Question:

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Cabela’s FT flyrods. I was thinking of the 9′ 9 weight for casting big pike flies and for salmon etc. I’d just like to know who the manufacturer is and whether they are really a fast action rod like they claim and what a comparable name brand would be. They claim to save you as much as $200 because they don’t sell their name. Does that mean that the $230 FT 9′ 9 weight is as good as a $430 name brand rod? Thanks James

Response:

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Cabela’s FT flyrods. I was thinking of the 9′ 9 weight for casting big pike flies and for salmon etc. I’d just like to know who the manufacturer is and whether they are really a fast action rod like they claim and what a comparable name brand would be. They claim to save you as much as $200 because they don’t sell their name. Does that mean that the $230 FT 9′ 9 weight is as good as a $430 name brand rod?

Cabelas has a great return policy so I suggest buying one and trying it. Maybe you can do a side by side comparison with a pricier rod. Remember, a rod needs to suit you. Peter G. Aitken

Response:

Does that mean that the $230 FT 9′ 9 weight is as good as a $430 name brand rod?

Lefty Kreh says any rod over $200 casts better than almost everyone buying it. Is it "as good as"?  Depends on what you mean.  For all practical purposes, if the action of the rod suits your style, it could be as good as or better than a $430 rod.  More money buys you a label, usually better fit and finish but not always, and better resale value. Regards, Jeff

Response:

More money buys you a label, usually better fit and finish but not always, and better resale value.

Amem brother, last weekend I was looking at some pricy Orvis stuff and noticed the tip sections were all a bit warped and twisted. No way I’d pay that price for a rod that wasn’t straight and true, even if I can’t cast good enough to do the rod justice. Flyfish

Response:

Does that mean that the $230 FT 9′ 9 weight is as good as a $430 name brand rod? Lefty Kreh says any rod over $200 casts better than almost everyone buying it. Is it "as good as"?  Depends on what you mean.  For all practical purposes, if the action of the rod suits your style, it could be as good as or better than a $430 rod.  More money buys you a label, usually better fit and finish but not always, and better resale value. Regards, Jeff

Lefty actually says any rod over $100! Peter G. Aitken

Response:

More money buys you a label, usually better fit and finish but not always, and better resale value. Amem brother, last weekend I was looking at some pricy Orvis stuff and noticed the tip sections were all a bit warped and twisted. No way I’d pay that price for a rod that wasn’t straight and true, even if I can’t cast good enough to do the rod justice.

One thing to consider is that some rods come with a guarantee against breakage regardless of the cause. I have heard for example that if you break an L.L.Bean rod and call them, then if FedEx can find you, you will have a replacement the next day. This is a practical reason to pay a bit more for a rod, particularly if you are a klutz like me. Peter G. Aitken

Response:

One thing to consider is that some rods come with a guarantee against breakage regardless of the cause. I have heard for example that if you break an L.L.Bean rod and call them, then if FedEx can find you, you will have a replacement the next day. This is a practical reason to pay a bit more for a rod, particularly if you are a klutz like me.

Yeah you’re right, I left that out.  That’s an important point.  A lot of the "top dollar" rods offer that and it’s nothing to sneeze at! Regards, Jeff

Response:

The only guarantee I would ever pay extra money for, is if they guarantee that I will live a hundred years to fish with it. TL MC — "In order to achieve what is possible, one must constantly attempt the impossible" http://www.mikeconnor.de

Response:

Lefty actually says any rod over $100!

Now that you hold me to it, I can’t remember where I read it.  What book is that from?  Thanks, Jeff Regards, Jeff

Response:

The only guarantee I would ever pay extra money for, is if they guarantee that I will live a hundred years to fish with it.

Sure, I’ll give you that guarantee. If you die you can sue me! Peter Aitken

Response:

It is in Advanced Fly Fishing Techniques – a terrific book, by the way, for those who have not read it. Peter Aitken

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Lefty actually says any rod over $100! Now that you hold me to it, I can’t remember where I read it.  What book is that from?  Thanks, Jeff Regards, Jeff

Response:

I think Cabela’s uses Loomis blanks for their higher priced rods. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Cabela’s FT flyrods. I was thinking of the 9′ 9 weight for casting big pike flies and for salmon etc. I’d just like to know who the manufacturer is and whether they are really a fast action rod like they claim and what a comparable name brand would be. They claim to save you as much as $200 because they don’t sell their name. Does that mean that the $230 FT 9′ 9 weight is as good as a $430 name brand rod? Thanks James

Response:

Cabela’s FT flyrods. I’d just like to know who the manufacturer is

Call Cabela’s and ask them!  That’s what I did.  I bought a nice 7 1/2 ft 4 wt several years ago that was made by Loomis. Sig Chicago

Response:

Cabela’s FT flyrods. I’d just like to know who the manufacturer is Call Cabela’s and ask them!  That’s what I did.  I bought a nice 7 1/2 ft 4 wt several years ago that was made by Loomis. Sig Chicago

Some time back I did ask them.  They refused to say.  A while back they were selling a very excellent fly reel that I thought was probably made by Ross.  They wouldn’t say on that one either.  Even though I was looking for parts they couldn’t supply.

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Question:

Great idea rw, except think of the following scene; – Attractive divorcee in slinky outfit with a cocktail at the Captain Cook Hotel to young rich good looking FF guy; – " Hey, it’s the last night of our trip and we got on so well together, I thought we could have dinner and get to know each other a little better". -Rich good looking FF guy; – "Gee, I’d sure like to do that, but maybe some othertime, leave your home number for me at reception, I’ve got to respool my Abel and get some flies ready, you know it’s high tide in 30 minutes – my last chance to get a really *big* bone!"

Well, SHE wants a big bone, too. If he’s not up to the task, too bad. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

Response:

rw writes: If I were looking for a woman, which I’m not, I’d take dance classes.

Tap or ballet?  <g Dave L.

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Have you mentioned to her the Ennis Montana destination.  Say around July 21st to the 31st? Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I advised her to book vacations at elite destination fishing resorts in Alaska, the Carribean, Christmas Island, Chile, and so on. I assured her that she’d have men (single and otherwise) falling all over her, <snip

Response:

… If I were looking for a woman, which I’m not, I’d take dance classes.

One of the world’s foremost experts in this field, our own Indian Joe, recommends the produce section of the grocery store as the best place to meet women. — Ken Fortenberry

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<snipped some … Hey, by the end of our conversation I had her interested in bonefish!

and i thought vern had the january "asadi award" wrapped up… jeff

Response:

Well, SHE wants a big bone, too. If he’s not up to the task, too bad.

Hmmmm… Y’know I love this sport and all but that’s would not be too difficult a choice (panting). The fish will always be there but when her particular tide turns then it may never come back… I don’t thinks there’s a one here who would argue that fact… "MEN will do ANYTHING for sex (well withing reason)." I got that from a comedy routine… I dunno the actual commedian… — Michael Era

Question:

Hi, The subject of this thread is not just about wildlife – I’ve been entangled both in the river (the Waitahanui River, Taupo, NZ) and on the river bank, tripping and nearly breaking my rod let alone my head – though no doubt there are some who would classify me as "wildlife" too – an ex-wife or two et alia. Regards John — J. W. RICH 144 Gillies Ave, Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand ph/fax.  64-9-623-2975 website http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Jungle/3675/ or      http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~jw.rich     To purchase an E-copy of "Timber Geodesic Domes" by John Rich go to:         http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~jw.rich/promo.htm Some more pics of my domes are displayed at the following URL.         http://domegroup.org/domehomepics.html#johnrich

Response:

By the way is their any reason your name is the same as the BS1776  meaning British Standard 1776 and is the minimum standard that condoms have to attain, or is that just a coincidence ? TL MC

I wish it were so.  This shouting ninny was one load that needed to be tarped! WF

Response:

To deny that we break off leaders on rocks and on fish is pretty stupid and leaves me to question who the PETA members are, really.

Shwaggy?!?!  I deny therefore I am?  What kind of logic is that?  I haven’t been to the moon therefore I am an astronaut? Warren People for the Eating of Tasty Animals

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"To fish is human, to eat the fish the only justifiable reason for the act". I assume you only have sex with your wife when she is ovulating. — Charlie…

Maybe if he had sex more often, he wouldn’t be woried about eating every slimy thing he catches. Chris Fleitman Running for cover.

Response:

THE LEADING CAUSE OF LIFE THREATENING WILDLIFE ENTANGLEMENT IN THE WORLD IS DISCARDED FISHING LINE ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR MARINE CONSERVATION IN WASHINGTON DC.

The above statement, even if it’s true, in no way supports your subject line, "DISCARDED FISHING LINE LEADING CAUSE OF WILDLIFE DEATH". You need a lesson in logic, but I doubt you’d get anything from it. bock Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

: To fish is human…to release divine. [deleted] I guess if you repeat it enough times it becomes truth?

Hold on Jon…I’m getting it now and WHart *is* right…. To fish is human… OK But: to release is an err… But: to err is human… But: Human was created in the [divine] image of God… Means: to err is divine… Therefore: to release is divine. But he could have just saved time by: To C&R fish is Human, to forgive divine. — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

Maybe if he had sex more often, he wouldn’t be woried about eating every slimy thing he catches.

What do you mean ? I get fucked here every day and I still like to eat fish. — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

Maybe if he had sex more often, he wouldn’t be woried about eating every slimy thing he catches. What do you mean ? I get fucked here every day and I still like to eat fish.

You slay me, Tim ;^) It’s clear that whatever had crawled up your ass a couple of months ago crawled out and left behind your latent sense of humour. Good show! /daytripper

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[major snippage] Will you deny the lead accusation too OJ ? again, because it was posted on usenet, it must be true?  if it is, we should work on reducing our losses of lead sinkers, etc.  but just saying some scientist (who may not exist) says lead is killing lots of loons is imo suspect.  i certainly hope it’s not true, because unlike some posters i actually enjoy watching birds while i’m fishing… and loons are some of my favorites (puffins top the list though).

As I recall (this was discussed in this group roughly a year ago) the NH Fish and Wildlife folks recovered something like 16 dead loon carcasses over some period of time, and (again from memory) around two thirds of them were found to have perished from lead poisoning. The small lead sinkers used in fresh water fishing apparently fall in the size range of small stones that the loons swallow to facilitate digestion. Presumably, some degree of extrapolation of the sample size led these folks to their conclusion as applied to the entire population, and thus the small lead sinkers are to be banned. Seems reasonable to me, as non-toxic alternatives already exist at fair prices… A friend and I were fishing a favorite NH pond a few years ago and we watched Ma and Pa loon teaching their three kids how to fly. It was hilarious seeing the little fellows taking turns frantically scurrying along the water for fifty yards at a time trying to get airborne… /daytripper

Response:

THE LEADING CAUSE OF LIFE THREATENING WILDLIFE ENTANGLEMENT IN THE WORLD IS DISCARDED FISHING LINE ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR MARINE CONSERVATION IN WASHINGTON DC.

Response:

THE LEADING CAUSE OF LIFE THREATENING WILDLIFE ENTANGLEMENT IN THE WORLD IS DISCARDED FISHING LINE ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR MARINE CONSERVATION IN WASHINGTON DC.

Must be a full moon.  This PETA freak comes out of the wood work whenever the dung beetles are hatching.  BS is an appropriate abbreviation for this screwball.  I wonder if he wears leather shoe soles, petroleum derived synthetics which contributes to the world’s pollution, or natural rubber from plantations carved from the heart of virgin rain forests.  As long as he gets his and feels good about hisself! — Wayne To fish is human….To release Divine! Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

According to a study published in a recent issue of Scientific American, the leading cause of wildlife entanglement (not to be confused with INTENTIONAL entrapment) is indeed discarded fishing line….over and above that of discarded six-pack holders. Additionally, the leading cause of oil pollution is the improper disposal – by RESIDENTIAL users – of motor oil….i.e. your car and lawnmower.  Whereas outboard motor oil is partially combusted and inboards have a closed oil system. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but no one has a right to be

Response:

bULLsHIT1776 YELLS again: <<THE LEADING CAUSE OF LIFE THREATENING WILDLIFE ENTANGLEMENT IN THE WORLD IS DISCARDED FISHING LINE ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR MARINE CONSERVATION IN WASHINGTON DC. Hmmmmm.  I have never seen or heard of a fly fisherman discarding fishing line.  Doesn’t happen, lady.  Perhaps you’ve cross posted this crap to the wrong group?   Dave LaCourse

Response:

THE LEADING CAUSE OF LIFE THREATENING WILDLIFE ENTANGLEMENT IN THE WORLD IS DISCARDED FISHING LINE ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR MARINE CONSERVATION IN WASHINGTON DC.

Bullshit. The leading cause of wildlife entanglement are the nets specifically made for this very purpose. You are shouting again.  By the way is their any reason your name is the same as the BS1776  meaning British Standard 1776 and is the minimum standard that condoms have to attain, or is that just a coincidence ? TL MC

Response:

Dear BS1766 Next time you are in the vicinity of a Flyfisherman, please ask the aforementioned Flyfisherman to strangle you with any about-to-be discarded line.

Response:

According to a study published in a recent issue of Scientific American, the leading cause of wildlife entanglement (not to be confused with INTENTIONAL entrapment) is indeed discarded fishing line….over and above that of discarded six-pack holders.

Not to be unnecessarily dense (especially since I haven’t read the article), but that sounds sort of intuitive.   Who is really surprised that the leading cause of entanglement is stuff you can get tangled in?   Besides fishing line, what were some of the other discarded materials in question? Were there any indications as to different sources of the discarded line (e.g. recreational worm dunkers vs. commercial long liners)? I have to say that the rivers, lakes, etc. where I’ve fished are remarkable devoid of discarded line from recreational fishermen.   Two exceptions are the Susquehanna (MD. portion) and the Salmon River (NY).   The great number of bait fishermen on the Susquehanna unfortunately include some of the worst environmentally-insensitive pigs to ever wet a hook.   I think their attitude is "if it sinks out of sight, it ain’t litterin’."   In some heavily fished holes on the Salmon, it sometimes seems as though the river bottom is 50% monofilament. Joe F.

Response:

You are shouting again.  By the way is their any reason your name is the same as the BS1776  meaning British Standard 1776 and is the minimum standard that condoms have to attain, or is that just a coincidence ?

Which reminds me of something I saw on a condom machine in the gents toilet of an English pub a long time ago. In large red letters on the front of the machine it said " Made to British Standard 1776"  below this some wag had written in large black letters with a marker pen, "So was the Titanic". TL MC

Response:

B.S. wrote a bunch of b.s. Listen folks I know I abused my hearing with 30 years of shooting magnum pistols, but you don’t have to YELL! Big Dale

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[deleted] Must be a full moon.  This PETA freak comes out of the wood work whenever the dung beetles are hatching.  BS is an appropriate abbreviation for this screwball.  I wonder if he wears leather shoe soles, petroleum derived synthetics which contributes to the world’s pollution, or natural rubber from plantations carved from the heart of virgin rain forests.  As long as he gets his and feels good about hisself!

You guys are being ignorant buttholes, IMNSFHO. To deny that we break off leaders on rocks and on fish is pretty stupid and leaves me to question who the PETA members are, really. Will you deny the lead accusation too OJ ? To fish is human….To release Divine!

"To fish is human, to eat the fish the only justifiable reason for the act". Your pal and fellow ignorant butthole, — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

0] : THE LEADING CAUSE OF LIFE THREATENING WILDLIFE ENTANGLEMENT IN THE : WORLD IS : DISCARDED FISHING LINE ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR MARINE : CONSERVATION IN : WASHINGTON DC. : : Must be a full moon.  This PETA freak comes out of the wood work : whenever the dung beetles are hatching.  BS is an appropriate : abbreviation for this screwball.  I wonder if he wears leather shoe : soles, petroleum derived synthetics which contributes to the world’s : pollution, or natural rubber from plantations carved from the heart of : virgin rain forests.  As long as he gets his and feels good about : hisself! : — : Wayne : To fish is human….To release Divine! FWIW I found and have in my collection a western oriole nest made entirely of discarded monofilament. I found this near the E. Walker river near Bridgeport, California. It showed every sign of having been used successfully. This is not at all to say I endorse discarding the stuff. I remove it when I find it, including that nest. Mike — Michael McGuire                     Hewlett Packard Laboratories  (remove x’s from email if not      Palo Alto, CA 94303-0971   a spammer) Phone: (650)-857-5491              

Response:

Remove your head from your arse tbone, you’ll have better fishing that way Wayne To fish is human…to release divine. Wayne To fish is human…to release divine. Wayne To fish is human…to release divine. Wayne To fish is human…to release divine. Wayne To fish is human…to release divine. Wayne To fish is human…to release divine. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You guys are being ignorant buttholes, IMNSFHO. To deny that we break off leaders on rocks and on fish is pretty stupid and leaves me to question who the PETA members are, really. Will you deny the lead accusation too OJ ? To fish is human….To release Divine! "To fish is human, to eat the fish the only justifiable reason for the act". Your pal and fellow ignorant butthole, — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

Remove your head from your arse tbone, you’ll have better fishing that way

May be…but at least it’s a short cast. Your pal, — TimW, Halfordian Golfer "A Cash Flow Runs Through It…" "Guilt replaced the creel…"

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [deleted] Must be a full moon.  This PETA freak comes out of the wood work whenever the dung beetles are hatching.  BS is an appropriate abbreviation for this screwball.  I wonder if he wears leather shoe soles, petroleum derived synthetics which contributes to the world’s pollution, or natural rubber from plantations carved from the heart of virgin rain forests.  As long as he gets his and feels good about hisself! You guys are being ignorant buttholes, IMNSFHO. To deny that we break off leaders on rocks and on fish is pretty stupid and leaves me to question who the PETA members are, really.

nobody’s saying we don’t lose gear, but i for one question this posters credibility and if what he says is in fact based on truth. the problem with the original post was the broad stroke.  fishing line can mean a lot of things, little clips of tippet, balls of tangled mono, mile long lost drift nets, lost gillnets, and other commercial gear lost that continues fishing and killing for a long time.  i do not condone people littering, but including sportfishermen with lost commercial gear is misleading and does not really present the whole truth.  yes, fishing line does entangle fish… but i’d like more info.  what percentage of the total is lost commercial fishing nets?  what percentage is based on sportfishing litter?  plus, i don’t believe everything i read on the internet.  anybody with any agenda can say anything.  to me, his original statement very well might be a large pile of bs. Will you deny the lead accusation too OJ ?

again, because it was posted on usenet, it must be true?  if it is, we should work on reducing our losses of lead sinkers, etc.  but just saying some scientist (who may not exist) says lead is killing lots of loons is imo suspect.  i certainly hope it’s not true, because unlike some posters i actually enjoy watching birds while i’m fishing… and loons are some of my favorites (puffins top the list though). now, give me lots of dna evidence, blood stains, etc… and i’ll reconsider <G. chris Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

THE LEADING CAUSE OF LIFE THREATENING WILDLIFE ENTANGLEMENT IN THE WORLD IS DISCARDED FISHING LINE ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR MARINE CONSERVATION IN WASHINGTON DC.

Besides being misleading and irrelevant… this statement is probably totally untrue.   Ghost nets (those broken off or otherwise lost by commercial fishermen) are undoubtedly the largest cause of life threatening wildlife entanglement (if fish are counted as wildlife). The number of fish lost to "ghost nets" is staggering, but there is no way to get an exact count because it all happens "invisibly" beneath the surface. Besides, the turkey who posted this nonsense is a mindless spammer. I found it on the rec.outdoor.fishing group also. Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Question:

You don’t need a video to tell you that if the lines breaking you need a higher wt line.  When guides say to you "there’s no way you need more than a 4lb tippet on that river" what they really mean is that IFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF you had the shuttle, boat and knowledge of where the holes were, that even though the current was raging back at the public fishing area you could fish 2-4lb leader in the deep wide holes they fish.  They don’t know that you need a 10lb leader back where the currents raging and the fish can get out sideways in it.  So when they tell you there’s no way you need anything bigger than a 5.1lb tippet (or whatever they claim is the max wt used by "real fishermen")

Unless one has no ability at all to play a fish properly, he will certainly land more fish on a heavier tippet.   At the same time, it is certainly possible to successfully land a big fish on a very light tippet.   On the Salmon River, though, (and anywhere for that matter) you need to balance more than just landing a fish against tippet strength.   If you play a fish for 45 minutes on a 4 lb tippet, everyone around you has to keep their lines out of the water and thumbs up their asses while you have a good time all by yourself.   And when you have it on the beach, it will be dead beat and no candidate for c&r if you are so inclined.   On the other hand, boy was that fun. If you tie on a big heavy tippet, you’ll be able to put a lot more pressure on the fish and get it to the beach more quickly.   Go too far in this direction, however, and you may as well be one of the brainless meat fishermen spin casting with 30 lb mono to haul ‘em in. For me, a guy of below average ability, I’ve found 8 or 10 lb to be quite sufficient on the Salmon R. to give me a good balance of sport, success, and courtesy.   I will add that if you are breaking off a lot, be sure it’s not your knots.

Response:

You don’t need a video to tell you that if the lines breaking you need a higher wt line.  When guides say to you "there’s no way you need more than a 4lb tippet on that river" what they really mean is that IFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF you had the shuttle, boat and knowledge of where the holes were, that even though the current was raging back at the public fishing area you could fish 2-4lb leader in the deep wide holes they fish.  They don’t know that you need a 10lb leader back where the currents raging and the fish can get out sideways in it.  So when they tell you there’s no way you need anything bigger than a 5.1lb tippet (or whatever they claim is the max wt used by "real fishermen") Tie your own tappered leaders.  I was reading in a book on al fly fishing just the other nite that the author reccomends making your tappered leader from 40, 30, 20 and 18in of material of 25, 20, 15, and 10lb line respectively.  Good luck, I hope this has been some help. Fished the Salmon River in Pulaski, New York with a fly rod this week and found the experience to be quite different from that of dry fly fishing.  I hooked and broke off three fish and would like any recommendations on:  books/videos relate to this type of fishing, recs on a good entry level rod and reel for

– Cordially, Mike McNally Speculators may do no harm as bubbles on a steady stream of enterprise. But the position is serious when enterprise becomes the bubble on a whirlpool of speculation.               –John Maynard Keynes

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You don’t need a video to tell you that if the lines breaking you need a higher wt line.  When guides say to you "there’s no way you need more than a 4lb tippet on that river" what they really mean

<snip Amen. I have used a short (7 ft) 10 or 12 lb tippet on my sink tip, and a 12 ft 8 lb tippet for salmon and steelhead for years. Yep, I lose some still, but I have caught (and released) more than 150 salmon this fall alone.

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I just got Flies for Steelhead by Farrow Allen and Dick Stewart from Lyons Press (~$20 softcover). The photography is quite good and it has a thorough collection of patterns from different regions of the country. The flies in the photos are tied either by the inventor of the pattern or by a well known tyer from the region of origin.  Great Lakes Steelhead – A Guided Tour for Fly Anglers from Back Country Press ($20) is a great book by Bob Linsenmann and Steve Nevala (fun reading).  There is a brief but very practical sections on techniques, equipment, etc in the beginning. The rest of the book is a collection of essays collected from these guys going fishing with a number of guides in their home waters.  Fly Fishing for Salmon and Steelhead of the Great Lakes by Ken Filkins ($17 Wilderness Books – hard to find but available on www.amazon.com).  This book mostly emphasizes chuck and duck type fishing but has a really good section on fish attitudes towards different types of flies & presentations thus explaining (or at least stating) why many west coast techniques are only effective during a short period of the steelhead’s migration into midwestern tributaries.  I’ve been using a Scientific Anglers System 2m 8/9.  It’s a reasonably inexpensive and very reliable disc drag reel.  The regular System 2 is quite heavy but I don’t know if the 2m is still in production.  As far as a rod is concerned I bought myself the cheapest one I could find, a St. Croix 9ft 9 weight Pro-Graphite.  With all the brush I run through, the slippery rocks, ice, hands made numb and clumsy by the bitter chill, I wouldn’t want to risk damaging an expensive stick.  Just letting you know what has worked well for me.  I don’t have the experience nor the moeny to really tell you what other options are available to you. Good Fishing.    Mu Young Lee         Ann Arbor, MI  o             oooo                          o   o   o o   o o o  o – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Fished the Salmon River in Pulaski, New York with a fly rod this week and found the experience to be quite different from that of dry fly fishing.  I hooked and broke off three fish and would like any recommendations on:  books/videos relate to this type of fishing, recs on a good entry level rod and reel for

Response:

Fished the Salmon River in Pulaski, New York with a fly rod this week and found the experience to be quite different from that of dry fly fishing.  I hooked and broke off three fish and would like any recommendations on:  books/videos relate to this type of fishing, recs on a good entry level rod and reel for

It seems to be normal to break off 3 fish in this sort of fishing: but not normal to break off 100 per cent of hookups. The range of tackle is from medium (say 6 weight rod with 2x or 6 lb. tippets) to strong (8 or 9 weight, tippets 0X or 12 lb.) This river is sufficiently free of obstructions that you can fish the lighter tackle — provided you have a first-class reel, because its drag is important.  (Heavier tackle is useful in smaller Michigan or Ontario steelhead rivers.) Winter freshwater salmon and steelhead seem not to be leader shy.  They may or may not avoid sideways drag: but the essential point is to be able to present the fly as deep as the fish’s holding depth, whatever that is.  I have known people to make special sinking leaders (coated with powdered led embedded in glue) for this purpose. — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

Response:

Fished the Salmon River in Pulaski, New York with a fly rod this week and found the experience to be quite different from that of dry fly fishing.  I hooked and broke off three fish and would like any recommendations on:  books/videos relate to this type of fishing, recs on a good entry level rod and reel for

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Question:

Could anyone out there tell me what you need to preserve feathers? A friend told me that you could preserve them with borax.  We have not yet been able to come up with a mixture ratio for this material.  Are there other preservatives which could be used? First task is to remove all fat or flesh from the skin.  When this is done, some tyers do not bother with any preservative, since they are not going to use the skin for any purpose, i.e. it does not need to stay flexible.

No, but it does need to be bug resistant.  I find that soaking bird or mammal skins in a saturated borax solution* and then drying them in a tray full of borax bug-proofs them without the use of anything smelly or toxic. *Fill a pail with hot water.  Add borax (plain unscented washing soda) and stir.  Keep adding borax until no more will dissolve.  Cool to room temperature. Soak your skins. Keep your stick on the ice, Thos.

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Could anyone out there tell me what you need to preserve feathers?

snip….. snip…. No, but it does need to be bug resistant.  I find that soaking bird or mammal skins in a saturated borax solution* and then drying them in a tray full of borax bug-proofs them without the use of anything smelly or toxic. *Fill a pail with hot water.  Add borax (plain unscented washing soda) and stir.  Keep adding borax until no more will dissolve.  Cool to room temperature. Soak your skins.

Here’s another method that has worked well for me. Scrape all fat off the underside of the skin. Tack the skin to a board or piece of cardboard with the feathers down. Make sure the feathers are dry and arranged the way you want them before you do this. Sprinkle dry borax on the scraped skin surface covering all exposed skin. Be generous with the Borax. It will absorb water out of the skin. I kind of pile it on. Let it sit out for a few days to a few weeks. I don’t know the minimum time because I often set these out in the garage or basement and forget them for a while. A low humidity area would be best. When the skin is crinkly dry, untack it and brush off the borax and you are done. For a final treatment, put it in a plastic baggy and run it through several freeze-thaw cycles in order to kill any remaining resident insects. Cheers. Jon

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I’ve used footpowder to "cure" moose hide and it really works. Don’t see why it wouldn’t do the same thing on capes :O)  It’s also inexpesive and goes a long ways. Keith P

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could anyone out there tell me what you need to preserve feathers? A friend told me that you could preserve them with borax.  We have not yet been able to come up with a mixture ratio for this material.  Are there other preservatives which could be used? Also,  I would like to dye some of the capes.  Have heard that you should dye at the same time the felts are being cured? Any information on this procedure would be very appreciated. Trout Bum.

I just use plain old course salt.  Just spread the salt generously over the hyde and lay out in the sun, feather side down of course.  The saly draws out the moisture and the sun evaporates it.  After the skin is dry I shake off the excess salt then dust with talcum powder.  I still have pelts from pheasant season of two years ago, works great for me.                                                         Spy in Hawaii

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Could anyone out there tell me what you need to preserve feathers? A friend told me that you could preserve them with borax.  We have not yet been able to come up with a mixture ratio for this material.  Are there other preservatives which could be used?

Hi BB, Years ago, I had some young customers that would go to the local live stock auction and bid on old roosters. They said they paid about $2 to $3 for live birds. They killed and skinned them. They tacked the skins feather side down, skin side up on a wood surface. They used salt to dry up and cure the skins. After they are real dry and stiff, I would put them into an airtight container or a big zip lock bag. As far as dying the feathers goes, you can use Rite or Vinyards(sp) dye. It is an art and not many do it well. The skin/feathers have to be clean, de-greased and moistened to except the dye. You put the dye into water and control the temperature so as to not ‘burn’ or ‘cook’ the feathers. I think we added something like rubbing alcohol to set the dye? You need very white hackle if you are looking for bright colors. Black is very hard to get. It can turn out purple. I hear about ‘cold’ dying processes. Good luck and have fun. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY www.kiene.com

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Hi, The method I used to preserve some pheasant skins was to scrape off as much fat as possible with a *non-serated edge* butter knife, stretch out and tack the skin feather side down, rub out and let dry with rock salt (usually 2 or 3 applications) and finally to cover the remaining almost-clean skin with borax. Then I let it dry in the garage for about 2 weeks.   Then I put them in a zip-lock bag.  Still have some of one skin left after ~12 years.

**SNIP** As far as dying the feathers goes, you can use Rite or Vinyards(sp) dye. It is an art and not many do it well. The skin/feathers have to be clean, de-greased and moistened to except the dye. You put the dye into water and control the temperature so as to not ‘burn’ or ‘cook’ the feathers. I think we added something like rubbing alcohol to set the dye? You need very white hackle if you are looking for bright colors. Black is very hard to get. It can turn out purple. I hear about ‘cold’ dying processes. Good luck and have fun.

To get a decent black with RIT dye you also have to add some brown into the mix.  Added a bit of Vinegar to set the dye (insturctions on the package). Like Bill said, you have to be careful with the temperatures (use a candy thermometer) or you can ruin some great feathers.   This is a very messy process but is worth the effort if you can’t get what you need locally and you can dye a bunch of stuff at once.  A.K. Best has a book out on dying materials that is quite good if your interested.                                   Good Fishing,                                         Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools Mt. Shasta Fly Fishing Schools http://www.thegrid.net/flyfish

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Could anyone out there tell me what you need to preserve feathers? A friend told me that you could preserve them with borax.  We have not yet been able to come up with a mixture ratio for this material.  Are there other preservatives which could be used? Also,  I would like to dye some of the capes.  Have heard that you should dye at the same time the felts are being cured?   Any information on this procedure would be very appreciated. Trout Bum.

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Could anyone out there tell me what you need to preserve feathers? A friend told me that you could preserve them with borax.  We have not yet been able to come up with a mixture ratio for this material.  Are there other preservatives which could be used?

First task is to remove all fat or flesh from the skin.  When this is done, some tyers do not bother with any preservative, since they are not going to use the skin for any purpose, i.e. it does not need to stay flexible. Also,  I would like to dye some of the capes.  Have heard that you should dye at the same time the felts are being cured?  

See Eric Leiser’s Fly Tying Materials (1973) or other books.  The main points seem to be preliminary rinse with a mordant, to maximize dye’s effect, and then control of temperature to avoid cooking (the way egg white is transformed by high temperature.) — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

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Question:

: I hear there’s a good stream in Vail…. Hey, that’s my bit. — 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

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It’s rare indeed, but if you can find that section of clear bank, slightly inclined, it is possible to ski down while trolling a wooley bugger… TimW

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Does anyone have any statistics on the percentage of skiers who flyfish or flyfishers who ski. I was wondering what kind of turnout might be expected for a flyfishing show held at a ski resort or in a ski resort town where the flyfishing show would be scheduled for the evenings (3 to 10PM).  Please respond directly. thanks, Bill Althoff

The ski industry does a lot of market research including reseach on other sports of interest to skiers.  I have seen those reports in the past but don’t recall the fly fishing is very the list of other sports of interest to skiers.  Ski Area Management magazine could probably give you the data, or put you in touch with the people that have the data. For what it’s worth, my personal observation (28 years teaching skiing, 32 years fly fishing) is that there is not very much natural attraction between skiers and flyfishing (at least alpine, downhill skiers). In contrast, there is a very high cross-over between skiing and sailing or windsurfing.  I suspect you will find a higher correlation between nordic skiers and flyfishing.  I do think however that as interest in fly fishing has increased in recent years, that skiers as a group are a likely target for "recruiting".

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<<<<< clipity clip clip I suspect you will find a higher correlation between nordic skiers and flyfishing.<<<<<< rest clipped

Using backcountry ski’s to get up to fish some pretty areas in the winter sounds great to me. You might want to find some Rivers or Lakes that don’t freeze over tho. It’d be pretty boring to be casting to that little hole in the ice! Ted…. (I x-country ski, but have never tried this)

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Does anyone have any statistics on the percentage of skiers who flyfish or flyfishers who ski. I was wondering what kind of turnout might be expected for a flyfishing show held at a ski resort or in a ski resort town where the flyfishing show would be scheduled for the evenings (3 to 10PM).  Please respond directly. thanks, Bill Althoff

In general, these would be the people I’d avoid like the plague.   Strictly the Jeep Grand Cherokee-driving, capuccino-sipping, Cuban cigar-smoking, "Friends"-watching, cellular phone-carrying, lunch-doing, narcissistic, over-paid, post-Yuppie (have I covered it all?) crowd. I’ll stay home and re-read Haig-Brown. –Rich

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I don’t know about statistics, but I love fly fishing and my family loves skiing (I have problems skiing due to arthritis). So, we usually go out west skiing for my kids spring break (first week of April) and I look for ski areas near good fishing opportunities. A lot of ski areas are right near great fishing areas because mountain streams are great for fishing. My sense is that the FF business picks up in the summer after the snow is gone. A good time to do a show, would be first week of April. Spring skiing is good then and so is pre run-off fishing. Steve Rosenblum

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Does anyone have any statistics on the percentage of skiers who flyfish or flyfishers who ski.

Here’s the sad tale of why these don’t mix. In 1967 a nice friend of the family gave me a gift. He knew I loved fishing so he gave me a bamboo flyrod. Took me a long time to figure out how to use it, couldn’t get that fat line through the hook eye, bait kept flying off when I cast, etc. Finally saw a story in a mag at the rec center, butchered my sister’s Barbie doll, raided the Xmas stuff and tied me a fly. Caught some tinker mackerel and pollock on it. All this was well and good until skiing ruined it. In 1968 I used to ski on a hill behind my house. At the base of that hill lived a – high school girl (I was 12 at the time) and she was cuuute. After the Olympics she had a crush on Jean Claude Killy. I had a pair of skiis, but didn’t have any gates to fly through and win her heart. I cut up all my fishing poles (I had a lot of them) and set me one hell of a course. Learned to ski through it too. She ran away with a basketball player. I had no fishing poles. It was many years later when I was poking around my Dad’s basement, that I found the cork grip with a little stubb of bamboo sticking out of it. A little stub that said "Orvis" on it. This is all true, I only hope that wasn’t a Wes Jordan I ran GS through. So you see skiing and flyfishing just plain don’t mix. The woman part is arguable.                                                                 jc

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Does anyone have any statistics on the percentage of skiers who flyfish or flyfishers who ski. I was wondering what kind of turnout might be expected for a flyfishing show held at a ski resort or in a ski resort town where the flyfishing show would be scheduled for the evenings (3 to 10PM).  Please respond directly.

No statistics, just a few ideas. The same can be said for fly-fishing and skiing regarding portions of the sport.    

Question:

Try http://www.flyfield.com/clipart.htm There is a link on that site to a second page. Hmm.  I tried both links with no luck: "Not found".  Maybe these pages require plug-ins, or? — Ken Brown Satis elequontiae, sapientiae parum.

– "If the facts do not conform to the theory, they must be disposed of."      Maier’s Law

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 I have jumpe to both of these sites, and it tells me that the URL is  no longer available.  Are the addresses correct?  Thanks!

Try this – it worked for me.  first go to http://www.flyfield.com Then, when your into the main page, change the request to http://www.flyfield.com/xclipart2.htm The clipart 1 page doesn’t seem to work but the clipart 2 page does.  He doesn’t give you a link to it on his page though so you have to ask for it by address.

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Hmm.  I tried both links with no luck: "Not found".  Maybe these pages require plug-ins, or? — Ken Brown Satis elequontiae, sapientiae parum.

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Try this – it worked for me.  first go to http://www.flyfield.com Then, when your into the main page, change the request to http://www.flyfield.com/xclipart2.htm The clipart 1 page doesn’t seem to work but the clipart 2 page does.  He doesn’t give you a link to it on his page though so you have to ask for it by address.

Well, I’m sure sorry if I caused any problems here. I admit that I didn’t test those URLs before posting my reply to Joe. They work from my bookmark list but, being digitally challenged, I am at a loss to explain why they don’t from here.  Anyway, I think that you have the right explanation (above). However, I went to the Fly Field homepage and found the #1 clip art gallary working this morning. Again, I apologize for causing any problems with my efforts help a fellow newsletter editor. Perhaps one of the many technically versed members of this group could help explain this situation for us. Steve

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Same here.  I am very interested in these sites. Dave D

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I have jumpe to both of these sites, and it tells me that the URL is no longer available.  Are the addresses correct?  Thanks! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m the editor (still wet behind the ears!) of my TU Chapter’s newsletter.  Can anyone tell me where to access, for a fee or free, some sources of flyfishing clip art to stick in the corners of my newsletter?  I would appreciate any info you have. Skip James Check out the Fly & Field web site for Dave Whitlocks Clip Art gallery. It is at "http://www.flyfield.com/clipart.html". I also found a really interesting site at the Univeristy of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is from their Entomology department and has terrific insect drawings. Check it out at "http://www.life.uiuc.edu/Entomology/insectsgifs.html". Hope this helps! Steve

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I’m the editor (still wet behind the ears!) of my TU Chapter’s newsletter.  Can anyone tell me where to access, for a fee or free, some sources of flyfishing clip art to stick in the corners of my newsletter?  I would appreciate any info you have. Skip James

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I’m the editor (still wet behind the ears!) of my TU Chapter’s newsletter.  Can anyone tell me where to access, for a fee or free, some sources of flyfishing clip art to stick in the corners of my newsletter?  I would appreciate any info you have. Skip James

Check out the Fly & Field web site for Dave Whitlocks Clip Art gallery. It is at "http://www.flyfield.com/clipart.html". I also found a really interesting site at the Univeristy of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is from their Entomology department and has terrific insect drawings. Check it out at "http://www.life.uiuc.edu/Entomology/insectsgifs.html". Hope this helps! Steve

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Question:

Help!  The good news is that I’m going on a dive trip in a few weeks to Puerto Rico and Grand Cayman.  The bad news is that I’ve never caught a bonefish and would sure like to fix that during this trip.  Anybody out there have some knowledge about flyfishing these areas for bones, permits, tarpon, whatever.  I’m looking for locations, outfitters, phone numbers, anything.  I live in Southeast Alaska and would be glad to return the favor for anglers heading this way next year.

If you call the Cayman Is. Tourism board in (I think) New York, they will send you the current copy of the Cayman Angler, which lists current action, as well guides. I’ve tried the west side of Puerto Rico several times with no luck as far as bones go (found cuda, jacks, snappers, etc.). The SE corner looked more promising but I haven’t gotten a chance to go back. I met a guy from P.R. in a tackle shop in Maine, and he said the lagoons around the airport and San Juan all hold tarpon, which he regularly took on spinning gear. There is one guide in P.R. who advertises in the back of Saltwater Sportsman too. He appears to be more offshore oriented, but he may be able to help you out. If you can’t find a copy let me know, I’ll try to dig it up.                                                         jc

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Help!  The good news is that I’m going on a dive trip in a few weeks to Puerto Rico and Grand Cayman.  The bad news is that I’ve never caught a bonefish and would sure like to fix that during this trip.  Anybody out there have some knowledge about flyfishing these areas for bones, permits, tarpon, whatever.  I’m looking for locations, outfitters, phone numbers, anything.  I live in Southeast Alaska and would be glad to return the favor for anglers heading this way next year.

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Question:

Roger– Try Art Flick’s Streamside Guide, an antiquated but fairly accurate book on mayflies, and Gary LaFontaine’s Caddisflies.  Try getting your hands on some entomological field guides from your nearest college library. Remember that nothing beats walking around in a stream catching the insects yourself. Ned Stankus

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Since I am really into fly fishing I would like to learn more about the various hatches and what to look for on the stream’s I fish. I own a copy of "Trout Stream Insects" by Dick Pobst but find I still can not identify all the hatches and what imitation to use. If anyone knows of a good reference book please let me know.  * 1st 1.11 #1315 * The problem with the future is it turns into the present. |_|_| PC-Ohio PCBoard OLS      pcohio.com     HST 16.8: 216-381-3320 |_|_| The Best BBS in America  Cleveland, OH  V34 28.8: 216-691-3030

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Question:

Well, here’s a good reason to boycott N.A.F.C.: They just sent me a book I didn’t order. I am supposed to keep it and Pay $7.00, or send it back. They provide a label to apply for return postage, but still, its a nuisance to have to return the thing. And I definately don’t want it.      Along with the book I sent back my request that they terminate my membership immediately. This sort of marketing, if not illegal, is certainly unethical. Dale Owens

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –       I just received in the mail an application to the North American Fishing Club.  I’m not sure if I have heard of it before and was wondering if anyone can give me any information on it.  Thanks. Basically, it’s a way of flogging a magazine. not much more. I get 2 or three of their mailings each year, and recycle immediately. One thing I save – that foil sticker! Put it on a favourite flybox and you’ll never leave it behind on a rock. — 3798 Woodland Drive     voice: (604) 368-9315 Trail, BC               data:  (604) 368-9341

I received (UN-solicited) a copy of NAFC magazine and was disgusted!!! I contained 1 minor reference to conservation of any sort.  And was filled with pages of smiling anglers from around North America, happily displaying their dead fish.  Not one LIVE release.  A true demonstration of "CONSERVATION THROUGH INCOMPETENCE" I will not support any publication or organization that does not take a responsible view toward fish stocks, and/or the environment. I am not a radical, "tree hugger", "sliver slut" or the like, but I am a responsible fly fisherman.  And as such believe in Catch and Release. The Californian ocean stocks, and the Atlantic Cod Stocks should have shown us something !  When they’re gone, they’re gone. NAFC publishes all the tried and true ways of catching fish, with a few "new" wrinkles.  But they should not promote the constant slaughter of fish just for their own profit. (thats my two cents worth)

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$ .02  Good on ya !

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FRY,TRAIL,BC,) says:       I just received in the mail an application to the North American Fishing Club.  I’m not sure if I have heard of it before and was wondering if anyone can give me any information on it.  Thanks. Basically, it’s a way of flogging a magazine. not much more. I get 2 or three of their mailings each year, and recycle immediately. One thing I save – that foil sticker! Put it on a favourite flybox and you’ll never leave it behind on a rock. —

A guy I work with just offered me the membership that the North American Fishing Club sent to his rabbit!  (Honest!  "This came in under my rabbit’s name."….goes the note…) What a mailing list! Tim

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A boycott can be a VERY powerful tool…if used properly…however, lately I have noticed that any time someone sees something that THEY think MIGHT be unethical/immoral/not right/etc., they start screaming "boycott"… I’ll be honest with you, I know nothing about the North American Fish Club, and there may be a VERY good cause to boycott them…but just because the issue you happened to see had too many catch-and-keep pictures?  C’mon… Perhaps a better strategy would be to write them and ask them their policy on C&R and if it’s not to your liking, inform them that you disapprove… if you then feel strongly about it, check around and see if others agree with you…THEN, scream "boycott" from the mountaintops…and give your (well- researched) finding…given thorough information, perhaps more people will agree with your "boycott" suggestion… Fish on!, *Simple name, simple tagline…                                     * *("If at first you don’t succeed, face it…                        * *             …you might just be stupid.")                        *

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says:       I just received in the mail an application to the North American Fishing Club.  I’m not sure if I have heard of it before and was wondering if anyone can give me any information on it.  Thanks.

I am a current member of the NAFC, but not for long.  It is just like all fishing magazines: get a one year subscription, save the magazines, and pretty much read them for the rest of your life.  Not much new. Yesterday I received a mailing from the same people to join the Handyman of America Club, or some such crap.  Right in the trash. John Richardson

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says:       I just received in the mail an application to the North American Fishing Club.  I’m not sure if I have heard of it before and was wondering if anyone can give me any information on it.  Thanks.

I canceled my subscription to NAFC.  It’s ok, but not great.  I took the money and doubled my contribution to TU.  At least there my $ goes to do some good for cold water fishing, and the magazine from them isn’t too bad either.  NAFC is not for me, but save the boycott for an important issue. Don’t boycott every company you don’t want to buy from, and don’t cry wolf at every corner.  People are becoming too de-sensatized as it is.  (my 0.02) . Lenny Bloksberg . .

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A boycott can be a VERY powerful tool…if used properly…however, lately I have noticed that any time someone sees something that THEY think MIGHT be unethical/immoral/not right/etc., they start screaming "boycott"… … Perhaps a better strategy would be to write them and ask them their policy on C&R and if it’s not to your liking, inform them that you disapprove… if you then feel strongly about it, check around and see if others agree with you…THEN, scream "boycott" from the mountaintops…and give your (well- researched) finding…given thorough information, perhaps more people will agree with your "boycott" suggestion…

I agree with JC 100% on this one.  An important issue here is that usually on the internet we only get to hear one side of the story.  A couple of years ago there was a heated debate about this issue in a local "general" newsgroup.  Someone posted a boycott suggestion after he got what he felt was poor service from an audio/video repair shop.  The person posted very littles about the details of the repair but didn’t hold back in claiming that the proprietor was technically incompetent, unbusiness-like and even went as far as to question the proprietors morals and sanity.  Meanwhile the proprietor was totally unaware that this information was being posted to a newsgroup read by thousands of potential customers.  What that poster didn’t count on was the fact that I lived across the street from this shop and had spent hours in there "talking shop" about audio equipment, music, and home computing.  More importantly, I saw his business practices first hand, and albeit being a little gruff at times, he always seemed fair, honest, and very technically competant (he’s been in the business for 17 years).  I showed him a copy of what was being said about him on the internet and within an hour or two he acquired an internet account from a local provider and I showed him how to post a response to the group.  This was a fairly rare case where the business bearing the brundt of someones accusations had a chance to respond.  So before crying "boycott" and making some accusations, take a breath and try to look at both sides of the issue.  If you *do* decide to post, make sure that you give us enough facts to determine that you’re not just a disgruntled customer with a vendetta. Sorry, this isn’t really fishing related but I’m going to followup with an article this *is*. — John Fereira   "Guru of Miscellany" Pleasanton, CA Viacom Cable Division

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I’m trying to figure out where to go fishing in Washington this weekend.  I have never tried Coldwater Lake by Mt. St. Helens.  I read something a few weeks ago that said fishing was getting better.   Anyone have any recent experience there?  I will be using my float tube if it is legal there. TIA

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kratz / Mike Bosko) writes: I’m trying to figure out where to go fishing in Washington this weekend. I have never tried Coldwater Lake by Mt. St. Helens.  I read something a few weeks ago that said fishing was getting better.   Anyone have any recent experience there?  I will be using my float tube if it is legal there. TIA

Though the fishing at Coldwater was great, right after it opened up, the lake is still not highly fertile.  After the initial good results, it tailed off quickly, to where it is now another mediocre high lake. Sadly, catch and release does not equal no kill.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -A boycott can be a VERY powerful tool…if used properly…however, lately I have noticed that any time someone sees something that THEY think MIGHT be unethical/immoral/not right/etc., they start screaming "boycott"… I’ll be honest with you, I know nothing about the North American Fish Club, and there may be a VERY good cause to boycott them…but just because the issue you happened to see had too many catch-and-keep pictures?  C’mon… Perhaps a better strategy would be to write them and ask them their policy on C&R and if it’s not to your liking, inform them that you disapprove… if you then feel strongly about it, check around and see if others agree with you…THEN, scream "boycott" from the mountaintops…and give your (well- researched) finding…given thorough information, perhaps more people will agree with your "boycott" suggestion… Fish on!, *Simple name, simple tagline…                                     * *("If at first you don’t succeed, face it…                        * *             …you might just be stupid.")                        *

Boy are you right JC.  Boycott furs, ’cause I don’t feel it’s right to wear them.  Boycott Winchester, ’cause I think the lever action is an unfair advantage.  Geez, pretty soon we’ll all be standing around naked and hungry because someone doesn’t like someone else’s ideas.  Seems a little foolish to me. North American Fishing Club has NEVER attempted to be a flyfishing organization nor has it portrayed itself as such.  It is an organization of fisherman from ALL types of fishing, much as the NRA is an organization for gun enthusiasts/hunters from all types of hunting.  Keep in mind that not all fisherman beleive in C&R fishing.  While I agree this is a shame (I personally use selective harvest advocted by the In-Fisherman) but I am not about to advocate boycotting fishing because not everyone agrees with me. For some reason that seems to be the attitude of many flyfisherpersons I meet, if you don’t agree with them you MUST separate yourself from them and make an example of them.  That attitude is silly, and selfish. I fish with a number of people with whom I have disagreements about fishing, but I still enjoy fishing with them even though our personal definitions of what fishing *is* differs 180 degrees. I haven’t quite figured out how this FF attitute thing works, and I hope to GOD I never get it.  Perhaps it’s just my imagination but there seems to be a number of FF’s who look down their nose at other forms of fishing. While I prefer FFing I hold nothing against the bait/artificial fisherman.  And just because a guy decides to keep a few fish does not make him a Simon Lagree, it just makes him someone who enjoys an occasional meal of fresh fish.  

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Although I’ve yet to actually BUY and use fly gear, I’m extremely interested in it…Still, I think I see the fundamental "problem" with the mentality of many FFers and some good reasons for this "problem"… Most of the fish that FFers fish for happen to be the same fish that are most benefitted by C&R…so it’s just an inherent part of FFing…but it occasionally is "forced" onto every person who owns a fishing pole… while C&R is essential/necessary/at least a "good" thing, it is not necessarily the ONLY choice… For example, catching and KEEPING a limit of crappie is ENCOURAGED in MANY public (state and county) waters in my area of Missouri…as well as other panfish…also, in my hometown (read:  backsticks Missouri), there are literally HUNDREDS of private ponds/lakes that are FULL of bass/catfish/etc… if these waters were fished catch & KEEP for the next thousand years, they will STILL be FULL of fish…you simply can not eliminate all of the fish from a body of water in a situation like this by C&K fishing even every day… My point (buried somewhere in the early morning post) is that there is a definite need for C&R fishing…but that C&K is not inherently evil… and that the "morality" of fishermen should not be evaluated simply on whether they are exclusively C&R or C&K… FYI, so you know where I stand…I obey ALL length/creel limit laws…and I C&R all fish that I do not intend to eat…however, I do keep most crappie that I catch, most of the legal largemouth bass that are in the 1 to 4 pound range (that’s not necessarily a C&K mentality based on the spawning capabilities of larger fish, it’s just that they’re not as tasty when they’re large), and many other species…limited to the amount that I and my family will eat…Is this an "unethical" way to fish? Fish on!, JC – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Boy are you right JC.  Boycott furs, ’cause I don’t feel it’s right to wear them.  Boycott Winchester, ’cause I think the lever action is an unfair advantage.  Geez, pretty soon we’ll all be standing around naked and hungry because someone doesn’t like someone else’s ideas.  Seems a little foolish to me. North American Fishing Club has NEVER attempted to be a flyfishing organization nor has it portrayed itself as such.  It is an organization of fisherman from ALL types of fishing, much as the NRA is an organization for gun enthusiasts/hunters from all types of hunting.  Keep in mind that not all fisherman beleive in C&R fishing.  While I agree this is a shame (I personally use selective harvest advocted by the In-Fisherman) but I am not about to advocate boycotting fishing because not everyone agrees with me. For some reason that seems to be the attitude of many flyfisherpersons I meet, if you don’t agree with them you MUST separate yourself from them and make an example of them.  That attitude is silly, and selfish. I fish with a number of people with whom I have disagreements about fishing, but I still enjoy fishing with them even though our personal definitions of what fishing *is* differs 180 degrees. I haven’t quite figured out how this FF attitute thing works, and I hope to GOD I never get it.  Perhaps it’s just my imagination but there seems to be a number of FF’s who look down their nose at other forms of fishing. While I prefer FFing I hold nothing against the bait/artificial fisherman.  And just because a guy decides to keep a few fish does not make him a Simon Lagree, it just makes him someone who enjoys an occasional meal of fresh fish.

Response:

   I just received in the mail an application to the North American Fishing Club.  I’m not sure if I have heard of it before and was wondering if anyone can give me any information on it.  Thanks.

Basically, it’s a way of flogging a magazine. not much more. I get 2 or three of their mailings each year, and recycle immediately. One thing I save – that foil sticker! Put it on a favourite flybox and you’ll never leave it behind on a rock. — 3798 Woodland Drive     voice: (604) 368-9315 Trail, BC               data:  (604) 368-9341

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