Question:

I haven’t fished them yet; but I’m from Long Island originally, and when I visit the family this summer I will definitely fish one or both of these streams.  I’ve reached the point in my life when I realize that there are few trips that can’t be extended a day to fish a few hours. Growing up in Brentwood on Long Island, I was mentally a million miles away from fly fishing for trout.  It’s only from the vantage point of 900 miles away that I see the opportunities on Long Island. Keep your rod tip up. Memphis Jim

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If anyone fishes these streams please let me know. I’ve been fishing them on and off for years with mostly poor results. I do better on the Ausable. Meanwhile beginners seems to out catch me easily. Any tips/advice? or do you want to buy my rods?

Response:

If anyone fishes these streams please let me know. I’ve been fishing them on and off for years with mostly poor results. I do better on the Ausable. Meanwhile beginners seems to out catch me easily. Any tips/advice? or do you want to buy my rods?

Response:

Any tips/advice? or do you  want to buy my rods?

 If they are T&T, Winston or Cane….maybe. Wayne Always looking for fine rods-cheap.

Response:

I fished the Connetquot twice. I did not find it particularly satisfactory: inspite of the 3 to 4 fish per hour catch rate, the fish behave mostly like large stockers (heck, they are mostly large stockers), they thrash rather than fighting. Probably, fishing during this time of the year for sea-run ‘bows is more exciting than fishing in the summer. My advice: wholly buggers, large bead-head nymphs. The river is small, mostly very flat, with one or two deep holes per beat. That’s where the fish like to hang out, all of them, in quite large pods. Work those holes carefully, starting from the side closest to you, and from the downstream side of the hole. Inspite of the fact that these fish are stocked, they can be weary, since they see a lot of fishermen.  Using a stealthy approach helps too !. -Vittorio – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If anyone fishes these streams please let me know. I’ve been fishing them on and off for years with mostly poor results. I do better on the Ausable. Meanwhile beginners seems to out catch me easily. Any tips/advice? or do you want to buy my rods?

Response:

Question:

early June is prime but many lakes offer good fishing into the 1st half of July. Mid to late June into the 1st week of July is prime time for travelling sedges. The merrit area about 1 hour south west of Kamloops is also good and there is a very nice looking golf course just east of the town with a large modern resort. Salmon Lake, Glimpse, Peterhope, Plateau, the Lakes of the Douglas Lake Ranch and also Roche Lake and it’s many nearby lakes are all close by. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Prime time out of Kamloops for fly fishing is May/June as it is not very high elevation. July can be too late for the good fishing. For golf and fishing, I would pick a week in early June. — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com What time of year? Can’t advise much on golf as I don’t. The Kamloops area is a good bet. My ex boss retired up there a few years back to engage his interest in both pursuits. It’s best known for it’s still water fishery with dozens of lakes within an hour or two’s drive. There is some fine stream fishing as well. Wanting to put together a fishing/golfing trip to BC. Any suggestions on an area we might find good prospects for both activities?

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Great! Thanks much.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve golfed a lot in Kamloops and they have some real good courses. Dunes, Rivershore and one up on the plateau on the south side of #1 going east.  Forget the name but it’s a nice one as well.  Good fishing just south of Kamloops in the Logan lake area.  About 1 hour gets you to lots of fishing lakes. Wanting to put together a fishing/golfing trip to BC. Any suggestions on an area we might find good prospects for both activities?

Response:

Prime time out of Kamloops for fly fishing is May/June as it is not very high elevation. July can be too late for the good fishing. For golf and fishing, I would pick a week in early June. — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What time of year? Can’t advise much on golf as I don’t. The Kamloops area is a good bet. My ex boss retired up there a few years back to engage his interest in both pursuits. It’s best known for it’s still water fishery with dozens of lakes within an hour or two’s drive. There is some fine stream fishing as well. Wanting to put together a fishing/golfing trip to BC. Any suggestions on an area we might find good prospects for both activities?

Response:

Thanks for the additional information. k

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Prime time out of Kamloops for fly fishing is May/June as it is not very high elevation. July can be too late for the good fishing. For golf and fishing, I would pick a week in early June. — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com What time of year? Can’t advise much on golf as I don’t. The Kamloops area is a good bet. My ex boss retired up there a few years back to engage his interest in both pursuits. It’s best known for it’s still water fishery with dozens of lakes within an hour or two’s drive. There is some fine stream fishing as well. Wanting to put together a fishing/golfing trip to BC. Any suggestions on an area we might find good prospects for both activities?

Response:

I’ve golfed a lot in Kamloops and they have some real good courses. Dunes, Rivershore and one up on the plateau on the south side of #1 going east.  Forget the name but it’s a nice one as well.  Good fishing just south of Kamloops in the Logan lake area.  About 1 hour gets you to lots of fishing lakes. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Wanting to put together a fishing/golfing trip to BC. Any suggestions on an area we might find good prospects for both activities?

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Wanting to put together a fishing/golfing trip to BC. Any suggestions on an area we might find good prospects for both activities?

Response:

What time of year? Can’t advise much on golf as I don’t. The Kamloops area is a good bet. My ex boss retired up there a few years back to engage his interest in both pursuits. It’s best known for it’s still water fishery with dozens of lakes within an hour or two’s drive. There is some fine stream fishing as well. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Wanting to put together a fishing/golfing trip to BC. Any suggestions on an area we might find good prospects for both activities?

Response:

We’re thinking June or July.  Will check out Kamloops. Thanks. karen

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What time of year? Can’t advise much on golf as I don’t. The Kamloops area is a good bet. My ex boss retired up there a few years back to engage his interest in both pursuits. It’s best known for it’s still water fishery with dozens of lakes within an hour or two’s drive. There is some fine stream fishing as well. Wanting to put together a fishing/golfing trip to BC. Any suggestions on an area we might find good prospects for both activities?

Response:

Question:

Thank you Gentlemen, Tim I have been trying to access the web page for the Charleston Angler, I was told that the shop may have closed. Can anyone (Jim Bennett?) nearby validate this. What I am after here is setting up a guide for the area this summer.Recomendations??? Thanks,Tim,want a redfish,BAD,Long

Response:

I have been trying to access the web page for the Charleston Angler, I was told that the shop may have closed. Can anyone (Jim Bennett?) nearby validate this. What I am after here is setting up a guide for the area this summer.Recomendations??? Thanks,Tim,want a redfish,BAD,Long

Response:

Go to the recommendations page of my website at http://www.flyfish-nc.com/guides.html and look up Capt Adam Ridgeway.  You won’t be sorry. I have been trying to access the web page for the Charleston Angler, I was told that the shop may have closed. Can anyone (Jim Bennett?) nearby validate this. What I am after here is setting up a guide for the area this summer.Recomendations??? Thanks,Tim,want a redfish,BAD,Long

– Capt Gordon Churchill http://www.flyfish-nc.com Guided flyfishing on the Roanoke River and the Crystal Coast of NC out of Atlantic Beach/Morhead City/Beaufort.

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They are still in business under different ownership. The web page is no longer up. They should still be able to provide you with an excellent guide. The shop is now owned by an MD with a nice fellow running the day to day operations, Rick the previous owner is now a rep for Mid-America Sportssales. So bottom line your best bet is call them on the phone 10 to 5 EST. Good luck jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been trying to access the web page for the Charleston Angler, I was told that the shop may have closed. Can anyone (Jim Bennett?) nearby validate this. What I am after here is setting up a guide for the area this summer.Recomendations??? Thanks,Tim,want a redfish,BAD,Long

Response:

Question:

I recall that a couple years back, the slang for "cool" or "really great" was "fly". Gives "fly fishing" a whole new cachet, dontcha think? — "If you want to live like a Republican, vote Democratic" — Harry S. Truman – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  I’m new too the sport of "Fly"

Response:

            I’m new too the sport of "Fly", but an avid fisherman back on the East Coast. Will be out  around Col. Springs in early October.

The South Platte is legendary. I fished Eleven Mile canyon when I was out in CoSprings on business last year at this time and it is absolutely, unbelievably gorgeous. Plus I even caught a few fish. It is about 1.5 hours from the town as I recall. I don’t know how it compares to other stretches of the river as far as productivity goes, but I cannot imagine a more jaw-dropping locale than the 11-Mile stretch. –Steve

Response:

Folks,             I’m new too the sport of "Fly", but an avid fisherman back on the East Coast. Will be out  around Col. Springs in early October. Was wondering if there is any appreciable Fly fishing in this part of the State? I have seen folks fishing in and around Breakenridge, Gunnison (sp?), and Vail on a previous bike trip. How does Col. Springs stack up to these places and the rest of the state for that matter? Thanks in advance for any and all info Dan

Response:

Question:

It is still early for the steelhead season, but we finally had a week with no rain.  I am wondering if anyone has had a chance to get out to one of the Oregon coastal streams yet and if so, how is the water looking? — Terry Http://flyfishonline.web.com/

Response:

Slid away from the Silicon Forest and went to the Wilson Tuesday afternoon. Conditions were marginal, still recovering from heavy rains of last week. Water lower in the lower basin was still off color. A few hardware fishermen were about and doing no better than the Spey Rod. Been cool and dry since then, should be very fishable now. Best of Y2K to all, — Jeff www.teleport.com/~salmo/jp.htm

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It is still early for the steelhead season, but we finally had a week with no rain.  I am wondering if anyone has had a chance to get out to one of the Oregon coastal streams yet and if so, how is the water looking? — Terry Http://flyfishonline.web.com/

Response:

Question:

I waited until the results were in and the followup comment was made about wets and streamers to submit these… Picket Pin Trout Fin Parmachene Belle Supervisor Mickey Finn Black Nosed Dace Spruce Fly Dark Montreal Alexandra I have to agree with many of the comments that Brook Trout aren’t the most discerning of fish, but they’re fun to catch.  We always carried simple flies like Grey Hackle Yellow and Royal Coachman dries and Grey Hackle Peacock and Pass Lake wets for them also, as they seem to like the flies with red in tham and with a definite contrast of wing to body colors. Larry #:)#

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I love olive elk hair caddis, bead head prince nymph, Adams mosquito – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie

Response:

: My vote is for the red tailed version of the Royal Coachman, followed by : the Silver Doctor, and female Black Gnat, and Grizzley King. : — : I’m a Canadian eh!                                              Steve. I agree with the Royal Coachman and Silver Doctor, two of the all time best classics. Don’t forget the Dark Montreal! V.B. —

Response:

We do a lot of dry fly fishing in the Sierras for brookies, and the saying goes "anything with red". My favorite for brookies, and for any fish in the fall, is a Royal Coachman parachute in size 14.  I use various colors for the post so that I can pick the best one to see that day. Jack Kowalski

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie Local from down Walt’s way put me on Royal Humpies for Blue Ridge Brookies – never found anything to top it yet. Didn’t know anyone successfully used anything other than a RH until you started this thread. Maybe posters could qualify their choices by giving the general area where they use their flies. Kiyu

Response:

I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie

Local from down Walt’s way put me on Royal Humpies for Blue Ridge Brookies – never found anything to top it yet. Didn’t know anyone successfully used anything other than a RH until you started this thread. Maybe posters could qualify their choices by giving the general area where they use their flies. Kiyu

Response:

I don’t have 12 flies but here are my favorites:     – renegade #14-#8     – elk hair caddis     – bead-head prince nymph     – green/brown wooly worm     – black rubber legs Eric

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie

Response:

My vote is for the red tailed version of the Royal Coachman, followed by the Silver Doctor, and female Black Gnat, and Grizzley King.

: #18 Black Gnat

: I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best : for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished : trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take : your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your : pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! : : Thank you all,, Jamie — I’m a Canadian eh!                                              Steve. The FAQ for rec.crafts.metalworking is at: http://w3.uwyo.edu/~metal The metalworking drop box  is at           http://www.metalworking.com                                     or     http://208.213.200.132 Visit my website at: http://www.victoria.tc.ca/~ud233/homepage.htm

Response:

I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs— your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my

results! 1. Royal Humpy sizes 10-16 2. Parachute Adams sizes 14-18 3. Roberts Drake sizes 8-12 4. Royal Wulff sizes 12-18 5. Elk Hair Caddis sizes 14-20 6. Grizzly Wulff sizes 10-14 7. Blue Winged Olive sizes 16-20 8. Parachute Sulphur sizes 14-18 9. Madam X sizes 10-12 10. Letort Cricket 8-12 11. Any soft hackled wet fly 14-16 12. And during the right time of year, this baby goes to #1 Hex Spinner size 2-6 — Wayne Knight Expert in creating tailing loops and windknots Otherwise Fishless in Kansas Before you buy.

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#18 Black Gnat – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie

Response:

Favourite dries: Stimulator, Royal Wulff, any parachute Favourite Midge (Dry): Cluster midge, Blue Olive Favourite Nymph: Hare’s ear,bead head caddis, metallic caddis Regards from Montreal and have fun John Brkich

Response:

I support the the parachute also. Do not know why I over looked that fly. — Toad

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Favourite dries: Stimulator, Royal Wulff, any parachute Favourite Midge (Dry): Cluster midge, Blue Olive Favourite Nymph: Hare’s ear,bead head caddis, metallic caddis Regards from Montreal and have fun John Brkich

Response:

I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished

 <snipped Since learning about Andy Kim Yong Special’s it’s hard to use anything else.  All our in the #20-#24 size. 1. Yong (Brown, Blue, Cream, Yellow) 2. Yong JR (Green, Blue) 3. Yong Flasher (Brown, Blue, Cream, Yellow) 5. Yong Blonde 6. Yong Dry (Midge and Baetis) Happy Trick or Trout Season. bc.

Response:

I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie

        i think this is where i came in. wayno – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

a dozen yellow humpies. I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie

– 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:

Adams, Sulfur, Caddis, Caddis emerger, Drakes, Hair’s ear, Pheasant tail, and small woolybuger  streamers. All these patterns in different sizes. All general suggestions. What is living in the stream is usually the best bet.  Usually, one of the above will resemble an indigenous insect close enough to fool a fish. Tight lines — Toad

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie

Response:

I have been asked often to compile a package of flies that would be the best for trout. Now i have my own favorites but am not quite a accomplished trouter. So i came to you all, the"experts", for your opinion. I will take your replies and pick the 12 that show up the most. Dries to nymphs—your pick! After the replies begin to drop off i’ll let you all know my results! Thank you all,, Jamie

Response:

Question:

My wife and I will be visiting the St. Joe River area after the Fourth of July.

My friend and I were up to the end of the road last August, early Sept.  That was my first fly-fishing experience, so I can’t give much advice.  Pretty much every fly my friend gave me worked very well.  Elk-hair caddis is the only one I remember.  Cuthroat all over at the end of the road.  Mostly small ones, 7-8".  I got one that was about 10-11" but he left half his lower jaw on my hook.  I wasn’t too happy about that. There was a bear rampaging around the campground at that time.  F&G was going to catch him.  Just a young blackie and I’m certain he’d be gone now, but it can be pretty "wild" out there. Good luck.  Very beautiful up there. E. O’Daniel IDAHO

Response:

Howdy, My wife and I will be visiting the St. Joe River area after the Fourth of July. Is there anyone out there who could help with info about good water and good hatches. Thanks, Marty

Response:

Marty, The St. Joe is still feeling the effects of a huge snowpack this year and is still running quite a bit higher than it normally would be this time of year.  However, in my experience the further upstream you can get the better the fishing…..above Prospector Creek is C&R and below is 1 Cutthroat limit over 14". The cutthroat on the Joe aren’t picky…..just about any dry fly will draw strikes but some of the better ones are Renegades, hoppers, elk hair caddis, humpies, and royal wulffs.  I have heard there is a fly called the St. Joe Special but I have never seen it and have never used it.  Hare’s ears and prince nymphs will also work well. Good luck! Dustin

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Howdy, My wife and I will be visiting the St. Joe River area after the Fourth of July. Is there anyone out there who could help with info about good water and good hatches. Thanks, Marty

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – While exploring a new stretch of a local smallmouth river (Flat R., MI, near Greenville), I came upon a real shallow stretch of water. Depths ranged from inches to about two feet.  The bass were very small and spooky. The last straw came when a group of wild canoeists (canoers?) paddled through the area I was fishing.  They were loud and obviously drunk (it seems to be a local ordinance that a canoe must have at least one six pack of Busch to be considered legal).  Discouraged, I strung up and started to walk back to shore and the truck. And damn near stepped on a sucker about 14" long!  I froze while he continued to slowly move along the bottom.  Then I realized that there were about thirty or forty of them moving together.  They didn’t spook because of me but they knew enough to avoid me. Well, I hadn’t caught much in the way of fish so I figured, hell, it’s swimming and has fins so I’ll try for it.  I tossed out almost everything I had for about an hour.  Dries, streamers, nymphs, attractors, salmon eggs left over from last fall, everything.  The only action I got was when I lined one of them and he moved a little faster than usual. Now the question: Exactly what do these fish eat and what flies imitate it?  I prefer bass and trout, enjoy panfish and the occassional pike but I’ve never cast for suckers or carp.  I’m not an expert flyfisherman but I can generally put it where I want it.  What’s needed to catch those fish!? Thanks, Brian "Frustrated but Still up to the Challenge" Austin Brian Austin The desperate never believe the obvious

Brian, I have caught many suckers fishing for trout, almost always on nymphs.                                 Mark Faulkner

Response:

Check the July/August issue of American Angler magazine for some tips on fly fishing for suckers. John Likakis

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – While exploring a new stretch of a local smallmouth river (Flat R., MI, near Greenville), I came upon a real shallow stretch of water. Depths ranged from inches to about two feet.  The bass were very small and spooky. The last straw came when a group of wild canoeists (canoers?) paddled through the area I was fishing.  They were loud and obviously drunk (it seems to be a local ordinance that a canoe must have at least one six pack of Busch to be considered legal).  Discouraged, I strung up and started to walk back to shore and the truck. And damn near stepped on a sucker about 14" long!  I froze while he continued to slowly move along the bottom.  Then I realized that there were about thirty or forty of them moving together.  They didn’t spook because of me but they knew enough to avoid me. Well, I hadn’t caught much in the way of fish so I figured, hell, it’s swimming and has fins so I’ll try for it.  I tossed out almost everything I had for about an hour.  Dries, streamers, nymphs, attractors, salmon eggs left over from last fall, everything.  The only action I got was when I lined one of them and he moved a little faster than usual. Now the question: Exactly what do these fish eat and what flies imitate it?  I prefer bass and trout, enjoy panfish and the occassional pike but I’ve never cast for suckers or carp.  I’m not an expert flyfisherman but I can generally put it where I want it.  What’s needed to catch those fish!? Thanks, Brian "Frustrated but Still up to the Challenge" Austin Brian Austin The desperate never believe the obvious

much real help.  I have caught suckers a number of times (fair hooked) and on one occasion in the Kakisa River in the NWT, thought I had hooked up with a world record grayling. The fly was a Golden Stone but the kicker is that the water was quite turbid. Because suckers feed off the bottom it is unlikely in clear water with any velocity that you will have much chance. Small nymphs right on the bottom in rather slow moving water will fare better. Carp are another story altogether, they will take a moving fly.

Response:

While exploring a new stretch of a local smallmouth river (Flat R., MI, near Greenville), I came upon a real shallow stretch of water. Depths ranged from inches to about two feet.  The bass were very small and spooky. The last straw came when a group of wild canoeists (canoers?) paddled through the area I was fishing.  They were loud and obviously drunk (it seems to be a local ordinance that a canoe must have at least one six pack of Busch to be considered legal).  Discouraged, I strung up and started to walk back to shore and the truck. And damn near stepped on a sucker about 14" long!  I froze while he continued to slowly move along the bottom.  Then I realized that there were about thirty or forty of them moving together.  They didn’t spook because of me but they knew enough to avoid me. Well, I hadn’t caught much in the way of fish so I figured, hell, it’s swimming and has fins so I’ll try for it.  I tossed out almost everything I had for about an hour.  Dries, streamers, nymphs, attractors, salmon eggs left over from last fall, everything.  The only action I got was when I lined one of them and he moved a little faster than usual. Now the question: Exactly what do these fish eat and what flies imitate it?  I prefer bass and trout, enjoy panfish and the occassional pike but I’ve never cast for suckers or carp.  I’m not an expert flyfisherman but I can generally put it where I want it.  What’s needed to catch those fish!? Thanks, Brian "Frustrated but Still up to the Challenge" Austin Brian Austin The desperate never believe the obvious

Response:

. . . And damn near stepped on a sucker about 14" long!  I froze while he continued to slowly move along the bottom.  Then I realized that there were about thirty or forty of them moving together.  They didn’t spook because of me but they knew enough to avoid me. Well, I hadn’t caught much in the way of fish so I figured, hell, it’s swimming and has fins so I’ll try for it.  I tossed out almost everything I had for about an hour.  Dries, streamers, nymphs, attractors, salmon eggs left over from last fall, everything.  The only action I got was when I lined one of them and he moved a little . . . Exactly what do these fish eat and what flies imitate it?  I prefer

Unlike carp, suckers appear to be exclusively bottom feeders.  Their underslung mouths do not encourage them to take anything not actually resting on the bottom: and their digestions probably absorb anything from algae to big insects e.g. stoneflies.  They seem especially fond of worms, which hints they may scent food. A northern species of sucker called the Northern Redhorse is a beautiful fish (red fins) that runs to 30 inches and could break most fly tippets. Because so unafraid of predators, they can be caught on big nymphs if you can manage a dead drift within one inch of the bottom.  Dead drift (no skidding sideways) is ultra difficult on tippets strong enough to land a big one. — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

Response:

… snip stuff preliminary to trying to catch suckers … Now the question: Exactly what do these fish eat and what flies imitate it?  I prefer bass and trout, enjoy panfish and the occassional pike but I’ve never cast for suckers or carp.  I’m not an expert flyfisherman but I can generally put it where I want it.  What’s needed to catch those fish!? Thanks, Brian "Frustrated but Still up to the Challenge" Austin

I am no expert, so have several grains of salt handy, but I believe that suckers determine what is food primarily by the smell of it, whereas bass and trout are sight hunters, determining what is food primarily by what it looks like (I think pike fall into this group as well).  Anyway, because a fly smells like a lump of feathers, fur, and steel, I would guess that you would have limited success with them.   Maybe if you smear that wet fly real well with extract of rotted fish… FWIW, etc. tq

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – While exploring a new stretch of a local smallmouth river (Flat R., MI, near Greenville), I came upon a real shallow stretch of water. Depths ranged from inches to about two feet.  The bass were very small and spooky. The last straw came when a group of wild canoeists (canoers?) paddled through the area I was fishing.  They were loud and obviously drunk (it seems to be a local ordinance that a canoe must have at least one six pack of Busch to be considered legal).  Discouraged, I strung up and started to walk back to shore and the truck. And damn near stepped on a sucker about 14" long!  I froze while he continued to slowly move along the bottom.  Then I realized that there were about thirty or forty of them moving together.  They didn’t spook because of me but they knew enough to avoid me. Well, I hadn’t caught much in the way of fish so I figured, hell, it’s swimming and has fins so I’ll try for it.  I tossed out almost everything I had for about an hour.  Dries, streamers, nymphs, attractors, salmon eggs left over from last fall, everything.  The only action I got was when I lined one of them and he moved a little faster than usual. Now the question: Exactly what do these fish eat and what flies imitate it?  I prefer bass and trout, enjoy panfish and the occassional pike but I’ve never cast for suckers or carp.  I’m not an expert flyfisherman but I can generally put it where I want it.  What’s needed to catch those fish!? Thanks, Brian "Frustrated but Still up to the Challenge" Austin Brian Austin The desperate never believe the obvious

Dear "Frustrated but Still up to the Challenge": When I began fly fishing at the late old age of 24, I apprenticed under the tutelage of a fine old fly fishing gentleman who gave me the real inside skinny on fly fishing and fly selection. The only cast you will ever need is the roll cast and the only fly that will work in such a situation is a #4 Hair Wing Royal Coachman Streamer tied on a Mustad 9575. His reasoning: that the Limerick bend and exaggerated barb of that particular Mustad hook does a superior job of holding the bait. Bait: His enticement of choice was the lowly earth worm, but in your case I would heartlily recommend thin strips of calf’s liver which have aged several weeks or months until dark green (the back of the fridge is perfect for the aging process) and amazingly pungent. Tackle: I recommend a 8-9′, 6 wt., fiberglass, Garcia "Conolon" rod with a "sturdy" action. Line: 6-7 wt. level line. Terminal Tackle: 2-3′ of 0X leader material tied to the line with a double overhand knot. You will need weight to get it to the feeding depth (bottom), so about 1/4 oz. of split shot should do it (remember to use "non-lead" split shot-for the environment you know). Method: Using 6" forceps attach the liver to the aforementioned fly, impaling it twice over the point and barb, douse with a very generous squirt of "Easy Cheez" (my favorite is the "Swiss Flavor"). Simply "Chuck & Duck", quartering upstream, directly into the feeding lane. As the fly approaches the fish, should he not notice the fly (some suckers suffer from "Squirreling Disease" which affects their sight and smell), simply yank the rod 2-3′ upward in the "Field and Stream" position and drive the fly into it’s snout (this is referred to as the "induced take"). Landing the Fish: After a spectacular fight and amazing display of water acrobatics (hauling it in), I implore you to practice "catch and release" fishing, whereby you "release" the fish as far as you can into the woods (ALWAYS be sure to bring "flushable" baby wipes for removing the sucker’s protective slime from your hands and waders after a "catch and release"). This is the option of choice for the true sportsman. Unless of course there happen to be spectators nearby who have emmigrated from country whose vast culinary heritage has bestowed up them a deeper appreciation for such a delicacy. In these cases, I salute their superior senses of taste and smell and it is my practice to reward them with a gift of the fish. Cooking Methods (Once in a while ALL true sportsman will kill a fish to eat): Refer to Schweibert’s "Trout" as many good recipes. adaptable to the tasty sucker, therein can be found. This section of the book alone is makes the purchase of this fine work a justifiable expense. Other great fish cookbooks have been written by LaFontaine and Borger and can be found in better fly shops everywhere. Tight Lines!! Todd L. McCagg "Dry Fly… Schmy Fly!"

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Asa rule, the weather there is really crummy during that time of year. The crystal clear waters and warm weather that all of us are sold on is about three months away. This period is right during their Winter-Spring transition. If you are lucky, though, you might be able to pick up a small black marlin. I was there last august specifically for that, but we got blown out. For more info on that fishing, contact Capt. Craig "Sparrow" Denham at 079 453 217 which is his phone and fax. For more information on General fishing, contact Carol North at Cairns Reef Charter Services at 070 31 4742 ph. or 070 31 4610 fax. Let me know if you need anymore information. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  The Iast week in August my wife and I are going to Austrailia  and we will be spending 5 days cruising around the Great Barrier Reef and I will be doing a lot of fly fishing. I would like to know if anyone could give me some info on the type of fish I can expect to catch and what patterns will be good for this area. Thanks Bill.

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 The Iast week in August my wife and I are going to Austrailia  and we will be spending 5 days cruising around the Great Barrier Reef and I will be doing a lot of fly fishing. I would like to know if anyone could give me some info on the type of fish I can expect to catch and what patterns will be good for this area. Thanks Bill.

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If anyone cares (please!), the editor/publisher of California Fly Fisher has finally figured out how to get his modem working without sending the rest of his hardware into a nervous breakdown. Current email addresses are And hey, fans of Seth Norman’s writing (as seen in such august pubs as Fly Rod & Reel, Gray’s Sporting Journal, Fied & Stream and – yow! – Cal FF) might like to know that, as of Jan 21, he’s the proud papa of baby Sofia. Ta ta for now, Richard Anderson

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If anyone cares (please!), the editor/publisher of California Fly Fisher has finally figured out how to get his modem working without sending the rest of his hardware into a nervous breakdown. Current email addresses are

Cool.  California Fly Fisher gets on to the Internet.  I’ll have you know that I have been promoting your magazine in rec.outdoors.fishing.fly since it’s debut issue and have posted the subscrition address a number of times.  Keep up the good work. — John Fereira "Guru of Miscellany" Pleasanton, CA "Ask me about my vow of silence."

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Richard, great to have you online.  I never get to bed early the day your magazine arrives, because I’ll read it way into the night.  Please publish your e-mail addresses in your magazine also, I’m sure it will increase the letters to the editor. Keep up the great work!  We should have plenty of water next season!  Bill

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