Question:

You might try http://www.paflyfish.easetech.com/ There is a listing of fly shops (though I’m sure not complete) and a bullitin board wherre you can post your questions. Pretty active. It seems to be THE place to go to find out about Pa trout matters.

I tried that one out. The nearest fly shops were down in Williamsport. I was kinda hoping to find one right in Canton, preferably staffed by a cute young lady with a soft spot for engineers on quests. Hope springs eternal and all that… My work firewall won’t let me into the forum section, so I haven’t posted questions yet. Barring any particular solutions, I can just use general solutions: Be polite, bring five sizes of Adams and tie on 7x. You picked (or had fantastic dumb luck) a great area to fish and nearly the perfect time of year to go.

One of my friends just bought a new digital camera so I’ll post pictures of the scenery. I was in Bucks County last weekend and the trees were just starting to turn. I think by the time I get to Bradford County they’ll be mostly done, but the state of the leaves is really just a part of the whole experience. Brookies in the fall? You will be dazzled.

I hope so. It has the ingredients to become maudlin and possibly even mawkish. If the fish are even a tenth as beautiful as I remember (assuming I catch one), I might just begin to cry from the sheer emotional power of touching my inner child. At worst, I’ll start watching Lifetime or Oxygen… Kiyu

Thanks for the suggestion. Steve "I can see the mountains, I can see the sky, and it’s all too pretty for a man to want to die." -Johnny Cash, "25 Minutes to Go"

Response:

"You never even called me by my name"… Steve Goodman (City of new orleans) wrote it and sent it to David Allan Coe telling him it was the perfect country/western song, Coe replied saying it wasn’t because it didn’t mention pick up trucks, being drunk, trains, Momma, Prison or dying. Goodman wrote an additional verse sent it back and Coe recorded it. That verse went like this… "I was drunk, the day my Mom, got outta prison, and I went to pick her up in the rain, but before I could get to the station in my pick up truck, she got runned over by a damned old train…." Great sing along swing song I used to do at every gig, and if we forgot to include it the requests ensured we did. A good song, but just as good a laugh. Clark

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "Frank Reid" No one has written a country western song about it, I could, but probably wont….. Clark To quote an intro off a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young album, "Here’s a song guaranteed to bring you right down.  Its called, "Don’t let it bring you down."" Who was it that said the perfect country western song’s gotta have "trucks, trains, mothers" and a few other things? — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply

Response:

"Brian D. Nelson" Wasn’t that Merle?? Nope, David Allan Coe sang it, Steve Goodman wrote it. Clark

Response:

"I was drunk, the day my Mom, got outta prison, and I went to pick her up in the rain, but before I could get to the station in my pick up truck, she got runned over by a damned old train…."

Clark, I know you will remember the bit by Billy Connolly (or as he says, Big Bill Connolly, the man who put the c**t in Country Music). He was the big scottish guy in "Head of the Class" for the US readers. The bit deconstructs the genre in a humorous yet accurate way, talking about the tragedy, lost love, alcohol that form the common or garden country song. He tops the bit off with this little number: http://www.btinternet.com/~sarsen/billy/bc-candw.html Note the part that says "Country and Western Sounds" went like: Yo de lay eeeee .. lay eeee .. lay eeeee Wooo Wooo You know what I mean Cheers, — Gary M (remove ‘x’s from email address)

Response:

When I was a kid and I lived on the Western slopes of the Rockies, my father and I went fishing for brookies in small alpine creeks. We used spinning gear and worms and enjoyed the summer sunshine. My father was a very busy man and these trips were the highlight of our time in Colorado. We got up before light and dressed heavily because even in July the overnight temperatures would drop to near freezing. There was a perfunctory attempt at packing lunch, usually a block of cheese, leftover steak, two sodas, a sixpack and the obligatory thermos of coffee. Sometimes it was just the coffee and the sixpack. We drove out to Steamboat Springs, stopped at the same gas station for worms and headed up towards Hahn’s Peak. At first we went for the little brookies in the streams that flowed into Steamboat Lake. Later, Dad got a little twelve-foot aluminum boat and we trolled Steamboat Lake for rainbows, and then after we moved, bass in small lakes. No matter where I go or how I fish, I remember how perfect those little brookies were. The biggest we ever caught was eight inches and six was the norm. They all came from those sun-soaked little creeks where the water was so cold it hurt your feet and all the while, Hahn’s Peak looked down in all its purple benevolence. I’m older, and my third-grade enthusiasm is tempered with a little knowledge and a little skill. I know that those little brookies were invaders; they probably should have been cutthroats. It doesn’t change how beautiful they were or how great it was to be ten years old and fishing with Dad. In two weeks, I going with my friends to a cabin on the border between Bradford and Tioga Counties. According to the Pennsylvania Fishing and Boating Commission, there is a Class A Wild Trout Stream right in the little town of Canton, with a population of native brookies, wild and sustaining. Rathbone Creek, it is called. This will be my first chance at wild brookies, and more importantly, my first chance at natives: fish that have lived in that area since the glaciers retreated twelve thousand years ago. I’ve left the worms and the spinning rods behind (for the most part), and since I’ve taken up fly fishing I’ve considered a native brookie on a dry fly to be very meaningful and a fishing milestone. I think it will be almost a exciting as hooking my first steelhead (though not as dramatic). I’d like some help in this quest: Is there a fly shop in the vicinity of Canton? Is there public access to this Rathbone Creek? Is Rathbone the right idea? We’re not hooligans and we won’t trash anybody’s favorite spots. Thanks, Steve

Response:

… since I’ve taken up fly fishing I’ve considered a native brookie on a dry fly to be very meaningful and a fishing milestone. …

You’re a man after my own heart. I can’t help you with your Pennsylvania quest but you would be right at home in North Carolina. Uncle Waldo at ezflyfish could set you right up. Good luck. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

… since I’ve taken up fly fishing I’ve considered a native brookie on a dry fly to be very meaningful and a fishing milestone. … You’re a man after my own heart. I can’t help you with your Pennsylvania quest but you would be right at home in North Carolina. Uncle Waldo at ezflyfish could set you right up. Good luck.

I’ll second all of that and add that if you’re ever in Wisconsin or upper Michigan we can show you LOTS of native brookies. Wolfgang

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – … since I’ve taken up fly fishing I’ve considered a native brookie on a dry fly to be very meaningful and a fishing milestone. … You’re a man after my own heart. I can’t help you with your Pennsylvania quest but you would be right at home in North Carolina. Uncle Waldo at ezflyfish could set you right up. Good luck. I’ll second all of that and add that if you’re ever in Wisconsin or upper Michigan we can show you LOTS of native brookies. Wolfgang

    gotta go there and do that.  it wouldn’t be maudlin, would it? yfitons wayno

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I’ll second all of that and add that if you’re ever in Wisconsin or upper Michigan we can show you LOTS of native brookies. Wolfgang    gotta go there and do that.  it wouldn’t be maudlin, would it? yfitons wayno

just don’t trip over the meniscus Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – … since I’ve taken up fly fishing I’ve considered a native brookie on a dry fly to be very meaningful and a fishing milestone. … You’re a man after my own heart. I can’t help you with your Pennsylvania quest but you would be right at home in North Carolina. Uncle Waldo at ezflyfish could set you right up. Good luck. I’ll second all of that and add that if you’re ever in Wisconsin or upper Michigan we can show you LOTS of native brookies. Wolfgang     gotta go there and do that.  it wouldn’t be maudlin, would it? yfitons wayno

Nope…….um……not on a school day anyway.  Weekends…..well, you know.   Wolfgang bring cheese!

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You might try http://www.paflyfish.easetech.com/ There is a listing of fly shops (though I’m sure not complete) and a bullitin board wherre you can post your questions. Pretty active. It seems to be THE place to go to find out about Pa trout matters. You picked (or had fantastic dumb luck) a great area to fish and nearly the perfect time of year to go. Brookies in the fall? You will be dazzled. Kiyu

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    gotta go there and do that.  it wouldn’t be maudlin, would it? yfitons wayno

No one has written a country western song about it, nor has anyone reported their rod missing.  I would give it a 0.2 on the maudlin potentiometer. — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply

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"Frank Reid" No one has written a country western song about it, I could, but probably wont….. Clark

Response:

"Frank Reid" No one has written a country western song about it, I could, but probably wont….. Clark

To quote an intro off a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young album, "Here’s a song guaranteed to bring you right down.  Its called, "Don’t let it bring you down."" Who was it that said the perfect country western song’s gotta have "trucks, trains, mothers" and a few other things? — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply

Response:

Who was it that said the perfect country western song’s gotta have "trucks, trains, mothers" and a few other things?

David Allan Coe "…and he told me it was the perfect country and western song I wrote him back a letter and told him it was NOT the perfect country and western song because he hadn’t said anything about Momma, or trains, or trucks, or prison, or gettin’ drunk…" — Charlie…

Response:

Who was it that said the perfect country western song’s gotta have "trucks, trains, mothers" and a few other things?

Wasn’t that Merle?? — Tight Lines! Brian D. Nelson Diamond N Outfitters, Missoula, Montana www.diamondnoutfitters.com

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"…and he told me it was the perfect country and western song I wrote him back a letter and told him it was NOT the perfect country and western song because he hadn’t said anything about Momma, or trains, or trucks, or prison, or gettin’ drunk…"

"I was drunk the day my ma got out of prison…" Joe F.

Response:

<Snipped "I was drunk the day my ma got out of prison…" Joe F.

Thanks, by the way, this is cool.  Joe’s comment on Charlie’s post arrived on my server first.  Still can’t see Charlie’s post. — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply

Response:

"I was drunk the day my ma got out of prison…" Joe F.

Since I can’t see Charlie’s post, who was it? — Frank Reid Reverse email to reply

Response:

"I was drunk the day my ma got out of prison…" Joe F. Since I can’t see Charlie’s post, who was it?

David Allan Coe. — Charlie…

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"Frank Reid" No one has written a country western song about it, I could, but probably wont….. Clark To quote an intro off a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young album, "Here’s a song guaranteed to bring you right down.  Its called, "Don’t let it bring you down.""

And then he adds, "It starts out kinda slow and then fizzles out altogether." Russell Some of these threads start out slow. It’s getting them to fizzle out that’s hard.

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Question:

I’ll be in the Denver area next weekend and have 1 day free for some fly fishing.  Any suggestions on where to go this time of year? Don

Hi Don, Denver sits on the banks of Lake Norman. It’s a lake full of specs, bass, catfish, and panfish. The Catawba river flows into it and out of it through a dam. It’s a great place to fish and relax here in the NC piedmont. It does get hot as hell in the summer though. Ooops, oh, that Denver……sorry, Waldo…to damn early in the am.

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I’ll be in the Denver area next weekend and have 1 day free for some fly fishing.  Any suggestions on where to go this time of year? Don

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Question:

I was in Orlando on business a couple of months ago. I looked in the Yellow Pages for fishing guides and was just overwhelmed. There were so many that I just couldn’t pick one. Orlando is such a tourist trap that I felt my chances of picking a loser at random were too great. My only other trip to Orlando was about 45 years ago when I was a child. I recall it as a sleepy little place, but it’s sure changed, and much for the worse. If there’s anything in Orlando that isn’t a Disney-like fake I never found it. Their convention center is so big you’d better take a bicycle or roller skates. What’s happened to much of Florida is sad. Do we really need umpteen billion people on the planet? All the good places are being trashed, one after the other. Pretty soon you’ll have to be a billionare to enjoy anything decent. Rant mode off. — something bogus to avoid spam)

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Florida has many sites on the net.  Check out Florida in the Unitred States section at http://www.davisbrown.com/ffgeo.htm – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am going to Orlando, Florida the 30 of January and I am going to stay there for 6 weeks. I am considering to bring my flyrod, if the flyfishing are good. I’m also looking for a good flyshop with a wide range. If you can help me, I would appreciate it. Tight lines. Jon Arne

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Stick with the Fly Fisherman.  That is unless your in the market for expensive clothing, then by all means Downeast. Regards, David – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – By all means bring the rods, there are some great places to FF within an hour or two of orlando.Both fresh and saltwater.Try these: The Fly Fisherman Inc. 1213 N. Orange Avenue Orlando, FL 32804 (407) 898 1989 and Downeast 538 Park Avenue South Orlando-Winter Park, FL 32789 (407) 645 5100 — Bragging may not bring happiness, but no man having caught a large fish, goes home through the alley. Anonymous http://fish-n-net.com/

Response:

I am going to Orlando, Florida the 30 of January and I am going to stay there for 6 weeks. I am considering to bring my flyrod, if the flyfishing are good. I’m also looking for a good flyshop with a wide range. If you can help me, I would appreciate it. Tight lines. Jon Arne

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By all means bring the rods, there are some great places to FF within an hour or two of orlando.Both fresh and saltwater.Try these: The Fly Fisherman Inc. 1213 N. Orange Avenue Orlando, FL 32804 (407) 898 1989 and Downeast 538 Park Avenue South Orlando-Winter Park, FL 32789 (407) 645 5100 — Bragging may not bring happiness, but no man having caught a large fish, goes home through the alley. Anonymous http://fish-n-net.com/

Response:

I am going to Orlando, Florida the 30 of January and I am going to stay there for 6 weeks. I am considering to bring my flyrod, if the flyfishing are good. I’m also looking for a good flyshop with a wide range. If you can help me, I would appreciate it. Tight lines. Jon Arne

   !’st off, the Orlando area is comprised of other towns nestled together. Being north of Orlando proper 2 shops come to mind, an Orvis (small shop) in Winter Park, there is a larger shop just north of the junction of 434 and 17/92 and I also believe there is a shop in one of the Disney villages. Have no idea from your post as to the type fishing you are interested in. From Orlando you have the choice of the space coast flats on the east coast to bass and panfish in the St.Johns to the north to the Gulf coast to the west. Orlando also has an extensive group of lakes in it’s area ranging from small 1 acre to 20 or more acres, lake info is available from the Fl. game and fish commision on thier site under the heading "fish orlando". Also lake Okachoby (headwaters of the glades(biiiig bass) isn’t all that far. That time span is rather early in the season for fresh but you never know. Good luck.                                                            John Popp                                                         in Sanford Fl.

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Question:

I am a flyfishing newbie.  Can someone recommend a good video which teaches the basics of flycasting?  I’m mostly going to be fishing saltwater using 9 weight and heavier rods, casting streamers.  I would especially like to learn to "double haul" and "spey cast".  Thank you for your replies.                                                           Spy in Hawaii

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You might try http://www.troutangler.com and ask Zane or Tom about a video. I’m think they could recommend one to you. — happy trails, Mike & Vivian Foate Rocking Horse Ranch Arvada, Wyoming be sure mosey through our online/ranch bookstore and our music CDs and movies shop! http://www.rockinghorseranch.com

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Question:

I will be up in Bend, Oregon next week and will be trying to fish Hosmer Lake next Friday, May 15.  Any word on if the road will be open?  If so, what is the fishing like there at that time of year?  Any particular patterns that would be more effective than others?  Help would be

Response:

Hosmer might still be snowed in. Try Black leech patterns if you can get in-mid-day or late afternoon best

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I will be up in Bend, Oregon next week and will be trying to fish Hosmer Lake next Friday, May 15.  Any word on if the road will be open?  If so, what is the fishing like there at that time of year?  Any particular patterns that would be more effective than others?  Help would be

Hi Tom, I have only fished it in August, but heard that they had great caddis hatches in June. Early on fish can be pretty hungry and stupid so a black wolly bugger or leech might get ‘em. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY www.kiene.com

Response:

I will be up in Bend, Oregon next week and will be trying to fish Hosmer Lake next Friday, May 15.  Any word on if the road will be open?  If so, what is the fishing like there at that time of year?  Any particular patterns that would be more effective than others?  Help would be

Tom Last I heard it’s still snowed in.  A couple of guys tried to hike in with belly boats and didn’t make it. Jim Jones For e-mail reply replace spam with sns

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Question:

Hello,   I was wondering if anyone out there has ever done any serious fishing for Carp <er I mean Bugle Mouths I cought one by accident one time that took almost twenty minutes to land and left me shaking like a leaf!! I would like to go after these big guys with a fly as in one of the local lakes there are fish in the 20 – 30 lb range and I would not be suprised to hear of bigger ones caught! I understand that they will scarf a softshell crawdad imitation but has anyone had any luck with minnow or nymph imitations? It seems when the weather is too hot for anything else to bite these fish are just coming into there own, maybe I should design a "cob-o-corn" fly, what do you think? – Bugsy

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Hello,  I was wondering if anyone out there has ever done any serious fishing for Carp <er I mean Bugle Mouths I cought one by accident one time that took almost twenty minutes to land and left me shaking like a leaf!! I would like to go after these big guys with a fly as in one of the local lakes there are fish in the 20 – 30 lb range and I would not be suprised to hear of bigger ones caught! I understand that they will scarf a softshell crawdad imitation but has anyone had any luck with minnow or nymph imitations? It seems when the weather is too hot for anything else to bite these fish are just coming into there own, maybe I should design a "cob-o-corn" fly, what do you think? – Bugsy

Call Blue Dun Fly Shop in Wanachi(sp), Washington and talk to Darce. He is guiding for carp in a lake out of a boat. It is sight casting in 2′ of clear water. He has been working on this for some years and has become consistently successful. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA

Response:

Bugsey, I’ve been panfishing around carp for years without ever tying into one untill two years ago.Since then I’ve been getting takes consistently with a chartreuse lightning bug.I’ve tried other patterns ( assorted nymphs, wets and even mulberry patterns) without much success. Perhaps this has more to do with my confidence level then the effectiveness of the fly.You’ll notice I said getting takes not catching fish. My bluegill set-up is a 2wt. with a two to four lb. tippet. I generally break them off on the strike or lose them on thier first run,but when I spot one I can’t resist. You can call them trashfish but if I remember right that old Walton guy called them "the queen of the river".                          Hook: 8-10 wet or nymph                          Tail: black goose biot                          Abdomen: chartreuse chenille (1/2+ of the hook shank)                          Thorax: black chenille                           Hackle: black Give it a try,             Jim

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Bugsey, I’ve been panfishing around carp for years without ever tying into one untill two years ago.Since then I’ve been getting takes consistently with a chartreuse lightning bug.I’ve tried other patterns ( assorted nymphs, wets and even mulberry patterns) without much success. Perhaps this has more to do with my confidence level then the effectiveness of the fly.You’ll notice I said getting takes not catching fish. My bluegill set-up is a 2wt. with a two to four lb. tippet. I generally break them off on the strike or lose them on thier first run,but when I spot one I can’t resist. You can call them trashfish but if I remember right that old Walton guy called them "the queen of the river".                         Hook: 8-10 wet or nymph                         Tail: black goose biot                         Abdomen: chartreuse chenille (1/2+ of the hook shank)                         Thorax: black chenille                          Hackle: black Give it a try,            Jim

Jim: Your note really jogged a memory for me.  I financed my very first fly rod by catching and selling carp when I was ten years old (about 35 years ago). I grew up in Des Moines, IA, and used to ride my bike to fish some sand pits along the Raccoon River.   I fished with spinning gear for bluegills and bass, but during midsummer I would see schools of big carp cruising along just beneath the surface. Lots of other people would fish dough bait, etc. specifically for the carp.  One day, I figured out that if I tied a treble hook directly to my line and put a fair-sized sinker on just ahead, I could sling it out past the schools of carp, maneuver the line with a rapid retrieve until it was just beyond one’s mouth, and then snag them as it came by. Two things were amazing.  First was how many fish I could catch that way and second was how hard 5-20 pound carp can fight on 4# line.  Anyway, I would sell my carp to the other folks fishing for a quarter apiece.   During that summer, I made enough to buy my first fly rod (a 9′ 9 weight for fishing bass). Once I got started flyfishing, I didn’t ever try the carp-snagging routine, and I’ve often wondered if those schools still cruise around like that. I’ve moved away from Iowa and don’t have many carp around the waters I fish now,but I’d LOVE to try your fly on a few some day. Thanks for the note.  Carp rule! Bob  

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Check out my web page at http://pilot.msu.edu/~connert/carpfly.htm I regularly catch 10 to 15 pound carp on my 8 wt. rod.  If you have questions, drop me an e-mail. Tom Conner

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Ooh, I like that whale description.  I called these particular carp my "White Whale" to another person here.  The place I see them is where a wastewater stream enters cold and clear into a creek the color of pea soup.  You can see the carp cruise where the waters mix; it seems they move without twitching a fin.  Beautiful, but you have to be on your belly or they spook and disappear in a cloud of muck.   Saturday morning, I got a carp surface strike on an ant pattern, but better yet I got lots of unobstructed carp viewing time, without it getting dark just as they come into the open.  Very nice. I’ve come across some more carp info.  There was an article in a 1990 Field & Stream (july, I think) that was nice.  There is also a Carp Anglers web page: http://www.southwind.net/~mikeyes/index.html (mainly for bait-fishing), which has links as well.  Kat’s yet filtered through. Kat, your illustrations of mackeral and tuna are great.  Everyone should take a look.  Thanks. db ****** Derek Berwald – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I agree, Derek! I too have started slowly developing an obsession for carp. I haven’t tried fishing for them yet, but there’s a place near where I live that has schools of big’uns and I love watching them. The more I watch them, the more respect I get for them. They seem to me almost more like whales than fish — their bodies seem to move more slowly, but you can feel the power just looking at them. And spooky? Man, they must have good eyesight to see me through that soup of goose doodoo they live in…It’s a pity they live in such sad-looking water (part of my hesitation in fishing for them stems from the thought of cleaning that toxic slop off my gear afterwards), but I’m slowly getting up the guts to go after ‘em. (I bought a bottle of oil of anise yesterday, I’ve read that it helps to put some on the fly…) I’ve found some useful carp tips by searching for "carp" in the http://www.uky.edu/~agrdanny/flyfish/main.htm Some waggish angler who posted there refers to them as "freshwater bonefish"…I think he’s onto something. I know I may be getting ahead of myself, but I can’t help wondering…what the hell do I do if the impossible happens, and I manage to bring one in…how do you grab a 20-lb carp? — K.G. (Kat) Cruickshank, ichthyophile. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. see my illustrations at http://www.mackerel.com/fish/home.html

–

Response:

Let’s keep those carp tips coming, folks!  People mock me for this, but I have been trying to catch carp unsuccessfully for about two months (the length of my flyfishing career, btw).  I’m glad I am only one of the few, instead of the only one trying for carp.

I agree, Derek! I too have started slowly developing an obsession for carp. I haven’t tried fishing for them yet, but there’s a place near where I live that has schools of big’uns and I love watching them. The more I watch them, the more respect I get for them. They seem to me almost more like whales than fish — their bodies seem to move more slowly, but you can feel the power just looking at them. And spooky? Man, they must have good eyesight to see me through that soup of goose doodoo they live in…It’s a pity they live in such sad-looking water (part of my hesitation in fishing for them stems from the thought of cleaning that toxic slop off my gear afterwards), but I’m slowly getting up the guts to go after ‘em. (I bought a bottle of oil of anise yesterday, I’ve read that it helps to put some on the fly…) I’ve found some useful carp tips by searching for "carp" in the http://www.uky.edu/~agrdanny/flyfish/main.htm Some waggish angler who posted there refers to them as "freshwater bonefish"…I think he’s onto something. I know I may be getting ahead of myself, but I can’t help wondering…what the hell do I do if the impossible happens, and I manage to bring one in…how do you grab a 20-lb carp? — K.G. (Kat) Cruickshank, ichthyophile. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. see my illustrations at http://www.mackerel.com/fish/home.html

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Let’s keep those carp tips coming, folks!  People mock me for this, but I have been trying to catch carp unsuccessfully for about two months (the length of my flyfishing career, btw).  I’m glad I am only one of the few, instead of the only one trying for carp.  There is a pack of big ones in my local after-work fishing water, and I can see them, but no strikes.  I came as close as ever Wednesday night with a yellow stimulator, but they just came up and watched it drift (for about 30 seconds!).  The hard part is getting the fly past the green sunfish to where the carp are.  I appreciate any and all suggestions.   I would rather fish for trout, since they and the places they live are prettier, but I enjoy this, too. db ****** Derek Berwald

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Question:

I will be in Minneapolis in the third week of September, and would like to stay an extra day to fly fish.  What is available within a reasonable distance of Minneapolis, and can someone recommend a guide?  Thank you.

I hear Christmas Lake (South of Lake Minnetonka a bit) is the only lake in the metro area that’s good enough for trout. I don’t know what kind of access there is, though. Maybe someone can verify this? Pete

Response:

I will be in Minneapolis in the third week of September, and would like to stay an extra day to fly fish.  What is available within a reasonable distance of Minneapolis, and can someone recommend a guide?  Thank you.

Whitewater River and Root River are both within  2 hours of Minneapolis.  They are in the Rochester, MN area. Here are the #’s for a couple of Minneapolis area flyshops: Bob Mitchell’s Fly Shop 612.770.5854 The Fly Angler 612.572.0717 I’m sure they will direct you towards Wisconsin.   _-=J=-_

Response:

I lived in Minneapolis for about 5 years and belonged to a fly-Tying/Fishing group.  You can find a good plenty of good streams very close to Mpls.  If you want to fish trout, head to the Kinnickinnic near River Falls Wisconsin (25 miles from Mpls) and drive to the park/dam in town, Lot’s o’ browns. Also the Root in southern MN (1 hour).  If you want BIG bass, there are alot of lakes in and around the city, Centerville Lake, 10 miles north on 35w is a good late summer producer.  All in All, call some fly shops when you get there, they will be glad to help. Bob Crossley – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I will be in Minneapolis in the third week of September, and would like to stay an extra day to fly fish.  What is available within a reasonable distance of Minneapolis, and can someone recommend a guide?  Thank you.

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I will be in Minneapolis in the third week of September, and would like to stay an extra day to fly fish.  What is available within a reasonable distance of Minneapolis, and can someone recommend a guide?  Thank you.

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Well now how do end the evening with a late strat fishing? Well by catch some real nice trout on dry flies. One redside was about 16/17 inches long on a large stonefly nymph. The rest were taken on the surface with a #14 & 16 Parachute Adams. I landed several redsides and cutthroat trout averaging about 10 inches to 14 inches. The fishing time was about 3:30 PM till dark. The place was from Ballenger put-in to Harvast Lane on the lower McKenzie River. I do believe that there are no hatchery fish in this section–so far. So all my trout were natives. The insects were hatching quite steadly all evening– oh! what a sunset last night. I saw several McKenzie caddis’s fluttering by, many BW Olives #14-18 (this is as close to bug ID as I’ll get.) Ther was also a nice spinner activity Western Red Quill #14-16, plus some PE duns #14-18 Lt Cahill will do just fine. Even though I am a giude on this river…this was a quiet trip for self. Fishing was really good. I mean Iwent to have a good time, and found just what I needed…fish and peace & solitude. I would recommend you fish the McKenzie this Spring… Ralph Glazier                          South Fork Fly Fishing, Inc                                        Alsea, OR.                                        1 541 487-7310        

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well now how do end the evening with a late strat fishing? Well by catch some real nice trout on dry flies. One redside was about 16/17 inches long on a large stonefly nymph. The rest were taken on the surface with a #14 & 16 Parachute Adams. I landed several redsides and cutthroat trout averaging about 10 inches to 14 inches. The fishing time was about 3:30 PM till dark. The place was from Ballenger put-in to Harvast Lane on the lower McKenzie River. I do believe that there are no hatchery fish in this section–so far. So all my trout were natives. The insects were hatching quite steadly all evening– oh! what a sunset last night. I saw several McKenzie caddis’s fluttering by, many BW Olives #14-18 (this is as close to bug ID as I’ll get.) Ther was also a nice spinner activity Western Red Quill #14-16, plus some PE duns #14-18 Lt Cahill will do just fine. Even though I am a giude on this river…this was a quiet trip for self. Fishing was really good. I mean Iwent to have a good time, and found just what I needed…fish and peace & solitude. I would recommend you fish the McKenzie this Spring… Ralph Glazier                          South Fork Fly Fishing, Inc                                       Alsea, OR.                                       1 541 487-7310        

Well, I certainly miss fishing in that area, and your message didn’t help any! Really, I enjoyed reading it.   I grew up in Eugene and lived there until I was about 28; used to do a lot of fishing around there.  Is the upper Alsea ( south fork, I think ) still good for little trout? I used tave fun fishing with a dropper there.  I frequently caught 2 fish at a time. Tight Lines, Jared Still, Oracle DBA RxNet, Division of Value Health "All opinions are mine, not my employers"

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Can anyone recommend a good book on knot tieing ?  Actually, what I’d REALLY like is a stream-side guide to knot tieing … something I can stick in my vest, preferrably water-proofed, that covers a few basic knots. Ken Boulder, CO.

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Can anyone recommend a good book on knot tieing ?  Actually, what I’d REALLY like is a stream-side guide to knot tieing … something I can stick in my vest, preferrably water-proofed, that covers a few basic knots. Ken Boulder, CO.

It’s a little large for a vest, but the best knot tying book I have seen is "Practical Fishing Knots II" by Mark Sosin and Lefty Kreh. // // Charlie… //

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Can anyone recommend a good book on knot tieing ?  Actually, what I’d
REALLY like is a stream-side guide to knot tieing … something I can
stick in my vest, preferrably water-proofed, that covers a few basic

Save the cash and buy the current issue of  Fly Fisherman. It has one of the best articles I’ve seen that actually tested the strength of some of the more popular knots. Learn to tie two of those knots and you won’t ever need to learn any more about knots.

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I have a ’stream guide’ on my  fly box – it’s the metal kind.  Pasted on the outer side of the cover is a schematic of about 8 popular knots. I never use it because I tie the same 3 knots for anything I do:  blood for joining tippets and leaders; nail for joining leader to flyline, and Duncan for tying on flies.  After several hundred times of tying these, one never forgets how.   Point:  Practice 3 – 4 of your favorite knots over and over and you won’t need a stream guide.  Leaves more time for fishing instead of debating which knot to use, how to tie, etc…. Have fun. Jim

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Orvis has just such a thing, the "Waterproof Vest Pocket Knot Booklet" written by Doug Truax. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Can anyone recommend a good book on knot tieing ?  Actually, what I’d REALLY like is a stream-side guide to knot tieing … something I can stick in my vest, preferrably water-proofed, that covers a few basic knots. Ken Boulder, CO.

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Does anybody have any information on fly fishing in the Linville Falls community area. I have been camping near there in the past and looked like a nice place to go. I have never been Fly fishing before, but would like to try since someone gave me some gear. Thanks for any info. Chris

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I forgot to put that is Linville Falls community in N.C.

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