Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I bet you that Petah is furiously typing away right this minute, writing something that he will call a "trip report" but that will be nothing but a slanderous document full of lies.  He’ll say that he drank me under the table, that he caught a fish while I didn’t, that I tried to send him down a dead-end lane and almost caused an accident with a UPS truck, and all sorts of other total fabrications.  So I better set things straight right now. First and most important is this nonsense about drinking me under the table.  Well,  well, well, so….. well, maybe it’s kinda true.  But it was just a little table anyhoo, so who cares anyway ?  Everyone knows that Russians don’t drink, so what the hell was I supposed to do ? Now on to that supposed fish of his.  He says he took a picture, no less.  The critical piece of information is that THERE WERE NO WITNESSES.  Heck, I was fishing within 100 feet of the guy all day.  And all of a sudden, he pops up to tell me that he "caught" a fish. Sure.  Everyone who is anyone *knows* that there are no fish in 18 Mile Creek.  Either one of them, actually.  And then there is this malicious fabrication about my driving.  I really don’t want to go down that road, so let’s let it pass.  The UPS truck, that is….

[sounds of furious typing followed by pounding on the delete key] Well I was going to write all about your wonderful hospitality, your generous provision of ample alcoholic beverages while I tried to concentrate on mounting backing and lines on six spools.  Don’t forget sleeping in, nearly jumping (falling) out of bed when I woke you, scrambling the eggs inside and outside the pan.  Then there was the animated sugar bowl.  Especially apropos after you warned me. I particularly enjoyed getting locked out. Getting lost on the way to 18 mile wasn’t bad – especially the, "Are we going east, north, south or west?" bit or my favourite, "Where’s the sun?"  and the always popular, "This spot doesn’t look like it used to.  Maybe it’s the wrong spot?" Oh, don’t forget the seat belt test on Sturgeon Point Road – especially enjoyable while nursing a hangover.  The seat belt works, BTW.  The UPS driver took it all in stride – I think he knew you. Mustn’t forget the Artpark – like let’s park as far away as possible then take the Niagara Gorge obstacle course route to the water.  For a man who falls down on level ground . . . . Best of all, "I caught a steelhead!  I caught a steelhead!  And you didn’t!!!  nah, nah"   That was fun.  When we gonna do it again? Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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That was fun.  When we gonna do it again? Well, now that you’ve worked out the anger, I think that it may be safe for me to think about another one.  You drive next time, tho:  I can’t stand the suspense.

ooooh, I can hardly wait.  Ask Forty.  <BSEG Actually, a thought just occurred to me – Forty put you up to it, didn’t he?  He wanted to see me as a helpless, post-inebriated passenger.  Where’s my shit list . . . (cue the ominous music) BTW, I don’t get angry, I get even. <EG and for the rest of ROFF readership, here follows the real TR. I won’t bore you with the preliminaries as that has already (ahem) been discussed. When someone tells you about a new creek, describes it a bit, one forms a mental image of the place.  The prosaic name ‘18 Mile Creek’ doesn’t do justice to the place, nor did my mental image.  Winding through a gorge cut into the shale, it’s one of the prettiest places that I’ve visited in the Great Lakes area and we were seeing her at her worst – bereft of greenery.  The water was high and off colour, my favourite steelhead conditions, as I find the fish to be quite bold in such water.  We had experienced an early spring snowfall so the creek is full of cold meltwater.  It is a bit busy, being a holiday Friday, but room was found to work. Greg picked a large flat that usually held fish while I scouted for other water.  I was looking for a ’step’ arrangement – chutes or riffles separated by moderate to deep flats or pools.  I find that steelies congregate either at the base of the chute in preparation for their run up, or where the chute tails out into the pool, where they seem to ‘catch their breath’ as it were.  I’ve hooked most of my steelhead from this type of water, I suppose, because the fish are just resting and not otherwise occupied. I have a favourite pattern for this colour water – it’s a large, marabou purple and black spey tied spider style.  On some, I’ll add an overwing of purple crystal flash.  I only had two of these left, one large winged version, and one smaller one, sans wing.  The winged version hooked me a steelhead within about five minutes of fishing – a nice, very fat hen of about 5 or 6 lbs.  She was in her mating colours but still somewhat bright – a nice fish in good shape.  I kept her in water while I took a picture and removed the hook – she was off like a bullet as soon as I moved her deeper. Both of us moved about and Greg tried the other side where another creek flows in to meet the main branch.  I was working close by and hooked another fish on the dangle just as I was about to cast. Earlier, I had lost the winged P&B on a rock, now I lost the small one on the fish as I popped it off when I lifted the rod to cast (didn’t realize I had a fish on.)  Greg had found a really nice spot but wasn’t rewarded with a fish.  We both had some bumps and I found that the P&Bs enticed a few hits, but either the fish didn’t like the other patterns or they had shut down for it was pretty quiet after that. We were having a chat about where to fish next when a family horde descended down the path.  "Artpark" was an instant, unanimous decision.  The Artpark sits on the side of the Niagara River and again, didn’t live up to my mental image as I had pictured the park extending close to that water.  It doesn’t.  This requires either a descent along the side of the gorge wall, or a trek down stairs.  You already know about our route.  I had taken the big stick down, with the Airflo shooting head – a perfect spot for it, I thought. The Niagara River seems boil right in front of us with huge eddies, upwellings and these deceptive flats that are actually very fast laminar flows.  Last time out spey casting with the big stick had been on a beach and a pier.  This was neither.  The jumbled, broken rock thrusts up it’s gnarled knuckles to snare your unsuspecting fly.  Let the line swing on the dangle and it’s snatched away.  Like a witch’s cauldron, the turbulent water sucks the line down – at times I’m retrieving line almost vertically out of the water – so normal line lifts are impossible.  Distance casting isn’t necessary as the fish holding water only extends out about 60′-70′ which is a good thing as the changing currents and other difficulties were making normal methods useless.  I resorted to stripping in most of the head into the guides, roll cast out most of it then spey cast out the 70′ – not pretty but it sorta worked.  Unfortunately, I managed to lose a bunch of flies before I figured this out.   Greg, being the master of the Artpark, was casting away, unperturbed by the conditions.  Greg got a bump but I only felt rock.  So endeth the day. Thank you Mr. Greg. Peter Visit The Streamer Page at http://home.cogeco.ca/~pcharles/streamers/index.html

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Question:

  I think that a sense of being crowded has much to do with the size of the stream. On many small streams it is futile to fish behind another angler without a significant wait and there is no way that two people could share even the largest pool. Larger streams and rivers can accommodate many more anglers per mile without the sense of crowding. As the streams and rivers have become more crowded over the years, especially on the more famous waters, many anglers have accepted this over crowding as part of angling.

I consider a river to be crowded when you can’t rest a pool or a run after someone has fished it because someone else will jump in there. Unfortunately you have to get used to it on most of the rivers around here. I don’t fish too much smaller water, but I probably should.  I like fishing the big water and can usually drive to a spot that isn’t as crowded.  Even on the big rivers, people seldom venture to areas that require hiking to get at or that will require a longer drive down a dirt road. One of the best things about fishing smaller water is that you can often have them to yourself. The drawback is that even one other angler can spoil things.

Fishing smaller water to me means smaller fish, but possibly more of them so what they lack in size you make up for in numbers.  They can be a great source of enjoyment, but I fear I am getting lazy with so much water in easy walking/driving distance.  The last 2 years has not seen me doing much hiking to get at fish.  I get enough hiking in during hunting season. Besides, if things are good on a big river you can still get plenty of fish and bigger ones too.  I do miss the innocence displayed by fish in the smaller water that doesn’t get pounded. — Warren Findley Shut up and fish! For Yellowstone Clave info: http://www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt/YNP.html

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If anyone is fishin’ the sections of Upper Creek that I fish, I consider the stream to be crowded!

I think that a sense of being crowded has much to do with the size of the stream. On many small streams it is futile to fish behind another angler without a significant wait and there is no way that two people could share even the largest pool. Larger streams and rivers can accommodate many more anglers per mile without the sense of crowding. As the streams and rivers have become more crowded over the years, especially on the more famous waters, many anglers have accepted this over crowding as part of angling. One of the best things about fishing smaller water is that you can often have them to yourself. The drawback is that even one other angler can spoil things. Willi

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If anyone is fishin’ the sections of Upper Creek that I fish, I consider the stream to be crowded!

Opie, if you are fishing within 2 states of me I considered things getting too crowded Warren

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If anyone is fishin’ the sections of Upper Creek that I fish, I consider the stream to be crowded! Opie, if you are fishing within 2 states of me I considered things getting too crowded

Hell, I’ve fished AND hiked with the boy.  He is a crowd unto himself, whether or not anyone else is in the crick!  About the only thing about him that ain’t crowded is the top of his head!!      :) Wolfgang amazed at what he can remember about a person in light of a promised absence at an upcoming event

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If anyone is fishin’ the sections of Upper Creek that I fish, I consider the stream to be crowded! Op

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   You guys should be glad to have so many wusses around.  Every November and December I go off for some late season steelheading on the Deschutes, in windy freezing rain, only to find it hard to lock into one of my favorite runs.  Often, once I get onto one, I look upstream: a fishermen. Downstream:  a fisherman.  "What the hell are these people doing out in weather like this?" I ask myself. Oh believe me, I am thankful.  I have started to notice more people going out in the winter time though.  I fear that the waters I like to fish will be crowded year around before too long.  Of course what I consider to be crowded during the winter is about 10 people on the mile stretch I fish <g — Warren Findley Yellowstone Clave info at: www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can’t believe what a bunch of wusses Colorado fishermen are. I had to run down to Mike Clark’s shop today to pick up a set of ferrules for a Leonard restoration. I drove the scenic route, which followed most of the Big Thompson and St. Vrain drainages. On a normal Saturday morning I’d have seen at least a hundred guys in the water, but today it was snowing, and I didn’t count a dozen fishermen out. I got home, bundled up in wool and goretex, and went back up to slaughter them. The fish were feeding like they were expecting something bad was about to happen, and I think they were right. It looks like runoff could get started any day now.

I notice much the same thing here too.  As soon as the weather is nice, the place I normally fish has a dozen people in it.  If it is crowded, I go to my alternate spot which is actually better, but a longer drive and more hiking. I did notice today that the river was a little darker than normal.  It was kind of funny though because you could see how the water level had dropped since the rain and warm weather we have been having.  Now that it is cold and snowing again, the water levels dropped but there is still some sediment in the water giving it a murky tinge.  I fear runoff is just around the corner for us too. Glad to hear you slayed them.  The fish up here seem to know that tomorrow is another day and are in no hurry to chow down just yet.  It is kind of funny, I think they are tired of midges after having fed on them all winter.  Now that they have tasted other flies, they have become really picky and mostly ignore the midges.  Thank God there are always some dumb ones <g — Warren Findley Yellowstone Clave info at: www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt

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I can’t believe what a bunch of wusses Colorado fishermen are. ….snipped I notice much the same thing here too.  As soon as the weather is nice, the place I normally fish has a dozen people in it….

You guys should be glad to have so many wusses around.  Every November and December I go off for some late season steelheading on the Deschutes, in windy freezing rain, only to find it hard to lock into one of my favorite runs.  Often, once I get onto one, I look upstream: a fishermen. Downstream:  a fisherman.  "What the hell are these people doing out in weather like this?" I ask myself. JR

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  You guys should be glad to have so many wusses around.  Every November and December I go off for some late season steelheading on the Deschutes, in windy freezing rain, only to find it hard to lock into one of my favorite runs.  Often, once I get onto one, I look upstream: a fishermen. Downstream:  a fisherman.  "What the hell are these people doing out in weather like this?" I ask myself.

Oh believe me, I am thankful.  I have started to notice more people going out in the winter time though.  I fear that the waters I like to fish will be crowded year around before too long.  Of course what I consider to be crowded during the winter is about 10 people on the mile stretch I fish <g — Warren Findley Yellowstone Clave info at: www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt

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……. I headed back upstream to check some productive dry fly water.  When I got there I didn’t see any fish rising so I sat on the bank and watched for a few minutes to see if anything was going to happen….

It took me a very long time, at the beginning of my fishing life, to figure out that a day ends up being a lot more enjoyable the more I take time for these 5-10 minute sit-downs just to watch what is happening.  Sounds like you had a real pleasant day, despite the weather. JR

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Nice report, jarhead. I can’t believe what a bunch of wusses Colorado fishermen are. I had to run down to Mike Clark’s shop today to pick up a set of ferrules for a Leonard restoration. I drove the scenic route, which followed most of the Big Thompson and St. Vrain drainages. On a normal Saturday morning I’d have seen at least a hundred guys in the water, but today it was snowing, and I didn’t count a dozen fishermen out. I got home, bundled up in wool and goretex, and went back up to slaughter them. The fish were feeding like they were expecting something bad was about to happen, and I think they were right. It looks like runoff could get started any day now.

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Well, I was sitting around the house wishing I could be out fishing and decided I wasn’t going to let the weather stop me.  It has been snowing off and on since yesterday but it isn’t too cold out.  The wind has been pretty bad and was the real reason why I had not ventured out.  After milling around the house and constantly staring out the window, I decided to make a go of it anyway.  The urge to fish far outweighed any weather considerations so I grabbed my gear, loaded up my fly boxes, grabbed the six weight and hit the door. I haven’t been able to fish in a couple of weeks and the lack of fishing has really taken its toll on me.  Despite the crappy weather I was really jazzed about getting out on the water.  I arrived at the access on the Gallatin and scanned the surface while I was getting ready.  I did not see any fish rising, but I did see quite a few midges out and about.  When I finally reached the water I couldn’t believe how many midges there were.  All the little pockets and back eddies were just filled with midges. I fished my way downstream and came to a spot that I wasn’t able to wade so I climbed up along the bank.  I was kind of walking a little too close to the private property so I dipped down a little lower so as to not piss the land owner off.  The bank is really steep with several logs, trees and log jams along the bank.  The water is really deep too. I came up to a spot that had a little log jam with a couple of trees hanging over the bank.  I saw several piles of midges gathered in this little sheltered position.  A really nice sized fish was working this area and was coming up quite often.  He was in a position that I could not cast to however.  I tried doing some commando fishing and dapping a griffith’s gnat in the area but I put the fish down. I headed back upstream to check some productive dry fly water.  When I got there I didn’t see any fish rising so I sat on the bank and watched for a few minutes to see if anything was going to happen. Several minutes went by and not one rise.  I just couldn’t resist making a few casts to a little pocket that I can usually pull a fish out of.  Second cast and I was able to get the fly in there despite the wind.  A short drift and a silver bullet darted up from the bottom and slammed the fly.  I set the hook and the fight was on.  It felt so great to have a fish on after such a long period without being able to fish.  I landed a nice little rainbow of about 10-11" after he made several jumps and runs.  After releasing him, I sat on the bank to kind of soak in the feeling of being out on the water again and catching fish. I moved up to the next big section of dry fly water and saw a few rises while I was there but was unable to get the fish interested in what I was offering.  After about an hour of fishing/observing and only seeing 7 rises I decided to move back downstream.  The snow started coming in a lot harder and the wind picked up.  The snow was falling almost horizontally because of the wind and began picking up in intensity.  It was enough to finally drive me off the water and back to the truck. Even though I only caught one fish, it was great to be back out.  I wish the weather would have cooperated a little more, but perhaps tomorrow will hold better weather and the fish will be a little more eager.  Until then, I guess I will just have to tie up some more flies that I will be using in the not so distant future. — Warren Findley Yellowstone Clave info at: www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt

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Question:

(Finland is bigger than it looks on the map!!)

I certainly hope so! On my map it looks like it’s about two square inches. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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Anybody knows if there are any good flyfishing possibilities in Finland ? Robbie

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Finland is a great place to fish. Not been there (yet), but a good Finnish friend of mine keeps pushing me to visit him. So no first hand experience, but sure hope to be able to provide you with some! From what I gathered from his fishing stories there are very good possibilities to fish for trout, seatrout and salmon. If you need some more specific info, and know in what part of the country you’ll be staying (Finland is bigger than it looks on the map!!) I could inquire up north. Some links: http://gamma.nic.fi/~outdoor/ http://www.kotka.fi/~huusko/index2.html Anybody knows if there are any good flyfishing possibilities in Finland ? Robbie

–         Cheers, Herman         Herman Nijland         Daytime webmaster         Lifetime flyfisher

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Question:

I’ve noticed that tippit and leaders are sold in two different ratings.  They are either given a pound rating or an X rating.  Does anybody have a conversion table for these different rating methods. I normally use a 2 or 3 lb. tippit for trout and a 4 or 5 lb. tippet for bass. I’d sure like to be able to see an X rating and know what the pound equivilant is, or the other way around. Thanks, Bob

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Hi Bob and all you ROFFers out there, Bob, the pound test is suppose to be the breaking strength of the line and ‘X’ is relating to the diameter of the line. 0x = 0.011" 1x = 0.010" 2x = 0.009" 3x = 0.008" 4x = 0.007" 5x = 0.006" 6x = 0.005" 7x = 0.004" Old 6x tippet 30 years ago was 1 3/4 pound test. Now it is over 3 pound test? I think it is a good idea to go by diameter rather than pound test in relating to fly size or fishing conditions  because it is a constant. The manufacturer can put anything on the spool they want to as far as pound test goes unless it is special IGFA rated line. For trout, we use mostly 5x and 6x for tippet on dry flies around here in Nor Cal. Our most popular and average size dry fly is a #14. For wet flies/nymphs for trout we use mostly 3x, 4x and 5x depending on the fly size and fishing conditions. Again, our most popular, best selling and most useful size nymph is a #14. Early season we might use larger #6/8/10 nymph with a 3x tippet. Most of the time anglers are using #14s with 4x and then in late summer and on spring creeks the average is a #16 with 5x and smaller. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA http://www.kiene.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve noticed that tippit and leaders are sold in two different ratings. They are either given a pound rating or an X rating.  Does anybody have a conversion table for these different rating methods. I normally use a 2 or 3 lb. tippit for trout and a 4 or 5 lb. tippet for bass. I’d sure like to be able to see an X rating and know what the pound equivilant is, or the other way around. Thanks, Bob

Response:

The biggest problem represented by leader diametres that are too thick is the impact the thick leaders have on the flies drift.

____  I had said this Tony.  That is why I opt for finer leaders.  It is a distinct advantage and does fool more fish.  Especially if your knots are tight and perfect. Mr. G. I too opt for as fine a leader as I can see, and there-in lies a problem. These 50 year old eyes have been tormented by the sun for too long, so tying tight and perfect knots, is an oxymoron. Probably why in recent times I have opted for a full leader length, with no taper. I do not know if Drennon is available in the US, but I have found it to have little or no ‘line flash’, and is very abrasion resistant. The only problem I have found is that it has little stretch, so if you are on a reasonable fish, say around five or six pound or more, you have to be really careful on the strike, or you will pop the leader. — Tony Bishop  New Zealand http://bishfish.co.nz

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 snipped to save room: The biggest problem represented by leader diametres that are too thick is the impact the thick leaders have on the flies drift.

____  I had said this Tony.  That is why I opt for finer leaders.  It is a distinct advantage and does fool more fish.  Especially if your knots are tight and perfect. Mr. G. http://www.gink.com/gg_knotperfect.html

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Hi Tony, I will tell Joe Shirshac that you are catching some good ones. Joe is taking a group of our customers to your area in May to fish with Tim McCarthy again. — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA http://www.kiene.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The line diametre and kilo rating is a problem when you add in very thin lines from Europe such as Drennon – primarily developed for chasing carp. The visibility thing in my experience is not as big a problem as some may think. A fish simply cannot connect the fact that the line is connected to the fly, and even if it does  you asking for us to believe the fish then somehow surmises the line represents some form of danger. To believe that moves us into the realm of anthropomorphism. And yes I have caught trout on black leaders. The biggest problem represented by leader diametres that are too thick is the impact the thick leaders have on the flies drift. By the way Bill K, the fishing is very good right now, in the North Island. Some wonderful rainbows and browns being taken in the Central North Island lakes and rivers. — Tony Bishop  Taupo, New Zealand http://bishfish.co.nz

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The line diametre and kilo rating is a problem when you add in very thin lines from Europe such as Drennon – primarily developed for chasing carp. The visibility thing in my experience is not as big a problem as some may think. A fish simply cannot connect the fact that the line is connected to the fly, and even if it does  you asking for us to believe the fish then somehow surmises the line represents some form of danger. To believe that moves us into the realm of anthropomorphism. And yes I have caught trout on black leaders. The biggest problem represented by leader diametres that are too thick is the impact the thick leaders have on the flies drift. By the way Bill K, the fishing is very good right now, in the North Island. Some wonderful rainbows and browns being taken in the Central North Island lakes and rivers. — Tony Bishop  Taupo, New Zealand http://bishfish.co.nz

ever fished over hard hitted waters such as found in certain places on this planet Tony? All forms of life can be conditioned to associate danger to some definite stimulus.  A leader line pattern that leads to a fly, recognized by a free rising trout that has been fooled and released many times does in fact, associate that ‘bug’ with a connection to danger.  I remember two particular free risers that you could not fool in a hundred years Tony because of the leader connection.  They would literally lift your fly upon their noses, lower it back into the water, swim to the right or left an inch or so and then take a natural. So in response to your question, yes!  There is proven, distinct connection to the realm of anthropomorphism.  This factor does not require logic but only based on conditioned reflex reactions due to EXPERIENCE.  It doesn’t necessarily need to be attributed to humans, but naturally, humans can be conditioned to respond to reflex experiences Tony. The eye of a trout is one of the better seeing mechanisms in the animal kingdom.  Of course there are better ones but underwater, the trout is indeed visually armed to the max! LOL! — Mr.G http://www.gink.com/  Updates http://www.gink.com/chat Flyfishing Conversations 6:00 PM PST till after midnight.

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The line diametre and kilo rating is a problem when you add in very thin lines from Europe such as Drennon – primarily developed for chasing carp. The visibility thing in my experience is not as big a problem as some may think. A fish simply cannot connect the fact that the line is connected to the fly, and even if it does  you asking for us to believe the fish then somehow surmises the line represents some form of danger. To believe that moves us into the realm of anthropomorphism. And yes I have caught trout on black leaders. The biggest problem represented by leader diametres that are too thick is the impact the thick leaders have on the flies drift. By the way Bill K, the fishing is very good right now, in the North Island. Some wonderful rainbows and browns being taken in the Central North Island lakes and rivers. — Tony Bishop  Taupo, New Zealand http://bishfish.co.nz

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Bob and all you ROFFers out there, Bob, the pound test is suppose to be the breaking strength of the line and ‘X’ is relating to the diameter of the line. 0x = 0.011" 1x = 0.010" 2x = 0.009" 3x = 0.008" 4x = 0.007" 5x = 0.006" 6x = 0.005" 7x = 0.004" Old 6x tippet 30 years ago was 1 3/4 pound test. Now it is over 3 pound test? I think it is a good idea to go by diameter rather than pound test in relating to fly size or fishing conditions  because it is a constant. The manufacturer can put anything on the spool they want to as far as pound test goes unless it is special IGFA rated line. For trout, we use mostly 5x and 6x for tippet on dry flies around here in Nor Cal. Our most popular and average size dry fly is a #14. For wet flies/nymphs for trout we use mostly 3x, 4x and 5x depending on the fly size and fishing conditions. Again, our most popular, best selling and most useful size nymph is a #14. Early season we might use larger #6/8/10 nymph with a 3x tippet. Most of the time anglers are using #14s with 4x and then in late summer and on spring creeks the average is a #16 with 5x and smaller. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento, CA, USA http://www.kiene.com

_____  I can add to this in how to regard the information you’ve offered here Bill and I bow to your superior knowledge on what and why and how come customers usually order tippet materials.  Actually, it is one of the most incomplete subjects remaining in fly fishing, believe it or not. As materials get stronger, the diameters should have gone down to accommodate those who still desire to use 1.5 test tippets and not 3# tippets of the same diameter.  This is going to sound like a juggling act, but it holds water for me and many others out there across America. I am often asked, how does one determine what tippet size to use on any one hook size?  In the days of yore, when a .004 was still 1.5 LB test, I could advise with confidence that if you can put a tippet through the eye of the hook you’re using THREE times, its probably the right diameter tippet for that fly. Yet, I may not want a 3# test tippet of .004 thousands anymore because I may want to use a small fly that requires only a #24 or 26 hook and I may want only a 1# test tippet for very personal reasons.  Today, I would rather have the option to have a .003 diameter tippet or even a .002 diameter tippet for sippers while still enjoying the invisibility and the greater strengths for these super small diameters of .75 – 1 Pound test for very small flies. Invisibility is determined by tippet diameter, foremost.  Then color and refraction of light come next, but often . . . you can use even a pure black leader but if the diameter is very small . . . it will catch and fool fish.  Of course, this is a radical example but it is true. Diameter is foremost and poundage second in my book in how I fish but the two are a tight marriage required to fool fish who are keen of eye.   Smaller diameter leaders also allow flies to twist and turn more naturally on and under the water.  Given a choice between using a 3# test tippet of .004 or a 1.5# test tippet of only .003 I will opt for the 1.5/.033 tippet and I hope its Maxima. Mr. G. — http://www.gink.com/  Updates http://www.gink.com/chat Flyfishing Conversations 6:00 PM PST till after midnight.

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Question:

I’ll be in the Denver area next weekend and have 1 day free for some fly fishing.  Any suggestions on where to go this time of year? Don

Hi Don, Denver sits on the banks of Lake Norman. It’s a lake full of specs, bass, catfish, and panfish. The Catawba river flows into it and out of it through a dam. It’s a great place to fish and relax here in the NC piedmont. It does get hot as hell in the summer though. Ooops, oh, that Denver……sorry, Waldo…to damn early in the am.

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I’ll be in the Denver area next weekend and have 1 day free for some fly fishing.  Any suggestions on where to go this time of year? Don

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Greetings; Going to be in Banff at the end of August – business trip – but will stay longer if there is any good fly fishing. Any recommendations ?

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Greetings; Going to be in Banff at the end of August – business trip – but will stay longer if there is any good fly fishing. Any recommendations ?

I found that the folks at the Green Drake Flyshop in the town just outside the park gate (I’ll think of the name in a moment) were very helpful. I stopped in for some suggestions and they were generous with their time and advice. I spoke to several people, including John Sims. Rick Pollack

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Greetings; Going to be in Banff at the end of August – business trip – but will

stay longer if there is any good fly fishing. Any recommendations ? Green Drake Flyshop in Canmore.

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The infamous Bow River flows through Banff and winds it’s way east through Calgary. If you are into travelling just a bit south of Calgary. some of the best Trout Flyfishing in the world exists there. Well worth the effort and time. See the following WEB site for some info.   http://www.flyshop.com/Expo/Adventures/Bow_River/index.html I have fished the Dead Man Flats area which is just east of Canmore (and therefore Banff). Nice area if water levels are down, which they will be when you get there. Travel 10 minutes or so east of Canmore until you see the gas stations on the left. Behind them to the west is a campground. park there and head north to the river (100-200 meters or so). Work your way up and down the river and enjoy. This was one of my old fishing holes when I lived up in that area. Stew Greetings; Going to be in Banff at the end of August – business trip – but will stay longer if there is any good fly fishing. Any recommendations ?

– #  D. Stew McLeod … working at The Boeing Company .. in Renton, WA. #"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; # an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." #    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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We need your contributions to a new website for Mid-Atlantic flyfishers! I live in Bethesda, MD, right next to the Potomac River. I am an avid smallmouth/blugill flyfisherman, but I also enjoy fishing for trout. Like many of you, I’m feeling the Spring urge to start fishing again. Nobody likes their favorite fishing spots given away or mobbed. Having said that, there is enough good water to fish in the Mid-Atlantic area for us to share some information. To that end, I have published a website solely for purposes of exchanging information. (I do this sort of thing for a living.) I have absolutely no other interest than, like you, to know where conditions are good, where fish are caught, etc. The website is up and running now. Here is the URL: http://www.erols.com/sierra1/flyfish/midfly.htm The site isn’t fancy, but contains quality information based on first-hand knowledge. My goal is to make this site timely and functional. It will improve over time, and I will update it every time I receive information. All I ask is that you send me a brief message—at your convenience—with a few words on conditions in your area, a recent outing, successful fly patterns…or anything else that might be of use to us all. You’re welcome to give me a call too. I’ll post my home phone number below. Please take a look at the site. It is divided into areas for Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. There are also areas for fly patterns and stories or anecdotes. I’m committed to doing the work on my end. The site’s success will be determined by your willingness to contribute info, trip reports, etc. Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you! Scott Wilkinson Bethesda, MD h: (301) 229-2863 w: (301) 229-9585 f: (301) 320-6154 Mid-Atlantic Flyfishing page: http://www.erols.com/sierra1/flyfish/midfly.htm

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Every year, hunter friends give me deer hides and tails. Is there anyone out there who has successfully dyed deer hair? I would like to end up with vibrant yellow, red, and green. Any help would be greatly appreciated

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In regards to your question, I have been somwhat succesful with dyeing hair. I fyou have some of the under belly, (all white) thats the best to work with. You are able to dye over the natural, but it is not as bright and vivid. I use Rit-Dye and just follow the directions. I dont use any of the acid-dyes, simply because I think it is to complicated. I hope this was of some help. Mike

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Every year, hunter friends give me deer hides and tails. Is there anyone out there who has successfully dyed deer hair? I would like to end up with vibrant yellow, red, and green. Any help would be greatly appreciated

There are no shortcuts.    Step 1. Degrease and clean the hair with Veniard’s degreaser.     Step 2. Bleach the hair with *commercial* hair bleach such as Basic White (the best I’ve used . . . must be purchased through a beauty salon). The over the counter bleaches will simply turn your hair a yellowish brown.    Step 3. Dye with your favorite die. I like Veniard’s for the most intense colors possible. For more eathy colors like greens, browns, straw, etc., Rit is fine.    Tight lines, Ralph Ralph Cutter, California School of Flyfishing. http://www.flyline.com

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Thanks Ralph. Good advice. As usual, there never is an acceptable shortcut to a proper end-product. Unfortunately, I am not at all familiar with the Veniard product line. Any clues as to where I might start looking? Your input much appreciated.

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Every year, hunter friends give me deer hides and tails. Is there anyone out there who has successfully dyed deer hair? I would like to end up with vibrant yellow, red, and green. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Method 1: Home Brew I’ve dyed deer hair yellow, red, green and black using RIT brand LIQUID dyes bought at the grocery with results as good as you can buy, but I can’t call them vibrant. The belly hair takes better than the darker parts. Make sure the hide scrap is clean. I use dishwashing liquid. Mix the dye as strong as you like. Soak scraps in hot solution for about 20 minutes. Make sure to "set" the dye by adding white vinegar to the brew when the color is dark enough. Method 2: Totally Scientific Look to the 3 part series in ‘94 issues of American Angler for a dye-meister’s techniques. The may/june, july/august & september/october issues have William T. Roubal’s techniques for truly vibrant colors with modern dyes, natural dyes, etc. He is supposed to have a book out on the same subject. If you can’t locate back issues drop me e-mail and I’ll Xerox the series and mail it to you. Make big fun. mayfly

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In regards to your question, I have been somwhat succesful with dyeing hair. I fyou have some of the under belly, (all white) thats the best to work with. You are able to dye over the natural, but it is not as bright and vivid. I use Rit-Dye and just follow the directions. I dont use any of the acid-dyes, simply because I think it is to complicated. I hope this was of some help. Mike

Mike, Take a look at A.K. Best’s "Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying Materials"  It’s a great book and goes in depth into degreasing etc… Good Luck! Jack

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Does A.K.’s book deal with rit dye or is is all acid dyes? I have read the articles in American Angler(except for the first and last one, cant find those issues) and it seems to complicated for me. I just want some good colors and I think I am abel to get them with the rit-dye method. -Mike

Hi Mike, In addition to Rit dye I also use Veniards. If you can find them their colors are much brighter and vibrant. Good Luck! Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

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Another good choice would be Crook’s Lake Lodge, a wilderness lodge site that offers fishing for giant brookies in either a river or lake environment.  Accessible by seaplane only from Goose Bay, Labrador.  I was there last summer and it was the experience of a lifetime.  These fish are big and receieve little to no fishing pressure.  Accommodationms are rustic and the guides are local "characters."

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My husband Dave returned from a fly-fishing show with a handful of flyers for camps in Labrador.  He was excited at the prospects of catching brook trout – his favorite – up to 8 pounds.   Do you have any experience with the following camps?   – Riverkeep Lodge, on the Atikonak River   – Coopers’ Minipi Camps   – Northern Lights Fishing Lodge   – Awesome Lake Lodge (in Newfoundland) Thanks for your help! -joanne- — Joanne LaCourse       GTE Laboratories, Waltham, Massachusetts

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