Question:

   It’s been a 20 year family tradition among my in-laws to go camping in the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park at least once a year. This past Memorial Day weekend I headed up there on Thursday to secure a campsite while the rest of the family joined me on Friday evening.

Thanks Mu, nice report. I live less than a couple hours from this area, but have never fished it. I will now. Thanks again brians PS many miles downstream of the Upper Kings, so much water is diverted for irrigation, that it almost dries up to nothing.

Response:

I live less than a couple hours from this area, but have never fished it. I will now.

The few fly anglers I met did say they caught fish too.  In 20 years of camping there my father-in-law told me he never saw anybody catching any fish.  A competent spin or bait angler should do very well but most people seem content to soak their bait at the bottom and wait for the fish to never come. Mu

Response:

 Nice description, Mu.  I tend to think of CA as a place  where all of the free-flowing water of any significance  is long-gone, so I am always surprised by a report like  yours.

well once this water reaches the low lands, it is dammed for agriculture nad drinking water.

Response:

nice report……nice to hear there is still an abundance of water…somewhere out there….   richard colorado . – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    It’s been a 20 year family tradition among my in-laws to go camping in the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park at least once a year. This past Memorial Day weekend I headed up there on Thursday to secure a campsite while the rest of the family joined me on Friday evening.    I did manage to fit in a whole day of fishing on Friday along with a few more hours on Sunday afternoon.  A foot of snow had been on the ground

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I loved the report… been thinking about heading up that way…

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Great report – thank you. Now I have to go again and take the main squeez. When I use to fish various forks of the Kings sometimes it would be a day before my hearing would come back. When the river use to run high we found fish in the smallest creeks and rivelets, they seemed to small to have fish but they did. . – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  snipped most enjoyable report

Response:

   It’s been a 20 year family tradition among my in-laws to go camping in the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park at least once a year. This past Memorial Day weekend I headed up there on Thursday to secure a campsite while the rest of the family joined me on Friday evening.    I did manage to fit in a whole day of fishing on Friday along with a few more hours on Sunday afternoon.  A foot of snow had been on the ground in some portions of the park just a few days earlier, but it had melted by the time I arrived.    The temperature was unusually warm during the holiday weekend and the water levels were rising each day.  It is not unusual for blizzards to occur even in May in this particular national park, which John Muir had claimed matched Yosemite in grandeur and beauty.    The South Fork of the Kings River races through the Cedar Grove area year round.  I’ve been here in early September and even then this river is barely wadable.  Much of the river was a raging whitewater froth during my trip last month.  Even the tributaries looked angry enough to drown a whale.    The pools that are visible during low water periods were completely hidden under the plunging rapids.  I’d hate to even think about what this river would look like in May after a wet winter.    On Friday I drove to the Road’s End, a popular take-off point for backpackers and day hikers, located at the terminus of highway 180. Hiking in about 2 miles along the north side of the river took me to a bridge which crosses the South Fork where it is joined by Bubbs Creek.    I walked back towards Road’s End along the south side of the river until I came upon an area where the river split into several smaller side channels which were on the north side.  At this point I foolishly attempted to cross back over to the north side.  The water which looked about knee deep was actually waist deep.  Once I was past the knees however it was too late.  The river lifted me off my feet and I was headed towards the ocean.  With great difficulty I did manage to tiptoe to the other side about 30 yards downstream from where I had started. Fortunately, there were no deep pools in this area.  (Those new Chota STL studded wading boots are great!)    I fished the side channels and picked up a few dinky rainbows on a cinnamon caddis.  I did spot stonefly husks on some of the rocks but in general this river does not appear to be too fertile.  The insect activity seems to be predominantly of the caddis sort.  Sometimes, skittering my fly would trigger a strike.    Eventually I met up with the main river again.  Much of the fishing for these small and wild rainbows was quite easy.  Trying to find a place to fish where one could avoid drowning was not so easy.    Basically I’d scramble through the brush for about 20 minutes until I found a large boulder.  Several fish would be congregated there.  A poorly drifted nymph would almost definitely result in a hookup.  Sometimes, even a second fish could be lured out of a particular pocket of water.  But that was it.  Typically, after the first fish was caught, the rest of them would go hide under a rock.    The colors of these fish were brilliant and their eagerness was well appreciated by this angler.  I didn’t mind that they were small; I mean I could catch fish like these even locally here in southern Califronia. But the scenery in Kings Canyon really is spectacular.  After wearing out my welcome at one boulder, it was a 20 minute hike until I found another likely looking spot.  And that’s how the day went on for several more enjoyable hours.    Sunday afternoon I was walking around the area known as Zumwalt Meadow which is also near the vicinity of Road’s End.   I found an extremely large deadfall and for several yards, the water behind it almost appeared to be like a regular river instead of the South Fork.  It looked interesting so I decided to see what would happen to a #14 Parachute Adams.  In spite of the large downed tree, the water was still moving rather swiftly though this area and frequent mending was necessary.    What a surprise when I pulled out a feisty little jumping brown trout. I caught several more browns in that little run.  Unlike the rainbows in the pocket water, these fish did not spook after one of their brethren was hooked and flailing wildly in their vicinity.  Since National Parks are not stocked with fish, these must be the descendants of some browns that were introduced many decades ago.    All in all an enjoyable trip.  Good mix of fishing days and hiking days and lots of wood-fired steaks. Mu

Response:

Question:

Today I finally found the time to head up to Boone and fish for trout. It had been nearly two months since my last visit. Fortunately, I was able to bring along an ex-ROFFian celebrity guest which had the added bonus of providing Waldo a bit of motivation to join us for the day. I think I can safely speak for all of three us when I say that we had a great time. After taking care of a few errands in the area, Celebrity Guest and I met Waldo at his house at about 9:30am and headed to the Watauga. We decided to fish the delayed harvest section for a while as we waited for the sun to come out and (hopefully) bring the fish to the surface. As it turns out, the fish never did really get into the swing of taking dry flies, so we (well, those of us with no scruples anyway) were relegated to fishing with nymphs. The stockers were unusually picky and much more of a challenge than normal. Not a bad thing at all, but in the end we did manage to catch a respectable number of fish. At about noon we headed to a wild stream that has quickly become one of my very favorite places on earth to fish. The water was running high and *cold* but relatively clear. I was actually glad that I had let Celebrity Guest borrow my nice breathable waders and that I had chosen to wear my neoprene backups. We fished some absolutely stunning stretches of water. Despite the fact that I’m practically only half the age of my fishing partners, I was the only one to take a spill. I didn’t get wet, but I did manage quite a shin shiner. Once again, dry flies did not produce (although Waldo and Celebrity Guest stuck to their dry fly guns with seasoned determination) but a few fish could be had here and there in the deep pools with small Prince nymphs and a couple of–ahem–sinkers. It’s interesting how different things are at this time of year than they were last year at this time. The water is much higher and colder which has likely delayed the dry fly action by several weeks. Or maybe that has nothing to do with it; who knows. Despite the predictions of rain showers, the weather was great. An almost eery cold front pushed its way into the area right as we were breaking down our gear (at about 3:30pm) and by 4:00pm it was butt cold outside. A good day on the stream and the company was most excellent. Can’t wait to do it again… –Steve

Response:

  Um, I need a ruling on the above: is it White Fish that he’s fucking, or is he a White Fucker who preys on fish?

Jeff preys on white fish.  What he did with them after that is still his little secret <g HTH. — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

Response:

Sure, but just in a sarcastic manner…. Shut up  white fish fucker!

Um, I need a ruling on the above: is it White Fish that he’s fucking, or is he a White Fucker who preys on fish? /daytripper (Thanks in advance

Response:

So if I designate myself as the "Best fly fisherman to ever live" will you guys start referring to me as that?

Sure, but just in a sarcastic manner….

Response:

Sure, but just in a sarcastic manner….

Shut up  white fish fucker! — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

Response:

Ya really think Zimbo’s breathables would fit the dwarf?  

Maybe they cut one leg off of Waldo’s old waders and made him hop from boulder to boulder. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

Response:

Well hell’s bells, are you going to tell us who it is? It was Vern Ursenbach.

Cool! I always thought Vern was perfectly proportioned to fish those little NC streams. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

Response:

Ya really think Zimbo’s breathables would fit the dwarf?   (You wouldn’t believe how many times I had to rewrite that to avoid some sicko double-entendre.   e.g. Do you think Vern would fit in Zimbo’s

waders?) I am sure he could reside in one leg of Zimbo’s waders very comfortably <g — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

Response:

"Paul Goodwin" wrote I do believe that if he was goint to tell us he would have.    So it must have been the dwarf.

Ya really think Zimbo’s breathables would fit the dwarf?   (You wouldn’t believe how many times I had to rewrite that to avoid some sicko double-entendre.   e.g. Do you think Vern would fit in Zimbo’s waders?) Joe F.

Response:

Charlie Wilson: "Paul Goodwin" wrote I do believe that if he was goint to tell us he would have.   So it must have been the dwarf.

<splork  But I missed the computer!!! <g Dave

Response:

It was Vern Ursenbach. You are joking right? Hell yeah he’s joking. It was the American Sportsman.

Oh, you mean Curt Gowdy

Response:

It was the company that I help start (The American Sportsman’s Club" OR it is "The American Sportsman’s Series" that was directed by my good friend, who recently died, Burr Smidt who lives on Manasee Road in Sarasota Florida.  He has done a lot of production works that were outstanding, especially those done with his wife, Renee’ Valenti Smidt. The American Sportsman was a popular Television Series twenty years ago. Guests included Bing Crosby, and many other Hollywood American Sportsmen.  It was THE PREMIER Outdoors Program all others try to top. None have done it to date Warren. George     Hell yeah he’s joking. It was the American Sportsman. WhoTF is the American Sportsman? — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

– (C) George Gehrke 2001 http://www.gink.com/shopcart/index.html     fine bamboo flyrods & blanks

Response:

GROSS! George was using that tag for a while last year. So if I designate myself as the "Best fly fisherman to ever live" will you guys start referring to me as that? Why does it remind me of the old saying "You can hope in one hand, crap in the other and see which one gets filled first" ?.?.?.? — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

– (C) George Gehrke 2001 http://www.gink.com/shopcart/index.html     fine bamboo flyrods & blanks

Response:

    Hell yeah he’s joking. It was the American Sportsman.

WhoTF is the American Sportsman? — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

Response:

George was using that tag for a while last year. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –     Hell yeah he’s joking. It was the American Sportsman. WhoTF is the American Sportsman? — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

Response:

George was using that tag for a while last year.

So if I designate myself as the "Best fly fisherman to ever live" will you guys start referring to me as that? Why does it remind me of the old saying "You can hope in one hand, crap in the other and see which one gets filled first" ?.?.?.? — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

Response:

It was Vern Ursenbach. You are joking right?

    Hell yeah he’s joking. It was the American Sportsman.

Response:

It was Vern Ursenbach. You are joking right?

You’ll have to ask Mr. Wilson about that… –Steve

Response:

"Paul Goodwin" wrote I do believe that if he was goint to tell us he would have.   So it must have been the dwarf.

Somehow I doubt Mrs. Dwarf would let him roam that far. /daytripper (My money’s on wayno…)

Response:

Well hell’s bell’s, are you going to tell us who it is?

Response:

I do believe that if he was goint to tell us he would have.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well hell’s bell’s, are you going to tell us who it is?

Response:

"Paul Goodwin" wrote I do believe that if he was goint to tell us he would have.

   So it must have been the dwarf.

Response:

Well hell’s bells, are you going to tell us who it is?

It was Vern Ursenbach. –Steve

Response:

It was Vern Ursenbach.

You are joking right?

Response:

<snipped nice TR for space? Glad you had a good time.  Perhaps you can broker a deal for their extra water to help fill up our rivers and resevoirs to keep California in electricity this summer. Was Wayno the celebrity guest? <g — Warren Findley "The vice or virtue of any form of angling lies not in the method but in the man." Author Hugh Falkus

Response:

Question:

I’ve finally put up some photos of Christmas Island on my web site. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

I’ve finally put up some photos of Christmas Island on my web site.

GREAT PICS!!  Looks like one terrific time! — Wayne To fish is human….To release Divine! Before you buy.

Response:

I’ve finally put up some photos of Christmas Island on my web site.

Um, just a warning to everyone out there… Steve’s pictorial has pictures of boobies in it. OK, I warned you. –Steve

Response:

I’ve finally put up some photos of Christmas Island on my web site. Um, just a warning to everyone out there… Steve’s pictorial has pictures of boobies in it. OK, I warned you. –Steve

Correction. Just one boobie. Bruce caught it while trolling for trevally. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

Nice. Why do they call it Christmas Island ? — TW – Halfordian Golfer "Guilt replaced the Creel" "A cash flow runs through it" "It is impossible to catch and release a wild trout"

Response:

Nice. Why do they call it Christmas Island ?

Captain Cook set ashore there on Christmas Day. It’s part of the Republic of Kiribati. (The capital is Tarawa.) It’s not to be confused with the other Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

As with most English sounding place names, it was named by one of the first white guys to visit there. Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary, named the island when he arrived on Christmas Day, 25th December, 1643.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Nice. Why do they call it Christmas Island ? — TW – Halfordian Golfer "Guilt replaced the Creel" "A cash flow runs through it" "It is impossible to catch and release a wild trout"

Response:

As with most English sounding place names, it was named by one of the first white guys to visit there.

In this case, those white guys may have been the first ever to visit. The island was uninhabited at the time. All they found were a few palm trees, a lot of turtles, and one shitload of birds. The island was deemed "uninhabitable", although the present-day native seem to be making a go of it. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

[deleted] Captain Cook set ashore there on Christmas Day. It’s part of the Republic of Kiribati. (The capital is Tarawa.) It’s not to be confused with the other Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.

Thanks. I wonder if he had a Sage 890RPL under the tree so that he could bone fish. Your pal, — TW – Halfordian Golfer "Guilt replaced the Creel" "A cash flow runs through it" "It is impossible to catch and release a wild trout"

Response:

[deleted] Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary, named the island when he arrived on Christmas Day, 25th December, 1643.

That must be the other one ? — TW – Halfordian Golfer "Guilt replaced the Creel" "A cash flow runs through it" "It is impossible to catch and release a wild trout"

Response:

[deleted] Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary, named the island when he arrived on Christmas Day, 25th December, 1643. That must be the other one ?

I’m afraid Stan is referring to the discovery of the OTHER Christmas Island. The one in the Indian Ocean. Common mistake. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

Amazing… that trevally almost of my chair. Is that a digitally enhanced fish, or is it really _that_ big? Herman I’ve finally put up some photos of Christmas Island on my web site. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

–         Cheers, Herman         Herman Nijland         Daytime webmaster         Lifetime flyfisher

Response:

Amazing… that trevally almost of my chair. Is that a digitally enhanced fish, or is it really _that_ big? Herman

It’s really that big. I got the picture from Bill Kiene. The fisherman is Kevin Thompson of the Sage Rod Company . — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

Make that knocked me out of my chair. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Amazing… that trevally almost of my chair. Is that a digitally enhanced fish, or is it really _that_ big? Herman I’ve finally put up some photos of Christmas Island on my web site. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam) —         Cheers, Herman         Herman Nijland         Daytime webmaster         Lifetime flyfisher

–         Cheers, Herman         Herman Nijland         Daytime webmaster         Lifetime flyfisher

Response:

I wonder if he had a Sage 890RPL under the tree so that he could bone fish.

Personally I prefer to bone fish with a fillet knife, but to each his own. Pat K

Response:

Greetings: I wonder if he had a Sage 890RPL under the tree so that he could bone fish.

Personally I prefer to bone fish with a fillet knife, but to each his own.

Pat K

Just curious:   Do people _eat_ bone fish?  I am going to have an opportunity to fish for them a bit, for the first time, next January.  (I’ll be asking for help and advise later as the time gets closer, folks  :-)) Cheers,  -Mark

Response:

I wonder if he had a Sage 890RPL under the tree so that he could bone fish. Personally I prefer to bone fish with a fillet knife, but to each his own.

Just to be certain…you must know that I am usually fairly pedantic in my word usage and that the original sentence appeared as I intended. To wit: To "bone" something does not necessarily imply the removal of internal skeletal matter though that may be an undesired side affect of a really violent ‘boning’.  It does, however, imply the use of certain cylindrical erectile tissues in the act (as the verb ‘bone’).  The mimicked sheaths of the noun are often displayed proudly by the male of certain tribal customs. (Yes, I fear that I may have awoke the sleeping mountie with that last bit of imagery) Your pal, — TW – Halfordian Golfer "Guilt replaced the Creel" "A cash flow runs through it" "It is impossible to catch and release a wild trout"

Response:

Just curious: Do people _eat_ bone fish?  I am going to have an opportunity to fish for them a bit, for the first time, next January.  (I’ll be asking for help and advise later as the time gets closer, folks  :-))

Yes, they do, but not on Christmas Island. Because bonefish often travel in schools along the shore they’re very easy to net, much to the detriment of sportfishing. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

Yep, wrong island.  I didn’t know there were two – I got the Australian version in the Indian Ocean.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [deleted] Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary, named the island when he arrived on Christmas Day, 25th December, 1643. That must be the other one ?

Response:

Nice. Why do they call it Christmas Island ? Captain Cook set ashore there on Christmas Day. It’s part of the Republic of Kiribati. (The capital is Tarawa.) It’s not to be confused with the other Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.

Is this the same Christmas Island where the millions of red land crabs migrate to the ocean to lay eggs every year?  I saw a Discovery Channel special on that and it looked like quite an impressive thing to see. — Levi "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

Response:

Nice. Why do they call it Christmas Island ? Captain Cook set ashore there on Christmas Day. It’s part of the Republic of Kiribati. (The capital is Tarawa.) It’s not to be confused with the other Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Is this the same Christmas Island where the millions of red land crabs migrate to the ocean to lay eggs every year?  I saw a Discovery Channel special on that and it looked like quite an impressive thing to see.

Nope, that’s the other one. They have ample numbers of land crabs, though. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

hmmm…then, i assume the "sleeping mountie" is a "bone" technique? jeff (in full monty) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I wonder if he had a Sage 890RPL under the tree so that he could bone fish. Personally I prefer to bone fish with a fillet knife, but to each his own. Just to be certain…you must know that I am usually fairly pedantic in my word usage and that the original sentence appeared as I intended. To wit: To "bone" something does not necessarily imply the removal of internal skeletal matter though that may be an undesired side affect of a really violent ‘boning’.  It does, however, imply the use of certain cylindrical erectile tissues in the act (as the verb ‘bone’).  The mimicked sheaths of the noun are often displayed proudly by the male of certain tribal customs. (Yes, I fear that I may have awoke the sleeping mountie with that last bit of imagery) Your pal, — TW – Halfordian Golfer "Guilt replaced the Creel" "A cash flow runs through it" "It is impossible to catch and release a wild trout"

Response:

Yep, wrong island.  I didn’t know there were two – I got the Australian version in the Indian Ocean.

I suspect its that old International Date Line thing.  Probably the same island; just depends whether you’re looking at it from yesterday or tomorrow, compounded by the fact that when viewed from Australia the whole damn thing would be upside down and thus rendered unrecognizable anyway.  Moreover, the English would throw in an extra u somewhere in the middle or a superfluous e at the end, merely adding to the confusion.  The French on the other hand, would further muddy the issue by giving it an entirely unpronounceable spelling and then proceed to drown it in butter and garlic before eating it and rendering the whole argument moot.  Hope this helps.

Response:

Congratulation, I know that a such trevally, is really hard to bring back on a fly rod. You where fishing 12? I’m really, really happy for you.

I didn’t catch that monster, Phillipe. The angler is Kevin Thompson of Sage Rod Company. If I posted a photo of the only trevally I caught you’d die laughing. BTW, is that photo of the blond guy with the big trevally on your website a photo of you? — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

I didn’t catch that monster, Phillipe.

Next time, next time… BTW, is that photo of the blond guy with the big trevally on your website a photo of you?

Yep, it’s me, but don’t say to my hairdresser that I’m fishing when I need to let him make me a decent look. (I preffer the picture with the Spanish Mackerel). A bientot, Philippe Pacific Angling on Line http://fishing.ifrance.com — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ (Reply-to set to something bogus to avoid spam)

* Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping.  Smart is Beautiful

Response:

Question:

I ran across some sinking tips which you attach to the end of your fly line with a loop connection.  They had 3 different sink rates (3"/second, 6"/second, 9"/second) in 12 foot lengths.  I purchased the slower two sink rates.  When I got home and unpacked these sink tips I was surprised to find that they are not tapered.  With the addition of a hinge in the line and the fact that they are not tapered, won’t this make casting them difficult.  I am going to try them tomorrow but would like to hear if anyone has some advice on how to properly use these add on sink tips.  After a day of messing with them I would like to read some advice from someone who has used these things. Thanks in advance David

Response:

I make them myself by chopping up a fast sinking flyline and threading the sinking line into a short piece of braided mono line.  I use them for salmon fishing with a 9wt rod.  You need a rod with a bit of punch and cast with a more open loop than you would normally.  I put a coat of flexament on my braids and that stiffens the hinge somewhat.  I do use a WF line with my setup and the rod will load up with alot less line out.  Just make a couple of practise casts and you will find the sweet spot.  I mark my floating line with a sharpie pen.  Check the loop connections regularly, I did have one fail on me while fighting a big fish.  Sounded like a firecracker.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I ran across some sinking tips which you attach to the end of your fly line with a loop connection.  They had 3 different sink rates (3"/second, 6"/second, 9"/second) in 12 foot lengths.  I purchased the slower two sink rates. When I got home and unpacked these sink tips I was surprised to find that they are not tapered.  With the addition of a hinge in the line and the fact that they are not tapered, won’t this make casting them difficult.  I am going to try them tomorrow but would like to hear if anyone has some advice on how to properly use these add on sink tips.  After a day of messing with them I would like to read some advice from someone who has used these things. Thanks in advance David

Response:

You can get tapered sink tips (not exactly tips per se) from Airflo.  They are called Polyleaders and come in 5′ and 10′ length in all sink rates from floating to type 4(?) sinking and in two weight ranges ("trout" for line weights up to 5 and "salmon/bass" for 6-9 weights). In spite of some other people’s complaints about Airflo products I have found these to be very good (as well as a 4 wt Hi Sense long belly fly line I use).  I made some level sink tips from a discarded full sinking line and defineitely found the Polyleaders to be superior. You can get these from ezflyfish.com.  I haven’t found another place that sells these (except Feathercraft in St. Louis, but they don’t have as broad a selection as Mr. Winter does). Mu

Response:

says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I ran across some sinking tips which you attach to the end of your fly line with a loop connection.  They had 3 different sink rates (3"/second, 6"/second, 9"/second) in 12 foot lengths.  I purchased the slower two sink rates.  When I got home and unpacked these sink tips I was surprised to find that they are not tapered.  With the addition of a hinge in the line and the fact that they are not tapered, won’t this make casting them difficult.  I am going to try them tomorrow but would like to hear if anyone has some advice on how to properly use these add on sink tips.  After a day of messing with them I would like to read some advice from someone who has used these things. Thanks in advance David

I fished the Orvis Sink Tips with my WF line yesterday and they worked quite well. They DO load the rod MUCH more rapidly at shorter distances though! Forget about using these things with light patters though. I fought more tailing loops and windknots with an 18 BeadHead than I did fishing it! If found that heavier patterns work well. — Michael Era

Question:

White’s Pond in Concord has great fly fishing.  I generally fish it Dave LaCourse

Thanks for the tip. I have fished Whites a couple of times, but with non-fly tackle, and have, in fact, caught rainbows and a brown. I have heard that fishing the deep dropoffs with a fly in summer works, but have not actually tried it. Both Hopkinton Res and Ashland Res are stocked as well, and I’ve been dying to try them. Steve

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White’s Pond in Concord has great fly fishing.  I generally fish it Dave LaCourse Thanks for the tip. I have fished Whites a couple of times, but with non-fly tackle, and have, in fact, caught rainbows and a brown. I have heard that fishing the deep dropoffs with a fly in summer works, but have not actually tried it. Both Hopkinton Res and Ashland Res are stocked as well, and I’ve been dying to try them. Steve

Someone told me that Hopkington res. has lanlocked salmon. Is this true? Gary

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my opinion steve would be to fish these ponds when ever the sun is at its lowest point either in morning till 10 or in the eve till dark.for those ponds that contain brwns fish the shallows with any type of black stramer you have the black against a nite sky works well with them i could go into great detail but i just started typing and its driving crazy i think ill go to the pnd and relax byefor now

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Not true.  The state dumps in some of the spawned out Atlantic salmon brood stock from the Connecticuit/Merrimack salmon restoration program though.   Both the Wachusett and Quabbin have landlock populations and there is a good run on Wachusett tribs in the fall but it gets hammered by every sort of "fisherman" one could imagine and a few that can’t be believed. Even so, I always give it a try and have even landed two! Doug  

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Someone told me that Hopkington res. has lanlocked salmon. Is this true? Gary

Some of the deeper res. are occasionally stocked with broodstock salmon (i.e. old salmon that are producing good eggs for the stocking program anymore.) I believe Hopkinton and Ashland are, and I know Middle Cochituate is. You can call 1-800-ask-fish and follow the voice menu to find out exactly which lakes were stocked this spring with broodstock salmon. Steve

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Question:

Scheduled for two weeks in Grand Cayman in June. Besides diving, I want to get in some flyfishing on the flats for bonefish, ect.. Need advice from someone who has been there on locations and fly selection. Tight lines, Tim Briggs

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Scheduled for two weeks in Grand Cayman in June. Besides diving, I want to get in some flyfishing on the flats for bonefish, ect.. Need advice from someone who has been there on locations and fly selection. Tight lines, Tim Briggs

Hi Tim, I have not gotten there yet, but have some info. An article was written a few years ago about fly fishing the Cayman’s. I guess there are bonefish, tarpon and permit on all three islands. The most famous location is the Southern Cross Club on Little Cayman Island. They have a web site. If you go on your own I would take a #7 or 8 weight rod with a floating line. Some 9′ or longer 0x leaders and 0x tippet. I would get the hardest, stiffest leaders you can find. I would take some Snapping Shrimp patterns in tan, brown, olive and pink. Find the shallowest water on the island where you can wade out far and stay in water that is less than 2 feet deep. Yellow to brown polarized glasses are necessary. When I first tried for bones, I just pretended I was nymphing to trout in the shallows of a large lake. I just put the fly in froint of them and moved it very little. Morning and evening is best with an incoming tide. If you just hook one, it will be worth it. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY www.kiene.com

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Question:

The discussion on braided leaders has me interested to try them.  I’ve

known that Orvis sells them, and a recent peak at their catalogue features their braided leader system (which I gather is different from AirFlo).   I’m wondering if the leaders are truly braided all the way to the end of the tippet.  I get the impression (perhaps mistaken) that the Orvis braided leader system uses more conventional leader material for the tippets; that is normal unbraided monofilament.   If this is case,  I wonder how well these leaders help to reduce drag. One more question:  how well do the braided leaders cast?  The loops connecting all of the pieces of the Orvis braided system suggest to me that their leaders wouldn’t turnover very smoothly.  Is this the case? Any info would be of interest. Fred. My two cents:  I’ve used thr braided leaders (Orvis) for maybe 5-6 years and I love them.  I imagine you can get better fishing using conventional leaders precisely matched to any particular situation, but I think you can get more fishing using the braided ones, which is to say I spend more time fishing, and less time messing around with tackle.  The braided leaders are stronger and seem to be supple and light enough for my fishing, mostly small, spring creeks and rivers in the midwest, where stealth is a big concern.  If you get snagged, usually the tippet goes, which is easily replaced w/ conventional tippet material.  Sometimes the end knot goes, and then you just tie in another.  It saves for me what is a frustration of dealing with a tiny tangle of blood knots, which also have some windage, and constantly snag weeds, scum, whatever.  In any case, I think they’re worth a try.

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I’m wondering if the leaders are truly braided all the way

to the end of the tippet. << There is no tippet supplied on any of the braided leaders I’ve tried (Orvis, Roman Moser and Airflo), you supply your own using loop to loop connection. Energy transfer seems more efficient, even with loop to loop connections from line to leader and leader to tippet, and results in terrific turnover. For dry fly fishing I use the Airflo intermediate leader, which floats just below the surface and provides more of a drag free drift. The sinking leaders are available in various sink rates and lengths making exact depth control possible. Since using these I’ve not had to use any additional weight to get my flies down to where they need to be. They do take a bit of adjustment, but once you get up a ways on the learning curve they really do make life easier. The Airflo PolyLeader is the latest stage of this development. With these the leader itself is only about 4′ long, but I’ve used tippets up to 15′ long on them with no problems. Fair winds and following seas, Pat in Pawtucket  RI

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The discussion on braided leaders has me interested to try them.  I’ve known that Orvis sells them, and a recent peak at their catalogue features their braided leader system (which I gather is different from AirFlo).   I’m wondering if the leaders are truly braided all the way to the end of the tippet.  I get the impression (perhaps mistaken) that the Orvis braided leader system uses more conventional leader material for the tippets; that is normal unbraided monofilament.   If this is case,  I wonder how well these leaders help to reduce drag. One more question:  how well do the braided leaders cast?  The loops connecting all of the pieces of the Orvis braided system suggest to me that their leaders wouldn’t turnover very smoothly.  Is this the case? Any info would be of interest. Fred. Dr. Fredrick D. Siewers Assistant Professor of Geoscience Rock Valley College Rockford, IL  61114

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Question:

I have a couple of rods I use in freshwater in Michigan, I going to Nort Carolina for spring break and was going to fish on the shore and the bay between the outr banks and the coast. I heard never use  non salt water equipment in salt water.  The question is: Is this safe for the rod. What if I wash it every day. I can’t imagine the salt water effecting the anodised aluminum reel its an Orvis Madison and I also have a cheap Graphite Cabela reel. I cook spagetti noodles in salt water in an anodised aluminum pot and no ill effects yet. Am I worried about nothing. :-O

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You should be ok as long as you use fresh water to rinse it off after you get home.  You might want to use a line conditioner when you get all through just to put a good finish back on your line.  your flys may get a little corroded too especially if you file the points down.  no big loss there tie up a few extra bill

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I have a couple of rods I use in freshwater in Michigan, I going to Nort Carolina for spring break and was going to fish on the shore and the bay between the outr banks and the coast. I heard never use  non salt water equipment in salt water.  The question is: Is this safe for the rod. What if I wash it every day. I can’t imagine the salt water effecting the anodised aluminum reel its an Orvis Madison and I also have a cheap Graphite Cabela reel. I cook spagetti noodles in salt water in an anodised aluminum pot and no ill effects yet. Am I worried about nothing. :-O

I have used a big fresh water fly rod in salt water, and have had no problem.  I have washed it off with fresh water immediately after I finish fishing (even before the beers).  It has not rusted at all. That goes for the reel too.   However, I neglected to wash off my wading boots a couple of times and the eyelets have almost rusted away.   stefan m. Arlington, Texas Web Page:  http://rampages.onramp.net/~smarc

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That stuff should work just fine. What length and weight rod, that could be a bigger concern… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a couple of rods I use in freshwater in Michigan, I going to Nort Carolina for spring break and was going to fish on the shore and the bay between the outr banks and the coast. I heard never use  non salt water equipment in salt water.  The question is: Is this safe for the rod. What if I wash it every day. I can’t imagine the salt water effecting the anodised aluminum reel its an Orvis Madison and I also have a cheap Graphite Cabela reel. I cook spagetti noodles in salt water in an anodised aluminum pot and no ill effects yet. Am I worried about nothing. :-O

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: I have a couple of rods I use in freshwater in Michigan, I going to Nort : Carolina for spring break and was going to fish on the shore and the bay : between the outr banks and the coast. I heard never use  non salt water : equipment in salt water.  The question is: Is this safe for the rod. What : if I wash it every day. I can’t imagine the salt water effecting the : anodised aluminum reel its an Orvis Madison and I also have a cheap : Graphite Cabela reel. I cook spagetti noodles in salt water in an anodised : aluminum pot and no ill effects yet. Am I worried about nothing. :-O   The best thing to do is to make sure that you wash everything in fresh water and lots of it!   There is a product that I sell at Dame Julina Flyfishing in Columbus, Ohio. It is called dynaGlide. You spray this stuff all over your reels, rods, and other equipment. It is even safe for flylines! This stuff just plain works. It is something like WD-40, but better for the sportsman. Jon Porter

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I have a couple of rods I use in freshwater in Michigan, I going to Nort Carolina for spring break and was going to fish on the shore and the bay between the outr banks and the coast. I heard never use  non salt water equipment in salt water.  The question is: Is this safe for the rod. What if I wash it every day. I can’t imagine the salt water effecting the anodised aluminum reel its an Orvis Madison and I also have a cheap Graphite Cabela reel. I cook spagetti noodles in salt water in an anodised aluminum pot and no ill effects yet. Am I worried about nothing. :-O

Just rinse the guides well in fresh water.  dunk your reel in a bucket or sink full of fresh water.  as long as everything gets a fresh water bath and a chance to dry you should be okay.  be sure everything is dry before you pack it!

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Question:

I plan on going fishing this weekend in Farmingham, Ct.  Any suggestions about where to eat, sleep. fish and drink.  Thanking you in advance for your help

I’ve lived in Connecticut for some 40 years, and haven’t encountered Farmingham, but then I’m always learning a new name for the 169 towns and hundreds more villages in this State.. However, I suspect you mean Farmington, and refer to the Farmington River, not the town located somewhat to the west of Hartford. The river has a trout management (catch and release) area extending about 5 miles north of the town of New Hartford which has some of the best fishing in Connecticut at this time of year because it is a cool-running tailwater. In my experience and because of that, it gets pounded at this time of year. However, it holds good fish and they are often catchable.   Check with the Classic and Custom FLy Shop in New Hartford for conditions, etc. (203) 738-3597. Good luck.

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I usually stay at the Hillside Motel, eat breakfast (blueberry pancakes) at Six-Ds and dinner at Athena pizzeria near Satan’s Kingdom. Custom and Classic is a good shop for fishing supplies but don’t call — the fishing is always great. They don’t sell licenses but can direct you to the hunting/fishing shop about a mile away. Definitely buy the Farmington River Anglers Association book and call their hotline (203) 738-7327 before your next trip. The catch and release TMA is crowded weekends but I go because I never get skunked. Caught a bunch of 11-12 inch browns last trip by rollcasting #18 ants on 7x Orvis fluorocarbon out to steady risers at the boneyards but they are EXTREMELY leader and micro-drag shy. The minature salmon are everywhere and can actually be a nuisance. Doug Johnson Stratus Computer, Marlborough, MA

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Question:

         My view on people who have sold out is someone who used to make good,    innovative, sometimes dangerous music who signed to a major and now seem intent    on making enourmous amounts of money playing dull, uninteresting music made with    a safe formula and relying on media hype to boost their income.             My list of major sell-outs would include:-                  the Rolling Stones, Genesis, M.Jackson, Madonna, Guns ‘n’ Roses           (you get the message) To the ones underlined (using "^"): I do not recall that they _ever_ pretended to be "alternative" at any time. They were _always_ mainstream from the outset. By this technicality and by your reasoning, they cannot be sellouts, since none of them were ever "innovative" or "dangerous" by your (and my own) criteria at any time in their carreers, in my opinion.  

        I stand corrected, on re-reading what I had written I can see that I had      slipped out of context for a while. I think I went away from the subject      (i.e. "alternative" music) and instead lingered on the sell-out topic.         What I tried to say (not very clearly) is that these people had made a      large quantity of good music that amassed them a very large fan-base, but when       their music quality dropped to a sub-standard level their record sales        (and hence their income) stayed at a high level due to media hype.

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        Personally I think Nevermind was pretty much a sellout album, with me it hasen’t stood the test of time, or maybe it was just overplayed too much. — Richard Stride… ‘Master Myoclonis Meets Mephisto’

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[Stuff Deleted ...] To the "alternative" loser,   I was listening to alternative music before it was grouped into a catagory     -Isn’t this a contradiction, surely you’ve categorised alternative music.     I can’t speak for people in America, but in England "alternative" music is just   that – an alternative. It’s not a type of music, you don’t listen to a song and   think "Oh yeah, that’s alternative". It’s a category into which you can slot   many types, styles and fashions – i.e. Punk, Metal, Grunge, crusty, indie etc, etc.

Same here in Canada. And I get annoyed over such interpretations of "alternative" for the same reasons.          My view on people who have sold out is someone who used to make good,    innovative, sometimes dangerous music who signed to a major and now seem intent    on making enourmous amounts of money playing dull, uninteresting music made with    a safe formula and relying on media hype to boost their income.             My list of major sell-outs would include:-                  the Rolling Stones, Genesis, M.Jackson, Madonna, Guns ‘n’ Roses

          (you get the message)

To the ones underlined (using "^"): I do not recall that they _ever_ pretended to be "alternative" at any time. They were _always_ mainstream from the outset. By this technicality and by your reasoning, they cannot be sellouts, since none of them were ever "innovative" or "dangerous" by your (and my own) criteria at any time in their carreers, in my opinion.  Sure, the Stones began their carreers with much controversy and were known as "the Bad Boys of rock and roll" and still are; but IMO, they were merely attracting attention to themselves for commercial gain and success based on the free publicity of the news media. Their "cock-rock" musical style hasn’t changed in the past 30 years, qualifying them as probably more "conservative", and less versatile, IMO, than Frank Sinatra. Same for Madonna’s "cunt-rock" style. The unchanging nature of her music kind of ranks up there with Marie Osmond. BTW, you can also add Paul Simon, and most "resurrected" ’60s rock groups, like Starship (the most extreme example), The Greatful Dead, CSN&Y, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton (all playing it safe to a lesser extent), and Elton John (another extreme example — recall 11-17-70, Empty Sky, Yellowbrick Road & compare with ANYTHING he’s done since 1980). —

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Hiya, Could someone help me make an informed decision and post the track listing for the latest Pavement album. Thanks, E. |                                 Eric J.                                     |

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        Where the hell has anyone seen a ripped sweater for $300 for crissake!?!?  This I gotta see…js

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How do you think I must feel? I’ve been listening to snotty nosed little dweebs whining about poser’s since grade 10. Ten years ago.

wow, you were in the 10th grade in ‘83, me too.  do you remember the really bad post-punk bands of the day.  too bad i missed out on the poser bashing.  you know what’s really funny:  i still were the same clothes i did then.  then i was called a dirt-boy, now you can buy a ripped sweater for $300.  go figger. —                                   Jeff Scott

–

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To all the "alternative" losers,         I have a little news for you.  You all seem to think that you are just the coolest calling bands sell-outs and making fun of all the ‘grunge’ dressers.  I’ve been sitting here reading your little arguementative articles and I think you’re all full of crap.  I was listening to alternative music before it was grouped into a catagory and just because some of my favorie bands happen to have had maybe one album hit mainstream doesn’t mean that now I should change my taste in music.  It also doesn’t mean I won’t be attending Lollapalooza’s anymore.  Those were some of the best times of my life and will be for years to come (hopefully).  It really turns my stomach to read about your opinions.  Maybe if you weren’t so close-minded you’d realize how stupid you really sound.  I didn’t post this to get a hostile response, only to make you think.  Really, you do sound like a bunch of losers. Sorry.         -Joanna

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all the "alternative" losers,    I have a little news for you.  You all seem to think that you are just the coolest calling bands sell-outs and making fun of all the ‘grunge’ dressers.  I’ve been sitting here reading your little arguementative articles and I think you’re all full of crap.  I was listening to alternative music before it was grouped into a catagory and just because some of my favorie bands happen to have had maybe one album hit mainstream doesn’t mean that now I should change my taste in music.  It also doesn’t mean I won’t be attending Lollapalooza’s anymore.  Those were some of the best times of my life and will be for years to come (hopefully).  It really turns my stomach to read about your opinions.  Maybe if you weren’t so close-minded you’d realize how stupid you really sound.  I didn’t post this to get a hostile response, only to make you think.  Really, you do sound like a bunch of losers. Sorry.    -Joanna

yes!!! i posted an article to this effect a little while ago. i thought the whole idea of the mindset that this newsgroup is supposed to represent was being open to new things. lets stop bitching about who liked what groups when, and what groups have sold out because they need to make a living. lets start discussing music for what it is… music. its not grunge, its not alternative, its not rock, its not punk, and its not even disco. its fucking music. those terms are good as catagories for easier identification. kind of like male and female. that is all they are. what matters is the music. burnt

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How do you think I must feel? I’ve been listening to snotty nosed little dweebs whining about poser’s since grade 10. Ten years ago. —                                    Jeff Scott

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all the "alternative" losers,    I have a little news for you.  You all seem to think that you are just the coolest calling bands sell-outs and making fun of all the ‘grunge’ dressers.  I’ve been sitting here reading your little arguementative articles and I think you’re all full of crap.  I was listening to alternative music before it was grouped into a catagory and just because some of my favorie bands happen to have had maybe one album hit mainstream doesn’t mean that now I should change my taste in music.  It also doesn’t mean I won’t be attending Lollapalooza’s anymore.  Those were some of the best times of my life and will be for years to come (hopefully).  It really turns my stomach to read about your opinions.  Maybe if you weren’t so close-minded you’d realize how stupid you really sound.  I didn’t post this to get a hostile response, only to make you think.  Really, you do sound like a bunch of losers. Sorry.    -Joanna

To the "alternative" loser,     I was listening to alternative music before it was grouped into a catagory      -Isn’t this a contradiction, surely you’ve categorised alternative music.      I can’t speak for people in America, but in England "alternative" music is just    that – an alternative. It’s not a type of music, you don’t listen to a song and    think "Oh yeah, that’s alternative". It’s a category into which you can slot    many types, styles and fashions – i.e. Punk, Metal, Grunge, crusty, indie etc, etc.          What it’s an alternative to is the "mainstream". This is nothing more than     an enourmous financial institution providing financial security and massive     wealth to many "rock stars". Corporate back-handers ensure radio and TV play     to boring, and safe music makers. These bands are of course not all guilty     many just using the extra spending powers to produce better music (mostly former     indie bands who have signed to majors).           My view on people who have sold out is someone who used to make good,     innovative, sometimes dangerous music who signed to a major and now seem intent     on making enourmous amounts of money playing dull, uninteresting music made with     a safe formula and relying on media hype to boost their income.              My list of major sell-outs would include:-                   the Rolling Stones, Genesis, M.Jackson, Miss Madonna, Guns ‘n’ Roses            (you get the message)            Bands who I think are getting dangerously close to sell-out time                    (their records are getting more and more boring):-                            U2, REM, and Simple Minds         There are countless bands I could add, but I’m not going to (so there).             I don’t think people can be critical of Nirvana yet as they haven’t        released any new material, everything they’ve released since Nevermind was        recorded before Nevermind. They could go on to write better songs      (like Mettalica have) they could progress back to their old (and less popular)   style which is more likely or they could come up with some absolute bollocks.                 Time will tell.           Meanwhile people’s opinion will come and go, birds will fly, fish will swim       and polar bears will do whatever it is polar bears do.          So my dear Joanna, let people say what they want, insults breed nothing but contempt and statements like,             It really turns my stomach to read about your opinions.          Don’t say much for freedom of speech, do they.                       Bye,                         Rob

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