Question:

All, I have a stripping guide and a top guide where the inner ring is made of the mineral Agate. I had planned to use these with a split cane blank, but on closer inspection i found the top guide damaged. There’s a small piece missing in the Agate ring. My question is: Do any of you know if there’s a company that manufactures these kind of guides today? — Any help appreciated. / Roger Daytime engineer Lifetime flyfisherman If you feel like it, visit http://home.bip.net/angler/ for info on flyfishing in Sweden

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All, I have a stripping guide and a top guide where the inner ring is made of the mineral Agate. My question is: Do any of you know if there’s a company that manufactures these kind of guides today?

If You master japanese, http://www.bluedun.net/RodBuilding-Guides.htm   ( http://babelfish.altavista.com/ for translation) http://www.snakeguides.com/ , maybe more comprehensible. Always a start! Stefan

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I get all my rodbuilding stugff from www.AnglersWarehouse.com They definitely have what you want. Be prepared to pay a lot for agates! Pete Collin

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My question is: Do any of you know if there’s a company that manufactures these kind of guides today?

     I know of several sources for the agate stripper guides, but I haven’t seen new agate tiptops around. After reading your post, I went down and looked through my own stash of rod parts, and every agate tiptop I have is cracked and unusable, so unless you’re working on a restoration, you might not want to use one. Agate strippers otoh can last a very long time if properly cared for; they are available at Angler’s Workshop, among other places. I recently spent an afternoon pawing through the parts bins at Rick’s Rods in Denver, and I think they’d have used or nos agate tiptops.

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live long and prosper, old boy Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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I’d like to take this moment to say thanks to all of ya’ll here at roff who provide me (and all of us) with such good entertainment, advice, trip reports, pics, and the like…. thank you….. thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Well said.  I, too, have enjoyed the virtual company here this year. I’ve learned a lot about fish and some about fishing.  And had fun. — rbc:  vixen    Fairly harmless remove invalid or hit reply to email. Though I’m very slow to respond. http://www.visi.com/~cyli

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I’d like to take this moment to say thanks to all of ya’ll here at roff who provide me (and all of us) with such good entertainment, advice, trip reports, pics, and the like…. thank you….. thank you from the bottom of my heart. thanks to all who deem it necessary to visit and fish with my worthless ass…. i love all of ya’ll like brothers….. what a great family. thanks to each and every clavemeister….. ya’ll are special…. and always will be. thanks to my customers at ezflyfish.com and wilson creek outfitters, i sincerely appreciate the support, your business, and your friendship. thanks for another day…. another day to fish. happy new year fellahs, a very special and happy new year for you all…… –waldo, new wader waldo <g

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waldo writes: thanks to my customers at ezflyfish.com and wilson creek outfitters, i sincerely appreciate the support, your business, and your friendship.

SPAM!!!!! Happy New Year to you too, walt, and may next year be better than this one. Don’t forget our fishing date in Feb. Louie

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and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you too, Waldo!! May the wind be always at your back, may the road rise up to meet you, and may the GREAT BROWN of Wilson’s Creek thumb his nose at your offerings until that glorious sun filled day he glooms onto your Yellowhammer, rips line down to your backing, jumps high into the air, and on his third airborne effort, throws the fly which sticks neatly into the seat of your new waders and penetrates below the barb you forgot to pinch and DAMN, you forgot the beer again! — Wayne (and Jeffie is fishing up the side stream and thinks your hollering about the gnats!) To Fish is Human…To Release Divine!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to take this moment to say thanks to all of ya’ll here at roff who provide me (and all of us) with such good entertainment, advice, trip reports, pics, and the like…. thank you….. thank you from the bottom of my heart. thanks to all who deem it necessary to visit and fish with my worthless ass…. i love all of ya’ll like brothers….. what a great family. thanks to each and every clavemeister….. ya’ll are special…. and always will be. thanks to my customers at ezflyfish.com and wilson creek outfitters, i sincerely appreciate the support, your business, and your friendship. thanks for another day…. another day to fish. happy new year fellahs, a very special and happy new year for you all…… –waldo, new wader waldo <g

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Question:

In San Francisco, some years back, a woman was arrested because she had a live hand grenade in her purse. There was a fishing line leading from her belt to the pin, so that if someone snatched her purse, it would shortly explode, killing the purse snatcher. While I do not feel too bad about the purse snatcher, as the police pointed out, there might be considerable carnage among innocent bystanders. I don’t remember what the legal outcome of the case was, probably an "illegal possession" charge. Boyd — "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." (Ellen Parr- author) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just to support an earlier statement… see men leave the privates alone…… Mike A Purse-Snatcher’s Worse Nightmare? ROME (Reuters) – Being caught and surrounded by an entire rugby team may just be one of a purse-snatcher’s worst nightmares. And yet, it happened for real to a man who snatched a woman’s purse in the northern Italian city of Bologna. The snatching happened close to a hotel where Serie A teams Benetton Treviso and Fly Flot Cavisano were about to hold a news conference. The pickpocket was spotted by two Benetton team members who ran after him, Italy’s Rugby Federation said in a statement. The two — Andrea Gritti and Massimiliano Perziano — are both full internationals. Lock forward Gritti is two meters tall and weighs an imposing 107 kg while winger Perziano is one of the quickest players in the country. The purse-snatcher, followed by the two players, sought refuge in a kindergarten, which was quickly surrounded by the whole Benetton team. The man was arrested a few minutes later by police. Benetton Treviso and Fly Flot Cavisano are due to play the decisive game for the Serie A championship title on Saturday. All opinions expressed are mine unless otherwise noted. Copyright

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Sure there’s a better way, but to all those who replied to my post. Many thanks I will follow it up. Mike…. Why not propitious?  ROFF? Where else did you see it? Ian So many questions, so little knowledge!!!

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What do you plan on doing with the bottom and top? Never seen a cane wading staff before…. like to se it when you done john

Actually the old US 10th Division WWII ski poles are made of split cane, like a kind of hell-for-stout cane rod. I’ve got a couple around and have been considering coverting one. Mike — Michael McGuire                     Hewlett Packard Laboratories Phone: (650)-857-5491               Palo Alto, CA 94303-0971          

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Sure there’s a better way, but to all those who replied to my post. Many thanks I will follow it up. Mike…. Why not propitious?  ROFF? Where else did you see it? Ian So many questions, so little knowledge!!!

Too complex to explain the remark on the relative propitiousness of your question I am afraid, it would waste too much space, and probably not make much sense.  I believe I saw the post on one of the UK groups first. Probably uk.rec.fishing.game. ROFF is,  rec.outdoors.fishing.fly, and is an international group, although dominated by Americans.  You posted individually to the groups concerned, and so I realised it was not a troll etc, before I saw it on ROFF.  I replied to your e-mail because I was not certain which groups you read regularly, if at all, and you obviously really did want some info. TL MC

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Hi I’m trying to build some cane and wonder if anyone can help. I’m using the triangular formar method. The info I have is old so need to know what glues are best to use to a) hold the cane to the formar i.e it has to release with heat and b) to glue the cane. Having split the cane it has  side to side bows. i.e it zig zags. Should I straighten this and if so how or just cut oversize and plane straight thereby cutting across the grain more. My father used to build his own rods and I have acquired his cane and formars. I’m only doing it for interest and will only make a wading staff. Cheers  Ian

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Hi I’m trying to build some cane and wonder if anyone can help.

<SNIP Just as well I saw your post elsewhere before it arrived on ROFF.  Not exactly a propitious time to be asking about cane on here.  No way you could know that of course. You will find all you need here; http://www.teleport.com/~gord/canelink.shtml TL MC

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What do you plan on doing with the bottom and top? Never seen a cane wading staff before…. like to se it when you done john

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Hi I’m trying to build some cane and wonder if anyone can help.

<snip I’m only doing it for interest and will only make a wading staff.

Ian In my opinion, seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to make a wading staff (hell, for that matter, it’s a lot of trouble to go through to make a fishing pole )  It sounds like you already have the major tools that you need.  Go ahead and make yourself a rod.  It’s not that hard. Mike Connor already listed a very good reference link.  Let me recommend another.  The Rodmakers’ site has a wealth of information on building cane rods.  You might want to subscribe to the mailing list and pose some of your questions there.  I would recommend searching the rather extensive list archives first, however, since a lot of your questions may have already been asked and answered.  Here’s a link to the site: http://www.canerod.com/rodmakers/ As far a straitening goes, most people today use an electric heat gun to gently warm the bamboo.  This softens it and allows you to straighten it by hand or in a vise.  This is a fairly tedious and time consuming process. Regarding glues, the choices are too many to discuss here.  You will find many suggestions on the Rodmaker’s site. Good luck and have fun! Keith

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I’d highly recommend the  rodmakers mailing list. I did when building my first rod and got a lot of help from some very knowledgeable rod builders. Paul

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi I’m trying to build some cane and wonder if anyone can help. <snip I’m only doing it for interest and will only make a wading staff. Ian In my opinion, seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to make a wading staff (hell, for that matter, it’s a lot of trouble to go through to make a fishing pole )  It sounds like you already have the major tools that you need.  Go ahead and make yourself a rod.  It’s not that hard. Mike Connor already listed a very good reference link.  Let me recommend another.  The Rodmakers’ site has a wealth of information on building cane rods.  You might want to subscribe to the mailing list and pose some of your questions there.  I would recommend searching the rather extensive list archives first, however, since a lot of your questions may have already been asked and answered.  Here’s a link to the site: http://www.canerod.com/rodmakers/ As far a straitening goes, most people today use an electric heat gun to gently warm the bamboo.  This softens it and allows you to straighten it by hand or in a vise.  This is a fairly tedious and time consuming process. Regarding glues, the choices are too many to discuss here.  You will find many suggestions on the Rodmaker’s site. Good luck and have fun! Keith

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What do you guys think? — Padishar Creel

 Mike is gone.  Never to grace ROFF again! Opie

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Hold the presses, did I hear that Mike is not going to be part of ROFF?  I want my membership dues refunded immediately.  Mike is one of the best, if not the best part of this NG and we need the long rodder in our midst.  I say we *not accept* Mike’s resignation.  Who is the hell does he thing he is?  He can’t quit, he belongs to us…he must of missed the fine print in the contract, but no ill feelings Mike, just get your butt back on line, pronto, Mister Connor. I think a poem from Mike will suffice as penance!  What do you guys think?

The following which was posted 9/30/00 by Mr. Connor, is one of my favorites: The angler stood in silent concentration casting to a rise a passer-by quite interested, watched the angler cast his flies. "Are there any fish in here" he asked of our friend piscator at last, "I have never seen one here at all, not today, or ever in the past". "There are a few",  our angler then replied with friendly smile, "But it

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Just one other point, a very wise man once said to me when I asked him if something was a good idea " If you have to think very long and very hard about it, and are still not sure, don’t do it".

Excellent point. Right now I’m leaning to getting the horses. It all depends on how my stock options pan out. Money can turn what otherwise would be a terrible idea into an excellent idea.

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<equine opine snipped PS-Stay away from llamas, they are for grass maggot (sheep) herders and a major pain (attitudes).

Spoken like a true Montanan. Welcome, Warren. — Ken Fortenberry

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Vaccinations twice a year are a good idea, and if you have the money (it sounds like you do), vet checks are a good idea. Have the vets come out and worm/vaccinate twice a year, and they’ll spot something early that you might not, especially as a beginner.

And DON’T forget to get a vet check BEFORE you buy a horse.  It can save you a ton of money in the long run.   Vaccinations are a good idea, but not necessary unless the horses are going to come into contact with tons of other horses.  I guess the main reason we don’t is that we have too many and it is easier to treat on an as needed basis. However, for two, better to be safe than sorry is a good philosophy.  It really isn’t that expensive to do it yourself. The key is keeping the vet away unless necessary.  So the more you learn and are able to do, the less reliance you will have on a vet to come out and give shots/worm. Worming is easy, just a tube that shoots out measured amounts of a paste based upon the body weight (you actually set the tube with the weight and it premeasures sort of).  Just have to make sure to get it way back in the mouth so they don’t spit it out. Most stuff is fairly easy and you will pick it up as you go.  It kind of helps you bond with the animal and the animal with you.  I can’t put into words how important the relationship is between a horse and a rider, but it involves lots of trust and patience.  It will eventually turn into a bond that will hopefully last a lifetime. I would also suggest that maybe you start taking riding lessons before you buy horses.  The instructor will be able to teach you many things about horse care and horsemanship that will be invaluable down the road. Warren

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I’m partial to llamas in the backcountry. They can carry 100-120 lbs of gear (but not you), their padded feet are easier on the trails than a horse’s hoofs and they browse and eat their own food instead of grazing on scarce mountain grasses.

Llamas are out of the question. For one thing I need an animal to carry ME for one or two days, not 120 lbs of gear. For another thing, I’d be laughed out of Custer County.

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I’m not, nor will I ever be, an equestrian. But I’ve known enough of them that I’m familiar with some of the potential pitfalls of horse ownership. The best way to sum it up is to say that on a cost/hour basis, horses don’t make much economic sense for the casual fisherman. I realize that boarding costs are highly variable, presumably driven by geography and relative cost of living, but the prospect of shelling out thousands of dollars annually for a couple months’ usage would certainly be a sobering prospect indeed for many of us. Another point to consider: ATV’s are replacing working horses on some ranches (for some jobs). I bet it’s because they’re ‘cheaper to keep’. Good luck.

ATVs aren’t allowed most places I want to go. They don’t even allow mountain bikes. Also, I’m not looking at this as a purely economic deal. I like horses and I like riding them. I’m mainly concerned about the learning curve because I’ve never kept them before.

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Get the horses.  As a matter of fact buy some of my inlaws horses.  I already crash tested one. Seriously, horses are great for hunting and fishing trips.  You won’t need to ship them out to CA for the winter either.  We have over 40 head and keep them outside all winter long up here in Montana. As to feeding. That depends on how much room you have there.  You might get by with grazing them off the pasture if it is big enough and then feeding them hay in the winter.  Hay isn’t all that expensive really.  A horse needs about 2% of its body weight of feed a day.  A 1200 lb horse comes out to a wopping 24 pounds of hay.  Don’t know what the hay prices down there are, but up here it is about $60/ton of good alfalfa. As far as routine medications, just wormer once a year.  Maybe twice a year to be safe.  Want to be even safer?  Worm them or have them wormed before you bring them home.  Shouldn’t have to see a vet at all.  With 40 head we have had the vet out twice this year.  Both horses got caught in a fence.  One while rolling on the ground and got collicky because it was in the fence for several hours overnight and twisted (bad for horses intestines).  The other we think was kicking at a dog and got its legged stuck in a coral panel.  That one was pretty nasty. Try to find a book on horse care and read it for yourself and decide how much hassle it will be for you. Cost wise they are not too bad.  The big pain is in the beginning.  You can find a younger (5-10 year old horse) that is well broke for around $1,500. Then saddles and the other tack, well that depends on new or used.  Make sure you actually sit in the saddle before you buy one.  Ideally you want to sit in it on the horse to get a good feel for it.  Usually can’t though so just make sure you butt isn’t too big (or small).  You won’t need a fancy roping saddle or anything so used you can probably pick one up for about $400-500.  Shop around!  Read the classifieds, check out feed stores (sometimes they have bullentin boards with horses and tack for sale). Being on the high side, look to spend about $6,000 for 2 horses and tack and another $600 or so a year on hay. There are several things you can to do in taking care of horses to make them less at risk for disease, injury, and sickness so arm yourself with knowledge and make the decision afterwards. Happy Trails and Tight Lines. Warren PS-Stay away from llamas, they are for grass maggot (sheep) herders and a major pain (attitudes).

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I’m not, nor will I ever be, an equestrian. But I’ve known enough of them that I’m familiar with some of the potential pitfalls of horse ownership. The best way to sum it up is to say that on a cost/hour basis, horses don’t make much economic sense for the casual fisherman. I realize that boarding costs are highly variable, presumably driven by geography and relative cost of living, but the prospect of shelling out thousands of dollars annually for a couple months’ usage would certainly be a sobering prospect indeed for many of us. Another point to consider: ATV’s are replacing working horses on some ranches (for some jobs). I bet it’s because they’re ‘cheaper to keep’. Good luck. Jeff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The very best flyfishing in my area (central Idaho) is fairly inaccessible. There are excellent wilderness rivers and backcountry lakes that require some pretty heroic hiking to get to, if you’re not rafting. Once you get there, though, you have it all to yourself, aside from the odd backpacker or two. I’m thinking of getting a couple of horses. I have room for a nice paddock next to my cabin. It’s also a consideration that my older daughter adores horses, and I made the potentially serious mistake of mentioning this idea to her. It’s really, really tempting. The other day, while hiking out from a backcountry lake and sweating blood, a couple of horseback riders passed me going up the trail at a fast trot. They were like gods. It looked so wonderful. My problem is that I have virtually no experience keeping horses. Just a few pack trips. How difficult is it? I’m what you’d call an animal-oriented person. I’ve always had lots of dogs and cats and a multitude of other creatures, but no horses. I figure that at a minimum I’d have to build a fence for the paddock, buy all the gear (in addition to the horses), find a ferrier and a large-animal vet, get a two-horse trailer, and arrange for someone to take care of them for the short periods when I’m not around. Then there’s the question of what to do with them in the winter. I figure I could trailer them back to my home in northern California (Menlo Park) and board them at one of the many stables here. These stables mostly cater to Woodside billionaires, but what the heck. It can’t be that expensive for a few months. Is this a stupid idea? Will I regret it?

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The very best flyfishing in my area (central Idaho) is fairly inaccessible. There are excellent wilderness rivers and backcountry lakes that require some pretty heroic hiking to get to, if you’re not rafting. Once you get there, though, you have it all to yourself, aside from the odd backpacker or two. I’m thinking of getting a couple of horses.

I’m partial to llamas in the backcountry. They can carry 100-120 lbs of gear (but not you), their padded feet are easier on the trails than a horse’s hoofs and they browse and eat their own food instead of grazing on scarce mountain grasses. — Ken Fortenberry

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Sounds like a great idea to me. If you have the time and possibilities, and can afford it, do it, but check the prices at those stables etc first, you may be very unpleasantly surprised, also horses involve a lot of care and work, far more than one imagines. Trailering them is also a pain, for you and for the horses. Mountain bikes can be thrown in the cabin or garage when you are done with them, don’t eat, don’t crap, and don’t get ill apart from an occasional broken chain etc. They cost much less than horses, they are less likely to get stolen, or run away, they are not edible to any great degree, and can not be turned into sausage meat, they do not wear extremely costly handmade steel shoes which require frequent replacement,  do not require horrendously expensive injections and medications at regular intervals, and they also require no looking after when you are absent. They do not engender quite as much enthusiasm on the part of dutiful daughters ( dutiful at least until the first ton of horse manure has to be shovelled out of somewhere ! ) I know a couple of the aforementioned daughters ! Their parents own quite a few horses. Quite amazing how often they have "urgent appointments" when the novelty has worn off, and the animals have to be groomed or cleaned out etc etc. If your daughter wants to ride, rent a horse for her for a while until you are certain she will keep it up and it is worth it. I know all this because I help out ( which usually means I shovel horse shit ! ) for the chance of an occasional ride on one of my friends horses. Not trying to dissuade you in any way, just playing advocatus diaboli. Just one other point, a very wise man once said to me when I asked him if something was a good idea " If you have to think very long and very hard about it, and are still not sure, don’t do it". TL MC

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The very best flyfishing in my area (central Idaho) is fairly inaccessible. There are excellent wilderness rivers and backcountry lakes that require some pretty heroic hiking to get to, if you’re not rafting. Once you get there, though, you have it all to yourself, aside from the odd backpacker or two. I’m thinking of getting a couple of horses. I have room for a nice paddock next to my cabin. It’s also a consideration that my older daughter adores horses, and I made the potentially serious mistake of mentioning this idea to her. It’s really, really tempting. The other day, while hiking out from a backcountry lake and sweating blood, a couple of horseback riders passed me going up the trail at a fast trot. They were like gods. It looked so wonderful. My problem is that I have virtually no experience keeping horses. Just a few pack trips. How difficult is it? I’m what you’d call an animal-oriented person. I’ve always had lots of dogs and cats and a multitude of other creatures, but no horses. I figure that at a minimum I’d have to build a fence for the paddock, buy all the gear (in addition to the horses), find a ferrier and a large-animal vet, get a two-horse trailer, and arrange for someone to take care of them for the short periods when I’m not around. Then there’s the question of what to do with them in the winter. I figure I could trailer them back to my home in northern California (Menlo Park) and board them at one of the many stables here. These stables mostly cater to Woodside billionaires, but what the heck. It can’t be that expensive for a few months. Is this a stupid idea? Will I regret it?

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Hi, Intested to know if there is some good trout streams within a 1 to 2 hour drive of Cheyenne.  I maybe moving there and would like to know in advance if there are trout out and about. Thanks

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There is some great lake fishing for trout within a short distance, just outside of Laramie. The Laramie is not bad, the Poudre and Big Thomson rivers in Colorado are good, and you will also be fairly near the North Platte Miracle Mile and Greys Reef sections, which can be awesome. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Intested to know if there is some good trout streams within a 1 to 2 hour drive of Cheyenne.  I maybe moving there and would like to know in advance if there are trout out and about. Thanks

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Question:

Does anyone know where i can order some caddis and/or mayfly larvae? thanks.

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Try contacting people that do trout streams, etc. Also Trout Unlimited may give you some names. If you dont need to many go to the nearest trout stream and pick them. Caddis larvae are easy to pick and they usually in large numbers. Good luck

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Does anyone know where i can order some caddis and/or mayfly larvae? thanks.

You can also look in Fly Fishing magazine in ads. People that do trout streams have ads there. ZB

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go to your nearest river or stream and try picking the nymphs and larvae off of the bottom of rocks.  I was wondering, do you want these to provide fish with a source of food?

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Does anyone know where i can order some caddis and/or mayfly larvae? thanks.

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Try contacting people that do trout streams, etc. Also Trout Unlimited may give you some names. If you dont need to many go to the nearest trout stream and pick them. Caddis larvae are easy to pick and they usually in large numbers. Good luck

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Does anyone know where i can order some caddis and/or mayfly larvae? thanks.

You can also look in Fly Fishing magazine in ads. People that do trout streams have ads there. ZB

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go to your nearest river or stream and try picking the nymphs and larvae off of the bottom of rocks.  I was wondering, do you want these to provide fish with a source of food?

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Question:

I have two $69.00 caddis tubes that I use for striped bass fly fishing here in CA.. My 8 year old daughter and 10 year old son have no problems at all using them as neither do I. I find the lighter and less expensive the better…One of the responses to you mentioned being "pee" friendly either way you still have wadders on. good luck.  

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One thing to consider is where you will be using the tube or pontoon boat.  I have used both and when conditions permit a pontoon boat is easier to fish from for the reasons others have listed, but I often enjoy backpacking into lakes, and my tube weighs far less than a pontoon boat, which would be too cumbersome for such a trip.  Good luck with your decision.

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There is a pontoon boat that addresses the needs of the backpacker and the river fisherman. Try the Supercat. —                    "One Fish is Worth a Thousand Lies"                             http://Flyfish.Com

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There is a pontoon boat that addresses the needs of the backpacker and the river fisherman. Try the Supercat.

I just tried out a Supercat yesterday and it was great. I’ll be ordering one soon. I guess I shouldn’t have bought that float tube a couple of weeks ago. Brad

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Hello, I am going to make a purchase of either a float tube, or a pontoon float. If you have had experience in any of the above, I sure would like to hear your opinion as the database of information is pretty scarce. If you have a pontoon float, how are they in the wind?  U shape verses V shape verses Round?  How about brand names, general price, etc, good or bad? Sure would appreciate your input. Thanks. Mike

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I just replaced my tube with a JW Outfitters Kingfisher 4 pontoon.  I like it alot better because 1) casting is much easier, 2) sight-fishing is much better, 3) it is faster and more manuverable, 4) ingress-egress MUCH nicer, 5) it is certainly more pee-friendly, and 6) it is lighter.  As to the wind, not a problem.  You can kick out real easily.

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Pontoon boat more comfortable, drier, covers more area. But nothying like fightinhg  a big fish from a float tube. if you gert a flaoat tube-go u or v -boat design only.

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Hello, I am going to make a purchase of either a float tube, or a pontoon float. If you have had experience in any of the above, I sure would like to hear your opinion as the database of information is pretty scarce. If you have a pontoon float, how are they in the wind?  U shape verses V shape verses Round?  How about brand names, general price, etc, good or bad? Sure would appreciate your input. Thanks.

Hi Mike I’ve had a lot of experience with float tubes and pontoon boats.  The float tube will cost you less than a pontoon boat (tube = $100 or so, pontoon = $400 – $1600 or so) Personally I would use a pontoon boat over a float tube no matter what the cost difference is.  After I reached the age of 45 whenever I got my crotch in cold water it was an immediate trip to the bank for a nature call.  Also as I got older staying warm in a tube became a problem.  Also I never felt comfortable floating a river in a tube although I’ve done quite a bit of it.   In the wind you can kick your heart out in a tube and progress on you way very slowly.  With a pontoon craft you can kick and row at the same time and really scoot.  My wife and I use our boats here in Montana on streams like the Big Horn.  When we float through a section that is particularly productive, we pull over to the soft side of the river and kick and row our way back up stream to the top end of the pool and float through it again.  I’ve had my craft in rapid up to grade #3 and did not feel in jeopardy (I have had a lot of experience in white water so that could be part of the reason).  By the way I’m in the fly fishing business but do not sell pontoon boats. For what it’s worth, that’s my belief.  I’m sure you will get other responces with different oppinions.  Which ever way you go, ENJOY! Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

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Question:

Hi there! Im a beginner and im wondering what line size rod to buy. I am from oregon and will do most of my fishing for trout- although I would like to eventually go for steelhead and salmon. I really dont want to have to buy a separate rod. Is a 7 too small for larger fish would an 8 scare off most trout? If I were only fishing for trout a 6 would be ideal. Can I buy say an 8 rod and fish with 6 line? or would the loss of controll be too much ? Any response would be much appreciated!

Response:

Buying a rod and using undersized line defeats the loading ability of the rod. I mean loading, the tip section of the rod actually bends and creates the loop (very important) that the rod causes in the line. Confusing? Yes. I would not buy a 8 and use a 6 line nor buy a 6 and use a 8 line. That overloads the tip. I would prefer a 5 or 6 for trout. Haven’t had experience with large steelhead but would imagine you could land one but would really wear it out! Sadly, there really isn’t just one rod that does it all. You might look for a good used rod at a local dealer or flyfishing club. I’d pay more for the one I use most. Say spring for a good Orvis Green Mountain or Rocky Mountain (2 piece rods around $200) and look for a cheaper rod if I were going to fish steel head only 1 or 2 times a year.

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