Question:
Yesterday I got news from a friend that Sydney Harbour was really firing, with big schools of bonito and yellowtail kingfish feeding on top nearly all morning – he and his wife got several good bonnies on fly and lost a kingie, fly line and all before leaving, sick of catching ‘em. I got my gear out before bed, putting a Teeny ‘head on my 11 wt and an intermediate on the 8. The sky was clearing after intermittent drizzle since Christmas Eve. I woke up at 5am this morning to the sound of pouring rain. It’s been going all day (it’s nearly 1 pm now). The wind is up around 15kts, a southerly, which ruins my chances in my 4.2m runabout. I’ve downloaded all the Win’98 Y2K patches I can, I’ve upgraded my antivirus data files, I’ve eaten most of the leftovers in the fridge, but there are a I’M PISSED OFF I WANT TO GO FISHING JK
Response:
I know how you feel John, s’been hissing down here for 3 days or so … still we need it. Having decided to take the plunge (finally!) into the salt I’ve been tying a box full of saltwater flies in anticiaption and what happens? … still we need it. good luck when the weather breaks. Steve
Response:
I wish we had some of that rain! Forrest http://www.FlyFishingREVIEW.com FlyFishingREVIEW.com Before you buy.
Response:
I’ve got a lot of empty bottles here I could fill for you.
John : If you want, you could send a bunch of bottles of rain to Dallas. Nearby Lake Lewisville is still 13.3 feet low and weather liers offer no help. The weather here was 73 degrees this afternoon with blue skies and the wind was less than 20 m.p.h. If this keeps up all the catfish will die of sunburn. There Waldo and Jeff are fishing in beautiful gray days and knocking ice out of their rod guides and we are stuck in this damn bluebird kind of days and still wearing shorts and sandals. I am jealous. It is still too hot to enjoy a Young’s Oatmeal Stout. Big Dale Big Dale
Response:
….It is still too hot to enjoy a Young’s Oatmeal Stout.
Unimaginable Dale. Never been a fan of hot weather myself but it’s never too hot to drink a good beer, especially if it accompanies a nice mess of fried bluegills. And as the latter are something of a specialty of yours I should think you’d be in pretty good shape. Bottoms up!
Response:
Where are you Forrest? I’ve got a lot of empty bottles here I could fill for you. Cheers JK
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I wish we had some of that rain! Forrest http://www.FlyFishingREVIEW.com FlyFishingREVIEW.com Before you buy.
Response:
Big Dale, Don’t worry, that’s the one thing with the weather – I guarantee it will change (for better or for worse is the only question, and not even the meteorologists know that!). You wouldn’t believe it here today, not a cloud in the sky, no wind, 25deg Some how I have to tell my better half that I’m going to get some of those kingies at 5am tomorrow morning (New Years Eve), it might be my last chance. Cheers JK
Response:
Question:
So George, you’ve found yet a new way to assert your commercial presence here…by creating new subject lines…make that HEADLINES several times a day? Don’t you have your own chatroom to manipulate? Bastards All & Lovin Them! Gehrke Fly Rods Best Buy in Nation Chat Site Alive and Well! Since February I have tried to see you as an unfairly treated person here. I find no reason to continue trying. Enough is enough. — Jeff Cook http://www.cookstudios.com Washington DC area
Response:
I think I was an early supporter, having ordered a Bastard, 7.5′, #4 back in December. However, I internalized the wisdom of placing that order especially when the ‘reviews’ began to appear here and decided to cancel the order for my ‘Bastard’ on September 30. Without any other comment I just want to say, boy do I feel relieved.
Response:
I think I was an early supporter, having ordered a Bastard, 7.5′, #4 back in December. However, I internalized the wisdom of placing that order especially when the ‘reviews’ began to appear here and decided to cancel the order for my ‘Bastard’ on September 30. Without any other comment I just want to say, boy do I feel relieved.
this. That you feel relieved is another question regarding you being able to think for yourself is in question with me. You could have inspected the qualities of a fine fly rod first hand. That you seem to have ‘a need’ to post such a remark in public, I regard as disappointing as it does not hurt me as much as it does you. A fair man wouldn’t have done this. Why did you do this? We never did anything to you but work our hearts out for you. christ. Mr. G.
Response:
Just think Allen, you could have seen first hand what a pile of crap his rods are and sent it back. After all he does guarantee your money back plus a nasty response to any one who doesn’t like them. Of course you are out $12 return postage, but getting on George’s sh*t list should be worth something. :-) Ernie Harrison Keep Livestock Away From Our Rivers and Streams. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think I was an early supporter, having ordered a Bastard, 7.5′, #4 back in December. However, I internalized the wisdom of placing that order especially when the ‘reviews’ began to appear here and decided to cancel the order for my ‘Bastard’ on September 30. Without any other comment I just want to say, boy do I feel relieved.
Response:
Just think Allen, you could have seen first hand what a pile of crap his rods are and sent it back. After all he does guarantee your money back plus a nasty response to any one who doesn’t like them. Of course you are out $12 return postage, but getting on George’s sh*t list should be worth something. :-) Ernie Harrison
______ Harrison, you’re very bit of what Doug Knight says you are. None of it good. This style of post of yours again proves what kind of person you really are and always have been in ROFF. Mr. G.
Response:
Steve, you’re right. I could have waited to check out a Bastard and return it (at my expense) if it didn’t pass inspection. However, I am not a bamboo affecionado(sp?), am not qualified to do a quality inspection, and based my decision on the many defects identified in the reviews ‘Bastards’ have received thus far. As far as posting my cancellation: It appears that ANY constructive discussion/criticism/suggestions about ANYTHING associated with this rod brings forth a venemous assault, i.e. "I Tried a Bastard" by Bob Smith. BTW, have you ever walked into a store intending to buy something and were so offended by what you saw of the interaction between sales and customer that you said to yourself, "forget this", and just turned around and walked out.
Response:
Steve, you’re right. I could have waited to check out a Bastard and return it (at my expense) if it didn’t pass inspection. However, I am not a bamboo affecionado(sp?), am not qualified to do a quality inspection, and based my decision on the many defects identified in the reviews ‘Bastards’ have received thus far. As far as posting my cancellation: It appears that ANY constructive discussion/criticism/suggestions about ANYTHING associated with this rod brings forth a venemous assault, i.e. "I Tried a Bastard" by Bob Smith. BTW, have you ever walked into a store intending to buy something and were so offended by what you saw of the interaction between sales and customer that you said to yourself, "forget this", and just turned around and walked out.
wouldn’t let anyone else do my thinking for me. Mr. G.
Response:
George did everything he could to sell his Bastards (ie. SPAM), take orders and impress us with his genius on this newsgroup. What goes around come around. Thus, I think it fair to cancel an order via this newsgroup, even if not tactful. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve never posted about the Bastard, but i dont think its fair to say in public that you plan on canceling an order on a rod that you havent seen. If you have worries about the bastard, its perfectly fine to cancel an order, but to say it in a public forum is just unfairly hurting another person’s business. Maybe Mr.G’s rods arent perfect but from what i hear, he does have a money back guarantee so you’re not running much risk by at least having it shipped to you to be inspected.
Response:
Just to clarify; I cancelled my purchase of the rod privately, via e-mail, to George on Sept. 30th. My post on ROFF a week later was no different then anyone posting about a broken rod tip, some warranty, some service fee, etc. from any rod, reel, etc. company. BTW, it’s been a long time now but didn’t G post some of the names and number of orders he had? Finally, yes I guess my post may not have been very tactful. I’ll hereby give myself 10 lashes with a wet noodle.
As much as it hurts to say it, I have to agree with George on this one. I have no problem if someone wants to cancel their order but your public statements only point out your preference for bolting with the herd rather than thinking for yourself or just checking it out first hand. Let’s face it. When George started this whole thing it was painfully clear that it was a risk to order a rod from someone that was taking on a fairly demanding technical task for the first time, regardless of what he said. If you didn’t think it was a risk (and the posts at that time made it pretty clear it was) then you were painfully naive. That risk has not changed since the beginning yet you have gotten nervous and bolted at the end. This is still OK by me but what is the purpose of publicly venting your "relief" at this juncture since you have absolutely nothing concrete to add to the debate except to proclaim this herd behavior? I would be embarrassed to publicly advertise that behavior if I were in your position. There have certainly been problems and George has been George. I have read nothing here that is any different than what George has posted since he first appeared on ROFF, so what else is new?! You guys act as if this is all a big surprise. Get real. If you were misled about what it might be like to deal with George on this, I would suggest it was in part done by yourselves and a lust for a new bamboo rod at what was initially hoped to be bargain basement prices. Maybe its time for a reality check and to get over it. As a disclaimer, this post is certainly not a defense of George. Some of the things that have gone on seem reprehensible to me and George is far from pure. Too much said. Jon "sucked into this thread" McAnulty
Response:
Always nice too see the leader of a customer service organization using terms like ‘insect brain’ in a public forum. Especially when its in reference to a potential customer. George, I dont care if your rods are beamed here from God himself … SNIPPED
Exactly my thoughts! At this point I don’t care how great they might be- I’m willing to skip ever finding out, just so I don’t have to deal with this guy and run the risk of being publicly demeaned. What a freakin’ nutcase. Before you buy.
Response:
…I wouldn’t let anyone else do my thinking for me.
And THIS is a serious problem because you don’t do any of it for yourself either.
Response:
Nice to see the Mrs. has the same accumen. Tom
Response:
I’ve never posted about the Bastard, but i dont think its fair to say in public that you plan on canceling an order on a rod that you havent seen. If you have worries about the bastard, its perfectly fine to cancel an order, but to say it in a public forum is just unfairly hurting another person’s business. Maybe Mr.G’s rods arent perfect but from what i hear, he does have a money back guarantee so you’re not running much risk by at least having it shipped to you to be inspected.
It seems to me that the very essence of a public forum such as this newsgroup is to provide an opportunity for anyone to express an opinion; any opinion. That someone chooses to express an opinion which has a bearing on the central issues covered in this particular newsgroup should not be lamented. Consider also that the negative reports on Mr. Gerhke’s products undoubtedly do him a lot less damage than does his own behavior in this forum. Moreover, his incessant peddling of his products here opens the door for responses pertaining to those products even when, as is the case here, those responses are overwhelmingly negative. ROFF is a community in a truer sense of the word than are most of the cities, towns, and villages in which most of us live. One of the things which makes this a true community is that the residents, by common if tacit consent, watch out for one another. This is by and large true despite the vigor with which we sometimes attack one another’s sacred cows. I am confident that most of the regulars here would warn other members of the community about actual or potential problems with any commercial product regardless of who produces that product. That one particular purveyor of fly fishing related products chooses to use this forum as his personal marketing outlet should not , and does not, exempt him from the same scrutiny and criticism which any other manufacturer is subject to. And if his products and his character bring out in public reviews which hurt his business well, what can one say but Tough Shit?!
Response:
Was it Gatlinburg in mid-July, had you just it town and your throat was dry, and did think you’d stop and have yourself a brew?
Response:
Right on John. I first went there in 1931 at age 6. A straw mattress and kerosene lamp. Jack in Nashville.
Response:
Just to clarify; I cancelled my purchase of the rod privately, via e-mail, to George on Sept. 30th. My post on ROFF a week later was no different then anyone posting about a broken rod tip, some warranty, some service fee, etc. from any rod, reel, etc. company. BTW, it’s been a long time now but didn’t G post some of the names and number of orders he had? Finally, yes I guess my post may not have been very tactful. I’ll hereby give myself 10 lashes with a wet noodle.
Response:
Always nice too see the leader of a customer service organization using terms like ‘insect brain’ in a public forum. Especially when its in reference to a potential customer. George, I dont care if your rods are beamed here from God himself or if they truly are the low end of the market. With the defensive, insulting, condescending, aloof and generally surly attitude you take, your business is doomed to fail. If I bought something off of you and decided to return it, and you sent me a nasty-gram along with my refund check, you would regret it for the rest of your business life. Tom.
Response:
George did everything he could to sell his Bastards (ie. SPAM), take orders and impress us with his genius on this newsgroup. What goes around come around. Thus, I think it fair to cancel an order via this newsgroup, even if not tactful.
And you’re right, it isn’t tactful. Respectfully, Gladys M. Gehrke Executive Secretary Bastard Fly Rod Company
Response:
every one here knows exactly what they are missing
Response:
every one here knows exactly what they are missing
______ You’re full of it, insect brain. Along with the other turkeys in Roff just like you. Mr.G.
Response:
I’ve never posted about the Bastard, but i dont think its fair to say in public that you plan on canceling an order on a rod that you havent seen. If you have worries about the bastard, its perfectly fine to cancel an order, but to say it in a public forum is just unfairly hurting another person’s business. Maybe Mr.G’s rods arent perfect but from what i hear, he does have a money back guarantee so you’re not running much risk by at least having it shipped to you to be inspected. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
—-snip—- BTW, have you ever walked into a store intending to buy something and were so offended by what you saw of the interaction between sales and customer that you said to yourself, "forget this", and just turned around and walked out.
—-snip—-
Response:
—-snip—- BTW, have you ever walked into a store intending to buy something and were so offended by what you saw of the interaction between sales and customer that you said to yourself, "forget this", and just turned around and walked out. —-snip—-
Gatlinburg! A place I remember with wood sidewalks where I bought one of the finest pair of moccasins I ever owned, real sqaw chewed Cherokee mocs. On the Illinois plains I could fly with them but in rocky terrain were less than ideal. That was 50yrs ago, before all the super interstates and a trip there from Dwight Ill. was an occasion and adventure. Most folks of the area went to Wisconsin or Michigan for pike or musky not to Tenn. for trout. It’s now probably a huge city full of crap and corruption like most of the other places that were peacfull and friendly in my long ago youth. John Popp in Sanford Fl.
Response:
George did everything he could to sell his Bastards (ie. SPAM), take orders and impress us with his genius on this newsgroup. What goes around come around. Thus, I think it fair to cancel an order via this newsgroup, even if not tactful. And you’re right, it isn’t tactful. Respectfully, Gladys M. Gehrke Executive Secretary Bastard Fly Rod Company
george, oh i mean gladys (yeah, right), i tried being tactful with your patient, i mean husband. and look where it got me. he comes on here and dumps shit on ANYONE who says ANYTHING that isn’t totally in agreement with his delusions about his rods. the guy is unstable, megalomaniacal,egocentric and a pathalogical liar. i fear for your safety "gladys". if he hasn’t sucked you into his Frostcukoo land beyond all hopes of escape, then RUN Gladys RUN before it’s too late. bob smith, former weel wisher till i got slammed for trying to tell GG the truth. Before you buy.
Response:
George did everything he could to sell his Bastards (ie. SPAM), take orders and impress us with his genius on this newsgroup. What goes around come around. Thus, I think it fair to cancel an order via this newsgroup, even if not tactful.
_______ You don’t know what you’re missing. Gladys Gehrke
Response:
Question:
says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Does anyone have information about fishing in Huatulco/Puerto Escondido, Mexico area? I am planning a trip for mid august, but the only problem is, with less then a month left, I still have no idea what to expect. I will only be able to bring a 7/8 weight, and I will probably fish the bays in Huatulco and Puerto Angel….any other hot spots in the area???? I need to know what kind of fish are availible to me, and of course what flies (specific patterns?) or type of flies (shrimp? baitfish?) and what sizes i should tie them in….also handy would be possibly guide recommendations and leader strengths? Actually, any information at all would be great! I just need all the help I can get! Anyway, if you have any ideas, please either email me OR reply to this message! Thanks in advance, Scott
Sorry to confuse people, i meant Huatulco/Puerto Escondido of the Oaxaca, Mexico area.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone have information about fishing in Huatulco/Puerto Escondido, Mexico area? I am planning a trip for mid august, but the only problem is, with less then a month left, I still have no idea what to expect. I will only be able to bring a 7/8 weight, and I will probably fish the bays in Huatulco and Puerto Angel….any other hot spots in the area???? I need to know what kind of fish are availible to me, and of course what flies (specific patterns?) or type of flies (shrimp? baitfish?) and what sizes i should tie them in….also handy would be possibly guide recommendations and leader strengths? Actually, any information at all would be great! I just need all the help I can get! Anyway, if you have any ideas, please either email me OR reply to this message! Thanks in advance, Scott
at:<http://www.geocities/thetropics/4888 They specialize in Baja Fishing only !!!
Response:
Does anyone have information about fishing in Huatulco/Puerto Escondido, Mexico area? I am planning a trip for mid august, but the only problem is, with less then a month left, I still have no idea what to expect. I will only be able to bring a 7/8 weight, and I will probably fish the bays in Huatulco and Puerto Angel….any other hot spots in the area???? I need to know what kind of fish are availible to me, and of course what flies (specific patterns?) or type of flies (shrimp? baitfish?) and what sizes i should tie them in….also handy would be possibly guide recommendations and leader strengths? Actually, any information at all would be great! I just need all the help I can get! Anyway, if you have any ideas, please either email me OR reply to this message! Thanks in advance, Scott
Response:
Question:
— Greg Smith Visit New York State’s majestic Adirondack Mountains at http://www.dreamscape.com/esmith/ "I know that our bodies were made to thrive only in pure air, and the scenes in which pure air is found" –John Muir
Response:
<—– Whole Lotta BUNK Deleted —–
Ayyy Yo Mustiiiie! Wassamatta, youze mom didn’t give youze enough love or somethin??? Or maybe she gave you toooooo much love, dats the problem I think. Youze wanna talk about "Ultimate Challenges"? How about youze givin the nice folks on all of these newsgroups youze been pollutin a lil break? How about you don’t post anything anywhere for a whole month? How about that for an "Ultimate Challenge", huh Mustie? I mean Mistie, I mean, uh, what was your name again? Anyway, I bet youze can’t do it cause youze is not man enough. I bet youze got a "Nad Boy" sticker, fuzzy dice, and flames on your metallic pink Honda, don’t ya? Well, I’m sure I’ll be hearin from ya, cause I know for a fact that you WILL fail the "Ultimate Challenge"… Sly P.S. Youze don’t like my movies, don’t watch’em. I just try to make a livin like everybody else…
Response:
I can’t believe you people keep falling for this stuff. You need to just ignore the post altogether. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Oh say can you see, by the prides early light, that you are a fool, for buying the Ford. And the engine breaks down, you feel like a clown, Thats right you un-intelligent flag wavers! Why is it that you all seem so hung up on BUY AMERICAN! Why is it that innocent women get harrased by union truck drivers for driving a foriegn vehicle? Would you like your wife, daughter or mom to be insulted by some greasy moron who says
Question:
On my recent vacation to New Zealand I read an interesting article in the NZ Fishing magazine about kite fishing. This intrigued me because I fish and fly kites, but not at the same time. 
I was lucky enough to contact the manufacturer and obtain a catalog of the various rigs available.
Kelly: I have used a ‘Salmon Rod’ (very heavy action) with #40lb monofilament on an open faced spinning reel with a snap swivel to fly kites with. In a brisk wind, its like catching a large salmon. Set the drag correctly and the darn kite "runs" just like a fish in a wind gust. Saves your hands reeling in the kite with the rod also. Seriously, it’s fun and very much like fishing. Bob Drongowski
Response:
`Kelly: ` I have used a ‘Salmon Rod’ (very heavy action) with #40lb monofilament `on an `open faced spinning reel with a snap swivel to fly kites with. `In a brisk wind, its like catching a large salmon. Set the drag `correctly and `the darn kite "runs" just like a fish in a wind gust. `Saves your hands reeling in the kite with the rod also. `Seriously, it’s fun and very much like fishing. `Bob Drongowski I used to do this when I was a kid. My dad put my kite on a rod, as I was using a spool, went to hand off to a friend and gave my dad a good 200 yard exercise sprint he wasn’t expecting. I used to love running a short amount of string on a delta kite and run around the neighborhood dive bombing my friends…. swood — Hunting over in Michigan? Don’t Despair – NO CLOSED SEASON ON: opossum, porcupine, weasel, red squirrel, skunk, starlings, feral pigeons, English sparrows, ground squirrel & woodchuck Anyway trout season opens the last Saturday this month.
Response:
(Scott Wood) writes: I used to do this when I was a kid. My dad put my kite on a rod, as I was using a spool, went to hand off to a friend and gave my dad a good 200 yard exercise sprint he wasn’t expecting. I used to love running a short amount of string on a delta kite and run around the neighborhood dive bombing my friends….
We once built a kite and bought a 2000 yard spool of 6 pound test monofilament to fly it with (we were poor and economized). We did get the kite all the way out, but we couldn’t see it. So, we tied it off to a tree, and rode our bikes about a mile away until we spotted it over head. Then we spent about 4 hours winding all that line back on the spool. Dean
Response:
| | On my recent vacation to New Zealand I read an interesting | article in the NZ Fishing magazine about kite fishing. This | intrigued me because I fish and fly kites, but not at the | same time. I was lucky enough to contact the manufacturer | and obtain a catalog of the various rigs available. | | Has anyone seen or experimented with Kite fishing? | | Kelly It is my understanding that the kite fishing was first used in Southern California in the early 1900’s for bluefin tuna, but was disused after WWII or so when the large bluefin (larger than can be found here today) were wiped out by commercial fishing. This form of fising was later adopted in Florida primarily for sailfish. I have just purchased a kite to fish for local bluefin tuna. The pacific bluefin we have locally are incredibly shy (line, boat, etc). The kite will allow me to do two things: 1) allow me to get a bait well away from the boat, where the larger 100+ lb fish seem to want to stay, and 2) keep the leader/line mostly out of the water. The baits are hooked on top and the leader/line ascends vertically from the bait to the kite. I plan to use the kite while anchored on the offshore banks which are about 100 NM offshore. Kite fishing has been working wonderfully well for yellowfin tuna at the Revillagegigedos islands (sp), 1000 NM south of San Diego, where the pending all tackle world was caught using a kite a couple of months ago (just shy of 400 lbs). — _ Gary Gibson |_ PRYORITY I | Metaflow Technologies, Inc. |__ 4250 Executive Square, Suite 300 ____/ / Voice: (619) 452-6608 x231
Response:
On my recent vacation to New Zealand I read an interesting article in the NZ Fishing magazine about kite fishing. This intrigued me because I fish and fly kites, but not at the same time. I was lucky enough to contact the manufacturer and obtain a catalog of the various rigs available. Has anyone seen or experimented with Kite fishing? Kelly
Response:
