Question:

Have you done this walk up Hazel as an overnighter?  It has been my experience that what is a six hour walk with a fly rod is a whole different critter than hiking in with a backpack, tent, etc.  At any rate, I’m in if the sceduling can be worked out.  Any idea what the actual mileage is?

never done it…they wouldn’t let you fish up there FOR 25 YEARS!  why would i walk that far *not* to fish…  now that it’s open to fishing, i’m yearning to take a look at the water.  i’m thinking it’s 8-10 miles up to the walkers creek, proctor creek area based on my map. the cascade is about 13 miles… but maybe someone who’s a hiker and been in there can tell us –  and…the trail is a flat road, much easier walking than snowbird.  there are carts with big wheels…  can’t we do 8 miles in 6 hours? btw…i’m still wet-wading in october… neoprenes seem a bit much for carolina fall fishing. I agree about the neoprenes but my one experience fishing with you in October suggests that wading wet could be a bit iffy……

yeah, but that’s why we’ll be carryin the lightweight goretex <g.  it’s when you’re done fishin that the wetness and the evening chill gets you… the days are great, unless it rains. it’s o.k. if you’re naturally numb from the waist down

i can’t help it if you’re easily numbed… those of us with sturdy scrotum and "turtle" reflex find it invigorating… but for those of us who are of the neck up persuasion

…hmm, thought ee cummings described them as boston women… it would come down to a choice between walking on our hands or perhaps wearing lightweights.      :)

damn…if only i’d known what might have occurred if i’d gotten the lightweights instead of the socks… jeff (makin a note) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Have you done this walk up Hazel as an overnighter?  It has been my experience that what is a six hour walk with a fly rod is a whole different critter than hiking in with a backpack, tent, etc.  At any rate, I’m in if the sceduling can be worked out.  Any idea what the actual mileage is? never done it…they wouldn’t let you fish up there FOR 25 YEARS!  why would i walk that far *not* to fish…  now that it’s open to fishing, i’m yearning to take a look at the water.  i’m thinking it’s 8-10 miles up to the walkers creek, proctor creek area based on my map. the cascade is about 13 miles… but maybe someone who’s a hiker and been in there can tell us –  and…the trail is a flat road, much easier walking than snowbird.  there are carts with big wheels…  can’t we do 8 miles in 6 hours?

"Got Speed Bumps?"

Response:

no speed bumps so far…but i’ve only been up about 3 miles.  i’ve been told wayno’s had the park rangers drive him up the road, so maybe he can describe upper hazel. i believe you could do it no problem.  didn’t you go up a ways when wayno hit his big rainbow? jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "Got Speed Bumps?"

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Have you done this walk up Hazel as an overnighter?  It has been my experience that what is a six hour walk with a fly rod is a whole different critter than hiking in with a backpack, tent, etc.  At any rate, I’m in if the sceduling can be worked out.  Any idea what the actual mileage is? never done it…they wouldn’t let you fish up there FOR 25 YEARS!  why would i walk that far *not* to fish…  now that it’s open to fishing, i’m yearning to take a look at the water.  i’m thinking it’s 8-10 miles up to the walkers creek, proctor creek area based on my map. the cascade is about 13 miles… but maybe someone who’s a hiker and been in there can tell us –  and…the trail is a flat road, much easier walking than snowbird.  there are carts with big wheels…  can’t we do 8 miles in 6 hours?

Shit, Tripper can do eight miles in six hours on a flat road in a big wheel cart……um……well, if Petah is pushing it. btw…i’m still wet-wading in october… neoprenes seem a bit much for carolina fall fishing. I agree about the neoprenes but my one experience fishing with you in October suggests that wading wet could be a bit iffy…… yeah, but that’s why we’ll be carryin the lightweight goretex <g.  it’s when you’re done fishin that the wetness and the evening chill gets you… the days are great, unless it rains.

I LOVE rain…..it’s warmer than the creek! it’s o.k. if you’re naturally numb from the waist down i can’t help it if you’re easily numbed… those of us with sturdy scrotum and "turtle" reflex find it invigorating…

Uh…….remind me not to watch you bathe up there…..o.k.?      :( but for those of us who are of the neck up persuasion …hmm, thought ee cummings described them as boston women…

I’ll have to defer to mr. harrison vis mr. cummings…..they speak the same language. it would come down to a choice between walking on our hands or perhaps wearing lightweights.      :) damn…if only i’d known what might have occurred if i’d gotten the lightweights instead of the socks…

Oh yeah, they’re indispensable, as Mr. Tup so eloquently put it. jeff (makin a note)

Uh huh, about a fourth register E if mine ear doth not deceive me. Wolfgang who would recommend a good geographer to explain the nice distinction between flat and level.    :)

Response:

On my topo map this looks to be a pretty ambitous trip. Approximately 13.5 miles and 2000 feet of elevation. Early in May my son and I walked up to the campsite at the confluence of Hazel and Sugar Fork. It’s about 5.6 miles by the trail and 425 feet vertically from the lake. Had a full pack with pasta and dehydrated meals for two days, tent, sleeping bag, thermarest, primus stove, waders, wading boots, rod, vest, etc. And one can of St. Louis’ best beer.  I figure the pack weighed at least 30 lbs. It seemed much heavier. The fishing apparatus added more weight (total = 40?) and hassle. Furthermore, I was pretty sadly out of shape. Having listed all those excuses, it took between four and five hours to make the trip. That included several stops along the way to admire the creek. You all have been on the trail before – it’s a gentle grade and fairly easy walk if you don’t try to take your entire net worth in equipment. But a 13 or 14 mile walk with full pack and fishing gear is a fairly major undertaking. Wet wading in Smoky mountain streams in October takes more fortitude than I have. I’m numb enough from the waist down already, and it gets worse every year. Bob

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – …well, this appears to be the beginnings of yet another fine idea. i suggest you take charge of it, establish some proposed dates, and we’ll set up a new thread to see what develops. if zimbo is still hereabouts, perhaps he’ll post the dates of his gathering – i’m gonna be in the smokies the week of oct 19-26th with rachel – the 21st is her birthday. i can probably manage a 3-day camping trip either before that week or at the latter part of that week, or i can take a 4 day weekend thursday-sunday at another time. the park service provides some carts we can use to roll supplies up the trail if anyone wants or needs to bring some special stuff. Have you done this walk up Hazel as an overnighter?  It has been my experience that what is a six hour walk with a fly rod is a whole different critter than hiking in with a backpack, tent, etc.  At any rate, I’m in if the sceduling can be worked out.  Any idea what the actual mileage is? btw…i’m still wet-wading in october… neoprenes seem a bit much for carolina fall fishing. I agree about the neoprenes but my one experience fishing with you in October suggests that wading wet could be a bit iffy……it’s o.k. if you’re naturally numb from the waist down but for those of us who are of the neck up persuasion it would come down to a choice between walking on our hands or perhaps wearing lightweights.      :) Wolfgang

Response:

"Got Speed Bumps?" no speed bumps so far…but i’ve only been up about 3 miles.  i’ve been told wayno’s had the park rangers drive him up the road, so maybe he can describe upper hazel. i believe you could do it no problem.  didn’t you go up a ways when wayno hit his big rainbow?

I know we went past the "town", maybe a mile or two up the road from there. It wasn’t a hard hike up to wherever we ended up. otoh, we nearly had to have a certain Boy Lawyer airlifted out of there after he caught a WAY-too-big-for-Hazel-Creek rainbow… /daytripper (You think he had the Rangers "salt" the creek for ‘im, too?

Response:

…nothing like a week in graham county to confirm i’ve wasted the better part of my life down here in the crowded flatlands of coastal nc… a situation i hope to correct in the next year or two. anyway, it was an incredible week of fiSSSSHing 5 of my favorite streams in nc, S[******], S[nowbird], S[assafrass], S[anteetlah], and H[azel], briefly recounted as follows: Saturday – rachel and i arrived at the snowbird house, bought some groceries, and settled in… well, sorta.  i was busy getting the fishing stuff settled on the table, rachel did the practical stuff – unpacked clothes and groceries. just before dark (it didn’t get dark until after 9), i walked the 10 feet to the stream out back and fished the two runs that always yield a fish or two – yup, still happenin! two rainbows on an ehc…one was the typical 8 incher caught in the deeper cut of the main current where wolfgang snapped a picture or two of me in   an evening stupor last october; the other was a nice 12 inches or more, caught by "bowling" the fly downstream about 50 feet around the bend of a deeper, quiet pool. satisfied the week was properly started, i ambled outta the stream, back up the gentle bank to a well-prepared spaghetti dinner and a chilly beer. thus began my week’s adventure of solitary fishing in some of the best streams in the smokies  …         SUNDAY – fished S.[******], the stream that yielded those 3 big rainbows last october.  arrived around 9 am, parked in the same place as last year.  the road was a bit worse, but manageable.  this was my day of paying proper devotion and respect – so, after humbly thanking all the spirits and deities, and making a silent oath not to break that commandment about the lord’s name, a kinder, gentler, easier-goin jeff set out up the road to the spot wally and i stopped in our october frenzy, the soul-filling gift of zimbo’s 6′ bamboo rod & the abandoned socks of wolfgang at the ready for a full day in the stream. didn’t see or hear another person the entire day.  S[******]is at about 3000 feet elevation at this point, and it’s headwaters are near a bald which is above 5000 feet. getting to it requires a drive up a steep, narrow grade of dirt and rocks for a mile or so until the road becomes unmanageable with a vehicle… the upper stretch is a rutted, rocky path only 4-wheelers can traverse safely.   from the point i entered the stream, until the pool i quit, with the exception of one pocket, i either caught a fish or had one rise to the fly. except for several brookies, all were rainbows of the usual size with a few approaching or just at ten inches.   size 14 and 16 ehc and parachute adams never failed to attract a fish. after a while, i started playing around with various dry flies just to see what would happen – color didn’t matter, but the size did. though they’d come up and look at the #12 stimulator, i guess it just looked a bit too big to tangle with, or it was easier to distinguish as a phony bug…i don’t know. but switch off to a smaller fly and no problem.  THE HIGHLIGHT – near the close of the day, once the leader had gotten cut back from all the fly changing, as a lark i tied on a flashy green and black bugger i had acquired from a mail order outfit in england a few years ago. i was at one of the deeper pools with a nice froth of white water formed by the stream falling from the pool above. casually tossed the bugger into the froth, let it sink a bit, twitched it back towards me and, damn…what’s this…quite a different feel… jeezusfuckingchri…(ok, i confess… i never was too good at keeping that particular commandment)… it was an honest 12" brookie (spec)- the biggest wild nc brook trout i’ve ever caught! fat, heavy, and healthy looking. what a day!  fellas, seeing a 12" spec in nc is an experience akin to seein pj in a tuxedo dancin a waltz at the terpsichorean ball in raleigh. … unique, if ya get my drift. …i continued up a few more pools with the bugger, catching rainbows, until i pulled out around 5 pm, then walked up the road for 30 minutes or so just exploring a bit…yup, there’s still a lot of water left for the next trip. [cont.]

Response:

Marvelous TR, Jeff. Hope you don’t keep us waiting too long for the next installment in the series! I’m sitting here in sultry Missouri reading your TR and listening to a segment on CBS Sunday Morning about the rhododendrons blooming in the appalachians. In fact, they juxtaposed that segment with a segment about subway musicians in New York. My GPS tells me that it’s 430 miles to my favorite spot on Snowbird. But my bank account tells me the office is a hell of a lot closer. Congratulations on having a wife who puts up with your fishing!! Bob

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – …nothing like a week in graham county to confirm i’ve wasted the better part of my life down here in the crowded flatlands of coastal nc… a situation i hope to correct in the next year or two. anyway, it was an incredible week of fiSSSSHing 5 of my favorite streams in nc, S[******], S[nowbird], S[assafrass], S[anteetlah], and H[azel], briefly recounted as follows: Saturday – rachel and i arrived at the snowbird house, bought some groceries, and settled in… well, sorta.  i was busy getting the fishing stuff settled on the table, rachel did the practical stuff – unpacked clothes and groceries. just before dark (it didn’t get dark until after 9), i walked the 10 feet to the stream out back and fished the two runs that always yield a fish or two – yup, still happenin! two rainbows on an ehc…one was the typical 8 incher caught in the deeper cut of the main current where wolfgang snapped a picture or two of me in   an evening stupor last october; the other was a nice 12 inches or more, caught by "bowling" the fly downstream about 50 feet around the bend of a deeper, quiet pool. satisfied the week was properly started, i ambled outta the stream, back up the gentle bank to a well-prepared spaghetti dinner and a chilly beer. thus began my week’s adventure of solitary fishing in some of the best streams in the smokies  … SUNDAY – fished S.[******], the stream that yielded those 3 big rainbows last october.  arrived around 9 am, parked in the same place as last year.  the road was a bit worse, but manageable.  this was my day of paying proper devotion and respect – so, after humbly thanking all the spirits and deities, and making a silent oath not to break that commandment about the lord’s name, a kinder, gentler, easier-goin jeff set out up the road to the spot wally and i stopped in our october frenzy, the soul-filling gift of zimbo’s 6′ bamboo rod & the abandoned socks of wolfgang at the ready for a full day in the stream. didn’t see or hear another person the entire day.  S[******]is at about 3000 feet elevation at this point, and it’s headwaters are near a bald which is above 5000 feet. getting to it requires a drive up a steep, narrow grade of dirt and rocks for a mile or so until the road becomes unmanageable with a vehicle… the upper stretch is a rutted, rocky path only 4-wheelers can traverse safely.   from the point i entered the stream, until the pool i quit, with the exception of one pocket, i either caught a fish or had one rise to the fly. except for several brookies, all were rainbows of the usual size with a few approaching or just at ten inches.   size 14 and 16 ehc and parachute adams never failed to attract a fish. after a while, i started playing around with various dry flies just to see what would happen – color didn’t matter, but the size did. though they’d come up and look at the #12 stimulator, i guess it just looked a bit too big to tangle with, or it was easier to distinguish as a phony bug…i don’t know. but switch off to a smaller fly and no problem.  THE HIGHLIGHT – near the close of the day, once the leader had gotten cut back from all the fly changing, as a lark i tied on a flashy green and black bugger i had acquired from a mail order outfit in england a few years ago. i was at one of the deeper pools with a nice froth of white water formed by the stream falling from the pool above. casually tossed the bugger into the froth, let it sink a bit, twitched it back towards me and, damn…what’s this…quite a different feel… jeezusfuckingchri…(ok, i confess… i never was too good at keeping that particular commandment)… it was an honest 12" brookie (spec)- the biggest wild nc brook trout i’ve ever caught! fat, heavy, and healthy looking. what a day!  fellas, seeing a 12" spec in nc is an experience akin to seein pj in a tuxedo dancin a waltz at the terpsichorean ball in raleigh. … unique, if ya get my drift. …i continued up a few more pools with the bugger, catching rainbows, until i pulled out around 5 pm, then walked up the road for 30 minutes or so just exploring a bit…yup, there’s still a lot of water left for the next trip. [cont.]

Response:

… it was an honest 12" brookie (spec)- the biggest wild nc brook trout i’ve ever caught! fat, heavy, and healthy looking. what a day!

Not too shabby at all

Response:

…well, this appears to be the beginnings of yet another fine idea. i suggest you take charge of it, establish some proposed dates, and we’ll set up a new thread to see what develops. if zimbo is still hereabouts, perhaps he’ll post the dates of his gathering – i’m gonna be in the smokies the week of oct 19-26th with rachel – the 21st is her birthday. i can probably manage a 3-day camping trip either before that week or at the latter part of that week, or i can take a 4 day weekend thursday-sunday at another time. the park service provides some carts we can use to roll supplies up the trail if anyone wants or needs to bring some special stuff.

Have you done this walk up Hazel as an overnighter?  It has been my experience that what is a six hour walk with a fly rod is a whole different critter than hiking in with a backpack, tent, etc.  At any rate, I’m in if the sceduling can be worked out.  Any idea what the actual mileage is? btw…i’m still wet-wading in october… neoprenes seem a bit much for carolina fall fishing.

I agree about the neoprenes but my one experience fishing with you in October suggests that wading wet could be a bit iffy……it’s o.k. if you’re naturally numb from the waist down but for those of us who are of the neck up persuasion it would come down to a choice between walking on our hands or perhaps wearing lightweights.      :) Wolfgang

Response:

Naw – that coven is down close to Stecoah.  Sometimes it meets in Bryson City depending on which politician is in town. This is way the hell too far in the boondocks.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  i’m thinking – we need to hike and camp near the cascade falls on hazel creek…who knows what a placid soul might discover up there. anyone interested? i hear tell that there’s a unsavory rattlersnake worshippin’ coven up in those parts…. –waldo d;^)

Response:

Naw – that coven is down close to Stecoah.  Sometimes it meets in Bryson City depending on which politician is in town. This is way the hell too far in the boondocks.

naaaahh bob, yer thinkin’ ufduh dolly parton mandolin strummin’ coppahead group that meets at tooties every udduh toosday. weird group, dancin widda coppaheads to 9-5… weird stuff but well worth da show if ya can drop in on toosday evenins…. whatever da hell ya do…. don’t go into the kitchen….bad, really bad mojo. duh group way up on hazel, well, bone creek pickahs. days banjo and jug tootin’ fellahs…… meanest dirty rotten sob’s you’d ever wanna come across….. hell, ask wayno, he’ll tell ya  d;^) –waldo, workin’ way too late….

Response:

Hell, Waldo, I don’t know if you’re thinking of the last Snowbird ROFF clave in the second case, or a stockholders meeting here, in the first case, both of which I missed but both of which sound familiar based on reports from observers . . .

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Naw – that coven is down close to Stecoah.  Sometimes it meets in Bryson City depending on which politician is in town. This is way the hell too far in the boondocks. naaaahh bob, yer thinkin’ ufduh dolly parton mandolin strummin’ coppahead group that meets at tooties every udduh toosday. weird group, dancin widda coppaheads to 9-5… weird stuff but well worth da show if ya can drop in on toosday evenins…. whatever da hell ya do…. don’t go into the kitchen….bad, really bad mojo. duh group way up on hazel, well, bone creek pickahs. days banjo and jug tootin’ fellahs…… meanest dirty rotten sob’s you’d ever wanna come across….. hell, ask wayno, he’ll tell ya  d;^) –waldo, workin’ way too late….

Response:

Never one to flinch from doing my duty for God and Country. October would be a fine time – even late October. If we could tie it in with Zimbo’s soiree that would be great. I feel like I made a three-day trip up Hazel in 2 days early in May. A six-hour walk up and a five-hour walk down didn’t leave much fishing time in two days. I’d agree three days is the minimum unless you really groove on walking. Also, if one has to walk five miles while wearing neoprenes, it’s more comfortable in October than in May. And by late October the bears should be doing their final snacking before settling in for the winter! Bob

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – as you’ve probably heard, they’ve opened portions of hazel that have been closed to all fishing for 25 years – as an experiment to see if the fisherman actually affects the brook trout population in any meaningful way.  i believe it is our duty to participate in this grand experiment … but, it will require at least 3 days.  the hike in will be 6 hours at least…  if there’s any interest, it’s time to start planning.  i don’t know who is going where in october – zimbo floated a blue ridge gathering, i’ll be in the smokies with rachel the week of oct. 20. anyway, let me know if you’ve got a preference as far as dates and we’ll see what develops. jeff Jeff – I’d like to join up on such an expedition if it was planned well in advance. It’s an all-day drive for me, like it probably is for you. I would make a several-day trip of it and combine two or three days on Hazel with some other fishing – maybe on the Tellico river downhill from McDaniel Bald or on one of the creeks in the Snowbird/Santeetlah area. Bob //snip// i’m thinking – we need to hike and camp near the cascade falls on hazel creek…who knows what a placid soul might discover up there. anyone interested? jeff

Response:

…well, this appears to be the beginnings of yet another fine idea. i suggest you take charge of it, establish some proposed dates, and we’ll set up a new thread to see what develops. if zimbo is still hereabouts, perhaps he’ll post the dates of his gathering – i’m gonna be in the smokies the week of oct 19-26th with rachel – the 21st is her birthday. i can probably manage a 3-day camping trip either before that week or at the latter part of that week, or i can take a 4 day weekend thursday-sunday at another time. the park service provides some carts we can use to roll supplies up the trail if anyone wants or needs to bring some special stuff. btw…i’m still wet-wading in october… neoprenes seem a bit much for carolina fall fishing. jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Never one to flinch from doing my duty for God and Country. October would be a fine time – even late October. If we could tie it in with Zimbo’s soiree that would be great. I feel like I made a three-day trip up Hazel in 2 days early in May. A six-hour walk up and a five-hour walk down didn’t leave much fishing time in two days. I’d agree three days is the minimum unless you really groove on walking. Also, if one has to walk five miles while wearing neoprenes, it’s more comfortable in October than in May. And by late October the bears should be doing their final snacking before settling in for the winter! Bob as you’ve probably heard, they’ve opened portions of hazel that have been closed to all fishing for 25 years – as an experiment to see if the fisherman actually affects the brook trout population in any meaningful way.  i believe it is our duty to participate in this grand experiment … but, it will require at least 3 days.  the hike in will be 6 hours at least…  if there’s any interest, it’s time to start planning.  i don’t know who is going where in october – zimbo floated a blue ridge gathering, i’ll be in the smokies with rachel the week of oct. 20. anyway, let me know if you’ve got a preference as far as dates and we’ll see what develops. jeff Jeff – I’d like to join up on such an expedition if it was planned well in advance. It’s an all-day drive for me, like it probably is for you. I would make a several-day trip of it and combine two or three days on Hazel with some other fishing – maybe on the Tellico river downhill from McDaniel Bald or on one of the creeks in the Snowbird/Santeetlah area. Bob //snip// i’m thinking – we need to hike and camp near the cascade falls on hazel creek…who knows what a placid soul might discover up there. anyone interested? jeff

Response:

Good stuff Jeff. That certain Southern Style creeps in to all your writing. When you return from the HF you’ll be changed slightly bruce h

Response:

Good stuff Jeff. That certain Southern Style creeps in to all your writing. When you return from the HF you’ll be changed slightly

Yep, before you know it, you will be wearing big hats and cowboy boots, and have a three inch circle worn into your ass pocket by the Cope tin.  You will be driving a full- size American pickup truck with a gun rack and a Labrador retriever (or two) in back, and you won’t even unhitch the boat trailer to go to the grocery store.  Where, btw, you will be buying Rainier beer and beef, not chardonnay and green vegetables.  Your favorite rod will be a nine foot six or seven weight graphite, not the 6 foot bamboo.  Your fly vest will contain as many Woolly Buggers as anything else, and you will wear your waders into even the best restaurants. You will bitch about how the out-of-staters are ruining everything, even though you were one recently.  You will have NRA stickers on your truck, and will vote Republican religiously, even if the GOP candidate is a drooling idiot. The trout you catch will average 18 inches no matter how big they really were.  You will start conversations with "Cold enough for you?" "Hot enough for you?" "Seen any salmonflies yet?" or "Got your elk yet?" depending on the season. I could keep this up all day. Just remember to get some 130 gr. bullets for your .270, and eat the parsley, because it’s the only vegetable you’re getting. Kevin, part-time Montanan

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Great, well written report Jeff damn…what’s this…quite a different feel… jeezusfuckingchri…(ok, i confess… i never was too good at keeping that particular commandment)… it was an honest 12" brookie (spec)- the biggest wild nc brook trout i’ve ever caught! fat, heavy, and healthy looking. what a day!  fellas, seeing a 12" spec in nc is an experience

Congrats, beautiful fish! It may be the best Brookie you ever catch in NC! Willi

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When you return from the HF you’ll be changed slightly bruce h

… um…, uh oh. … not sure i catch yer drift there, pardner.   trust that ain’t wayno-speak…unless, of course, "bruiser" is the descriptive pseudonym for a henry’s fork working lady, in which case, i bruise quite easily.  <g however, just from looking at rw’s photos and some of the web sites for hf, i’m feeling a metamorphosis coming on already. looking forward to it all… jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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Congrats, beautiful fish! It may be the best Brookie you ever catch in NC!

thanks…easily the "best" so far, although the ones wolfgang and i made acquaintance with up at the middle falls pool last october were pretty spec-tacular. … still, i plan to keep hunting for that next best one as long as i’m upright and forward moving. i’m thinking – we need to hike and camp near the cascade falls on hazel creek…who knows what a placid soul might discover up there. anyone interested? jeff

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Kevin wrote.Yep, before you know it. snip. Priceless…Thanks Kevin. Big Dale

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Congrats, beautiful fish! It may be the best Brookie you ever catch in NC! thanks…easily the "best" so far, although the ones wolfgang and i made acquaintance with up at the middle falls pool last october were pretty spec-tacular. … still, i plan to keep hunting for that next best one as long as i’m upright and forward moving. i’m thinking – we need to hike and camp near the cascade falls on hazel creek…who knows what a placid soul might discover up there. anyone interested? jeff

Does sound like a beautiful fish alright – I bet there’ll be a few more buggers and streamers in your future. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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Jeff – I’d like to join up on such an expedition if it was planned well in advance. It’s an all-day drive for me, like it probably is for you. I would make a several-day trip of it and combine two or three days on Hazel with some other fishing – maybe on the Tellico river downhill from McDaniel Bald or on one of the creeks in the Snowbird/Santeetlah area. Bob

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – //snip//  i’m thinking – we need to hike and camp near the cascade falls on hazel creek…who knows what a placid soul might discover up there. anyone interested? jeff

Response:

 i’m thinking – we need to hike and camp near the cascade falls on hazel creek…who knows what a placid soul might discover up there. anyone interested?

i hear tell that there’s a unsavory rattlersnake worshippin’ coven up in those parts…. –waldo d;^)

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as you’ve probably heard, they’ve opened portions of hazel that have been closed to all fishing for 25 years – as an experiment to see if the fisherman actually affects the brook trout population in any meaningful way.  i believe it is our duty to participate in this grand experiment … but, it will require at least 3 days.  the hike in will be 6 hours at least…  if there’s any interest, it’s time to start planning.  i don’t know who is going where in october – zimbo floated a blue ridge gathering, i’ll be in the smokies with rachel the week of oct. 20. anyway, let me know if you’ve got a preference as far as dates and we’ll see what develops. jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jeff – I’d like to join up on such an expedition if it was planned well in advance. It’s an all-day drive for me, like it probably is for you. I would make a several-day trip of it and combine two or three days on Hazel with some other fishing – maybe on the Tellico river downhill from McDaniel Bald or on one of the creeks in the Snowbird/Santeetlah area. Bob //snip// i’m thinking – we need to hike and camp near the cascade falls on hazel creek…who knows what a placid soul might discover up there. anyone interested? jeff

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Question:

My wife and I will be visiting the St. Joe River area after the Fourth of July.

My friend and I were up to the end of the road last August, early Sept.  That was my first fly-fishing experience, so I can’t give much advice.  Pretty much every fly my friend gave me worked very well.  Elk-hair caddis is the only one I remember.  Cuthroat all over at the end of the road.  Mostly small ones, 7-8".  I got one that was about 10-11" but he left half his lower jaw on my hook.  I wasn’t too happy about that. There was a bear rampaging around the campground at that time.  F&G was going to catch him.  Just a young blackie and I’m certain he’d be gone now, but it can be pretty "wild" out there. Good luck.  Very beautiful up there. E. O’Daniel IDAHO

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Howdy, My wife and I will be visiting the St. Joe River area after the Fourth of July. Is there anyone out there who could help with info about good water and good hatches. Thanks, Marty

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Marty, The St. Joe is still feeling the effects of a huge snowpack this year and is still running quite a bit higher than it normally would be this time of year.  However, in my experience the further upstream you can get the better the fishing…..above Prospector Creek is C&R and below is 1 Cutthroat limit over 14". The cutthroat on the Joe aren’t picky…..just about any dry fly will draw strikes but some of the better ones are Renegades, hoppers, elk hair caddis, humpies, and royal wulffs.  I have heard there is a fly called the St. Joe Special but I have never seen it and have never used it.  Hare’s ears and prince nymphs will also work well. Good luck! Dustin

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Howdy, My wife and I will be visiting the St. Joe River area after the Fourth of July. Is there anyone out there who could help with info about good water and good hatches. Thanks, Marty

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Question:

MY SON BELONGS TO A HIGH SCHOOL FLYFISHING CLUB AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A COPY OF THE INTERNATIONAL FLYFISHING CHAMPIONSHIP RULES.  DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THIS CAN BE FOUND.

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MY SON BELONGS TO A HIGH SCHOOL FLYFISHING CLUB AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A COPY OF THE INTERNATIONAL FLYFISHING CHAMPIONSHIP RULES.  DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THIS CAN BE FOUND.

If you join IGFA (they have a web site where you can do this) they’ll send you a copy of the latest World Records as part of the membership deal. This lists all the rules for various forms of tackle, including fly fishing.  I think you can join for around $30.  I also saw the IGFA World Records manual for sale for $12.95 from a catalog recently. Hope this helps.

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Get your information from    IGFA    300 Gulf Stream Way    Dania Beach, FL 33004    Phone: 954-922-4212    WEBSITE:  www.igfa.org This is the new site of the beautiful World Fishing  Center of the IGFA. The museum was open to the public on Dec. 19, 1998.  If you are able to visit the museum it will be a great experiance. There lots of hands on exhibits including those for tots through adults. There are demonstrations of fly tying,fly casting, cast netting, knot tying as well as thousands of books and videos in the library. Their gift shop carries hundreds of great items for gifts or personal use. In the main hall ,suspended from the ceiling are hanging mounts of all the world records of all species of the world ,from the smallest Bluegill to the Great White Shark. I am a volunteer at the center and  I must say how excited I am about it. There is something new to see every time I walk in.   I’ve rattled on enough.  Come see us.  Buck

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TRY IFGA HALL OF FAME IN DAINA FLORDIA

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Question:

I talked to anglers in Alaska who were fly fishing for kings. They were doing quite well, so I asked them if they had some advice to give, what flies to use etc. They told me that they did not spend time tying flies for kings (egg suckers, fat freddies etc), instead they were using large colorful "Piece-of-yarn" flies. These flies were not really tied in a normal way; instead they used a fairly large short shank hook on which they prepared a specially designed knot, ripped off a piece of yarn, put the yarn on place and finalized the knot. It all took less than a minute and seems a good solution regarding the number of flies you lose when fishing on the bottom… My problem is: I can’t remember how they did the trick. Does anybody have a description for how to make this special knot?   What hook would be the most appropriate? Thanks in advance, Tord Andreasson Sweden

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I talked to anglers in Alaska who were fly fishing for kings. They were doing quite well, so I asked them if they had some advice to give, what flies to use etc. They told me that they did not spend time tying flies for kings (egg suckers, fat freddies etc), instead they were using large colorful "Piece-of-yarn" flies. These flies were not really tied in a normal way; instead they used a fairly large short shank hook on which they prepared a specially designed knot, ripped off a piece of yarn, put the yarn on place and finalized the knot. It all took less than a minute and seems a good solution regarding the number of flies you lose when fishing on the bottom… My problem is: I can’t remember how they did the trick. Does anybody have a description for how to make this special knot?   What hook would be the most appropriate? Thanks in advance, Tord Andreasson Sweden

the knot is the egg or bait loop. it’s been years since I tied one so my instructions may not be quite right; essentially: use Turned up eye hook. put the tippet through the eye and near the bend of the hoo start wrapping relatively loosely back to the eye about 6 wraps –  use a finger tip to hold the wraps in place. Put the tippet end back under the wraps much like a nail knot and pull it tight to snug the loops. To make the fly push slack into the tippet to open a loop over the shank stick the yarn in and tighten up. Clip to shape and size desired. Personally I just tie flies with yarn and threa at home on the same style hooks. Tkaes a minute or two per fly and doesn’t involve any fumbling on stream Ralph H remove "(take_this_out)" for email reply.

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Question:

…cruising down a cool canyon-bottom, lots of trees and bushes…really hot out…glad I’m in the shade…  I keep riding.  I pass a large white rock on my left…AAAGGGHHH!!  That’s no rock!  It’s a 1/4-ton COW!!!  I surprised the cow and woke it up, and it scared the s#!+ outa me by transforming from a white boulder into a 1/4-ton walking hamburger!!! Bye Cow!  Gotta go!!! Tom Kenney http://www.bearcomp.com/bearcom/tom.html

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Surprise #1: The 700m descent through the woods is bulldozed! Seriously. (This is *not* the same bulldozed trail I wrote about in another post. ACK!) Surprise #2: Back on the singletrack… that old hairpin "turn & drop"… and right around the corner, into the drop, a 10" diametre tree at chest level. I reached out and grabbed the tree with both hands and sort of went under in limbo fashion. My bike flipped up and stayed attached to my feet (powerstraps). It was Really Hard to get untwisted. Surprise #3: Untwisted and back in the saddle… hey… what are those hikers doing walking through the underbrush? Around the corner, and NO BRIDGE! Where’d the damn bridge go? Sure it was old and falling apart, with big holes in it, but it still worked. (The hikers are looking for a way to cross.) (Not Such A) Surprise #4: The water is Real Cold. (No way I was turning back.)

SURPRISE #4:  Going down my favorite singletrack downhill at night.  Hey, what’s that big black thing doing in the middle of the trail.  Hey, thats a bear.  Let’s get outta here.  Shit, its coming after us. SURPRISE #5:  This is especially common for those who live in the Northeast during the fall.  Ever hear of the diamond tailed Micranthena.  It a spider with a real funny looking tail on it almost diamond shaped.  Well, i’m cruising down my favorite trail (again at night) and WHOA! A BOA! Not quite, but close.  You fly through a real big spider web and the spider is crawling up your face. SURPRISE #6:  Moths at night.  You are again flying down your favorite trail and OOOPPS!!! COOUUUGGGHHHH.  CHOKE.    Yep.  You just ate a meal high in protein and carbohydrates. SURPRISE #7:  Whats that reflector up ahead?  DAMN’ THATS NO REFLECTOR, THEM ARE WOLVES!  Move on out! SURPRISE #8:  Skunks.  Need i say more. SURPRISE #9:  Damn kids.  Why the hell did they have to put a fishing line snare across the trail. SURPRISE #10: Hunters.  "No, really.  I am not a deer." SURPRISE #11: Red Neck Hunters.  "No, really.  I am not a grouse." SURPRISE #12: Red Neck Rapists  "No, i may have long hair, but i’m no girl." SURPRISE #13: dAMN, i thought my battery lasted longer than this. sucks! dan

Response:

Were you ever riding a favourite trail, one you know *really* well, and get a nice surprise? Like the other day, I crossed over a highway to hit a nice descent down to a river… Surprise #1: The 700m descent through the woods is bulldozed! Seriously. (This is *not* the same bulldozed trail I wrote about in another post. ACK!)

        I had this happen to me to, on a piece of trail on University property. It used to be a "lint" (that’s right, linet), covered trail, but now it is just rubbish, they bulldozed it, and then chopped th e trees.  I guess too many people were having fun there.

Response:

Were you ever riding a favourite trail, one you know *really* well, and get a nice surprise? Like the other day, I crossed over a highway to hit a nice descent down to a river… Surprise #1: The 700m descent through the woods is bulldozed! Seriously. (This is *not* the same bulldozed trail I wrote about in another post. ACK!) Surprise #2: Back on the singletrack… that old hairpin "turn & drop"… and right around the corner, into the drop, a 10" diametre tree at chest level. I reached out and grabbed the tree with both hands and sort of went under in limbo fashion. My bike flipped up and stayed attached to my feet (powerstraps). It was Really Hard to get untwisted. Surprise #3: Untwisted and back in the saddle… hey… what are those hikers doing walking through the underbrush? Around the corner, and NO BRIDGE! Where’d the damn bridge go? Sure it was old and falling apart, with big holes in it, but it still worked. (The hikers are looking for a way to cross.) (Not Such A) Surprise #4: The water is Real Cold. (No way I was turning back.) DANIEL CLEMENTS (Barrie, Ontario CANADA)

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Question:

Dear Newsgroup, I appologise in advance for dredging up this recurrent question of which waders to buy. I have beeen fly fishing for about a month now and have come to realise the necessity of owning a pair of waders, however, I don’t know what sort to go for. Gortex or Neoprene, stocking with seperate boot or boot inclusive. I am looking for something that is   multi-purpose ie. can be used on rivers, lakes and streams.     Any advice will be gratefully received. J.J. Mc Dougall.

Response:

Dear Newsgroup, I appologise in advance for dredging up this recurrent question of which waders to buy. I have beeen fly fishing for about a month now and have come to realise the necessity of owning a pair of waders, however, I don’t know what sort to go for. Gortex or Neoprene, stocking with seperate boot or boot inclusive. I am looking for something that is multi-purpose ie. can be used on rivers, lakes and streams.     Any advice will be gratefully received. J.J. Mc Dougall.

Hi J.J. Mc Dougall,         I own the Simms Neoprene waders, I feel these are the best waders on the market. They are constructed with a sealed glued and taped seam much like other high quality waders but there is no crotch seam witch is the second most likly spot to spring a leak, the first being the feet of course. The feet on the sims waders are made of a much thicker neoprene and taped with a heavy tacky rubber tape to keep your feet from sliding around in your wading boot. The shoulder strap will click together so on hot days you can fold the chest half of the waders down and wear them as waist height waders. The best feature to me though is how soft they are. You will see alot of people put their neoprenes on over their pants, well they’re not realy meant for that because it gets pretty bulky under there especialy in July. Because there are so soft you don’t have to worry about any chaffing. They come in both Stocking foot and boot foot styles I prefer the stocking foot because I do alot of float tubing and the boot foot does not give you enough ankle movement, the boot foot are however more convenient, so both have pros and cons. I personaly would stay away from the gortex waders they tear easy and I’m told they leak alot they are also not nearly as versitle as neoprenes. Good Luck! Joe Weisenburger jr.

Response:

writes: I appologise in advance for dredging up this recurrent question of

which waders to buy. I have beeen fly fishing for about a month now and have come to

realise the necessity of owning a pair of waders, however, I don’t know what sort to go for.

Gortex or Neoprene, stocking with seperate boot or boot inclusive. I am looking for something that is   multi-purpose ie. can be used on rivers, lakes and streams.    Any advice will be gratefully received. J.J. Mc Dougall.

I recomend you get some catalogs, decide how much time you are willing to spend suiting up(stocking foot waders take more time to put on), how cold the weather is when you will be fishing (thickness of neoprene is some what dependent on this), how many times a year (or days) you wil be fishing(thickness also depends on this), how much money you are willing to spend on waders(life of the waders will depend on this and the previous two). Pick out waders you like inthe catalogs that fit the above criteria, go to your favorite local shop and buy the ones they have that most closely match your catalog pick(this way you have a face to talk to).

Response:

Question:

Any reason why there is not a fly-tying newsgroup with jpeg images of flies, recipes, techniques, etc?  There seems to be enough tying traffic to warrant a new group?

As soon as I get off my butt and get my web page finished, you’ll have a place to view nice pictures of flys, including the pattern recipe. Steve

Response:

Any reason why there is not a fly-tying newsgroup with jpeg images of flies, recipes, techniques, etc?  There seems to be enough tying traffic to warrant a new group?

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I would love to see a Fly Tying Newsgroup.  I tie about 6000 flies per year and enjoy learning and sharing the skills and lore with others. I hope that it comes together. AuSable1

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Any reason why there is not a fly-tying newsgroup with jpeg images of flies, recipes, techniques, etc?  There seems to be enough tying traffic to warrant a new group?

I started a RFD (Request For Discussion) awhile back using the appropriate channels.  In order to create a new newsgroup there is a standard procedure which needs to be followed which includes a discussion period.  I posted the initial article which should have prompted the discussion but there wasn’t a single response.  I suppose theoretically the discussion period is over and I could post a CFV (Call For Votes).  In order for the group to pass it requires 100 more yes votes then no votes.   — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

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Any reason why there is not a fly-tying newsgroup with jpeg images of flies, recipes, techniques, etc?  There seems to be enough tying traffic to warrant a new group?

Recipes?..like chocolate chip nymphs? Oatmeal and rasin caddis?…I know, Tuna-streamer cassarole…I know you meant PATTERNS, but my mind is temporarily warped!!!! I guess I smoked too much dope at the PETA rally. (Hee Hee…)….NEVER MIND!!!    

Response:

Sorry I missed the original post.  I hope you go ahead with the CFV – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Any reason why there is not a fly-tying newsgroup with jpeg images of flies, recipes, techniques, etc?  There seems to be enough tying traffic to warrant a new group? I started a RFD (Request For Discussion) awhile back using the appropriate channels.  In order to create a new newsgroup there is a standard procedure which needs to be followed which includes a discussion period.  I posted the initial article which should have prompted the discussion but there wasn’t a single response.  I suppose theoretically the discussion period is over and I could post a CFV (Call For Votes).  In order for the group to pass it requires 100 more yes votes then no votes.   — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

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call for the vote. — Ken Clark Ft. Lupton, CO

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I would love to see a Fly Tying Newsgroup.  I tie about 6000 flies per year and enjoy learning and sharing the skills and lore with others. I hope that it comes together. AuSable1

I agree with the tying and sharing but disagree with a new newsgroup about fly tying. I think this is absolutely the right newsgroup (I am talking about the flyfishing newsgr.!) for the discussion of our tying problems or to post tips. How far should we go- a separate newsgroup saltwater and freshwater fly tying, as special group for tying leaders, another newsgroup about tying knots, maybe divided in subgroups how to tie on saltwater or freshwater flies! I think this is getting way to far! IMO this newsgroup should promote our skills and enhance our joy at the water, not waste our time switching between newsgroup. If finding the right artikles is an issue, we might think about abbreviations in fron of the subject line which marks special topics, like ft=freshwater tying, st=saltwater tying, e=equipment, c=casting etc… Only if you get the full range of information, you will get to be an really proficient flyfisher/tyer.     My opinion, sorry folks                     cheers,    Thomas

Response:

I’m in for this one too.  Let me know if I can help.  I think I saw a rod building newsgroup somewhere, if they can pull that off fly tying should certainly fly. Catch and Release Dave Wood Ravenna OH

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Sounds good to me, count me in

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Me too Oliver Inverness-shire;  Scotland "Lead me not into temptation – I can do it myself"

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John Count me in, sounds great and about time. Dave

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Would be interested if it includes salt water flies.

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I think it would be a great idea as this newsgroup is getting almost too big. It would certainly facilitate finding articles of interest for us tying fools. Need something to help us hang on until April…Joel

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I would love to see a Fly Tying Newsgroup.  I tie about 6000 flies per year and enjoy learning and sharing the skills and lore with others. I hope that it comes together. AuSable1

Set it up and see if there is any response.

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I would also like to see a newsgroup devoted to Fly Tying. Cheers, Dave.

Response:

Count my vote as YES!!!

        Tom Rude

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Any reason why there is not a fly-tying newsgroup with jpeg images of flies, recipes, techniques, etc?  There seems to be enough tying traffic to warrant a new group? I started a RFD (Request For Discussion) awhile back using the appropriate channels.  In order to create a new newsgroup there is a standard procedure which needs to be followed which includes a discussion period.  I posted the initial article which should have prompted the discussion but there wasn’t a single response.  I suppose theoretically the discussion period is over and I could post a CFV (Call For Votes).  In order for the group to pass it requires 100 more yes votes then no votes.   — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

I would certainly vote for a fly tying newsgroup. It sounds like a great idea.   —Catch & Release— To catch a fish is human,     To release it is divine!

Response:

Absolutely one of the best ideas posted in this newsgroup! I’d vote you for president if I could (luckily I’m in Finland BR, Eki

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Gets My Vote. Count me in

Response:

Ya think this will fly? Hope it dose dwh

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Any reason why there is not a fly-tying newsgroup with jpeg images of flies, recipes, techniques, etc?  There seems to be enough tying traffic to warrant a new group? I started a RFD (Request For Discussion) awhile back using the appropriate channels.  In order to create a new newsgroup there is a standard procedure which needs to be followed which includes a discussion period.  I posted the initial article which should have prompted the discussion but there wasn’t a single response.  I suppose theoretically the discussion period is over and I could post a CFV (Call For Votes).  In order for the group to pass it requires 100 more yes votes then no votes.   — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

Response:

Any reason why there is not a fly-tying newsgroup with jpeg images of flies, recipes, techniques, etc?  There seems to be enough tying traffic to warrant a new group?

I say no.  Fly fishing and fly tying are so closely allied that it makes sense to me to keep them in the same group.  It is easier for me to check out the fishing and the tying posts at the same time. — Keep your stick on the ice.

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Count my vote as YES!!! Fly Fisher/ Homebrewer

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Count my vote as YES!!!

I received several other "votes" via email.  In order to create a new newsgroup that procedure dictates that votes do not count until a CFV (Call For Votes) has been posted to news.groups, and then only after the RFD (Request For Discussion) has taken place. Even then, votes are only counted which have been sent *via email* to a specific address used to count them.   I will check out if I can issue the CFV and if so the voting period and where to send your votes will be announced. It does no good to announce your votes over Usenet. — John Fereira Isis Distributed Systems – Ithaca, NY

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Question:

 Going to Callaway Gardens 70 miles So. of Atlanta Ga. to fly fish in a float at end of October.  Bass is thje object.  What do you know?

Response:

I didn’t know Callaway had fishing trips – I would like some info also.  

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(Allen Turner) writes: fish in a float at end of October.  Bass is thje object.  What do you know?

What is there to know besides it is somewhat expensive……. Seriously The Callaway Gardens resort has some lakes (10 is what sticks in my head but it is not important) which they have designated as guided flyfishing C&R only for Largemouth Bass and Breams. The lakes are only open periodically, they are maintained to keep out unwanted grasses and predators and from what I’ve seen and heard the Bass get very big. I have not personally done it as it is a little costly when I’m so close to Lake Lanier and the fact that I did not care for the guy who set it up, who has sent moved on. But several friends have done it and I have seen the pictures, no one I have talked to about it has been disappointed. If you can get a copy of the latest "Orvis News", I noticed it was mentioned in there. E-mail if I can help further.

Response:

(Allen Turner) writes: fish in a float at end of October.  Bass is thje object.  What do you know? What is there to know besides it is somewhat expensive…….

I concur. I have a friend who spent four days there and it was as pricey as getting a guided float tour in a Mackenzie on the Hiwassee. HOWEVER, he caught bream as big as most average bass (1-2 lbs) and one 3lb. and 1 4-5lb  (He says You’ll have fun, I’m sure. –Chandler

Response:

Question:

Sorry if this is a re-post, but I never saw my original post, so here I go again: The other day I found an old South Bend bamboo fly rod at an antique shop.  The rod it self was in pretty good shape, but the guides and grip were shot.  It has a plastic reel seat with slip rings, and the cork grip has grooves in it, spaced about 1 inch apart.  It’s a 3- piece and each piece is of equal length. My question is this:  I would like to rebuild the rod and fish with it, since I doubt the rod has any collectable potential.  Does anyone know about these South Bend rods, and would it be worth my effort and expense to rebuild it and fish with it?  The shop wants $65.

Steve, Depends on whether you’re more interested in refinishing it or fishing it.    Some South Bends were ok, others were not.  If you want to start this as another hobby, $65 is a cheap investment and not much loss if you screw it up.   Some things to look for – are the pieces straight? If not you’re going to have to strip the varnish too because you have to use an alcohol lamp to heat it up to straighten it.  Are the ferrules still tight?  How’s the varnish – chipped, bumpy (alligatored)?  Check each piece carefully for delamination of the strips and "hook digs".   If you’re interested, I can give you the name of a rod dealer who carries "handyman’s specials". Ross

Response:

Of course it’s worth it. I keep and fish several old "mediocre" uncollectible rods with no market or collector value just for the fun of variety. I can think of few things more worthless than a rod which is never used. Cheers, Ken. — Ken Clark Ft. Lupton, CO

Response:

Steve, Ken is right.  Go for it.  If you are interested in it at all, claim the rod.  There’s a distinct difference between "restoration" and "repair".   You’ve taken the obvious precautions to make sure you aren’t taking a chance on a collectible, so give it a try.  Take your time, think ahead, be careful, and you will find that your efforts will be well worth it. Think of this:  You’re on a trout stream.  You’re fishing with a rod made by an anonymous someone who may have built your rod long before your time.   You rescued that rod from obscurity and added somethinng of yourself to it.  You catch and release a fish.  What better way to recognize that original maker and your sport? Another book for reference is "The Fine Bamboo Fly Rod" by Stuart Kirkfield (Stackpole Books).  It sets a reasonable thought pattern on what has to be done.  Good luck! –

Response:

Sorry if this is a re-post, but I never saw my original post, so here I go again: The other day I found an old South Bend bamboo fly rod at an antique shop.  The rod it self was in pretty good shape, but the guides and grip were shot.  It has a plastic reel seat with slip rings, and the cork grip has grooves in it, spaced about 1 inch apart.  It’s a 3- piece and each piece is of equal length. My question is this:  I would like to rebuild the rod and fish with it, since I doubt the rod has any collectable potential.  Does anyone know about these South Bend rods, and would it be worth my effort and expense to rebuild it and fish with it?  The shop wants $65. Thanks in advance for any responses.  Feel free to e-mail me. Steve –  A sunny day,       a box of midges,          and a wandering stream…    Man, this MUST be heaven!    <    Steve Kulpa    <<

Response:

Pick up the book titled" Bamboo Rod Restoration Handbook" by Mike Sinclair. It is by far the best book out about this subject. All your questions will be answered.  If you can’t find it e-mail me and I’ll give you info. By the way 65 dollars to rebuild a cane rod is awfully cheap. Id look at a rod they had restored before turning them loose on my cane rod.             Mark Heskett

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Question:

Planning trip to Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone this summer and would like to read some about the area before the trip.  Could anyone suggest some good reading material on the subject?  I’ve heard of a book called "The Most Complete Guide to Wyoming Fisheries"  has anyone read this book?  Is it good?  Where can I get a copy?

Response:

Planning trip to Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone this summer and would like to read some about the area before the trip.  

I’ve seen quite a flurry of posts regarding the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone recently. I’m surprised. The Clark’s Fork is an incredibly beautifull valley, and the elk hunting there is as good as it gets. The fishing is good too, for large numbers of small trout. The growing season is too short, the water too fast and too cold to support any big ones.    The lower end of the river runs thru is an impenetrable canyon, with 1000′ verticle rock walls, accessible only to the most lunatic kayakers who literally use petons and caribeeners to portage several impossible falls. There are some good Rainbows in several canyon pools. The problem is getting there. Higher up, from Crandal creek upstream to Cooke City, there are few fish over 12" long…although lots of them that small and smaller. —

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