The whole process must be a relaxed affair compared to a bass chasing and inhaling a minnow.  As a nymph drifts toward the lie, she slides out and slightly opens her mouth.  As the nymph enters she clamps down for probably two reasons, one she must be sure it’s a nymph not debris, plus she has to kill it.  Nymphs can have pretty good jaws, especially the big ones, and they can give a good nip.  So she slides back into her lie with the nymph, chomps it once or twice more, runs it over her tongue as a final check, and only then swallows it.  This is the key to Sandy’s foam nymphs, as a hard nymph will be rejected as phony after a couple of chomps.  It also explains why I couldn’t get hookups.  I was fishing with a tungsten bead head caddis tied on a scud hook.  This hook has a thick wire, large gape and short shank plus the bead and the firmly wound body were rock hard. Straight-line nymphing will present the fly broadside to the trout. So when a trout took it, the hook point probably hit its lower jaw and the fly canted sideways, so when the trout clamped down, the hook point was outside of its mouth.  I’ve seen smallmouth take a slow moving woolly bugger the same way.  Plus, if I delayed the hookset, the trout would reject the hard nymph.  So if I’m to get a nymph to work on a straight-line swing, the point has to get inside the trout’s mouth.  That means a small gape, long shank, thin wire hook.  It would also help if the trout would take it like a streamer – with gusto. Mayfly nymphs come in three varieties, burrowing, clinging, and swimming.  Burrowing nymphs, like Hexes, favour soft, silty, slow moving sections of rivers and only become active in low light, dusk, or at night, consequently they don’t give us much opportunity to exploit except during emergence.  Clinging mayfly nymphs and most stoneflies crawl about rocks and only infrequently move in open water except when migrating to emerge.  When a clinging nymph wants to move and find a new feeding spot, they release their hold on a rock and allow themselves to be swept along in the current, swimming only a little.  These are the most common nymphs that we imitate when we dead drift.  Some species time their moves so that an entire section of a river has all of one species of nymph drifting at about the same time. An effective strategy for reducing casualties to marauding trout. These trout have very flat bodies and strong, thick legs suitable clinging to rocks.  The third type of nymphs however, are excellent swimmers with elegant, long, thin bodies and thin swimming legs. These mayflies swim with an arched back and an undulating side-to-side motion that wriggle nymphs unsuccessfully try to imitate.  Unlike clingers, these nymphs should be moved to be lifelike.  A down-and-across streamer swing with a few small strips should do the job. Recently, I tried swimming Hendrickson nymphs and I was pleasantly surprised with the aggression that trout displayed when taking them. No subtle takes this time and the hookup rate was very high.  So if I combine a good swimming nymph pattern with a swinging presentation, the results should be good.  Back to the crayfish pattern.  I had used a jig hook and had weighted the shank near the gape.  On the retrieve, the combination of the upraised eye and low set weight resulted in the fly flipping over and wobbling like an old Red Devil.  So if I purposely design a mayfly nymph with the same characteristics of weight and eye placement, I should get the same wobble giving a reasonable facsimile of a swimming nymph.  Well, wish me luck with it, as once I’ve got over the worst of the NT install, I’m going to tie up some and swing them through some Grand River runs.

Response:

Question:

I fell in love with the elk-hair caddis last summer as I learned on the Logan River and Franklin Basin. But now it is obvious that dry-flys without sunny days don’t work.

It’s more like dry flies without bugs in the air won’t work. In fact, overcast days are usually more productive than sunny days. The fish are cautious of predators on sunny days. — something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

I started my love of fly-fishing on the Logan River in Utah.  I have recently moved to Ogden, Utah.   A few kindred soles have told me areas of the Weber and Ogden River to try.  The local fly shop (there being only one I can find in Ogden) tells me "nymphs, nymphs, nymphs". The problem is what nymphs?   I don’t have much if any experience working nymphs.  The truth is this is my first winter at fly-fishing.  I fell in love with the elk-hair caddis last summer as I learned on the Logan River and Franklin Basin. But now it is obvious that dry-flys without sunny days don’t work. What I need is a fishing buddy in the area.  Any one in the area looking for some one to fish with? Thanks, Jason

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Question:

I have primarily used monofilament of 10lb test or smaller on my rods. I have often had lures shoot back at me when attempting to free snagged lures.  My question is if I were to use heavy mono or superlines such as spiderwire, how do I keep lures from zinging back at me at ungodly speeds?  How much should you tug on a lure before you decide to cut the line?  Are there techniques of line-tugging that direct lure-flight away from anglers?  When bank fishing, I sometimes position myself behind a tree, but sometimes there is nothing to hide behind.   I hear a lot about superlines paying for themselves by saving lures, but I think it would be rather difficult (not to mention unsafe) to attempt to straighten out a heavy 4/0 worm hook (I COULD understand light-wire hooks). Anyone out there with similar fears of flying worm weights and treble hooks?  How do you handle such things? Scott

Response:

Actually Scott, when using braided or fused super lines, the lures won’t be zapping back at you at light speed after freeing a snag. The only reason your lures are currently flying back at you is because in the process of pulling a snagged lure free, you are actually stretching the mono like a huge rubber band. So when the lure pulls free of the snag, the mono contracts and ……zzing… But with no stretch super lines…this problem won’t exist. If you pull free of the snag, the lure just would probably move a foot or two only. Either that or you bust the line. Linus

Response:

Scott, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have primarily used monofilament of 10lb test or smaller on my rods. I have often had lures shoot back at me when attempting to free snagged lures.  My question is if I were to use heavy mono or superlines such as spiderwire, how do I keep lures from zinging back at me at ungodly speeds?  How much should you tug on a lure before you decide to cut the line?  Are there techniques of line-tugging that direct lure-flight away from anglers?  When bank fishing, I sometimes position myself behind a tree, but sometimes there is nothing to hide behind. I hear a lot about superlines paying for themselves by saving lures, but I think it would be rather difficult (not to mention unsafe) to attempt to straighten out a heavy 4/0 worm hook (I COULD understand light-wire hooks). Anyone out there with similar fears of flying worm weights and treble hooks?  How do you handle such things?

The branded lines don’t stretch like mono, so they don’t fly back at you when they break loose.  When you pull on  mono, it stretches like a rubber band.  When it breaks free, it’s time to duck.  When I break a mono line, I look the other way and keep my head down. Richard

Response:

Question:

I am new to flyfishing and heard through a local fly shop that a women’s organization is starting up in the Phoenix,AZ area.  I left my info w/ someone’s husband at the shop but haven’t heard anything. maybe someone out there knows who I can contact. My husband doesn’t really fly fish, but I expect I’ll have him converted soon.

Response:

scribed: I am new to flyfishing and heard through a local fly shop that a women’s organization is starting up in the Phoenix,AZ area.  I left my info w/ someone’s husband at the shop but haven’t heard anything. maybe someone out there knows who I can contact. My husband doesn’t really fly fish, but I expect I’ll have him converted soon. Yes…you sound as if you will. Whether he wants it or not. – "It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once."                                                     -Hume

That is exactly my point: if he chooses not to convert from baitcasting, that’s fine, which is exactly why I’d like to follow up on this info.  If he chooses not to join me in my new found hobby, I would like to find a place where friendly FF information is available. I’d like to think that once he sees how much fun it is, he’d like to come along.  If not, that shouldn’t impede my quest for knowledge or a nice walk in a creek.

Response:

Question:

I will be in Galveston, Tx in the 2nd week of october.  Any good sight fishing in the shallows for redfish?? Is there wading access from shore? Do I need a boat??

Response:

Call ANGLER’S EDGE in Houston and ask them to help you set up a guide for the Galveston area. Or you may want to head two hours south for Port O’connor flats fishing, or Rockport, for even clearer water. If you are going to Rockport, fish with Chuck Naiser – a fly-fishing-only guide who will do a great job for you. You can see Naiser on the full page SAGE ads in the saltwater fly fishing magazine. Naiser’s # is 512-729-9314.

Response:

Question:

Try this Bill A.

Response:

This newsgrp is too big and diverse for me.  Is there a fly-fishing or fly-tying only newsgroup that one can subscribe to?  I’m in Oregon, and I can’t believe there aren’t enough folks out there to have a newsgroup!

Yes, there is a flyfishing group.  It’s called rec.outdoors.fishing.fly. However, it has even more traffic then rec.outdoors.fishing.  I recently put in a Call For Discussion for rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying to try and separate some of the tying discussion out of the main group.  There hasn’t been much discussion at all.  The Call For Votes should be coming up soon.  r.o.f.f. is a good group.  There are a lot of regulars that have been reading the group and a few accomplished flyfishers including Ralph and Lisa Cutter that contribute regularly.  The Cutters run the top rated flyfishing school in the country (US). — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

Response:

This newsgrp is too big and diverse for me.  Is there a fly-fishing or fly-tying only newsgroup that one can subscribe to?  I’m in Oregon, and I can’t believe there aren’t enough folks out there to have a newsgroup!

Response:

Question:

Does anyone have info about flyfishing possibilities on Bon-Aire?   My wife and daughter are trying to make me go and I won’t dive.

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I love Bonaire, maily, almost exclusively for the diving, but I can’t imagine that there is much in the way of flyfishing to be done.  Bonaire is a volcanic island and the depth profile tends to go: small coral shelf, small drop off (mebbe to 100′ or so), another small shelf and then BLAMMO, you have dropped off the edge of the world.  I’ve never been to either Klein Bonaire, but I suspect that it is similar.  Also, Bonaire has one of the strictest and longest standing reef and fish protection laws in the Carribean, primarily because of a fellow named Don Stuart (Captain Don) who is one of the wackier and more colorful people this world has to offer (and I’ve searched out quite a few).  He is a fantastic guy to drink some beers with down at Habitat, expecially on "country/western night".  We haven’t been down for eight years now owing to our having a couple of little units to consider, but a friend of mine just spent a month there on his sailboat and had a great time.  He said that it has grown a good bit since we were last there together in 87 but that the diving is still fantastic and the beer (Amstel) is still great, and affordable.  Essentially, the World Wildlife Fund did a great thing when they set up the Bonaire Marine Park, but they didn’t have flyfishers in mind.  Go on and take your snorkel, or better yet your regulator and have a great time.  If you do go, make sure you have the book "Guide to the Bonaire Marine Park", by Tom van’t Hof.  It’s a fantastic book and will show you how th dove the island WITHOUT A DIVE GUIDE OR BOAT!!!!  What a bonus!  You can dive REALLY CHEAP. Obviously, I love the place.  I hpe you go, even if there isn’t any flyfishing that I know of. Dave

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I couldn’t agree more.  I proposed to my wife there 9 years ago (she accepted!).  We haven’t been back, but we talk about it all the time. Neither of us dive, but we both snorkeled continuously.  It is sometimes better just to look at the fish than to catch them.  They are spectacular.  You don’t need a boat or a tour guide-just walk out into the water and you’re surrounded by the reef. The people were great, the ocean is great, the food is not.  There is a little town on the other side of the island from Kralendijk (the capital) where you can sit at a wonderful little outdoor juke joint and eat with the natives.  It is not a tropical paradise, very rocky, a desert island, but we loved it. Go, make your wife and daughter happy, and you’ll probably have a good time too.

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Does anyone have info about flyfishing possibilities on Bon-Aire? My wife and daughter are trying to make me go and I won’t dive.

I was there ~4 years ago and caught bonefish in the salt evaporation ponds on the south end of the island.  There are also some mangrove swamps that I think had some tarpon hanging out (not sure about this.)  The bonefishing was wade only (no boats allowed on the salt ponds.)  I think the name of the guide service I used there was Piscatour.  I don’t think Bonaire has a reputaion as a bonefish mecca, but they are there.  Also saw one permit zip by while we were out there.   There is also some offshore fishing there, but I didn’t try it. The ponds cove a fairly large area,  and if the mangrove area has permit and tarpon, you might find enough to interest yourself, but I would still be a little nervous about going there for fishing only. Dave B.

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I don’t know where you’re accustomed to fish, but it’s gonna be tough finding an uncrowded stream. If you want to catch fish, try Montauk State Park. It is a state-run trout park where you can fish in several miles of spring-fed streams heavily stocked with rainbows. There’s a flies-only section that can be somewhat challenging. Downstream from Montauk, the Current River is a popular float-trip destination, so the aluminum hatch is severe on weekends. But there are some sizable browns and rainbows in the upper sections of the river. Montauk has good camping and lodging facilities. Let me know what you do! Bob

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I don’t know where you’re accustomed to fish, but it’s gonna be tough finding an uncrowded stream. If you want to catch fish, try Montauk State Park.

        I just would like to know what state you are talking about!                                         Thank you,                      

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Missouri

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My brother-in-law and I are heading to the Rolla, MO area next weekend. We are interested in finding an uncrowded river with a healthy rainbow and brown trout population. Any suggestions?   We are also interested in any information concerning appropriate patterns for spring-time fishing in the Ozarks. Camp sites?

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I just got my orvis catalog in the mail today..ah, it’s January but spring is already in the air…So, my fellow fly fishermen, what are we buying Orvis braided leader system..it seems like it would be great. I want to pick it up, but first i’d like to know if anyone knows how good it is..Thanks.. Frankie… NYC fly-fisherman..just a 2 hour drive to the Beaverkill..

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The advertisement for Jeep that starts…       "A Tradition Runs Through It…." About made me lose chow… Tim Walker

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The advertisement for Jeep that starts…       "A Tradition Runs Through It…." About made me lose chow…

I hope the Royal Coachman does not make you nauseous; it was invented by Mary Orvis Marbury.  Unless I am mistaken, you must carry your line coiled up in your hand.  The thought of using a modern fly reel, which traces its lineage back to the CFO reel developed by Charles F. Orvis, is repugnant. On the other hand, it may be the Jeep/Orvis advertising executives who make you sick.  The thought that anyone would exploit fly fishing’s traditions, your heritage, for commercial gain could upset you.  That is why I only fish with tackle donated to me by Trappist monks.  They have to give up both fishing and sex. Shudder! Unfortunately, fewer and fewer folks are willing to make that double sacrifice so I am running low on tackle.  I am therefore looking forward to drooling over my Orvis catalogue.  I imperil my immortal soul by dealing with them (the toll free #, 1-800-666-6666, is scary) but what the heck.  Some of it is nice stuff. — Keep your stick on the ice.

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The advertisement for Jeep that starts…       "A Tradition Runs Through It…." snip Yeah, Tim, but if you keep reading, it only gets worse: "…The Orvis name informs (sic) the spirit of every fly fisherman…in America"   WHAT does that mean??!!

Inform (vt) does not just mean to impart knowledge, it also means 1) obs to give material form or to arrange 2)to give character or essence; hence to be characteristic of 3)to train or discipline 4)to guide or direct.  I don’t know why Webster says that 1 is obsolete; Aristotelian and Thomistic metaphysicians are always prattling on about formal causes informing material causes. So how do you like that?  Madison avenue says that Orvis gives you character, disciplines you, and/or guides you.  And I thought that they just had some nice stuff for sale.  If it were not for those ads I might have gone to my grave without recogning my essential Orvisness. — Keep your stick on the ice.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The advertisement for Jeep that starts…       "A Tradition Runs Through It…." snip Yeah, Tim, but if you keep reading, it only gets worse: "…The Orvis name informs (sic) the spirit of every fly fisherman…in America"   WHAT does that mean??!! Inform (vt) does not just mean to impart knowledge, it also means 1) obs to give material form or to arrange 2)to give character or essence; hence to be characteristic of 3)to train or discipline 4)to guide or direct.  I don’t know why Webster says that 1 is obsolete; Aristotelian and Thomistic metaphysicians are always prattling on about formal causes informing material causes.

Thanks for the vocabulary lesson!  Now that I know what they’re talking about, somehow I don’t feel much better.  However, I agree with the people who have posted to the effect that this drivel is an ad, after all; Orvis is just using the media to try to turn a buck, and I don’t sweat them that.  My beef is with the media…do they really think we are a bunch of sheep? Anyhow, seeing the ad did not stop me from placing an order from the same catalog.  Boycotting is a bit extreme, I think. Paul DiConza NY Capital District Angler

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: The advertisement for Jeep that starts… :       "A Tradition Runs Through It…." : About made me lose chow… : On the other hand, it may be the Jeep/Orvis advertising executives who : make you sick.  The thought that anyone would exploit fly fishing’s Norman Maclean must be rolling in his grave.  His son and his daughter must not have ever read the book, or they missed the point.  Ol’ Norm was very protective that his story was personal and he never wanted to exploit it for commercial gains.  Now he’s dead and his family is raping his memories.  If I ever see an orvis edition jeep at my fishing hole, I think I’ll let the air out of it’s tires for Norm…I think he’d approve. Tim Walker

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Who would buy an Orvis Cherokee…maybe the same tweedy types that keep Orvis in business and FF a bad name. Went way too far this time pa.

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Tim Walker suggests that he would let the air out of the tires of any Orvis Jeep parked near his fishing spot and that Norman McLean would approve. Tim – If I ever see anyone letting the air out of any fisherman’s vehicle (of whatever kind), I’ll do my best to see if I can get the person arrested. Making such a suggestion, even as hyperbole, reflects poor judgment (among other things).                                               Dallas, TX                                               Ennis, MT

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