Question:

Al, I’ve been doing this for the last 3 years.  I use a pair of needle-nose pliers and just crimp the barb down.  In some cases, it actually cracks off.  I do it when I open the lure package and put the lure in my tackle box.  I’ve lost a couple of fish I might otherwise have landed but I fish mostly catch-and-release so it’s not a big deal. The only time I don’t do this is with live bait so the bait will stay on the hook.  Rumor has it that is why the barb was invented in the first place. Tom Kadlec I was reading that you can flatten the barb down (with forceps) on the waterside to achieve the same effect as a barbless hook. I’m trying to picture this and what they mean by waterside. The book says that if you maintain pressure on the fish you do not need the barb. It is easier to remove from the fish. Al

Tom Kadlec

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<snipped The book says that if you maintain pressure on the fish you do not need the barb. It is easier to remove from the fish. Al

Easier said than done.  :) I started de-barbing at the end of last season… just squash it down so it can’t catch on anything, I use pliers.  Back to the point… I’ve lost more fish than usual, but I get lazy about keeping the pressure on… gonna have to work on that now, I guess.  :) — – goat (Mark S’) www.goatlike.com – art & design

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Other point that are interesting is that if you use over size trebles you may cause unnecessary damage to to the fish, especially loose hooks outside the fish’s mouth, because they can fly around and catch the fish’s eye. You might say why care? I care because there is some opposition to fishing.  I have a close relative that at an early age was eager to fish but some how developed an adversion to fishing. It is important to have in your arsenal this knowledge to support this sport. I’m looking for a one step tool that can remove a hook or if i so choose cut the barb off. Ideally it would be like predator pliers with a cutting edge on it. Al

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I was reading that you can flatten the barb down (with forceps) on the waterside to achieve the same effect as a barbless hook. I’m trying to picture this and what they mean by waterside. The book says that if you maintain pressure on the fish you do not need the barb. It is easier to remove from the fish. Al

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Jajwuth writes I was reading that you can flatten the barb down (with forceps) on the waterside to achieve the same effect as a barbless hook. I’m trying to picture this and what they mean by waterside

Just crimp the barb down with pliers or whatever so the barb’s point is against the hook’s bend. I assume by "waterside" they mean you can do it while you’re out fishing, no advance work needed. . It is easier to remove from the fish. Easier to remove from the fisherman too.

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Question:

Hi, I am interested in trying my hand a fly fishing this Spring, and I have been given a Horrocks Ibbotson Model 1104 bakelite fly reel and a Langley fly rod that is about 8′ long and came in an aluminum tube.  Everything is in real nice shape, and the reel has the original box.  This set looks to be from the 30’s or 40’s(?) and I am wondering as to whether it would be better to try and learn on this vintage equipment, or sell it/trade it and try and get a more modern outfit.  Any suggestions appreciated, especially if any one can tell me what weight line I should equip it with or have any other hints.  Please email Thank you, Jim K Media, PA  

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Jim, Horrocks-Ibbotson rods were very cheap, production rods.  Even ones in good shape aren’t worth much today.  Go ahead and fish it ot your heart’s delight. Pete C

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Question:

Does anyone know where the cheapest mail order prices are on the WWW for flyfishing accesories-flyting supplies, line,rods,etc? Thanks in advance, Alan

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Go to WWW.HOOKHACK.COM, take 20% off prices by saying you saw the item on the web. They’re the best!!!!

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Question:

Watched the temp go up to 50 degrees today.  Out to the back porch and cleaned my fly line, new leader, a couple of casts into the snow in my yard, and smoked an LGC Corona Gorda.  Sunday on to the Malad River for some march(spring) fishing!!  God, it’s great to see the sun shine and the snow start to melt.  And yes it was a good cigar! Doug

        well, ol doug, it was just about the same temp here in the old north state, several degrees in latitude to your south; but the feelings were just the same.  the phoenix.  here we go again, by god.         wayne harrison

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Watched the temp go up to 50 degrees today.  Out to the back porch and cleaned my fly line, new leader, a couple of casts into the snow in my yard, and smoked an LGC Corona Gorda.  Sunday on to the Malad River for some march(spring) fishing!!  God, it’s great to see the sun shine and the snow start to melt.  And yes it was a good cigar! Doug — Doug & Tammy Stephens Bear Lake Valley, Idaho

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Question:

I recently heard the strippers are being caught off the beach in New Jersey?  Can that be true.  I am in Delaware and I figure if N.J. has them we should also, but no one tries for them.  Help!! crit

Response:

on feb 22, critter writes: I recently heard the strippers are being caught off the beach in New Jersey?  Can that be true.  I am in Delaware and I figure if N.J. has them we should also, but no one tries for them.  Help!! crit

I’ve heard the same,     I heard that a 50 pounder was taken, but I just had a brain freeze and I can’t rember where it was. I also heard that there’s been some taken in the back bays.  A guy I fish with in the fall says he’s been getting strippers all winter (in a spot that I won’t disclose, cause he’ll fillet me, but i’ll tell you that it’s south of AC) I also heard a rumor that someone is building a pier at that power plant at the pay bridge on rt 9 (another brain freeze, I can’t remember the name of the power plant) anyhow thats a good spot for stippers. I’m going tuesday to the sea isle/avalon area,  I’ll start in the back, then I’ll work the jettys.  I’ll post if I do anything. KV

Response:

May check out your spelling…Although catching "strippers" could be fun, your wife or girlfriend might get annoyed! says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I recently heard the strippers are being caught off the beach in New Jersey?  Can that be true.  I am in Delaware and I figure if N.J. has them we should also, but no one tries for them.  Help!! crit

Response:

Stripers are normally caught in the surf.  Strippers are normally seen in sleezy clubs while drinking beer after a hard day of fishing. Curtis H. Nugent, M.P.S. Junior Warden New Providence Lodge F&AM, Nr. 128 Maryville, Tennessee, USA

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I recently heard the strippers are being caught off the beach in New Jersey?  Can that be true.  I am in Delaware and I figure if N.J. has them we should also, but no one tries for them.  Help!! crit

Check out WWW.BettyandNicks.com  They are a bait and tackle shop in Seaside, NJ and put out a nice web site.  They’ve been know to exagerate just a wee bit.   No many people are fishing for them in Jersey either! The Spring bite will start in a few weeks. Lenny

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There have been scattered reports all winter of a few schoolie sized bass being taken form the NJ surf. We’ve been lucky that we’ve had a relatively mild winter and the water temperatures never really got too cold. A friend of mine has also been doing fairly well the schoolie sized bass to 21 inches in the lower Hudson River. Myself I really wont actively start fishing for stripers til the middle of April in the Shrewsbury River,the south side of Raritan Bay and off the tip of Sandy Hook

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aCTUALLY, I HAVE DONE IT IN mASSACHUSETTS AND IT IS EASY, IF THERE IS NOT A LOT OF WIND. I HAVE FRIENDS WHO FISH BLOCK ISLAND IN THE  FALL AND THEY SLAY THEM WITH FLIES FROM MYSTIC BAY FLY COMPANY.  CALL ME IF I CAN BY OF FURTHER ASSISTANCE.                                            NEVILLE CUTTING                                            CUTTING LOOSE FISHING                                           EXPEDITIONS                                            800-533-4746

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Question:

Hi everybody, As promised on our web site, you can now have a look on the report about the Fly Fishing World Championship which occured in Jackson hole in september. http://www.infonie.com/public_html/rccb/index.htm

Response:

Hi everybody, As promised on our web site, you can now have a look on the report about the Fly Fishing World Championship which occured in Jackson hole in september. http://www.infonie.com/public_html/rccb/index.htm

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Question:

I recently inherited a split cane fly rod and would like to identify its source and possible age.  It is a 3 piece, 10′6", with spare top section, has screw type ferrules, cork grip, and wrappings approx. every inch along its length. I always thought it was a salmon rod but the last time I was allowed to use it was about 1950 in England, so my memory is a bit hazy.

It would be unlikely (though not impossible) that it’s primary function was as a salmon rod. Even today salmon in Britain are normally fished for with two-handed rods, from 12 to 15 or more feet long. You may fish for summer fish with a shorter rod but you’ll then be said to be fishing with a trout rod. It might well be one of two things: a sea-trout rod (in other words trout that migrate to sea like steelhead) and are fished for on rivers – that is if the action is quite tight and fast, or, I think more likely,  a boat rod,  for fishing for trout from a boat drifiting along on a lake with the prevailing wind. In this fashion, casts are quite short, and very soft rods were used – very often around this length. I still have one my father inherited in the 1920s from a major Irish fisherman, but I must say that I find it unfishable. I fish with split cane on the English chalkstreams, but anything of ten foot I would find very hard going

Response:

I recently inherited a split cane fly rod and would like to identify its source and possible age.  It is a 3 piece, 10′6", with spare top section, has screw type ferrules, cork grip, and wrappings approx. every inch along its length. I always thought it was a salmon rod but the last time I was allowed to use it was about 1950 in England, so my memory is a bit hazy. The only identifying mark is on the brass butt piece and that has partially worn off.  It has the inscription  " CA??ER and CO.  London  ". I’m not expecting it to be of any value, other than sentimental, but I would like to know its age and origins. Also I intend to fish with it so could somebody give me some idea of the possible line weight used with these rods.   Thanks  Ed — Ed Fenton Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Response:

Ed, I think this rod was made by (or for ?) Carter & Co., London that appears to have been a tackle store (??) that existed from 1853 till 1969. The company changed it’s name from Alfred Carter to Carter & Co. in 1901, so your rod is definitely post 1901. This is all I could find out from my books. regards Inge Solberg Houston, TX – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I recently inherited a split cane fly rod and would like to identify its source and possible age. It is a 3 piece, 10′6", with spare top section, has screw type ferrules, cork grip, and wrappings approx. every inch along its length. I always thought it was a salmon rod but the last time I was allowed to use it was about 1950 in England, so my memory is a bit hazy. The only identifying mark is on the brass butt piece and that has partially worn off.  It has the inscription  " CA??ER and CO.  London  ". I’m not expecting it to be of any value, other than sentimental, but I would like to know its age and origins. Also I intend to fish with it so could somebody give me some idea of the possible line weight used with these rods.   Thanks  Ed — Ed Fenton Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I recently inherited a split cane fly rod and would like to identify its source and possible age.  It is a 3 piece, 10′6", with spare top section, has screw type ferrules, cork grip, and wrappings approx. every inch along its length. I always thought it was a salmon rod but the last time I was allowed to use it was about 1950 in England, so my memory is a bit hazy. The only identifying mark is on the brass butt piece and that has partially worn off.  It has the inscription  " CA??ER and CO.  London  ". I’m not expecting it to be of any value, other than sentimental, but I would like to know its age and origins. Also I intend to fish with it so could somebody give me some idea of the possible line weight used with these rods. Thanks  Ed — Ed Fenton Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Heck, I’m no expert (for sure) but I may be able to point you in the right direction.  It does sound like a salmon rod, probably taking about an 8 to 10 weight line.  The wraps every inch or so were called "intermediate wraps" and were originally used when glues weren’t very good.  However, UK-built rods seem to value tradition and rods with intermediate wraps were available in the 1970’s (I believe from Clifford Constable — or was it J.Sharpe?).  In my web wanderings I found a site that frequently auctions cane rods in the UK (I think it is www.auctions-on-line.com, if that doesn’t work e-mail me and I’ll find it) with descriptions, etc.  Sorry I can’t help with the name of the actual maker — I only know of companies that were on the scene in the 1970’s or later (i.e., Hardy, Constable, Farlow, Sharpe, Partridge, etc.). BTW–If you do find out exactly what it is, please post a follow-up. George (Irish descent, not living in Ireland)

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Question:

. er.premier.net!www.nntp.primenet.com!nntp.primenet.com!howland.erols.net!new

Question:

I’m planning a trip to the Yellowstone area in early September.  Does any one have advice on the best bets that time of year?  Any favorite places that you wouldn’t pass up if driving through the Park? Thanks for any help, Mike Fair

Response:

Mike, …..theres a lot of fishing in and around the park. Call Dan Baillys(sp?) in Livingston or any other Fly Fishing store to get advise with in a week of your trip.The rivers in Montana are still high due to the heavy snows. I own Hawley Mt. guest Ranch 25 miles north of Yellowstone on the Boulder River and we offer lodging and fishing but we have a 4 day min. You can call me 406-932-5791 and I will be happy to tell you about the conditions.                                                                       Bryant BBlewett

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Mike, …..theres a lot of fishing in and around the park. Call Dan Baillys(sp?) in Livingston or any other Fly Fishing store to get advise with in a week of your trip.The rivers in Montana are still high due to the heavy snows. I own Hawley Mt. guest Ranch 25 miles north of Yellowstone on the Boulder River and we offer lodging and fishing but we have a 4 day min. You can call me 406-932-5791 and I will be happy to tell you about the conditions.                                                                      Bryant BBlewett

I was there a couple years ago for a week following Labor Day.  It turned out to be a great time to be in Yellowstone.  Most of the facilities were still open, but there weren’t very many people in the park.  Most of the  people who were there stayed on the busses or in the gift shops.  My wife and I were often by ourselves on the rivers or the hiking trails. I fished the Yellowstone in several spots, the Firehole and several of the creeks which feed into the Yellowstone.  The rivers were full of Cutthroat  I was recently recalling this trip and decided that I will return in September ‘97 to see if it was really as good as I remembered it. One warning, the park facilities only stay open for about two weeks after Labor Day, at which point everything by Old Faithful Lodge starts closing down. Please report back if you go this September. Tim Johnson

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Mike,  Everything should be fishing well at that time with the late runoff and all.  If the weather is warm the madison below Quake lake should be good for hoppers.  Many shops in West can supply flies and info. I hate driving in the park, but the uppper northeast area is a fav. spot.  Soda Butte creek towards Cooke City and even the Clarks Fork past Cooke City. Doug Stephens

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Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – (Montgomery, Noel D.) writes: Hammond) writes… | | I have had no luck with SSS as an insect repellant.  If | it works for you great.  If you haven’t tried it before, | I’d bring muskol or cutters or whatever your favorite | brand containing 95-100% deet. | | I was curious to see how SSS and Muskol compared because I would rather use a non-deet repellant.  So during one trip I did in the middle of Algonquin Park (it was very hot and there were tons of nice, big mosquitoes) I did a test.  I put SSS on the bare skin of one arm and Muskol on the other. They worked equally well for about a half an hour and then the SSS lost its effectiveness.  The Muskol lasted for hours.  I usually bring both and use the Muskol  on my clothes and hat .  The SSS is too labour intensive having to put it on too often to be effective when the bugs are really bad. – Lori (ps sorry to whoever(I think it was Steve Hammond) I accidently e-mailed this  post to … Hit the wrong button!)

Saw something sometime recently (how’s that for a solid start?) that SSS isn’t really a repellent at all.  It’s oily, so it coats the skin and the mosquitoes can’t get to the skin … or because of it’s scent, the mosquitoes can’t smell the blood. It might work at first, but once perspiration dilutes it and/or washes it away, you would be without protection.

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I have had no luck with SSS as an insect repellant.  If it works for you great.  If you haven’t tried it before, I’d bring muskol or cutters or whatever your favorite brand containing 95-100% deet. I go to the army surplus store and buy a little plastic squeeze bottle of army issue incent repellant.  I believe it’s 90% deet. I’ve been using the same bottle for three seasons.  It cost me about $2.  It works. —

I used that stuff when I was in the USAF…dissolved the vinyl steering wheel in my jeep too.  Left neato fingerprints on anything plastic. Anyway, it did work.  I also read an article once that said the most affective concentration of DEET was about 30%.  This was an Army study, so maybe the latest Army-issue stuff only has about 30% DEET in it.  I buy any brand with about that much in it and they seem to work fine.  I like the stinky ones…reminds me of when I was a kid and going camping, kinda like when you smell sun tan lotion and you remember when you were a kid going to the beach.. Brian — Brian Dixon, Machine Vision Engineer, Hewlett Packard (Corvallis, Oregon)

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After 14 mosquito-free years in Southern California, I get to move to Massachusetts for grad school…  Any mosquitoes there?

Well, I don’t believe the mosquitos are that bad, but up north you have an evil creature called the black fly.  Never encountered one, but from what I hear they’re worse than any mosquito bite. Mosquitos are bad, but I’ll walk into a cloud of mosquitos any day over a cloud of no-see-ums!         Mark — <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Mark Crafts                                                   Melbourne FL

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After 14 mosquito-free years in Southern California, I get to move to Massachusetts for grad school…  Any mosquitoes there? Well, I don’t believe the mosquitos are that bad, but up north you have an evil creature called the black fly.  Never encountered one, but from what I hear they’re worse than any mosquito bite. Mosquitos are bad, but I’ll walk into a cloud of mosquitos any day over a cloud of no-see-ums!

A few years back, I went Pike fishing in the Adirondacks.  When I went back to the house, there were about 20 one inch trails of dry blood on my face. I was told that "black flies" were the culprits.  Are these the same critters that we’re talking about here?        Mark — <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Mark Crafts                                                   Melbourne FL

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Saw something sometime recently (how’s that for a solid start?) that SSS isn’t really a repellent at all.  It’s oily, so it coats the skin and the mosquitoes can’t get to the skin … or because of it’s scent, the mosquitoes can’t smell the blood. Just so you win future trivial pursuit games, I think the current consensus is that mosquitos home in on the CO .                                             2

I think they follow CO2 trails, but home in on heat for the kill. How else can you explain the mosquito bite on my ankle? After 14 mosquito-free years in Southern California, I get to move to Massachusetts for grad school…  Any mosquitoes there?

Response:

I have had no luck with SSS as an insect repellant.  If it works for you great.  If you haven’t tried it before, I’d bring muskol or cutters or whatever your favorite brand containing 95-100% deet.

I go to the army surplus store and buy a little plastic squeeze bottle of army issue incent repellant.  I believe it’s 90% deet. I’ve been using the same bottle for three seasons.  It cost me about $2.  It works. — John Fereira Viacom Cable Pleasanton, CA

Response:

Saw something sometime recently (how’s that for a solid start?) that SSS isn’t really a repellent at all.  It’s oily, so it coats the skin and the mosquitoes can’t get to the skin … or because of it’s scent, the mosquitoes can’t smell the blood.

Just so you win future trivial pursuit games, I think the current consensus is that mosquitos home in on the CO .                                              2         Mark — <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Mark Crafts                                                   Melbourne FL

Response:

| Saw something sometime recently (how’s that for a solid start?) that SSS | isn’t really a repellent at all.  It’s oily, so it coats the skin and the | mosquitoes can’t get to the skin … or because of it’s scent, the mosquitoes | can’t smell the blood. | | It might work at first, but once perspiration dilutes it and/or washes it away, | you would be without protection. | Actually, I put very little on so that is absorbs into the skin and your skin isn’t oily at all.  I thought I heard that it had citronella  (the stuff they make bug candles with) in it but I’m not sure.

Response:

I have had no luck with SSS as an insect repellant.  If it works for you great.  If you haven’t tried it before, I’d bring muskol or cutters or whatever your favorite brand containing 95-100% deet.   Steve —  Scientific Computing Division            /* /  _][     National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO     ____

Response:

I have had no luck with SSS as an insect repellant.  If it works for you great.  If you haven't tried it before, I'd bring muskol or cutters or whatever your favorite brand containing 95-100% deet.

Yes, my ex-neighbor the entomologist (bug-man) said that SSS does nothing for mosquitos.  DEET is the way to go.  He did say that it works for very small biting insects like black flies because it drowns them.  Steve -- Scientific Computing Division            /* /  _][     National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO     ____

Noel Montgomery

Response:

| | I have had no luck with SSS as an insect repellant.  If | it works for you great.  If you haven’t tried it before, | I’d bring muskol or cutters or whatever your favorite | brand containing 95-100% deet. | | I was curious to see how SSS and Muskol compared because I would rather use a non-deet repellant.  So during one trip I did in the middle of Algonquin Park (it was very hot and there were tons of nice, big mosquitoes) I did a test.  I put SSS on the bare skin of one arm and Muskol on the other. They worked equally well for about a half an hour and then the SSS lost its effectiveness.  The Muskol lasted for hours.  I usually bring both and use the Muskol  on my clothes and hat .  The SSS is too labour intensive having to put it on too often to be effective when the bugs are really bad. – Lori (ps sorry to whoever(I think it was Steve Hammond) I accidently e-mailed this   post to … Hit the wrong button!)

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