Question:

It all depends on the type of fishing and the material the rod is made from.  I don’t care for Bamboo rods over 7.5 feet, Fiberglass rods over 8 feet and Graphite rods over 9 feet.  When fishing small streams I prefer shorter rods because you can move through the brush easier. When fishing lakes and large rivers long rods are better. Ernie

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have decidet to buy Loop green line rod aftm 5-6. Only problem is the rod`s length, 8,8 feet or 9,3 feet(no 9feet  )? What is the differense between these length in fishing? Im castin in a midle size river. My previously rod was 9 feet.

Response:

For general fishing purposes the longer the rod the better, up to a certain point, so I would go for the nine foot three inch model.   A great fly-caster I once knew was of the opinion that 9

Question:

Thanks to All for their input. I’ve gained some new ideas from you so good luck and HAPPY HOLIDAYS  To All – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am new to flyfishing and would like some help getting ideas for a project I have in mind. I am a disabled vet, and on a very limited budget. I would like to try and make as much of my own fly tying equiptment as I can.(Like a vise! Could I use tweezers with a rubberband around it? I’ve tried it and the hook slips a lot) Any ideas will be appreciated . Thanks !!

Response:

Rookie, send me your address if you want, And any older or extra stuff I have I will send to you. Gotta help a bro!

Response:

I am new to flyfishing and would like some help getting ideas for a project I have in mind. I am a disabled vet, and on a very limited budget. I would like to try and make as much of my own fly tying equiptment as I can.(Like a vise! Could I use tweezers with a rubberband around it? I’ve tried it and the hook slips a lot) Any ideas will be appreciated . Thanks !!

Response:

I am new to flyfishing and would like some help getting ideas for a project I have in mind. I am a disabled vet, and on a very limited budget. I would like to try and make as much of my own fly tying equiptment as I can.(Like a vise! Could I use tweezers with a rubberband around it? I’ve tried it and the hook slips a lot) Any ideas will be appreciated . Thanks !!

  I don’t fly tie, but I would suggest a hemostat as they clamp and lock. Cheap, most auto parts stores carry them as well as fishing and medical shops.  Seems like there are fly tying kits that are very cheap, that have basic stuff, like a basic vise and thread holder tensioner. Bill

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am a ten year old begining fly tyer. my dad gived me a fly-tying kit for my birthday but i cant seem to tie flys very well. I am hoping to get people to send me flys in the mail along with telling me how to tie them. step by step if possible tie a cuple flys stopping part way done so i can see how each part should look like. I will try to send each of you who send me anything one of my gliter worms. its like a wooly bugger with shiny stuff on it. ive caught a 2 puond rainbow trout on it in the asable river in wilmingten ny if you put a return envelope i promise to send one but i only get$2 a week allowance so if i get a lot I can only get 6 stamps so it might take a while i will email everyone a thank you and let you know how many ive got from people. my dad says I cant give my hole address but in our small town this will work L.O.W. box 72 moriah,NY 12960 If you learn how to spell you could make $2.99 a week

  Mr. Perrone, You are out of line.  The youth is a 3rd or 4th grader.  I think he did a pretty good job of getting his message across.  Other than a couple of typo’s and lack of ‘ and case, I think it’s better written than a lot of messages from fully grown people.  If he learns to send it through a spell checker, would you be happier? Even then a couple of words would slip through as they sound the same but are spelled different.  He’s saying he will send a thank you for the help.  I have nephews who don’t send a thank you for xmas and b’day presents.  I think his parents are doing a good job of raising L.O.W. from the gist of the message. Bill

Response:

You are right.  I have a tendency to be a bit caustic with people who are careless with using the American-English language.  But it was obvious in the original post that this was a young person who was excited by fishing and getting some solid information about fly rod fishing. Adults are expected to do better with the language and communications.  The response you posted to lacked the latter. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am a ten year old begining fly tyer. my dad gived me a fly-tying kit for my birthday but i cant seem to tie flys very well. I am hoping to get people to send me flys in the mail along with telling me how to tie them. step by step if possible tie a cuple flys stopping part way done so i can see how each part should look like. I will try to send each of you who send me anything one of my gliter worms. its like a wooly bugger with shiny stuff on it. ive caught a 2 puond rainbow trout on it in the asable river in wilmingten ny if you put a return envelope i promise to send one but i only get$2 a week allowance so if i get a lot I can only get 6 stamps so it might take a while i will email everyone a thank you and let you know how many ive got from people. my dad says I cant give my hole address but in our small town this will work L.O.W. box 72 moriah,NY 12960 If you learn how to spell you could make $2.99 a week   Mr. Perrone, You are out of line.  The youth is a 3rd or 4th grader.  I think he did a pretty good job of getting his message across.  Other than a couple of typo’s and lack of ‘ and case, I think it’s better written than a lot of messages from fully grown people.  If he learns to send it through a spell checker, would you be happier? Even then a couple of words would slip through as they sound the same but are spelled different.  He’s saying he will send a thank you for the help.  I have nephews who don’t send a thank you for xmas and b’day presents.  I think his parents are doing a good job of raising L.O.W. from the gist of the message. Bill

Response:

Hey Bill, I agree wholeheartedly. I just wish we had more youngsters out there with his obvious passion.I thought his post was great and had no problem understanding what he meant. The RodMaker http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/2865 http://members.tripod.com/~therodmaker/index.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am a ten year old begining fly tyer. my dad gived me a fly-tying kit for my birthday but i cant seem to tie flys very well. I am hoping to get people to send me flys in the mail along with telling me how to tie them. step by step if possible tie a cuple flys stopping part way done so i can see how each part should look like. I will try to send each of you who send me anything one of my gliter worms. its like a wooly bugger with shiny stuff on it. ive caught a 2 puond rainbow trout on it in the asable river in wilmingten ny if you put a return envelope i promise to send one but i only get$2 a week allowance so if i get a lot I can only get 6 stamps so it might take a while i will email everyone a thank you and let you know how many ive got from people. my dad says I cant give my hole address but in our small town this will work L.O.W. box 72 moriah,NY 12960 If you learn how to spell you could make $2.99 a week  Mr. Perrone, You are out of line.  The youth is a 3rd or 4th grader.  I think he did a pretty good job of getting his message across.  Other than a couple of typo’s and lack of ‘ and case, I think it’s better written than a lot of messages from fully grown people.  If he learns to send it through a spell checker, would you be happier? Even then a couple of words would slip through as they sound the same but are spelled different.  He’s saying he will send a thank you for the help.  I have nephews who don’t send a thank you for xmas and b’day presents.  I think his parents are doing a good job of raising L.O.W. from the gist of the message. Bill

Response:

Personally, I’m with Perrone.  Any ten year old with a computer knows how to capitalize a letter, for god sake.  This sounds like a scam to get all you soft-hearted old-timers to send a bunch of better than store bought flies to a cheap fisherman who is laughing all the way to the river. Mike

Response:

Personally, I’m with Perrone.  Any ten year old with a computer knows how to capitalize a letter, for god sake.  This sounds like a scam to get all you soft-hearted old-timers to send a bunch of better than store bought flies to a cheap fisherman who is laughing all the way to the river. Mike Honest to God I can’t believe people like yourself, To generalize that any 10yr. old with a computer knows how to compose a letter is ludicrous . Hell I know at least one 16yr.old on this NG that can’t

spell or punctuate correctly,not to mention all of the so-called adults who seem to have the same problem.  As far as this youngster attempting to scam anyone, If you had read his post closely you would have noticed that he was interested in learning to tie flies,he asked for instructions,and in return offered one of his own as a way of saying thanks.It is cynics & skeptics like yourself that keep society as a whole going two steps backward,while going only one step forward. Course these are just the ruminations& opinions of an aging ole rodmaker like myself. The RodMaker http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/2865 http://members.tripod.com/~therodmaker/index.html

Response:

Question:

If you are interested in joining The Tracy Fly Fishers on this classes please e-mail me .

I am very interested Rich. Let me know when and where… gig

Response:

I’d be interested in finding out more details about your course, as they become available. THis is one of the things I wish my club offered. Plus, $25 is more than reasonable. Roger Backlar Sierra Pacific Fly Fishers

Response:

Hi everyone , this summer as soon as the snow melts and the water levels turn to normal flows in the Sierra’s Mtn’s I plan on having a BUG course. At this point we are planning a class after July 4 , 1998 Due to the high interest in this course we will have at least three classes . If you are interested in joining The Tracy Fly Fishers on this classes please e-mail me . The course will be one day on the water with many staying the next day for fishing the Stanislaus River. The cost of $25 goes into our club general conservation fund. Thanks Rich Lobrovich 1998 President Tracy Fly Fishers

Response:

Question:

THIS IS MARK GIBSON FROM COQUITLAM. I HAVE LIVED IN THE LOWER MAINLAND OF B.C. FOR 20 YEARS AND FISHED LOTS OF PLACES. THE END OF JULY IS THE BEST TIME TO FISH IN THE LOWER MAINLAND. I READ THE MESSAGE THAT THE OTHER GUY SENT (DIDN’T GET THE NAME) BUT HE DID NOT TELL YOU THE HOT SPOTS. THE FRASER RIVER IS TEEMING WITH SALMON. THERE ARE 50 POUND CHINOOK AND 20 POUND COHO BUT THE BIG ATTRACTION IS THE HUGE RUN OF SOCKEY. THESE FISH CAN GET TO BE 10 POUNDS AND PUT UP A GREAT SCRAP. THE RUN THIS YEAR WILL BE BIGGER THAN EVER. 20 MILLION ARE EXPECTED. LAST YEAR WE HAD 4 MILLION AND I CAUGHT FISH EVERY OUTTING. USE A PEACE OF LIGHT GREEN WOOL IN THE LOOP OF A BAIT KNOT, 3 FOOT LEADER, SWIVEL, AND SOME PENCIL LEAD. AN 8 FOOT ROD AND A LEVEL WIND REAL, (I USE A DIAWA MILLIONAIRE) IS THE BEST EQUIPMENT TO USE. THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO USE A WET LINE, FEW SPLITSHOTS AND A GREEN FLY. A SOCKEY ON A FLY ROD WILL BE WICKED. OH, AND WHAT THE OTHER GUY SAID IS TRUE BUT THE BEST FISHING IS NOT IN THE CAPILANO; THE VEDDER (CHILLIWACK), CHEHALIS, AND BEST OF ALL THE FRASER. IF YOU COULD, WRITE BACK AND TELL ME ABOUT THE FISHING WHERE YOU ARE. PS      CHECK THE REGS BEFORE YOU GO OUT AND USE A BARBLESS HOOK; CATCH AND RELEASE IS THE BEST WAY TO FISH. TIGHT LINES MARK GIBSON

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – THIS IS MARK GIBSON FROM COQUITLAM. I HAVE LIVED IN THE LOWER MAINLAND OF B.C. FOR 20 YEARS AND FISHED LOTS OF PLACES. THE END OF JULY IS THE BEST TIME TO FISH IN THE LOWER MAINLAND. I READ THE MESSAGE THAT THE OTHER GUY SENT (DIDN’T GET THE NAME) BUT HE DID NOT TELL YOU THE HOT SPOTS. THE FRASER RIVER IS TEEMING WITH SALMON. THERE ARE 50 POUND CHINOOK AND 20 POUND COHO BUT THE BIG ATTRACTION IS THE HUGE RUN OF SOCKEY. THESE FISH CAN GET TO BE 10 POUNDS AND PUT UP A GREAT SCRAP. THE RUN THIS YEAR WILL BE BIGGER THAN EVER. 20 MILLION ARE EXPECTED. LAST YEAR WE HAD 4 MILLION AND I CAUGHT FISH EVERY OUTTING. USE A PEACE OF LIGHT GREEN WOOL IN THE LOOP OF A BAIT KNOT, 3 FOOT LEADER, SWIVEL, AND SOME PENCIL LEAD. AN 8 FOOT ROD AND A LEVEL WIND REAL, (I USE A DIAWA MILLIONAIRE) IS THE BEST EQUIPMENT TO USE. THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO USE A WET LINE, FEW SPLITSHOTS AND A GREEN FLY. A SOCKEY ON A FLY ROD WILL BE WICKED. OH, AND WHAT THE OTHER GUY SAID IS TRUE BUT THE BEST FISHING IS NOT IN THE CAPILANO; THE VEDDER (CHILLIWACK), CHEHALIS, AND BEST OF ALL THE FRASER. IF YOU COULD, WRITE BACK AND TELL ME ABOUT THE FISHING WHERE YOU ARE. PS      CHECK THE REGS BEFORE YOU GO OUT AND USE A BARBLESS HOOK; CATCH AND RELEASE IS THE BEST WAY TO FISH. TIGHT LINES MARK GIBSON

I think Ralph’s answer was based on the the original post requesting for fishing spots within mountain biking distance from Vancouver.  I agree Chehalis and Vedder are hot spots but they are a little far for biking.  Good post though. — The views expressed are my own and does not represent those of my employer.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – THIS IS MARK GIBSON FROM COQUITLAM. I HAVE LIVED IN THE LOWER MAINLAND OF B.C. FOR 20 YEARS AND FISHED LOTS OF PLACES. THE END OF JULY IS THE BEST TIME TO FISH IN THE LOWER MAINLAND. I READ THE MESSAGE THAT THE OTHER GUY SENT (DIDN’T GET THE NAME) BUT HE DID NOT TELL YOU THE HOT SPOTS. THE FRASER RIVER IS TEEMING WITH SALMON. THERE ARE 50 POUND CHINOOK AND 20 POUND COHO BUT THE BIG ATTRACTION IS THE HUGE RUN OF SOCKEY. THESE FISH CAN GET TO BE 10 POUNDS AND PUT UP A GREAT SCRAP. THE RUN THIS YEAR WILL BE BIGGER THAN EVER. 20 MILLION ARE EXPECTED. LAST YEAR WE HAD 4 MILLION AND I CAUGHT FISH EVERY OUTTING. USE A PEACE OF LIGHT GREEN WOOL IN THE LOOP OF A BAIT KNOT, 3 FOOT LEADER, SWIVEL, AND SOME PENCIL LEAD. AN 8 FOOT ROD AND A LEVEL WIND REAL, (I USE A DIAWA MILLIONAIRE) IS THE BEST EQUIPMENT TO USE. THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO USE A WET LINE, FEW SPLITSHOTS AND A GREEN FLY. A SOCKEY ON A FLY ROD WILL BE WICKED. OH, AND WHAT THE OTHER GUY SAID IS TRUE BUT THE BEST FISHING IS NOT IN THE CAPILANO; THE VEDDER (CHILLIWACK), CHEHALIS, AND BEST OF ALL THE FRASER. IF YOU COULD, WRITE BACK AND TELL ME ABOUT THE FISHING WHERE YOU ARE. PS      CHECK THE REGS BEFORE YOU GO OUT AND USE A BARBLESS HOOK; CATCH AND RELEASE IS THE BEST WAY TO FISH. TIGHT LINES MARK GIBSON I think Ralph’s answer was based on the the original post requesting for fishing spots within mountain biking distance from Vancouver.  I agree Chehalis and Vedder are hot spots but they are a little far for biking.  Good post though. — The views expressed are my own and does not represent those of my employer.

I believe I’ve blabbed excessively about the "50 million" salmon returning to the Fraser previously. This years sockeye run is hoped to be 500% bigger than last year. Unfortunately if it proves true it virtually guarentees 10 times the number of anglers will go after them. While large numbers of salmon return to the Chehalis and Vedder rivers each summer and fall so do equally large numbers of fishermen (and women). Anyone who is travelling to this area and hopes to sample those fisheries while here, I strongly urge that you arrange your fishing time to fall during the week days to avoid the worst of the crowds Ralph H replace "spamsucks" with direct for email reply.

Response:

Question:

I was Fishing in a gale today and put a cut in my sinking line with the hook. Has anyone had any success in repairing damaged lines? I have seen a product called Fly Fishing Glue on sale from Sportfish, has anyone ever used this with any success? or do I have to cough up for a new Line and learn to cast in a gale. Mick Hendry (Sheffield)

Response:

   Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.fishing.fly    I was Fishing in a gale today and put a cut in my sinking line with    the hook.    Has anyone had any success in repairing damaged lines?    I have seen a product called Fly Fishing Glue on sale from Sportfish,    has anyone ever used this with any success?    or do I have to cough up for a new Line and learn to cast in a gale.    Mick Hendry (Sheffield) I’ve done this by covering the problem with a piece of braided mono (like they use for those commercial loops) and then coating that with some aquaseal thinned with cotol.  This works well as long as the integrity of the core (the line’s actual strength) is not compromised. If you thin the aquaseal, you get a nice low-profile patch that doesn’t bother when casting – you could probably get by even skipping the braided mono "graft" and just use some thinned aquaseal. I make a lot of loops for sink tips etc. so I have spools of this braided stuff in 30 and 50#.  If you need, I could send you some pieces.  Otherwise, you ought to be able to find some at your local shop.  The stuff I have is made by cortland. cheers,         -tgades — Tony Gades. Seattle, WA.  USA http://weber.u.washington.edu/~tgades http://weber.u.washington.edu/~tgades/Fishing/fish_page.html email: replace the "this_address_is_wrong" with "tgades"

Response:

As long as the hole isn’t too large, just put a drop of Zap-A-Gap in it and you won’t even know it was there and should still be much stronger that any tippet you will be using.  I do this all the time when I splice my new tapered leaders to my fly lines. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was Fishing in a gale today and put a cut in my sinking line with the hook. Has anyone had any success in repairing damaged lines? I have seen a product called Fly Fishing Glue on sale from Sportfish, has anyone ever used this with any success? or do I have to cough up for a new Line and learn to cast in a gale. Mick Hendry (Sheffield)

Response:

I was Fishing in a gale today and put a cut in my sinking line with the hook. Has anyone had any success in repairing damaged lines? I have seen a product called Fly Fishing Glue on sale from Sportfish, has anyone ever used this with any success? or do I have to cough up for a new Line and learn to cast in a gale. Mick Hendry (Sheffield)

Hi Mike, If the cut is not too big, a little bit of Dave’s Flexament will do the trick.  After trying the flexament fix, roll a loop across the juncture to make sure it doesn’t hinge. A few years back I cut a new line in half when it was washed under the rocks at my feet  while striper fishing from a rocky shore in San Francisco Bay. Didn’t realize there were barnacles on the underside of the rock until it had cut my line in half.  Flexament won’t fix that, but a splice might.                                 Good Luck,                                       Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools

Response:

I’ve had temporary success with dabbing a bit of glue in the cut –  I am now trying aquaseal – previously simple vinyl repair cement offered a fix for a few months. You can also splice together sections if the core is broken or damaged by a number of techniques – the favourite of many being to draw the core of one end into the centre of the other – you’s need to insert a needle up the core of one section ( about one inch) strip and thin the core of the other about (6 inches stripped, fry and trim the centre of 2 inches of the end). Use the needle to draw a loop of mono into the core of the unstripped end and use the loop to draw the stripped core into the core of the other end. Apply a little glue to the exposed core before drawing it tight and let it set up. It’s hard as hell to do but it works. There are other splices such as the sewn splice and the crotch splice but these leave a discontinuity in the line many do not like. I was Fishing in a gale today and put a cut in my sinking line with the hook. Has anyone had any success in repairing damaged lines? I have seen a product called Fly Fishing Glue on sale from Sportfish, has anyone ever used this with any success? or do I have to cough up for a new Line and learn to cast in a gale. Mick Hendry (Sheffield)

Ralph H "…      the sabbath rang slowly      in the pebbles of the holy streams!" Dylan Thomas, "Fern Hill"

Response:

other about (6 inches stripped, fry

                                 ^^^       should say fray ^and trim the centre of 2 inches of the end). Use the needle to draw a loop of mono into the core of the unstripped end and use the loop to draw the stripped core into the core of the other end. Apply a little glue to the exposed core before drawing it tight and let it set up. It’s hard as hell to do but it works. Ralph H "…      the sabbath rang slowly     in the pebbles of the holy streams!" Dylan Thomas, "Fern Hill"

Ralph H "…      the sabbath rang slowly      in the pebbles of the holy streams!" Dylan Thomas, "Fern Hill"

Response:

Question:

I am a commercial fisherman. I fish 8 hours a day in Naples, Florida. Recently, I found a product that has helped my commercial fishing. KAILUME LIGHTSTICKS (http://www.lightsticks.com) has developed a product that will blow your mind away. My daily catch has tripled since I’ve used Kailume’ 1 inch and 6 inch lightsticks. Check out the site and see for yourself…YOU WILL NEVER FISH THE SAME AGAIN!! Happy fishin’ fellas!! Brian Isn’t fishing with lights illegal in most states? Dan

Isn’t fishing for customers inappropriate in most news groups? Jim

Response:

I am a commercial fisherman. I fish 8 hours a day in Naples, Florida. Recently, I found a product that has helped my commercial fishing. KAILUME LIGHTSTICKS (http://www.lightsticks.com) has developed a product that will blow your mind away. My daily catch has tripled since I’ve used Kailume’ 1 inch and 6 inch lightsticks. Check out the site and see for yourself…YOU WILL NEVER FISH THE SAME AGAIN!! Happy fishin’ fellas!! Brian

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I am a commercial spamerman. I spam 8 hours a day in Naples, Florida. Recently, I found a product that has helped my commercial spaming. KAILUME SPAM (http://www.spam.com) has developed a product that will blow your mind away. My daily catch has tripled since I’ve used Kailume’ 1 inch and 6 inch spamsticks. Check out the site and see for yourself…YOU WILL NEVER SPAM THE SAME AGAIN!! Happy spamin’ fellas!! Brian

Response:

: I am a commercial fisherman. I fish 8 hours a day in Naples, Florida. : Recently, I found a product that has helped my commercial fishing. : KAILUME LIGHTSTICKS (http://www.lightsticks.com) has developed a : product that will blow your mind away. My daily catch has tripled since : I’ve used Kailume’ 1 inch and 6 inch lightsticks. Check out the site : and see for yourself…YOU WILL NEVER FISH THE SAME AGAIN!! Okay, genius, tell me a good fly that uses a 6" Cyalume stick…

Response:

I am a commercial fisherman. I fish 8 hours a day in Naples, Florida. Recently, I found a product that has helped my commercial fishing. KAILUME LIGHTSTICKS (http://www.lightsticks.com) has developed a product that will blow your mind away. My daily catch has tripled since I’ve used Kailume’ 1 inch and 6 inch lightsticks. Check out the site and see for yourself…YOU WILL NEVER FISH THE SAME AGAIN!! Happy fishin’ fellas!! Brian

Isn’t fishing with lights illegal in most states? Dan

Response:

: : Isn’t fishing for customers inappropriate in most news groups? : : Jim : Not if you use a LIGHTSTICK, and a little spam.   just kidding  :) : : : : : : : : : : — — Bruce Barnard

Response:

…YOU WILL NEVER FISH THE SAME AGAIN!! Okay, genius, tell me a good fly that uses a 6" Cyalume stick…

See above. . . Jim Boise

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am a commercial fisherman. I fish 8 hours a day in Naples, Florida. Recently, I found a product that has helped my commercial fishing. KAILUME LIGHTSTICKS (http://www.lightsticks.com) has developed a product that will blow your mind away. My daily catch has tripled since I’ve used Kailume’ 1 inch and 6 inch lightsticks. Check out the site and see for yourself…YOU WILL NEVER FISH THE SAME AGAIN!! Happy fishin’ fellas!! Brian Isn’t fishing with lights illegal in most states? Dan

How does one fish with a lightstick? (assuming it is legal in your state) In the water, on your person, boat, etc??

Response:

Dan How does one fish with a lightstick? (assuming it is legal in your state) In the water, on your person, boat, etc??

I find lightsticks real handy when doing an all nighter going after threshers. Just take one and stuff it up a mackeral’s ass and let him swim around. mmmmm   mmmmmm  goood!! University Computing Services                           71533,1011 University of Southern California I love the smell of Netware in the morning.  Smells like…victory!!

Response:

  How does one fish with a lightstick? (assuming it is legal in your   state) In the water, on your person, boat, etc?? Well Frank, just in case you’re not trolling, I’ll mention a couple of ways. Here in the Northwest we get to go after steelhead in the Snake River every fall. The impoundments behind the dams hold a lot of slack water and a lot of people fish from shore with sliding bobbers. At night it’s pretty common for people to rubber band a 1" light stick to their bobbers so they can see them. If the light disappears, set the hook! It beats going to bed… Also, I’ve used commercial jigs that had a short piece of surgical tubing tied onto the hook shaft. Insert a lightstick and jig away… I’ve never caught a steelhead with that setup, but it looked interesting. On a side note, I put a used light stick back into it’s foil wrapper and store till the next night in my camper’s freezer because I’m a cheap sob and can get several hours of night fishing for two nights using one lightstick.

Response:

: :   How does one fish with a lightstick? (assuming it is legal in your :   state) In the water, on your person, boat, etc?? A story I often repeat that is relevant with the above topic. Seems I was pier fishing for salmon some years back. A bunch of us were out an hour or so before dawn. Everyone was using glow-in-dark type lures. Charging them up next to a lantern and then throwing them out for the salmon to bite. I asked in a rather loud voice "Hey does it make any of you guys nervous to eat a fish that likes to eat things that glow in the dark?" It got very quiet on the pier that morning. Good fishing, All About Computers      | (810) 456-3894 (work) 2887 Pontiac Ct.         | (810) 373-6865 (home) Auburn Hills, Michigan   | Single and not taking applications. 48326                    | Interviews maybe.

Response:

Brian, you need to tell us the technique. Do you put a hook on the lightstick? or a reel?  Or…just hang it over the side of the boat to attract minnows/smaller fish??? Sam – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am a commercial fisherman. I fish 8 hours a day in Naples, Florida. Recently, I found a product that has helped my commercial fishing. KAILUME LIGHTSTICKS (http://www.lightsticks.com) has developed a product that will blow your mind away. My daily catch has tripled since I’ve used Kailume’ 1 inch and 6 inch lightsticks. Check out the site

Response:

: :   How does one fish with a lightstick? (assuming it is legal in your :   state) In the water, on your person, boat, etc??

Frankly, if you need to use light sticks or a lantern to lure fish…you are a crappy fisherman. I asked in a rather loud voice "Hey does it make any of you guys nervous to eat a fish that likes to eat things that glow in the dark?"

Ooh…that’s nasty. S.

Response:

: :   How does one fish with a lightstick? (assuming it is legal in your :   state) In the water, on your person, boat, etc?? Frankly, if you need to use light sticks or a lantern to lure fish…you are a crappy fisherman.

That’s spelled crappie  ;-) . You don’t have to use bait or a fly either; in both cases, you just might catch more fish if you do! — Richard W. (Dick) Lander; sportsman, Macintosh devotee, proponent of personal liberty. *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * *  *

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – about,  Re: Fishing With LIGHTSTICKS!!: Frankly, if you need to use light sticks or a lantern to lure fish…you are a crappy fisherman. Is that crappy or crappie? A white perch by any other name. — R. E. Harmon National Rifle Association Life Member Texas State Rifle Association Life Member

Fishing at night with lightsticks is the accepted way of catching broadbills off the South African coast.  In fact, it is only since the discovery of this form of fishing that the area has been identified as one of the worlds prime broadbill terratories.

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Frankly, if you need to use light sticks or a lantern to lure fish…you are a crappy fisherman.

I use them, but not to lure fish. I use small ones (Lunker Lite brand) that come with a small piece of clear plastic tubing. I put the light stick on the end of a pencil bobber, and use that so I can see my bobber at nite. I know in Washington it’s illegal to use light as an attractant. I guess I’m not sure how a game warden would view what I do, but it’s not my intent to use the light as an attractant. It’s a very small stick, only an inch or so long. It’s on the top of the bobber, sticking out of the water. I usually run several feet of line down to my hook, sometimes to where my bait is on the bottom, so I really doubt the fish are taking my bait because of the light stick. I don’t see any increase of my catch when I use the light sticks, it’s just a hell of a lot easier than using lanterns, flashlights, etc. to see the bobber. You get that same little thrill of seeing your bobber go down, except this way you just watch the light stick, and when it dissappears under the surface, you know it’s time to set the hook! Try it, you’ll like it! Pete               "Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time."                                 Monty Python     Pete LaPlant                     *       http://nwlink.com/~pete/             *

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Frankly, if you need to use light sticks or a lantern to lure fish…you are a crappy fisherman.

Is that crappy or crappie?

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about,  Re: Fishing With LIGHTSTICKS!!: Frankly, if you need to use light sticks or a lantern to lure fish…you are a crappy fisherman. Is that crappy or crappie?

A white perch by any other name. — R. E. Harmon National Rifle Association Life Member Texas State Rifle Association Life Member

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Don’t know ’bout that, but I’d recommend ultra-light sticks for crappie.

Or maybe put a dimmer on it.

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: : Frankly, if you need to use light sticks or a lantern to lure : fish…you are a crappy fisherman. : : Or you could be a crappie fisherman.  Or a crappy crappie fisherman. Or a crappy crappie fisherman that couldn’t catch crap. —      Mario de Sales               |      Pro patria mori".   Wilfred Owen

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Brian, you need to tell us the technique. Do you put a hook on the lightstick? or a reel?  Or…just hang it over the side of the boat to attract minnows/smaller fish??? Sam I am a commercial fisherman. I fish 8 hours a day in Naples, Florida. Recently, I found a product that has helped my commercial fishing. KAILUME LIGHTSTICKS (http://www.lightsticks.com) has developed a product that will blow your mind away. My daily catch has tripled since I’ve used Kailume’ 1 inch and 6 inch lightsticks. Check out the site

Do these light sticks have a fuse?

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : :   How does one fish with a lightstick? (assuming it is legal in your :   state) In the water, on your person, boat, etc?? Frankly, if you need to use light sticks or a lantern to lure fish…you are a crappy fisherman. That’s spelled crappie  ;-) . You don’t have to use bait or a fly either; in both cases, you just might catch more fish if you do! —

Don’t know ’bout that, but I’d recommend ultra-light sticks for crappie.

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Question:

Has nay of the national magazines had any reports about whirling disease? about eating Great Lakes fish. "In-Fisherman" provided some in-depth coverage, and was rewarded with the loss of over $250K of advertising revenue. "Outdoor Life", knowing which side its bread was buttered on, published a blistering editorial calling the advisory 16 kinds of crap. No loss of advertising for these pillars of journalistic integrity

  This may be true in the case of Outdoor Life, but not in the case of Fly Fisherman. I have been in touch with Dave Engerbretson, who often contributes to this group, and he informs me that John Randolph and John Holt are not only aware of the whirling disease issue, but are preparing a story. Keep in mind that glossy magazines are usually layed out and printed 3 or so issues in advance, and that the Madison River story broke less than a month ago. Why the Colorado story hasn’t received more press is a mystery. But it soon will.   Tim Walker recently sent me a zeroxed/faxed copy of an article that appeared in the Angling Report, summarizing recent whirling disease developments in Colorado. The news is very bad. Taken at face value, it appears there has been *no* natural reproduction of Rainbows, for three seasons now, in parts of the Colorado, Gunnison, South Platte and Arkansas rivers. How do *you* define disaster? The only good news I have heard yet, is that Cutthroats and Brookies are somewhat resistant, at least by comparison with Rainbows. —

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Peter – I suspect that you will get several responses to your post, and certainly some that are more scientific than I can be, so I will just reply briefly.  If, for some reason, you don’t get a fuller reply, send me a post and I will send more information. First, the disease is a neurological disorder that affects the fish’s system and causes it to swim in circles (thusthe name).   the fis weaken and ultimately fal prey to predators or other disease.  the disease is of no danger to humans if the fish are eaten.  there is not cure and probably got ito the Madison River from illegal stocking.  It can be transmitted on fishing gear, so there is a real risk of it spreading to other rivers. It is a very bad situation, but fortunatley does not affect the brown trout. The rainbow are most susceptible. again, if you do not get a better scientific description, let me know.  I have some materials that I can use to compose a longer post.                                               Dallas, TX                                               Ennis, MT

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This is far from scientific, but as far as I understand whirling disease, it’s parasitic infestation (whether a protozoan or worm, or other loathsome critter, I’m not sure) which lodges in the nerve/spinal column of the fish.  The beasties keep eating their way through (right into the brain, I’ve heard) until the fish is neurological/mental invalid.  The effect is particularly pronounced in fry and parr, leading to the classic symtpoms of swimming in erratic circles or "whirling."  By the time things get to that point, the fish is defenseless.  I’m not sure about the propagation cycle of the parasite. I think that it can be spread by ingestion, so if an adult gobbles up a fry that is addled with the disease, the parasite can spread to the adult.  What I do not remember is how the parasite propagates once the host is dead, assuming something does not ingest it. I do recall that on avergage 10% of a population will not be affected by the disease, but they could be carriers. It can strike older fish as well, but it takes much longer.  One reason the disease is particularly insidious (sp?) is that we notice the adults for the most part.  By the time an adult in the population is diagonosed with the condition, you’ve got one hell of a problem because odds are the disease has spread through the population.  The truly horrific part of it is that it tends to wipe out whole year classes, with a disproportionate effect on the fry and par.  So, if you you start seeing adults with the condition, the younger year classes, and therefore future populations, may be in very serious trouble. The spread of the disease is increases with higher water temperatures because the beasties become more active.  Last I heard, once there is an infestation, there is very little that can be done other than killing off the host population.  I don’t know if that is true. Illegally stocked fish are likely a principal source, but I don’t know how the parasite gets into the hatchery in the first instance. Rainbows are very susceptible.  Browns are not.  The disease is European and so are browns, who have developed a restisance.  So, expect to see a much higher percentage of browns caught on the Madison. That’s what I’ve heard, for what it’s worth.  If there’s a fisheries biologist out there, please set this straight if it’s wrong.  I hope I’m wrong about some of the nastier aspects, because it sounds like rather like a fish version of bubonic plague. John C. Crow

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I lived for 5 years in Bozeman in the 1980’s and loved fishing the Madison when I could.  I have just heard about this "whirling disease" phenomenon.  Can someone explain in a bit of scientific detail what it is?

For more than you probably want to know, search the Flyfishing archive at www.adp.unc.edu/cgi-bin/wais-flyfish-q using "whirling" as a key word. Phil Holt

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I’m not sure what this article stated, but I received a release from the New York DEC a couple of months ago indicating that Whirling disease had contaminated a hatchery in NY State. I don’t think many fish with Whirling disease were stocked, but it wiped out an entire hatchery. Forgive my ‘net ignorance; this information is certainly timely and quite important, so I’m willing to risk a little self-dignity to keep everyone informed. See you on the rivers! Dennis Suler, Jr Hackettstown, NJ Forbes Newspapers

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Whirlings disease is caused by a protozoan, that eats the cartilage around the equilibrium center in the fish.  It is deadly to fry and small fish, as stated before, but seems to have no effect on older fish.  If an older fish had it when it was young, you will often times find a sunken cranium, or deformed back.  Young fish that are infected often times also have a black tail.  Their is NO cure for it and the only way to get rid of it is to kill all the fish, sterilize (with some really potent chemicals) and start over, not a good thing for a stream, but it is required when a hatchery gets it.  Brown trout are susseptible to it, but they seem to have a better genetic defense of it, so it doean’t show up much in them. I hope this helps, I am not a fish biologist, but studiing to become one, I recently became interested in whirlings disease due to the outbreak of it in CO. Feel free to reply to me via email. Kevin — | ALL opinions |    OF COURSE I DID IT IN COLD BLOOD…..     | are mine,    |            I’M A POIKILOTHERM | Nobody else  |                                Kevin Case

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I lived for 5 years in Bozeman in the 1980’s and loved fishing the Madison when I could.  I have just heard about this "whirling disease" phenomenon.  Can someone explain in a bit of scientific detail what it is?

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The only good news I have heard yet, is that Cutthroats and Brookies are somewhat resistant, at least by comparison with Rainbows. —

At the fly fishing show in New Jersey, Gary LaFontaine listed a hierarchy of the suseptability to all trout, I cannot remember it exactly but I do remember that Rainbow was number one, and lake trout were at the bottom, I believe unaffected totally.                                         Brian

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Could somebody please give me a short summary, what whirling disease is and how it affects fish and people eating them? (Btw, I am on good terms with biology, so it can be a rather scienific explanation) Thanx, or "Vielen Dank", as we Austrians put it,                                                 Peter

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Tom Fry writes that it is not likely that the national magazines will publish  anything on the whirling disease because of the risk of loss of advertising. Tom = I think that you are wrong on this because the problem has already gotten a lot of national press.  But your scepticism is not without foundation. I suggest that if we do not see any articles in the next couple of editions of FF and Fly Rod & Reel, for example, we ought to beseige them with letters demanding attention to the problem.                                               Dallas, TX                                               Ennis, MT

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Has nay of the national magazines had any reports about whirling disease?

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re: WHIRLING DISEASE… Excellent summary in compuserve fishing library. I could fax it too you if you like…

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Has nay of the national magazines had any reports about whirling disease?

about eating Great Lakes fish. "In-Fisherman" provided some in-depth coverage, and was rewarded with the loss of over $250K of advertising revenue. "Outdoor Life", knowing which side its bread was buttered on, published a blistering editorial calling the advisory 16 kinds of crap. No loss of advertising for these pillars of journalistic integrity — 3798 Woodland Drive     (604) 368-9315 Trail, BC

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Question:

Does anyone out there have any experience with fly-spinning.  Such as, how do you rig, which flies for what, etc.  I’m an upstate New Yorker and would like to try it out in our beautiful rivers and streams. — Jeffrey D. Morris Eastman Kodak Co.

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Does anyone out there have any experience with fly-spinning.  Such as, how do you rig, which flies for what, etc.  

I sometimes cast lightly weighted flies using a baitcaster.  Best are fairly large wet flies. If conditions are still or you have a tailwind sometimes it’s enough just to wet the fly before casting to give it a bit of extra weight.  I usually just attach the fly to a snap swivel.   In good conditions this usually gives enough casting weight.  An alternative is to tie the fly to your leader by feeding the leader through the fly and tying it in a small loop.  You can add a light weight to the loop just above the fly.  I don’t know what type of fish you catch but I have caught some good fish this way especially fishing in the runoff over a rock bar or a weir. peter w

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Question:

I have experience fishing for salmon and steelhead in Oregon and Alaskan waters.  First of all, I don’t think there is a general consesus in the scientific community that mature steelhead activily feed in fresh water.  Although I am well aware that food is often found in the stomach of these fish, still most fisheries experts characterize this behavior as abnormal.   I fully agree with the statement that salmon and steelhead strike lures out of either agression or some other instinct.

        The Skamania come into the creeks in Mich City IN in July         and stay there until spawning in April.  They certainly         do feed, quite extensively, for 9 months.  They will         hit waxworms, marshmellows, spawn, worms, and power bait right         up to actually spawning. They are much less likely to strike at your lure.  On an ending cord I would like to share that I have many times coaxed a stuborn salmon to strike my fly and I don’t accept the notion that these fish need to be snaged even 50 % of the time.

        Quite true.  Chinooks will hit nightcrawlers (feeding) and         black flies (who knows) quite nicely in the streams.  Cohos         will hit anything that flashes.  I have even seen them         swallow other peoples LARGE weighted snag hooks.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve had different experiences while trying to catch salmon in Michigan.    I went to the Platte river a few weeks ago.  The special regulations there specify that you can only use a single unweighed hook. So in the Platte I used spawn sacks which I drifted right in front of the spanwning salmon.  My dad and I spent hours doing this and the Salmon did not even give us the time of day.  If I irritated them too much they would move out of their beds and eventually return latter.      In this situation I think that it is almost impossible to catch a Salmon.  My theory is that in clear water and when the Salmon are allready in their beds they will not strike.  In these situations it seems that they dont strike because they can see you and are warry and because they can see your line and hook to clearly.  But I did see other people leave with Salmon.  Where they snagging or do they just know something that I dont?  Could it be that they where technically hooking them in the mouth but that this resulted from being able to carefully place the hook in the fishes mouth and then snag?  If these fish can be caught can somebody tell me how?

    When the water is low on MN steelhead streams, I have had the same observation. What worked for me was to try a blaze orange , bright yellow, hot pink, or chartreuse modified wooly worm pattern. The modification was to replace the soft hackle around the body with marabou tufts of the above mentioned colors. The idea is to aggravate them. Sometimes fly fishing is the only way to go. I am not sure whether this will work on salmon. -galen .sigs are for lousy typists. -bill kennedy

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[...] |  Where they snagging or do they just know | something that I dont?  Could it be that they where technically hooking them | in the mouth but that this resulted from being able to carefully place the | hook in the fishes mouth and then snag?  If these fish can be caught can | somebody tell me how? [...] This reminds me of something that happened to me fishing with my father in Florida. I was casting a Johnson’s weedless spoon along the edge of a marsh in lake Monroe. I spotted a long fish holding in a pocket and started casting to it. My father said it was a Gar, and that it wouldn’t hit my lure and wouldn’t be worth catching anyway. (Fish = food mentality.) This didn’t seem reasonable since a Gar is obviously designed for eating other fish, which my spoon was imitating. So to prove him wrong, I continued to cast to the fish, drawing my lure right through his cone of vision again and again. Nothing. Finally, I started putting the lure right on top of the fish. Nothing. It became amusing, because the fish seemed completely unruffled by the lure banging down right over his head. Then, all of a sudden, he was on. After a very un- inspired struggle, I landed the fish. My lure had dropped across his elongated mouth and wrapped several times around his jaws; he was lassoed! Had a good laugh and turned him loose. — Mark Myers 703 758 2725

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I have experience fishing for salmon and steelhead in Oregon and Alaskan waters.  First of all, I don’t think there is a general consesus in the scientific community that mature steelhead activily feed in fresh water.  Although I am well aware that food is often found in the stomach of these fish, still most fisheries experts characterize this behavior as abnormal.   I fully agree with the statement that salmon and steelhead strike lures out of either agression or some other instinct.  As for your situation where salmon are actually spawning, attempting to catch them here is very poor sportsmanship.  After such a long journey, traveling sometimes hundreds of miles past both fishing nets and hooks, these fish deserve to be left alone to complete there life cycle.  Its just n ot practical to fish over spawning fish either.  A) They have no food value B) They are much less likely to strike at your lure.  On an ending cord I would like to share that I have many times coaxed a stuborn salmon to strike my fly and I don’t accept the notion that these fish need to be snaged even 50 % of the time. Derek Snelling,   Eugene, Oregon

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I’ve had different experiences while trying to catch salmon in Michigan.         I went to the Platte river a few weeks ago.  The special regulations there specify that you can only use a single unweighed hook. So in the Platte I used spawn sacks which I drifted right in front of the spanwning salmon.  My dad and I spent hours doing this and the Salmon did not even give us the time of day.  If I irritated them too much they would move out of their beds and eventually return latter.           In this situation I think that it is almost impossible to catch a Salmon.  My theory is that in clear water and when the Salmon are allready in their beds they will not strike.  In these situations it seems that they dont strike because they can see you and are warry and because they can see your line and hook to clearly.  But I did see other people leave with Salmon.  Where they snagging or do they just know something that I dont?  Could it be that they where technically hooking them in the mouth but that this resulted from being able to carefully place the hook in the fishes mouth and then snag?  If these fish can be caught can somebody tell me how?         Ive also fished for Salmon in waters that are not as clear such as the Pere Marquete and the Grand River (again these rivers are in Michigan).   Here I have been able to catch Salmon using both plugs and spawn sacks.   Using a plug I have definitely felt when they hit.  Using spawn it is much more difficult to detect but I have been able to hook Salmon and Steelhead in the mouth.  Whether I happen to hook them in the mouth or they actually hit I still cant exactly tell.  Anyway my theory is that they will hit lures and that they cannot see the line and hook as clearly in murky water so it is more likely that they will bite.           Finally, I have been able to hook Steelhead in clear water when I run my spawn right through some turbulent water that goes into a hole.  So, an example would be where there is a small water fall that goes into a hole.  It seems that in these cases the presentation was much more natural and the Steelhead reacted more instinctively.           I’ll end with a short success story.  I went out on the GRand River with a small boat and we where trailing hot and tots.  This was my first time trying this method and I was moving my line a little bit in the current since we were not moving the boat.  We had only been there about 20 minutes when this 15 pound 32 inch chinook Salmon hit my lure.  It gave me such an adrenaline rush that I could hardly stand up.  I fought that fish for about 15 minutes before my friend netted it.  WE had some great Salmon that night and I slept like a baby.   I would appreciate any advice and comments.  This is only my second season fishing Salmon and I can use all the help I can get.  Thanks for your advise and comments. "Will there be fishing in Heaven?" "Sure, we’ll just use velcro patches instead of hooks."

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   I went to the Platte river a few weeks ago.  The special regulations there specify that you can only use a single unweighed hook. So in the Platte I used spawn sacks which I drifted right in front of the spanwning salmon. (much deleted, no fish caught)

First, steelhead do actively feed and strike lures when on a spawning run, salmon, unfortunately, do not.  From every steelhead I caught (in rivers), I had to remove hooks from INSIDE the mouth, whereas with salmon, the hooks are on the OUTSIDE of the mouth or foul hooked elsewhere on the body. I too was on the Platte (Michigan) a few weeks ago.  I sat for 11 hours on a road culvert with 2 holes on either side of the culvert and caught no fish.  I saw a total of 5-8 salmon in the holes which would move from hole to hole as my salmon egg moved in front of them.  Absolutely no bites. In contrast, 2 years ago, on the Platte, in the same spot using the same technique, I hooked at least 10 salmon.  The difference?? Two years ago I hit a period of time in which there were at least 100 fish near the area in which I was fishing.  There were so many fish, that they could not get out of the way of the hook.  Furthermore, with this many fish swimming with their mouths opened, the line gets caught in the mouth (occasionally) and they react and you feel a strike.  Actually, the fish hook themselves about the mouth area, but not in the mouth.         In talking with a local who had obviously caught his share of fish, he detailed to me how he would cast slightly upstream from the side of the stream, and hook (foul hook) the fish. They always are foul-hooked (as were the 10 I  ’caught’  2 years ago).  Some in the tail, some in the dorsal fin etc.         In the 60’s when salmon were first introduced, Manistee lake (and many similar eco-systems in Michigan) was a holding area for Salmon prior to their being stripped for eggs at the weir.  One could literally walk across the water on boats since there were so many fishermen.  Most people fished with a line out on the bottom with a nightcrawler, eggs or spawn.  There were so many fish, that again, they would run into the line and get hooked about their mouth area.  You would actually feel the fish run into the line, and by holding the rod, could definitely feel 3-4 seconds later when the fish reached the hook (which felt like a strike). Actually, if they hit the bait initially, you wouldn’t have had the delay between feeling the bite as the fish ran away from your location.         In other Michigan rivers, I have over the years observed the same phenomena.  The correlation seems to be with numbers of Salmon in the rivers.  The greater the number in the river (and I’m talking many hundreds) then people catch fish.  With only few fish in the river, no catches. I had done my MS thesis on salmon in the early 70’s, and, the livers of spawning salmon are basically cirrhotic in nature, and their GI tract is as thin as a pencil (These changes are indications of a non-functioning GI tract).  In contrast, when I examined steelhead trout, their livers are normal color, and the GI tract appears functional, not pencil thin.         I just returned from the Upper Peninsula (MI) and I legally foul-hooked 5 salmon, (catching 2) and examined the livers and GI system:  same results.  Atrophied looking liver and GI tract.

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