Question:

Not Bill McNeese, but Dave McNeese.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Adam, The clear intermediate slow sinking tropical lines are designed for fishing in the warm weather out of a boat. I would overline one size larger than your rod size so it will handle those larger flies better. I would use an SA/Mastery "Tarpon" monocore slow sinking clear WF10S on a #9 rod for your trip. I would also do the same thing with a WF10F Mastery "Tarpon" floater for poppers. Or you could put a WF11 on a #10 rod ? — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com

Hi Marilyn, Your response brought up one more question: My 9 wt is a Sage 3-pc saltwater RPLX (I think, it’s about 6 years old), and I am a reasonable caster, do you still recommend overlining the rod.  I’ve had my rods built by Bill McNeese (steelhead fisherman out of Seattle) and he has always told me to use the same wt line. Regards, Adam

Response:

For that kind of fishing I have been using the intermediate tip lines. made by everybody now and I use Cortland.  Really helps to load the line and when fishing with big streamers is really a help, especially when blind casting all day.

What are the casting qualities of an intermediate tipped line?  Does it hinge?  Do they do well in warm water. Do I have to bring it all the way to the boat.  My concern here is that as I fish the shore, will I be able to pick the line up and get it back to the shore the way one can do it with a floating line (ie, will I be able to keep the distance from the boat to shore relatively constant)?  About how deep will it go, do they have the regular 1-2"/minute sink rates? Thanks, Adam

Response:

Hi Adam, The clear intermediate slow sinking tropical lines are designed for fishing in the warm weather out of a boat. I would overline one size larger than your rod size so it will handle those larger flies better. I would use an SA/Mastery "Tarpon" monocore slow sinking clear WF10S on a #9 rod for your trip. I would also do the same thing with a WF10F Mastery "Tarpon" floater for poppers. Or you could put a WF11 on a #10 rod ? — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA www.kiene.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Going to Amazon to fly fish for peacock bass.  It has been suggested to use an intermediate sinking monocore line.  I’ll be casting large, but hopefully not too wind resistant streamers (6-8", made from Kinky Fibre Deceiver type-no feathers and poppers (1/2 to 3/4" closed foam cell heads).  I’ve never used this line and before I get one, I’d like to know the characteristics (pluses and minuses, if you will) of this line when used in warm water and largish flies.  Thanks, Adam —

Response:

Going to Amazon to fly fish for peacock bass.  It has been suggested to use an intermediate sinking monocore line.  I’ll be casting large, but hopefully not too wind resistant streamers (6-8", made from Kinky Fibre Deceiver type-no feathers and poppers (1/2 to 3/4" closed foam cell heads).  I’ve never used this line and before I get one, I’d like to know the characteristics (pluses and minuses, if you will) of this line when used in warm water and largish flies.  Thanks, Adam —

Response:

For that kind of fishing I have been using the intermediate tip lines.   made by everybody now and I use Cortland.  Really helps to load the line and when fishing with big streamers is really a help, especially when blind casting all day. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Going to Amazon to fly fish for peacock bass.  It has been suggested to use an intermediate sinking monocore line.  I’ll be casting large, but hopefully not too wind resistant streamers (6-8", made from Kinky Fibre Deceiver type-no feathers and poppers (1/2 to 3/4" closed foam cell heads).  I’ve never used this line and before I get one, I’d like to know the characteristics (pluses and minuses, if you will) of this line when used in warm water and largish flies.  Thanks, Adam —

Response:

Question:

If you swing by that way again, look for some of the hot springs (green algae areas, some with rocks built up along the banks) parallel and down stream of the pool.  I have not fished them personally but rafted by them this summer.  The Guide pointed them out and said they were popular year round (especially winter) fishing spots. Scott any great skill-my love for fishing is not matched by my talent for it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Then I noticed my feet were wet and getting cold. Apparently, some idiot decided to wade in the Colorado River at about 7000 feet or higher, without waders. You believe the nerve of that moron?

Response:

Last week we stopped there on our way back from Grand Mesa NF. It’s amazing how few people there were for a Sunday afternoon with good weather, I sat and studied the water for a while, and then discarded all I knew and tied on a black Wooly Worm, and started working my way downstream. Not with any great skill-my love for fishing is not matched by my talent for it. Eventually, I found the trout. They either spooked from my presentation or exhibited some beautiful refusal rises. What the hell, getting a refusal from a 20" trout on the Colorado River is the same as actually catching a fish in some other places. Maybe even better. Besides, I was too lazy to tie on something else, and there weren’t any bugs in the air anyway. Then I noticed my feet were wet and getting cold. Apparently, some idiot decided to wade in the Colorado River at about 7000 feet or higher, without waders. You believe the nerve of that moron? Then I decided to try a new tack. Maybe I should be nymphing with this thing instead of fishing it on the surface. The trout down at the bottom aren’t as smart as the ones taking dries, right? (Probably wrong, actually.) And being too lazy to switch to a shorter leader…actually, the only change I made was a tiny little piece of twist-on. And maybe I got a few hits and was a little late setting up. I was a little distracted. Until one cast…snagged my fly in a tree maybe 20′ off the ground. I start trying to jerk it out, and lost the entire leader instead. Clinch knot good. Mike’s nail knot, apparently bad. Oops. And the flyline splashed into the water, as flylines are wont to do when they’re being waved through the air. And a fish tried to take the end of the line. Maybe I should have tried a yellow fly? — "Armchair warriors often fail, and we’ve been  poisoned by these fairy tales" -Don Henley

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – very nice indeed. the conditions you describe are mirrored here in the NC mountains at this time. one question willi, what do you grease the tippet with? With the atmosphere around here lately, I’m pretty sure you don’t want to know. Willi

i guess i should have been clearer….. a floatant or sinkant? …could care less about the brand names… walt — Walter G. Winter Ezflyfish.com:  http://www.ezflyfish.com Blue Ridge Book Gallery: http://users.boone.net/wgw/brbg.html

Response:

Autumn is my favorite time of the year in Colorado. The leaves are turning, the nights are cool but the days are warm, the tourists are gone, the rivers are low, clear and cool, and the fish are hungry.    (snip)    nice little vignette, troutmeister. wayno

It is a wonderful time of the year. Hopefully, Sir Louie and I will experience the same in a Grand River Autumn. Peter

Response:

Autumn is my favorite time of the year in Colorado. The leaves are turning, the nights are cool but the days are warm, the tourists are gone, the rivers are low, clear and cool, and the fish are hungry.

   Hungry and moody. I spent two hours yesterday afternoon on the river Willi and I call our home water. I was dazzled by the shimmering yellow aspen trees, and saddened by the feeling that another fine season of fishing is winding to a close. During my first hour on the water, I hooked 17 fine fish; every spot that looked like it may have EVER held a fish yielded one. About the time I started to feel like I was a pretty talented fisherman, the action ceased. I used every trick in the book to catch another five fish in two more hours. Sheesh.

Response:

Petah Charles writes: It is a wonderful time of the year. Hopefully, Sir Louie and I will experience the same in a Grand River Autumn. Peter

What?  You aren’t guarantying fine weather?  Well, if we get rained out (muddy waters and all), Joanne, Joanne and I will sit around a bottle of single malt and shoot the breeze. (Looking forward to it) Dave

Response:

i guess i should have been clearer….. a floatant or sinkant? …could care less about the brand names…

When fish have moved into shallow feeding areas and are feeding on small stuff ie midges, bwo’s etc. I use a floatant on the leader up until the last few inches. If there isn’t too much glare, you can follow the floating tippet and often see a flash from the fish taking the fly or see the tippet move with a take.  If there is too much glare, I’ll use a very small smear of florescent biostrike? (a putty like stuff)to give me something to follow. Takes are generally very subtle when fish are feeding on this small stuff. I use quill bodied flies quite a bit and if the quills are not coated with cement, they absorb water and sink well. Willi

Response:

Autumn’s soft, midday light that has lost its summer intensity, allows good fish to move into very shallow pockets of water with just enough current to hide them [snip] . Fights seem a bit more determined and the colors a bit more intense.

I drove over to your fine state a week ago for the first time, while I only fished the South Platte near Deckers and the eleven mile canyon, I managed to find a little solitude and hook some of your fine colorado fish with 20 and 22 BWO’s. I can’t tell you how great it was to be fishing again and while I’m sure there are better streams in CO than the So. Platte but for two days it was heaven to me. Great post and you are a lucky man to live in such a beautiful place. — Wayne Knight Expert in creating tailing loops and windknots Otherwise Fishless in Kansas Before you buy.

Response:

I like those warm days following a sub-freezing night when the fishing doesn’t start picking up until 11:00am, and then it’s over by 4:00pm. [good stuff snipped]

Great post, rw. Thanks for the imagery. You gotta love the crisp weather of the mountains in fall. –Steve

Response:

When fish have moved into shallow feeding areas and are feeding on small stuff ie midges, bwo’s etc. I use a floatant on the leader up until the last few inches. If there isn’t too much glare, you can follow the floating tippet and often see a flash from the fish taking the fly or see the tippet move with a take.  If there is too much glare, I’ll use a very small smear of florescent biostrike? (a putty like stuff)to give me something to follow. Takes are generally very subtle when fish are feeding on this small stuff. I use quill bodied flies quite a bit and if the quills are not coated with cement, they absorb water and sink well. Willi

gotcha….. I’ve tried floatant on my leaders and tippet for small midge fishing. I’m not sure if it helps or not but I do know that when I "mud" the tippet for emergers, very small nymphs, or wets I seem to get more takes. I also like to keep a tight line fishing this style with a little twitch every few seconds. Takes are generally sound with that style and for c/r the hook is usually in the mouth versus deeper in the throat or gills. I usually have a long leader/tippet, 12′ +, when fishing this way. report: for all you roffians headed’ this way, the delayed harvest rivers have been stocked for the fall/winter fishing. The Watauga is running low, we can’t seem to shake this drought. –Walt — Walter G. Winter Ezflyfish.com:  http://www.ezflyfish.com Blue Ridge Book Gallery: http://users.boone.net/wgw/brbg.html

Response:

The Watauga is running low, we can’t seem to shake this drought.

Supposed to rain this weekend up by Robbinsville (Forty effect I presume), maybe you’ll get some too. — Charlie…

Response:

I drove over to your fine state a week ago for the first time, while I only fished the South Platte near Deckers and the eleven mile canyon, I managed to find a little solitude and hook some of your fine colorado fish with 20 and 22 BWO’s. I can’t tell you how great it was to be fishing again and while I’m sure there are better streams in CO than the So. Platte but for two days it was heaven to me.

The Platte is/was a fine river. It holds many good fish. However, with its proximity to Denver and Colorado Springs it is the heaviest fished river in the state. The section around Deckers has the reputation of being a very difficult river, especially for people fishing it the first time. Congrats on having success. Willi

Response:

Autumn is my favorite time of the year in Colorado. The leaves are turning, the nights are cool but the days are warm, the tourists are gone, the rivers are low, clear and cool, and the fish are hungry. Autumn’s soft, midday light that has lost its summer intensity, allows good fish to move into very shallow pockets of water with just enough current to hide them.  Large fish wait in water barely deep enough to cover their backs to feed most efficiently on the small emerging bugs. A careless wade sends the fish shooting back into the pools leaving wakes of water in their path. A tiny fly on a long, light, greased leader is the key. A cast several feet above the lie lets the fly sink just enough to interest the fish. No weight, no indicator. Just a flash in the shallow water or the nudge of the floating tippet. Takes are hard and confident and the pressure from the strike sends the fish airborn. Fights seem a bit more determined and the colors a bit more intense. Willi

Response:

Autumn is my favorite time of the year in Colorado. The leaves are turning, the nights are cool but the days are warm, the tourists are gone, the rivers are low, clear and cool, and the fish are hungry.

    (snip)     nice little vignette, troutmeister. wayno

Response:

Autumn is my favorite time of the year in Colorado. The leaves are turning, the nights are cool but the days are warm, the tourists are gone, the rivers are low, clear and cool, and the fish are hungry.     (snip)     nice little vignette, troutmeister. wayno

very nice indeed. the conditions you describe are mirrored here in the NC mountains at this time. one question willi, what do you grease the tippet with? walt — Walter G. Winter Ezflyfish.com:  http://www.ezflyfish.com Blue Ridge Book Gallery: http://users.boone.net/wgw/brbg.html

Response:

Willie wrote;Autumn is my favorite time of the year in Colorado. The leaves are turning, the nights are cool but the days are warm, the tourists are gone, the rivers are low, clear and cool, and the fish are hungry.

This sounds like a fairy tale to me. I don’t think there will be an Autum in Texas this year…mabye in January. It is still in the mid 90’s and I have a hard time calling that Autumn. Big Dale

Response:

very nice indeed. the conditions you describe are mirrored here in the NC mountains at this time. one question willi, what do you grease the tippet with?

With the atmosphere around here lately, I’m pretty sure you don’t want to know. Willi

Response:

Autumn is my favorite time of the year in Colorado. The leaves are turning, the nights are cool but the days are warm, the tourists are gone, the rivers are low, clear and cool, and the fish are hungry.

That sounds like the Stanley area, Willi, but our Autumn probably comes earlier than yours. The good Autumn fishing here is at about 7000 feet. I like those warm days following a sub-freezing night when the fishing doesn’t start picking up until 11:00am, and then it’s over by 4:00pm. There are just enough hoppers to keep fish looking at the surface, but the serious fish-catching is done with common nymphs — the perfect setup for a "hopper/dropper" rig. The water is skinny and the fish are concentrated in holes. This is easy fishing, once you get there. I can roll out of bed late, build a fire, make coffee and bacon and eggs, and take my time planning the trip. Then I can come home in daylight. Perfect. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

Response:

one question willi, what do you grease the tippet with? With the atmosphere around here lately, I’m pretty sure you don’t want to know.

Red Mucilin works a lot better than G*** for greasing tippets. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

Question:

Hi all, I will be in Lake Placid next week, anyone know the conditions/hatches on the west branch? Thanks! Bob

Response:

A few of us fished it last weekend. The river was fishing rather well. In the evening there were tricos, LARGE stoneflies and small yellow stones with a few caddis. Stop into Fran Betters shop and ask what the river is doing. He is usually tying up flies to match the hatch. Paul

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I will be in Lake Placid next week, anyone know the conditions/hatches on the west branch? Thanks! Bob

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Paul Goodwin writes: A few of us fished it last weekend. The river was fishing rather well. In the evening there were tricos, LARGE stoneflies and small yellow stones with a few caddis. Stop into Fran Betters shop and ask what the river is doing. He is usually tying up flies to match the hatch. Paul Hi all, I will be in Lake Placid next week, anyone know the conditions/hatches on the west branch? Thanks! Bob

Yes, the river was fishing quite well.  Took some nice browns on cream colored nymps fished deep and slow.  Some surface activity — tricos and emerging midges.  Fran Betters will sell you some flies that you do not have in your fly box.  <g Dave LaCourse

Response:

Two report pages: http://www.ausablewulff.com/updates.html http://www.ausableriversportshop.com/conditions.htm Obviously the first is out of date, so email or call from the home page.  The second is obviously more up-to-date, but I have to comment on something interesting there.  On the ausableriversportshop.com home page, it says "…the Conditions page – it will give you an honest, accurate account of what’s happening on the river today."  Well, how honest is that?  At the top it says "Today is Friday August 11."  That is, that’s what it says for *you*, if you’re reading it today, Aug 11.  But that’s not what it says for me, because I was doing a little playing with my computer and changed the date (for a different reason).  Point being, they imply the page is updated each day, but in fact it just picks that date up from whatever the current date is set to on your computer! Regards, Jeff

Response:

I was in Syracuse for the TU convention. I heard mixed reports on the Ausable. Some good; some not so good. Al << Hi all, I will be in Lake Placid next week, anyone know the conditions/hatches on the west branch? Thanks! Bob

Response:

Question:

Good report deleted. Some general questions. When does the shad run start and how long does it last?

Around late March/early April through early May.   The peak varies from year to year.   Seems to be doing quite well this past week, though. How widespread are the runs?

If you mean when do the fish come up the river, it seems to be triggered by higher than average flows.   Early morning & late afternoon are reportedly better, but I don’t go enough to say yes or no.   I’ll add a bit of clarity in that the Susquehanna River holds more fish for longer than do these lower tributaries.   I just like Deer Creek because it’s so darned pretty and a lot easier fishing than on the big river (not to mention safer wading). Many years ago, when the shad were considerably more plentiful, one could arrive in the wee dawn hours and take up a position in quiet waters just below Conowingo Dam.   Once the rest of the world woke up and demanded electricity, they’d start the turbines in the hydro plant.   That was like an ON switch for the shad.   With the higher flows, they’d start biting imediately. Are they on spawning beds when you’re fishing for them or are they in the process of migrating upstream?

The ones I see and catch are migrating.   Quite honestly, I’m not familiar with their spawning habits.   I’ve never noticed a redd in the area I fish, but I’m relatively close to the mouth of the creek. Do the runs draw big crowds?

Crowd being a subjective term, I’d still say yes.   Some pools are known to be excellent spots, and to fish these, your space and mobility will be determined by other fishermen there.   Also, it is not FFO, and there are often a few spin fishermen crowding the FFers.   Having I said that, I’ll say that it is variable by time of day or day of the week.   It’s not necessary to fish the known spots though, the entire river usually holds fish at the peak of the run.   I’ve never had a problem finding a decent pool for myself. And since you didn’t ask: Yellow and red marabou streamers with gold or silver tinsel bodies are the fly of choice.   Use a sink tip line when the water is up.   Cast across and throw in a downstream mend.   They’ll hit on the swing. Joe F.

Response:

We have a HUGE run of shad in the Columbia R. throughout July, sometimes topping 100,000 per day.  These are fairly large fish, running about 3 to 7lbs, with the average about 4lbs.  Hard fighting fish, especially in the considerable current below Bonneville dam, which seems to be the best fishing area.  You can catch them on a fly, but most people use spinning gear, 8-12lb mono, and  small jigs (shad darts) with and ounce or more of pencil lead, since the best fishing is often 30 to 100 yards or more out (where the current is, beyond the eddies or slack water).  Also fisherman are often nearly touching shoulders, so flyfishing is well nigh impossible unless you fish well away from the crowds where the fishing is poor.  You also have to horse the fish in since there are so many lines in the water.  But with the fish so prolific, it can still be a blast. Pat K  

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We have a HUGE run of shad in the Columbia R. throughout July, sometimes topping 100,000 per day.  These are fairly large fish, running about 3 to 7lbs, with the average about 4lbs.  Hard fighting fish, especially in the considerable current below Bonneville dam, which seems to be the best fishing area.  You can catch them on a fly, but most people use spinning gear, 8-12lb mono, and  small jigs (shad darts) with and ounce or more of pencil lead, since the best fishing is often 30 to 100 yards or more out (where the current is, beyond the eddies or slack water).  Also fisherman are often nearly touching shoulders, so flyfishing is well nigh impossible unless you fish well away from the crowds where the fishing is poor.  You also have to horse the fish in since there are so many lines in the water.  But with the fish so prolific, it can still be a blast. Pat K

Sounds like the "old days" on the Susquehanna below the Conowingo Dam when the larger American shad were plentiful there.   It was certainly not the kind of fishing I enjoy now; but still, it was a great fun of a different sort. Joe F.

Response:

writes: (snip) I might get out again tonigh, & take my son & SWMBO.   Now where the hell is that other reel? Joe F.

Nice report Joe!The rain continuing over the weekend could have made for a tough day on the water.  A lot of fishermen would not even attempt it.  Says something for perserverance and determination! Wayne To Fish is Human….To Release Divine!      —–  Posted via NewsOne.Net: Free Usenet News via the Web  —–      —–  http://newsone.net/ —  Discussions on every subject. —–    NewsOne.Net prohibits users from posting spam.  If this or other posts

Response:

Good report deleted. Some general questions. When does the shad run start and how long does it last? How widespread are the runs? Are they on spawning beds when you’re fishing for them or are they in the process of migrating upstream? Do the runs draw big crowds? Willi

Response:

I’d hoped to get out over the weekend to give the shad run another shot, but the weather looked grim.   By Saturday evening, though, it had at least stopped raining steadily.   Around 5 p.m., SWMBO suggested I might get a couple hours in before dark.   In 10 min., I had the car packed and was on my way. I got to Deer Creek by 6, and as I parked my car, a few of the fishermen already at the Stafford Bridge pool were wading back to their cars.   The one guy I asked just said, "slow."   Still, I struggled into my waders, put my new Mike C. 4 wt. together, and dug in my bag for the reel.   Well, shit. I didn’t have the sink tip line I would certainly need with the water running as high as it was.   In a remarkable bout of foresight and redundancy, however, I had brought my 6 wt and its sink tip line.   Sorry, Mike; it’ll have to wait until next time.   I rigged the 6 wt. & waded out to a spot about 100 yds upstream of the other handful there. I was expecting slow, and the whole time I was gearing up, I didn’t see anybody else hooking up.   So I was pleasantly surprised when I nailed about a one-pounder on about my fifth cast.   Cool.   The barbless hook easily came free, and I went back to casting across the fast current.   Not long afterward, bam, another one.   Okay, that’s two in the first five minutes; how slow could it be?   In the end, not slow at all. After the tenth fish in less than an hour, I remembered a stale Montecruz in my vest pocket.   Most of the hits were coming at the end of the swing across the current, so after one cast, I tucked the rod under my arm and just let my line trail downstream while I lit the cigar.   About the time I got the stogie fired up, I had another fish on, and I set the hook with my armpit.  It was a little too easy; but I admit, I was having fun. As darkness approached, the average size of the fish increased, so I didn’t want to leave.   The last one, when I could barely see, was pushing two pounds.   In landing that one, I managed to tangle my line & tippet so badly there was no way I’d be able to undo it in the dark, so I was done for the night.   I’d caught well over 20 fish in about two hours. The 6 wt. was just a bit heavy for the size fish I was catching, and most of them could be pulled almost straight in.   A few bigger ones put up a pretty good fight, though, with a couple actually making the drag sing a few bars. I might get out again tonigh, & take my son & SWMBO.   Now where the hell is that other reel? Joe F.

Response:

Question:

We’re planning a trip to St. Barth’s in May and wondered about the fly fishing possibilities.  Any suggestions, anyone?

Response:

whenever i travelled to the caribbean i would bring along the spinning gear (now into flyfishing)…. i caught baby tarpon on st.maarten and ventured over to st.barts….i didnt have too much luck there but heard from some people there that there are tarpon there at the right time of year…whenever that is…so i assume the other normal fishing will apply….ie. barracuda and bonefish etc…i think it would be worth the effort….let me know how you do ok   frank in brrrboston

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Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hi group I’ll probably get "blasted" by folks in the group but regarding ice in your rod guides: Has anyone tried PAM vegetable cooking spray? I’ve used it for several years and have at least convinced myself less ice forms in the guides. It does make the rod and line kind of greasy so I wash the rod and line when I get home from a trip and treat the fly line with a line conditioner. Yes, I also place the rod in the water to melt the ice however I think less ice forms using the PAM approach. Now I wonder if the fish like the butter flavor better or the olive oil flavor? (grin) — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT http://www.flyshop.com/Expo/Specialty/BTsPdcts/index.html

stockers like the butter flavour while wild fish go for olive oil! 8^) Ralph H

Response:

Hi group I’ll probably get "blasted" by folks in the group but regarding ice in your rod guides: Has anyone tried PAM vegetable cooking spray? I’ve used it for several years and have at least convinced myself less ice forms in the guides. It does make the rod and line kind of greasy so I wash the rod and line when I get home from a trip and treat the fly line with a line conditioner. Yes, I also place the rod in the water to melt the ice however I think less ice forms using the PAM approach. Now I wonder if the fish like the butter flavor better or the olive oil flavor? (grin) — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT http://www.flyshop.com/Expo/Specialty/BTsPdcts/index.html

Response:

: Hi group : I’ll probably get "blasted" by folks in the group but regarding ice in : your rod guides: Has anyone tried PAM vegetable cooking spray? I’ve used : it for several years and have at least convinced myself less ice forms in : the guides. It does make the rod and line kind of greasy so I wash the : rod and line when I get home from a trip and treat the fly line with a : line conditioner. Why not?  It makes sense that the oil would displace the water some so that ice would not form and build up as quickly. It should not hurt the line, although the oil will make it pick up dirt more quickly. Try Dynaglide!  I am looking at a can of it right now, and it CAN be sprayed directly onto the flyline!  It may work out better than Pam. : Yes, I also place the rod in the water to melt the ice however I think : less ice forms using the PAM approach. : Now I wonder if the fish like the butter flavor better or the olive oil : flavor? (grin) This fisherman likes the olive oil flavor better!  A good way cook trout is to spray it with Pam and grill it directly over coals, or a gas grill. Very tasty, and no skillet to clean! — Jon Porter

Response:

Now I wonder if the fish like the butter flavor better or the olive oil flavor? (grin)

Al: From all indications the fish like the "butter" flavor the best! roflmao Joe

Response:

I’ll probably get "blasted" by folks in the group but regarding ice in your rod guides: Has anyone tried PAM vegetable cooking spray?

Living and fishing near the Great Lakes, ice in the guides is sort of a way of life (those seasons where I can actually FISH during the winter – unlike this year ). The only really effective solution we have found to icing guides is to build rods with oversized guides and tiptops. It certainly does not prevent the icing, but it dramatically increases the number of casts we can make before de-icing is required. My friends and I have tried all sorts of things to prevent icing, and none have really been worth the bother (or the risk to our tackle). The change to our tackle has made the bigget difference (especially the tiptop and stripping guides). Bob Petti Endwell, NY

Response:

Question:

DEAR JIM: There is a remarkable difference in staying power between soft and weak southern strains of bass compared to damned yankee bass found in Lake Erie or let us say in Wisconsin, etc.  A lot of it has to do with oxygen content but overall, southern bass on the average are soft and mushy fleshed.  Many other fishermen have noticed this also.  So if you’re going to make a choice, go north where the real fighting bass hang out. — George Gehrke/President Gehrke’s World’s Best Fly Fishing Products Asotin, WA 99402 509-243-4100  FAX 4644

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…..and while this is probably just my imagination George, it has always seemed to me that bass that hang out in rivers are stronger fighters than those that fin lazily in lakes…..for pure excitement, a river smallie that slams your topwater bug would be hard to top!   Regards, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – DEAR JIM: There is a remarkable difference in staying power between soft and weak southern strains of bass compared to damned yankee bass found in Lake Erie or let us say in Wisconsin, etc.  A lot of it has to do with oxygen content but overall, southern bass on the average are soft and mushy fleshed.  Many other fishermen have noticed this also.  So if you’re going to make a choice, go north where the real fighting bass hang out. — George Gehrke/President Gehrke’s World’s Best Fly Fishing Products Asotin, WA 99402 509-243-4100  FAX 4644

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overall, southern bass on the average are soft and mushy fleshed.  Many other fishermen have noticed this also.  So if you’re going to make a choice, go north where the real fighting bass hang out.

Ahhhh, but George, everyone wants that ten pound HAWG!  And to get a HAWG you have to go south.  No one really seems to care that it will wallow in the mud and then show its belly like its namesake!  Can’t tell how hard a fish fought by looking at a picture! Hell, here in California we can’t even say HAWG, properly… Not even in southern California!

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overall, southern bass on the average are soft and mushy fleshed.  Many other fishermen have noticed this also.  So if you’re going to make a choice, go north where the real fighting bass hang out. Ahhhh, but George, everyone wants that ten pound HAWG!  And to get a HAWG you have to go south.  No one really seems to care that it will wallow in the mud and then show its belly like its namesake!  Can’t tell how hard a fish fought by looking at a picture! Hell, here in California we can’t even say HAWG, properly… Not even in southern California!

____YOU make me smile! Thanks Mr. G. — George Gehrke/President Gehrke’s World’s Best Fly Fishing Products Snake River – Hell’s Canyon Asotin, WA 99402 / 509-243-4100  FAX 4644

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In California we can say"hawg" in Lake Co.The state record largemouth is over 18 lbs. caught in Hidden Valley reservoir. The reservoir is planted with pure strain Fla. largemouth and may only be fished with permission of a landowner from the surrounding gated community.

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So you say you want bass, eh? Want some really fiesty bass? Not huge hawgs like you get in the southern US, but the smallmout bass here in Ontario are awesome. Get yourself up around Georgian Bay and bring some smallish poppers, nymphs, wooley buggers, crayfish imitations, etc. and hang on. I use a 6 wt 9 foot rod and I am in heaven. but just tell me when to show up! — George Gehrke/President Gehrke’s World’s Best Fly Fishing Products Snake River – Hell’s Canyon Asotin, WA 99402 / 509-243-4100  FAX 4644

Hi George I agree, the smallmouth is one of the hardest fighting fish pound for pound I’ve ever caught. Also there are a few in the Snake river near someone I know but shhh! I’ll never say where. Good tying &… — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT http://www.flyshop.com/Expo/Specialty/BTsPdcts/index.html

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So you say you want bass, eh? Want some really fiesty bass? Not huge hawgs like you get in the southern US, but the smallmout bass here in Ontario are awesome. Get yourself up around Georgian Bay and bring some smallish poppers, nymphs, wooley buggers, crayfish imitations, etc. and hang on. I use a 6 wt 9 foot rod and I am in heaven.

but just tell me when to show up! — George Gehrke/President Gehrke’s World’s Best Fly Fishing Products Snake River – Hell’s Canyon Asotin, WA 99402 / 509-243-4100  FAX 4644

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overall, southern bass on the average are soft and mushy fleshed.  Many other fishermen have noticed this also.  So if you’re going to make a choice, go north where the real fighting bass hang out. Ahhhh, but George, everyone wants that ten pound HAWG!  And to get a HAWG you have to go south.  No one really seems to care that it will wallow in the mud and then show its belly like its namesake!  Can’t tell how hard a fish fought by looking at a picture! Hell, here in California we can’t even say HAWG, properly… Not even in southern California!

So you say you want bass, eh? Want some really fiesty bass? Not huge hawgs like you get in the southern US, but the smallmout bass here in Ontario are awesome. Get yourself up around Georgian Bay and bring some smallish poppers, nymphs, wooley buggers, crayfish imitations, etc. and hang on. I use a 6 wt 9 foot rod and I am in heaven.

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DEAR JIM: There is a remarkable difference in staying power between soft and weak southern strains of bass compared to damned yankee bass found in Lake Erie or let us say in Wisconsin, etc.  A lot of it has to do with oxygen content but overall, southern bass on the average are soft and mushy fleshed.  Many other fishermen have noticed this also.  So if you’re going to make a choice, go north where the real fighting bass hang out.

George,   I don’t know where you got your information on "southern" bass. There is a largemouth strain that is called "Florida bass" and have been transplanted to many other parts of the country, even to places outside the South. Are you saying that there is less oxygen in the lakes and rivers in the South than in the northern parts of the country and the causes the bass to become weak and mushy fleshed. Thats crazy. I’ve caught bass from Canada to Florida. Admittedly, a five-pound smallmouth in Canada (which is a whopper there) gives one heck of a fight. But tie into one like that in Dale Hollow (look it up on a map) or on the Holston and tell me about "weak southern fish". Go to Rodman (knowing about southern fish I’m sure that you know where this is) and hook-up with a big largemouth in the stump fields and tell me that he is weak and mushy.    As far as the flesh of the Florida bass goes, its as firm and good-tasting as any that I’ve eaten.    These are, of course, only my opinions which are based on anecdotal information. What are yours based on? A priori opinions, I suspect. —

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Question:

I have not seen a post on hex type rods. Has/does anyone use one? What is the action like? Why do  you prefer it? Thanks Michael

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Hexagraph rods have a sweet medium to medium fast action.  They are strikingly similar in appearance to bamboo and typically much faster and not as pricey either. Tom www.kinghill.com Best regards,   TK       King of the Hill Fly Fishing Co. http://www.kinghill.com/kinghill

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Question:

    On the 19th of this month we will be taking a trip to the Green River in Utah.  If anyone’s been there recently could you tell me what the hatches have been like and what times.  Also any other suggestions that might help us out.  THANKS                           Fryman P.S.  Would someone give me a good definition of what a yuppie is, and        why does everyone talk about them.  

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Path: news.teleport.com!news.reed.edu!usenet.ee.pdx.edu!cs.uoregon.edu!reuter.cse .ogi.edu!uwm.edu!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!ne ws.cs.utah.edu!news.provo.novell.com!nntp.et.byu.edu!news.byu.edu!news Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.fishing.fly Organization: Brigham Young University, Provo UT USA Lines: 9 NNTP-Posting-Host: pc18.et.byu.edu    On the 19th of this month we will be taking a trip to the Green River in Utah.  If anyone’s been there recently could you tell me what the hatches have been like and what times.  Also any other suggestions that might help us out.  THANKS                          Fryman P.S.  Would someone give me a good definition of what a yuppie is, and       why does everyone talk about them.  

I was just at the Green in late March.  It’s funny but all the hatch charts I found made it look like the BWO’s would be out in March.  When I got there (with a healthy selection of my favorite BWO ties) all the locals told me, "yeah, the charts are wrong…"  they all claimed that the BWO’s should be out in mid April.  So…   According to Larry Tullis (hatch chart in RIVER JOURNAL: GREEN RIVER) April shoud have: midges, BWO, Scuds, Redworms, Eggs, Minnows Leeches, & Crane flies.  For the midges I’d focus on Griffiths Gnats (20-24), and Brassies (18-20), and WD-40’s (20-22, local tie) – oh yeah, your magnifier…  The midges were good to me – numerous 16"-20" fish on 20 Griffiths.   anthony  

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