Question:

My 17 year old son and I day tripped into a sub-alpine lake in the sapphires. We hauled in a hobbie cat pontoon boat and went fly-fishing for arctic grayling.  Between the two of us we caught & released about 50 of the little things in about 5 hours of fishing. Basically they hit anything that floated in a 14 or smaller.  most were 10" or so but we caught a few up to 14" and one 16".    lake is at about 8200′ elevation and still ringed with snow on the adjacent north facing slopes (i.e. water is bloody cold) I must have been pre-occupied during my turn on the pontoon- my son tells me there was a black bear taking a drink from the shore line about 100′ from where I was fishing & I didn’t see it. (lake is about 13 acres and I was on the far side under a shale slide.) The grayling do not fight like a trout- they tended to stay down and run- but not with a lot of power.  Unfortunately I only have a 9′  6 wt which is definitely too much rod for these fellas – I think a 4 wt might be more fun–hmm, I wonder what the finance dept would say to that. Sunday I had a little time to kill so I ran up the Blackfoot river (base river in ARRTI) and fished for a few hours- only managed 5 or 6 small ‘bows of about 10".  the water is still high, fast and turbid and I was using a small wulff pattern.  I think a "big ugly" would be better. Looks like a really dry year coming- I’m worried about water levels in the major streams/rivers.

Response:

Rivers are below normal and the snowpack is basically gone. We need timely rains if the rivers are going to stay cool enough for trout. — Tight Lines! Brian D. Nelson Diamond N Outfitters, Missoula, Montana http://www.montana.com/dno/dno.htm 406-626-4022

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Looks like a really dry year coming- I’m worried about water levels in the major streams/rivers.

Response:

Question:

I’m going to be in Oregon in mid-August and would like to get in a day or two of fishing.  Does anyone have a suggestion for guides and locations?   I would love to try summer steelhead and trout if possible. Thanks, Steve

Response:

I’m going to be in Oregon in mid-August and would like to get in a day or two of fishing.  Does anyone have a suggestion for guides and locations? I would love to try summer steelhead and trout if possible.

Any of the lakes around Mt. Bachelor such as Hosmer Lake, Elk Lake, Todd Lake and many others should be good for trout.  Great float tubing.  You also have the opportunity to fish the Deschutes River, a great spot, especially with a guide if you’re a first timer there..  For more info you might try Sunriver Fly Shop (541)593-8814 or Sunriver Guides and Outfitters (541)593-8247 both located in Sunriver, Oregon. Greg

Response:

I’m going to be in Oregon in mid-August and would like to get in a day or two of fishing.  Does anyone have a suggestion for guides and locations?   I would love to try summer steelhead and trout if possible. Thanks, Steve

I stayed at Crystalwood Lodge in the Klamath basin about 4 years ago and had a great time.Their guides usually take you to the local rivers such as the Williamson or the Wood. I had a good success and I’m nowhere near an expert, but it is not a budget trip:). If "Marlin" is still guideing try to get him, Lloyd Heilbrunn

Response:

Steve — If you want to fish for steelhead on the Deschutes in mid-August you will have be in north-central Oregon, about 90 miles from Bend and about 250 miles from Klamath Falls.  You will probably need a guide who fishes the mouth of the Descutes, although some fish will probably be as far south as Maupin by mid-August. Rob

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going to be in Oregon in mid-August and would like to get in a day or two of fishing.  Does anyone have a suggestion for guides and locations? I would love to try summer steelhead and trout if possible. Thanks, Steve

Response:

Question:

Hi, check my site. It is in its infancy but I hope to add links to other useful sites. Please let me know which sites you find that are of help to you.     Hi All…..         Does anyone know where i can find some patterns and tips on the net…… Thanks

– Vic Brockett http://home.earthlink.net/~vicbrockett

Response:

Try out the following links. http://killroys.com/patterns/patterns.htm http://www.flyline.com/flys/patrns.htm http://globalflyfisher.com/patterns/list.html#Stream http://www.algonet.se/~sjostran/English/10018.htm http://www.telusplanet.net/public/cnangler/html/roman.htm http://www.traflyfish.com/tying/index.htm http://www.virtualflybox.com/pattern_list.shtml Also, some help links are listed bellow. http://www.buckeyeflyfishers.com/fly_frame.htm http://www.masterfx.com/Flysnest/Class.htm Vern – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    Hi All…..        Does anyone know where i can find some patterns and tips on the net…… Thanks

Response:

check my site. It is in its infancy but I hope to add links to other useful sites. Please let me know which sites you find that are of help to you. http://home.earthlink.net/~vicbrockett

The words on your images are hard to read.  Try a bigger font.  Also, what do you do after palmering your hackle to the rear?  The wire alone is enough to hold it in place? Mu

Response:

check my site. It is in its infancy but I hope to add links to other useful sites. Please let me know which sites you find that are of help to you. http://home.earthlink.net/~vicbrockett The words on your images are hard to read.  Try a bigger font.  Also, what do you do after palmering your hackle to the rear?  The wire alone is enough to hold it in place?

He might want to point out that the ribbing wire should be counter-wound over the palmered hackle…

Response:

He might want to point out that the ribbing wire should be counter-wound over the palmered hackle…

I guess it’s implied in his specific instruction to wind the hackle clockwise from front to back (I assume as viewed from the head down the length of the fly).  Winding the wire as usual (clockwise) from rear to front would mean it’s counterwound around the hackle.  What I don;t understand is whether or not the wire alone provides a secure anchor for the hackle once it reaches the rear of the fly.  I ordinarily counterwind the ribbing anyway, but am usually winding all materials from rear to front. Mu

Response:

Thanks Mu, I will try again with the fonts. Yes the wire ribbing holds the palmered hackle just fine. I usually wrap the wire once before spiraling forward. I use the same technique with elk hair caddis and all other flies that have palmered hackle. check my site. It is in its infancy but I hope to add links to other useful sites. Please let me know which sites you find that are of help to you. http://home.earthlink.net/~vicbrockett The words on your images are hard to read.  Try a bigger font.  Also, what do you do after palmering your hackle to the rear?  The wire alone is enough to hold it in place? Mu

– Vic Brockett http://home.earthlink.net/~vicbrockett

Response:

Hi Mu, Sorry for the second note but you have it exactly right. When I was tying the hackle in the back by the tip and trying to counterwrap the wire, I had trouble tying off the wire because it was being wrapped counter clockwise. I find the new way much easier and more durable. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – He might want to point out that the ribbing wire should be counter-wound over the palmered hackle… I guess it’s implied in his specific instruction to wind the hackle clockwise from front to back (I assume as viewed from the head down the length of the fly).  Winding the wire as usual (clockwise) from rear to front would mean it’s counterwound around the hackle.  What I don;t understand is whether or not the wire alone provides a secure anchor for the hackle once it reaches the rear of the fly.  I ordinarily counterwind the ribbing anyway, but am usually winding all materials from rear to front. Mu

– Vic Brockett http://home.earthlink.net/~vicbrockett

Response:

Hi Guys, Here are a few links to get you started with all sorts of fly fishing and tying stuff. Pete Neat Fly Fishing Web Sites http://www.smallstreams.com/Bookmarks.html http://dalby.tscnet.com/vcclient/index.html http://roff.org http://www.ezflyfish.com http://home.global.co.za/~abert/ http://www.steelheader.net/ http://www.benwolenflies.com/ http://www.momentoffame.com/category.html?id=23 http://www.topozone.com http://www.clemenstackle.com/ http://www.incredibleproductsmall.com/rodeodrive/suite1584275/product… http://www.fishaholic.org http://flyfishing.about.com/sports/fishhunt/flyfishing/ http://www.fishhoo.com/ http://www.anglersworkshop.com/ http://www.bobmarriotts.com/ http://www.btsflyfishing.com/ http://www.buckeyeflyfishers.com/education_frame.htm http://www.cabelas.com/ http://www.masterfx.com/Flysnest/Generalfly.htm http://listings.ebay.com/aw/glistings/list/category1492/index.html http://www.fishticker.com/ http://www.flyanglersonline.com/ http://www.davisbrown.com/alpha.htm http://www.yong-special.com/ http://www.kman.com/ http://www.flyshop.com/bench/index-flies.cfm?ID=1727&flyname=McVay%27s%2 http://www.flyfish.com/cgibin/bin/ldisplay.cgi?forsale http://members.aol.com/azflytyer/ http://globalflyfisher.com/ http://www.agt.net/public/flytying/index.html http://www.mailordercentral.com/hookhack/departments.asp http://www.killroys.com/ http://www.motherlodefly.com/index.html http://www.angelfire.com/wa/salmonid/ http://www.flyshop.com/centers/midwest/09-99carp/ http://www.mwflytyer.com/ http://www.flyshop.com/index.cfm http://members.mint.net/raske/swaps/bucktail/lil_bucktails.html http://www.flyshop.com/Marketplace/index.cfm?content=auction&page=ind… 6854&action=details&fullblown=true http://www.virtualflybox.com/

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –     Hi All…..         Does anyone know where i can find some patterns and tips on the net…… Thanks

Response:

Try this one; http://www.fishnet.com.au/flyswap/ See the flybox or try a fly swap – it’s a good way to see what other people tie. Many patterns from around the world, but mostly tied by Aussies – nymphs to flashy profiles. Cheers John Knight Sydney FlyRodders’

Response:

http://www.f-deans.freeserve.co.uk Over 200 pages and 400 images. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    Hi All…..        Does anyone know where i can find some patterns and tips on the net…… Thanks

Response:

    Hi All…..         Does anyone know where i can find some patterns and tips on the net…… Thanks

Response:

Question:

[snip] I believe he also said that fishing with nymphs was the same as bait fishing, except without having to get your hands dirty. Got him in some kind of trouble, for sure. — Charlie…

Response:

why do chicks dig jesus? (hold arms in shape of cross) Cause he’s hung like this  :) 12 years of catholic school and I’m still a heathen! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [snip] I believe he also said that fishing with nymphs was the same as bait fishing, except without having to get your hands dirty. Got him in some kind of trouble, for sure. — Charlie…

Response:

12 years of catholic school and I’m still a heathen!

hey tom b.    don’t this ’splain alot –Wataugan Walt

Response:

Remember to view New Testament accounts with skepticism.  Most of the witnesses to major events recorded there were fishermen! Al Soroka Vancouver, B.C.

Response:

12 years of catholic school and I’m still a heathen! hey tom b.    don’t this ’splain alot –Wataugan Walt

Yep. Next, he’ll blame it on his friends and clientele. tb — Tom Brown The Signal Group Wake Forest, NC "For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat and wrong."   H.L. Mencken

Response:

We already had some evidence. Albeit rather inconclusive. Quite a few of Georges

Question:

I’m looking for F/F classifieds. Used Rods, reels, etc. rgill

Response:

I’m looking for F/F classifieds. Used Rods, reels, etc. rgill

http://flyfish.com/cgibin/bin/ldisplay.cgi?forsale http://flyfishing.com/classifieds/ads/sale.shtml http://www.flyshop.com/Classified/index.html http://www.gorp.com/cl_angle/equipcat.htm http://www.flyanglersonline.com/exchangeboard/ http://cayman.ebay.com/aw/listings/endtoday/category384/index.html Good Luck! -Robert

Response:

Question:

Hi, I missed the original post, but if it’s tailing loops, Dan is right on – the timings the thing. I would just add that you might also check that ou are indeed throwing the line "up and over". I find that many problems originate when a caster is just whipping the rod, rather than concentrating on putting the fly line up and over the shoulder, this ensures a straight take away, and does a lot to prevent side loops, which most people confuse with tailing loops. Just a thought…. Bill – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dan, I have to say that your recent series of posts has been one of the most helpful things I have ever seen in this newsgroup. I’m sure a lot of us have learned from it, even those of us who have been fishing for a while (I can still tail the odd loop just fine after twenty years with a fly rod). We might even have to stop bitching about Orivs for a while… (-: Andrew Andrew N. Herd Associate Editor, Waterlog Magazine http://www.demon.co.uk/medlarpress/ writes: If the timing is bad, the line drops well below the plane on the forward cast before you bring it forward and it can hit the line.  Practicing your casting at times other than just when you’re fishing can go a long way to develop the sense of timing needed to correct this.  A practical exercise to allow you to see the cast without swiveling your shoulders (swiveling shoulders causes you to throw hooks in your cast) is to either use a side-arm cast, or angle your body at about 60 degrees to the target so you can move your head to watch the back cast extend without moving your shoulders. Snip                        Hope this helps,                                Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools

– Bill Curry Tight Lines Guide Service Lockeport, Nova Scotia, Canada http://www.tightlines.ns.ca

Response:

This is one of the best explanations/techniques I have heard for identifying this problem!!!  A couple years ago I was throwing tailing loop after tailing loop.  Since it was the end of the day and I had gotten up at 4:00am I just figured I was tired and decided to call it a day.  Just then (of course) a big brown noisily slurped a hopper and I decided on "just a couple more casts". I promptly threw a tailing loop AND tangled in an overhanging branch.  I snapped off the leader.  When preparing to tie on a new one I noticed a crack in the flyline about 2 or 3" up from the leader.  I trimmed the line, tied on a new leader and proceeded to make several casts that were better than most I had thrown all afternoon.  Now I have a technique for identifying the problem rather than lucking out.  Thanks! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – writes: If anyone can help me I could really use some advice (and I really don’t want to hear anything about my socks not matching my shoes).  I consider myself an intermediate fly caster, but I occassionally will get a closing loop where the leader will actually wrap itself around the loop.  I read in a book that it can be caused by accelerating into the foreward cast too soon and not smoothly accelerating. Does anyone else have some advice? All opinions are appreciated. Hi Dana, Before you start worrying about your casting technique, take a quick look at the junction of the leader to the fly line.  If it is cracked so that it hinges instead of transferring energy smoothly, no amount of casting modification will make it work. Perfectly executed casts with this mechanical problem will throw tailing loops. If you’re not sure whether or not the junction causes a hinge, here’s a simple test: 1.  Hold the fly line in one hand and the leader in the other with the junction in the middle and about 6" of material on each side of it. 2.  Push your hands together until they are about 6" apart.  This should form an upside down "U"  in the line. 3.  Raise one hand while lowering the other.  This will roll the junction over the upside down "U" in the line. 4.  If it rolls over smoothly then your casting technique is the problem. If one side collapses instead of rolling over, then you have a mechanical "hinging" problem.  If you use too fine of a diameter monofilament for the butt section of your leader, that will cause hinging on the leader side – If you use too heavy of a diameter mono for the butt section it will cause the fly line to collapse.  Any crack that is serious enough to cause casting problems becomes immediately apparent with this test.  In any case the answer is to cut off the old junction and replace it with one of the right size.  You will often have to cut off a few inches of the fly line if it’s badly cracked. I’ll address some casting options in another post.                            Hope this helps,                                      Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools

Response:

Dan, I have to say that your recent series of posts has been one of the most helpful things I have ever seen in this newsgroup. I’m sure a lot of us have learned from it, even those of us who have been fishing for a while (I can still tail the odd loop just fine after twenty years with a fly rod). We might even have to stop bitching about Orivs for a while… (-: Andrew Andrew N. Herd Associate Editor, Waterlog Magazine http://www.demon.co.uk/medlarpress/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – writes: If the timing is bad, the line drops well below the plane on the forward cast before you bring it forward and it can hit the line.  Practicing your casting at times other than just when you’re fishing can go a long way to develop the sense of timing needed to correct this.  A practical exercise to allow you to see the cast without swiveling your shoulders (swiveling shoulders causes you to throw hooks in your cast) is to either use a side-arm cast, or angle your body at about 60 degrees to the target so you can move your head to watch the back cast extend without moving your shoulders.

Snip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –                        Hope this helps,                                Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools

Response:

Hi Dana, It sounds like the old trailing loop syndrome.  We all start off with it as a throw back to the spinning rod. Your book is correct. I’ve taught many people how to cast and they all go through this problem.  Most seem to correct the problem once they’ve heard the problem explained in a way that makes sense to them. So I’ll explain it in a different way. Hold your rod out directly straight from you and push down. Notice the Tip of the rod goes up before it goes down with the rest of the rod. When you start a cast the same thing happens. If you apply too much power too soon the rod tip goes down before it goes forward. The line simply follows along going down before it comes up. Sometimes catching itself on the way back up. Any power applied before the tip of the rod reaches the 12:00 position will cause the rod tip to go down before forward. Therefore the majority of power must be applied after the tip of the rod has past the butt. Good Luck — William Endicott – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If anyone can help me I could really use some advice (and I really don’t want to hear anything about my socks not matching my shoes).  I consider myself an intermediate fly caster, but I occassionally will get a closing loop where the leader will actually wrap itself around the loop.  I read in a book that it can be caused by accelerating into the foreward cast too soon and not smoothly accelerating. Does anyone else have some advice? All opinions are appreciated. Thanks, Dana

Response:

Something that improved my casting was to convince myself there was no difference between the back and forward cast.  I started false casting 30′ of line and slowly rotated while keeping the line going in the same direction until I was facing what was my back cast.  When I could rotate 360 degrees under the cast and keep it going smoothly with tight loops and not shock the line or have tailing loops, my attitude toward the mechanics of casting changed and my casting improved. — Ernie Harrison Remove NOSPAM to send E-mail – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If anyone can help me I could really use some advice (and I really don’t want to hear anything about my socks not matching my shoes).  I consider myself an intermediate fly caster, but I occassionally will get a closing loop where the leader will actually wrap itself around the loop.  I read in a book that it can be caused by accelerating into the foreward cast too soon and not smoothly accelerating. Does anyone else have some advice? All opinions are appreciated. Thanks, Dana

Response:

writes: If anyone can help me I could really use some advice (and I really don’t want to hear anything about my socks not matching my shoes).  I consider myself an intermediate fly caster, but I occassionally will get a closing loop where the leader will actually wrap itself around the loop.  I read in a book that it can be caused by accelerating into the foreward cast too soon and not smoothly accelerating. Does anyone else have some advice? All opinions are appreciated.

Hi Dana, Before you start worrying about your casting technique, take a quick look at the junction of the leader to the fly line.  If it is cracked so that it hinges instead of transferring energy smoothly, no amount of casting modification will make it work. Perfectly executed casts with this mechanical problem will throw tailing loops. If you’re not sure whether or not the junction causes a hinge, here’s a simple test: 1.  Hold the fly line in one hand and the leader in the other with the junction in the middle and about 6" of material on each side of it. 2.  Push your hands together until they are about 6" apart.  This should form an upside down "U"  in the line. 3.  Raise one hand while lowering the other.  This will roll the junction over the upside down "U" in the line. 4.  If it rolls over smoothly then your casting technique is the problem.  If one side collapses instead of rolling over, then you have a mechanical "hinging" problem.  If you use too fine of a diameter monofilament for the butt section of your leader, that will cause hinging on the leader side – If you use too heavy of a diameter mono for the butt section it will cause the fly line to collapse.  Any crack that is serious enough to cause casting problems becomes immediately apparent with this test.  In any case the answer is to cut off the old junction and replace it with one of the right size.  You will often have to cut off a few inches of the fly line if it’s badly cracked. I’ll address some casting options in another post.                             Hope this helps,                                       Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools

Response:

writes: If anyone can help me I could really use some advice (and I really don’t want to hear anything about my socks not matching my shoes).  I consider myself an intermediate fly caster, but I occassionally will get a closing loop where the leader will actually wrap itself around the loop.  I read in a book that it can be caused by accelerating into the foreward cast too soon and not smoothly accelerating. Does anyone else have some advice? All opinions are appreciated.

Besides the mechanical problems addressed in another post, your casting technique can certainly cause this problem. The two most common causes are bad timing, and the afore-mentioned jerky accelleration.  If the timing is bad, the line drops well below the plane on the forward cast before you bring it forward and it can hit the line.  Practicing your casting at times other than just when you’re fishing can go a long way to develop the sense of timing needed to correct this.  A practical exercise to allow you to see the cast without swiveling your shoulders (swiveling shoulders causes you to throw hooks in your cast) is to either use a side-arm cast, or angle your body at about 60 degrees to the target so you can move your head to watch the back cast extend without moving your shoulders.   For the side-arm cast, lay the rod out directly in front of you with the reel pointed in the direction of the target (not pointed down at the ground *very important*).  Use a slicing motion, not a scooping motion to make the cast while keeping your shoulders perfectly still.  You can watch the loop travel in both directions and you can easily see the width of the casting arc you’re using.  By changing the width of this casting arc you can widen or tighten your loops.  *Dont wait for the line to straighten out entirely* before you start your forward cast.  It takes a split second reaction time to initiate the forward cast and if you wait until it straightens out entirely it will fall considerably and bleed off energy before you actually start your forward cast. Reaction time is different for everyone and you have to find out just when is right by trial and error.  For starters pick a spot a foot or two back from the end of the fly line, and when the unrolling loop reaches that point, start your forward cast.  Adjust this distance farther back from the end of the fly line or closer to it as needed.  When you hit it "spot on" the fly will just sort of stop for a split second in mid-air.  That’s perfect.  The good news is that it doesn’t have to be perfect, but the closer you can get to it the more efficient your casting will be. Bad accelleration is a more common problem with tailing loops and it becomes particularly noticeable when making longer casts or when casting in windy conditions.  The tendency is to put a lot more force into the rod and that usually results in jerking it forward.  This sudden jerk causes the rod to load (flex) suddenly and then unload (straighten) slightly because less energy is used to finish the stroke than start it.  This causes the rod tip to travel in a concave or U shape and will always throw a tailing loop.   Extra power can be added to a casting stroke, but it must be at the very end – "Accellerate to a Stop".  If this is the problem, try stopping the rod more suddenly at the end of the stroke instead of hitting it harder at the start. Another option that will result in the same thing is to start the beginning of your cast by pulling on the rod, not jerking it.  With proper accelleration and the right casting arc, your rod tip will travel in a straight line "—-" from start through the flexing and to the finish which will throw a tight efficient loop.                         Hope this helps,                                 Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools

Response:

If anyone can help me I could really use some advice (and I really don’t want to hear anything about my socks not matching my shoes).  I consider myself an intermediate fly caster, but I occassionally will get a closing loop where the leader will actually wrap itself around the loop.  I read in a book that it can be caused by accelerating into the foreward cast too soon and not smoothly accelerating. Does anyone else have some advice? All opinions are appreciated. Thanks, Dana

Response:

Question:

I’m planning on going to Reno next week and don’t know a thing about Nevada fishing or regulations. I’m looking for a spot within two hours of Reno that has decent car camping. I like the desert. Any info would be highly appreciated. Thanks and all the Best,

I was in Reno in July and fished the Truckee River just across the California border (about forty minutes from Reno). Caught several nice rainbows and had lots of fun. There’s a shop in Reno called the Reno Angler that should be able to let you know what’s happening and where. They sell both Nevada and California licenses, so you’re looking at one-stop shopping. Spinolio

Response:

I’m planning on going to Reno next week and don’t know a thing about Nevada fishing or regulations. I’m looking for a spot within two hours of Reno that has decent car camping. I like the desert. Any info would be highly appreciated. Thanks and all the Best, Michael Smith

Response:

Welcome to Nevada, A lot of fishing is within two hours of Reno.  Cehck with the Reno Fly Shop (702/ 825-3474), the Gilly (702/ 358-6113) or Mark, Fore & Strike (702/ 322-9559) for the latest.  In the meantime here are a few ideas… Truckee River open year round in Nevada, trophy section form California border down to first freeway bridge. Pyramid Lake just opened.  Weather still pretty warm for shore-wading anglers (algea and salt grass).  Fish are being caught. Walker River – East and West Forks open in Nevada (California closes October 31st) Rip a lip, A Nevada Angler

Response:

I’m planning on going to Reno next week and don’t know a thing about Nevada fishing or regulations. I’m looking for a spot within two hours of Reno that has decent car camping. I like the desert. Any info would be highly appreciated. Thanks and all the Best, Michael Smith

Call the Reno Fly Shop. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA

Response:

Question:

My wife and I are considering a summer vacation in the Keys and are interested in learning to fly fish.  I am soliciting information regarding fly fishing schools/camps that accommodate beginners (though I have been fishing for over 20 years (spinning)).  Any reco’s appreciated! TIA, Brian

Response:

OK, ypu asked for it!!!….lol……. First I wouldn t go to the Key in the Simmertime…the heat is unbelieveable.. So, I suggest the Orvis School in Vermont….;or, the L L Bean School in Maine!!! However, here are some good dites in  the Keys; http://fla-keys.com:80/fishing/about.htm Flyfishing Keys http://fla-keys.com:80/fishing/index.htm Flyfishing Keys http://Florida-Keys.info-access.com:80/ here or the others: http://www.L L Bean.com http://www.alloutdoors.com/orvis/ My wife and I are considering a summer vacation in the Keys and are   interested in learning to fly fish.  I am soliciting information   regarding fly fishing schools/camps that accommodate beginners (though I   have been fishing for over 20 years (spinning)).  Any reco’s appreciated! TIA, Brian

E.mail Options:

Response:

Question:

For those on  a limited budget, one approach is to buy a top grizzly neck and then buy some waterproof artist pens and color individual hackles as needed. Keeps down your early investment costs. Hope this helps. Dick Hubbard

Response:

Being new to tying,I need some good advise as to which colors and types of hackle to invest in for dries, nymphs, and wets.

Hi, The four most popular colors in our area (CA) are as follows: 1. Brown 2. Grizzly 3. Dun 4. Creme Much has been said in favor of the beautiful genetic saddle hackles we have available today. I must agree they are wonderful to tie with. They do have one disadvantage though – there is a limited range of sizes present on any one saddle. For versatility, a good quality cape still has the edge.  I hope this helps.   Alan.   Alan Barnard   Kiene’s Fly Shop   Sacramento, Ca.   WWW Fly Tyer   http://www.ns.net/~barnard

Response:

(Richard Hubbard) writes: For those on  a limited budget, one approach is to buy a top grizzly neck and then buy some waterproof artist pens and color individual hackles as needed.

Been there, done that, Pantone markers work real well.  Lay them on a piece of paper towel to help with absorbancy and protect your table.                                               Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Schools Dan Gracia                                                               Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools If you kill that big fish you can’t catch ‘em again.  So what if they eat other fish?  If you kill the big ones there will only be little ones left (funny how that works!).

Response:

Great idea Dan! I’ve done this to my hopper and caddis patterns to get some contrast.   Never thought about "pantoning" hackles" especially when you’re on the road.  It’s alot easier to carry some markers than our valuable hackles. Thanks! +Mike V.

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Question:

Sorry to raise this issue again! I would like to know people’s perceptions on whether the microfibre Simms or the codura Simms where tougher. I do a lot of rough walking/wading where I go fishing and I’d heard the codura was tougher but not as comfortable. Is this correct? Regards, Jamie Sharp

Response:

Sorry to raise this issue again! I would like to know people’s perceptions on whether the microfibre Simms or the codura Simms where tougher. I do a lot of rough walking/wading where I go fishing and I’d heard the codura was tougher but not as comfortable. Is this correct? Regards, Jamie Sharp

Jamie, The microfiber is both tougher and more comfortable. If you fish in areas that include star thistles and brambles in the streamside vegetation, I would strongly recommend the microfiber. Here in Northern California we have alot of star thistles and have seen a few problems with the barbs making their way through the relatively coarse fibers of the cordura model. Simms has assured us that this weakness has been remedied with the new microfiber material. I hope this helps,   Alan.   Alan Barnard   Kiene’s Fly Shop   Sacramento, Ca.

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