Question:

Willi writes: Didn’t know fly fishing required discipline. I’m not a very disciplined person.

Nor am I.  <g  By "three disciplines" I mean dries, nymphs, and streamers ( I consider an emerger to by a dry and a wet to be fished like a streamer or nymph). Dave, You don’t live in Maine do you? Just found a piece of heaven there?

No, I live in the People’s Republic of Massachusetts.  I have found *several* heavens in Maine and it is the main reason (no pun intended) that I bought the RV. Dave

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1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My guess is that there will be some regional differences and differences depending on the species. My answers: I fish mainly in Colorado for trout. 1. Fall  2. Late prerunoff

In my corner of New England it would be: 1. June 2a. (quantity of fish) June 2b (size of fish) October George Adams "From the rockin’ of the cradle to the rollin’ of the hearse, the goin’ up was worth the comin’ down." ___Kris Kristofferson "The Pilgrim/Chapter 33"

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Forgot to add, Willi: We have *big* brookies in Maine.  The largest caught on the Rapid was 27 3/4 inches (on a #12 Goddard).  If you know where they are and what they want, 3 – 5 pounders can be common (remember the iddybiddies that Bruce H. tied at the SJ Clave?? <g)   Also, there are some landlocks that are just plain hawgs.  I took one on the Kennebec this past October that was only 22 inches long, but it had to be around 5 pounds — it was thick around the waist, not unlike me.  <g Dave

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…well, not to be a contrarian little big man, but i’ve yet to discover an unfavorite time of year for fishing the backwoods nc streams…still, to the point, imo and limited experience, the best catching is in april-may and in my birth/re-birth month of october… jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My guess is that there will be some regional differences and differences depending on the species. My answers: I fish mainly in Colorado for trout. 1. Fall  2. Late prerunoff Willi

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Forgot to add, Willi: We have *big* brookies in Maine.  The largest caught on the Rapid was 27 3/4 inches (on a #12 Goddard).  If you know where they are and what they want, 3 – 5 pounders can be common (remember the iddybiddies that Bruce H. tied at the SJ Clave?? <g)   Also, there are some landlocks that are just plain hawgs.  I took one on the Kennebec this past October that was only 22 inches long, but it had to be around 5 pounds — it was thick around the waist, not unlike me. <g Dave

For those that have not been to the Rapid River, don’t bother! I was there, courtesy of the nefarious Pirate of ROFF, earlier this year. The accomadations are paltry; the scenery pedestrian; the fishing, just so-so, and the company, well, let’s not go there… Suffice to say, the fewer people ripped off by spending their time and money on this place, the better for me and Dave…err… I mean… well…err.., the better for them all!!! <GBOSEG Danl See you there next year, Dave….

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Willi In Maine on the Rapid, it would be late May to late June.  The first main hatch has come off when the water temp hits 53 degrees.  It is usually only in the mid 60s by the end of June.  However, if it get above 70, fishing is iffy. Fall fishing would be September on the Rapid, and October on the Kennebec.  All three disciplines can be used successfully. Dave

Same as Dave – late May – early June and September for trout – June for pike – mid-summer for smallies and panfish – fall for chinook, late fall and early spring for steelhead but mid-winter as well when temps permit – mid summer for largemouth – mid summer for carp – like I said, if the water isn’t hard . . . Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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William Loehman wrote… 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing?

1st choice, Late Aug. thru Sept. out west (Rockies) during hopper time. 2nd choice, Anytime out west. 3rd choice, anytime anywhere. 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing?

Anytime except during a really long hot spell in the midwest.   Joel Axelrad **DFD**

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My favorite time in this part of the Rockies is the fall…usually mid-late September and into October.

<snipped a bunch Tim,  where do you live again?  Colorado? — Warren www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt

Response:

My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My guess is that there will be some regional differences and differences depending on the species. My answers: I fish mainly in Colorado for trout. 1. Fall  2. Late prerunoff

Where I live (central Idaho, in the Sawtooth Mountains) the fishing season begins in March and April for steelhead. Very unethical, but lots of fun nevertheless. Fishing is closed in May on the running water, but you can catch some nice bull trout at the inlets of lakes. June is runoff season. The specific time and duration varies wildly, depending on the snowpack and the weather. In late June and early July you can get very good cutthroat fishing, with suitably sparse salmonfly hatches. The cutthroat are moving into the headwaters to spawn. I suppose that fishing for them is unethical, as well, but so be it. This continues into August, depending on the weather. As the summer progresses the fishing becomes more problematical. The past two years have been low water, high temperature drought years. Finding the fish can be hard. They tend to be found downstream of cold-running springs and tributaries. Starting in late summer the chinook start running. We haven’t had a chinook season in Stanley for a few years, but there were a lot of them this year. The word is that we’ll have a season this year, so I’ll probably try it. Frankly, I prefer trout. Very late summer and fall is the season for the high lakes. It’s a butt-buster to get there, but often enough it’s worth it. After about the middle of October I have to travel somewhere else to fish.

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during years when there is lots of water, i like late august on a certain stream i know when the isonychias start coming off and every big trout in the stream waits for the bugs in shallow water…wahoo!!!…mostly may/june is best here under normal conditions…i love september for trips to the mountain west…the colours are best, the crisp temperatures suit my temperment and the trout are plenty active…. Eugene somewhere in ontario

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My guess is that there will be some regional differences and differences depending on the species. My answers: I fish mainly in Colorado for trout. 1. Fall  2. Late prerunoff Where I live (central Idaho, in the Sawtooth Mountains) the fishing season begins in March and April for steelhead. Very unethical, but lots of fun nevertheless. Fishing is closed in May on the running water, but you can catch some nice bull trout at the inlets of lakes. June is runoff season. The specific time and duration varies wildly, depending on the snowpack and the weather. In late June and early July you can get very good cutthroat fishing, with suitably sparse salmonfly hatches. The cutthroat are moving into the headwaters to spawn. I suppose that fishing for them is unethical, as well, but so be it. This continues into August, depending on the weather. As the summer progresses the fishing becomes more problematical. The past two years have been low water, high temperature drought years. Finding the fish can be hard. They tend to be found downstream of cold-running springs and tributaries. Starting in late summer the chinook start running. We haven’t had a chinook season in Stanley for a few years, but there were a lot of them this year. The word is that we’ll have a season this year, so I’ll probably try it. Frankly, I prefer trout. Very late summer and fall is the season for the high lakes. It’s a butt-buster to get there, but often enough it’s worth it. After about the middle of October I have to travel somewhere else to fish.

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during years when there is lots of water, i like late august on a certain stream i know when the isonychias start coming off

I’m bad on Latin, is there a common name for the fly? Is the hatch restricted to that given stream? and every big trout in the stream waits for the bugs in shallow water…wahoo!!!..

Nothing more fun than a hatch that moves the big fish into shallow feeding stations. Willi

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… for fishing the backwoods nc streams…best catching is in april-may

Been there.  Done it.  Concur. and in my birth/re-birth month of october…

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. jeff

Late November through early March, I prefer NZ or Chile. Wolfgang

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1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing?

Here in Tennessee, I prefer now through the dead of winter.  I think that time provides me as good fishing as any other time…mostly because I suck so bad at it, so I don’t see a difference!  Seriously, I’d take now through February over any other time here. Bruce Thomsen

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1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My answer for both 1 & 2 (for trout & summer steelhead in Oregon, Washington & Idaho) is September and October.  I often wish that the conditions of early October lasted 6 mos.

Bob, I wish you’d quit telling people this.  I know we like to kid that there’s no good fishing here, but if you actively disseminate this sort of misinformation, it could cause real harm.  Some poor Floridian or Californian might spend all his hard-earned vacation money to come here when you "recommend" and miss the really good fishing in, oh, say, February. JR (who is speaking ONLY about Oregon and understands the Sept/Oct fishing in WA and ID really IS fantastic) http://www.visitid.org/   Idaho Tourism ("Great Potatoes, Tasty Destinations") http://www.tourism.wa.gov/ Washington Tourism ("A Little Trip to the Extraordinary")

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My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing?

Well now, that is an excellent question.  Willi?  I cannot name just one time of year, because it depends so much on what major fly fishing celebrity I’m fishing with and upon which continent I am on.  Also, weather fishing bamboo or not effects the answer. One of my fondest memories is flying Lee Wolf down to Argentina in my MIG-27.  We went in October because the autumn time is so beautiful in Argentina in the fall.  It was one of HIS last seasons and he asked me to do him this little favor and of course I obliged, my good friend. My fly had become tattered from catching so many large browns (they have teeth like crocodiles down there) that I killed and field dressed a cockaburra with my Swiss army knife, given to me by my deer friend George Harvey Oswald.  I cut urine-stained fur from this female, and this natural fiber orangey-gray shade is the ONLY color and material that the fall-spawning large browns down there will hit on.  I redressed my fly. Most people don’t realize you can do this, but I have done things you can only dream about.  And you know?  On the very first cast I landed a huge hen on 11x tippet.  (Several months ago, with the decreasing diameter tippet they were making now, I predicted they would come up with this, and they did.  It is too difficult to work with for most fishermen though, we don’t recommend it for normal fishing.) Lee looked at me holding that fat trophy and he said to me "George" he said, "I think that is one of the largest, most beautiful native browns I’ve ever seen, if not a record."  As I returned the 36 lb. monster safely to her home, I noticed a look of contentment and serenity on Lee’s face that I had never noticed before.  I now knew he would die a happy man, and this journey had been worthwhile.  It must be said, fall, is my favorite time.  That is all the time I have to answer your question at this time.  Good question Willi.  We enjoyed the diversion.

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My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing.

Good for a laugh. Missing George already are ya? Willi

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My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing?

I like spring, because everything is headed in the "right direction".  Water is cold but getting warmer, days are getting longer, hatches are getting more heavy.  The whole world is waxing rather than waning.

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<awesome gibberish snipped aruhdean, izzat you?  Just don’t go so far into GG’s head that you can’t find your way out.  Leave a trail of bread crumbs, or something. Kevin maybe a trail of gink…

Response:

Fall fishing would be September on the Rapid, and October on the Kennebec.  All three disciplines can be used successfully.

Didn’t know fly fishing required discipline. I’m not a very disciplined person. Dave, You don’t live in Maine do you? Just found a piece of heaven there? Willi

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My favorite time in this part of the Rockies is the fall…usually mid-late September and into October. The weather is cooler, and the fish are pretty hungry before the winter. There are bwo hatches. With the water low and clear, it can be pretty technical and challenging. But, we catch fish on dries even as late as mid-October. As far as the best fishing…..usually I find it is best when the water clears just after runoff, about early July. Less technical due to the higher and faster water, but the water is still pretty cool so the fish are active. But, to be honest, we can allways seem to find times and places when the fishing will be good. Tim Lysyk – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My guess is that there will be some regional differences and differences depending on the species. My answers: I fish mainly in Colorado for trout. 1. Fall  2. Late prerunoff Willi

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My guess is that there will be some regional differences and differences depending on the species. My answers: I fish mainly in Colorado for trout. 1. Fall  2. Late prerunoff Willi

In the GWN, anytime the water isn’t hard. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Willi writes: My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My guess is that there will be some regional differences and differences depending on the species. My answers: I fish mainly in Colorado for trout. 1. Fall  2. Late prerunoff Willi

In Maine on the Rapid, it would be late May to late June.  The first main hatch has come off when the water temp hits 53 degrees.  It is usually only in the mid 60s by the end of June.  However, if it get above 70, fishing is iffy. Fall fishing would be September on the Rapid, and October on the Kennebec.  All three disciplines can be used successfully. Dave

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My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing?

1. Definitely fall (okay, indian summer) 2. For me personally? I do pretty good in pre-runoff also, usually the March Brown and/or Skwala hatch as well as streamer fishing before the melt hits. I do think that early July has some of the best fishing of the year around here (only around 3000 to 4000′ MSL). Usually, PMD’s, Green Drakes and plenty of caddis as well as reasonable thunderstorms to provide some cloud cover so it’s not just constant bright sun (man, I hate that). — Brian D. Nelson Diamond N Outfitters, Missoula, Montana www.diamondnoutfitters.com

Response:

My thread on September weather has caused a debate about Fall fishing. Here’s a question for everyone. 1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing? My guess is that there will be some regional differences and differences depending on the species. My answers: I fish mainly in Colorado for trout. 1. Fall  2. Late prerunoff Willi

Response:

1. What time of year is your favorite for fishing? 2. What time of the year provides the best fishing?

My answer for both 1 & 2 (for trout & summer steelhead in Oregon, Washington & Idaho) is September and October.  I often wish that the conditions of early October lasted 6 mos. Bob Weinberger

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Question:

Can anyone suggest a good web site for info/maps/reviews on fly fishing within a short drive of the Northern VA area? Thanks. Phil Got questions?  Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

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Can anyone suggest a good web site for info/maps/reviews on fly fishing within a short drive of the Northern VA area? Thanks. Phil

www.murraysflyshop.com — Wayne To fish is human….To release Divine! Before you buy.

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Phil asks: Can anyone suggest a good web site for info/maps/reviews on fly

fishing within a short drive of the Northern VA area?< http://www.murraysflyshop.com/

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You should get a copy of the January issue of Virginia Wildlife, which contains a comprehensive list (and maps) of wild and stocked trout streams throughout Virginia.  Much of this information, including stocking schedules, is also available at:  http://www.dgif.state.va.us Accotink creek, near Springfield/Burke (accessible from Wakefield Park off Braddock Road–very close to the Braddock Rd S/W exit from 495) is a delayed harvest stream in the Northern Virginia area, but aside from a large pool near the south end of the park, there isn’t much action here, and the water is usually pretty low (though I’ve rarely fished this and would defer to other peoples’ experiences). Your best bet is to head west, towards Shenandoah National Park.  From the beltway, you can be in the Rose or the Hughes in a little over an hour, though this time of year the stocked sections of the stream are pretty well fished out and you’ll have to hike up into the park for the natives.  You may also want to descend from Skyline drive on the top–the Hughes river near Corbin Cabin can be a particularly fine spot.  But be warned–fishing in Virginia during the summer months can be rough going.  That’s not to say that you won’t enjoy some beautiful wilderness, and may wade miles of stream without seeing another fisherman (even on a weekend), but the water is often quite low in the summer, and although you’ll find large groups of native locked into pools at various points, you have to be at the top of your game to hook one in July or August. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can anyone suggest a good web site for info/maps/reviews on fly fishing within a short drive of the Northern VA area? Thanks. Phil Got questions?  Get answers over the phone at Keen.com. Up to 100 minutes free! http://www.keen.com

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 but the water is often quite low in the summer, and although you’ll find large groups of native locked into pools at various points, you have to be at the top of your game to hook one in July or August.

Be careful fishing pools like that during low water, you can kill a lot of fish that took years to grow. Better slide on down to the South Fork (of the Shenandoah) and fish for smallmouth. Lotsa smallies and they bite good. The commute is not any longer, so it is worth a try. Just my two cents worth. John still in the Shenandoah Valley

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Question:

I’ll cook up some wild rice the night before along with a chiffonnade of whatever root vegetables October brings to market in that part of North Carolina and we’ll have a proper feast. A dry reisling would be good but I’m not slavish to the notion of white’s with fish. My latest "find", and all my "finds" are under $15, is the 1996 Syrah from Lonetree winery. Highly recommended and perfect for a crisp fall lunch of fresh trout in the Smokies. http://www.lonetreewine.com/ http://winetoday.com/reviews/0002241.html — Ken Fortenberry

Uhh, Ken how come you only brought Bud when PJ and I accompanied the two of you?  Four’s a crowd?    The next hike up Snowbird better include all the fixin’s.  :) Peter

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peter…you mean you didn’t get any of the coq-au-vin ken whipped up trailside on snowbird?  he assured me he was going to save some for you and pj…the white wine wasn’t that good, so you didn’t miss much there. jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ll cook up some wild rice the night before along with a chiffonnade of whatever root vegetables October brings to market in that part of North Carolina and we’ll have a proper feast. A dry reisling would be good but I’m not slavish to the notion of white’s with fish. My latest "find", and all my "finds" are under $15, is the 1996 Syrah from Lonetree winery. Highly recommended and perfect for a crisp fall lunch of fresh trout in the Smokies. http://www.lonetreewine.com/ http://winetoday.com/reviews/0002241.html — Ken Fortenberry Uhh, Ken how come you only brought Bud when PJ and I accompanied the two of you?  Four’s a crowd?    The next hike up Snowbird better include all the fixin’s.  :) Peter

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Uhh, Ken how come you only brought Bud when PJ and I accompanied the two of you?  

As you recall, I was trying to "be like Mike" and had the grandmother of all hangovers that day. Bud, and as it happens Wild Turkey and screaming suicidal death rides, are therapeutic in such cases, food definitely is not. — Ken Fortenberry

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Max, Would a fly fishing rod that I can collapse (to fit in or tie to a backpack) just be a waste of time, or would I not notice much difference while casting?

Collapsable rods are a joke for fly fishing.  If you _must_ have compactness, get a 3 or 4 piece fly rod.  But, before you spend the bucks for that, try a trip with your regular 2-pc rod. My backpack has "ski-sleeves" behind the side pockets and I’ve found that I can easily carry an 8 or 9 foot, 2-pc rod with no inconvenience. Has anyone every used these?  Would it be a good backpacking/fly fishing tactic to use a set of these with a set of thin hip waders?

Try a pair of neoprene socks over flyweight waders — and a pair of Tevas.   Any other tips for integrating backpacking and fly fishing into the same outing?

Butter Salt Pepper Lemon juice Aluminum foil My first fly fishing experience was on a backpacking trip to some high Sierra lakes.  Having absolutely no confidence in my ability to catch fish, we packed in a full supply of food. Three days later, we packed out our full supply of food — except for the butter, salt, pepper, lemon juice and aluminum foil.  We’d lucked onto a lake full of brookies on the brink of overpopulation. Absolutely gorged on them. If you expect there’ll still be a fair amount of snow around, add some zip-lock bags, chopped onion & bell peppers and lime juice.  Dice your fish. Mix it with the onion & peppers. Put the mixture in a zip-lock and add plenty of lime juice.  Bury it in a snow bank for several hours.  The French call this raw fish preparation ceviche.  Mmmmm, mmmmm! Wes Peterson

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 The French call this raw fish preparation ceviche.  

What a coincidence ! That’s EXACTLY what the Mexicans call it. — Ken Fortenberry

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 The French call this raw fish preparation ceviche. What a coincidence ! That’s EXACTLY what the Mexicans call it. — Ken Fortenberry

Ken, When I was in Venezuela, the told me it was Peruvian, when I was in Peru, they told me it was Venezuelan. Who knows? Tom — Tom Brown The Signal Group Wake Forest, NC I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.             Robert Frost (1874-1963)

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I backpack a lot, and I have recently become addicted to fly fishing.  I would love to integrate the two activities in the same outing.  I have seen the rods that you can collapse.  I have used these types of rods with spinner fishing.  I know that the rod is more important in fly fishing than spinner fishing. Would a fly fishing rod that I can collapse (to fit in or tie to a backpack) just be a waste of time, or would I not notice much difference while casting?

Sage makes some great 5-piece rods, but they’re very expensive. I have a 5-piece 5-weight SP and I love it. Typical of Sage rods, it’s very stiff, but I really couldn’t tell any difference between a 5-piece and a 4-piece. They come with a extra tip, a beautiful, light-weight, 25-inch-long, aluminum rod case, and a lifetime guarantee. One nice thing about these rods is that you can fit them in your carry-on luggage. Sometimes, though, I just take my 2-piece 9-foot Walton Powell and use the PVC rod case as a walking stick! As for wading, if I don’t plan to wade wet I pack my Patagonia breathable waders and lightweight boots. Together, they weigh maybe 3 pounds. Another good investment, if you plan to fish backcountry lakes, would be a lightweight float tube. Bill Kiene recommended the Wood River line to me, and I really like the one I bought — the Summer Breeze model. With a float tube you’re talking about some significant weight, but it’s reasonable for short, easy trips. — something bogus to avoid spam)

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 With Ghee and a light dusting of the flour you can cook up trout meuniere. Hope this helps. — Ken Fortenberry

…ok, ken…fallball…let’s hike the road to nowhere above Noland…you bring the gourmet cookin stuff and i’ll bring…the wine…uh, i’ll also try to catch some trout…looking forward to a streamside meal from chef fortenberry. jeff (in watauga county preparin for an afternoon trout stalkin)

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0] : I backpack a lot, and I have recently become addicted to fly fishing.  I : would love to integrate the two activities in the same outing.  I have seen : the rods that you can collapse.  I have used these types of rods with : spinner fishing.  I know that the rod is more important in fly fishing than : spinner fishing. : Would a fly fishing rod that I can collapse (to fit in or tie to a backpack) : just be a waste of time, or would I not notice much difference while : casting? : I have seen plastic stockings that are designed to fit over a shoe or boot, : and keep the shoes and feet dry.  These were really lightweight, but I’m not : sure if they work. : Has anyone every used these?  Would it be a good backpacking/fly fishing : tactic to use a set of these with a set of thin hip waders? : Any other tips for integrating backpacking and fly fishing into the same : outing? : thanks : Max A lot of rods, perhaps most, from most manufacturers come in 2, 3, and 4 piece versions so you should be able to find a satisfactory rod in your price range. Collapsible rods are junk. The solution I like for wading in the back country is thin hippers with dive booties pulled over them, preferably the kind of booties that dont have zippers. A fanny pack makes a pretty good substitute for a vest. Mike — Michael McGuire                     Hewlett Packard Laboratories  (remove x’s from email if not      Palo Alto, CA 94303-0971   a spammer) Phone: (650)-857-5491              

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you bring the gourmet cookin stuff and i’ll bring…the wine…uh, i’ll also try to catch some trout…

Four miles up Noland from the "road to nowhere" at the confluence of Mill Creek is the abandoned town of Solola Valley. The park service has put in an outhouse, some picnic tables and a hitchin’ rack for those that use horses. We can hike up to Solola Valley, fish the rest of the morning then repair to one of the picnic tables for a streamside lunch. I’ll cook up some wild rice the night before along with a chiffonnade of whatever root vegetables October brings to market in that part of North Carolina and we’ll have a proper feast. A dry reisling would be good but I’m not slavish to the notion of white’s with fish. My latest "find", and all my "finds" are under $15, is the 1996 Syrah from Lonetree winery. Highly recommended and perfect for a crisp fall lunch of fresh trout in the Smokies. http://www.lonetreewine.com/ http://winetoday.com/reviews/0002241.html — Ken Fortenberry

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I’ll cook up some wild rice the night before along with a chiffonnade of whatever root vegetables October brings to market in that part of North Carolina and we’ll have a proper feast. A dry reisling would be good but I’m not slavish to the notion of white’s with fish. My latest "find", and all my "finds" are under $15, is the 1996 Syrah from Lonetree winery. Highly recommended and perfect for a crisp fall lunch of fresh trout in the Smokies.

        goddammit, forty, if you were a chick, i’d leave home for you. wayno – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -http://www.lonetreewine.com/ http://winetoday.com/reviews/0002241.html — Ken Fortenberry

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alright!!!  …reserve a place at the picnic table for me. everyone other than the chef ought to carry at least one bottle of wine for a proper solola valley wine tasting and trout cook…but, if the smokies scotch tasting was a forecast (or backcast) of events, we might need a horse or two to get out of the valley… jeff   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – you bring the gourmet cookin stuff and i’ll bring…the wine…uh, i’ll also try to catch some trout… Four miles up Noland from the "road to nowhere" at the confluence of Mill Creek is the abandoned town of Solola Valley. The park service has put in an outhouse, some picnic tables and a hitchin’ rack for those that use horses. We can hike up to Solola Valley, fish the rest of the morning then repair to one of the picnic tables for a streamside lunch. I’ll cook up some wild rice the night before along with a chiffonnade of whatever root vegetables October brings to market in that part of North Carolina and we’ll have a proper feast. A dry reisling would be good but I’m not slavish to the notion of white’s with fish. My latest "find", and all my "finds" are under $15, is the 1996 Syrah from Lonetree winery. Highly recommended and perfect for a crisp fall lunch of fresh trout in the Smokies. http://www.lonetreewine.com/ http://winetoday.com/reviews/0002241.html — Ken Fortenberry

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I backpack a lot, and I have recently become addicted to fly fishing. … Any other tips for integrating backpacking and fly fishing into the same outing? Multi piece rods are the way to go. Collapsibles are junk. Get a good 3 or 4 piece rod appropriate for the streams you’ll fish. I’ve heard recommendations here for St. Croix & Cabela’s in the moderate price range, I’m partial to a 3 piece Winston. Leave the vest at home and consolidate flies, leader(s), tippet spool(s), nail clipper, hook hone and thermometer into two pocket size containers. Get a fishing shirt in a neutral color that has two big front pockets with button down flaps big enough to accomodate the two containers mentioned above. For wading I use Teva sandals with a neoprene sock over a silk liner sock and "miracle pants", those nylon hiking/outdoor pants that dry almost instantly. Go to the Indian food store and get a jar of Ghee. It’s clarified butter at a fraction of the price of the backpacker variety. Put some in a small unbreakable container and put that and a bit of flour in with your cook kit. With Ghee and a light dusting of the flour you can cook up trout meuniere.

Agree entirely with the additional suggestions of using a fanny pack.  Not the expensive "fly-fishing" fanny packs that Sage/Simms/et al sell, just some generic one.  And that it’s easy enough to make your own Ghee.  The stuff never spoils so you never have to worry about refrigeration or the heat.  Add a couple spices to your flour ahead of time and you’re good to go. Speaking of which…      - Ken — "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the  initiative in creating the Internet."  - Al Gore

Response:

[snip] I’ve heard recommendations here for St. Croix & Cabela’s in the moderate price range, I’m partial to a 3 piece Winston.

Forty, your predilection for lousy beer is well countered by your taste for fine rods. /daytripper ;^)

Response:

‘grats guys…jeez wine in the apps…. guess ya’ll be geetin sohhffttt… me? ‘morrow…hungover…fishin’ the most beautifil water in the world with pals (wish you were heh) and enjoying this fine art to the fullest… waldo… on the sun spine of g’fatha alright!!!  …reserve a place at the picnic table for me. everyone other than the chef ought to carry at least one bottle of wine for a proper solola valley wine tasting and trout cook…but, if the smokies scotch tasting was a forecast (or backcast) of events, we might need a horse or two to get out of the valley… I don’t have a horse but I expect I could waddle my fat butt up there and *maybe* back<g. Sounds like a great picnic plan. — Charlie…

– Ezflyfish.com                 Blue Ridge Book Gallery Quality Gear & Service        Used & Out-of-Print Books http://www.ezflyfish.com      http://www.abebooks.com/home/BLUEBOOKS P.O. Box 5112  Banner Elk, NC 28604 (828)963-5001

Response:

walt…hah, no doubt marie must be off the mountain visiting somewhere…it’s past one in the morning, yer well-oiled, acting independent and "manlike",and bangin away on the computer. damn, i’m envious. …if you come along in october, you can use the most excellent wine we’ll be bringin as a chaser for yer wine alternatives – you know, that stuff bottled down in the hollars in mason ("Masson"??) jars, dripped fresh from the coils – actually, you and i probably could use a dip in the "couth" tank from time to time <G. jeff (i’ll not whine before it’s time) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ‘grats guys…jeez wine in the apps…. guess ya’ll be geetin sohhffttt… me? ‘morrow…hungover…fishin’ the most beautifil water in the world with pals (wish you were heh) and enjoying this fine art to the fullest… waldo… on the sun spine of g’fatha alright!!!  …reserve a place at the picnic table for me. everyone other than the chef ought to carry at least one bottle of wine for a proper solola valley wine tasting and trout cook…but, if the smokies scotch tasting was a forecast (or backcast) of events, we might need a horse or two to get out of the valley… I don’t have a horse but I expect I could waddle my fat butt up there and *maybe* back<g. Sounds like a great picnic plan. — Charlie… — Ezflyfish.com                 Blue Ridge Book Gallery Quality Gear & Service        Used & Out-of-Print Books http://www.ezflyfish.com      http://www.abebooks.com/home/BLUEBOOKS P.O. Box 5112  Banner Elk, NC 28604 (828)963-5001

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        goddammit, forty, if you were a chick, i’d leave home for you. wayno

ROTFLMAO, Wayno Mark Faulkner

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Would a fly fishing rod that I can collapse (to fit in or tie to a backpack) just be a waste of time, or would I not notice much difference while casting?

There are a LOT of multi-piece flyrods that pack down to very managable sizes.  I’ve got a 5pc. Scott rod that can fit INSIDE my daypack and it cost about $200 on clearance.  You don’t need the most expensive rod, just a good tool for the task. Alpine trout do tend to be greedier and so the massive fly selection is not necessary.  Adames, Humpies, mosquitos, Coachmens, Terrestrials (especially ants) keep me in fish all day.  A few nymphs never hurt. I have seen plastic stockings that are designed to fit over a shoe or boot, and keep the shoes and feet dry.  These were really lightweight, but I’m not sure if they work. Has anyone every used these?  Would it be a good backpacking/fly fishing tactic to use a set of these with a set of thin hip waders?

Thin waders, then the bootie, then your Tevas or ratty converse tennies.  If like in the Eastern Sierra, you’re fishing small streams to spooky trout, I spend most of the time on my knees anyway. Any other tips for integrating backpacking and fly fishing into the same outing?

It’s not really that much more stuff to bring.  I started lugging less camera gear and my load lightened immensely. Good Luck Bob

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It’s not really that much more stuff to bring.  I started lugging less camera gear and my load lightened immensely.

Amen about the camera gear. Now I just take disposable cameras. One panoramic and one a normal field-of-view camera. If I’m rafting or doing risky wading I’ll take a waterproof disposable. Actually, you can soak a non-waterproof disposable and the exposed shots will develop fine, as long as the film is dried out before processing. Forget about the rest of the roll, though. The quality of the photos is fine, especially if you’re just going to scan them into a relatively low-resolution digital format. — something bogus to avoid spam)

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For wading I use Teva sandals with a neoprene sock over a silk liner sock and "miracle pants", those nylon hiking/outdoor pants that dry almost instantly.

That’s almost exactly what I do.. although the cold Sierra lakes that I backpack to make it tough to stay in too long.. Go to the Indian food store and get a jar of Ghee. It’s clarified butter at a fraction of the price of the backpacker variety.

That’s EXACTLY what I do.. but, of course, I also pack in a couple of lemons and my own seasoning too.  Worth the weight.. — -Mark/Particle Salad Particle Salad/Noom Room Studio http://home.earthlink.net/~psalad

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Backpacking is the ONLY way to fly!  :) I have a 4-piece rod that I take apart and simply tie to one of the side metal frame pieces of my external frame pack.  I’ve never had trouble, but I wouldn’t take my best rod.. I have a Fenwick spin/fly rod that I take on trips like these so I can reach farther out in the lake (I haven’t packed a float tube yet, though have been considering it lately). My advice.. do it, you won’t regret it! -Mark – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I backpack a lot, and I have recently become addicted to fly fishing.  I would love to integrate the two activities in the same outing.  I have seen the rods that you can collapse.  I have used these types of rods with spinner fishing.  I know that the rod is more important in fly fishing than spinner fishing. Would a fly fishing rod that I can collapse (to fit in or tie to a backpack) just be a waste of time, or would I not notice much difference while casting? I have seen plastic stockings that are designed to fit over a shoe or boot, and keep the shoes and feet dry.  These were really lightweight, but I’m not sure if they work. Has anyone every used these?  Would it be a good backpacking/fly fishing tactic to use a set of these with a set of thin hip waders? Any other tips for integrating backpacking and fly fishing into the same outing? thanks Max

– -Mark/Particle Salad Particle Salad/Noom Room Studio http://home.earthlink.net/~psalad

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<snip Hi Max; Multiple piece rods are fairly popular for backpacking but I’ve always found them somewhat unsatisfactory.  The more pieces you have, the more likely it is that the thing will come apart while casting.  Multiple joints also affect the action of the rod.  I have often carried a standard two piece rod while backpacking and had very little trouble with it.  A 4 1/2 ft. rod case will sometimes catch on low branches or other obstructions but in my experience it has not happened often enough to be considered a major problem. On short trips where weight was not a major consideration I have carried light weight waders and boots.  While this is a very comfortable way to fish I don’t consider the comfort worth the extra weight or space on longer or more arduous trips.  In such cases I bring a pair of Rock Socks or other light weight footwear and wade wet, but I wade wet a lot anyway.  I have found that I’m comfortable in colder water than most of the people I have fished with, so you’ll have to judge for yourself how viable this option is for you. Tight Lines!

Response:

I backpack a lot, and I have recently become addicted to fly fishing. … Any other tips for integrating backpacking and fly fishing into the same outing?

Multi piece rods are the way to go. Collapsibles are junk. Get a good 3 or 4 piece rod appropriate for the streams you’ll fish. I’ve heard recommendations here for St. Croix & Cabela’s in the moderate price range, I’m partial to a 3 piece Winston. Leave the vest at home and consolidate flies, leader(s), tippet spool(s), nail clipper, hook hone and thermometer into two pocket size containers. Get a fishing shirt in a neutral color that has two big front pockets with button down flaps big enough to accomodate the two containers mentioned above. For wading I use Teva sandals with a neoprene sock over a silk liner sock and "miracle pants", those nylon hiking/outdoor pants that dry almost instantly. Go to the Indian food store and get a jar of Ghee. It’s clarified butter at a fraction of the price of the backpacker variety. Put some in a small unbreakable container and put that and a bit of flour in with your cook kit. With Ghee and a light dusting of the flour you can cook up trout meuniere. Hope this helps. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

I backpack a lot, and I have recently become addicted to fly fishing.  I would love to integrate the two activities in the same outing.  I have seen the rods that you can collapse.  I have used these types of rods with spinner fishing.  I know that the rod is more important in fly fishing than spinner fishing. Would a fly fishing rod that I can collapse (to fit in or tie to a backpack) just be a waste of time, or would I not notice much difference while casting? I have seen plastic stockings that are designed to fit over a shoe or boot, and keep the shoes and feet dry.  These were really lightweight, but I’m not sure if they work. Has anyone every used these?  Would it be a good backpacking/fly fishing tactic to use a set of these with a set of thin hip waders? Any other tips for integrating backpacking and fly fishing into the same outing? thanks Max

Response:

Generally, the ferrule of the rod is stiffer so you may notice the rod has a stiffer action (based on 3 or 4 pieces).  One thing I’ve learned from experience (and I know I will have a lot of opposition here) is that the old fiberglass rods are much more durable than the new graphite rods.  Reason being if your graphite rod drops and hits a rock, you can shatter it and not know it until you take a cast and the rod breaks in half!  Fiberglass doesn’t have this problem.  As an FYI, I’ve also performed the sinful task of attaching a spinning real to the fly rod – works really well if you want options on a trip! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I backpack a lot, and I have recently become addicted to fly fishing.  I would love to integrate the two activities in the same outing.  I have seen the rods that you can collapse.  I have used these types of rods with spinner fishing.  I know that the rod is more important in fly fishing than spinner fishing. Would a fly fishing rod that I can collapse (to fit in or tie to a backpack) just be a waste of time, or would I not notice much difference while casting? I have seen plastic stockings that are designed to fit over a shoe or boot, and keep the shoes and feet dry.  These were really lightweight, but I’m not sure if they work. Has anyone every used these?  Would it be a good backpacking/fly fishing tactic to use a set of these with a set of thin hip waders? Any other tips for integrating backpacking and fly fishing into the same outing? thanks Max

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Question:

Patagonia supports many environmental groups.  I’m not sure if they support an anti hunting group, since the owner of the company is an avid fisherman himself.  I’m sure they would let you know if asked. Anyway you are correct about their products, they are the best! Forrest FlyFishingREVIEW http://www./flyfishingreview.com Does anybody know the politics of the Patagonia Corp? I read or heard something a couple of years ago that Patagonia is a financial contributor to some anti hunting groups. I have not been able to verify this information. I hope it is incorrect as Patagonia makes some of the best flyfishing and outdoor gear that I have seen but I will not use or purchase anything from groups that suppport anti hunting. Any info is appreciated. bruce

Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

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Does anybody know the politics of the Patagonia Corp? I read or heard something a couple of years ago that Patagonia is a financial contributor to some anti hunting groups. I have not been able to verify this information. I hope it is incorrect as Patagonia makes some of the best flyfishing and outdoor gear that I have seen but I will not use or purchase anything from groups that suppport anti hunting. Any info is appreciated. bruce

No, this is definitely not true at all. The atmosphere of any company inevitably reflects the personality of owners/leaders. The Patagonia brass are a brassy bunch, that like elk hunting, whiskey bottles and a good smoke every now and then. — /* Sandy Pittendrigh                  –oO0  * http://www.nervana.montana.edu/~sandy  */

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No, this is definitely not true at all. The atmosphere of any company inevitably reflects the personality of owners/leaders. The Patagonia brass are a brassy bunch, that like elk hunting, whiskey bottles and a good smoke every now and then.

  Well, this is not definitely not true at all–if that makes any sense. Patagonia supports a number of environmental and conservation groups some of which may or may not include an anti-hunting component.  The bottom line, nevertheless, is that Patagonia, on top of making the best outdoor gear on the market, should be lauded in their continual efforts to be a corporate good citizen.  Patagonia is active in fisheries restoration (the Big Hole grayling restoration project, to name just one Montana project) and wilderness preservation, as well as promoting recycling and alternative materials usage.  Patagonia makes a commitment to annually donate a certain percentage of their profits to their various causes.  I have no qualms (even though I often can’t really afford it) buying Patagonia even if it costs a little more, because I know that they’re making an effort to have a postive impact on things like fisheries and habitat that I value.  (No, I don’;t, nor have I ever worked for the company.) Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Does anybody know the politics of the Patagonia Corp? I read or heard something a couple of years ago that Patagonia is a financial contributor to some anti hunting groups. I have not been able to verify this information. I hope it is incorrect as Patagonia makes some of the best flyfishing and outdoor gear that I have seen but I will not use or purchase anything from groups that suppport anti hunting. Any info is appreciated. bruce

Response:

Hmmm… you could ask them.   They have a web site at www.patagonia.com (who’d have figured THAT out?).   Me, I can’t afford that stuff anyway; but if I worried too much about single-issue politics of every company I did business with, it’d be a race between starving and freezing to death. .02, Joe F. who meant to boycott grapes, but never got around to it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anybody know the politics of the Patagonia Corp? I read or heard something a couple of years ago that Patagonia is a financial contributor to some anti hunting groups. I have not been able to verify this information. I hope it is incorrect as Patagonia makes some of the best flyfishing and outdoor gear that I have seen but I will not use or purchase anything from groups that suppport anti hunting. Any info is appreciated. bruce

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Question:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, NicoloMidges come in a variety of colours with black as only one of the more

common.  If you wish to fish these activity periods whihc I strongly reccomend read lake fishing by kaufmann tie up a bunch of pupae, some long leaders and sit back and wait for the freight train!!! Be very careful, midging has some strong parallels to cocaine… Ian

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Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Hi Nicolo Midges comes in a variety of colors including cream/tan and black. Take care and … — Tight Lines ….. Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products On line catalog – tips & tricks at: http://www.btsflyfishing.com

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As you discribe the hatch as small moths It sounds like small Caddis not midges. You might look in you local fly shop at a book about the Hatch. I’ve got a small book put out by Orvis that works well to define the hatch. — Larry D. Madison Quote of the week: Life without Black would surely make White blind You. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors?

Howdy Nicolo, "Minescule moths…" sounds like MicroCaddis ? Were the fish plimpin’ or floppin’ after these bugs ? Any small elk hair caddis would probably work if they were MC… To answer your other question… Midges can be grey, black, tan, red, green and probably many others. Effective midge ties can be devastatingly simple. Here is a tie that I have refined over the winter…it is called: You Can See The Damned Thing Biot Packing Midge #18-#22 TMC200 Tail: 2 fibers of fine crystal flash Body: Natural Grey Goose biot ribbed with crystal Legs (hackle): One or Two turns Grizzly dry fly tied shoulder style Wing: Thin strip of closed cell foam (used in shipping electronics)       folded and tied up and out.  (You could color this with       your fav flourescent marker if you had absolutely no pride…) You can see the fricken’ thing because of that unsinkable foam flag… the crystal in the rear looks like a shuck, adds some attraction and the weight of the bend will pull the sparse biot body under a la   natural…drinking glass testing has been encouraging… The first prototype used NewDub instead of crystal for the shuck, but then this would have been a Palamino Midge Variant. Also, pheasant is excellent as midge body material and a very simple fly is nothing more then a small hook wrapped sparsely with a couple of pheasant fibers and a little ball of well waxed dubbing up near the eye…way easy to do… Good luck solving your mystery hatch… — TimW Halfordian Golfer

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: Be very careful, midging has some strong parallels to cocaine… No way, man.  I was always way to shaky to tie one of those little buggers on.   But I found I could tie a lot of them, very quickly. — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/

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Midges come in lots of colors, but mainly red ones and black ones. White, too. You also could have seeing very small mayflies, down to size 22–tricorhythodes and pseudocolen (I may have misspelled these). Next time, grab a few and see if they have mayfly like tails and wings. toney – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi Nicolo, It sounds like what you saw were Caenis, or as they are commonly termed ‘Fisherman’s Curse’ . It’s a very small fly, and when they hatch off they can do so in their millions, and the trout can become totally preoccupied with them. You can try fishing an imitation pattern, but this is a bit ‘needle in a haystack’, although there are some patterns that look like two or three Caenis tied on one hook. Try picking out an individual fish, (they are usually right up in the surface film, supping them up) and see if you can’t drop your imitation about a foot in front of it. It may take, but it’s a very frustrating business. Alternatively, you could try stripping a brightly coloured Muddler or such like across their noses, and see if you can provoke a take like this! As for midges, they are in the family of Chironomids, commonly called ‘Buzzers’ among other things ( for the noise they make when they fly into your ear!), and they live as bloodworms in the silt of lakes and rivers for a year or two, before eventually turning into pupae, and gradually making for the surface, where they hatch out as the adult ‘Buzzer’. Contrary to popular belief  they don’t bite or suck your blood, like Mosquitos do, as they have no mouth parts as such.They are a staple diet of most trout, and you can always catch a trout or two on them when all else fails. They come in various colours, ranging from black through to green, red, even orange, although if you have a chat with a local at your reservoir, they tell you the commonest colours there, as they vary around the country. I’ve caught the majority of my fish on the buzzer, and it’s a very rewarding way of fishing. Hope this is of some help.

Response:

Hi Nicolo, It sounds like what you saw were Caenis, or as they are commonly termed ‘Fisherman’s Curse’ . It’s a very small fly, and when they hatch off they can do so in their millions, and the trout can become totally preoccupied with them. You can try fishing an imitation pattern, but this is a bit ‘needle in a haystack’, although there are some patterns that look like two or three Caenis tied on one hook. Try picking out an individual fish, (they are usually right up in the surface film, supping them up) and see if you can’t drop your imitation about a foot in front of it. It may take, but it’s a very frustrating business. Alternatively, you could try stripping a brightly coloured Muddler or such like across their noses, and see if you can provoke a take like this! As for midges, they are in the family of Chironomids, commonly called ‘Buzzers’ among other things ( for the noise they make when they fly into your ear!), and they live as bloodworms in the silt of lakes and rivers for a year or two, before eventually turning into pupae, and gradually making for the surface, where they hatch out as the adult ‘Buzzer’. Contrary to popular belief  they don’t bite or suck your blood, like Mosquitos do, as they have no mouth parts as such.They are a staple diet of most trout, and you can always catch a trout or two on them when all else fails. They come in various colours, ranging from black through to green, red, even orange, although if you have a chat with a local at your reservoir, they tell you the commonest colours there, as they vary around the country. I’ve caught the majority of my fish on the buzzer, and it’s a very rewarding way of fishing. Hope this is of some help.

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Question:

 10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish?

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 10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish?

9. Your fly is stuck on the fern 20 feet behind you.      - Ken — Ken Janik Oregon State University Dept of Electrical and Computer Engineering

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9. Your line is dry. — Dennis C. Aron Independent Representative #13921 Champion Fishing Co., Ltd e-mail for income opportunity – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish?

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10.  Your hook is on backwards.

Two words.. "Fez Hat" email hacked to foil spammers

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 10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish? 9. Your fly is stuck on the fern 20 feet behind you.     – Ken

8. You have been fishing for ten minutes without realizing you lost your fly. David

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish? 9. Your fly is stuck on the fern 20 feet behind you.     – Ken 8. You have been fishing for ten minutes without realizing you lost your fly. David

7) Your rod is so light you cast 16 times before you realized you left the rod on the river bank.

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 10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish?

1. You are fishing with me after telling me stories for years about how you never get skunked.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 9. Your line is dry. — Dennis C. Aron Independent Representative #13921 Champion Fishing Co., Ltd e-mail for income opportunity  10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish? youre sitting at home surfing the net

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10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish?

I have been casting the last hour without a fly? Why don’t we stop false casting? Someone drained your swimming pool? Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

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  9.  You’re too busy deleting all of the cheesy filler this list generates, to ever make it out the door : Anglerboy : Any ideas to finish? — gp

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    9.  You’re too busy deleting all of the cheesy filler this list   generates, to ever make it out the door 8.  Some carnsarned kid caught ‘em all. 7.  With a cane pole she cut, using worms. Anglerboy

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Response:

….your fly fishing, should of used live bait!! marco

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8. You have been fishing for ten minutes without realizing you lost your fly. David

        Actually, you didn’t lose your fly– you just lost the bend and point of the hook.  The fly still looks beautiful! — Tight Threads,         Charley Renn         Corvallis, OR

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10.  Your hook is on backwards. Anglerboy Any ideas to finish?

9. You just pissed in the stream and the fish know! 8. Your dog just pissed in the stream. 7. You’re wading in the same same smelly sneakers as two seasons ago. 6. You snapped the nymph off your tippet six  casts ago. 5. You’re tying up your flies with the same fingers you use to take a pinch of chewing tobacco 4. Your dry fly is not getting "down to where the fish are." 3. Your nymph is not skating across the film like it ought to. 2. Got drunk and missed the hatch. And the number one reason you’re not catching fish. . . The wife wants you to finish putting up the shelves in the pantry.

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You’ve been breathing too much head cement.

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10.  Your hook is on backwards. Two words.. "Fez Hat" email hacked to foil spammers

You’re spending all your fishing time on ROFF

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Question:

Does anyone know of a comprehensive list of private, daily or annual fee-based fishing areas in California? I have compiled a list of a dozen or so, but I would like a larger base of data. It seems that the landowners either try to market themselves, often badly, or the lease the fishing rights to a large fly shop or fishing club. The only large, organized clubs I have found that lease trepass rights on an anuual basis are hunting clubs like Wilderness Unlimited.

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Does anyone know of a comprehensive list of private, daily or annual fee-based fishing areas in California? I have compiled a list of a dozen or so, but I would like a larger base of data. It seems that the landowners either try to market themselves, often badly, or the lease the fishing rights to a large fly shop or fishing club. The only large, organized clubs I have found that lease trepass rights on an anuual basis are hunting clubs like Wilderness Unlimited.

In Northern California, the Fly Shop in Redding, CA has been the most sucessful. They have a nice cross section of well run private waters. 800/669-FISH William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

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If any one out there has mounted turkey tailfeathers in the fan position with the beard below, could you advise on how to remove the tail section (where to cut)? and how to preserve "set" the fan etc?

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If any one out there has mounted turkey tailfeathers in the fan position with the beard below, could you advise on how to remove the tail section (where to cut)? and how to preserve "set" the fan etc?

I have mounted several.  The easiest way is to buy a kit.  I bought a real nice one from Duns several years ago.  It had a solid Walnut plaque.  The only ones I can find in the catalogs now are press board with a laminate.  The kits come with all you need. With or without a kit, the first step is to cut off the tail along with about 6 inches of back skin and feathers.  Use a sharp knife to cut as much meat from the tail as you can without destabilizing the tail feathers.  Next you need some Borax.  It is hard to find.  I found some a Kmart several years ago.  A large box should last a lifetime. Be sure to get Borax not Boraxo (a combination of borax and soap).  Rub the borax into skin and any remaining meat.  A table spoon or two should be more than enough.  This acts as a preservative. The next step is to arrange the tail feathers.   Get a large cardboard box.  I use one of the large UHAUL moving boxes.  The box should be in its original flat form not folded into a box form.  Get a dozen or so nails.  Lay the box flat on the floor and put the tail on it.  Spread the feathers evenly to form a fan.  Use the nails like thumb tacks to hold the main tail feathers evenly apart.  Set this aside in a dry cool environment to set.  In a couple of weeks or less the tail will harden in the form you placed it in. Now, lets look at the beard.  When you pluck the bird, firmly but gently pull the beard from the breast.  It should come right off.  There are several ways to prep this for display.  My favorite is to use some heavy nylon thread (sewing store or fly fishing shop).  I like to wrap the top 1/4 inch of the beard with the thread.  You can tie the thread off neatly using the same technique bow mechanics use to finish a serving. You can find this technique in many archery magazines with pictures.  If you tie your own flies you probably are familiar with a Whip finish. This works fine as well.  I then coat the thread lightly with clear nail polish to help hold it in place.  Set this aside to dry. Now lets look at the spurs.  There are many techniques used to display these, but this is my favorite.  I use a hack saw to cross cut the leg just below and just above each spur.  Use a sharp knife to remove the scaly skin and any flesh from the bone.  Hot water helps.  Next I use a grinder or disc sander to flatten the sides of the bone and round the corners.  You want to end up with enough bone that is flat enough to drill a small hole through.  I usually buy a couple of gold colored brads from the hardware store.  Pick a drill bit slightly larger than the brads. If you get a kit, follow the directions for installing the pieces.  If not, you first want to make a shelf for the fan.  The dimensions depend on the size of your plaque.  Start with 1 x 1/2 x 6 inches.  Make a datto down the middle of the length of the shelf.  The datto should be about 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch deep.  This the dattoed side will be the bottom of the shelf.  Center the shelf from left to right on your plaque about 1/4 of the way down from the top.  Use screws through the back of the plaque to secure the shelf.  Next, set the fan on top of the shelf.  Use short drywall screws to screw through the base of the tail into the plaque.  Don’t worry about hiding the screws.  You will next make a half round cover plaque.  The flat side is the same length as the shelf.  The height at center is high enough to obscure the screws and ugly base of the tail.  This should be as thin as possible and can be any material you like.  It should be as thin as possible.  1/8 inch or less.  It is simply decorative.  You can use nice gold brads to secure it to the shelf.  You can put a picture or any decoration you want on the cover plaque.  Use three brads to secure the cover plate to the shelf.  You may want to drill slightly undersized holes for the brads. The center brad should be as long as the shelf is deep and centered on the shelf.  the height of all brads should be 1/2 of the depth of the datto. Next, insert the top of the beard into the center of the shelf datto. then insert the center brad through the cover plate, the front of the shelf, the beard, and the back of the shelf. Finally, position the spurs against the lower side of the main plaque on either side of the hanging beard.  Use two gold brads through the holes you drilled in the bone to secure the spurs. This is only one of many techniques. Enjoy, Jack

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   Can anyone reccommend where to go in Rockland COunty NY?  I recently went up to Roscoe for the Memorial Day weekend and would like to not go so far from home (2-2.5 hrs).  I live in northern NJ, but do not have a license here, only NY– resulting from my first trip this year. Thanks for any advise. Brian Charles — Brian Charles

You didn’t mention a preference of venue or species to target, but have you tried Rockland Lake? It has a variety of species to target including Largemouth and Smallmouth bass, crappie, perch and an overabundance of bluegill. There may even be a pickerel or two around. If you wade, be very careful. I got stuck in mud up to my chest obver there near some lilly pads. Fortunately, another angler was able to pull me out. As for rivers/streams, you might try the Hudson for stripers and bluefish. You’ll need saltwater flyfishing gear for this venture though. I hear the Ramapo is making a comeback if trout are your target, but I don’t have any personal esperience there. You may want to call some local flyshops and get their opinion. One to try is the Matterhorn Country Sport Shop in Spring Valley, NY. Their phone number is 914.354.5986. Good Luck,     Jose

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   Can anyone reccommend where to go in Rockland COunty NY?  I recently went up to Roscoe for the Memorial Day weekend and would like to not go so far from home (2-2.5 hrs).  I live in northern NJ, but do not have a license here, only NY– resulting from my first trip this year. Thanks for any advise. Brian Charles — Brian Charles

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We tried to fish the Key West backcountry today

        oh god:  i can’t stand the rest of this post.  just another day in paradise.         thanks for the picture, anyway.                 a. wayne harrison

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We tried to fish the Key West backcountry today but had a 33-knot north wind at 2 AM that really silted up the water.  So we took a long ride out east and then back west to find some clear water on the incoming.  We fished the gulfside flats again because there were so many fish there yesterday. I shut down and started to pole and a permit was on top of us before Carlos could get his rod out.  Finally he made a sitting down cast with about eight feet of line out and the fish tailed just behind the fly, about 15 feet from the boat.  Hmm…good sign, even if he didn’t eat the fly. We poled about four miles west and had maybe eight shots, then got to a flat where there tend to be large fish and had a few really good shots at a fish that was over 30 lbs.  Somehow the casting or the fly didn’t seem to impress this fish, who we found by hearing his explosive tailing way off to our right. We ran back down the flat to fish the lower water section and decided to have lunch before getting into the good part of the flat.  We ate, Lola fell into the water, and after she dried out started down the flat.   About 200 yards into it we saw a good permit parallelling us about 300 ft away.  I poled over, Carlos made a great cast, the permit tailed on the fly and Carlos stripped tight. We caught and weighed him at 24 lbs., took some photos and sent him swimming.   After that we went a few miles west to fish for smaller permit on a hard edge on the low outgoing, we saw a lot of fish, but it was extremely bright and we couldn’t get close to them.  We ran to three more spots, two on the oceanside and saw only one fish in two hours.   Finally we decided to look for tarpon because the wind had dropped.  I ran to a large basin that holds laid-up fish and tarpon were everywhere.  We got three eats on a yellow fly  and one of those fish–about 90 lbs.– jumped about 15 ft. from the boat coming at us. He landed just before hitting the gunwhale, soaking Carlos. Marshall Cutchin  

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