Question:

says… <snip TL MC ( asking for a friend!).

Any Dick or Willie will do? Running & ducking, Herman

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I had been getting spammed with about 65-75 junk emails per day.  I tried to unsubscribe from their lists but that seemed to only waste my time and increase the amount of spam.  So this week I have been using the program called "MailWasher."  Download it from CNET or mailwasher.net.  It is free, you can check the headers on your email server before downloading it, and you can mark emails to be bounced back to the sender. Clicking the Bounce box on a message sends a fake "address not found" message to the address that the message originated from. This reduces the possibility of more spam e-mail coming from this address.  I am down to about 10-15 spams per day.

Thanks, Dave. I downloaded this and have it in place. Remarkably easy to install and use. Almost as soon as I was done, I received mail from a spammer. Tim c’mon, spam me NOW sukkas

Response:

Anybody else being spammed per e-mail with this? You have been selected to receive this email because of your interest in fly tying or fly fishing.  Flytiers.com is one of the most extensive online stores  ( Rest snipped). Just wondering. TL MC

Response:

says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anybody else being spammed per e-mail with this? You have been selected to receive this email because of your interest in fly tying or fly fishing.  Flytiers.com is one of the most extensive online stores  ( Rest snipped). Just wondering. TL MC Got it! Makes You feel like one of the chosen few, doesn

Question:

My wife and I just got back from a week on the Frio River in Texas, we had a great time and caught lots of fish. The magic fly was a bead head olive flashback. My wife actually caught her first fish on a fly rod. She was so excited, and she is hooked on fly fishing now. Tonight she even let me buy a new 4wt Loomis rod. She gets the old one. Those Texas sunfish are a lot of fun. Thanks for the advice on what flies to take with us all who contributed. Jim Barker

Response:

Hi Jim, Your wife gets the old one, huh?  You have it easy.  When I walked in with a new T&T 4 wt. rod my wife was home unbeknownst to me.  Needless to say, when she asked how much I spent while looking at the nice new rod tube, I told her I had just gotten her a present.  A new 4 wt. T&T.  It got me off the hook, but I don’t get to use ‘her’ rod.  She really loves it!!! Pete

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My wife and I just got back from a week on the Frio River in Texas, we had a great time and caught lots of fish. The magic fly was a bead head olive flashback. My wife actually caught her first fish on a fly rod. She was so excited, and she is hooked on fly fishing now. Tonight she even let me buy a new 4wt Loomis rod. She gets the old one. Those Texas sunfish are a lot of fun. Thanks for the advice on what flies to take with us all who contributed. Jim Barker

Response:

I have an in, my wife is getting ready to spend 1300.00 on new golf clubs. My loomis was a small purchase in comparison. Jim

Hi Jim, Your wife gets the old one, huh?  You have it easy.  When I walked in with a new T&T 4 wt. rod my wife was home unbeknownst to me.  Needless to say, when she asked how much I spent while looking at the nice new rod tube, I told her I had just gotten her a present.  A new 4 wt. T&T.  It got me off the hook, but I don’t get to use ‘her’ rod.  She really loves it!!! Pete

Response:

Question:

Okay gang, what would be on your ideal fly fishing web site?  And what sites come close to your ideal? Jeff

Thosands of people should reveal their honey holes, and no one should be able to access the site but me. — Those who say do not know; those who know do not say. — Lao Tsu, who must have been a fisherman. something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

Okay gang, what would be on your ideal fly fishing web site?  And what sites come close to your ideal? Jeff

Response:

Okay gang, what would be on your ideal fly fishing web site?  

Tech stuff: 1. Smart technology design, made to maximize usability on different client configurations. No Frames, No Java, No Java script, No Banners, No animated gifs, No excessive graphics, No risky and non fail-gracefully code, No excessive tables, No overdoing lay-out with html – settle for structure. 2. Universal non-plattform specific readability in terms of fonts and colors. 3. Keep it simple! 99 of a hundred trying to be fancy end up looking like complete and utter imbeciles. Let your content speak for it self, don’t fuck it up with bad design decisions. 4. Do not split long pages into several small ones (common sense applies, though). 5. Make it fast and effortless for visitors to figure out the structure of your website, latest updates and contents (search-engine, what’s new-overview, site map). Do not make your site look cool for the uninterested drooling 7-year old who will visit your site once or twice. Make it functional for your frequent visitors. Read this: http://photo.net/wtr/thebook/ And check out http://www.w3.org/ as well. That is the easy part, now the hard stuff. Content guidelines: 1. Only do stuff you or your staff is knowledgeable on. 2. Do things well and complete, or don’t do them at all. You get no extra points for putting it on the web. The Internet is 20 years old and maturing every minute (ROFF excepted of course . Sucky things aren’t cool any longer just because they are on the web, they just suck. 3. Allow feedback and publicly available comments on everything (interactive). Share what you know, and let others share what they know related to your site. 4. Update regularly. Don’t suddenly take a 6 month absence without notice. Be committed, and stay that way. Content: Firstly, take a look at the major search engines, and see what sites are out there. A million or two. Find anything missing? Or a concept that could be substantially improved upon by you? 1. I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about another site set out to help newbies figure the most basic things. There are plenty of those already (I assume). 2. Neither do I pursue sites which focuses on technical fly fishing stuff, like hatches, insects, knots, rods, technique etc. Of course, an extensive site of this would be interesting, and definitively worthy of a bookmark, and be used as a reference. If the site is somewhat less then really really really great (which will require insane amounts of work), it’s not interesting to me at all. Remember, hundreds of books has been written on these subjects by very knowledgeable people. Be better, or be gone. 3. I want personal stuff. I like pictures and I enjoy stories. I want someone who is adept at writing to share his thoughts and experiences with me. I may be a weirdo, but I tremendously enjoy reading other people’s stories from fly fishing outings/trips. I want to know how they feel, what they are thinking, what happens etc, almost like a diary. Be willing to share. You can probably tell me very little about fly fishing, but you can probably tell me very much about yourself as a fly fisherman. Write a book about it, and put the chapters on your website. Offer intelligent and lengthy stuff. Screw those who gets a headache from reading more than a few minutes straight. Write it so good, that non-fly fishers will enjoy it as well. 4. Be humble, and expect nothing in return. 5. Write in Norwegian, so I can fully enjoy the subtle linguistic concept. (ok, this one is rather optional) That’s how the ideal fly fishing web site is to me. Quite easy, actually. Make one, and I’ll visit regularly, if I like your style. — Christian Figenschou – <URL: http://figen.com

Response:

Question:

Where on St. John? I was there this August and didn’t see any flats, but then I didn’t get around the whole island. Depending on the size of the fish you’ll need a 7-9 wt rod and a good reel with a disc drag. Shrimp imitation flies like Crazy Charlies work well. Make sure you can cast in the wind. Hi, can anyone point me in the right direction.  I am an avid brown trout fisherman.  I was in St John yesterday and I came across a most amazing piece of bonefishing water.  The kind of place we all dream of.  Bone fishing galore and I stuck down here without my rod.  Can anyone fill me in on what is the deal with bonefishing?  Where do I start to look for more info?  I’m SOOOOO CURIOUS!!!  I want to catch me a bone!

– Charlie…

Response:

Hi, can anyone point me in the right direction.  I am an avid brown trout fisherman.  I was in St John yesterday and I came across a most amazing piece of bonefishing water.  The kind of place we all dream of.  Bone fishing galore and I stuck down here without my rod.  Can anyone fill me in on what is the deal with bonefishing?  Where do I start to look for more info?  I’m SOOOOO CURIOUS!!!  I want to catch me a bone!

Hi All, I heard there were bonefish flats off of Mosquito Island, Peter’s Island and Anegada Island. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY www.kiene.com

Response:

My "go to" outfit for the flats: an 8wt sage fitted with 9wt shooting head – intermediate. Loads quick, casts well in a wind, can get 90 ft in calm. Reel: Abel 3, but probabably would do better with an Abel 2. So long as you can put 150 yds of backing on it. You’ll need it. Leader: 9 ft, with a 4′ tippet of fluorocarbon 10lb test. Now, the fly: Never have had great luck with Charlies. Ultra Shrimp in size 4 to 1/0 puts a nice piece of meat in their sight. What’s the deal about a bonefish? Once yo hook one, you’ll wonder why you ever asked such a question. Good luck! FlyFisherRay

Response:

I, too, am an avid brown and rainbow trout fisherman, and for help with bone fishing, e-mail me. I know a guide. I’ll find his e-mail address.

Response:

Hi, can anyone point me in the right direction.  I am an avid brown trout fisherman.  I was in St John yesterday and I came across a most amazing piece of bonefishing water.  The kind of place we all dream of.  Bone fishing galore and I stuck down here without my rod.  Can anyone fill me in on what is the deal with bonefishing?  Where do I start to look for more info?  I’m SOOOOO CURIOUS!!!  I want to catch me a bone!

Response:

Question:

        As far as I’ve been able to ascertain, no one really knows exactly how far back fly fishing dates. Based on caves drawings and such, we do know that our stoop shouldered, uni-browed ancestors did, in fact, fish. Of course, early fishing techniques lacked a lot of the finesse associated with modern angling. Rods, for instance, were much shorter and heavier, and were used in a somewhat different manner than we are accustomed to. A prehistoric angler, favorite rod in hand, would wade out into a stream and take position. He’d carefully balance his tackle, assuring himself that his grip was firm and proper. After quietly surveying the water, he’d swing the rod in the classic ‘ten o’clock – one o’clock – ten o’clock’ manner. Then he’d bash a fish in the head, pick it up, and eat it raw on the spot.         This style of fishing eventually developed into two distinct areas: one group preferred ’sight bashing’, preferring to actually see a fish before swinging. The other tribe members stuck with the more old fashioned form of ‘blind bashing’. The sight-bashers soon came to hate the blind-bashers, claiming that their particular style was messing up the fishing. The blind-bashers fired back with the old traditionalism vs. neo-fishism, and the debate raged, leading to an inevitable spilt up of the tribe. One group moved upstream and the other, down. It wasn’t long before a splinter group of blind bashers decided that using longer poles was the way to go. They, too, eventually moved out to practice their particular style of fish catching. Before you knew it, ideological angling dichotomy had forced civilization to spread to the four corners of the globe. (Interestingly enough, many of these philosophical arguments continue to this day.)         Of course, early fishermen never really looked upon their labors as being a sport. Owing to the presence of other predators on the stream in those days (saber-toothed tigers, tyrannosauruses, etc.), the prehistoric angler constantly ran the risk of being eaten raw on the spot himself. When a trip to the ol’ fishing hole meant a 50/50 shot of being dinner instead of getting dinner, angling could hardly be considered recreational relaxation. It would be many years before people would look upon fishing as anything but a free, albeit risky, meal.         Our angling ancestors did, however, contribute one thing to the sport which has remained with us. One fine morning, an aboriginal angler (we’ll call him ‘Nok’) was working his favorite stream. At the time of the incident, Nok was using the forerunner of today’s electronic fish finder…that is to say he was knee-deep in the stream, bent over with his head fully submerged. As he scanned the water for his breakfast, a large, fish/angler eating cave bear was also surveying the stream for an early repast. It spotted Nok’s exposed backside, strolled over, sniffed, and then took a tentative exploratory nibble.         Now, a modern angler, no longer attuned to the wilderness environment due to ions of soft, urban living, would have surely met certain death under the same circumstances. Nok, on the other hand, reflexes sharply honed by years of eat-or-be-eaten fishing, reacted instantly. In an explosive, blinding fury of splashing, clubbing, and squealing, Nok was out of the stream and up a tree before the bear’s jaws could clamp completely shut. The astonished bear, left with nothing more than a good soaking and a small piece of loincloth dangling from one tooth, just stood and gazed upward at the terrified caveman, whose trembling had quickly denuded the tree of its leaves. After a fashion, it ambled off in search of a less frisky (and somewhat quieter) meal.         Later that evening, while sitting around the campfire, Nok regaled his small band of fellow anglers with a vivid (and, of course, slightly exaggerated) account of the day’s event. Like all good fishermen, the tribe listened quietly to the story, all the while rolling their eyes and winking at each other when Nok wasn’t looking their way. It wasn’t until Nok turned around and presented the physical evidence that they  believed that this wasn’t just another fishing tale. After much congratulatory grunting and chest pounding, the tribal elder announced that from that evening on Nok would be forever known as ‘Gup Nar’…The One That Got Away. "The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives the hours spent in fishing" – ASSYRIAN TABLET (2000 B.C.) Copyright 1997 Da’ Capn

Response:

When was the strike indicator invented?  Is that in part 2? George Adams

Response:

When was the strike indicator invented?

the day the music died… wayno

Response:

A very well researched and thought out article.  In fact there is some evidence to suggest that our uni-browed ancestors were indeed the biological forerunner of todays polarized sunglasses.     Nature, realizeing that the "Uni-Brow" enabled prehistoric man to fish better – the "uni-brow"  helping to cut down on the surface glare from the water – and being unable to develope polarized eyesight from an evolutionary aspect, procedd to evolve (remember Darwin?) a more intelligent species of hominoid who could later invent polarized sunglassed.     Contrary to the established dogma that man gave up hunter-gatherer society to form an agrarian culture to brew beer, modern theorists now opine it was for the purpose of inventing polarized sunglasses to pursue better fishing.     It is, however, well recorded that primitive man related his tales of adventure around the campfire on the night s of the full moon.  And thus, when Nok exposed his backside to prove the veracity of his tale . . . invented the term "mooning."     Practice C&R and you can kill it later . . . . . . .john

Response:

Question:

I’d go looking for a catalog from a man called Lew Codella…I think it’s in Boston, MA? A friend of mine swears by him. Try looking in a back of a magazine for the address. Also there’s a zillion bamboo guys with web sites try doing a little web surfing and maybe you’ll find a few phone numbers or e-mail addresses. — Enter the WWW fly tying contest by visiting my web site:http://www.commonlink.com/~Midwestflytying

Response:

Dear fellow fishing enthusaists: I have the opportunity to buy an antique Orvis fishing rod and reel at a local fly-fishing shop and was wondering if the asking price is approximate to its true value.  The rod is an ORVIS IMPREGNATED BAMBOO ROD- SUPERLIGHT SPIN.  The serial # is 65072, length is 6′0", and it’s two-piece design.  It is in mint condition and comes with the orginal container.  The reel is an ORVIS 50A SPINNING REEL.  The owner wants $250 for it.  Is this fair?  Your comments will be very appreciated. Thank you, Peter Byron   Albany, NY

Peter: I believe this is a fair deal, slightly below market value, where market value is what the main dealers in this stuff charge.  I’d say the reel alone has a market value of $50-75 and the rod $250-300, especially if it’s truly mint.  Remember, though, that market value is what the dealers get. If you tried to sell it, you might not get that much, although tne Net has opened this up a bit.  Hope this helps. –Rich

Response:

Dear fellow fishing enthusaists: I have the opportunity to buy an antique Orvis fishing rod and reel at a local fly-fishing shop and was wondering if the asking price is approximate to its true value.  The rod is an ORVIS IMPREGNATED BAMBOO ROD- SUPERLIGHT SPIN.  The serial # is 65072, length is 6′0", and it’s two-piece design.  It is in mint condition and comes with the orginal container.  The reel is an ORVIS 50A SPINNING REEL.  The owner wants $250 for it.  Is this fair?  Your comments will be very appreciated. Thank you, Peter Byron   Albany, NY

Response:

Question:

For the life of me, I do not understand what a double tapered leader is supposed to do.  It produces a discontinuity in the transmission of energy in the line to the fly.  Maybe it is used to cause a pileup of leader.

Not really. The DT leader I mentioned was presented by AJ McClane in an essay on small stream angling (i.e. tight situations). Though I can’t claim to speak for the late Mr. McClane, the leader was designed to cast a fly in situations where the angler has very little line out, perhaps only a few feet. I’ve used the leader many times under these circumstances and it does what it was designed to do. My suggestion would be for you to tie one up and play around with it. If you like it, you may add it to your sporting arsenal. If you don’t like it, you may discard it in an appropriate manner. Regards, Spinolio

Response:

0] : For the life of me, I do not understand what a double tapered leader is : supposed to do.  It produces a discontinuity in the transmission of energy : in the line to the fly.  Maybe it is used to cause a pileup of leader. : William Buchman I believe the idea is that when you are fishing so short that you have little or no fly line out you get a DT flyline-like action from the leader and thus better control. Mike — Michael McGuire                         Hewlett Packard Laboratories Phone: (415)-857-5491                   Palo Alto, CA 94303-0971

Response:

Not long ago there was a thread in ROFF concerning leader recipes and, though this might have been mentioned somewhere, I thought I’d post one for a double-tapered leader. I found this recipe in one of my books by the late, great A.J. McClane (who could probably be the subject of an entire newsgroup) in one of his essays on small stream angling. Here’s how a 7.5 foot DT leader can be tied, from butt to tippet: 18 inches of .014 leader material 6 inches of .015 6 inches of .017 15 inches of .019 9 inches of .015 9 inches of .013 12 inches of .011 15 inches of .009 (lighter tippet can be added if you want) This leader is constructed in such a way that you can cast it with your hand. On small streams and tight spots where you have very little line to work with, the leader itself is sufficient to throw a small fly. Quite an item to have in your vest. Spinolio

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Not long ago there was a thread in ROFF concerning leader recipes and, though this might have been mentioned somewhere, I thought I’d post one for a double-tapered leader. I found this recipe in one of my books by the late, great A.J. McClane (who could probably be the subject of an entire newsgroup) in one of his essays on small stream angling. Here’s how a 7.5 foot DT leader can be tied, from butt to tippet: 18 inches of .014 leader material 6 inches of .015 6 inches of .017 15 inches of .019 9 inches of .015 9 inches of .013 12 inches of .011 15 inches of .009 (lighter tippet can be added if you want) This leader is constructed in such a way that you can cast it with your hand. On small streams and tight spots where you have very little line to work with, the leader itself is sufficient to throw a small fly. Quite an item to have in your vest. Spinolio

Lots of good info in all books buy A.J. McClane and Joe Brooks. They were pretty progressive for 50 years ago. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

Response:

Lots of good info in all books buy A.J. McClane and Joe Brooks. They were pretty progressive for 50 years ago.

Definitely. A lot of the questions that beginners in the newsgroup ask are dealt with in books by those two. McClane in particular created a foundation of techniques for modern angling, IMO. As long as we’re on the subject, is there any truth to the story that McClane was an agent for the CIA? It sounds crazy, but when you read about some of his strange fishing trips to Africa and South America it kind of makes sense. How ’bout it, Mr Gehrke? Do you have any insight on the matter? Spinolio

Response:

Lots of good info in all books buy A.J. McClane and Joe Brooks. They were pretty progressive for 50 years ago. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

Hi William, I sure agree, my most used reference book is McClane’s New Standard Fishing Encyclopedia. I’ve had it since the early 70’s and reference it often. I personally like to fish traditional wet flies and it is one of the few places I know to get patterns tied by Harry & Elsie Darbee. — Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (97 materials catalog) http://www.flyshop.com/Expo/Specialty/BTsPdcts/index.html

Response:

For the life of me, I do not understand what a double tapered leader is supposed to do.  It produces a discontinuity in the transmission of energy in the line to the fly.  Maybe it is used to cause a pileup of leader. William Buchman

Response:

Question:

Gee…. I don’t know. It makes sense to touch the fish as little as

possible to avoid uneeded stress when releasing. However, I don’t know that a simple "bullshit" answer to a biologist is adequate. If the biologist has NOT seen mortality, then we should feel more comfortable when we "screw up". I don’t think this warrants such an unreasined response. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to put to rest one of the biggest myths in flyfishing. Namely the need to wet your hands when releasing a fish.  The story goes that if you remove fish’s slime they get fungus or other infections.  Not true!  I run a fishing preserve & hatchery & never wet my hands.  We handle thousands of fish & in both the hatchery & preserve water.  During spawning operations we actually dry the brood fish using turkish towels to allow addition of live sperm from several males at a time (water activates the sperm).  Never see any mortality!   THIS IS BULLSHIT. The fool who posted this is talking raising hatchery fish in a artificial environment.   And how the hell does he know if there was mortality!   What does he do take a morning headcount.  Maybe a morning PE would help too!  Boy oh Boy. Wild trout are a bit different. PLEASE, wet your hands or better yet, do not touch them at all.   That mucus is there for a reason.  Wipe it off and the purpose is gone. I am no biologist, but it seems logical that all previous studies done on this, all say to wet your hands, and this bobo comes in and says……   Well you see. Tight lines, Russ

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to put to rest one of the biggest myths in flyfishing.  Namely the need to wet your hands when releasing a fish.  The story goes that if you remove fish’s slime they get fungus or other infections.  Not true!  I run a fishing preserve & hatchery & never wet my hands.  We handle thousands of fish & in both the hatchery & preserve water.  During spawning operations we actually dry the brood fish using turkish towels to allow addition of live sperm from several males at a time (water activates the sperm).  Never see any mortality! THIS IS BULLSHIT. The fool who posted this is talking raising hatchery fish in a artificial environment.   And how the hell does he know if there was mortality!   What does he do take a morning headcount.  Maybe a morning PE would help too!  Boy oh Boy.  Wild trout are a bit different. PLEASE, wet your hands or better yet, do not touch them at all.   That mucus is there for a reason.  Wipe it off and the purpose is gone. I am no biologist, but it seems logical that all previous studies done on this, all say to wet your hands, and this bobo comes in and says……   Well you see. Tight lines, RussMaybe the Biologist who posted this is the same one from Oregon who said

logging doesn’t hurt the Salmom!

Response:

I’d like to put to rest one of the biggest myths in flyfishing.  Namely the need to wet your hands when releasing a fish.  The story goes that if you remove fish’s slime they get fungus or other infections.  Not true!  I run a fishing preserve & hatchery & never wet my hands.  We handle thousands of fish & in both the hatchery & preserve water.  During spawning operations we actually dry the brood fish using turkish towels to allow addition of live sperm from several males at a time (water activates the sperm).  Never see any mortality!  

Response:

I’d like to put to rest one of the biggest myths in flyfishing.  Namely the need to wet your hands when releasing a fish.  The story goes that if you remove fish’s slime they get fungus or other infections.  Not true!  I run a fishing preserve & hatchery & never wet my hands.  We handle thousands of fish & in both the hatchery & preserve water.  During spawning operations we actually dry the brood fish using turkish towels to allow addition of live sperm from several males at a time (water activates the sperm).  Never see any mortality!  

THIS IS BULLSHIT. The fool who posted this is talking raising hatchery fish in a artificial environment.   And how the hell does he know if there was mortality!   What does he do take a morning headcount.  Maybe a morning PE would help too!  Boy oh Boy.  Wild trout are a bit different. PLEASE, wet your hands or better yet, do not touch them at all.   That mucus is there for a reason.  Wipe it off and the purpose is gone. I am no biologist, but it seems logical that all previous studies done on this, all say to wet your hands, and this bobo comes in and says……   Well you see. Tight lines, Russ

Response:

Question:

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

Response:

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

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

Response:

Question:

Spectra. I have used unbraided spectra equivalent ( I believe it is Kevlar strands) for both pike and barracuda on the fly and have yet to have a problem.  I have heard that spectra does like going around sharp corners such as through eyes of hooks or swivels. There is a braided microfibre sold under the brandd name ‘CORASTRONG’ in the UK that I use for bonefish backing.  Its fine diameter means that you can lots of backing on a smallish reel.  The stuff is abrasion resistant across coral heads unlike micron or other dacron braids.  I have yet to use for leader but see no reason why it should not work. Chris Enstone – ‘fishing is just like work except that you don’t get paid for it and you enjoy it’

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        After taking one trip to nor. Saskatchewan for pike on a fly in summer ‘94, and dealing with the hassels of wire tippets, I wondered if there has been any experience with the new braided micro-filament lines used more often in the baitcasting (shh,;)) world.  They are low-stretch, supposedly are more abraision resitant, and super-strong for their respective diameter.  Would these lines be worth their lack of stiffness (for turning over pike flies) in order to take advantage of their fish fighting abilities?         Also, would they work well enough to be used as backing?                                                 Response by e-mail or                                                 posting appreciated,                                                 Starving College Student — Ryan Maas

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