Question:

And if you look up the word "gink" in the dictionary, you will find it means "peculiar fellow".  PecuLIAR fits to a tee.

The Dictionary.com definition is (look it up if you don’t believe me): "A man, especially one regarded as foolish or contemptible." That’s about right, I’d say. –Steve

Response:

 Gink, is a trademarked word.  You have made a serious error. Edited typing error:  mad = made All’s Fair With Fur or Feather gg

Response:

No, as a matter of fact. All’s Fair With Fur or Feather gg

Response:

gink, is a trademarked word.  You have mad a serious error. He doesn’t get "mad". He gets "stabby"…

Splork!

Response:

Gink, is a trademarked word.  You have made a serious error.

Sounds like trouble in River City! to gink or not to gink, is that the question?

Response:

to gink or not to gink, is that the question?

http://www.emerchandise.com/images/p/WUB/pdBKWUB0015.jpg — Charlie…

Response:

Welcome back George.  I have always read your post and find them interesting. Things have been pretty dull without you. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I regard Bates book on streamers a George Gehrke

Response:

Thank you BJ.  I’m sitting here in Key West with nothing much to do, on business so I have a little time to write.  I’ll be going to Marathon tomorrow over the key bridges.  I might consider taking a little time off to hunt some permit or bone fish. Anyhow, thank you again, George Gehrke All’s Fair With Fur or Feather gg

Response:

to gink or not to gink, is that the question? http://www.emerchandise.com/images/p/WUB/pdBKWUB0015.jpg — Charlie…

LOL Dr. Suess can’t be wrong!

Response:

Steve writes: to gink or not to gink, is that the question? http://www.emerchandise.com/images/p/WUB/pdBKWUB0015.jpg — Charlie… LOL Dr. Suess can’t be wrong!

And if you look up the word "gink" in the dictionary, you will find it means "peculiar fellow".  PecuLIAR fits to a tee.   Dave

Response:

Hi George, Have you seen Norm Norlander tie at one of the shows?  He is pretty wild with that vise. I told him if he came to my shop and tied every day, boy we could sell some vises. — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop http://www.kiene.com 800/4000FLY USA toll free

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I regard Bates book on streamers a classic for modern times mainly because the materials are logged accurately.  I find myself going back to Bates tying instructions more and more since I purchased the NOR Vise because with it, the materials are spun better and the shapes are well honed due to this rotary’s smooth nature.  Self control can’t be better. Somehow, I enjoy the names of such streamers as "The Black Nosed Dace, The Alaskan Mary Ann, or the classic Mickey Finn," which are explained in perfect detail without being bastardized by modern short cuts or tying techniques which can have a half dozen or more un-original opinions on how to tie the classics.  It’s sacrilege and the new versions of such flies changed in print really makes the art of fly tying these classics a polluted sport. Now, don’t misunderstand me between what I like and dislike when it comes to relieving fly tying material pressures upon the creatures of our realm.  For instance, there just isn’t enough Polar Bears to go around to supply the fur to tie enough Alaskan Mary Ann’s should the Streamer Fly Fishing Public rediscover just how deadly a fly this old mainstay is.  Besides being beautiful just to look at, The Alaskan Mary Ann isn’t known very well today.  If it wasn’t for the fact that the majority of today’s fly fishermen are just as happy to use an artificial substitute to replace the iridescent qualities of Polar Bear Hair, it wouldn’t be a good idea to state this flies praises. Consider, for instance, that one has to kill one, very large, very wild, very remote living, very uncooperative, animal that wants to do just one thing.  Eat you! Is it any wonder that any of us (self included)should be able to figure something else out jus to tie ONE FLY out of one very unusual hide?  The price is just too, too much. However!  Some of us still have some Polar Bear from over fifty years ago and with us, the original Alaskan Mary Ann still lives, via Bates’ versions taken directly from his wonderful classic. Polar Bear is a very difficult fur to duplicate artificially because some of it has a certain gold tinge to it.  I’ve been able to duplicate that in the series of fly tying materials we manufacture. Blending colors can only be best done if you have a sample (and it must be a good sample) from the past.  That said, there are some people in this world who have fly samples tied by Bates and his signature of a fly can be a treasure beyond words.  Rarely is this possible. Whenever I can, I like getting a fly tied by someone who’s tying signature I admire and respect.  Today’s Masters,  such as Dan Byford of Zonker fame is possibly the finest, individual tier I’ve known in my lifetime, along with Dave Whitlock and unsung to most, is the fact that Ernest Schwiebert has magic, artistic hands, when it comes to duplicating that which he loves most and knows most of, entomology beyond your wildest dreams.  What a talent!  I could go on about those who know how to best tie specific flies they have dedicated their lives explaining such as Doug Swisher, for example.  We are blessed by books.  Frankly, in my opinion, fly fishing in America in the last fifty years has produced some of the finest minds ever to enter and entertain the sport.  Some, who still are alive and ongoing to this day are heads and shoulders with such greats of our past as the same individual that gave us "The Quill Gordon". To become a fly fisherman and to be known "as a fly fisherman" is not a gift that is just handed to us.  It requires work and if not years of work, for some its a lifetime of study and dedication.  If any of us thought we knew it all, most would stop fly fishing for it would then become boring, would it not? My life as a fly fisherman is a world in which I’m surrounded by books. Most often I’m afield and learning by doing.  Sometimes, I will sit down and write a short article so as to give back a little of what I’ve learned, if just a wit, a little of that cloak which surrounds me . . . which is my life. So it is, I am in Key West wondering why I’m here without a fly rod? Sometimes we go brain dead and annoy ourselves at the glee of others. George Gehrke

Response:

I regard Bates book on streamers a classic for modern times mainly because the materials are logged accurately.  I find myself going back to Bates tying instructions more and more since I purchased the NOR Vise because with it, the materials are spun better and the shapes are well honed due to this rotary’s smooth nature.  Self control can’t be better. Somehow, I enjoy the names of such streamers as "The Black Nosed Dace, The Alaskan Mary Ann, or the classic Mickey Finn," which are explained in perfect detail without being bastardized by modern short cuts or tying techniques which can have a half dozen or more un-original opinions on how to tie the classics.  It’s sacrilege and the new versions of such flies changed in print really makes the art of fly tying these classics a polluted sport. Now, don’t misunderstand me between what I like and dislike when it comes to relieving fly tying material pressures upon the creatures of our realm.  For instance, there just isn’t enough Polar Bears to go around to supply the fur to tie enough Alaskan Mary Ann’s should the Streamer Fly Fishing Public rediscover just how deadly a fly this old mainstay is.  Besides being beautiful just to look at, The Alaskan Mary Ann isn’t known very well today.  If it wasn’t for the fact that the majority of today’s fly fishermen are just as happy to use an artificial substitute to replace the iridescent qualities of Polar Bear Hair, it wouldn’t be a good idea to state this flies praises. Consider, for instance, that one has to kill one, very large, very wild, very remote living, very uncooperative, animal that wants to do just one thing.  Eat you! Is it any wonder that any of us (self included)should be able to figure something else out jus to tie ONE FLY out of one very unusual hide?  The price is just too, too much. However!  Some of us still have some Polar Bear from over fifty years ago and with us, the original Alaskan Mary Ann still lives, via Bates’ versions taken directly from his wonderful classic. Polar Bear is a very difficult fur to duplicate artificially because some of it has a certain gold tinge to it.  I’ve been able to duplicate that in the series of fly tying materials we manufacture. Blending colors can only be best done if you have a sample (and it must be a good sample) from the past.  That said, there are some people in this world who have fly samples tied by Bates and his signature of a fly can be a treasure beyond words.  Rarely is this possible. Whenever I can, I like getting a fly tied by someone who’s tying signature I admire and respect.  Today’s Masters,  such as Dan Byford of Zonker fame is possibly the finest, individual tier I’ve known in my lifetime, along with Dave Whitlock and unsung to most, is the fact that Ernest Schwiebert has magic, artistic hands, when it comes to duplicating that which he loves most and knows most of, entomology beyond your wildest dreams.  What a talent!  I could go on about those who know how to best tie specific flies they have dedicated their lives explaining such as Doug Swisher, for example.  We are blessed by books.  Frankly, in my opinion, fly fishing in America in the last fifty years has produced some of the finest minds ever to enter and entertain the sport.  Some, who still are alive and ongoing to this day are heads and shoulders with such greats of our past as the same individual that gave us "The Quill Gordon". To become a fly fisherman and to be known "as a fly fisherman" is not a gift that is just handed to us.  It requires work and if not years of work, for some its a lifetime of study and dedication.  If any of us thought we knew it all, most would stop fly fishing for it would then become boring, would it not? My life as a fly fisherman is a world in which I’m surrounded by books. Most often I’m afield and learning by doing.  Sometimes, I will sit down and write a short article so as to give back a little of what I’ve learned, if just a wit, a little of that cloak which surrounds me . . . which is my life. So it is, I am in Key West wondering why I’m here without a fly rod? Sometimes we go brain dead and annoy ourselves at the glee of others. George Gehrke

Response:

gink, is a trademarked word.  You have mad a serious error.

Pissed off a Muppet? — Charlie…

Response:

Gehrke wrote (I think): Some, who still are alive and ongoing to this day are heads and shoulders with such greats of our past as the same individual that gave us "The Quill Gordon".

Ah…Theodore Gordon.  Articulate, knowledgeable, a pleasure to read his notes and letters even after almost 100 years. Of course, he DID tend to fish with more than one fly on the line at a time.  

Response:

gink, is a trademarked word.  You have mad a serious error.

He doesn’t get "mad". He gets "stabby"…

Response:

Besides being beautiful just to look at, The Alaskan Mary Ann isn’t known very well today.  If it wasn’t for the fact that the majority of today’s fly fishermen are just as happy to use an artificial substitute to replace the iridescent qualities of Polar Bear Hair, it wouldn’t be a good idea to state this flies praises.

Sure it would be proper, almost, even close to prefeckion, to state, or even to sing the praises of just such a fly’s if it weren’t for the fact that the iridescent qualities of your writings are standing kneecaps and testicles with the giants who, for way of example, gave us "Natural Born Killers," and the song from the Brady Bunch or thought Clint Eastwood could (or should) sing….you know, the "classics." Sometimes we go brain dead and annoy ourselves at the glee of others.

Uh-huh…you, Prince Charles and Camilla, I suppose… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -George Gehrke

Response:

[snip] Sometimes we go brain dead and annoy ourselves at the glee of others. George Gehrke

SOMETIMES?

Response:

gink, is a trademarked word.  You have mad a serious error. Mr. George Gehrke All’s Fair With Fur or Feather gg

Response:

gink, is a trademarked word.  You have mad a serious error.

Me mad… never. I’m quite easy going. However, Go blow it up your arse. Note the live/dead indications from the US Patent and trademark data base: Word Mark GINK Goods and Services IC 028. US 022 023 038 050. G & S: dolls. FIRST USE: 19971101. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19971101 Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING Serial Number 75234905 Filing Date February 3, 1997 Filed ITU FILED AS ITU Published for Opposition November 4, 1997 Registration Number 2219512 Registration Date January 19, 1999 Owner (REGISTRANT) JIM HENSON COMPANY, INC., THE CORPORATION NEW YORK 117 EAST 69 ST. NEW YORK NEW YORK 10024 Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED Attorney of Record LAWRENCE E APOLZON Type of Mark TRADEMARK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator LIVE Word Mark GINK Goods and Services (CANCELLED) IC 028. US 022. G & S: FLY FLOATANT (FLY DRESSING USED IN FLY FISHING). FIRST USE: 19730000. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19730301 Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING Serial Number 73808656 Filing Date June 23, 1989 Published for Opposition November 14, 1989 Registration Number 1763001 Registration Date April 6, 1993 Owner (REGISTRANT) GEHRKE, GEORGE E. INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES DRAWER 705 HAMILTON MONTANA 59840 Attorney of Record WILLIAM E. WEST Prior Registrations 1110612;1253453 Type of Mark TRADEMARK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator DEAD Cancellation Date October 11, 1999 Word Mark G GINK Goods and Services (EXPIRED) IC 001. US 006. G & S: Fly Floatant (Fly Dressing Used in Fly Fishing). FIRST USE: 19730301. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19730301 Mark Drawing Code (3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS Design Search Code 260111 260117 Serial Number 73344349 Filing Date February 2, 1982 Published for Opposition July 19, 1983 Registration Number 1253453 Registration Date October 11, 1983 Owner (REGISTRANT) Gehrke; George E. d.b.a. Gehrke Enterprises INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES Holman Rd. & County Rd. 120 Salida COLORADO 81201 Attorney of Record Cathy A. Ptolemy Type of Mark TRADEMARK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator DEAD Word Mark GEHRKE’S GINK Goods and Services (CANCELLED) IC 028. G & S: NO GOODS/SERVICES STATEMENT ON TRAM Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING Serial Number 81021616 Filing Date 0000 Registration Number 1021616 Registration Date September 30, 1975 Owner (REGISTRANT) Fly Fisherman’s Bookcase, Inc., The UNKNOWN Croton-on-Hudson NEW YORK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator DEAD Cancellation Date February 23, 1982

Response:

Question:

Lots of good fishing on Bushkill Creek, but Ressica Falls is extra-special.  Actually, there are a lot of Big and Little Bushkill Creeks in Pennsylvania; Ressica Falls is near 611 & 402. Ressica Falls is owned by the Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and a permit is required to fish there.  Way worth it. The stream is as pretty as any you’ll find, the water as suited for trout as you could like, and the water is so well-stocked with nice trout that first time visitors are likely to be flabbergasted.  Hatches are common in spring and summer, and can be quite abundant.  Imagine standing in hemlock lined pool, fishing a riffle, with ten trout rising noisily all around you.  Now imagine miles of stream just like that.  Now imagine you’ve just hooked a 14" brown, and boy is he pissed.  That’s Ressica Falls. Wednesday evening was quite warm.  Once again, forgot to check the water temp, but was comfy while wading wet, until my pipe started rattling in my teeth, and I started shaking violently as soon as I stepped out to go home.  ’Bout 55 degrees? Quill Gordon duns and spinners, as well as grannoms were out and about.  a tan-colored fly was also laying eggs on the water, but I wasn’t able to get a good look.  The trout were taking small brown imitations, quill gordens, henrysville, etc.  As it got dark and I was forced to switch to lighter colored flies, hits became tougher to get. Also out in profusion were buffalo gnats.  These are like the no-see-ums of the North, except that you can see them.  In fact, you can rope ‘em and ride ‘em.  You usually won’t get bitten by one; you’ll get bitten by 5 or 6.  As a repellent, I recommend a burly pipe tobacco, as they are quite aggressive. The stream bed is rocky, with numerous pools and riffles, and it’s full of brookies, browns , and rainbows.  Careful wading is important.  The scenery is beautiful, and the entire experience is more than worth the modest permit fee. Two words of caution: first, pesky bears.  Bothersome bears occasionally hassle folks in this area.  Just don’t be afraid of them. Bears can smell fear, you know.  Don’t poke them with a stick either; they really don’t like that, take my word for it. Chiggers – very common here.  Any exposed skin can become home to those cuddly little burrowing mites, and I’ve got a red dot on the side of my knee to prove it. Jeez, I feel bad that I forgot to get the water temp for you.  I’ll go back up this evening & do it right this time.  That is, if I don’t forgot again, what with the trout rising all around me, bitey gnats nipping at my ears, tobacco fog all around my head, snarly bears trying to get my attention, minimites digging holes through me like a swiss cheese, and me with the wrong fly all tangled up around the tip of my rod. Timothy Juvenal In sleep every dog dreams of food, and I, a fisherman, dream of fish.     -Theocritus

Response:

Lots of good fishing on Bushkill Creek, but Ressica Falls is extra-special.  Actually, there are a lot of Big and Little Bushkill Creeks in Pennsylvania; Ressica Falls is near 611 & 402. Ressica Falls is owned by the Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and a permit is required to fish there.  Way worth it.

Timothy, Your posts, which are quite pleasant to read, would be even more so if you would kindly set your line length to 70-75 or so. JR — To reply, remove the Qs from the address above

Response:

"JR" wrote …  kindly set your line length to 70-75 or so.

Oops.  Thanks for the tip. Timothy Juvenal

Response:

Question:

excerpt from xmision.com’s acceptable use policy "The posting of any advertisement or other commercial solicitation to any newsgroup or mailing list is strictly prohibited, except in the few areas specifically reserved for such postings."

How exactly was announcing the creation of a new Utah related fly fishing site a ‘commercial solicitation?’  The site’s not trying to sell anything. Cut the guy some slack.

Response:

I did. He posted a message earlier in the week and neither I nor anyone else commented. This is his second post within a week. Paul

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – excerpt from xmision.com’s acceptable use policy "The posting of any advertisement or other commercial solicitation to any newsgroup or mailing list is strictly prohibited, except in the few areas specifically reserved for such postings." How exactly was announcing the creation of a new Utah related fly fishing site a ‘commercial solicitation?’  The site’s not trying to sell anything. Cut the guy some slack.

Response:

New fly fishing website just launched… http://www.utahonthefly.com/

Response:

So your announcement last week wasn’t the real opening excerpt from xmision.com’s acceptable use policy "The posting of any advertisement or other commercial solicitation to any newsgroup or mailing list is strictly prohibited, except in the few areas specifically reserved for such postings." – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – New fly fishing website just launched… http://www.utahonthefly.com/

Response:

Question:

Northern California Coastal Steelhead fishing in January and February is very, very dependent upon the weather.  Heavy rains create tremendous silting and blows out most North Coast rivers and it may take 5 to 10 days (without more rain) to recover enough for the fishing to get average. Alternate choices are Big Lagoon and Stone Lagoon.  When heavy rainfall is coupled with high tides and high wind and storms, these lagoons burst and adult steelhead rush in creating tremendous fishing opportunities from boats drifting steelhead flies.  But, timing is everything! The two best rivers for different reasons are the Smith and the Mad.  The Smith has less siltation and recovers quicker sometimes as fast as 24 hours. The Mad supports good fishing even with siltation due to the Mad River Hatchery.  While waiting for rivers to recover, may I suggest sunny days inland at Lewiston Lake.  In January and February the 11:00 AM Calibaetis hatch belies the extreme complexity and skill required to land the largest Rainbows of this super sophisticated fishery.  Size 16 to 20 nymphs and emergers, very coldwater float tubing and frequent changes prior,during and post the hatch(s) may be an ample challenge.  As the locals say, "Many are called, but few are chosen". For Northcoast rivers, lagoons and Lewiston Lake status, call Mike Kuczynski at the Eureka Fly Shop.  1-800-435-9546. Good Luck, Tight lines, John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi All, I have been following the cold water/warm water steelhead thread a bit and thought perhaps someone might like to offer some suggestions on places to fish in late Jan early Feb. The missus has temporarily moved to San Diego for work and I thought when I visited in February I might take the opportunity for a trip to the northern part of the state and try to catch a fish or 3. Everything will be frozen solid locally so it is a chance to break the winter doldrums. I will also be over next month but I suspect if I head off fishing the first time I visit she may get a tad miffed. I have only very limited knowledge of the state, I cycled from Seattle to San Francisco several years ago and that’s it. I have had some experience catching large lake-run rainbows in SW Ontario and New Zealand but this would be my first chance to have a go at some salties and thought it might be fun. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will be starting out from a meeting in Ventura, so at least it will not be quite so far to the south as San Diego. thanks Vaughan

Response:

Hi All, I have been following the cold water/warm water steelhead thread a bit and thought perhaps someone might like to offer some suggestions on places to fish in late Jan early Feb. The missus has temporarily moved to San Diego for work and I thought when I visited in February I might take the opportunity for a trip to the northern part of the state and try to catch a fish or 3. Everything will be frozen solid locally so it is a chance to break the winter doldrums. I will also be over next month but I suspect if I head off fishing the first time I visit she may get a tad miffed. I have only very limited knowledge of the state, I cycled from Seattle to San Francisco several years ago and that’s it. I have had some experience catching large lake-run rainbows in SW Ontario and New Zealand but this would be my first chance to have a go at some salties and thought it might be fun. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will be starting out from a meeting in Ventura, so at least it will not be quite so far to the south as San Diego. thanks Vaughan

Response:

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:

Anyone have any recent info on water and hatch conditions on the Bighorn river below Yellowtail dam? Thanks, Don

Response:

Anyone have any recent info on water and hatch conditions on the Bighorn river below Yellowtail dam? Thanks, Don

Hi Don The water is high but fishing is good on subsurface patterns.  I’m not sure about the hatches.   Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Response:

There is a fair amount of info on the Bighorn, including current conditions, on Fly Fishing Adventures (http://www.ffa.com/). Check it out! Also, Bob Krumm lives in Ft. Smith and has guided the Bighorn for 12 years; contact him at (406) 666-2229; or call Bighorn Angler at (406) 666-2233. Larry Krum Editor, The Daily Hatch

Response:

Question:

I got a used rod from my dad who picked it up at a house auction and want to change from spin casting to fly fishing this spring. The rod is a 3pc bamboo ~9′ and was made by Union Hardware Co, Torrington, Conn. I can’t find any markings on it that would indicate the correct weight line, but am assuming 6-7 weight. I usually fish in small spring creeks & from a canoe paddling small lakes casting towards shore. Can i get away with 1 line? I was thinking of a slow sinking tip line. Can i use this rod for the type of fishing i do or should i purchase a 4- 5wt rod?  mark

Response:

If you are only buying one line, get a floater. You can always use a neutral or slow sink leader but you can’t make a sinking line float properly. I don’t know much about bamboo rods but would have thought you would be better off with a carbon 5wt, probably 8 – 9 feet in length. — Regards Peter Kay (Remove "nospam" to email)

:I got a used rod from my dad who picked it up at a house auction and :want to change from spin casting to fly fishing this spring. : :The rod is a 3pc bamboo ~9′ and was made by Union Hardware Co, :Torrington, Conn. I can’t find any markings on it that would indicate the :correct weight line, but am assuming 6-7 weight. : :I usually fish in small spring creeks & from a canoe paddling small :lakes casting towards shore. Can i get away with 1 line? I was thinking f a slow sinking tip line. : :Can i use this rod for the type of fishing i do or should i purchase a 4- :5wt rod? : : mark

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got a used rod from my dad who picked it up at a house auction and want to change from spin casting to fly fishing this spring. The rod is a 3pc bamboo ~9′ and was made by Union Hardware Co, Torrington, Conn. I can’t find any markings on it that would indicate the correct weight line, but am assuming 6-7 weight. I usually fish in small spring creeks & from a canoe paddling small lakes casting towards shore. Can i get away with 1 line? I was thinking of a slow sinking tip line. Can i use this rod for the type of fishing i do or should i purchase a 4- 5wt rod?  mark

Mark,    First, since you indicated that you need line, anyway, take your rod in to a good fly fishing shop and ask what weight line would be appropriate.   (You might save a few bucks at a K-Mart, but you’re going to need some good advice, which you aren’t likely to find there, and nothing is tackier than buying goods from a discount store and then going to a fly shop for advice on how to use it.)   Also, you can find out how much the rod you have is worth; some older bamboo rods are too valuable for a beginner to be fishing with.    Second, no, if I had only one line, it wouldn’t be a sinking tip.    For a novice, a double tapered floating line is almost mandatory.   You can fish nymphs and such with a floating, but you can’t fish a dry fly with a sinking tip, and I can’t even imagine fly fishing without fishing drys (about 90% of the fun, to me).    Third, since you’re a novice, I’d try out the rod before decideing on whether or not the rod you have is perfectly suited for your type of fishing. You can always ‘fine tune’ later, and will appreciate new and better equipment even more.   (I can still remember my first graphite after years of bamboo and fiberglass…ahhhhhhh!) Good luck, Max http://www.inetarena.com/~mwi

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Mark, I would agree with Peter with the floating line, but I would really say that perhaps you are approaching this problem a little backwards.  First determine what type of fish you are fishing for and under what are the typical conditions then select the correct equipment.  What type of fish are you going to be fishing for?  Are you going to typically stick to the lake? What type of insects are available on the lake or stream?  Do you want to fish streamers, dries or wets?  I would say that once you can answer these types of questions, then the answer of the flyline becomes quite obvious. Hope that wasn’t a long roundabout answer to your question. Dana – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I got a used rod from my dad who picked it up at a house auction and want to change from spin casting to fly fishing this spring. The rod is a 3pc bamboo ~9′ and was made by Union Hardware Co, Torrington, Conn. I can’t find any markings on it that would indicate the correct weight line, but am assuming 6-7 weight. I usually fish in small spring creeks & from a canoe paddling small lakes casting towards shore. Can i get away with 1 line? I was thinking of a slow sinking tip line. Can i use this rod for the type of fishing i do or should i purchase a 4- 5wt rod? mark

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It looks like I will be attending a conference at Disneyland in Anneheim early next month.  Any flyfishing (fresh or Saltwater) in this area ? I am willing to travel within reason. I am not from the USA, so if you specify a fish species, please also add any info on line weights, flies etc, as I noticed on my last trip to the USA that fish names vary considerably around the world. Are there any good shops in the area who could advise me ? Thanks Bruce…..

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It looks like I will be attending a conference at Disneyland in Anneheim early next month.  Any flyfishing (fresh or Saltwater) in this area ? I am willing to travel within reason. I am not from the USA, so if you specify a fish species, please also add any info on line weights, flies etc, as I noticed on my last trip to the USA that fish names vary considerably around the world. Are there any good shops in the area who could advise me ? Thanks Bruce…..

– I’m not sure about the actual fishing in that immediate area, but you’ll be within a long cast with a shooting head of one of the biggest fly shops around – Bob Marriott’s.  DON’T miss it… and set yourself a budget before you walk in the door. <<grin Joe Ellis         o/~ The Synthetic Filker o/~ |    TesserAct Studios  ()X  Darwin (;        Now on the Web at      |   Fairfield, OH 45018  //~~~LL~~~~LL~  http://shell.idt.net/~ellis69 |  New Dimensions In Filk!

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Question:

Does anyone have any fly patterns for Pike ? Thanks Rod

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Hi, I use a large wooly bugger 1/0 or 2/0 with an extra long tail.  Also the Double Bunny is great for many species of fish including pike.  The Double Bunny is available from Dan Bailey’s 96 catalog. They are on page number 14 and cost $2.95 each plus S&H. You can get a catalog or order by calling 800-356-4052. Good Tying & Tight Lines Al _______ BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT

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Does anyone have any fly patterns for Pike ? Thanks Rod

I’m just about to try some bass poppers on northern pike in Scotland, so I’ll let you know! Andrew

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I’ve only fished for Pike once, in my early fly fishing/tying days.  I was sent to Cold Lake, Alberta to do some work at the Air Force base.  It was mid summer and I was going to be there for about two weeks.  I’d heard the Pike were big and mean in that lake.  (And they were, I saw some gawd awful big ones laying on the bottom of the lake while I was canoeing!) I asked for pattern recommendations from one of the local fly shop owners.  He said ty something big and "boppy" out of deer hair.  Cast it out on the water, slam it down, no grace, no glory and then strip it back, across the water in short burst. I tied up some deer hair "balls", for lack of a better description, with a couple of black hackle tips for legs/tails (sizes 2 to 2/0). I did exactly as he suggested, slapped ‘em down on the water and stipped them in.   What blast!  I’ve never had so much fun fishing on the surface!  I had one pike take three consecutive hair-raising slashes at my fly.  After each slash, I struck so hard that the line went back over my head.  I just pull it forward, and put it right back down where he had hit.  The third time, he got it! Since then, I’ve become a little more refined in my tying and fishing techniques.  But I haven’t had the chance to fish for pike again. If you want to fish the surface, bass bugs would probably work well, although you might choose a color pattern that is more like something they would see in the local area.  I dont know if some of the bright colors will work, I have no experience with these. Pike will eat almost anything that moves and they can get their mouth around: frogs, snakes, ducklings, you name it.  I tried to make as much commotion on the water as I could. It seemed to work. Good luck, Dave.

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I have never tried to catch pike on the fly BUT on one lake in Lincolnshire I lost a number of lures to pike before I realised the problem. They were basic white marabou with fluorescent green tails and/or overwings and some were leaded at the head.

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I’ve fished quite a lot for pike with flies, and 90% of the time, I use a Bunny Bug, tied on a 3/0 hook with a tail of rabbit strip and a few strands of krystal flash, a body of palmered rabbit strip (fuzzies out,) and a head of either bead-chain eyes or lacquered with a painted-on eye.  Black and white are the best, and I sometimes mix them together for a good searching pattern.   If you want to add a little, tie in some marabou right behind the head to give it an attractor.  Other flies to use are Decievers, any tarpon fly, dahlberg divers, and poppers.  Keep in mind, that some of these are destroyed by just one fish.

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Question:

Would the guy that posted about the Saltwater flyfishing trip for rockfish in the kelp beds off of Santa Cruz please followup with a valid email address?  I tried responding via email but it bounced.  I’m interested in the Livermore Flyfishers group that was mentioned. — John Fereira Pleasanton, CA

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That’s a numeral one after my name. Kent McCammon Lightwave Systems Engineer Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Just another crash dummy on the information superhighway

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