Question:

BTW, why not include the arbor knot? You have to attach the backing to the spool somehow. Yeah, but the guys at Orvis do that one.

They probably tie your needle knots, too. How many other people in ROFF have been streamside with a supposedly experienced flyfisherman who, when it came time to tie on a leader, had no idea how to do it? The clinch knot and nail knot both can be replaced by the Uni knot if you like.

But EVERY knot can be replaced by the clinch knot. Just ask Wayno if he ever reappears. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

Response:

How many other people in ROFF have been streamside with a supposedly experienced flyfisherman who, when it came time to tie on a leader, had no idea how to do it?

This has happened to me numerous times.  Also, many people apparently change their ( looped ),leaders at an amazing rate, because they are unable to even tie tippet on.   If you have enough time and money I don

Question:

Hi there heading to cuba mid dec. Far west end Maria la Gorda. Any one out there have any info on this area, or other fly fishing destinations around thanks much bill

Response:

If Ken F. has his way, you can flyfish in Cuba in Florida soon.. Herman Hi there heading to cuba mid dec. Far west end Maria la Gorda. Any one out there have any info on this area, or other fly fishing destinations around thanks much bill

–         Cheers, Herman         Herman Nijland         Daytime webmaster         Lifetime flyfisher

Response:

If Ken F. has his way, you can flyfish in Cuba in Florida soon.. Herman

It’ll cost 10 times as much, though<g. — Charlie…

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What.. Florida 10 times more expensive? Did they add ballottax? Herman If Ken F. has his way, you can flyfish in Cuba in Florida soon.. Herman It’ll cost 10 times as much, though<g. — Charlie…

–         Cheers, Herman         Herman Nijland         Daytime webmaster         Lifetime flyfisher

Response:

What.. Florida 10 times more expensive? Did they add ballottax?

If they haven’t already, they will<g. Somebody has to pay for all that overtime. — Charlie…

Response:

Question:

How is flyfishing this year in Kamloops Area?

Response:

It was a long cool spring, and the past two weeks have been downright crappy, but the last few days of warm weather should be bringing up some bugs.  It’s still lake to lake as to action, some have been hot, many cold, but they should be consistently coming around in the next couple of weeks. Most lakes within a 1/2 hour of pavement have been quite busy on weekends, so going off the back roads will be needed for some quiet time on the water. Mild winter this year means that many of the smaller lakes haven’t winterkilled so prospects are good.  Cheers, Geoff McD.

Response:

We just got back this week, and I’ll agree that the weather was crappy; everything but snow! Fishing wasn’t all that bad however. Caddis are starting to show nicely….. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It was a long cool spring, and the past two weeks have been downright crappy, but the last few days of warm weather should be bringing up some bugs.  It’s still lake to lake as to action, some have been hot, many cold, but they should be consistently coming around in the next couple of weeks. Most lakes within a 1/2 hour of pavement have been quite busy on weekends, so going off the back roads will be needed for some quiet time on the water. Mild winter this year means that many of the smaller lakes haven’t winterkilled so prospects are good.  Cheers, Geoff McD.

Response:

Question:

What do you not like about fly fishing today? Today? Well, it was a bitch to get a good soft drop over the cube walls, steeple casts are bitch with a 10 foot ceiling, and I kept foul-hooking our group secretary. /daytripper (I need a 4 foot rod for "office fishing", I think…)

I got one you can try.  Shall I bring it to the Spring Fling?

Response:

What do you not like about fly fishing today?

Mostly that it didn’t happen today.

Response:

Yes, I too fear those menacing gun-toting steaks.

Yeah, but they’re pretty rare.

Response:

Yes, I too fear those menacing gun-toting steaks. Yeah, but they’re pretty rare.

LMAO!

Response:

What do you not like about fly fishing today?

Stupid questions.      - Ken — "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the  initiative in creating the Internet."  - Al Gore

Response:

What do you not like about fly fishing today?

It’s too cold out; most of the ponds are still frozen. And don’t get me started about the high country. I’m not too crazy about the gun-toting snakes either. — Rusty Hook Laramie, Wyo Before you buy.

Response:

What do you not like about fly fishing today?

all the damn people in my way as i try to shoot 150 yards over/under/through endangered rhododendron on quismeahss creek…. pisses me off !!! another pisser…. uhmm…. dumb queries. waldo

Response:

Yes, I too fear those menacing gun-toting steaks. Opie in NC – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What do you not like about fly fishing today? It’s too cold out; most of the ponds are still frozen. And don’t get me started about the high country. I’m not too crazy about the gun-toting snakes either. — Rusty Hook Laramie, Wyo Before you buy.

Response:

You should see the English ones !  Drive you mad they can ! TL MC — "In order to achieve what is possible, one must constantly attempt the impossible" http://www.mikeconnor.de

Response:

Yes, I too fear those menacing gun-toting steaks. Yeah, but they’re pretty rare.

Mostly.  But there’s one TBone that tends to be over done.

Response:

What do you not like about fly fishing today?

Response:

What do you not like about fly fishing today?

Today? Well, it was a bitch to get a good soft drop over the cube walls, steeple casts are bitch with a 10 foot ceiling, and I kept foul-hooking our group secretary. /daytripper (I need a 4 foot rod for "office fishing", I think…)

Response:

Question:

In conclusion, the project would be built on a phony premise, so it would take 4 – 5 years to fail the PhD, but it would still fail.  Sort of like the slow painful death of a played out fish.<g

Since when does the success of a PhD depend on real-world relevance? JonCook. PS: As was pointed out, any complete population dynamics model would have     to take multiple-C+R into account if in fact it is not a linear relation.

Response:

I’ve caught fish is locations like the San Juan that have clearly been caught many times and they tend to not fight very hard. Is it a learned behavior? Possibly we are inadvertently building a strain of fish the survive multiple catch and release because they don’t fight very hard, leaving more reserves for in-stream survival subsequent to release. I don’t think it would take too many generations for this to begin to be noticed, unless its already happening and we all don’t remember the hard fighting fish of yesteryears. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : I think it would definitely be a good phd topic — I didn’t see any : studies that directly looked at that. There are studies that say : things like, for example, on the Yellowstone (a C+R fishery), the : average fish is caught 4.5 times a season (I’m making up numbers that : I think are close to what I remember) and that the seasonal turnover : of the population is something like 30% (all deaths — not just C+R : mortality). So you might be able to infer something from that. But I : did not see a study along the direct lines you suggest. Care to go : back to school? I don’t see why it would matter to anyone but that particular fish. Unless of course, the fisherman is worried about that particular fish, then in fact, the fish does have a lowered chance of survival.  But again, so what?  Aren’t we worried about the population? In conclusion, the project would be built on a phony premise, so it would take 4 – 5 years to fail the PhD, but it would still fail.  Sort of like the slow painful death of a played out fish.<g — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

Response:

Just curious if anyone is aware of a study that has looked at changes in C&R mortality rates as a function of the number of C&R cycles — if not, this might be an interesting PhD dissertation for someone in wildlife/fisheries biology or management.

One of the big problems I see is in measuring the process.  I recently fished a stream in Idaho where they had Jaw tagged fish.  I put most fish I caught through significantly more stress than I ususally do.  I played them longer and  handled them more.  Even the fish without bands were played longer since I wanted to check if there was a band on the jaw.   Normally I never have to recessetate a fish.  On this occasion I had to recessetate two out of two fish over 12".  Not statistically significant, but … Carl

Response:

Hmmm…had to take longer to revive???  The Missoulian (Missoula Montana) just ran an artical about the high water temps this summer (it’s very hot out here…94 degrees today) and the affects this has on fish recovery.  FW&P biologist would like you to not fish if the water temps. are above or close to 70 degrees. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just curious if anyone is aware of a study that has looked at changes in C&R mortality rates as a function of the number of C&R cycles — if not, this might be an interesting PhD dissertation for someone in wildlife/fisheries biology or management. One of the big problems I see is in measuring the process.  I recently fished a stream in Idaho where they had Jaw tagged fish.  I put most fish I caught through significantly more stress than I ususally do.  I played them longer and  handled them more.  Even the fish without bands were played longer since I wanted to check if there was a band on the jaw. Normally I never have to recessetate a fish.  On this occasion I had to recessetate two out of two fish over 12".  Not statistically significant, but … Carl

Response:

I have the good fortune to live within a few miles of a small tailwater stream in New England.  The upper 1/2 mile is fly fishing only, catch & release year round. The next 3/4 mile downstream is catch & release, artificials only 7/1 to 12/31, and any method, 3 fish limit 1/1 to 6/30. These regs have been in place for more than 10 years.  Water temp seldom exceeds 60 deg. The stream is heavily stocked, and has a small poulation of native brook trout as well.  Studies by fisheries and wildlife indicate that 75% of the fish caught in the lower section are released.  Multiple catches are a way of life for both fish and fishermen.  This is a small, clear stream and dead fish are easily spotted. Very few dead fish are observed. The total seen amounts to way less than 1% of the 6500 or so trout stocked each year.  I understand that this is strictly anecdotal data, but this stream does offer a unique opportunity to observe the dynamics of a C&R area. This observation is offered only as general info on C&R mortality, and not intended to restart the "moral/ethical" debate over C&R. Tight lines!! George

Response:

Hmmmm!   This is an interesting bunch of statistics.  But I get the impression that they are not all that connected.  They are drawn from several sources (comparing apples and oranges?).   I don’t deny that a percentage of C&R’d fish perish, but the survival rates don’t come close to comparing.  Let’s say that only 70% of C&R’d fish survive — 0% of C&K’d fish survive!! So let’s leave this sort of thought process to the guys in the Ivory Towers.  It really doesn’t make that much difference to the man in the river except the accent the need for appropriate care in the releasing of fish.   There has been entirely too much ad hominem name-calling  between the the C&R and C&K factions.  I speak out in favor of killing those fish that will be eaten (I like trout) and releasing those that will not be eaten (I don’t like cleaning fish).  I do favor leaving the large, wild fish to breed, and eating only the small to medium size ones.  In stocked rivers with little or no breeding, I have much less qualms when I see a fisherman leaving with a stringer. I don’t like seeing, as I did on the coast where I grew up, are dozens and dozens of fish, many of which are inedible or unplatable. Neal G – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have read one of the recent threads citing a number of academic studies conducted on survival of C&R fish depending on a number of environmental conditions….some excellent literature searching….kudos to the person who took the time to bring some facts to our ongoing discussions on this and related issues…I only wish I could find that post. Nonetheless, I was wondering if any research has been done to look at the survival rates on fish which experience multiple catch and release cycles.  It would be interesting to know how a fish responds through multiple C&R cycles — does it become statistically more likely to die, less likely to die, or does the mortality rate remains the same. The reason I ask is that say a fish has a 5% mortality rate (95% survival) on the first C&R cycle, if the mortality rate stays the same then after the second cycle the fish has a 5% chance of dying and a 95% chance of living….and on and on.  Let’s say a fish experiences 5 C&R cycles in a season with the 5% mortality and 95% survival rate per cycle, then it would seem that that fish has a 77% chance of surviving (0.95^5) during the season under a C&R system and a 23% chance of dying (1-0.95^5).  It is easy to see under this situation the more cylces the less likely survival is even if the mortality rate is not effected. However, if the mortality rate decreases following the first or subsequent cycles (a selection toward fish more capable of surviving C&R conditions) then the impact on fish mortality would be lower.  Also, if the opposite is true (ie, the mortality rate increases due to increased cycles) then the impact on overall fish mortality would be worse. Just curious if anyone is aware of a study that has looked at changes in C&R mortality rates as a function of the number of C&R cycles — if not, this might be an interesting PhD dissertation for someone in wildlife/fisheries biology or management.             | /             |/   (         /|    –     / | C. Michael Bullard The Yellar Hammer

Seek personal peace at the end of a fly line.

Response:

: I think it would definitely be a good phd topic — I didn’t see any : studies that directly looked at that. There are studies that say : things like, for example, on the Yellowstone (a C+R fishery), the : average fish is caught 4.5 times a season (I’m making up numbers that : I think are close to what I remember) and that the seasonal turnover : of the population is something like 30% (all deaths — not just C+R : mortality). So you might be able to infer something from that. But I : did not see a study along the direct lines you suggest. Care to go : back to school? I don’t see why it would matter to anyone but that particular fish. Unless of course, the fisherman is worried about that particular fish, then in fact, the fish does have a lowered chance of survival.  But again, so what?  Aren’t we worried about the population?   In conclusion, the project would be built on a phony premise, so it would take 4 – 5 years to fail the PhD, but it would still fail.  Sort of like the slow painful death of a played out fish.<g — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

Response:

I don’t see why it would matter to anyone but that particular fish. Unless of course, the fisherman is worried about that particular fish, then in fact, the fish does have a lowered chance of survival.  But again, so what?  Aren’t we worried about the population?

I wasn’t really concerned about ‘a particular’ fish in my original post — or even a small sampling of fish — except in how the possible change in mortality as exhibited in the small sample when spread across a larger number of fish could be used to possibly model population dynamics in C&R streams.  Certainly the C&R mortality and the number of C&R cycles would not represent the full population dynamics model, but might become a part of a larger model.  This larger model could then be a useful tool for developing effective management practices for some fisheries (selective harvest, restricted seasons, limited take, controlled fishing pressure, etc) — and that is what would be of interest to fishermen. In conclusion, the project would be built on a phony premise, so it would take 4 – 5 years to fail the PhD, but it would still fail.  Sort of like the slow painful death of a played out fish.<g

What about a title like — "Mortality of (pick a species that grows large – S. trutta, for example) in (pick several exotic geographic location — New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, etc.) when exposed to multiple C&R cycles".  Now, find somebody (read sucker) to fund the research — sell it as at least a 15-20 year project.  Recruit several of your favorite fishing buddies as long-term ‘graduate’ or ‘undergraduate’ assistants and disappear on the mother of all fishing trips. :^) PS: I thought all PhD’s were slow and painful deaths — even for the survivors! — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Associate professor of chemistry  |  That’s Idaho, not Iowa.    | ad hominem University of Idaho               |  Upper Left Hand Corner.    | ad hominem Moscow, ID 83844-2343             |  No, I don’t grow potatoes. | ad hominem

–             | /              |/    (         /|     —     / | C. Michael Bullard The Yellar Hammer

Response:

I have read one of the recent threads citing a number of academic studies conducted on survival of C&R fish depending on a number of environmental conditions….some excellent literature searching….kudos to the person who took the time to bring some facts to our ongoing discussions on this and related issues…I only wish I could find that post. Nonetheless, I was wondering if any research has been done to look at the survival rates on fish which experience multiple catch and release cycles.  It would be interesting to know how a fish responds through multiple C&R cycles — does it become statistically more likely to die, less likely to die, or does the mortality rate remains the same. The reason I ask is that say a fish has a 5% mortality rate (95% survival) on the first C&R cycle, if the mortality rate stays the same then after the second cycle the fish has a 5% chance of dying and a 95% chance of living….and on and on.  Let’s say a fish experiences 5 C&R cycles in a season with the 5% mortality and 95% survival rate per cycle, then it would seem that that fish has a 77% chance of surviving (0.95^5) during the season under a C&R system and a 23% chance of dying (1-0.95^5).  It is easy to see under this situation the more cylces the less likely survival is even if the mortality rate is not effected. However, if the mortality rate decreases following the first or subsequent cycles (a selection toward fish more capable of surviving C&R conditions) then the impact on fish mortality would be lower.  Also, if the opposite is true (ie, the mortality rate increases due to increased cycles) then the impact on overall fish mortality would be worse. Just curious if anyone is aware of a study that has looked at changes in C&R mortality rates as a function of the number of C&R cycles — if not, this might be an interesting PhD dissertation for someone in wildlife/fisheries biology or management.             | /              |/    (         /|     —     / | C. Michael Bullard The Yellar Hammer

Response:

Question:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, NicoloMidges come in a variety of colours with black as only one of the more

common.  If you wish to fish these activity periods whihc I strongly reccomend read lake fishing by kaufmann tie up a bunch of pupae, some long leaders and sit back and wait for the freight train!!! Be very careful, midging has some strong parallels to cocaine… Ian

Response:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Hi Nicolo Midges comes in a variety of colors including cream/tan and black. Take care and … — Tight Lines ….. Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products On line catalog – tips & tricks at: http://www.btsflyfishing.com

Response:

As you discribe the hatch as small moths It sounds like small Caddis not midges. You might look in you local fly shop at a book about the Hatch. I’ve got a small book put out by Orvis that works well to define the hatch. — Larry D. Madison Quote of the week: Life without Black would surely make White blind You. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors?

Howdy Nicolo, "Minescule moths…" sounds like MicroCaddis ? Were the fish plimpin’ or floppin’ after these bugs ? Any small elk hair caddis would probably work if they were MC… To answer your other question… Midges can be grey, black, tan, red, green and probably many others. Effective midge ties can be devastatingly simple. Here is a tie that I have refined over the winter…it is called: You Can See The Damned Thing Biot Packing Midge #18-#22 TMC200 Tail: 2 fibers of fine crystal flash Body: Natural Grey Goose biot ribbed with crystal Legs (hackle): One or Two turns Grizzly dry fly tied shoulder style Wing: Thin strip of closed cell foam (used in shipping electronics)       folded and tied up and out.  (You could color this with       your fav flourescent marker if you had absolutely no pride…) You can see the fricken’ thing because of that unsinkable foam flag… the crystal in the rear looks like a shuck, adds some attraction and the weight of the bend will pull the sparse biot body under a la   natural…drinking glass testing has been encouraging… The first prototype used NewDub instead of crystal for the shuck, but then this would have been a Palamino Midge Variant. Also, pheasant is excellent as midge body material and a very simple fly is nothing more then a small hook wrapped sparsely with a couple of pheasant fibers and a little ball of well waxed dubbing up near the eye…way easy to do… Good luck solving your mystery hatch… — TimW Halfordian Golfer

Response:

: Be very careful, midging has some strong parallels to cocaine… No way, man.  I was always way to shaky to tie one of those little buggers on.   But I found I could tie a lot of them, very quickly. — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/

Response:

Midges come in lots of colors, but mainly red ones and black ones. White, too. You also could have seeing very small mayflies, down to size 22–tricorhythodes and pseudocolen (I may have misspelled these). Next time, grab a few and see if they have mayfly like tails and wings. toney – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I saw some very small cream colored insects hatching from a resevoir in April.  The trout were going wild about them.  I didn’t pay too much attention to them at the time, though.  They looked all the world like minescule moths to me.  Someone suggested they may be midges.  I though all midges were black.  First, do you have any idea what was hatching? And second, are all midges black?  or do they come in other colors? Thanks, Nicolo

Response:

Hi Nicolo, It sounds like what you saw were Caenis, or as they are commonly termed ‘Fisherman’s Curse’ . It’s a very small fly, and when they hatch off they can do so in their millions, and the trout can become totally preoccupied with them. You can try fishing an imitation pattern, but this is a bit ‘needle in a haystack’, although there are some patterns that look like two or three Caenis tied on one hook. Try picking out an individual fish, (they are usually right up in the surface film, supping them up) and see if you can’t drop your imitation about a foot in front of it. It may take, but it’s a very frustrating business. Alternatively, you could try stripping a brightly coloured Muddler or such like across their noses, and see if you can provoke a take like this! As for midges, they are in the family of Chironomids, commonly called ‘Buzzers’ among other things ( for the noise they make when they fly into your ear!), and they live as bloodworms in the silt of lakes and rivers for a year or two, before eventually turning into pupae, and gradually making for the surface, where they hatch out as the adult ‘Buzzer’. Contrary to popular belief  they don’t bite or suck your blood, like Mosquitos do, as they have no mouth parts as such.They are a staple diet of most trout, and you can always catch a trout or two on them when all else fails. They come in various colours, ranging from black through to green, red, even orange, although if you have a chat with a local at your reservoir, they tell you the commonest colours there, as they vary around the country. I’ve caught the majority of my fish on the buzzer, and it’s a very rewarding way of fishing. Hope this is of some help.

Response:

Hi Nicolo, It sounds like what you saw were Caenis, or as they are commonly termed ‘Fisherman’s Curse’ . It’s a very small fly, and when they hatch off they can do so in their millions, and the trout can become totally preoccupied with them. You can try fishing an imitation pattern, but this is a bit ‘needle in a haystack’, although there are some patterns that look like two or three Caenis tied on one hook. Try picking out an individual fish, (they are usually right up in the surface film, supping them up) and see if you can’t drop your imitation about a foot in front of it. It may take, but it’s a very frustrating business. Alternatively, you could try stripping a brightly coloured Muddler or such like across their noses, and see if you can provoke a take like this! As for midges, they are in the family of Chironomids, commonly called ‘Buzzers’ among other things ( for the noise they make when they fly into your ear!), and they live as bloodworms in the silt of lakes and rivers for a year or two, before eventually turning into pupae, and gradually making for the surface, where they hatch out as the adult ‘Buzzer’. Contrary to popular belief  they don’t bite or suck your blood, like Mosquitos do, as they have no mouth parts as such.They are a staple diet of most trout, and you can always catch a trout or two on them when all else fails. They come in various colours, ranging from black through to green, red, even orange, although if you have a chat with a local at your reservoir, they tell you the commonest colours there, as they vary around the country. I’ve caught the majority of my fish on the buzzer, and it’s a very rewarding way of fishing. Hope this is of some help.

Response:

Question:

We have had reports of steelhead being caught on flies in several rivers. The Umpqua, Deschutes and Rogue rivers have produced for some of our customers in the last few weeks. I like September/October for the best water temperatures. If the water is in the 55/65 degree range you will have steelhead really moving to the fly. In the winter the water can get into the under 50 degree range which really makes it hard for most fly fishers to catch steelhead. Don’t get me wrong, you can catch fish in the winter, Dec/Jan/Feb, it is just a little harder to get the fish to move to the fly. Early and late in the day is prime time for swinging flies on or near the surface for steelhead. Fishing with the sun off the water is the normal rule. After the sun hit the water you can get down to the bottom with any method you can. Fall steelhead can be found in many rivers from northern California to British Columbia. Steelhead are a treasure only found in North America and should never be taken for a trophy or dinner. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA

Response:

   I have been told by the steelhead experts at my favorite local flyshop that if/when the steelhead goes on the endangered list that all hatcheries will be shut down and sportfishing will be prohibited.  Call me a pessimist, but if this is true, I think it’s too bad that we will just stand around on the bank with our hands in our pockets while the last few steelhead in the lower 48 die.  After all, sportfishing has little or nothing to do with the decline in the population and we are surely dreaming if we think the dams will come down in time.    By the way, any predictions or advice for the Clearwater in late October? -al

Response:

Steelhead are a treasure only found in North America and should never be taken for a trophy or dinner. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA

Great post!  However, I take issue with the last sentence.  I make a large distinction between wild (i.e. unmarked) and hatchery fish.  I used to release most hatchery fish and all wild fish.  I still release all wild fish, but now retain all hatchery fish – if for no other reason than to prevent the possible breeding between hatchery and wild fish.  We have to preserve wild stocks so that there is something to left when the hatchery fish all die off from disease. cheers, -tony gades — Tony Gades website:   http://weber.u.washington.edu/~tgades

Response:

Steelhead are a treasure only found in North America and should never be

taken for a trophy or dinner. Every hatchery Steelhead should be taken when ever legal. T Wolf

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Steelhead are a treasure only found in North America and should never be taken for a trophy or dinner. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA Great post!  However, I take issue with the last sentence.  I make a large distinction between wild (i.e. unmarked) and hatchery fish.  I used to release most hatchery fish and all wild fish.  I still release all wild fish, but now retain all hatchery fish – if for no other reason than to prevent the possible breeding between hatchery and wild fish.  We have to preserve wild stocks so that there is something to left when the hatchery fish all die off from disease. cheers, -tony gades — Tony Gades website:   http://weber.u.washington.edu/~tgades

Responsible citizens have a social duty to remove inferior specimens from the gene pool.  Releasing hatchery fish to genetically pollute wild stodks is an abdication of that responsibility.   Mike in PDX "When the trout are lost, smash the state."                           Tom McGuane

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We have had reports of steelhead being caught on flies in several rivers. The Umpqua, Deschutes and Rogue rivers have produced for some of our customers in the last few weeks. I like September/October for the best water temperatures. If the water is in the 55/65 degree range you will have steelhead really moving to the fly. In the winter the water can get into the under 50 degree range which really makes it hard for most fly fishers to catch steelhead. Don’t get me wrong, you can catch fish in the winter, Dec/Jan/Feb, it is just a little harder to get the fish to move to the fly. Early and late in the day is prime time for swinging flies on or near the surface for steelhead. Fishing with the sun off the water is the normal rule. After the sun hit the water you can get down to the bottom with any method you can. Fall steelhead can be found in many rivers from northern California to British Columbia. Steelhead are a treasure only found in North America and should never be taken for a trophy or dinner. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA

I was lucky to have fished for steelhead with some good anglers in the 60’s and 70’s when it was not that hard to catch them. It is very sad to see what has happened to their habitat. I have old friends, Joe Shirshac and Walt Bennette, that started fly fishing for steelhead just after WWII. They have some wonderful stories and pictures from the good old days. I agree that all wild steelhead should be released and all hatchery fish should be taken. I wish that we could start with a few good rivers and blow the dams out. If we had some decent water and a wild river I think in time runs would come back. I will be out on the American river the next few weeks looking for our half-pounder run that is best in September. I have fished for these little fish for 35 years. They run 16" plus and are great friends. I have caught them over 5 pounds on a dry fly and 7 pounds on a wet. William Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA

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Question:

Hi Dave, Hear is another stream flow site, it covers the whole US: http://h2o.usgs.gov/swr/ Once you get to that page, then you select a state and from there…? Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

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: Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the : rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish : there? : Regards, :       Bill

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Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish there? Regards,    Bill

Hi Bill, Just out last Sunday on the Deschutes. It has calmed down alot since I first went out last month. I got a 17-inch native redside on a stonefly nymph. Alot of the bank vegitation has been either washed away or knocked down. I would say about 60% of it is gone. But I have bee fishing it three times in the last month and have had great succes on nymphs. I have seen very little hatch activity. The river flow now is about 5,000 cfs which is usually the max that you want to be fishing. Ideal is 3,000-4,000 cfs. You can call the PGE fish line at 503-464-7474 which will give you flow info on the Deschutes, Sandy, and Clackamas rivers. Right now the story on the D is nymphs and riffles. Good Luck Dan Root Portland, Oregon

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Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish there?

Just talked to Cy Happy at Ray’s River Dories who floated the river on the 13th and 14th from Warm Springs to Maupin.  Flows were 5700cfs, the visibility was good at about 3 feet.  No visible hatches but Cy reported good fishing with stonefly nymphs. He mentioned that the fish were active and strong and showed few apparent effects from the strong stream flows earlier. He also cautioned boatmen that the river is different from before.  For example, there is a new large boulder in Whitehorse that has already claimed at least one boat

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Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish there? Regards,         Bill

Response:

Anyone heard how the Deschutes is doing now?  I know a month ago the rains had the flow way up.  Has it calmed down?  Anyone catching fish there? Regards,        Bill

Check out this USGS website–gives you streamflow stats every half-hour, fresh from space.   http://wwworegon.wr.usgs.gov/rt dir/realtime/data/man.14103000.html (Work back from here for stats on other rivers.)

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Question:

Folks, I need your help. I downloaded a new version of GNN tonite (31a – avoid it at all costs) and it blew away my hotlist with all my flyfishing links,  Would you all please wpost your favorite liwweb pages  with the correct http adresses?  I used to have all of the "classics", but they are gone for now.  I’ll try to build them back by doing some serious surfing, but any help you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks, Kevin

Response:

Folks, I need your help. I downloaded a new version of GNN tonite (31a – avoid it at all costs) and it blew away my hotlist with all my flyfishing links,  Would you all please wpost your favorite liwweb pages  with the correct http adresses?  I used to have all of the "classics", but they are gone for now.  I’ll try to build them back by doing some serious surfing, but any help you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks, Kevin

Kevin, Perhaps you’ve tried this already but if not,  it’ll give more locations than you probably want:  <http://www.lycos.com/  (don’t put in these things  < )  I ran a test on it just searching for  "fly fish" and got more that 50 pages with the majority being specificly fly fishing. (it said it had "10k documents" if I wanted to look at them !!!) Regards,   ~~ The Eddie Bauer catalog offers pitch-saturated kindling wood "felled by lightning or other natural causes." WHAT!

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Question:

Steve, There is the San Mateo Sportsman’s show that used to be held in March and will be held in Jan or Feb. this coming year (96).  This is a consumer show with all the big guns represented whereas the Fly Tackle Dealer Show is a dealer show not a consumer show.  If you like fly fishing, and live in the Bay Area, don’t miss it.                                                    Dan Dan Gracia Schools Coordinator Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools If you kill that big fish you can’t catch ‘em again.  So what if they eat other fish?  If you kill the big ones there will only be little ones left (funny how that works!).

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I’ll be attending the The Fly Tackle Dealers’ Show in Denver next month. Anyone wishing information on new products (particularly rod blanks and components) exhibited at the show, feel free to post e-mail. I’ll be returning on approx. Sept. 25 and I’ll have a chance to respond at that time. You can also receive a free copy of our current catalogue with custom rods, blanks, componments, fly tying material and accessories by sending your name and snail mail address via e-mail. Phil Koenig Manhattan Custom Tackle    

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