Question:

Well done.  Wish I knew Bob so the picture would be absolutely crystal clear, but I get the idea.  Great pictures, Wolfie. Dave

Response:

And therein lies both the beauty and the curse of the lowly Power Bar. These little miracles can be recycled indefinitely with no noticeable loss of flavor or change in texture.

That’s because they suck to begin with. Give me an 8 oz bag of King’s peppered beef jerky and a few bags of M&Ms.

Response:

…..and hoisted our packs once again.  Check the crew.  Jeff’s wearing a glazed, almost beatific, smile…..endorphins or sumpthin…..he’ll get over it, and Bob just looks cramped and mean.  Right.  Everybody’s ready.  And up the trail we go. Half an hour later, our first real break.  Jeffie, the merciless bastard, agrees to a ten minute stop at a campground known, for reasons which by now are of absolutely no interest to me, as "the sawdust pile".  As he goes to look at the stream, Bob swigs from a plastic bladder filled with a mysterious brownish fluid, and I search the suspension system of my backpack in the probably vain hope of finding a scapula which I noticed, some time ago, was not in it’s accustomed position in the left dorsal proximal (or maybe it was the distal…….how DOES one tell them apart?) quadrant of my torso, a young couple approaches from downstream. He goes off to admire the stream….or make one of his own, and she stops to chat.  They are on a seven mile hike and the turn around is at "the sawdust pile", so we have come three and a half miles.  As we rest, several of the elderly day hikers from one of the pontoon boats we passed on the lake straggle in……well, actually, a  couple of them blaze by in a swirling cloud of dust and are only barely stopped by the frantic shouts of their friends or they might be in central Labrador by now. It is at this campground that we first notice the bear proof food hangers.  At each of the campgrounds the park service has installed one or more of these.  A steel cable is stretched between two trees some twenty to thirty feet apart.  Suspended from this cable are several more which are formed into continuous loops, each of which runs through a pulley at the top.  There is a pair of hooks on each of the loops, and a series of plastics sleeves held in place with nuts and bolts. The sleeves act as handholds, making it easier to haul up the hooked load of food.  Each cable also has a sturdy halyard clip which is placed such that it just reaches a screw eye about waist high in the trunk of the tree with the load suspended aloft.  Simple, elegant, cheap, and very effective. There will be one more rest stop before arrival at what will become our home for two nights and a day.  This time, I open my pack and take out something to eat.  Even Jeff is willing to stop for twenty minutes or so, but he is driven and Bob, who wears a look that says, "well, I’d probably like to sit down and die here with you, but I think I’ll take my chances with Jeff this time, nevertheless," accompanies him, leaving me to my fate.  "Ya’ll go on ahead," sez I, "I’ll catch up". I dawdle for a bit, enjoying the surroundings and the weather.  It is October and the leaves are beautiful.  A trout stream rushes by within easy reach and I know that I am within a mile of camp on a trail with an average grade of 2 or 3 percent……a trail which should more properly be called a highway….hell, a veritable Autobahn of hiking trails. This is the sort of trail that backpackers dream about after a hard day of climbing steep ascents over rolling cobbles and through calf deep mud.  So, I sit for a while and sip water and smoke a cigarette.  The day hikers have been left behind and I have a lovely spot all to myself.  Just me and the trees….and the stream….and the rocks….and the bea….um….well shit, maybe it IS time to get moving again. There is no sign of Jeff or Bob for the next half hour.  I am just about to cross another bridge when I happen to look to the right and catch a glimpse of movement.  Uh oh…….oh, it’s the boys.  It appears we have arrived at last.  Nice campground.  Not quite as barren looking as the others we had passed, and there is a more or less level spot on a tiny spit that over looks the confluence of Hazel and whatever the little feeder that comes out of Bone valley is called.  Not all THAT little actually.  This is a major tributary for a stream the size of Hazel, carrying about half as much water.   We set up camp quickly.  Two tents are erected in about fifteen minutes, a clothes line is strung, and three suddenly rejuvenated fly fishers are suited up and ready to rock in another ten or so.  Jeff dives in right at the camp site, Bob goes up the tributary, and I walk down a few hundred yards to fish my way back up. Hazel creek is different water than most that I have fished in the North Carolina mountains.  Where Santeetlah and the others plunge and roar in a frenzy of moving water, Hazel merely rushes in exuberance.  The is bigger water….not BIG, mind you, but bigger.  There are actual pools, trenches, runs, and even some sizable eddies where the others have pockets.  There are deep holes holding mysteries.  There are places too deep and or fast to wade through; you have to go around.  An hour or so of fishing produces a few small fish, and that’s enough.  I arrive back at the campsite and see Bob working his way up the tributary.  We spend the next hour and a half exploring a couple hundred yards of this promising water.  The promise is not fulfilled in any spectacular fashion, but we know the fish are there, as they are in Hazel itself, as they HAVE to be in water that looks like this.  We have been ASSURED that they are there by witnesses like Jeff and Wayno, but we believe it anyway. Back in camp, we eventually prepare the first of what will be a series of dismal meals.  Having flown half way across the country, I came without any food and we survived on what Bob had left over from previous trips and a few odds and ends we picked up in Robbinsville.  Not that my bringing anything from home would have made any real difference.  I’ve always been fairly indifferent to comestible niceties while on the trail….just too much bother, but I hope I never live to see another "Power Bar", and I believe the others share this sentiment.  Damned things look like they’ve been eaten once already, and neither the flavor nor the consistency does anything to dispel that disturbing impression      Two other campers who arrived while we were out fishing rattle pots and pans (cast iron pans!) as they enjoy what smells like bacon and beans….THEY came in on horses, trailing a pack mule…..bastards!     We kindle a fire using the wood which the previous tenants have thoughtfully left for us.  It’s a bit of a chore, as the wood is wet….looks and feels like it’s been rained on for a few days.  But it is mostly surface moisture and among the three of us we manage to keep a cheery blaze going till late into the night, as we each enjoy his own brand of poison and tell lies.  Long about 7:30 Jeff bags it and the rest of the party is not far behind. Morning comes early as Jeffie has not slept a wink…..something about cougars and bears cavorting around his tent all night long.  After a hasty breakfast of coffee, liquor, power bar wrappers, and crawly things, it was back to the stream for a full day of fishing.  Bob elected to stay in the general neighborhood of camp while Jeff and I decided to head upstream a couple of miles.  Jeff was eager to see virgin water….the section that had been closed to fishing for the past 25 years, despite having been informed that it wasn’t really all that virginal.  Seems the locals have been raping it pretty steadily throughout that time…..what’s new?  Virgin or not, a mile or so was enough for me and I ducked into the stream as Jeff continued up the trail.  In all, I fished two miles or a bit more that day.  For the first hour or two I worked the water carefully and caught fish steadily at the rate of one every three or four minutes.  By the end of that time it was clear that it was just going to be one of those days.  One of those infrequent days when it simply doesn’t matter much what you do. Wishing to see more of the stream and thinking that I might eventually overtake Jeff, I began to move much more quickly and only fished what seemed to me the most appealing spots.  I’d like to think that twenty years of experience and hard practice have prepared me to be able to pick the best spots to fish, but the truth is it was just one of those days.  The catching pace remained constant throughout the day.  I ended up with something like sixty or seventy, based on calculating the time fished and the steady catch rate.  The largest were three ten inch rainbows, all unusually fat.  The rest ranged from three through eight inches or thereabouts with a fairly even distrubtion…..about normal for most of the waters I’ve fished in NC or back home in Wisconsin and Michigan, for that matter.  Surprisingly, all were rainbows and browns, with the rainbows predominating.  Not a brookie in the bunch. By late afternoon, having gotten bored with catching fish, bouncing around on wet rocks and taking a couple of bone jarring falls, and knowing that I had about a three mile hike back to camp, I decided it was time to see if I could locate the trail which task, after caroming off several nasty and impenetrable rhodo thickets, I eventually accomplished. Took about forty-five minutes of fast paced downhill hiking to make it back.  Arriving back at camp, I found Jeff in the stream there.  He had given up some time ago, gone back down the trail and then hiked up to bone valley where he found the meadow we had been told of completely overgrown with trees.  Things change.  He then came back to the campground where he caught a fat ten inch rainbow (it seems they suddenly put on a great deal of weight on reaching that threshold size) just before I arrived.  Although neither Jeff nor Bob had as good a day of catching as I did, we were all agreed that it had been a glorious day.  The sun shined all day long and the temperature must have reached about sixty.  Where a sunbeam managed to penetrate the canopy and hit a relatively still spot in the stream the bottom shone with a breathtaking clarity.  The water, it seemed, was even clearer than the

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Response:

Question:

Here’s a few shots of the river. http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-1.jpg http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-2.jpg http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-3.jpg

Nice shrubbery!

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Here’s a few shots of the river. http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-1.jpg http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-2.jpg http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-3.jpg Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

Very pretty.  There are a couple of stretches like that that I’ve fished, but this looks as if the whole river might be open and mellow. — rbc:  vixen    Fairly harmless remove invalid or hit reply to email. Though I’m very slow to respond. http://www.visi.com/~cyli

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Here’s a few shots of the river. http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-1.jpg http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-2.jpg http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-3.jpg

Looks like easy wading at least…

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Very pretty.  There are a couple of stretches like that that I’ve fished, but this looks as if the whole river might be open and mellow.

that is a good description of it but the flow rate is down quite a bit.  I figure it’s about 6" to 12" below normal levels so the big fish bunch up in a few holes, making them easy pickings for the bucket brigade.  These long glides look like perfect trout water, even the temps are not bad, yet I’ve not encountered a single young steelhead. The shallows contain the most amazing amount and variety of minnow life, I’ve ever seen.  What is really encouraging, among them are hordes of young smallies.  This river has neat "hatches" – minnows jumping out of the water all over the place, fleeing the omnipresent smallie. BTW, went out yesterday and fished some of the same water.  I didn’t do nearly as well as though I did lose a clouser to a thumping smash from a northern.  It’s fall fair time and they have helicopter rides. Guess who was the star attraction on the River Nith?  "Look folks! There’s a guy fly fishing.  Let’s take a closer look and see if he’s catching anything."  After somewhere between 30 and 40 passes, what I wouldn’t have done for an AK-47.  A chopper thumping up the river valley doesn’t do much for the catch rate.  On one pass, he dropped down below the height of the riverside trees, coming straight at me. He would’ve looked real good in a ring sight.  Oh, and there was plenty of fresh worm sign too.  No wonder things were a little slower than Friday. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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Here’s a few shots of the river. http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-1.jpg http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-2.jpg http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/nith-3.jpg Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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40 min from the house…?…nice spot…

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The Nith River was a real treat.  Thanks to low water and other abuses, a lot of the rivers around here don’t look so good but the Nith shows every sign of being very healthy.  The alewives were all fat and spunky, literally hundreds of them in every shallow riffle, and the smallies!  Each deep pool had an ordering of smallies. the little baby ones were scampering about the shallows, their older siblings hung along the edges of the pools while the big old buggers camped out in the deep middle.  A fly drawn in close would have a trail of ten or more little guys all taking turns nipping the tail. I’m used to seeing a smallie here and there, I can’t remember literally seeing dozens and dozens in one small area.  I was also pleased to see the obvious health of all of the age classes – there didn’t appear to be gaps – seeing 3" fish and catching everything from 6" to 14" plus hooking even larger.  All of this only a 100 yards from the access point.  If the GRCA website can be believed, it also has some browns and now I’m damn sure that I had a very large brown on yesterday.  I had it on for over a minute though I didn’t get it close enough to see it, the fish fought so different from the other large smallies it had to be a large trout.  The river also has pike and walleye but the take wasn’t pike-like at all and it fought too well for a walleye (unless it was a friggin’ huge walleye.) At this access point, the Nith is still a decent sized river, about as wide as Penns in some places but without the flow rates.  It’s a spate river, winding through agricultural land but a healthy riparian strip has been maintained long much of its length so the water quality is better than average for rivers in this part of the world.  The bottom is mostly gravel and cobble, providing for easy wading and access doesn’t require mountain goat DNA (and no rhodos either).  It has multiple access points, a minimum of postings, plus it’s not far from Whiteman’s Creek either.  It could easily support a group of anglers along this section without crowding, and though there are signs that some people come to fish it, It doesn’t show the evidence of pressure. This is a standard regulations river, so normal seasons, limits, and all tackle and baits in the regulations are legal. All of this only 40 minutes from the house. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at

http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/streamers/index.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

The Nith River was a real treat.  Thanks to low water and other abuses, a lot of the rivers around here don’t look so good but the Nith shows every sign of being very healthy.  The alewives were all fat and spunky, literally hundreds of them in every shallow riffle, and the smallies!  Each deep pool had an ordering of smallies. the little baby ones were scampering about the shallows, their older siblings hung along the edges of the pools while the big old buggers camped out in the deep middle.  A fly drawn in close would have a trail of ten or more little guys all taking turns nipping the tail. I’m used to seeing a smallie here and there, I can’t remember literally seeing dozens and dozens in one small area.  I was also pleased to see the obvious health of all of the age classes – there didn’t appear to be gaps – seeing 3" fish and catching everything from 6" to 14" plus hooking even larger.  All of this only a 100 yards from the access point.  If the GRCA website can be believed, it also has some browns and now I’m damn sure that I had a very large brown on yesterday.  I had it on for over a minute though I didn’t get it close enough to see it, the fish fought so different from the other large smallies it had to be a large trout.  The river also has pike and walleye but the take wasn’t pike-like at all and it fought too well for a walleye (unless it was a friggin’ huge walleye.) At this access point, the Nith is still a decent sized river, about as wide as Penns in some places but without the flow rates.  It’s a spate river, winding through agricultural land but a healthy riparian strip has been maintained long much of its length so the water quality is better than average for rivers in this part of the world.  The bottom is mostly gravel and cobble, providing for easy wading and access doesn’t require mountain goat DNA (and no rhodos either).  It has multiple access points, a minimum of postings, plus it’s not far from Whiteman’s Creek either.  It could easily support a group of anglers along this section without crowding, and though there are signs that some people come to fish it, It doesn’t show the evidence of pressure. This is a standard regulations river, so normal seasons, limits, and all tackle and baits in the regulations are legal. All of this only 40 minutes from the house. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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Question:

Well, you could use the simple approach and just try to match the bugs on the water with a fly that is close in size and colour.  That will generally work about 90% of the time.  And you don’t need to learn all the entymology either.  All you have to know is that trout eat bugs, and most of the time they eat the kind of bugs that are hatching at the time.  Fly fishing does not have to be technical, but a lot of people tend to try to make it so. Cheers from the wet coast.

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…  And you don’t need to learn all the entymology either.  All you have to know is that trout eat bugs, and most of the time they eat the kind of bugs that are hatching at the time.  Fly fishing does not have to be technical, but a lot of people tend to try to make it so. …

The great beauty of it, and much of the appeal of flyfishing for me, is that you’ve got it exactly right. You can make it as technical as you want… or not. For some it’s rewarding and challenging to do some amateur entomology, others, who catch just as many fish, are content to tie on a fly that looks close enough in size and color without caring much about the latin name of the beast they’re matching. The question though was how to identify hatches and for that I do recommend at least a little bit of aquatic entomology. My favorite book on the subject is the pricey but beautiful classic, _Aquatic Entomology_ by W. Patrick McCafferty. — Ken Fortenberry Illini 2 – Tar Heels 1

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But I have no idea how to identify what’s on the water, nor how to match it with a fly (I’m at the stage where I can’t tell a caddis from a mayfly.)  What;s the best approach to teaching myself?

Some simple small books that you can keep in your vest are the Orvis books: Trout Stream Insects by Dick Pobst (ISBN 1-55821-067-9) The Caddisfly Handbook by Dick Pobst and Carl Richards (ISBN 1-55821-542-5) These two have color photos, recommended artificials, and hatch charts for east and west US to help you narrow down the search. Tight lines, Peter Simonson

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Cheers from the wet coast.

Hm….what an odd place you live in!  ;-)

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Yah, well, when you get rain most of the year, and they call it the "coastal rainforest", it does tend to get a few nicknames.  But, hey, the salmon are coming like gangbusters right now and I have to make a business trip to Calgary.  I’ll have to condescend to fish that large creek they call the Bow and harass a few trout.  Then it’s out to the local streams for the Pinks, Coho and Chinook on the fly.  Cheers from Vancouver, BC, the Wet Coast.

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Question:

I’m starting to think that the Black Ant is a very underappreciated fly. I’ve been catching fish right and left with them lately — cutthroat, brookies, and rainbows — in both streams and lakes. I get the feeling that trout must really like the taste of ants. It’s become my "go to" fly when there’s no obvious hatch. Another thing is that the Black Ant ridiculously easy to tie, even for an all-thumbs tier like me. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

I’m starting to think that the Black Ant is a very underappreciated fly. I’ve been catching fish right and left with them lately — cutthroat, brookies, and rainbows — in both streams and lakes. I get the feeling that trout must really like the taste of ants. It’s become my "go to" fly when there’s no obvious hatch. Another thing is that the Black Ant ridiculously easy to tie, even for an all-thumbs tier like me. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

I’ve heard a story once about a trouts love of ants. I think it happened in Texas. A whole mess of ants were blown onto a lake and the trout gorged themselves on them. The toxins in the ants then killed a lot of the fish. They love em to death.

Response:

The black Ant is my numero uno summer fly, especially when nothing is hatching. I’m starting to think that the Black Ant is a very underappreciated fly. I’ve been catching fish right and left with them lately — cutthroat, brookies, and rainbows — in both streams and lakes. I get the feeling that trout must really like the taste of ants. It’s become my "go to" fly when there’s no obvious hatch. Another thing is that the Black Ant ridiculously easy to tie, even for an all-thumbs tier like me. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

– Cheers, Herman Herman Nijland Daytime webmaster Lifetime flyfisher

Response:

A few years back, I heard that 10% of the earth’s animal biomass is ANTS! Charlie Quinton Laramie, Wyo. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m starting to think that the Black Ant is a very underappreciated fly. I’ve been catching fish right and left with them lately — cutthroat, brookies, and rainbows — in both streams and lakes. I get the feeling that trout must really like the taste of ants. It’s become my "go to" fly when there’s no obvious hatch. Another thing is that the Black Ant ridiculously easy to tie, even for an all-thumbs tier like me.

Response:

A few years back, I heard that 10% of the earth’s animal biomass is ANTS! Charlie Quinton Laramie, Wyo. On Tue, 24

and the other 90% is timbo! ba-ba-ba-bing…. waldo Ezflyfish.com http://www.ezflyfish.com BRBG http://www.abebooks.com/home/BLUEBOOKS P.O. Box 5112  Banner Elk, NC 28604 (828)963-5001

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A few years back, I heard that 10% of the earth’s animal biomass is ANTS! Charlie Quinton Laramie, Wyo. On Tue, 24 and the other 90% is timbo! ba-ba-ba-bing….

I guess that leaves the rest of us in the roundoff error. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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I guess that leaves the rest of us in the roundoff error.

…or somewhere beneath the meniscus.

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I guess that leaves the rest of us in the roundoff error. …or somewhere beneath the meniscus.

I experienced a double-take last night. Espn sportscenter….one of the announcers mentions: "somethin or other ‘meniscus’ ". I dropped the book I was reading and stared at the screen in disbelief…. no more mention…mebbe I’m suffering from audio-hallucinations. btw wolfie…you gonna make it to fall ball? waldo — Ezflyfish.com http://www.ezflyfish.com BRBG http://www.abebooks.com/home/BLUEBOOKS P.O. Box 5112  Banner Elk, NC 28604 (828)963-5001

Response:

I agree.. last weekend, when nothing else was working, I caught goldens on an 18… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The black Ant is my numero uno summer fly, especially when nothing is hatching. I’m starting to think that the Black Ant is a very underappreciated fly. I’ve been catching fish right and left with them lately — cutthroat, brookies, and rainbows — in both streams and lakes. I get the feeling that trout must really like the taste of ants. It’s become my "go to" fly when there’s no obvious hatch. Another thing is that the Black Ant ridiculously easy to tie, even for an all-thumbs tier like me. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam) — Cheers, Herman Herman Nijland Daytime webmaster Lifetime flyfisher

– Particle Salad/ Noom Room Studio http://home.earthlink.net/~psalad mp3 songs: http://www.mp3.com/particlesalad

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…btw wolfie…you gonna make it to fall ball?

Nothing would give me greater pleasure Walt, and I am honored that this august company considers me worthy of invitation.  Unfortunately, my work schedule will probably not permit it.  I was a bit profligate with my vacation time earlier in the year and am now paying the price.

Response:

0] psalad wrote : I agree.. last weekend, when nothing else was working, I caught goldens on an : 18… Gotcha some goldens–congrats. A couple of rainbows that I killed last year on Fish Creek south of Devils Postpile had their crops chock full of those big Sierra black ants.

Many years ago I fished Beck’s Lakes up that way and killed ‘em with Blank Ants. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

0] psalad wrote : I agree.. last weekend, when nothing else was working, I caught goldens on an : 18… Gotcha some goldens–congrats. A couple of rainbows that I killed last year on Fish Creek south of Devils Postpile had their crops chock full of those big Sierra black ants. Mike — Michael McGuire                     Hewlett Packard Laboratories  (remove x’s from email if not      Palo Alto, CA 94303-0971   a spammer) Phone: (650)-857-5491              

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Many years ago I fished Beck’s Lakes up that way and killed ‘em with Blank Ants.

I’m certain that there’s an easy joke in there ;^) /daytripper

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Seems I recall something about "furic acid (?)" in ants that trout love like we love salt. Dave

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Seems I recall something about "furic acid (?)" in ants that trout love like we love salt. Dave

Many ants use Formic acid to paralyse their prey. Any quantity of this is extremely poisonous, and will even kill small mammals and fish. Incidents of fish kills due to eating large quantities of ants have been documented. TL MC

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Seems I recall something about "furic acid (?)" in ants that trout love like we love salt. Dave Many ants use Formic acid to paralyse their prey. Any quantity of this is extremely poisonous, and will even kill small mammals and fish. Incidents of fish kills due to eating large quantities of ants have been documented.

Are you sure those incidents weren’t really due to Timbo using a black ant pattern? — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

Many ants use Formic acid to paralyse their prey. Any quantity of this is extremely poisonous, and will even kill small mammals and fish. Incidents of fish kills due to eating large quantities of ants have been documented. TL MC

This opens an interesting side question.  Awhile back Mr. G brought up the scent question associated with flys.  I have watched big Browns on a small spring creek here swim up to ant patterns and bump them without taking.  Would crushed, dried ants used as a scent mask assist with the use of an ant fly.  This, of course, opens many more questions of ethics, etc.  If we douse our flys with chemicals to help them float, could, should we use scent masks and are they effective? — Wayne To fish is human….To release Divine! Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

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Seems I recall something about "furic acid (?)" in ants that trout love like we love salt. Dave

Formic acid.  Same root as the Latin generic ‘Formica’.  Also, incidentally, the same name as the hard plastic countertop material which is presumably made from some mix including formic acid. I read somewhere that fish love ants because of the formic acid which provides a good dose of some nutrient which they otherwise find difficult to acquire.

Response:

This opens an interesting side question.  Awhile back Mr. G brought up the scent question associated with flys.  I have watched big Browns on a small spring creek here swim up to ant patterns and bump them without taking.  Would crushed, dried ants used as a scent mask assist with the use of an ant fly.  This, of course, opens many more questions of ethics, etc.  If we douse our flys with chemicals to help them float, could, should we use scent masks and are they effective?

This prompts me to bring up another quetion. I always tie on my first fly before I use any bug repellant, and after I use bug repellant I try to get it off my fingers before I retie. Does anyone else think that the scent of bug repellant might put a fish off taking a fly? — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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… Does anyone else think that the scent of bug repellant might put a fish off taking a fly?

No doubt about it in my experience. I use Cutters which has a fairly high concentration of Deet. No experience with other repellants but the fish are definitely put off by Cutters. — Ken Fortenberry

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I always tie on my first fly before I use any bug repellant, and after I use bug repellant I try to get it off my fingers before I retie. Does anyone else think that the scent of bug repellant might put a fish off taking a fly?

My concern with bug repellant other than the taste (if you’ve ever gotten 95% DEET in your mouth you know what I mean) would be the effect on any part of your line/leader/tippet that you might get some on.  The stuff is murder on lines. Dave If we didn’t have some bad days, they would call it ‘catching’, not ‘fishing’.

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could, should we use scent masks and are they effective?

I have quit using any cement on the flies i tie, do not use chemicals to make them float and rub them in mud before i use them. I think that flies that have caught a fish are more effective than new ones…Is this using a scent?   I would say yes, but it works for me. I know people who will not fish for catfish or carp without putting mayfly scent on their flies and claim that they are much more effective when fished that way. They could be right. Big Dale

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I am certain it does Royal Wulff.  I always wash my hands before touching the fly because I have noticed an improvement in the number of strikes I get.  Trout have a remarkable sense of smell. Ernie Harrison Like to make fly-fishing stuff?  See: http://users.ccnet.com/~emh/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I always tie on my first fly before I use any bug repellant, and after I use bug repellant I try to get it off my fingers before I retie. Does anyone else think that the scent of bug repellant might put a fish off taking a fly?

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Pheasant tail nymphs may have the scent of crushed pheasant, but I’ve never seen a fish rise to a pheasant. CDC flies are a different chapter altogether.. Herman – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Many ants use Formic acid to paralyse their prey. Any quantity of this is extremely poisonous, and will even kill small mammals and fish. Incidents of fish kills due to eating large quantities of ants have been documented. TL MC This opens an interesting side question.  Awhile back Mr. G brought up the scent question associated with flys.  I have watched big Browns on a small spring creek here swim up to ant patterns and bump them without taking.  Would crushed, dried ants used as a scent mask assist with the use of an ant fly.  This, of course, opens many more questions of ethics, etc.  If we douse our flys with chemicals to help them float, could, should we use scent masks and are they effective? — Wayne To fish is human….To release Divine! Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

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I always tie on my first fly before I use any bug repellant, and after I use bug repellant I try to get it off my fingers before I retie. Does anyone else think that the scent of bug repellant might put a fish off taking a fly?

Bug repellent and several other things as well, will effectively prevent you from catching a lot of fish. I no longer use anything at all after reading about a  lot of instances where this was so, and also experiencing it myself. This is most apparent when bait fishing, but night fishing for seatrout with flies is also more or less a waste of time if you get repellent or similar substances like reel oil etc on your line or flies. Even small amounts will suffice to prevent the fish from taking. Hugh Falkus and several other authors also wrote about this. One reason for the use of "smelly" baits etc is the fact that these baits "mask" any other smells, like human sweat etc, thus making the fish less wary. Some extremely sensitive fish, like carp, catfish, and eels, will not go near a bait or anything else which has certain smells on it. By the same token, some smells seem attractive to fish, so it would be reasonable to assume that a fly treated with such a substance might result in better takes. This would then be close to bait fishing though. Many Scandinavian anglers in the Baltic sea, soak their flies in herring oil or similar before use, and swear that they are much more effective because of this. I have tried this, and it works quite well, especially on Cod and Herring. As it is not usual to catch "large numbers" of seatrout in the baltic ( two or three per trip is in fact well above average usually ! ), it is difficult to say just how effective these oils are on these fish, but that they make a difference I have no doubt. One of the best ways to "clean" your hands etc, before fishing is to "wash" them in bankside mud, and then in the stream. This will often increase your catch rate if the fish are being difficult, especially last minute refusals, or nosing the fly and not taking.  It may also be that some floatants cause refusals.  On difficult waters and difficult fish I try to avoid using any floatants at all. Do not lick your fingers or put your hands in your mouth at all ,after doing the above. There are quite a few nasty diseases floating around, which may be transferred in this way. Ranging from Weil

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What the hell is L2.99 and L 3.50? Speak American, damn it! TWL Big Al – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our company, Lureflash International Limited.  We originally made our name with the introduction and development of synthetic fly tying materials into the very traditional world of fly tying; and are regarded by many as the re-inventors of fly tying and indeed fly fishing in the UK. This year we have introduced our new full-colour FLY REFERENCE GUIDE which is a fifty-page booklet comprising all fly pages featured within our trade catalogue and is an excellent reference guide.  Suggested retail price

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I’m looking for a fresh water fly fishing buddy.  I live in Fairfax county.

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OK weevee66.  You wanna fish for trout and smallmouth or are shad, carp, largemouth, catfish and other trash fish your main quarry?  When were you born and what is your real name?  Many of us posted brief Bios awhile back. Care to do the same?  Send me a private e-mail with a detailed listing of all your best secret fishing holes and we will talk.  I’m just outside of Fredericksburg. Wayne To fish is human…to release divine. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m looking for a fresh water fly fishing buddy.  I live in Fairfax county.

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Hello! I’m about ready to buy a mess of flyfishing stuff on a budget. The rod, reel and line are my first consideration.  After several FF trips using an old fiberglass rod, and borrowing a Cabela’s Sweetwater outfit (8′ 6"  6wt  2pc  96% graphite), I believe the combo I want is a 8 foot, 4 piece, 4-5 weight with matching reel and line.  I want it small enough to perform well in small mountain streams (like in Shenandoah NP) as well as be satisfactory in as many other situations as possible.  4 piece cause I want to hike with it, moderate action.  So far my choices are:         From Cabelas ‘96 FF catalog:            1  Fish Eagle Traditional Combo   $153               8′ 4wt  4pc  moderate action                     walnut seats, silv plated hardware, stainless steel                   double foot snake guides (chrome finish).  Al oxide               stripper guide w ceramic insert               include cahill reel + cortland 333 line + backing            2  Willow Creek Pack Rod Combo    $90 !               8′ 4-5wt  4 pc  96% graph                 cahill reel + WF line + backing         3  St Croix 8′ 4-5wt mod action  Imperial travel Rod 4 pc            $135 rod only  SC33 Graphite (33m mod)            Any comments on these?  I’m kind of leaning toward the Fish Eagle Traditional right now.  I’m hoping to keep the whole deal around $100-200.  Any other suggestions?  How about Sage or Orvis low end stuff? T & T ? Next is the other essentials:  stockingfoots, boots, vest, glasses. I’d love for the stockingfoots and boots to be as packable as possible.   I’m pretty sure that the Cabelas 3mm neoprene stockingfoots and their Three Forks wading Boot are a decent choice.  How about their 2mm  SuperLite neoprene stockingfoots?  They say they are ideal for backpacking.  Are they durable and warm enough for three season use?  I heard that the actual foot area of the waders are a little vulnerable (3mm).  3mm = $60, 2mm = $70, Three Forks = $45. Cabelas entry level Willow Creek Vest sounds reasonable for $40.  I don’t want too many pockets to mess with, just something simple comfortable and durable.  It says it has a rear pouch, but is it zippered?   Cabelas Pro Angler Sunglasses for $15?  Decent? Any suggestions and comments are appreciated! Pls email replies. C’mooooooooon spring. Thanks, Jim — The above opinions are factual.

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Hello! I’m about ready to buy a mess of flyfishing stuff on a budget. The rod, reel and line are my first consideration.  After several FF trips using an old fiberglass rod, and borrowing a Cabela’s

etc. Personally, I would stick to one of the lower Orvis or LL Bean packages. You can save some money and get good merchandise. Other good choices other than the ones you mentioned are Scott and Lamiglas. I don’t think Lamiglas gets enough "press" as they make some good rods.  You might be best off (in my humble opinion) in spending more for the rod now, and get a cheap reel. Unless you are battling Salmon or Bonefish, the reel is only a place to store the line. You could always use it for an extra when you get a better reel. I am still using the old Orvis madison reel I bought 15 years ago, but it mounts on one of my Winston rods. I’ve never really had the desire to replace it. But then again, I am still driving the new car I bought in 1984 too!

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I’ve been very satisfied with my 5 weight Loomis combined with an inexpensive but well crafted scientific anglers reel.  The two totaled together around $300.  LL Bean makes a pretty good rod.  But stay away

Please tell us more about your opinion of Bean’s reels.  Have you had problems with them?

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At one time they sold some reals made by STH in Argentina…as did Orvis…and from what I saw they were not very good reels

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Hello Deborah, Please repost, it was empty when I looked David Delcloo

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| | Any of you poor schlepps out there stuck with me in the land | of no salmonids? I guess bass will have to work for now:) | I’d love to get to know some fellow fly anglers here. Drop me a line. | | — I was. Now I’m not. Oregon is home. Trout and Steelhead are only a mile and a cast away. My father in Marion, Indiana is flying out for a five day nothin’ but flyfishing vacation with my two brothers and me in July. I have a feeling he won’t be a poor schlepp like you anymore. Sympathetically Yours, E M Sutton Gresham, OR "To fish,…or not to fish? No question about it."        /           *                                                                                                                                                                                O                              #/_                              #  O                              

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Any of you poor schlepps out there stuck with me in the land of no salmonids? I guess bass will have to work for now:) I’d love to get to know some fellow fly anglers here. Drop me a line. — Fishin Buddy  o <<     o  |           These opinions are offered by weight  <     <  o       <J           provocative content may have occurred      <<       <<                    during shipping and handling.

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Any of you poor schlepps out there stuck with me in the land of no salmonids? I guess bass will have to work for now:) I’d love to get to know some fellow fly anglers here. Drop me a line. — Fishin Buddy  o    <<     o  |           These opinions are offered by weight  <     <  o       <J              provocative content may have occurred      <<  <<                    during shipping and handling.

We are out here.  Yes, stuck in the land of no salmonids.  But learning to love bass and bluegill flyfishing.   "I am haunted by waters." -Norman Maclean-

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Sugar Creek up near Crawfordsville always afforded us great fly fishing, especially downstream towards Shades State Park. It’s actually a pretty well known stretch of creek written about in _Nymphs_ by Ernie Scweibert. The small mouth you can sight-cast to. No crowds either.   No salmonids? Have you checked out the south shore of Lake Michigan during spawning runs? Tim Shickley – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Any of you poor schlepps out there stuck with me in the land of no salmonids? I guess bass will have to work for now:) I’d love to get to know some fellow fly anglers here. Drop me a line. — Fishin Buddy  o       <<     o  |            These opinions are offered by weight  <     <  o       <J            provocative content may have occurred      <<      <<                     during shipping and handling. We are out here.  Yes, stuck in the land of no salmonids.  But learning to love bass and bluegill flyfishing. "I am haunted by waters." -Norman Maclean-

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