Question:

I was driving back to Montreal on the Eastern Townships autoroute and crossed the Yamaska River.  My brief glimpse of it was pretty favourable so I looked it up on the map.  Are there fish in it, eg north of Farnham, or is it one of the rivers polluted by runoff from adjacent farms?  Where are access points for fly fishing, i.e. places to park?

Response:

I was driving back to Montreal on the Eastern Townships autoroute and crossed the Yamaska River.  My brief glimpse of it was pretty favourable so I looked it up on the map.  Are there fish in it, eg north of Farnham, or is it one of the rivers polluted by runoff from adjacent farms?  Where are access points for fly fishing, i.e. places to park?

Have you tried posting this question to can.rec.fishing?  I’ve crossed this river too and wondered the same thing. Cheers Visit The Streamer Page at http://members.home.net/pcharles/streamers/index.html

Response:

Question:

… I dislike intensely the the get-rich-quick spams, the porno spams, and the like, but this one was pretty innocuous. Lighten up, Ken. Lifting email addresses from a Usenet newsgroup to use in mass mailings is not innocuous. If that’s what flyfishamerica is doing, and it appears that they are, it’s shameless at best and at worst unethical.

They are definitely getting it from ROFF.  I use this account only for usenet and sure enough I had one here.  Fastest way to make sure they never get any of my business.  Send complaints to Later,      - Ken

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – … I dislike intensely the the get-rich-quick spams, the porno spams, and the like, but this one was pretty innocuous. Lighten up, Ken. Lifting email addresses from a Usenet newsgroup to use in mass mailings is not innocuous. If that’s what flyfishamerica is doing, and it appears that they are, it’s shameless at best and at worst unethical. They are definitely getting it from ROFF.  I use this account only for usenet and sure enough I had one here.  Fastest way to make sure they never get any of my business.  Send complaints to

With all due respect, I think you guys are going overboard here. Just send a POLITE email to flyfishamerica explaining the error of their ways. If they don’t stop then you can go thermonuclear. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – … I dislike intensely the the get-rich-quick spams, the porno spams, and the like, but this one was pretty innocuous. Lighten up, Ken. Lifting email addresses from a Usenet newsgroup to use in mass mailings is not innocuous. If that’s what flyfishamerica is doing, and it appears that they are, it’s shameless at best and at worst unethical. They are definitely getting it from ROFF.  I use this account only for usenet and sure enough I had one here.  Fastest way to make sure they never get any of my business.  Send complaints to With all due respect, I think you guys are going overboard here. Just send a POLITE email to flyfishamerica explaining the error of their ways. If they don’t stop then you can go thermonuclear.

With all due respect, nobody’s going thermonuclear.  They are being handled the same way every other spammer gets handled.  I get unsolicited email, they and their administrator gets an email complaint.  I am forced to maintain separate accounts because pieces of @#%^ spammers pull things like this.  If they can send me crap, I can certainly send them an email back.  I do not send spammers email directly as this usually just confirms to them that they have a valid address and gets you more email.  The same does for those BS, reply to be unsubscribed messages.  They are usually just trolling to get responses so that they can send you more spam. For anyone who is interested, there is a free service that does email forwarding for you so that you can complain without your address being collected.  Go to www.abuse.net and read the FAQ for details. They even have some scripts to automate the process of finding the real address and composing the complaint.  I’ve been using them for over a year now and am up to 750 complaints.  There’s no reason to put up with spam and quite frankly opt-out is BS (somebody has a sig with that in it). And that concludes the monday morning rant session.  :-)      - Ken

Response:

Anybody else get SPAM from flyfishamerica.com ? — Ken Fortenberry

yeah, i got one. i also got one about 2 months ago. it’s too bad they are resorting to that, they don’t need to. where do you think they got their mailing list? walt — Ezflyfish.com:  http://www.ezflyfish.com http://auctions.yahoo.com/booth/ezflyfish_com Used, Rare, & Out-of-Print Books: http://users.boone.net/wgw/brbg.html

Response:

I posted to ROFF in an attempt to ascertain if they obtained my email address from ROFF. I still don’t know how I "landed on" their list but I’d be curious to know. — Ken Fortenberry

I’ve been getting spam from some flyfishing place lately, but I just deleted it.  Don’t know if it’s from flyfish america or not.  I wouldn’t be suprised if ROFF gets scanned once  in a while. — Levi Life is anything that dies when you stomp on it.                                                         — Dave Barry

Response:

Maybe it was only for "bud" drinkers.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anybody else get SPAM from flyfishamerica.com ? — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Just checked my trash can…fly fish america it is. — Levi Life is anything that dies when you stomp on it.                                                         — Dave Barry

Response:

THAT’S the $64,000 question. I hope it’s not ROFF but what does a Unix weenie from Illinois, a cop from Colorado and a super model from North Carolina, (nice shot of you on pg 104 of Orvis, Walt) have in common besides ROFF ?

We all drink beer? That’s the ticket. Maybe our brains were scanned by ECHELON at the check-out counter at the Cork and Barrel? Or what do you get when you cross a sysadmin from Illinois, a cop formerly from Illinois, and a supermodel from North Carolina? (Next Clave, I’ll buy a six pack for whoever comes up with the best punchline to that one. It has to be available in Denver, though.) Opt out == cop-out. What’s so hard to understand?

Response:

THAT’S the $64,000 question. I hope it’s not ROFF but what does a Unix weenie from Illinois, a cop from Colorado and a super model from North Carolina, (nice shot of you on pg 104 of Orvis, Walt) have in common besides ROFF ?

it’s pretty obvious where they got the list. i canned mine when it arrived, like i do with the other 30 or so spams i get every day. i initially thought it was b/c of my com address, but now i’m certain that they have scanned roff for addresses. shame really, they have a good and informative free magazine that they make available to ff’ers. walt — Ezflyfish.com:  http://www.ezflyfish.com http://auctions.yahoo.com/booth/ezflyfish_com Used, Rare, & Out-of-Print Books: http://users.boone.net/wgw/brbg.html

Response:

Well, this infrequent poster didn’t get that message.  So, either the spamblocker in my reply-to address works, or my ISP is doing a good job of blocking spam.  I suspect maybe a little of both.  They must be using good address cleaning to remove the blocker in Mr. Erana’s address…  Or maybe they’re getting their list  from somewhere else? –Stan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anybody else get SPAM from flyfishamerica.com ? Yup. — Michael Era

Question:

But seriously, someone once told me that Greg LeMonde was accidentally shot while he was fly fishing.  This true? I believe he was hunting birds with his brother.

He was turkey hunting. JM

Response:

Well done Mike!  I don’t know bout Uncle Sam teaching him to shoot Indians at three hundred yards, but I wonder who taught him to shoot himself so comprehensively in the foot!!  Gillaroo

Response:

[snip] I can hear an occasional rustling in the brush.  Maybe hear a bird or was it a bat flying by.

Or maybe it was a 30/06 whizzing by… /daytripper (maybe I should paint my vest blaze orange?)

Response:

An archived article by Old Rupe indicates that he often fishes in Michigan.  And it got me thinking… There are those days.  I’ve made it to the stream somehow in spite of my work schedule. It’s before daybreak and I am shivering on the tailgate of my truck.  I can hear an occasional rustling in the brush.  Maybe hear a bird or was it a bat flying by.  What is very obvious is the sound of the river and the anticipation of excitement.  A bit of starlight or moonlight provides just enough to see the outline of the trees.  These are the moments when the imagination sometimes runs wild and suddenly, I begin wondering about those sightings of the Michigan sasquatch.  Oh s**t, what was that?  Did I just see an anthropoidal form emerge from the shadowed thicket?  Or is it Old Rupe at three hundred yards trying to get a good look at my face? Mu in Michigan

Response:

Maybe hear a bird or was it a bat flying by. Or maybe it was a 30/06 whizzing by… /daytripper (maybe I should paint my vest blaze orange?)

Oh, Mr. T, you menfolks is always talking about your guns and what size it is   d;-) But seriously, someone once told me that Greg LeMonde was accidentally shot while he was fly fishing.  This true? Mu

Response:

But seriously, someone once told me that Greg LeMonde was accidentally shot while he was fly fishing.  This true?

I believe he was hunting birds with his brother. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

Question:

I will be going to a family reunion in Northern Wisconsin next summer and I would like to do a little flyfishing while I’m there.  I’m new to flyfishing and have only fished in Colorado.  I will be North of Green Bay on the Oconto River.  Does anybody know what type of fly is good in June/July time frame?  I will be taking my tying equipment but would like to know so I can tie up some flies before I drive to grandma’s house. I’m also interested in fishing for walleye and pike or anything else that swims!!!!!  Any advice would be welcomed.  You can either post Thanks, Rik Meyers Colorado Springs, CO

Response:

I will be going to a family reunion in Northern Wisconsin next summer and I would like to do a little flyfishing while I’m there.

The two web sites I find most accurate and useful for WI trout: http://home.dwave.net/~patrick/ http://www.vbe.com/~heusers/ff_wi/streams/whereto.htm Hope this helps. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Question:

Can anyone tell me anything about the aerocomp kits and company? They look to offer a good plane with a claim for relatively low build times. Does anyone know if the build times are realistic? Are the kits relatively easy to put together? Is the company trustworthy? Etc. Scott

Response:

Can anyone tell me anything about the aerocomp kits and company? They look to offer a good plane with a claim for relatively low build times. Does anyone know if the build times are realistic? Are the kits relatively easy to put together? Is the company trustworthy? Etc. Scott

Scott; I have been asking the same questions, about CompAir 6.  General responses were yes, the kit is as advertised, and build times are fairly realistic based on semi experienced builders.  Dealing with the company was said to be excellent, and the fit and tolerance of the parts (a major part of ease of assembly and finishing) is said to be excellent also.  I’ll be visiting the factory hopefully in December to review the kit, and then again in February if I decide favorably.  e-mail me in January if you are still interested and serious. Geoff. Geoffrey M. Wood Profile Composites, Inc. Sidney, BC, Canada

Response:

Aloha: I hate to rain on your parade, but I would be careful. I don’t know anything about this company, but I’ve had past dealings with Ron Lueck. He and his late dad were behind the now defunct "Airshark" from their company Freedom Master. Lots of BS, no builders flying. About 30 kits were sold, none flying now. Ron’s sister is a lawyer, so watch out. I flew in the second prototype with Ron, and was amazed at his B.S. He refused to concede that they directly copied and scaled-down the a German seaplane design known as the Equator, from Dr. Poeschel (mit umlatt bitte). Even Ron declared the first Airshark prototype too dangerous to fly, and when Ron and his dad tried to take off from Lake Winnebago (fresh, not salt water), the water flowed over the wing rather than under it. Two years later, Ron waterlooped the second prototype in the same location. (I’ll admit the airframe was strong, as the engine moved in its mounts enough for the prop to hit the turtledeck, but basically now damage from a high speed incident). Ron also got into major legal disputes with the investor in Freedom Master I don’t know anything about the other people involved and they may have Ron on a short leash; Ron does do nice building. I’ll probably hear from Ron or his mouthpiece for posting this info, so screw them in advance. DB

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can anyone tell me anything about the aerocomp kits and company? They look to offer a good plane with a claim for relatively low build times. Does anyone know if the build times are realistic? Are the kits relatively easy to put together? Is the company trustworthy? Etc. Scott Scott; I have been asking the same questions, about CompAir 6.  General responses were yes, the kit is as advertised, and build times are fairly realistic based on semi experienced builders.  Dealing with the company was said to be excellent, and the fit and tolerance of the parts (a major part of ease of assembly and finishing) is said to be excellent also.  I’ll be visiting the factory hopefully in December to review the kit, and then again in February if I decide favorably.  e-mail me in January if you are still interested and serious.

I too was intrigued by the advertised 350 hour build time, so I followed up in this group and by calling the factory.  It seems that the 350 hour time is airframe only – without "even a radio" in the words of Ron Lueck.  I think that when other kit manufacturers spout numbers, they are actually including wiring the panel, putting the engine in, and painting the airplane.  This process increases the Comp Air build times to equal the fast build times of most other kit manufacturers.  In addition, the 350 hours is the build time not of an "average" builder, but of their factory team.  I think the "average" builder would take much longer. The STOL capabilities of the Comp Air series are undoubtedly great. The cruise speeds leave something to be desired. From a composite airframe, I’d expect it to be faster.  The whole thing looks very boxy to me, nothing like the sleek lines you’d expect from a composite airplane.  Pilot reports also indicated that the Comp Air planes were very heavy in roll. I ordered their info pak and the video.  The video was 1 hour and 48 minutes long, but was a real amateur job.  The camera was a handheld, it was jerky and I actually got motion sick watching some parts of it!  I didn’t get a good feeling about the professionalism of the company from the stuff they put out.  This is not to say that the airplanes or the company isn’t any good – just that I didn’t feel that comfortable after reviewing their materials and considering their build time claims. Of all the 4 and more place composite kits I looked at, the ones that came off most professionally were the Velocity, Express and KIS shops (Lancair is out of my price range). I was initially leaning toward the Velocity, and even went for a test flight out at Velocity West.  Nancy Machado was quite nice, but Mark Machado just seemed surly the whole time I was there. Anyway I found the Velocity 173 to be too small (no luggage space) while the XL was pricey!  $12K just for fast build wings, wow. One of the Velocity newsletters stated that Avemco required 500 hours to insure a Velocity (which I don’t have).  Velocity seems like a very reputable and solid shop, so I would recommend them if you want to build one, and can stand the price and insurance requirements. The Express was an interesting plane, and their package came in full color brochures.  It looks like a great plane and one I would love to build one day.  Expensive though.  Both the Velocity XL and Express seem to want large 260 – 300 hp engines.  Also, the fact that this was the third iteration of the company didn’t inspire confidence. For my money, I got the KIS Cruiser from Tri-R Technologies. Rich Trickel is great to talk to, and the amount of airplane you get for your money can’t be beat, IMHO.  I’m biased, of course, but check out the KIS!  4 place, fixed gear, fixed pitch prop, cruise at 160 knots on 180 hp.  And non-exaggerated build time claims. stan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Geoff. Geoffrey M. Wood Profile Composites, Inc. Sidney, BC, Canada

Response:

I started to keep my mouth shut here but I think my two cents worth may be informative. I have been going to Sun ‘N Fun for several years now and was there when the first factory assembled Comp Monster arrived. I have been through their display and sat in the planes year after year. I have talked to Ron some, but I have also talked a lot to several builders. First let me address the "square" look. If these planes were supposed to be Glasairs or Lancairs they would be. THese planes are work horses, designed to carry a lot of people and their junk. THey are high lift designs that gain nothing by having rounded corners on the fuselage. The plane is designed the be easy to construct. It looks similar to the planes in this niche– The C-182, Maules, even the Helio or Beaver. Square corners gives you a lot of nooks and cranies in which to stuff that last piece of  camping gear or fishing gear or one more sheet of plywood for that lakeside cabin you are building that has no other access than with your float equiped Comp 6. Now the speed, a plane designed to be mounted on floats that can cruise at 140 to 160 mph is a rare bird indeed. These planes provide good cross-country speed with the comfortably low stall speed. They aren’t everybody’s plane but they fit the bill for a great number of us. Now for building speed. I have talked to a couple of builders that were flying their Comp Monsters in 600 hours– experienced builders but not factory people. Have you ever talked to anyone who has built a Murphy Rebel? Here is a great plane on the same page (at least in my book) as the Comp series. I have found almost all I have talked to have taken over 1500 hrs just to rivet the fuselage together. Glasairs and Lancairs, if you really want fast rather than utility, take 2000 hours plus. Even the builders of the Glastar find it takes a minimum of 1500 hours to fly a basic layout. The Comp Monster can be built in about the same time as a Kitfox or Avid Flyer but you end up with a lot more plane for your time and your money. In my estimation, in the market for which the Comp series is designed, I think they really lock up their niche pretty well. NO, I don’t work for Comp Air.   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The STOL capabilities of the Comp Air series are undoubtedly great. The cruise speeds leave something to be desired. From a composite airframe, I’d expect it to be faster.  The whole thing looks very boxy to me, nothing like the sleek lines you’d expect from a composite airplane.< As for the aircraft being boxy, it was intended to be that way. I was there when Ron Lueck started drawing the lines down to build molds. It was intended for ease of assembly for the customer, as well as ease of making the molds and producing the parts. Composite technologies are supposed to make it easy to produce the swoopy shapes required to make it go fast.  The dorsal side of the Comp Air is nicely swoopy, but the sides and bottom are straight, making it look like a box.  But yes, it probably does make it easier for the customer to join the parts up if the sides were straight. <I ordered their info pak and the video.  The video was 1 hour and 48 minutes long, but was a real amateur job.  The camera was a handheld, it was jerky and I actually got motion sick watching some parts of it!  I didn’t get a good feeling about the professionalism of the company from the stuff they put out. I worked for another company producing a different kitplane. Although I can understand from a customers’ standpoint how a video like that can affect your decision, please keep this in mind… Think of how many designs AeroComp has put out now since they started. We never achieved a great video either. Simply put, it is difficult to get together enough pilots, enough aircraft, a good day with acceptable weather for shooting (background light, clouds, etc). And with getting a professional camera person there at $300 for 4 hrs, it can get quite costly very quickly! Not to mention pulling everyone away from shop duties. I realize that it is costly to make a professional video.  But my own reaction to the quality of the Comp Air video was decidedly negative, and I would suspect that some people who would otherwise be enthusiastic prospects for the airplane get turned off by the video also.  I suggest that it may be in the interests of the company to reconsider sending out the video in the existing format. My point, don’t just judge from the surface, there is alot more to it than most realize. If you visit the factory, you won’t find Ron or Steve sitting in a office, like most owners. There out in the shop, right along side there workers…. Jim In my humble opinion, I think Aerocomp probably has a good product, especially in the floatplane category.  The company would do better to put its best foot forward, and the info pak and video that I got from them wasn’t up to snuff.  The exaggerated build time helped get my attention, but it ultimately turned me away when I found out the truth. stan Jim Ratte http://www.recreationalmobility.com/

– Bruce A. Frank, Editor               "Ford 3.8/4.2L Engine and V-6 STOL                                  | Publishing interesting material|                                  | on all aspects of alternative  |                                  | engines and homebuilt aircraft.|                (-o-)/        AIRCRAFT PROJECTS CO.                 ___/           Manufacturing parts & pieces                 /             for homebuilt aircraft,                0     0          TIG welding While trying to find the time to finish mine.

Response:

I started to keep my mouth shut here but

. . . In my estimation, in the market for which the Comp series is designed, I think they really lock up their niche pretty well.

Thank you Bruce – that was refreshing. Carl Stevens

Response:

Snipped a good review  - thanks much for the information, Stan. One of the key factorsfor us in narrowing to Aerocomp CA-6 is payload space (we’ll likely only install 4 seats) and the high wing option for a floatplane capability (we live on the water in BC.)  I fully agree that the video sent in the package was not professional, and I could not watch it all the way through.  I have heard the construction is however and will check this out personally. Design aesthetics are not what I’d have done, but it is one fairly efficient approach to getting the volume we like.  The feedback on build times is worrisome, and in conflict with others, I’ll dig more deeply in my visit and report back. Geoff Geoffrey M. Wood Profile Composites, Inc. Sidney, BC, Canada

Response:

The STOL capabilities of the Comp Air series are undoubtedly great.

The cruise speeds leave something to be desired. From a composite airframe, I’d expect it to be faster.  The whole thing looks very boxy to me, nothing like the sleek lines you’d expect from a composite airplane.< As for the aircraft being boxy, it was intended to be that way. I was there when Ron Lueck started drawing the lines down to build molds. It was intended for ease of assembly for the customer, as well as ease of making the molds and producing the parts. <I ordered their info pak and the video.  The video was 1 hour and 48 minutes long, but was a real amateur job.  The camera was a handheld, it was jerky and I actually got motion sick watching some parts of it!  I didn’t get a good feeling about the professionalism of the company from the stuff they put out. I worked for another company producing a different kitplane. Although I can understand from a customers’ standpoint how a video like that can affect your decision, please keep this in mind… Think of how many designs AeroComp has put out now since they started. We never achieved a great video either. Simply put, it is difficult to get together enough pilots, enough aircraft, a good day with acceptable weather for shooting (background light, clouds, etc). And with getting a professional camera person there at $300 for 4 hrs, it can get quite costly very quickly! Not to mention pulling everyone away from shop duties. My point, don’t just judge from the surface, there is alot more to it than most realize. If you visit the factory, you won’t find Ron or Steve sitting in a office, like most owners. There out in the shop, right along side there workers…. Jim Jim Ratte http://www.recreationalmobility.com/

Response:

Snipped a good review  - thanks much for the information, Stan. One of the key factorsfor us in narrowing to Aerocomp CA-6 is payload space (we’ll likely only install 4 seats) and the high wing option for a floatplane capability (we live on the water in BC.)  I fully agree that the video sent in the package was not professional, and I could not watch it all the way through.  I have heard the construction is however and will check this out personally.

If you want floatplane capabilities, then the choice does get narrowed down really fast to the Comp Air.  None of the other airplanes in my list will float – at least not for very long. From their literature, the payload capability is quite impressive at 1300 lbs.  So the Comp Air should fill your needs in those respects. Design aesthetics are not what I’d have done, but it is one fairly efficient approach to getting the volume we like.  The feedback on build times is worrisome, and in conflict with others, I’ll dig more deeply in my visit and report back.

I guess my problem was that the aircraft just doesn’t look sexy with its boxy structure.  This is strictly a personal feeling. If I was going to build an airplane, I want it to look good! The build time estimates for the Comp Air airplanes are definitely exaggerated.  What they quote aren’t the "average builder" times, but the time for an experienced shop team to build the airframe only.  Put an average joe in there, add in panel wiring time, engine installation, interior, finishing and painting, and I think that your times will be above 1000 hours at the very least. The build time number in Kitplanes was what caught my eye also. If it were true, it would have been a sure fire win.  I mean, a complete airplane in only 350 hours?  Wow! Please report back on what you see at the factory! Geoff Geoffrey M. Wood Profile Composites, Inc. Sidney, BC, Canada

stan

Response:

The STOL capabilities of the Comp Air series are undoubtedly great. The cruise speeds leave something to be desired. From a composite airframe, I’d expect it to be faster.  The whole thing looks very boxy to me, nothing like the sleek lines you’d expect from a composite airplane.< As for the aircraft being boxy, it was intended to be that way. I was there when Ron Lueck started drawing the lines down to build molds. It was intended for ease of assembly for the customer, as well as ease of making the molds and producing the parts.

Composite technologies are supposed to make it easy to produce the swoopy shapes required to make it go fast.  The dorsal side of the Comp Air is nicely swoopy, but the sides and bottom are straight, making it look like a box.  But yes, it probably does make it easier for the customer to join the parts up if the sides were straight.   <I ordered their info pak and the video.  The video was 1 hour and 48 minutes long, but was a real amateur job.  The camera was a handheld, it was jerky and I actually got motion sick watching some parts of it!  I didn’t get a good feeling about the professionalism of the company from the stuff they put out. I worked for another company producing a different kitplane. Although I can understand from a customers’ standpoint how a video like that can affect your decision, please keep this in mind… Think of how many designs AeroComp has put out now since they started. We never achieved a great video either. Simply put, it is difficult to get together enough pilots, enough aircraft, a good day with acceptable weather for shooting (background light, clouds, etc). And with getting a professional camera person there at $300 for 4 hrs, it can get quite costly very quickly! Not to mention pulling everyone away from shop duties.

I realize that it is costly to make a professional video.  But my own reaction to the quality of the Comp Air video was decidedly negative, and I would suspect that some people who would otherwise be enthusiastic prospects for the airplane get turned off by the video also.  I suggest that it may be in the interests of the company to reconsider sending out the video in the existing format. My point, don’t just judge from the surface, there is alot more to it than most realize. If you visit the factory, you won’t find Ron or Steve sitting in a office, like most owners. There out in the shop, right along side there workers…. Jim

In my humble opinion, I think Aerocomp probably has a good product, especially in the floatplane category.  The company would do better to put its best foot forward, and the info pak and video that I got from them wasn’t up to snuff.  The exaggerated build time helped get my attention, but it ultimately turned me away when I found out the truth. stan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jim Ratte http://www.recreationalmobility.com/

Response:

Question:

I live in Eastern Mass. and am looking for a good spot for Flyfishing. Any recommendations?

Response:

I live in Eastern Mass. and am looking for a good spot for Flyfishing. Any recommendations?

Try Walden and White pond for trout The Mystics for bass and pikerel. Any river off the North shore for stripers and bluefish Email me for more specifics Bubba B

Response:

Question:

My wife bought me a fly fishing rod and some gear for christmas. I have never fly fished before but have always wanted to. Where can I go in the San Diego area to get some lessions in fly fishing? Also, are there any good places to fly fish (for trout) in San Diego? Thanx in advance Mike — MGS

Response:

Call Jeff Solis at the San Diego Fly Shop 619-283-3445. Tell him Fritz told you.

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  Rainbows and cutts will interbreed in the wild, but it’s a little more complicated than that.  For example, they won’t interbreed where they evolved together in the same river because they occupy different niches and spawn differently (West slope cutts and redband rainbow exist together in several rivers).  However, if you introduce rainbow into waters where cutthroats are native and rainbow are not, such as the Madison, they will interbreed.  Such is the danger of stocking. I don’t normally like to see stocking in rivers that support wild trout, but if the rainbows (non-native planted in the 30’s) are done for in the Madison, and they want to re-introduce the native west slope cutthroat from pure strain stocks (which they believe they have), it would be nice to have the native fish back in the Madison.  

Hi Dan, Glad to see you back on the group. The Montana fish and game people I’ve talked with also advised that the cutthroat spawn in the tributaries where there is not whirling disease and stay there for a couple of years before returning to the main river. In that time their skeletal structure grows from grissle to bone — their skeleton is supposed to be only effected by the disease when it is in the grissle state. Rainbows on the others hand spawn in the tributaries and return to the main river soon after while their skeletal structure is still grissle. Have a great 1997. — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (97 materials catalog) http://www.flyshop.com/Expo/Specialty/BTsPdcts/index.html

Response:

 Rainbows and cutts will interbreed in the wild, but it’s a little more complicated than that.  For example, they won’t interbreed where they evolved together in the same river because they occupy different niches and spawn differently (West slope cutts and redband rainbow exist together in several rivers).  However, if you introduce rainbow into waters where cutthroats are native and rainbow are not, such as the Madison, they will interbreed.  Such is the danger of stocking.

The Montana DFW page ( http://fwp.mt.gov/ ) has some great info on the project.   The impression I get is that even though cutts and bows will cross breed when stocked together, they don’t expect much in the way of cross breeding because there are so few rainbows left in the Madison. I don’t normally like to see stocking in rivers that support wild trout, but if the rainbows (non-native planted in the 30’s) are done for in the Madison, and they want to re-introduce the native west slope cutthroat from pure strain stocks (which they believe they have), it would be nice to have the native fish back in the Madison.  the areas they are talking about re-stocking with Cutts is being checked for the prescence of tubifex worms (carriers of whirling disease) and thought to have low quantities of both tubifex worms and infected rainbows. The question then becomes how much stocking is enough, and how long will it take to develop wild natives from the hatchery natives.   Of course, they could just leave it alone and let the brown trout take over, but then they aren’t as easy to catch as the cutts.                                          Hmmmmm,                                               Dan Dan Gracia                                                               Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools If you kill that big fish you can’t catch ‘em again.  So what if they eat other fish?  If you kill the big ones there will only be little ones left (funny how that works!).

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Al, Thanks for sharing this information with us.  This is indeed very interesting.  Here in Oregon we have a lot of native cutthroat and they are great to fish.  They will attack a fly like it’s the last morsel on earth.  The hatcheries like to stock them (they are hardier) as well as a cross they produce with rainbow they call a cutbow.  I wonder if the cutts and rainbow would cross in the Madison.  I don’t know if they will cross in the wild.  we have streams that contain both.  If they did where would the young grow?

  Rainbows and cutts will interbreed in the wild, but it’s a little more complicated than that.  For example, they won’t interbreed where they evolved together in the same river because they occupy different niches and spawn differently (West slope cutts and redband rainbow exist together in several rivers).  However, if you introduce rainbow into waters where cutthroats are native and rainbow are not, such as the Madison, they will interbreed.  Such is the danger of stocking. Rob Gregoire                                                        | Pocatello, Id              

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  There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . Visit     http"//fwp.mt.gov/    and take a look. Sounds good so far … any thoughts ? if so, CC to   Dave Hagengruber   Harry

Hi Harry I know there will be those against the plan but after a long conversation with a Montana fish biologist I’m supporting the plan.  What he shared with me was very encouraging based on a whole lot of information I can not put in here but basically this is it in a very boiled down version: Cutthroat trout spawn in small tributaries and REMAIN there for a couple of years (while their bones turn from grissle to real bone). Rainbows spawn in the tributaries and return to the main river while their bones are still grissle rather than bone. Supposedly whirling disease attacks the fish while their skeletal structure is still grissle. This is a short version of a several hour discussion with the folks that seem to know a heck of a lot more than I do. Will it work? I have no ideas but the stuff they shared with me sounded good at least. — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (97 materials catalog) http://www.flyshop.com/Expo/Specialty/BTsPdcts/index.html

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  There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . Visit     http"//fwp.mt.gov/    and take a look. Sounds good so far … any thoughts ? if so, CC to   Dave Hagengruber I’ll take cutt’s in montana over bows, browns and brookies any day of the week.  They belong there, right ? TimW

I agree, they where there years back, just like the Grayling. I do not know if the plan will work but I like the idea of "something" being done to try and combat WD.   Hm  

Response:

  There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . Visit     http"//fwp.mt.gov/    and take a look. Sounds good so far … any thoughts ? if so, CC to   Dave Hagengruber   Harry

Response:

 There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . Visit     http"//fwp.mt.gov/    and take a look. Sounds good so far … any thoughts ? if so, CC to   Dave Hagengruber  Harry

   Sorry, fat fingers, the URL is    http://fwp.mt.gov/      Harry  ( Nice page in any event g< )

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  There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . Visit     http"//fwp.mt.gov/    and take a look. Sounds good so far … any thoughts ? if so, CC to   Dave Hagengruber

I’ll take cutt’s in montana over bows, browns and brookies any day of the week.  They belong there, right ? TimW

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . Visit     http"//fwp.mt.gov/    and take a look. Sounds good so far … any thoughts ? if so, CC to   Dave Hagengruber I’ll take cutt’s in montana over bows, browns and brookies any day of the week.  They belong there, right ? TimW I agree, they where there years back, just like the Grayling. I do not know if the plan will work but I like the idea of "something" being done to try and combat WD.  Hm  

Ain’t WHIRLING DISEASE somethin them square dancer get when they dance too long? DJones

Response:

While stocking always sounds like a good idea, fact is that it was stocking hatchery fish that brought whirling disease into existing populations. There is also the matter of genetic intergression if one stocks fish from another watershed into another where a native stock already exists.  If the Madison is completely devoid of cutts, intergression would not be a problem; however if any native fish remain, their genes will be lost when the new stock takes over. — Don Jordan POB 2357 Chiefland, FL 32644 http://ripserv.com/indyjones

Its my understanding that the rainbow below Quake Lake were restocked after the earthquake because of fisk kill resulting from the landslide at Quake Lake.  Can some of you Montanans with long memories shed any light on this? Jim

Response:

While stocking always sounds like a good idea, fact is that it was stocking hatchery fish that brought whirling disease into existing populations. There is also the matter of genetic intergression if one stocks fish from another watershed into another where a native stock already exists.  If the Madison is completely devoid of cutts, intergression would not be a problem; however if any native fish remain, their genes will be lost when the new stock takes over. — Don Jordan POB 2357 Chiefland, FL 32644 http://ripserv.com/indyjones

Response:

While stocking always sounds like a good idea, fact is that it was stocking hatchery fish that brought whirling disease into existing populations.

No, Don.    What brought whirling disease into existing populations was stocking SICK hatchery fish.  Stocking per se is not the problem. that is not to say, however, tht it is the solution either.  I think that it is not. But, although I am generally opposed to stocking hatchery fish in rivers where there are wild populations, I have become convinced this idea withthe cutts may be worth a try.  I had most of my reservations addressed by the excellent coverage of the project on the Montana FW&P web page.  You really ought to check it out.  I can’t give you the exact address, but you should be able to get to it.  Let me know if you cannot, and I will get it for you. There is also the matter of genetic intergression if one stocks fish from another watershed into another where a native stock already exists.  If the Madison is completely devoid of cutts, intergression would not be a problem; however if any native fish remain, their genes will be lost when the new stock takes over.

I am not a biologist, but I do not believe this will be a problem. Take a look at the discussion I just cited.  As I stated, I generally am not a supporter of stocking in wild trout waters, an even stronger opponent is Dick Vincent whose 1970’s study led to the cessation of stocking in Montana rivers.  He is in favor of the proposed project with the cutts.  That says a lot to me. Lyman Lyman G. Hughes Dallas, TX Ennis, MT

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snip   I had most of my reservations addressed by the excellent coverage of the project on the Montana FW&P web page.  You really ought to check it out.  I can’t give you the exact address, but you should be able to get to it.   Lyman G. Hughes snip

Montana’s web page addres is:  http://www.fwp.mt.gov/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dallas, TX Ennis, MT

Response:

  There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . I’ll take cutt’s in montana over bows, browns and brookies any day of the week.  They belong there, right ? TimW

I think you are right.  The cutthroat are always native it seems in our most inaccessible waters in the west.  So they surely belong.  A damn great fighter too. -Burton

Response:

  There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . Cutthroat trout spawn in small tributaries and REMAIN there for a couple of years (while their bones turn from grissle to real bone). Rainbows spawn in the tributaries and return to the main river while their bones are still grissle rather than bone. Supposedly whirling disease attacks the fish while their skeletal structure is still grissle. This is a short

Al, Thanks for sharing this information with us.  This is indeed very interesting.  Here in Oregon we have a lot of native cutthroat and they are great to fish.  They will attack a fly like it’s the last morsel on earth.  The hatcheries like to stock them (they are hardier) as well as a cross they produce with rainbow they call a cutbow.  I wonder if the cutts and rainbow would cross in the Madison.  I don’t know if they will cross in the wild.  we have streams that contain both.  If they did where would the young grow? -Burton

Response:

Its my understanding that the rainbow below Quake Lake were restocked after the earthquake because of fisk kill resulting from the landslide at Quake Lake.  Can some of you Montanans with long memories shed any light on this? Jim

Good question.  I don’t know the answer specifically, but stocking was fairly common in the Madison until Dick Vincent’s study showed that stocking actually was detrimental to the wild trout fishery.  I believe that study was in the early 70’s.   The quake was in ‘59, so what you suggest is possible. Lyman Lyman G. Hughes Dallas, TX Ennis, MT

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   There is a plan afoot to stock the Madison  with Westslope Cutt’s . I’ll take cutt’s in montana over bows, browns and brookies any day of the week.  They belong there, right ? TimW I think you are right.  The cutthroat are always native it seems in our most inaccessible waters in the west.  So they surely belong.  A damn great fighter too. -Burton

Burton    "point your browser to"         http://fwp.mt.gov/      Nice page, good info   HM

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – cross they produce with rainbow they call a cutbow.  I wonder if the cutts and rainbow would cross in the Madison.  I don’t know if they cross in the wild.  we have streams that contain both.  If they Rainbows and cutts will interbreed in the wild, but it’s a little more complicated than that.  For example, they won’t interbreed where they evolved together in the same river because they occupy different niches and spawn differently (West slope cutts and redband rainbow exist together in several rivers).  However, if you introduce rainbow into waters where cutthroats are native and rainbow are not, such as the Madison, they will interbreed.  Such is the danger of stocking. Rob Gregoire

Ah so, that’s what I suspected.  Thanks for the response Rob.  I know the McKenzie River had redsides and cutthroat both, but the cutts are only found in the lower reaches of the river.  There are rainbows in the lower part of the river, but I have never caught a cutt in the upper rainbow rich region. Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year, -Burton

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Question:

Has any body been to Casa Blanca fishing lodge in the Yucatan. Any Info would be greatly appeciated. Thanks  :-)

I was there in the fall of ‘95 and found it to be one of the nicer flats lodges that I have visited. Ascension Bay is a great fisheries with great wadable flats for bones. It is famous for permit and has some tarpon. They have good guides and new Dolphin skiffs with poling platforms. Our guide said that March/April was the best time for permit. April/May/June is prime time for all species. November is another time for bones and permit. We can help you make a reservation there or any other flats location you are interested in. If you have more questions you can call me at my toll free 800#. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

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Has any body been to Casa Blanca fishing lodge in the Yucatan. Any Info would be greatly appeciated. Thanks  :-)

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I was there last March and am returning this year in April. I would suggest you call Frontiers at 1-800-245-1950 and ask for information. Will be glad to give u any help I can. I have no connection financially with Frontiers. I think you can also book thru Cutters, or Kaufmans on the West Coast. Their brochures are good and offer loads of info. Email me if you wish and we can set up a phone contact if you wish. Good luck. Jack

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Question:

I am looking for a telephone number (or adress) of a company called Float Tube Unlimited. Thanks in advance                      Thomas — Sender:  Thomas Urbig          Harvard University          Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology          16 Divinity Ave.          Cambridge, MA 02138          Tel: (USA) 617 495 3716;   Fax:  (USA)  617 496 8726

Response:

Quoting Thomas from a message in rec.outdoors.fishing.fly    <I am looking for a telephone number (or adress) of a company called    <Float Tube Unlimited. Jim Carlisle

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I tried to get a catalog off thier 1-800 #, 3 freak’n times.   NO LUCK. Whats with that company??? I went with Cabela’s. John

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