Question:

I was hoping someone  had some information or plans on how i could build some fishing rod holders for my garage. I want to screw them to the ceiling. Thanks in advance for any help Wade

Response:

Wade, If no one has plans, let me know and I will trace mine for you. Gary

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was hoping someone  had some information or plans on how i could build some fishing rod holders for my garage. I want to screw them to the ceiling. Thanks in advance for any help Wade

Response:

One of the best ways to hold your rods to the rafters of your garage is to install lengths of PVC pipe from the rafters.  Size determines how many rods you can put in each pipe. Single storage for the small pipe, multiple storage several rods in one spot.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was hoping someone  had some information or plans on how i could build some fishing rod holders for my garage. I want to screw them to the ceiling. Thanks in advance for any help Wade

Response:

    This depends on what you are looking for.  As for mine, they are made from lenghts of 4" PVC pipe.  I have to cap mine, no glue, to keep the insects out.  Also keeps the dust and dirt off the equipment.  I have them tied to the ceiling stringers with cord as my garage is not lined.     Thought I’d pass this along.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was hoping someone  had some information or plans on how i could build some fishing rod holders for my garage. I want to screw them to the ceiling. Thanks in advance for any help Wade

Response:

I was hoping someone  had some information or plans on how i could build some fishing rod holders for my garage. I want to screw them to the ceiling.

I knew a girl like that once . . . Marc, who luckily got older and wiser Seriously, depends on what kind of rods.  If it’s surf rods I’ll second the PVC suggestion.  Fly rods I’d just buy a contraption which hangs from the rafters and holds the rods horizontally.  Wouldn’t waste the time trying to build something like that.

Response:

Question:

Hi Further to my (much) earlier post, I am planning a holiday in August (regret no other time available). It will be a ‘fly drive’, starting in Calgary, to Banff, Jasper, Sun Peaks, Harrison Hot Springs, Vancouver. I have a visit to family in Vancouver to fit in along with limited fishing. My original plan was to fish the Vedder or Harrison for pink salmon, (probably for a few hours on a couple of days) which I understand are plentiful. I will be practicing catch and release, having no need to kill fish. Is this the best option on a limited time scale and budget, or are there better ones? I will be bringing my 4 piece 6/7 rod and matching reel, prepared to hire other gear as necessary. Any advice gratefully received and probably acted upon. TIA Chris, surfin’ from the UK. — Throw him in the river and he will come up with a fish in his mouth.                                                                 Arabian proverb. Where’s this river then?

Response:

Chris…I used to fish the Bow river for many years with a drift boat and I made a driving trip to Banff, Jasper and over into BC. I took the trunk road from Calgary. It runs along the "foothills" of the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies. Beautiful scenery, no people in the campgrounds and you cross many streams which hold plenty of trout. If you love to camp this is the drive for you. Good fishing…Capt. Ted Bobetsky

Response:

Question:

I like mine. The scale is hard to read though. Capt. Gary S. Colecchio West Palm Beach "Lie ? Me ? Never!  No, no, no, the truth is far too much fun !" – Captain Hook

Response:

Personally, as a salmon and steelhead guide,  I’d say no way to the Boga Grip … any of the bigger fish species will slip their vertebrae being held vertically out of the water … imagine yourself being hung with all your weight by the lip … ‘nuf sed I’ll bet … — Bob Ball Bob’s Piscatorial Pursuits Alaska / Washington Salmon, Steelhead, and Halibut Fishing http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com "If it’s wild, let it go!"

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – so i would never lift them by the lip, since tailing them usually works just fine. hope that helps, chris I would have thought that tailing them would remove more meniscus (there’s that word again)…where as a proper lip doesn’t bind or twist the jaw at all……I’ve never heard any pros or cons on this….will I

Response:

Has anyone had any experience (good or bad) using the BogaGrip in flyfishing applications?  Obviously we like it (biased opinion), but we have heard very little about it in the flyfishing world. Would appreciate some comment. — Will West Lionheart Fishing Safari http://www.lionheartsafari.com

Response:

Has anyone had any experience (good or bad) using the BogaGrip in flyfishing applications?  Obviously we like it (biased opinion), but we have heard very little about it in the flyfishing world. Would appreciate some comment.

i like mine alot for holding black rockfish and lingcod in the saltwater… they’re also great for holding fish while you cut their gills to bleed them.  for species like salmon and steelhead, i don’t like for them to even leave the water, so i would never lift them by the lip, since tailing them usually works just fine. hope that helps, chris

Response:

so i would never lift them by the lip, since tailing them usually works just fine. hope that helps, chris

I would have thought that tailing them would remove more meniscus  (there’s that word again)…where as a proper lip doesn’t bind or twist the jaw at all……I’ve never heard any pros or cons on this….will I

Response:

I bought my Boga Grip from Lion Heart Safari and am very very satisfied with it.  Although I do not flyfish but surfcast, all wading and the Boga Grip is underwater the whole time, it works flawlessly.  Just a rinse with freshwater after each trip and that’s all I do to it.  It is great for handling bluefish and striped bass. Richie

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Has anyone had any experience (good or bad) using the BogaGrip in flyfishing applications?  Obviously we like it (biased opinion), but we have heard very little about it in the flyfishing world. Would appreciate some comment. — Will West Lionheart Fishing Safari http://www.lionheartsafari.com

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:

says… Hi, I’m planning a trip to the Banff/Lake Louise area in early Sept. Any info re: hotels, guides, expected conditions and how to escape the tourists would be appreciated. Thanks in advance JT

The Bow around Banff will be clear and low – blue winged olives will be the fly to try for rainbows or browns,  or cutthroats in the upper reaches. Rocky mountain whitefish are common, and the odd bull trout (Alberta’s provincial fish) is an interesting possibility.  Lake trout will be on deep trolling only that time of year – but can be a blast with a fly rod and a streamer on a downrigger (makes the purists scream too!) Brookies mainly in the beaverponds and oxbows of the Bow River. Hotels will still be charging high season rates – about double what they are at the end of the month. There is an excellent hostel in Banff, and another one in Lake Louise – you may want to check with your local International Hostel Association for membership/rates. You are (will be) a tourist. But there’s tons of backcountry to ‘escape’ to and a good guide will help.   Try Upper Bow Valley Fly Fishing in Banff- Dan Bell at (403) 760-7668 fax 762-8263 – he a super drift boat guide, has excxellent knowledge of area lakes, or can even arrange for a helicopter trip if you’ve got the budget. My close second choice would be the Green Drake Fly Shop in Canmore (403) 678-9525 fax (403) 678-2183  They do a lot of guiding, and have an excellent little shop that while difficult to find – is worth your while. Free and friendly and specific advise to c&r fishers. Tight lines & short strings Andrew Whittick   Banff Alberta

Response:

Hi, I’m planning a trip to the Banff/Lake Louise area in early Sept. Any info re: hotels, guides, expected conditions and how to escape the tourists would be appreciated. Thanks in advance JT

Response:

says… Hi, I’m planning a trip to the Banff/Lake Louise area in early Sept. Any info re: hotels, guides, expected conditions and how to escape the tourists would be appreciated. Thanks in advance JT

ps – almost forgot when fishing in Canada’s Mountain National Parks – you may not use lead weighted flys or lead weights less than 50 grams. No such restrictions outside of the parks though.  Floating the Bow River from Banff to Canmore will require a National Parl fishing license, and an Alberta license. Both are quite inexepensive (under $20 CDN) Andrew Whittick   Banff Alberta

Response:

Question:

They will maul rabbit strip flies that act like sluggos–tubers and sluggo flies and double-bunnies–as well as buck-n-bunnies.  I’d keep my dahlbergs for something a bit less toothy. We catch a lot of pickerel on flies here even after the hardware anglers have been through because the neutral-bouyancy fly seems to bring them on.  Good luck. d

Response:

I’m brand new to fly-fishing, so I’ve only been lurking at this ng for a month or so (hadda wait for Jon Ernst to leave before I even *dared* make a post).  Anyway, I live right by a nasty little pond in Northern Florida, said pond dominated by some pretty large chain pickerel and Florida gar.  I’m very interested in tangling with these thugs, so I’m looking for some recommendations on the type of fly I should use, as well as sage words about leaders/tippets.  

In one of his books, John Geirach writes about catching gar on flyrods. Apparently, some guys make "flies" made up of frayed out pieces of nylon rope – no hooks!  It seems that you can’t "hook" a gar – their jaws are too bony.  If they strike the frayed rope, it will tangle around their teeth and you can haul them in.  What you do after you haul them in, I can’t say.  I actually tried this in the Outer Banks (yes, their are gar there) but I didn’t get any strikes.  Oh, well, John didn’t catch any either.

Response:

Try Dalberg Divers. I’m brand new to fly-fishing, so I’ve only been lurking at this ng for a month or so (hadda wait for Jon Ernst to leave before I even *dared* make a post).  Anyway, I live right by a nasty little pond in Northern Florida, said pond dominated by some pretty large chain pickerel and Florida gar.  I’m very interested in tangling with these thugs, so I’m looking for some recommendations on the type of fly I should use, as well as sage words about leaders/tippets.  

Divers would probably be as good as anything – and just about anything *large* would probably work. While actually fishing for smallies, I’ve caught pickerel on everything from wool headed rabbits to deer hair mice. With them damn gar around, a bite guard of some kind would probably be warranted. 100 pound Mason, or even plastic coated stranded stainless wire might be a good idea – if you want to get through the day without losing too many of those large flies… Cheers! /dave <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< < Digital Equipment Corp.               Alpha Server Engineering < < Parker Street Campus                      Maynard, Massachusetts < < !!NOTE: Remove the "XX" from my address to respond by email!!  < <<<<<<<<<<<<<< AMA 548313 <<<<<<<<<<<<<< Disclaimer: Opinion and content is mine alone, and unlikely to be                     shared by my employer, etc…

Response:

Try Dalberg Divers. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howdy, I’m brand new to fly-fishing, so I’ve only been lurking at this ng for a month or so (hadda wait for Jon Ernst to leave before I even *dared* make a post).  Anyway, I live right by a nasty little pond in Northern Florida, said pond dominated by some pretty large chain pickerel and Florida gar.  I’m very interested in tangling with these thugs, so I’m looking for some recommendations on the type of fly I should use, as well as sage words about leaders/tippets.   TIA, Mark to reply, remove "killuce" from address.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howdy, I’m brand new to fly-fishing, so I’ve only been lurking at this ng for a month or so (hadda wait for Jon Ernst to leave before I even *dared* make a post).  Anyway, I live right by a nasty little pond in Northern Florida, said pond dominated by some pretty large chain pickerel and Florida gar.  I’m very interested in tangling with these thugs, so I’m looking for some recommendations on the type of fly I should use, as well as sage words about leaders/tippets.   TIA, Mark to reply, remove "killuce" from address.

Used to catch all kinds of pickerel all kinds of ways as a kid, including on fly.  I don’t think there is anything they won’t hit.  Try a Wooly Bugger or a bass  popper.  Use about 30 pound clear mono for a bite guard (stay away from wire, they won’t hit) and don’t be afraid to move it around a bit. Good Luck — Gordon Churchill Flyfish NC http://www.planet-nc.com/flyfishnc/ Striped Bass on the Roanoke River, Hybrids on Jordan Lake, Largemouths on surface.  Pickup and dropoff in Research Triangle Park

Response:

Howdy, I’m brand new to fly-fishing, so I’ve only been lurking at this ng for a month or so (hadda wait for Jon Ernst to leave before I even *dared* make a post).  Anyway, I live right by a nasty little pond in Northern Florida, said pond dominated by some pretty large chain pickerel and Florida gar.  I’m very interested in tangling with these thugs, so I’m looking for some recommendations on the type of fly I should use, as well as sage words about leaders/tippets.   TIA, Mark to reply, remove "killuce" from address.

Response:

Question:

Ron,   Try a bright light green, cream, orange, or hot pink glo bug and sink the fly so it drifts drag free across the bottom. Also try some bright colored western spey flies and steelhead flies. There is a person named Helvie that wrote a book on steelhead flies, look through that also . —

Response:

  On the Puyallup river in Washington State I have seen several people    I have only seen one fly fisherman on this river and wonder   why?                                          Thanks Ron

    Ron – You don’t see many trying to flyfish the Puyallup River because, by the time the steelhead arrive in the Summer or Fall, the river is floured (like coffee with cream).  Once the snow melt on the glaciers is done and we start getting ice melt, only stink baits really work well on this glacier-fed river. The glaciers have volcanic ash in them that "flour" the water.                         – Jewelee                           Puyallup, WA

Response:

On the Puyallup river in Washington State I have seen several people using spincasting gear with spinners to catch Steelhead.  I am new to fly fishing and am hooked.  I know I will never be a worm fisherman again!!!!  I would think that a fly rod would do a awsome job on this river.  I have only seen one fly fisherman on this river and wonder why?  I am going to try this weekend and would like any suggestions on types of flies and patterns to use?  The spinners that I have seen people use have had bright orange on them.                                        Thanks Ron

Response:

Ron,    I have not fished the Puyallup yet, but I tie a wooly bugger pattern with black marabou and flashabou, and an orange marabou that are more successful overall than the classic Skykomish Sunrise, etc. An advantage for me is that they are easy to tie and when I lose one, it’s not like losing an art treasure. email me about your success. I could send you some flies in exchange for good wading locations. good luck!    Jack – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – On the Puyallup river in Washington State I have seen several people using spincasting gear with spinners to catch Steelhead.  I am new to fly fishing and am hooked.  I know I will never be a worm fisherman again!!!!  I would think that a fly rod would do a awsome job on this river.  I have only seen one fly fisherman on this river and wonder why?  I am going to try this weekend and would like any suggestions on types of flies and patterns to use?  The spinners that I have seen people use have had bright orange on them.                                        Thanks Ron

Response:

Question:

Smallies are excellent fly-rod fare; they will add a whole new dimension to the trout angler’s experience. Fish them with large nymphs (out east we rely heavily on the hellgrammite, which is an early stage of the Dobson fly), crayfish imitations, or minnow imitations.  Woolly buggers are a good starting point.  Don’t go down to too fine a tippet; they aren’t as discriminating (usually) as trout. They’ll hit surface lures; they basically behave like a cross between a trout (for current relationships) and a bass (striking and fighting characteristics.) Reply to report on your success! DM

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Smallies are excellent fly-rod fare; they will add a whole new dimension to the trout angler’s experience. Fish them with large nymphs (out east we rely heavily on the hellgrammite, which is an early stage of the Dobson fly), crayfish imitations, or minnow imitations.  Woolly buggers are a good starting point.  Don’t go down to too fine a tippet; they aren’t as discriminating (usually) as trout. They’ll hit surface lures; they basically behave like a cross between a trout (for current relationships) and a bass (striking and fighting characteristics.) Reply to report on your success! DM

Two points:         1.  Fish deep for the big ones.  Right along the bottom with weighted flys.  Dead drift accomplishes this best.  Even streamers need to be down on the bottom, I’ve found.         2.  Check with the locals about colors.  Surpising to me was that black works best in some rivers and not at all on others. Compare the Shenadoah with the Potomac, for instance. I’ve quit fishing for trout (even tho I always found it an exciting sport) except during the winter when the smallmouth bass go silent. No matter how big the trout or what species, I’ve never had a trout fight as hard or jump as high as a smallmouth of equivalent size.  It’s a real blast. Get the book "Flyfishing for Smallmouth Bass" by Harry Murray of Edinburg, VA for all the neat tricks.   Have fun.   Jim

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Respecting Harry’s book and school and school of thought:  Excellent work and useful, but some variations I have found successful: 1.  HM mainly works the ‘Doah branches.  Even the largest, the South Fork, is fairly small water compared to the Potomac, James, New, Susquehanna, etc.  Often, small or large water is irrelevant since habitat is "micro", that is, unaffected by the size of the river.  At times, however, the total size issue is critical.  The Shenandoah has a very great density of smaller fish; this leads to different patterns.  Also, in a system dominated by large numbers of smaller fish, the effectiveness of nymph and crawdad patterns changes.  Larger fish will key on larger prey, and hellgrammites just don’t get that big.    Also, bigger water has heavier flow, negating some bottom-relating techniques Harry uses with great success unless you are willing to use heavier gear. 2.  In a boat, Harry’s lighter tackle/lighter tippet (than I prefer) techniques are less practical.  I rarely go below 1x or 6lb or so tippet, often staying up around 12 lb, especially in fluorocarbons.  I have noticed no reduction in fish size or numbers, and I am able to deliver larger flies and weighted flies with ease. 3.   A drifted, rather than a stripped, delivery is less practical for our purposes on the Potomac.  In bigger water, in a boat, with a larger fly, I usually wind up encouraging my clients to fish far and fast, though this may offend the purist.  When we wade fish away from the boat, a more thorough and deliberate approach is possible, but on a nine-mile float we have some water to cover. 4.  The Susquehanna and New rivers, which are very large both in flow rate and depth variation, often require an even more pronounced departure from the standard techniques as espoused by Harry.  My best fish on both rivers came on large flies (4"+) perhaps more suitable for the salt.  Fewer hits, of course, but serious quality fish and the possibility of an appearance by the next species up the food chain (genus Esox) is possible. 5.   We’re also talking about a heavier line here.  7 weight is standard, and up to a 9 is my first choice.  That way there is no compromise on distance and power.   I have great respect for Harry’s way, and it is always the starting point, but be aware that there are some further techniques to try. Dave

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Question:

 I think I have to decide between an Orvis Western Freestone (Rocky  Mountain Series) and the Sage GFL 590 DS.  Any suggestions as to the  better pole/value? I own a 9′- 5wt. Orvis Freestone, and although I don’t have a Sage Discovery, I do own several Sage RPL’s and without a doubt I would recommend a Sage. I find the Orvis rod very tip-heavy w/ a "clubby" feel. My son won’t even use my Orvis rod anymore, I had to build a Sage for him from a "second " blank.         Don’t worry about the warranties. My friend broke the tip on his Sage and they replaced it very swiftly for about $25. Most people find Sage’s customer service to be very good.

  EVERYONE,     Different strokes for different folks…..!  Is there a *best* airplane, automobile, computer, flyrod…..? tight_lines_&_clean_waters_in_95′ steve drossel advocate for the AOFFI (Atlantic Ocean FlyFishing Initiative)

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 I [gulp] work for an Orvis dealer. Frank, the above being the case, perhaps you could enlighten me about the new series due out from Orvis in the spring.  It’s supposed to be on the cheapo side, to compete with the Cortland 444 packages, maybe $150. What’s the word on it? thanks floete

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Bryant) writes: I think I have to decide between an Orvis Western Freestone (Rocky Mountain Series) and the Sage GFL 590 DS.  Any suggestions as to the better pole/value?

I’ve had  a Sage Discovery 6-7 weight for 4 years, and just bought a 4-wt RPL.  I think the world of Sage, comparing friend’s Cortlands and Loomis rods in similar weights, the Sages seem quicker and much less strain to cast.   I wouldn’t put too much weight on Orvis’s 25-year guarantee unless you plan on breaking one.  The key thing is, how do they compare when you cast them?  And some fly shops will even let you take out a loaner.  I found a fly shop that let me take out a loaner Sage RPL for a few days, even though their Sage rep said he’d never of anyone doing that.  Good luck, Bill Uyeki

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 (Robert Bryant) writes:  I think I have to decide between an Orvis Western Freestone (Rocky  Mountain Series) and the Sage GFL 590 DS.  Any suggestions as to the  better pole/value? I own a 9′- 5wt. Orvis Freestone, and although I don’t have a Sage Discovery, I do own several

Sage RPL’s and without a doubt I would recommend a Sage. I find the Orvis rod very tip-heavy w/ a "clubby" feel. My son won’t even use my Orvis rod anymore, I had to build a Sage for him from a "second " blank.          Don’t worry about the warranties. My friend broke the tip on his Sage and they replaced it very swiftly for about $25. Most people find Sage’s customer service to be very good. Yours virtually, Gary W. Godden

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I think I have to decide between an Orvis Western Freestone (Rocky Mountain Series) and the Sage GFL 590 DS.  Any suggestions as to the better pole/value? The comparisons are below.         Orvis                           Sage         $230                            $180         9′                              9′         3 1/8 oz.                       3 3/8 oz.         2 pc                            2 pc         25 yr. replacement              Standard warranty Please help me make this decision.  If you have either of these poles, please, how do you like it/them.  My local dealer, who sells both, likes the Sage pole.  I like the 25 year replacement promise of the Orvis.  My wife likes whatever is cheaper! Thanks for any help you can give me. —           Bob                   "Computers will reduce the amount of           Moss Landing, Ca.       paper consumed."

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -(Robert Bryant) writes: I think I have to decide between an Orvis Western Freestone (Rocky Mountain Series) and the Sage GFL 590 DS.  Any suggestions as to the better pole/value? The comparisons are below.    Orvis                           Sage    $230                            $180    9′                              9′    3 1/8 oz.                       3 3/8 oz.    2 pc                            2 pc    25 yr. replacement              Standard warranty Please help me make this decision.  If you have either of these poles, please, how do you like it/them.  My local dealer, who sells both, likes the Sage pole.  I like the 25 year replacement promise of the Orvis.  My wife likes whatever is cheaper!

The cost difference is $50.  If the Sage rod breaks, it can be fixed, at a price, and then you are left with a broken Sage rod that has been repaired. The broken Sage rod that has been repaired may, after the repair, cast as before, but generally not. I don’t care how good the repair job is- break=repair=a weakness that won’t go away and that may break again. Not to mention the worry associated with not having a 25 year rod breakage warranty. On the other hand, if the Orvis rod breaks, it is sent back to Orvis who generally replaces the entire broken section rather than ‘repair’ the break. I know because I [gulp] work for an Orvis dealer.  I’ve even seen dealers swap out new rods right off the rack for broken ones.  The Orvis rod repair receipts that I see cover costs in the range of $10-$50+. All the customer pays for is shipping back to the dealer, or the cost of shipping to Orvis if you don’t have a dealer in your area. It’s funny, but it seems that flyfishers east of the Mississippi choose Orvis rods and those to the west choose Sage. I’ve casted both in similar line weight, length and taper and I like them both for particular reasons-like maybe the Sage finish is nicer or the Orvis handle is better or whatever. Bottom line is that breakage factor and Orvis offers a nice escape hatch and Sage does not.  But you have to buy the rod that suits you and performs correctly for the things you want to do with it. Frank

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Question:

Any west coast trail experts out there?  Please feel free to answer some, all, or none of these questions.  I have read the Sierra Club guidebook, now I’m looking for a little more personal and/or personal advice" (paraphrased quotation). I’m planning my trip in May.  Am I setting myself up for a lot of mud and rain? One book implied that the average rainfall in May is not too bad. If I hit the low tides I’m hoping to do a bunch of beach walking, so that might get rid of the mud.  Comments? I’ve got favorable tides (low tides in the afternoon) from May 13 That gives me, say, 8 days of reasonable tides for beach walking. My wife and I aren’t very good at getting up early, so an ideal tide would maybe reach it’s low at 15:00.  We’d then hike from 12:00 to 16:00 and not worry about getting caught by rising tides. It sounds like the southern section is where I’ll really apreciate low tides (to get around Owens pt, for example) so I’m thinking of flying or driving out to the Island on the 8th-10th, leaving the car in Victoria, taking the bus (or the bus and The Lady Rose) to Bamfield, starting to hike on the 12th.  Then if we spend the planned 10 days/9 nights we’ll get out on the 21st. That’ll give us the 21st/22nd to get to Victoria (is this hard?  Does the Knight Limousine Service still operate?) to reclaim our car and the 22nd to the 24th to drive back to Calgary (or fly back, sans car of course.) Sound reasonable? If you had 10 days to spend on the trail, how many of them would you hike?  Would you hike all 10 (an average of 7.5 km/day?) or would you spend a day or two in the middle somewhere just beachcoming and relaxing and seducing your spouse or S/O . (Is it *possible* to seduce your spouse or s/o if you’re both soaking wet from all the rain and you only have freeze-dried food?).  Where’s the best place for these sort of activities? Where’s the best fishing?  How can I find out more about the fishing? I’m not normally a fisherman, but hey, I’ve got 10 days.  And if I catch some fish I could even stretch our food supply to 11 or 12 days. How warm can I expect it to be? How hard is it *really* to cross Nitinat Narrows?  Does anyone actually ever have to wait for more then a day for the friendly Indians to ferry you across in May?  If so, should I hike from the south to the north so that I can relax after the crossing on the better beaches in the north half?  (Or are the better beaches in the south?) THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.  Please, if you’re too busy to answer all my questions, just email me something.  If I get enough somethings it will be better then one detailed response. (Man, am I ever looking forward to this vacation!) — "Wow, it’s like a ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ fantasy but without the "Dilbert" talking about Internet. — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — John E. Abraham                 ryryryryry   /    Mathematical Modelling ******* Current research:  Transportation and Land Use Interaction ******* trombone/piano/harmonica blues/jazz/rock player < backpacker < traveller

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People have swum the English Channel and the Nitinat Narrows would be considerably easier but the full pack would make it interesting. It is just as well I waited the 15 minutes for the boat ride.

Natural selection in action. Please DO NOT attempt to swim across Nitinat Narrows.  It is a tidal surge channel with dangerous undercurrents.  It may look relatively calm compared to the ocean nearby, but strong swimmers have died trying to cross. I have never heard of someone foolish enough to try.  Every book, map, etc. states that people have died, and it is passable only by boat.

Artificial selection in action.   Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers   {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene Second Favorite email message: Returned mail: Cannot send message for 3 days A Ref: Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning, vol. 1, G. Polya

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I’m planning my trip in May.  Am I setting myself up for a lot of mud and rain?

We went in May last year and had a great trip, not many people, only two out of six days rain and not much mud.  Saw a bear on the trail (A worry!), but none around campsites, although always hung our food. We took the Lady Rose after hitching to Port Alberni, which involved next to no waiting at the side of the road and then at the south end,the Port Renfrew Connector to Victoria. How hard is it *really* to cross Nitinat Narrows?  Does anyone actually ever have to wait for more then a day for the friendly Indians to ferry you across in May?  If so, should I hike from the south to the north so that I can relax after the crossing on the better beaches in the north half?  (Or are the better beaches in the south?)

Forget it and wait. The southern boardwalks were very slippery!! particularily for my wife who had some newer boots on; Did one nice loop ending head first in a bog! Do you have your permit yet?  They have started requiring permits since last year. May is not the most popular month and we got ours at about this time last year.  Call Pacific Rim National Park and they’ll have the number to book it. Ian McKirdy Canada Centre for Remote Sensing Ottawa, Ontario  K1S 0Y7 613 947-1318 om mani padme hum

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Be prepared for rain.  I went 2 years ago and was caught in a near hurricane which forced the park service to close the trail for 3 days.  80 MPH winds and 2-3 inches of rain per day for 3 days straight.  Climbing down those ladders, covered with moss, with rain slushing down, rungs missing, and feeling the support anchors pulling out while wearing a 55lb pack was quite a thrill!   Once the storm cleared, myself and 4 other hikers had the trail to ourselves.  Although one woman came down with a fever and had to be helicoptered out, and two other silly hikers tried to wade across the Carmanah River after the heavy rains and lost all their gear when they were swept off their feet and nearly washed out to sea.  Luckily they managed to get to the Carmanah lighthouse, where they too were helicoptered out.  (A huge sitka spruce had fallen across the cable crossing…and was the main reason for the trail closure.)  The rest of us waited out the storm, until the water level was below our ankles. (The tip in the WCT trail book about crossing at low tide is a joke if the rivers are swollen with rain.) Whenever possible, travel the beach route.  There’s a beautiful campsite at Owen’s point.  If you’re a purist hike to Owen’s instead of taking the launch.  On the other hand, don’t miss out on the bogs either.  The bogs have elevated cedar walkways for the most part. I had no trouble hiking the trail in 7 days.  But I wish I’d taken a few extra days.  In particular, there are some interesting side trails such as a primitive trail up the Carmanah Valley. The best tip I can give you is to park your car at the Northern end of the trail, and then pay $10 to the Pachenat Band to drive you to the Southern end along the backroads (takes 3-4 hours).  That way you end up back at your car when you are done. A boat is required to cross Ninstints narrows.  I had to wait 4 hours for a ride.  Although, at slack tide you may be able wave down a passing fisherman.  I think the fee was $5, and you can buy a cold beer from the chief. You can probably buy or bum salmon/crabs off the fishermen and natives.  I was offered a 10lb Coho while waiting at the Narrows. Don’t drink the water!  Watch for black bear.  Climbing rope is useful if you go off trail.  Checkout Adrenalin Surge channel if you have a death wish. Good luck and have fun!   -bill

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People have swum the English Channel and the Nitinat Narrows would be considerably easier but the full pack would make it interesting. It is just as well I waited the 15 minutes for the boat ride. I hitchhiked from Bamfield to Port Renfrew and was assured by a park staff person that it would be quite easy to do so. It took me ten rides and 24 hours and some walking to do it. Nearly everybody who came by gave me a ride but there are few people on the logging roads that connect the two places and they are working and only going to the next turnoff.

Response:

People have swum the English Channel and the Nitinat Narrows would be considerably easier but the full pack would make it interesting. It is just as well I waited the 15 minutes for the boat ride.

Please DO NOT attempt to swim across Nitinat Narrows.  It is a tidal surge channel with dangerous undercurrents.  It may look relatively calm compared to the ocean nearby, but strong swimmers have died trying to cross. I have never heard of someone foolish enough to try.  Every book, map, etc. states that people have died, and it is passable only by boat. Dave Lee

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 Abraham) writes: I’m planning my trip in May.  Am I setting myself up for a lot of mud and rain?

I would definitely be prepared for rain and mud.  You may be lucky and hit a dry week, but spring on the west coast trail means a healthy amount of rain. It has been a very dry winter this year so it may not be as bad as normal. One book implied that the average rainfall in May is not too bad. If I hit the low tides I’m hoping to do a bunch of beach walking, so that might get rid of the mud.  Comments?

If you plan it properly you can do a lot of beach walking.  This is the most scenic part of the trip and well worth the planning it takes to get on and off the beaches at the right times.  Remember, some beaches only have one exit trail amidst very steep cliffs and if you get caught by the tide it can be a difficult situation. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve got favorable tides (low tides in the afternoon) from May 13 That gives me, say, 8 days of reasonable tides for beach walking. My wife and I aren’t very good at getting up early, so an ideal tide would maybe reach it’s low at 15:00.  We’d then hike from 12:00 to 16:00 and not worry about getting caught by rising tides. It sounds like the southern section is where I’ll really apreciate low tides (to get around Owens pt, for example) so I’m thinking of flying or driving out to the Island on the 8th-10th, leaving the car in Victoria, taking the bus (or the bus and The Lady Rose) to Bamfield, starting to hike on the 12th.  Then if we spend the planned 10 days/9 nights we’ll get out on the 21st. That’ll give us the 21st/22nd to get to Victoria (is this hard?  Does the Knight Limousine Service still operate?) to reclaim our car and the 22nd to the 24th to drive back to Calgary (or fly back, sans car of course.)

There is bus service back to Victoria, but I don’t remember the name of it. Hitch-hiking is also very possible to get back to Victoria. Lots of people will give rides to trail hikers.  Ten days is plenty of time to enjoy the trail with no need to rush. If you had 10 days to spend on the trail, how many of them would you hike?  Would you hike all 10 (an average of 7.5 km/day?) or would you spend a day or two in the middle somewhere just beachcoming and relaxing and seducing your spouse or S/O . (Is it *possible* to seduce your spouse or s/o if you’re both soaking wet from all the rain and you only have freeze-dried food?).  Where’s the best place for these sort of activities?

Five to six days of hiking is usually plenty to do the trail.  A nice side trip is up Nitinat river to Nitinat Lake.  You can camp beside the lake and do some fishing.  Usually very private for seduction type encounters.  The lake is tidal, but fresh water is available for washing, etc. Where’s the best fishing?  How can I find out more about the fishing? I’m not normally a fisherman, but hey, I’ve got 10 days.  And if I catch some fish I could even stretch our food supply to 11 or 12 days.

Depends on how much you carry, how much you eat, and how good a fisherman (person) you are. How warm can I expect it to be?

Cool during the day and cold at night. Probably not below 0 C however. How hard is it *really* to cross Nitinat Narrows?  Does anyone actually ever have to wait for more then a day for the friendly Indians to ferry you across in May?  If so, should I hike from the south to the north so that I can relax after the crossing on the better beaches in the north half?  (Or are the better beaches in the south?)

Don’t try to cross Nitinat narrows without a boat.  You will see what I mean when you get there.  Not a problem getting a boat ride across from the local natives.  They will offer to sell you some beer, and it will seem very tempting, especially if it is hot, but it can be very difficult to hike after drinking even one beer. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.  Please, if you’re too busy to answer all my questions, just email me something.  If I get enough somethings it will be better then one detailed response. (Man, am I ever looking forward to this vacation!)

Its a beautiful trip.  I’m sure that you will enjoy it very much no matter what weather you encounter. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – — "Wow, it’s like a ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ fantasy but without the "Dilbert" talking about Internet. — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — – — John E. Abraham                 ryryryryry   /    Mathematical Modelling ******* Current research:  Transportation and Land Use Interaction ******* trombone/piano/harmonica blues/jazz/rock player < backpacker < traveller

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