Question:

Maybe so, but the skill is in knowing *how* to ask. Or *who*, I suppose. <g — Charlie… and *WHEN*!

"Welcome to the Little Wayno School of Scoring (We Never Close)" /daytripper ("Lesson 1: Ask Early And Often"

Response:

"The difference between a good nymph fisherman and a great nymph fisherman is often one split shot." Origin unknown

"There’s a fine line between flyfishing and standing in water looking stupid" The Same Guy

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Maybe so, but the skill is in knowing *how* to ask. Or *who*, I suppose. <g — Charlie… and *WHEN*! "Welcome to the Little Wayno School of Scoring (We Never Close)" /daytripper ("Lesson 1: Ask Early And Often"

        and knowing how to play that martin d-28 while you lay out "hello cowgirl in the sand" don’t hurt all that bad, either…         yfitons         wayno

Response:

Maybe so, but the skill is in knowing *how* to ask. Or *who*, I suppose. <g — Charlie…

and *WHEN*! — Wayne To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

Response:

  I fine that flyfishermen are like golfers. Sooner or later, the guy next to   you will have a helpful suggestion. It may be about your cast, your flies,   your strategy…whatever. However, unlike golfers advice, this input is   usually welcomed and helpful. I’ve gotten alot of good advice over the years. Although this wouldn’t be the best advice I’ve gotten, it sticks in my head and serves as a reminder to be open minded and receptive to other peoples’ suggestions. I was fishing the stretch of my home river that I fish the most. I’ve been fishing it for over fifteen years and know it very well. I was fishing a riffle just upstream from a deep pool, when a young woman came up to me and informed me that there were some trout rising in the pool that she couldn’t reach because she only had on hipboots. It was the middle of a summer day and I was sure that the fish rising were the school of small Browns that are "always" rising in this pool. I thanked her and finished fishing the riffle I was working. I KNEW that they were just piddler fish rising and was going to continue working my way upstream but decided to give the rising fish a shot. To make a long story short, I ended up getting some very nice fish in the pool. Willi

Response:

Though referring to a different venue – "It is always easier to beg forgiveness than get permission. "  - Adm. Grace Hopper Bob Weinberger

MUCH different venu.  Not only are there laws, try begging forgiveness from two 6′3" older brothers with attitudes and firearms! — Wayne To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

Response:

"Wayne" wrote… "if you don’t ask for it, you never will get it" Maybe so, but the skill is in knowing *how* to ask.

Practice, practice, practice. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

Response:

at the tender age of 16 from a young lady "if you don’t ask for it, you never will get it" — Wayne To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

Though referring to a different venue – "It is always easier to beg forgiveness than get permission. "  - Adm. Grace Hopper Bob Weinberger

Response:

"Wayne" wrote… "if you don’t ask for it, you never will get it" Maybe so, but the skill is in knowing *how* to ask.

Or *who*, I suppose. <g — Charlie…

Response:

<SNIP . He suggested on my backcast to think "back and UP". <SNIP Actually, I said. "Think UP! -NOT- BACK!", ( That

Question:

I am a beginner at fly fishing (Boy, what fun??). Among the many questions that I have is about a creel. How is it used, do you just put a freshly caught fish in the creel, or what?

Response:

A creel is simply a basket to hold freshly caught fish, instead of putting them on a stringer. I’ll assume you’re talking about wicker creels (the weaved wooden kind.)  If you’re going to use a creel, it’s a good idea to put a layer of damp moss in it, to keep the fish cool and to keep it from drying out. I’ve read before that people even stick a layer of moss between each fish, to keep them fresh. you can either wear the creel with the help of a shoulder strap, or leave it on the bank until you need it (the latter would be easier on your shoulder, but it would mean slogging back to the bank when you wanted to keep a fish. I don’t think there’s too many guys still carrying a creel as an every-day piece of tackle, as many fly fishers have adopted the habit of catch & release fishing, only keeping fish every once in a while to eat. Again, to answer your question tho, the creel is just a basket to keep your fish in, instead of using a stringer. I’ve read that fish kept in a creel are usually better eating (better flavor) than those kept on a stringer. Creel is also a bit more convenient to carry than a stringer when you’re packing the fish out, as the creel is worn much like a ladie’s purse (or duffel bag, if you really need a macho example) instead of carrying it out in your hand. Hope this info is some help to you. PS…you don’t sound very enthused about taking up flyfishing, is there anything you’re confused about or need help with?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am a beginner at fly fishing (Boy, what fun??). Among the many questions that I have is about a creel. How is it used, do you just put a freshly caught fish in the creel, or what?

Response:

A creel is simply a basket to hold freshly caught fish,

        a very wise man once said that "guilt replaced the creel"… wayno

Response:

        a very wise man once said that "guilt replaced the creel"… wayno

No, I’m pretty sure that it was Tbone… Kevin

Response:

          a very wise man once said that "guilt replaced the creel"… wayno No, I’m pretty sure that it was Tbone…

Yes, it was TBone.  The wise man was the one who said "guilt debased the meal" <g — Warren Findley Remove (nospamZZ) to respond via email http://www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt/

Response:

   a very wise man once said that "guilt replaced the creel"…

I thought it was a "quilt" that replaced the creel? Don’t tell me I was reading that wrong, it makes even *less* sense your way. <g — Charlie…

Response:

I am a beginner at fly fishing (Boy, what fun??). Among the many questions that I have is about a creel. How is it used, do you just put a freshly caught fish in the creel, or what?

Reed: Having come up with the "Old Men" who were still of a mind set that it was OK, even expected to "keep" the fish you caught I have a lot of experience with the wicker creel. Commonly it was lined with cedar fronds that were first wet in the river in which you were fishing thus keeping your catch cool. A fresh set of fronds was added as the creel recieved "layers" of fish. The fish was ALWAYS gutted and gilled first. The old guys commonly cut open their first fish (yep even if undersized) to examine stomach contents. Over the years my wickers were replaced with canvas. Then the canvas was left behind as fish became scarcer and privacy on the river became almost non-existant. Now the only fish I keep from the river are usually too badly injured to release with good survival chances. There is the infrequent meal when Fish are abundant. These then fit in my pouch nicely. My wickers now serve as traveling tackle boxes while spin fishing. For that they work freaking great! Especially while wading. The shoulder strap when used, goes (if wearing the creel on the right side) over the right shoulder, and then the body strap circles the torso and holds the shoulder strap in proper position. In general though creels went out of style and use just about the time when I finally figured out how to make one.  Figures! Mostly they are just a romantic and nostalgic accessory that sees little use these days. Buy some other piece of equipment instead. Something like a nice streamer wallet (also somewhat out of style but very classy), a couple of good braided butt leaders, or perhaps a nice tippet caddy. I would buy a nice streamside light for those times (everytime I am out) when you fish in the dusky dusk. These would see more use and provide more enjoyment. You could even buy some tying materials and REALLY get the bug. Tight Lines M. Wm.

Response:

I am a beginner at fly fishing (Boy, what fun??). Among the many questions that I have is about a creel. How is it used, do you just put a freshly caught fish in the creel, or what?

He must know all there is to know about creels…

Response:

        a very wise man once said that "guilt replaced the creel"… wayno No, I’m pretty sure that it was Tbone…

LMAO!

Response:

          a very wise man once said that "guilt replaced the creel"… wayno No, I’m pretty sure that it was Tbone… Yes, it was TBone.  The wise man was the one who said "guilt debased the meal" <g

First, I’m articulate, and now THIS!  I’m starting to worry about you Warren.     Wolfgang who is beginning to feel embarrassed by the actions of the thiasus

Response:

Thanks for the replies. I have been fishing for bluegills and other panfish. I do beleive in catch and release, but there are times that I want to keep a few for supper.

Response:

First, I’m articulate, and now THIS!  I’m starting to worry about you Warren.    

Response:

I thought it was a "quilt" that replaced the creel? Don’t tell me I was reading that wrong, it makes even *less* sense your way. <g

Quilts can be bulky, and a wet quilt can weigh a ton. OTOH, a forked stick can do a pretty good job. Seriously, creels are nice to have. I feel naked without one. The wicker jobs are classic, but the canvas ones are more practical and less prone to damage. If you’re keeping a fish, kill it and field dress it ASAP, and put in in the creel. As it says, keep well soaked while in use. this will keep your catch cool and fresh. Now the sermon: Don’t keep a fish unless the stream can handle some harvest, and you intend to actually eat the fish, rather than letting it slowly rot in the fridge. Even when I don’t intend to keep anything, I’ll often use it as a streamside beer cooler. The looks you get on C&R water with a dripping, laden Polar Creel can be priceless. — Rusty Hook Laramie, Wyoming

Response:

Question:

We are going on a backpacking excursion through SE Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Brunei, Singapore) for about 6 months. We think that we would like to have a very open itinerary, i.e.-fly to Bangkok, get around however we see fit, and then fly home whenever we’ve had enough. Our options seem to be an open-jaw to a central place like Bangkok, or one of the around-the-world type flights (which may be too restrictive for us). We’re planning everything else well, but are having trouble deciding how to actually fly. Any help or ideas out there? There are so many bucket shops offering deals, it becomes overwhelming. Thanks for all the help we’ve recieved from this newsgroup! Kevin Oppenheimer, D.V.M. and Sandy Raders, D.V.M. To reply by email, please remove "NOSPAM" from address Once you go Mac, you’ll never go back. "The curious thing about fishing is that you never want to go home. If you catch something, you can’t stop. If you don’t catch anything, you hate to leave in case something might bite."

Question:

Anyone here every made a vest? None of the vests I’ve owned have the right sized pockets in the right places.  The one I have now is close to what I want. I was thinking about taking it apart and using it as a pattern and then making the changes I want. I’ve made a tent, sleeping bag and a down vest in the past, but they were made from kits. Willi

My wife Kate, is currently making one for my son Brandon.  She got a pattern from the sewing shop, and is using my Colombia as an inspiration for modifications to the pattern (like mesh and grommet on the pockets, etc.). She is also using Supplex instead of the cotton material the pattern spec’d.  I thought it would be a better idea for drying. HTH, Brian

Response:

They don’t scream as loud as flies do. Hm…..sort of makes me wonder about the ethics of amputating limbs from captive trees.  I don’t suppose anyone out there has an opinion on this do they?

– Mike in PDX "When the trout are lost, smash the state."                          Tom McGuane

Response:

Willi, I have designed several fly fishing vests/shirts (not commercially, but for myself). I did the "engineering", my poor wife the sewing. One tip I have is to carefully consider how the load will be carried and distributed after the pockets are filled. If there is too much weight in the pockets in the front, the vest pulls down in front around your neck…very uncomfortable.

I have struggled for years to find a vest I liked. Bob’s point about a loaded vest digging into the back of your neck is quite true. Why do the makers invariably cut the necks of vests so high? Why do they put collars on the bloody things? Vest are supposed to be load carrying. It’s what they’re for. Moreover, the front bottom pockets are where most people want to carry stuff. It seems that very few vest manufacturers have grasped this fundamental design requirement. Some years ago I bought a Columbia Henry’s Fork vest (remember those bloody irritating adverts about ‘Ma’ knowing best and kicking arse if things weren’t just right, etc.). It cost a fortune having it shipped from the US, paying VAT and duty, etc. That bastard always left me with a sore, stiff neck. The Velcro on the pocket flaps matched nicely when the vest was hanging flat and empty in the closet, but didn’t when anything even slightly fat was put into the pockets. The following are my tips to any would be vest designer/maker, based on years of disappointment. 1. Go for fewer, better designed pockets, especially the big ones on the front bottom. Resist the temptation to include as many pockets as possible. More is NOT better! 2. Cut the neck low. 3. Make sure the pocket closures are designed for FILLED pockets. 4. Choose a material that is light, tough and strong and QUICK DRYING, rather than waterproof. 5. Use all plastic zippers (A friend recently gave me his old Sage ‘Strap vest’. It had been used in the sea and the YKK metal zippers had corroded badly). 6. Unless you really spend a lot of time wading very deep,  longer vests are more comfortable to wear: you feel less like Dolly Parton wearing them. My penny’orth Tight Lines, Tony Deacon

Response:

6. Unless you really spend a lot of time wading very deep,  longer vests are more comfortable to wear: you feel less like Dolly Parton wearing them.

I have no choice about what kind of vest I get.  I have to get the short vest or it will go past my massive ass.  I’m sorter than the other guy. However, I’m sure short men or ladies also need the short vest due to physical stature.  Very unlike sex, longer is not always better. Vern

Response:

…I don’t remember the pattern number but if you have trouble finding it I believe I still have it around somewhere and can look it up….

Just did an on line search and came up with the following.  This is the pattern I used.  #2198- men’s sport vest. http://www.kwiksew.com/Patterns/_Cat_North/Frame.htm Good luck!

Response:

What has ROFF turned into!?!?  Some sort of girly-man group?  Let’s all get out our needles and thread now!

It’s a balance thing Jon.  This Saturday I plan to take Becky out in the fields and teach her to kick shit.  Sunday we bake bread and do the Trick or Treat thing.  The next weekend is devoted to killing things and then we move on to bonsai.  :)

Response:

: What has ROFF turned into!?!?  Some sort of girly-man group?  Let’s all : get out our needles and thread now! : : : It’s a balance thing Jon.  This Saturday I plan to take Becky out in the fields and teach her to : kick shit.  Sunday we bake bread and do the Trick or Treat thing.  The next weekend is devoted to : killing things and then we move on to bonsai.  :) In my case: bonsai = killing things (poor little tree never had a fighting chance we me wielding the clippers)

Response:

In my case: bonsai = killing things (poor little tree never had a fighting chance we me wielding the clippers)

Hm…..sort of makes me wonder about the ethics of amputating limbs from captive trees.  I don’t suppose anyone out there has an opinion on this do they?

Response:

Hm…..sort of makes me wonder about the ethics of amputating limbs from captive trees.  I don’t suppose anyone out there has an opinion on this do they?

Depends on if you eat the limb or not. — Charlie…

Response:

: What has ROFF turned into!?!?  Some sort of girly-man group?  Let’s all : get out our needles and thread now!

Really…we gonna fish or we gonna sew ? (Mine has darts !) — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

Anyone here every made a vest? None of the vests I’ve owned have the right sized pockets in the right places.  The one I have now is close to what I want. I was thinking about taking it apart and using it as a pattern and then making the changes I want. I’ve made a tent, sleeping bag and a down vest in the past, but they were made from kits. Willi

Response:

Willi, I made a vest.  I always wanted one made from Blue Denim, sort of like a Levi Denim Jacket without sleeves.  I just used a vest I had and drew a pattern on some paper.  Then I laid out the things I wanted to carry and figured out the places and size for the pockets. The pockets all have Velcro closures.  It came out good and I have worn it for years.  I also made a tent, it was a lot of fun. Ernie Harrison Have you tried a Blood Knot Machine?  http://home.pacbell.net/ernie2

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Anyone here every made a vest? None of the vests I’ve owned have the right sized pockets in the right places.  The one I have now is close to what I want. I was thinking about taking it apart and using it as a pattern and then making the changes I want. I’ve made a tent, sleeping bag and a down vest in the past, but they were made from kits. Willi

Response:

Somehow I had a feeling Ernie was going to answer saying he’d made his own vest. My hat goes off to you. Steve Zimmerman

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Willi, I made a vest Ernie Harrison

Response:

Anyone here every made a vest? None of the vests I’ve owned have the right sized pockets in the right places.  The one I have now is close to what I want. I was thinking about taking it apart and using it as a pattern and then making the changes I want. I’ve made a tent, sleeping bag and a down vest in the past, but they were made from kits. Willi

I made several vests. I was ultimately satisfied with none of them  although my brother and a couple of other people still use them ). I went back to a custom made fishing jacket. With far too many pockets ! TL MC

Response:

Anyone here every made a vest? None of the vests I’ve owned have the right sized pockets in the right places.

I made a vest while a grad student; I was too poor to buy one.  That was about 1956.  I used it till 1996.   It was still in good condition but I decided to treat myself to a new one. The trick is to plan ahead very carefully, so that you can sew the pockets on the inside the and outside without  interference. vince norris  The one I have now is close to – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -what I want. I was thinking about taking it apart and using it as a pattern and then making the changes I want. I’ve made a tent, sleeping bag and a down vest in the past, but they were made from kits. Willi

Response:

Willi, I have designed several fly fishing vests/shirts (not commercially, but for myself). I did the "engineering", my poor wife the sewing. One tip I have is to carefully consider how the load will be carried and distributed after the pockets are filled. If there is too much weight in the pockets in the front, the vest pulls down in front around your neck…very uncomfortable. Also, it can be a challenge getting the best waterproof materials. Good luck. Bob Elliott

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Anyone here every made a vest? None of the vests I’ve owned have the right sized pockets in the right places.  The one I have now is close to what I want. I was thinking about taking it apart and using it as a pattern and then making the changes I want. I’ve made a tent, sleeping bag and a down vest in the past, but they were made from kits. Willi

Response:

Anyone here every made a vest? None of the vests I’ve owned have the right sized pockets in the right places.  The one I have now is close to what I want. I was thinking about taking it apart and using it as a pattern and then making the changes I want. I’ve made a tent, sleeping bag and a down vest in the past, but they were made from kits.

Willi; I have made several vests using a Kwik Sew pattern.  The pattern is for a general purpose vest, not specifically for fishing.  But if you’re good enough with a sewing machine to make your own you won’t have any trouble modifying it to suit your needs.  I use my vest for hunting so the pockets outlined in the pattern are sufficient for my needs.  It won’t be much trouble to add a few more if you like.  this pattern is also too long for a good fishing vest but again, it should be easy enough to shorten.  I don’t remember the pattern number but if you have trouble finding it I believe I still have it around somewhere and can look it up.

Response:

Yeah Charlie, but it was before she was famous. Ernie Harrison Have you tried a Blood Knot Machine?  http://home.pacbell.net/ernie2 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Somehow I had a feeling Ernie was going to answer saying he’d made his own vest. My hat goes off to you. Hell, Ernie made Martha Stewart once<g. — Charlie…

Response:

Question:

<good story snipped I liked it a lot, Adam. Put me in mind of my favorite Sierra small stream and had me reflexively looking for my hiking boots. thanks, -sid

Response:

<snipped Keep writing stuff like that and you won’t have anyone out to get you.  Well done. Reminded me of a little spot I often go to get away from the hustle and bustle of the tourists. Warren Remember, men will come and men will go, but the streams and mountains go on forever. -Bob Carmichael

Response:

In the early morning light, long sun rays make diamond glints in the dew covered grass.

    (snip)     very well written prose, adam. wayno

Response:

Dear Adam, This is what fly fishing is about. It is not what you catch but where you catch (if you catch). And the more, this is what fly fishing in Continental Europe is about, small streams in Belgium, Northern France and Germany. No huge trout out for your fly (you are more than lucky to catch one of upto 40 cm), but to be away from it all. Marcel From The Netherlands

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In the early morning light, long sun rays make diamond glints in the dew covered grass. A spruce forest edges the little meadow in deep blue-green while a sparkling tiny stream draws a shallow meandering line through the alpine valley. Undercut grassy banks border the small riffles below a plunge pool. The solitude is perfect, the setting is awesome and there is room for only one observer at a time. A small stream is enough to re-kindle the fishing flame of one’s youth every time. Creeping or low crawling through the grass, the coolness of the dew soaks into your clothes, but the focus is on a gin clear pool thirty feet ahead. The light fly rod gets caught in the grass, but you casually unhook the tip, careful to clear the rod from the tangle without making sudden movements. Unhooking the fly, stripping out enough line to make a cast to the near side of the pool, you sit up on your feet, crouching to maintain a low profile. Switching two false casts, you shoot a tight loop laying the fly line on the grass with the leader hooking into the pool. The leader is long enough to cross the pool, but you know this and have made a perfect presentation into the tail of the pool in order to not upset the wary brook trout upstream. The cast is unproductive, but that does not slow your racing pulse. A quick pick up and cast again in one smooth movement farther upstream, the caddis mimic alights like a natural. A small piece of the stream bed moves and suddenly the caddis is gone in a swirl. In the same moment, you lift the little fly rod, tightening the line. Telegraphed up the fly line, surges of the brook trout are felt through the light fly rod. Quickly playing the fish to hand, the gemstone colors of the small trout glow brightly. Releasing the trout from the barbless hook completes the act and the scurry for cover is evidence that this one is unharmed. Small stream fly fishing is gaining in popularity. The reasons are easy enough to understand. Solitude in the outdoor is at the top of the list. There are rivers to fish with many anglers if you want to share the experience. Rivers are popular fly fishing destinations and they are reflected on by all forms of the media. Small streams are out of the way, not reported on regularly and introspection, not popularity echoes here. A feeder stream, off the fishing path can provide a afternoon of quiet thoughts while experiencing the outdoors by yourself. There are no television or magazine anglers here, just you and your thoughts among the trees. Outfitting for fly fishing a small stream is a personal choice. A fly rod with a couple of flys in a film canister along with swim trunks makes things simple. On the other hand, a modern fourth generation graphite fly rod with a large arbor reel and specialized mini shooting head fly line can make decisions difficult. Hundreds of stone, caddis, and mayflys in expensive aluminum compartment fly boxes tucked in a ergonomically tailored vest, bulging with the latest gadgetry for the technically minded is another possible choice. Some use a bamboo fly rod made in the early part of the century, possibly handed down in the family. Somewhere in there lies a typical small stream fisher. We are a diverse lot, but we are looking for the same thing, peace in nature’s solitude. Light fly line weights are standard for small streams. Line weights of zero through five are generally considered an advantage when casting for wary trout. The small diameter of a light fly line combined with the light weight reduces the unwanted sight and impact when making a presentation. For small streams, fly sizes are small and wind is usually not a hinderance. A good fly rod choice will be a seven foot three weight. You can give or take a foot in length and a fly line size and still have a good choice for a rod. A small reel without a drag is all that is necessary. Equipment can be as technical or as simple as you want to make it. Fly fishing equipment is a personal choice that should match the fisher and the water being fished. Moving along on a small stream seems to come natural. Most fishing is done in an upstream manner to approach the trout from behind. Trout hold in the current to feed most of the time and their blind spot is to the rear. You need all the help that you can get when the stream is shallow, and the fish are wary of predators. This is because of the lack of deep water and structure to hide in. In order to be successful, a good creeping technique must be developed. Select earth tones for your clothes, a low profile when approaching a productive section, and as few false casts as possible. The better you become, the more your back will hurt! Headhunting, a term that is used for a fly fisher consumed by catching the largest fish does not apply here. Not that a small stream fly angler will turn their back on a large brown trout, that is exactly what some do. This is a technique used to reduce the anglers "presence" to the wary trout when rigging for the situation. The fishing attitude is one of opportunity. If a large trout is caught, it is a gift. The essence is the outdoor experience. To catch a small glistening gem and to give it back to nature, this is what small stream fishing is about. Not a quest for monster trout. On your adventure please remember this. The small stream environment is usually pristine, one single piece of trash is out of place. No impact hiking is a must, and if some trash is found, packing it out is good form. Hiking along, if another angler is present, give him or her a wide berth to minimize the intrusion. Fly fishing small streams is a return to solitude that we all need. A perfect way to enjoy the outdoors. I hope you like my story, adam

Response:

In the early morning light, long sun rays make diamond glints in the dew covered grass. A spruce forest edges the little meadow in deep blue-green while a sparkling tiny stream draws a shallow meandering line through the alpine valley. Undercut grassy banks border the small riffles below a plunge pool. The solitude is perfect, the setting is awesome and there is room for only one observer at a time. A small stream is enough to re-kindle the fishing flame of one’s youth every time. Creeping or low crawling through the grass, the coolness of the dew soaks into your clothes, but the focus is on a gin clear pool thirty feet ahead. The light fly rod gets caught in the grass, but you casually unhook the tip, careful to clear the rod from the tangle without making sudden movements. Unhooking the fly, stripping out enough line to make a cast to the near side of the pool, you sit up on your feet, crouching to maintain a low profile. Switching two false casts, you shoot a tight loop laying the fly line on the grass with the leader hooking into the pool. The leader is long enough to cross the pool, but you know this and have made a perfect presentation into the tail of the pool in order to not upset the wary brook trout upstream. The cast is unproductive, but that does not slow your racing pulse. A quick pick up and cast again in one smooth movement farther upstream, the caddis mimic alights like a natural. A small piece of the stream bed moves and suddenly the caddis is gone in a swirl. In the same moment, you lift the little fly rod, tightening the line. Telegraphed up the fly line, surges of the brook trout are felt through the light fly rod. Quickly playing the fish to hand, the gemstone colors of the small trout glow brightly. Releasing the trout from the barbless hook completes the act and the scurry for cover is evidence that this one is unharmed. Small stream fly fishing is gaining in popularity. The reasons are easy enough to understand. Solitude in the outdoor is at the top of the list. There are rivers to fish with many anglers if you want to share the experience. Rivers are popular fly fishing destinations and they are reflected on by all forms of the media. Small streams are out of the way, not reported on regularly and introspection, not popularity echoes here. A feeder stream, off the fishing path can provide a afternoon of quiet thoughts while experiencing the outdoors by yourself. There are no television or magazine anglers here, just you and your thoughts among the trees. Outfitting for fly fishing a small stream is a personal choice. A fly rod with a couple of flys in a film canister along with swim trunks makes things simple. On the other hand, a modern fourth generation graphite fly rod with a large arbor reel and specialized mini shooting head fly line can make decisions difficult. Hundreds of stone, caddis, and mayflys in expensive aluminum compartment fly boxes tucked in a ergonomically tailored vest, bulging with the latest gadgetry for the technically minded is another possible choice. Some use a bamboo fly rod made in the early part of the century, possibly handed down in the family. Somewhere in there lies a typical small stream fisher. We are a diverse lot, but we are looking for the same thing, peace in nature’s solitude. Light fly line weights are standard for small streams. Line weights of zero through five are generally considered an advantage when casting for wary trout. The small diameter of a light fly line combined with the light weight reduces the unwanted sight and impact when making a presentation. For small streams, fly sizes are small and wind is usually not a hinderance. A good fly rod choice will be a seven foot three weight. You can give or take a foot in length and a fly line size and still have a good choice for a rod. A small reel without a drag is all that is necessary. Equipment can be as technical or as simple as you want to make it. Fly fishing equipment is a personal choice that should match the fisher and the water being fished. Moving along on a small stream seems to come natural. Most fishing is done in an upstream manner to approach the trout from behind. Trout hold in the current to feed most of the time and their blind spot is to the rear. You need all the help that you can get when the stream is shallow, and the fish are wary of predators. This is because of the lack of deep water and structure to hide in. In order to be successful, a good creeping technique must be developed. Select earth tones for your clothes, a low profile when approaching a productive section, and as few false casts as possible. The better you become, the more your back will hurt! Headhunting, a term that is used for a fly fisher consumed by catching the largest fish does not apply here. Not that a small stream fly angler will turn their back on a large brown trout, that is exactly what some do. This is a technique used to reduce the anglers "presence" to the wary trout when rigging for the situation. The fishing attitude is one of opportunity. If a large trout is caught, it is a gift. The essence is the outdoor experience. To catch a small glistening gem and to give it back to nature, this is what small stream fishing is about. Not a quest for monster trout. On your adventure please remember this. The small stream environment is usually pristine, one single piece of trash is out of place. No impact hiking is a must, and if some trash is found, packing it out is good form. Hiking along, if another angler is present, give him or her a wide berth to minimize the intrusion. Fly fishing small streams is a return to solitude that we all need. A perfect way to enjoy the outdoors. I hope you like my story, adam

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Question:

Today, I took Ron for his first Jet Boat Ride in the World’s Best Flats Boat ever built. (Not a humble opening, I agree) As we roared down river to the Blue Bridge (the idea was to blow all that dust out of that great Ford Redline Marine Engine into the atmosphere) at about 26 mph (gps perfect) I slowed down to show Ron some Big Horn Sheep and finally shut the engine down that was purring quietly so everything was in mutual agreement.  The river flowed along like quiet glass, a hawk screeched just once, and one of the baby lambs bayed.  Finally, a red winged black bird sang its short song off a willow as some of its limbs traced the surface of the river. I looked at the river, clean and pure and I explained to Ron how I was going to get some smart mouthed remarks about explaining how pollution free this jet boat, called "The Professional Guide Jet Boat" was in water.  He listen to my words thoughtfully while a trickling sound finally ceased. Ron zipped up and turned with a grin.  "Yep.  I know what you mean.  Too bad you and I aren’t as perfect as this boat." I roared in laughter, started the motor, and slowly applied power. ; ) god!  I love this place. — Mr. G. "Gink Keeps It Up" http://www.gink.com

Question:

I agree with whoever said test test test. i know testing helps me feel better knowing what my sugar is. I also think it’s an individual matter for each to find. I know it’s been like that for me. I try to raise my blood sugar before my workouts (aerobic classes usually) so that I don’t have to worry about it during and after the wrokout. I usually have juice or fruit and it works to raise it enough so I don’t have to worry, and then i usually have dinner after. When I go out for bike rides alone I do the same thing. If it helps, I kept an article about managing blood sugar that i read in the magazine Diabetes Self Management. I thought it was a very good article that gave lots of examples about blood suagr during exercise and what to do about food and insulin. It was in the November December 1996 issue. The title was Balancing Blood Sugar and Exercise by Richard Weil. I don’t know if this is in the library, but there is a number in the magazine that i guess you could call to request a copy or maybe a back issue. The number is 800 234-0923 (that’s the subscription service). There’s also a number for advertising [212] 989-0200. I would try both numbers. The article really cleared up some things for me so I recommend it to you. I don’t work for the magazine, but I do think the article was helpful. Good Luck, Tina

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There are also all too many stories of a lone person who goes out into the woods never to return.  Diabetes is rarley a factor in these stories. Bears, Clifs, Falling rocks, Pitfalls, Snakes, Ect, Those are factors, Diabetes almost never.

Much more common are:   Falls causing sprains/broken bones: you lose your mobility, then you’re in trouble. Happens even without ‘cliffs’.   Inadequate clothing and/or shelter (exposure, hypothermia).   Insufficient food intake/food supply (starvation).   Insufficient water. – - – The root cause of these problems is usually foolish overconfidence. The one which is highly affected by DM is insufficient food intake,   which I have suffered a few times. Test often! Take lots of extra food, extra drugs, an entire extra test kit.   Experience is critical. DON’T try a 5-day in the middle of no where until you have a lot of solo overnights and 2-nighters under your belt.

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   Newsgroups: misc.health.diabetes    Ok, me again, needing advice. It seems that this is my first summer    on Insulin. After my expirience with that nasty hypo seizure on    vacation, I’m leary of engaging in certain outdoor avtivities alone. Actually you have answered your own question… You said "ALONE" The simple soultion is as follows 1: Always have a ready source of "Quick" glucose (Cake Iceing tubes)    Gluco gell, Gluco Tabs, Regular (not diet) pop,  Orange juice 2: (And this is perhaps the more improtant) always have a partner who    KNOWS you are diabetic and KNOWS the signs of HYPO in you. Now if you happen not to be a diabetic (As many are not) Then #2 is becomes #1 and delete all after PARTNER.  That is right… Man was not ment to be alone, Man was ment to be partnered (No this is not a religious or moral statment)  but there have been many, many, many stories of a couple of people who went out in the woods and one became injured.  The other saved his/her life.  There are also all too many stories of a lone person who goes out into the woods never to return.  Diabetes is rarley a factor in these stories. Bears, Clifs, Falling rocks, Pitfalls, Snakes, Ect, Those are factors, Diabetes almost never. So the easy answer is DO NOT HIKE ALONE,  Take a main squeze or hiking partner "Nothing adds excitement like something that is none of your business" A professor is one who talks in someone else’s sleep. Net-Tamer V 1.08X – Registered

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ok, me again, needing advice. It seems that this is my first summer on Insulin. After my expirience with that nasty hypo seizure on vacation, I’m leary of engaging in certain outdoor avtivities alone. I love to hike into the woods and go flyfishing. Or sometimes go to isolated rocks on the ocean for some surf fishing etc. Is the simple answer like this: "We’re diabetic, we can do anything,…if you test every hour or 2"?? Also, how do some of you handle… ah let’s say mountain climbing? Your metabolism goes from slow to maximum? How do you carbo load enough to handle that? Trial and era maybe? Test on the trail every 20 mins? My wife is also a bit nervous everytime I leave the house on any journey (after witnessing my seizure). I’m having a tough time because I have an very avtive life and find this area of insecurity intensly frustrating. Thoughts?                                         Terry Weir

When you know let me in on the secret.  Last winter I went out one weekend alone to go hiking and waterfall viewing.  One time I was about 3 miles into a lonely trail when it hit.  I had taken extra carbo before the hike (granola bars), and luckily I had a sack of candies.   The entire walk back it was one candy after another.  I must have injested over 100 grams carbo by the time I got back to civilization.   So what’s the answer?  Eat as you go?  Doesn’t sound fun to me.  Less insulin?  I’ve read that you should actually take a little insulin before you excercise, to make sure your body doesn’t starve of glucose and start keto.  Maybe both…..  Trial and error seems the only way for now.

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This is a multi-part message in MIME format. Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ok, me again, needing advice. It seems that this is my first summer on Insulin. After my expirience with that nasty hypo seizure on vacation, I’m leary of engaging in certain outdoor avtivities alone. I love to hike into the woods and go flyfishing. Or sometimes go to isolated rocks on the ocean for some surf fishing etc. Is the simple answer like this: "We’re diabetic, we can do anything,…if you test every hour or 2"?? Also, how do some of you handle… ah let’s say mountain climbing? Your metabolism goes from slow to maximum? How do you carbo load enough to handle that? Trial and era maybe? Test on the trail every 20 mins? My wife is also a bit nervous everytime I leave the house on any journey (after witnessing my seizure). I’m having a tough time because I have an very avtive life and find this area of insecurity intensly frustrating. Thoughts?

You are talking essentially about exercise so I have attached my standard exercise answer.  There is tremendous variability in diabetics response to exercise and the response is also affected by your type of diabetes and medication.  Some people can get along with only minor adjustments in their routine and some of us have to do quite a bit of compensation.  The more you learn about diabetes, your particular flavor of it, how the body normally works, and how a diabetics body works, the better you will be able to adjust to abnormal situations be they changes in activity, diet, workshifts or whatever.  Diabetics can do pretty much what ever they want to.  The first diabetic to swim the English Channel was just in the news. That doesn’t mean, however, that it you don’t have to put extra effort into it to deal with the effects of having diabetes.  When I think about doing things with diabetes, I often remember the old joke about Ginger Rogers.  She did everything Fred did, but backwards wearing high heels. — Charles Coughran Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; name="EXERCIS5.TXT" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline; filename="EXERCIS5.TXT" The best way to deal with problems associated with diabetes and exercise begins with understanding of what goes on in the metabolic system of normal people and what the differences are for diabetics. Only with such understanding can you make intelligent choices about pharmacological tactics. Relying on rules of thumb can cause more problems it solves because of the wide variability of individual responses and the wide variety of diseases that fall under the rubric of diabetes. Not to mention, I have seen postings where the rules of thumb were clearly misunderstood. While the following is intended for those who take insulin, it may assist those on oral medications as well. Exercise in this context means extended aerobic activity, say a minimum of 20 minutes of jogging. This is a somewhat simplified account but I think it captures the most important aspects for exercise related bg control. Comments encouraged. When a normal person starts to exercise, the insulin output of his pancreas goes down. At first blush, this seems backward since the muscles are working hard and therefore require more glucose to be transported from the blood into the cells. There are two reasons more glucose can be transported with less available insulin. The first is that during exercise insulin becomes much more efficient. The mechanism of this effect is not fully understood, but it helps overcomes the reduction in circulating insulin. Second, exercise activates non-insulin mediated glucose transport pathways. These pathways are not sufficient to handle the load in the absence of insulin, but do increase the effective insulin efficiency. When insulin levels decline relative to the counterregulatory hormones — glucagon, epinephrine, norepinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol — the liver is stimulated to release stored glucose. The blood glucose that is being transported into the cells is replaced by that from hepatic stores. It is this hormonal balance system that keeps the levels of blood glucose in the normal narrow range during exercise. For those of us who inject insulin, the first problem is obvious. Our circulating levels of insulin do not react to exercise. Absent any correction, when the muscles demand glucose and insulin becomes more efficient our blood glucose plummets and we become hypoglycemic. This is the reason for a commonly encountered prohibition to not schedule exercise when your insulin is peaking. The higher the level of circulating insulin, the more pronounced the effect. One solution is to reduce our circulating insulin levels by reducing insulin intake. Here specific advice starts to be difficult due to the wide variety of insulins, regimens, and individual variability. The spectrum spans from a Type II who takes a little NPH to help his beta cells out to a c-peptide free pumper. I have spoken to diabetic runners whose tactics would put me in an ambulance, even though our situations seem to be very similar. You see a lot of advice of the form, "reduce your insulin 2 units for every hour of strenuous exercise". This kind of advice ignores real world variability and is sometimes much worse than useless. Clearly, someone who takes one shot/day has a much more limited ability to adjust circulating insulin levels than someone using multiple injections or a pump. The other approach is to increase blood glucose levels by eating carbohydrates timed to arrive at the blood stream in the form of glucose when it is needed. The easiest way to do that is usually to eat fast acting carbohydrates during or immediately preceding exercise. Again, there are rules of thumb around about so many grams of carbohydrates for a particular length of exercise at some defined level. Again, they seem to be swamped by individual and circumstantial variability. Some of us do a combination of both and pump up our bg levels somewhat before exercise and reduce insulin levels to keep things on an even keel. The bottom line is to make careful adjustments and test, and test, and test, to find out how things work for your particular body. So much for too much insulin. What happens when the circulating insulin level is too low? When levels are so low that even the increase in insulin efficiency doesn’t overcome the defect, glucose isn’t transported into the cells. Worse, since insulin levels are low the liver continues to pump glucose into the blood. The result is bg levels rise with exercise. The muscles get stressed due to lack of fuel and the metabolism of fats kicks in, ketones start being produced and the danger of ketosis or ketoacidosis looms. This is the basis for another rule of thumb which is often misunderstood. The rule is usually stated "don’t exercise when your bg is above 240 mg/dl (13.3 mmol/l) and ketones are present in the urine". This makes sense because those are signs that you have inadequate insulin supplies — that’s how many of us got diagnosed. Exercise in those circumstances will make things worse, not better. On the other hand, if you are 300 mg/dl (16.7 mmol/l) because you just drank a large regular cola by mistake with lunch, exercise is a great way to bring that bg down in a hurry. Why your bg is elevated is just as important as the fact of the elevated level when deciding whether or not exercise is contraindicated. The 240 is also a somewhat arbitrary number. Some people start throwing ketones at significantly lower levels. In short: avoid exercise if your insulin level is too low. Do exercise if you are sure your insulin level is adequate but your blood glucose is too high. Exercise also produces effects at longer time scales. Sometime after exercise, there is often a take up of blood glucose by the muscles to replenish depleted stores. This most often occurs an hour or two after exercise, but has been reported in the range of 1/2 hour to 48 hours. Again, as is the case during exercise, artificially high insulin levels will lead to hypoglycemia. The last rule of thumb is to watch for hypoglycemia after exercise. *SPECULATION BEGINS HERE* A problem some of us encounter from time to time is a post exercise bg spike. Blood glucose readings will be reasonable after exercise but sharply elevated a few hours later. It is my speculation that this represents circulating insulin levels that were adequate to deal with exercise induced blood glucose demand with its attendant insulin efficiency increase, but too low to deal with the post exercise demand when insulin efficiency has lowered somewhat. It has been my experience that post exercise elevated bg levels respond to much less insulin than would be required in a more normal situation. It appears that insulin efficiency falls off after exercise at some rate and you can be on the correct side of the curve during exercise and the wrong side after. This hypothesis is the best of a couple I have come up with. *SPECULATION ENDS HERE* Regular exercise over time scales of weeks or months can reduce overall insulin requirements. In addition, as muscles become trained and improve their internal storage, it feeds back into the amount of glucose demand present during exercise, and thus into the entire control cycle. Diabetes makes exercise, and almost everything else, harder. But, hey, if it was easy it wouldn’t be any fun There are two very good, readable books from which you can get more information. The better is Campaigne and Lampman, _Exercise in the Clinical Management of Diabetes_. Almost as good is _The Health Professional’s Guide to Diabetes and Exercise_ edited by Ruderman and Devlin and published by the American Diabetes Association.

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Ok, me again, needing advice. It seems that this is my first summer on Insulin. After my expirience with that nasty hypo seizure on vacation, I’m leary of engaging in certain outdoor avtivities alone. I love to hike into the woods and go flyfishing. Or sometimes go to isolated rocks on the ocean for some surf fishing etc. Is the simple answer like this: "We’re diabetic, we can do anything,…if you test every hour or 2"??

Frequent testing is not necessary.  I engage in all types of strenuous and active things (skiing, hiking, bicycling, snokling, rock climbing, etc.) with no testing at all during the activity. My method is this:  take into consideration your level of activity, adjust your insulin accordingly, and bring along lots of sugary things to compensate.  Of course, this only works if you are relatively good judge (like I am) of when your blood sugar is low. For example, when I go skiing, I’ve found that after eating a regular breakfast and taking a normal dose of insulin in the morning, that I can eat lunch without taking any insulin during the day’s activities. Then I eat dinner and take a normal dose.  It so happens that the decrease in my blood sugar corresponding to my increased activity is almost exactly balanced by the lunch I eat (usually it is not a very large lunch, though, because the ski food prices are so high). I should say that I am on an ultralente/Humalog regimine (I split the ultralente dose into morning and evening, and then just take the required amount of Humalog right before I’m going to eat something). Also, how do some of you handle… ah let’s say mountain climbing? Your metabolism goes from slow to maximum? How do you carbo load enough to handle that? Trial and era maybe? Test on the trail every 20 mins? My wife is also a bit nervous everytime I leave the house on any journey (after witnessing my seizure). I’m having a tough time because I have an very avtive life and find this area of insecurity intensly frustrating. Thoughts?

When I do something like this, I just don’t take any of the regular insulin (but keep the ultralente the same).  Often I still go low and need to eat something. If you can’t tell when you are getting low, then you are screwed and this easy method (make sure you have enough insulin so you don’t go hig and just eat when necessary to prevent lows) won’t work. keith

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Ok, me again, needing advice. It seems that this is my first summer on Insulin. After my expirience with that nasty hypo seizure on vacation, I’m leary of engaging in certain outdoor avtivities alone. I love to hike into the woods and go flyfishing. Or sometimes go to isolated rocks on the ocean for some surf fishing etc. Is the simple answer like this: "We’re diabetic, we can do anything,…if you test every hour or 2"?? Also, how do some of you handle… ah let’s say mountain climbing? Your metabolism goes from slow to maximum? How do you carbo load enough to handle that? Trial and era maybe? Test on the trail every 20 mins? My wife is also a bit nervous everytime I leave the house on any journey (after witnessing my seizure). I’m having a tough time because I have an very avtive life and find this area of insecurity intensly frustrating. Thoughts?                                         Terry Weir

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You got it test test test…. experience experience  you can do anything if you are willing to do what it takes to know your body every step of the way.  Include your wife in everything…this should boost her confidence that you as a team can handle anything.  I have been diabetic for 20-years and have never let it stop me from anything I really wanted to do.  it just takes work. Good Luck, M.H. Moman – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ok, me again, needing advice. It seems that this is my first summer on Insulin. After my expirience with that nasty hypo seizure on vacation, I’m leary of engaging in certain outdoor avtivities alone. I love to hike into the woods and go flyfishing. Or sometimes go to isolated rocks on the ocean for some surf fishing etc. Is the simple answer like this: "We’re diabetic, we can do anything,…if you test every hour or 2"?? Also, how do some of you handle… ah let’s say mountain climbing? Your metabolism goes from slow to maximum? How do you carbo load enough to handle that? Trial and era maybe? Test on the trail every 20 mins? My wife is also a bit nervous everytime I leave the house on any journey (after witnessing my seizure). I’m having a tough time because I have an very avtive life and find this area of insecurity intensly frustrating. Thoughts?                                         Terry Weir

– The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.                   -Frances Willard

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Question:

Looking for a form or possibly even software on which I can enter all data on fishing trips for future references (ex. date, time, weather, etc.). Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks. Evert

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Looking for a form or possibly even software on which I can enter all data on fishing trips for future references (ex. date, time, weather, etc.). Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks. Evert

Evert, take a look at our FISHbase Anglers Log software, at http://www.terrafin.com You can view sample screens or download an evaluation version. Jeff Gammon Terrafin Software

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Looking for a form or possibly even software on which I can enter all data on fishing trips for future references (ex. date, time, weather, etc.). Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks. Evert

Hello, have a look at http://www.vendel.se/fg.html – The Fisherman

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     I KNOW, I KNOW!  For reasons I do not need to give here, I cannot fish in the conventional way with a flyrod.  I use the castabubble and 6 ft. leader technique.        If there are any other practitioners of this secret practice, I have some questions.  You can e-mail me secretly and anonymously if you like to keep your closet castabubble practice a secret.      Do I fill up the castabubble completely, or leave some air in it? It seems to make a "wake" on retrieval if there is air in it.  Does this spook the fish?      Do I go  s  -  l  -  o  -  w  , slow, medium, stop and go, or what on retrieve speed.        What kind of flies are the best for this, name and size, please. Do I put floating goop on them to keep them up, or let them become waterlogged and sink?      Do I put a strike indicator, or some tiny float ahead of the fly to keep it up?  If I use large flies like wooly worms, how far down do I let them sink?      I have a secret envy when watching fly fishermen lay that tiny fly down on a ripple way out there.  Just beautiful!  I think sometime they have a secret envy when I show up with $ 20 worth of gear and catch more than they did.      I appreciate all the help.  Steve All replies will be held in the strictest of confidence.

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:      I KNOW, I KNOW!  For reasons I do not need to give here, I cannot : fish in the conventional way with a flyrod.  I use the castabubble and : 6 ft. leader technique.   I can but choose not to most of the time. :      If there are any other practitioners of this secret practice, I : have some questions.  You can e-mail me secretly and anonymously if you : like to keep your closet castabubble practice a secret. No shame in that. I do it quite often when fishing a lake from the shore. It enables me to cast much further out into the lake than with a fly rod when using dry flies or small artificials. :      Do I fill up the castabubble completely, or leave some air in it? : It seems to make a "wake" on retrieval if there is air in it.  Does : this spook the fish? Suit yourself. I generally leave them half full so I can see them. :      Do I go  s  -  l  -  o  -  w  , slow, medium, stop and go, or what : on retrieve speed.   Depends on the lure. With a dry fly I just give it a twitch every once in a while. With a spinner I keep it going fast enough for the blades to spin. :      What kind of flies are the best for this, name and size, please. : Do I put floating goop on them to keep them up, or let them become : waterlogged and sink? Gotta match them to the local conditions. There is no right or wrong answer. :      Do I put a strike indicator, or some tiny float ahead of the fly : to keep it up?  If I use large flies like wooly worms, how far down do : I let them sink? It depends but the Castabubble is all you really need. It’ll take a sudden move just before you feel the strike :      I have a secret envy when watching fly fishermen lay that tiny fly : down on a ripple way out there.  Just beautiful!  I think sometime they : have a secret envy when I show up with $ 20 worth of gear and catch : more than they did. It takes patience and practice. I generally use a fly rod for streams and a Spinning rod for lakes. Other times I take whats easiest to toss in the pickup and head out. BiNM

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    I KNOW, I KNOW!  For reasons I do not need to give here, I cannot fish in the conventional way with a flyrod.  I use the castabubble and 6 ft. leader technique.       If there are any other practitioners of this secret practice, I have some questions.  You can e-mail me secretly and anonymously if you like to keep your closet castabubble practice a secret.

Secret practice?  I’ve probably been using this technique for 15 years though I now do all my flyfishing with a flyrod.     Do I fill up the castabubble completely, or leave some air in it?

Depends on the fly you’re using.  If you’re fishing a dry or wet (grey hackle peacocks are killer with this technique) fill the bubble half to 3/4 full.  You can still chuck it a long way.  If the fish aren’t hitting the surface put on a nymph, streamer, or emerger and fill the bubble up completely.  I used to use the kind of bubbles with just a plastic sleeve in the middle.  I’d run the line through and tie it to a small swivel and then my leader to that.  When the bubble is full it has pretty much a neutral bouyancy and the addition of the swivel and optionally a small split shot will slowely sink it.  Cast it out and use a count down technique before starting your retrieve until you find what depth the fish are.  You can also replace the nymph is a 1-1.5" piece of night crawler and fish it the same way. It seems to make a "wake" on retrieval if there is air in it.  Does this spook the fish?

I don’t think so.  I’ve had some high Sierra brookies hit the bubble on occasion.     Do I go  s  -  l  -  o  -  w  , slow, medium, stop and go, or what on retrieve speed.  

S-l-o-w, when you’re fishing a fly on the surface or just below it, short jerks for nymphs or streamers.     What kind of flies are the best for this, name and size, please. Do I put floating goop on them to keep them up, or let them become waterlogged and sink?     Do I put a strike indicator, or some tiny float ahead of the fly to keep it up?  If I use large flies like wooly worms, how far down do I let them sink?

See above.  The type of fly, whether to use floatant, and the depth are all dependant upon where the fish are feeding.  Rather then use a strike indicator a couple of dots of flourescant paint on the bubble would serve the same purpose, though I’ve never needed to do that. — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

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Question:

Would the guy that posted about the Saltwater flyfishing trip for rockfish in the kelp beds off of Santa Cruz please followup with a valid email address?  I tried responding via email but it bounced.  I’m interested in the Livermore Flyfishers group that was mentioned. — John Fereira Pleasanton, CA

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That’s a numeral one after my name. Kent McCammon Lightwave Systems Engineer Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Just another crash dummy on the information superhighway

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