Question:

Yeah. The best thing to do is ignore ‘em. I sometimes rise to the bait, but I feel chagrined every time I do. Problem is, it stops being a sport when the participants become polarized over anything, whether it’s bamboo or race relations.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <<1. Is there anything we can do about the political/hate messages I see posted here other than ignoring them and hoping they’ll go away? 1. It’s a little like fishing. You don’t have to try to catch everyone you see. You don’t have to keep all you catch. You can just ignore the little guys. <<2. Gehrke has obviously changed his address since I last added him to my kill file. Would someone please send me an email with any aliases he may currently be using so I can prevent his correspondence from reaching me? 2. Now we also have Muskie to deal with.

Response:

Lennie, if you’re at all related to the Richardson Fly Box, you might want to consider moving to another state. Let us know where you’re planning to fish and your general locale–there are for better or worse quite a few other ROFF regulars who live in NC.

I’m not familiar with the Richardson Fly Box, but we could be related. My father’s family is centered in Marion, SC and I’m told I have relatives near Charlotte. I’m a reasonably fair fly dresser, but I can scarcely meet my own demand let alone do it commercially. Besides, I tie flies to catch fish, not to look purty. –Steve (typing this from Cary, NC; headed to Watauga county tomorrow morning) P.S. and no I won’t be doing any fishing this time

Maybe if you don’t get to fish you can get in some skiing.

Response:

Hi All, It’s been a while since I hung out here, like since late June. I have a couple of questions: 1. Is there anything we can do about the political/hate messages I see posted here other than ignoring them and hoping they’ll go away?

Yeah, just post more trips reports like you did for your Montana trip. I enjoyed the pix. Willi

Response:

Lennie, were you speaking of the Upper Creek off of Mt. Mitchell or the Upper Creek off 181 Hwy in Burke County?  I fish the Burke County Upper. Don’t recall the 10" ice.  This is a great stream. — Opie  –Psychotic Psychic to the recently deceased–

Response:

The one in Burke County. It was OK coming in from the Johns River side, but we went out the road that takes you to Wilson Creek and that’s the one that was iced over. It was slick. Drove out in 4 wheel low  the whole way. It was beautiful, but slicker than fresh snot on a doorknob.

Response:

I’m in Charlotte. I was thinking about heading over toward the delayed harvest area of the Tuckaseegee, but I love all the areas you’ve mentioned above. It’s starting to look like the weather could keep us home. I love to fish in the snow and I don’t mind driving in it if I’m the only car on I-40 between Statesville and the Tennessee line. I drove up to Upper Creek January of this year and it was 10" deep in hard ice, not snow. Looked like a mini-glacier. What part of Wilson Creek do you like to fish this time of year? LR

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Where are you located Lennie?  I’m in Lenoir and plan to fish this weekend on Upper Creek, or Lost Cove, or Wilson Creek or somewhere. — Opie  –Planning for the Past– I live in North Carolina and am going to try to go fishing in the snow this weekend. I’ll post a report when I get back. Merry Christmas and a Happy Chanuka/Ramadan/Kwanzaa/New Year to all, Lennie Richardson (Not "Mr. R.", not ashamed of my name)

Response:

I live in North Carolina and am going to try to go fishing in the snow this weekend. I’ll post a report when I get back.

Lennie, if you’re at all related to the Richardson Fly Box, you might want to consider moving to another state. Let us know where you’re planning to fish and your general locale–there are for better or worse quite a few other ROFF regulars who live in NC. –Steve (typing this from Cary, NC; headed to Watauga county tomorrow morning) P.S. and no I won’t be doing any fishing this time

Response:

<<1. Is there anything we can do about the political/hate messages I see posted here other than ignoring them and hoping they’ll go away? 1. It’s a little like fishing. You don’t have to try to catch everyone you see. You don’t have to keep all you catch. You can just ignore the little guys. <<2. Gehrke has obviously changed his address since I last added him to my kill file. Would someone please send me an email with any aliases he may currently be using so I can prevent his correspondence from reaching me? 2. Now we also have Muskie to deal with.

Response:

Where are you located Lennie?  I’m in Lenoir and plan to fish this weekend on Upper Creek, or Lost Cove, or Wilson Creek or somewhere. — Opie  –Planning for the Past–

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I live in North Carolina and am going to try to go fishing in the snow this weekend. I’ll post a report when I get back. Merry Christmas and a Happy Chanuka/Ramadan/Kwanzaa/New Year to all, Lennie Richardson (Not "Mr. R.", not ashamed of my name)

Response:

Hi All, It’s been a while since I hung out here, like since late June. I have a couple of questions: 1. Is there anything we can do about the political/hate messages I see posted here other than ignoring them and hoping they’ll go away? 2. Gehrke has obviously changed his address since I last added him to my kill file. Would someone please send me an email with any aliases he may currently be using so I can prevent his correspondence from reaching me? I use his product and it works just fine for me. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a bottle I bought in 1990 which I’ve only half used up. It’s his biased blather that I don’t care for. I still find many stimulating and useful posts in this group, so I have no plans to give up on it just yet. Thanks to all of you (you know who you are) that make this a worthwhile NG. BTW, I’ve been to Montana since the last time I visited this group, so if anybody would like to see a few pretty fish pictures, please take a look at http://home.carolina.rr.com/ellarrandfamily/photo.htm. I had the good fortune to meet some super fishermen, guides, and flyshop folk while I was there, but I’m not going to turn my post into a commercial for them. I live in North Carolina and am going to try to go fishing in the snow this weekend. I’ll post a report when I get back. Merry Christmas and a Happy Chanuka/Ramadan/Kwanzaa/New Year to all, Lennie Richardson (Not "Mr. R.", not ashamed of my name)

Response:

Question:

I didn’t even make the freaking list–nor did I go fishing this weekend. Man alive. I guess I’m gonna hafta call my mom and tell her never to come visit again. Otherwise, I won’t be able to keep up with the Joneses…er, Wolfgangs. –Steve

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Geez, I go home for the weekend, and when I fire up the computer on Monday morning and check out ROFF, I find 600 messages!  Some of which were even about fishing!

Response:

…         but a night with the check out lady at the pixie motel after an evening embellished by a neil young cd marathon and re-heated pizza during rest breaks would render you positively cuddly, forty ol man.

I’m confident that "little wayno’s cuddle therapy and aerobic exercise program" would render me cuddly but I’m afraid I just couldn’t bring myself to eat re-heated pizza. — Ken Fortenberry- gotta draw the line somewhere

Response:

Lemme guess, are you in Minnesota, or thereabouts?  We had a system blow through here on Friday, had a good 7 inches on the ground Saturday morning. Put a real damper on the weekend fishing plans.

Nope..Denver.  It snowed pretty much all day Saturday, but without significant accumulation.  Sunday was nice, though, and yesterday was 80s again.

Response:

day tripper writes: CRAP! I’ve slipped to number 14 – even HWMNBN held me higher than that! /daytripper (I was Number 6 once! ;^)

And yesterday you were in #2, deep into #2 with a broken wading stick!   Shoot, if we didn’t go fishing yesterday, we coulda both been higher in the stats. Dave LaCourse

Response:

Hell Kevin, I couldn’t be "really nice" if you promised me a private concert by the Guarneri String Quartet, dinner for two catered by Rick Bayless and a night of sweaty sex with Gabrielle Reece.

        of course not; who could, left to be entertained by those pallid pretenders.         but a night with the check out lady at the pixie motel after an evening embellished by a neil young cd marathon and re-heated pizza during rest breaks would render you positively cuddly, forty ol man.         wayno

Response:

<list snipped Damn, I better start participating more. bc. — Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. -Benjamin Franklin

Response:

Not yet maybe some time in the next week

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Geez, I go home for the weekend, and when I fire up the computer on Monday morning and check out ROFF, I find 600 messages!  Some of which were even about fishing! Here are the most prolific posters, in order: 61  Wolfgang Siebeniech 38  Muskie 27  Chip Bartholomay 25  Dave LaCourse     Vern Ursenbach 23  Guyz N Flyz     Ken Fortenberry 20  ET1 19  Charlie Choc 18  JeffC 1474 17  flyfish     MFassett     Peter Charles 15  Daytripper 14  Mike Connor     rw 13  Walt Winter     Wayne Harrison 10  Dave Snedeker     Warren Findley Let’s see, I have been out of the office for about 64 hours or so.  Assuming that Wolfgang sleeps 8 hours per night (though I frankly don’t have much faith in that assumption) then he was awake for 40 hours, then he fires off an average of 1.525 posts per hour while he is awake.  Though when I look at the time stamps on his posts, he often fires off messages in bursts of more than one per minute.  Hell, I couldn’t even type that fast, much less read all of the messages and think of what I wanted to say. Look out the windows, boys; its spring!  Time to go fishing! Next weekend is a holiday, and you most likely don’t have to go to work on Friday.  Pull the plug on that damn computer, load up the fly rods and the kids and the dog or whatever, and go fishing.  Get a tan on that pasty white skin.  Next Monday, I want to see some fishing reports on here, dammit! Wolfgang, I believe its time for your friends and loved ones to do an intervention… Kevin PS.  The doctor also prescribes that you should all catch, kill, fry, and eat one cast-iron skillet full of your favorite panfish. He believes that will go a long way towards calming down the level of bitchiness that has been permeating the board for quite some time now.

Response:

Geez, I go home for the weekend, and when I fire up the computer on Monday morning and check out ROFF,

        great post.         to paraphrase a great american, who was speaking about a small college in new hampshire, may i say this about roff:         it is a small place, sir; but there are those of us who love it. wayno

Response:

stuck in the middle again…. Flyfish

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Geez, I go home for the weekend, and when I fire up the computer on Monday morning and check out ROFF, I find 600 messages!  Some of which were even about fishing! Here are the most prolific posters, in order: 61  Wolfgang Siebeniech 38  Muskie 27  Chip Bartholomay 25  Dave LaCourse     Vern Ursenbach 23  Guyz N Flyz     Ken Fortenberry 20  ET1 19  Charlie Choc 18  JeffC 1474 17  flyfish     MFassett     Peter Charles 15  Daytripper 14  Mike Connor     rw 13  Walt Winter     Wayne Harrison 10  Dave Snedeker     Warren Findley Let’s see, I have been out of the office for about 64 hours or so.  Assuming that Wolfgang sleeps 8 hours per night (though I frankly don’t have much faith in that assumption) then he was awake for 40 hours, then he fires off an average of 1.525 posts per hour while he is awake.  Though when I look at the time stamps on his posts, he often fires off messages in bursts of more than one per minute.  Hell, I couldn’t even type that fast, much less read all of the messages and think of what I wanted to say. Look out the windows, boys; its spring!  Time to go fishing! Next weekend is a holiday, and you most likely don’t have to go to work on Friday.  Pull the plug on that damn computer, load up the fly rods and the kids and the dog or whatever, and go fishing.  Get a tan on that pasty white skin.  Next Monday, I want to see some fishing reports on here, dammit! Wolfgang, I believe its time for your friends and loved ones to do an intervention… Kevin PS.  The doctor also prescribes that you should all catch, kill, fry, and eat one cast-iron skillet full of your favorite panfish. He believes that will go a long way towards calming down the level of bitchiness that has been permeating the board for quite some time now.

Response:

Geez, I go home for the weekend, and when I fire up the computer on Monday morning and check out ROFF, I find 600 messages!  Some of which were even about fishing! Here are the most prolific posters, in order: 61  Wolfgang Siebeniech 38  Muskie 27  Chip Bartholomay 25  Dave LaCourse     Vern Ursenbach 23  Guyz N Flyz     Ken Fortenberry 20  ET1 19  Charlie Choc 18  JeffC 1474 17  flyfish     MFassett     Peter Charles 15  Daytripper 14  Mike Connor     rw 13  Walt Winter     Wayne Harrison 10  Dave Snedeker     Warren Findley Let’s see, I have been out of the office for about 64 hours or so.  Assuming that Wolfgang sleeps 8 hours per night (though I frankly don’t have much faith in that assumption) then he was awake for 40 hours, then he fires off an average of 1.525 posts per hour while he is awake.  Though when I look at the time stamps on his posts, he often fires off messages in bursts of more than one per minute.  Hell, I couldn’t even type that fast, much less read all of the messages and think of what I wanted to say. Look out the windows, boys; its spring!  Time to go fishing! Next weekend is a holiday, and you most likely don’t have to go to work on Friday.  Pull the plug on that damn computer, load up the fly rods and the kids and the dog or whatever, and go fishing.  Get a tan on that pasty white skin.  Next Monday, I want to see some fishing reports on here, dammit! Wolfgang, I believe its time for your friends and loved ones to do an intervention… Kevin PS.  The doctor also prescribes that you should all catch, kill, fry, and eat one cast-iron skillet full of your favorite panfish. He believes that will go a long way towards calming down the level of bitchiness that has been permeating the board for quite some time now.

Response:

Here are the most prolific posters, in order:

What’s the ranking by word count? Who uses the most vowels? — Charlie…

Response:

Geez, … I find 600 messages! …  

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and hazard a guess that you were not forced at gunpoint to read even one of those messages. Which begs the question, what in the hell are you whining about ? — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

sunofabeech… the thought of wayno posting as much as me just rankles the shitoughta me. 14 at ya wayno ;^) waldo – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Geez, I go home for the weekend, and when I fire up the computer on Monday morning and check out ROFF, I find 600 messages!  Some of which were even about fishing! Here are the most prolific posters, in order: 61  Wolfgang Siebeniech 38  Muskie 27  Chip Bartholomay 25  Dave LaCourse     Vern Ursenbach 23  Guyz N Flyz     Ken Fortenberry 20  ET1 19  Charlie Choc 18  JeffC 1474 17  flyfish     MFassett     Peter Charles 15  Daytripper 14  Mike Connor     rw 13  Walt Winter     Wayne Harrison 10  Dave Snedeker     Warren Findley Let’s see, I have been out of the office for about 64 hours or so.  Assuming that Wolfgang sleeps 8 hours per night (though I frankly don’t have much faith in that assumption) then he was awake for 40 hours, then he fires off an average of 1.525 posts per hour while he is awake.  Though when I look at the time stamps on his posts, he often fires off messages in bursts of more than one per minute.  Hell, I couldn’t even type that fast, much less read all of the messages and think of what I wanted to say. Look out the windows, boys; its spring!  Time to go fishing! Next weekend is a holiday, and you most likely don’t have to go to work on Friday.  Pull the plug on that damn computer, load up the fly rods and the kids and the dog or whatever, and go fishing.  Get a tan on that pasty white skin.  Next Monday, I want to see some fishing reports on here, dammit! Wolfgang, I believe its time for your friends and loved ones to do an intervention… Kevin PS.  The doctor also prescribes that you should all catch, kill, fry, and eat one cast-iron skillet full of your favorite panfish. He believes that will go a long way towards calming down the level of bitchiness that has been permeating the board for quite some time now.

– Ezflyfish.com:  http://www.ezflyfish.com http://auctions.yahoo.com/booth/ezflyfish_com Used, Rare, & Out-of-Print Books: http://www.crosswinds.net/~brbg/books/brbg-2.html

Response:

A check was done on ROFF to see who was most prolific, Wolfgang won with sixty one, 1.525 per hour to be specific. Charlie asked then for more info, especially regarding vowels, perhaps it would be more informative to check on movements of the bowels ? This would explain a lot, and is not at all designed to slight the winner, but quite a lot of posts arise it seems from an undigested dinner, it is well known that poor digestion may result in bellyaching, and even those without this malady, seem pretty good at faking. TL MC — "In order to achieve what is possible, one must constantly attempt the impossible" http://www.mikeconnor.de

Response:

/daytripper (I was Number 6 once! ;^)

Yeah, yeah.  You coulda been a contender.  Bunch a has beens and never wases.  Come ta Nort Carolina kid, I’ll learn ya sumthin.

Response:

If you’re really nice to me, I might be able to tell you where to find a spring-fed cool water stream that has smallmouth and rock bass in it, only minutes away from the Cham-bana city limits.  But only if you’re really nice… Kevin MS Math, ‘86, UIUC

Kevin, Would you be so kind as to do me and a few other clavesters a favor…. don’t tell Ken… tell me/us. We’ll have a blast listening to him begging and whining for the details at the upcoming clave …. hell, he may even be civil if we play our cards right waldo

Response:

… If I was, I might complain about the tone of hostility in some of the posts, but I’ve noticed that everybody who’s done that in the past has been flamed medium rare.

Whiners rarely get off medium rare. They’re usually flamed to a blackened piece of charred cinder. …  But only if you’re really nice…

Hell Kevin, I couldn’t be "really nice" if you promised me a private concert by the Guarneri String Quartet, dinner for two catered by Rick Bayless and a night of sweaty sex with Gabrielle Reece. — Ken Fortenberry

Response:

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and hazard a guess that you were not forced at gunpoint to read even one of those messages. Which begs the question, what in the hell are you whining about ? — Ken Fortenberry

Don’t worry, I didn’t bother reading them all, and I wasn’t whining. Merely expressing amazement…  If I was, I might complain about the tone of hostility in some of the posts, but I’ve noticed that everybody who’s done that in the past has been flamed medium rare.  So I definitely won’t complain about that. If you’re really nice to me, I might be able to tell you where to find a spring-fed cool water stream that has smallmouth and rock bass in it, only minutes away from the Cham-bana city limits.  But only if you’re really nice… Kevin MS Math, ‘86, UIUC

Response:

Also, in my own defense, I must say that I was pissing away my time at work, not my fishing time.  :-) I’ll quit now before I make my own list. Kevin

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Geez, I go home for the weekend, and when I fire up the computer on Monday morning and check out ROFF, I find 600 messages!  Some of which were even about fishing! Here are the most prolific posters, in order: 61  Wolfgang Siebeniech 38  Muskie 27  Chip Bartholomay 25  Dave LaCourse    Vern Ursenbach 23  Guyz N Flyz    Ken Fortenberry 20  ET1 19  Charlie Choc 18  JeffC 1474 17  flyfish    MFassett    Peter Charles 15  Daytripper 14  Mike Connor    rw 13  Walt Winter    Wayne Harrison 10  Dave Snedeker    Warren Findley

CRAP! I’ve slipped to number 14 – even HWMNBN held me higher than that! /daytripper (I was Number 6 once! ;^)

Response:

I got a staff writes this shit for me.  Frankly, I rarely even check the board any more; who’s got time to read?.  I get hourly synopses from my secretary.  I tell her "three fuck yous, two one liners, and a couplea hey good buddies", or whatever.  Two, three lawyers and a couplea high school kids sits in the back room and write.  I get a sheet with all kindsa crap on it.  I check this one, cross out that one, yada, yada, yada.  61 over the course of the weekend, huh?  Somebody’s slippin in some of his own stuff.  I never authorized that many.  Heads will fuckin roll!!  Thanks for the heads up.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Here are the most prolific posters, in order: 61  Wolfgang Siebeniech 38  Muskie 27  Chip Bartholomay 25  Dave LaCourse     Vern Ursenbach 23  Guyz N Flyz     Ken Fortenberry 20  ET1 19  Charlie Choc 18  JeffC 1474 17  flyfish     MFassett     Peter Charles 15  Daytripper 14  Mike Connor     rw 13  Walt Winter     Wayne Harrison 10  Dave Snedeker     Warren Findley Let’s see, I have been out of the office for about 64 hours or so.  Assuming that Wolfgang sleeps 8 hours per night (though I frankly don’t have much faith in that assumption) then he was awake for 40 hours, then he fires off an average of 1.525 posts per hour while he is awake.  Though when I look at the time stamps on his posts, he often fires off messages in bursts of more than one per minute.  Hell, I couldn’t even type that fast, much less read all of the messages and think of what I wanted to say. Look out the windows, boys; its spring!  Time to go fishing! Next weekend is a holiday, and you most likely don’t have to go to work on Friday.  Pull the plug on that damn computer, load up the fly rods and the kids and the dog or whatever, and go fishing.  Get a tan on that pasty white skin.  Next Monday, I want to see some fishing reports on here, dammit! Wolfgang, I believe its time for your friends and loved ones to do an intervention…

Of course one could say the same about someone who went through the trouble of compiling a listing of the number of times people posted in a 64 hour period….     – Ken

Response:

Look out the windows, boys; its spring!  Time to go fishing!

Yep…sure is, but it snowed here Saturday, so there was not much fishing opportunity.  Had to do something!

Response:

Of course one could say the same about someone who went through the trouble of compiling a listing of the number of times people posted in a 64 hour period….     – Ken

Actually, that very thought occured to me while I was doing it. Fortunately, thanks the miracle of modern technology, it didn’t take but a few clicks of the mouse to do.  I do graciously accept the honorable mention prize in the time wasting competition. Kevin

Response:

Look out the windows, boys; its spring!  Time to go fishing! Yep…sure is, but it snowed here Saturday, so there was not much fishing opportunity.  Had to do something!

Lemme guess, are you in Minnesota, or thereabouts?  We had a system blow through here on Friday, had a good 7 inches on the ground Saturday morning. Put a real damper on the weekend fishing plans. Kevin

Response:

Question:

We have 3 balloons off the back of the boat with live bait fishing for Kings.

Can anybody tell me what this means? I’m not being able to picture the balloon part. Nets? Actual balloons? Just curious–thanks. Mart

Response:

We have 3 balloons off the back of the boat with live bait fishing for Kings. Can anybody tell me what this means? I’m not being able to picture the balloon part. Nets? Actual balloons? Just curious–thanks. Mart

Sure. He’s using partially inflated balloons as "corks" to float his live baits within a certain range of the top of the water. The balloons are easy to see and when a smoker takes the bait and runs, the balloon goes under. This is a common tactic for bass fishermen, too. They’ll attach a nice live shiner to a hook, tie a balloon a couple of feet above it and let the bass gobble the shiner and take the balloon under. Balloons also present one with a way to take advantage of wind or current. There’s also kite fishing. — Harry Krause – - – - – - – - – - – - Ignorance or Apathy?  I don’t know and I don’t care.

Response:

Path: lobby01.news.aol.com!newstf02.news.aol.com!portc03.blue.aol.com!newsfeed.

cwix.com!4.1.16.34!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!wn3feed!world net.att.net!135.173.83.225!attworldnet!newsadm – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Newsgroups: rec.boats Organization: AT&T WorldNet Services Lines: 12 NNTP-Posting-Host: 12.77.208.219 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.71.1712.3 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.71.1712.3 Classic example, I’m out on Pasco #1 off Tarpon Springs, Florida today.  We have 3 balloons off the back of the boat with live bait fishing for Kings. What pulls up behind us?  Yes a Trophy, your average dimwit, amateur within inches of our balloons.  After I had a couple of choice words with the captain (retard) we pulled off to a better area….with no Trophys around and managed to bag two keeper grouper.  So you see now why I JUST LOVE TROPHYS Rob

Rob, If he were driving a Hatteras or other mega, overpriced boat, would his move have been any more acceptable?  No, of course not. I had an Ocean Alexander skipper drift into my boat that was moored and unattended.  He hit it rail to rail and neither boat sustained much damage but do I hate Ocean Alexander boats because of it?  Not hardly. Focus your anger at the novice who didn’t know what he was doing, not at his fine, quality made, very reliable, structurly sound, efficient and absolutely beautiful boat!!! Bill Landsborough "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions." Proverbs 18:2

Response:

Or even know how to put it on.

Excellent Nathan! Capt. Gary S. Colecchio West Palm Beach, Florida "Lie ? Me ? Never!  No, no, no, the truth is far too much fun !" – Captain Hook

Response:

By the way, there is a downside to using balloons. Many of them are discarded in the water and unfortunately some sea creatures that eat jellyfish (like turtles) snarf them down and can’t digest them. They die. This used to happen with condoms, I suppose, but no turtle with a brain would go near any of those disease-laden wrappers.

Or even know how to put it on.

Response:

Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to supply me with helpful information despite my occasional indignation at your whimsical contrarian nature. I have observed this civil trait in you repeatedly and I respect it. I think balloons and kites are beyond me, though I do like to picture showing up at my normal fishing spots with such equipment, and fastening on a fly, worm, little minnow, or kernel of corn. Mart

By the way, there is a downside to using balloons. Many of them are discarded in the water and unfortunately some sea creatures that eat jellyfish (like turtles) snarf them down and can’t digest them. They die. This used to happen with condoms, I suppose, but no turtle with a brain would go near any of those disease-laden wrappers. — Harry Krause – - – - – - – - – - – - Gee, I wonder what this key does.

Response:

Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to supply me with helpful information despite my occasional indignation at your whimsical contrarian nature. I have observed this civil trait in you repeatedly and I respect it. I think balloons and kites are beyond me, though I do like to picture showing up at my normal fishing spots with such equipment, and fastening on a fly, worm, little minnow, or kernel of corn. Mart

Mart, Believe it or not, they even sell different sized kites to use depending on the wind conditions!  I don’t bother with kites, but I’ve been fishing with a guy who does and it works quite well. What Harry didn’t mention is you use the kite while drifting.  BTW, shore fishermen also use kites to get their bait out farther than they can cast… Depending on the direction the wind is blowing, of course.  :) Dennis

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sure. He’s using partially inflated balloons as "corks" to float his live baits within a certain range of the top of the water… Thanks. Same idea as the little still fishing plastic/cork/wood bobbers we sometimes use up here, only bigger and inflatable? Yes. But much more visible. It’s hard to see many corks or floats out in the ocean where the waves are. Also, by only partially inflating, a part of it slides under the water easier… There’s also kite fishing. I’ll bite on the kite: real up in the air kites? Or fishing for hawks? Mart You run out a fishing kite and then attach your fishing line with a live bait on the line. The kite keeps the bait at the surface, making those friendly struggling sounds, attracting fish. But the bait also has access to the water and can breathe. It works very well for surface feeders.

Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to supply me with helpful information despite my occasional indignation at your whimsical contrarian nature. I have observed this civil trait in you repeatedly and I respect it. I think balloons and kites are beyond me, though I do like to picture showing up at my normal fishing spots with such equipment, and fastening on a fly, worm, little minnow, or kernel of corn. Mart

Response:

Sure. He’s using partially inflated balloons as "corks" to float his live baits within a certain range of the top of the water… Thanks. Same idea as the little still fishing plastic/cork/wood bobbers we sometimes use up here, only bigger and inflatable?

Yes. But much more visible. It’s hard to see many corks or floats out in the ocean where the waves are. Also, by only partially inflating, a part of it slides under the water easier… There’s also kite fishing. I’ll bite on the kite: real up in the air kites? Or fishing for hawks? Mart

You run out a fishing kite and then attach your fishing line with a live bait on the line. The kite keeps the bait at the surface, making those friendly struggling sounds, attracting fish. But the bait also has access to the water and can breathe. It works very well for surface feeders.

Response:

Sure. He’s using partially inflated balloons as "corks" to float his live baits within a certain range of the top of the water…

Thanks. Same idea as the little still fishing plastic/cork/wood bobbers we sometimes use up here, only bigger and inflatable? There’s also kite fishing.

I’ll bite on the kite: real up in the air kites? Or fishing for hawks? Mart – - – - – - – - – - – - "One morning when the wind was from the west, Stuart put on his sailor suit and his sailor hat, took his spyglass down from the shelf, and set out for a walk, full of the joy of life and the fear of dogs."

Response:

Classic example, I’m out on Pasco #1 off Tarpon Springs, Florida today.  We have 3 balloons off the back of the boat with live bait fishing for Kings. What pulls up behind us?  Yes a Trophy, your average dimwit, amateur within inches of our balloons.  After I had a couple of choice words with the captain (retard) we pulled off to a better area….with no Trophys around and managed to bag two keeper grouper.  So you see now why I JUST LOVE TROPHYS Rob

Maybe he wanted to transfer his flag to your boat in case his began to sink? — Harry Krause – - – - – - – - – - – - Accordion: a bagpipe with pleats.

Response:

Classic example, I’m out on Pasco #1 off Tarpon Springs, Florida today.  We have 3 balloons off the back of the boat with live bait fishing for Kings. What pulls up behind us?  Yes a Trophy, your average dimwit, amateur within inches of our balloons.  After I had a couple of choice words with the captain (retard) we pulled off to a better area….with no Trophys around and managed to bag two keeper grouper.  So you see now why I JUST LOVE TROPHYS Rob

Response:

Question:

There is a new product out on the market which allows spinning and spincast anglers to attach a length of fly line to mono and fly fish…has any one tried this product or done this themselves?  Any advice on how to fish doing this? — Pierre                     There can be only one!!!!                             |    

There goes the neighbourhood!   <g Peter

Response:

There goes the neighbourhood!   <g Peter

Uh huh.  I just hope it’s not legal to use food stamps to buy them. Bob

Response:

Have you ever considered the possibility of using a fly rod to cast flys?

Response:

uneloquently put it: Uh huh.  I just hope it’s not legal to use food stamps to buy them. Bob Sorry buddy, I don’t usually flame people but that was a total dick response, even if you were just kidding.  Get a life. Kristina Go UT Lady Vols!!!

Response:

uneloquently put it: Uh huh.  I just hope it’s not legal to use food stamps to buy them. Bob Sorry buddy, I don’t usually flame people but that was a total dick response, even if you were just kidding.  Get a life. Kristina

So what do you mean… that I offended you, and that’s wrong, so you wrote an offensive message to me, and that’s right?  What interesting "standards" you have. Bob Scott

Response:

So what do you mean… that I offended you, and that’s wrong, so you wrote an offensive message to me, and that’s right?  What interesting "standards" you have. Bob Scott

Yes he’s right. Balance has now been restored you dick.

Response:

There is a new product out on the market which allows spinning and spincast anglers to attach a length of fly line to mono and fly fish…has any one tried this product or done this themselves?  Any advice on how to fish doing this? — Pierre                          There can be only one!!!!                              |    

Response:

Question:

Bill, These sound like questions posed to you by the DEC (or whoever) after you sent them our responses? And thanks for taking this on. The DEC needs to know that people really are concerned about this issue. Regarding the previous thread we have discussed, would you think a one fish limit would adversely effect businesses? Would a catch and release regulation adversely affect busines??

This of course depends on the business. I’m sure places that buy/sell eggs would suffer, as would those who clean and smoke fish. I would suspect that the business to guide and lodge people who already practice CPR (Catch, Photo, Release) would be unchanged, or even see an increase in business. If I had a message to send to the folks in Pulaski, it would be that a nice flyrod costs significantly more than an Ugly Stick. As can be shown all over the world – there is money to be made by catering to people who flyfish. Just because you outlaw snagging or whatever doesn’t mean that the local economy is in ruin. In fact, changing the regs should be viewed as a method to *INCREASE* the cash flow into the area. A shop just might have to switch from cleaning fish and tying spawn sacks to tying flies and selling materials. Big deal. Would you continue to be challanged by this fishery if either regulations went into effect?

Well, duh! <big grin, of course If the challenge was just to bring home a cooler full of fish, then there are better ways of doing that then standing in 33 degree water in a blizzard. OF COURSE I’d still be challenged. These are steelhead for crying out loud. They’re never going to be push-overs no matter how many you can keep. Heck, let’s be radical here. Make the whole d*mned river Catch and Release, artificials only. And stop stocking all those Pacific salmon and maybe the temptation to snag might actually fade a bit. Replace them with Atlantics. If you can get a significant run of sizeable Atlantic Salmon, the money will flow into Pulaski like never before. Or just make up the difference with Lakers, Browns, and Steelhead. Eventually, you might be able to fish the Salmon River without having to defend your reasons why. Wouldn’t that be nice? Well – you *did* ask for opinions, didn’t you? Bob Petti Endwell, NY

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Regarding the previous thread we have discussed, would you think a one fish limit would adversely effect businesses? Would a catch and release regulation adversely affect busines?? Would you continue to be challanged by this fishery if either regulations went into effect? Again, thanks for your comments. Bill — Bill Fling                     Tel. (315) 298-3044 SALMON RIVER ANGLERS LODGE     FAX  (315) 298-2619 P.O. Box 353                   Rt. 13, Rome Road Pulaski, NY 13142-0353  ’SALMON RIVER/LAKE ONTARIO SPORTFISHING REPORTS’            ’http://www.salmon-river.com’

I love the Salmon River area.   I won’t come up to fish the public streches in the fall when the slobs are shoulder to shoulder in the river (a friend went up last year, and said that fellow "anglers" would cut his line or burn it through with a cigarette when he couldn’t follow a fish downstream fast enough and it crossed in front of someone else.)  However, another friend tells me that he knows how to take steelhead on dries in October, obviously in the private stretches, and I want to come up and try that. I also plan to come up and fly fish for pike and smallmouth in the lower river in July, when the town is quiet and the fish relatively unmolested.  And I am considering a winter drift-boat trip. Will a one-fish regulation hurt business?  I think yes, at least at first, because a lot of the people who come up are looking for the festival atmosphere and the chance to kill something. Can the lost business be made up?  Perhaps, if quality is emphasized over quantity, and an effort is made to attract the sportsman and actively dissuade the slob.  One-fish limits, FF-only, emphasizing underexploited opportunities with local species like pike can help. But can they overcome the volume you will lose?  I don’t know, and I am pessimistic, as much as I know that I would be eager to come. "Moderation should never be taken to extremes"

Response:

Bill, These sound like questions posed to you by the DEC (or whoever) after you sent them our responses?

Nope, these are my questions regarding a really serious issue here locally. I’m a new president of the local Chamber of Commerce and need to find out what our customers think. You know, those folks who make this economy possible! And thanks for taking this on. The DEC needs to know that people really are concerned about this issue.

No problem, my skin is getting thicker every day. Thanks for the input, it counts. Sincerely, Bill — Bill Fling                     Tel. (315) 298-3044 SALMON RIVER ANGLERS LODGE     FAX  (315) 298-2619 P.O. Box 353                   Rt. 13, Rome Road Pulaski, NY 13142-0353   ‘SALMON RIVER/LAKE ONTARIO SPORTFISHING REPORTS’             ‘http://www.salmon-river.com’

Response:

Regarding the previous thread we have discussed, would you think a one fish limit would adversely effect businesses? Would a catch and release regulation adversely affect busines?? Would you continue to be challanged by this fishery if either regulations went into effect? Again, thanks for your comments. Bill — Bill Fling                     Tel. (315) 298-3044 SALMON RIVER ANGLERS LODGE     FAX  (315) 298-2619 P.O. Box 353                   Rt. 13, Rome Road Pulaski, NY 13142-0353   ‘SALMON RIVER/LAKE ONTARIO SPORTFISHING REPORTS’             ‘http://www.salmon-river.com’

Response:

Question:

Hi Ralph, Please tell me, how do you bracket an Olympus Stylus? I take one on fishing trips (35mm f3.5), but use print film. I normally use slide film for all my land based stuff with my Nikon. I never considered using slide film with the Stylus! Mark Rupp

Response:

Hi Ralph, Please tell me, how do you bracket an Olympus Stylus? I take one on fishing trips (35mm f3.5), but use print film. I normally use slide film for all my land based stuff with my Nikon. I never considered using slide film with the Stylus! Mark Rupp

Bracketing is usually not necessary with print film. Print film has much more latitude (forgiveness for exposure error) than slide film (2-3 stops or more vs. at most 1.5 with slide film). The "point and shoot" non-’disposable’ cameras usually have a function that allows you to compensate for backlighting that will "fool" the automatic exposure system. — Richard W. (Dick) Lander; sportsman, photographer, Macintosh devotee, proponent of personal liberty. *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * *  *

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am looking for a camera to take with me out on the river.  I fish mainly for Salmon and Steelhead, and much prefer taking a photo rather than killing a fish.  My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks! Matrix Hi Matrix I use a Minolta Dual 35. I has two lenses built in, is water resistant to 18′, and is bright yellow to help avoid lossing the camera. It also has a built in auto flash and is auto focus. What I like to do is take picture of fish while they are under the water and this camera works well for this. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Like Mr. Beatty I also use the minolta dual 35. Excellent camera,has all the features I need.I also bought a lithium battery for it and it lasted two years of constant use(mainly for fish pictures). I bring it on all my trips,that accounts for at least 100 days of fishing a year.                             /                               /  )                  \|//        /   (            (0-0)      /                .–(_)–.  /          )  /                                              =====/    (   )          (         (   )      ) /             o*–*           (      (_/                  _ )           _)

Response:

Gledhill) writes: I am looking for a camera to take with me out on the river.  I fish mainly for Salmon and Steelhead, and much prefer taking a photo rather than killing a fish.  My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks! Matrix

I like the Pentax IQ-90-WR. Great camera. Just remember – water resistant not water proof! Also, if anyone finds a lens cap for the IQ, please let me know. Only weakness that I’ve found with it. No big deal, but… Trout Unlimited also has a one-time-use water proof camara that they sell. Some of the money goes to TU for their trout programs. Don Burns

Response:

Hi Joseph. It depends on what you want to shoot specifically. I know that the underwater shots are popular in the states, and such a camera will provide protection against an accidental dunking however an SLR will give you more options in the long run.   You’ve got some great looking country out there and SLR will get you scenics or landscape type shots. By carrying two or three lenses you’ll be giving yourself immense variation. Taking pictures of fish is possible with almost any camera, however you will find I have no doubt that you’ll want to take pictures of other anglers fishing nice looking locations as well as taking pictures of sunrises and sunsets. You will also be able to take close up shots of flies in fishes mouths and even pictures of natural flies. In short you might find the photography bug as gripping as the fishing.   I’m a freelance broadcaster/writer/photgrapher with contributions of photographs to around 40 publications. I’ve used a dozen or more cameras over the past 15 years. I’ve come to the conclusion the you/I should buy the best I can afford, you’ll have more options that way. Whats more, todays auto focus SLRs are almost foolproof in that the camera does all the work for you. I’m currently using a Canon EOS 10. I’ts auto focus, has a built in TTL flash ( through the lens ) which is good enough for taking fish pictures. Buy a simpler camera to start with by all means. However you will in time begin to realise the you have limited options.                  Tight lines and happy snapping. Dave Tait. I am looking for a camera to take with me out on the river.  I fish mainly for Salmon and Steelhead, and much prefer taking a photo rather than killing a fish.  My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks! Matrix

– dave tait

Response:

I am looking for a camera to take with me out on the river.  I fish mainly for Salmon and Steelhead, and much prefer taking a photo rather than killing a fish.  My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks! Matrix

Hello, I have a Minolta sport camera(the yellow one) and  it takes great pictures.  They are about $280 but well worth it.  If they happen to have problems, Minolta will stand next to their product. Happy Fishin’, Paul

Response:

I have a Dual and while it is a functional/durable camera, IMHO it is not the best picture taking tool for this situation. While I do not recall the exact statistics, the Dual has relatively few focus stops in the autofocus system (maybe as few as 12 or less) versus other (more recent) AF P&S cameras which can have 200-600 stops. What this means is that you can get an inordinate amount of just out-of-focus photos because there are fewer stops on which the focus will be dead-on. Should your subject be between these fixed stops the photo will be somewhat blurry, especially if you make enlargements where the problem will be more evident. A friend of mine owns a very large camera store in NYC and he recommends the Pentax 90WR to everyone, sportsman as well as nonsportman. In his opinion, the combination of the cameras funtionality, water-resistance and zoom range make it a great choice for a wide range of people. One not; the Minolta Dual is *water-tight* to a depth of 18 feet or so while the Pentax is weather resistant (thus the WR) and may be water-tight to a couple off feet or so. A bit of experience: two years ago I spent a week in Alaska chasing RBT and salmon. Before I left I couldn’t find my Dual and was forced to bring my big SLR. For five days I fished with a Minolta 9xi semi-pro body and a very large 70-210 f2.8 dangling around my neck. Actually, the lens fit very nicely down the front of my waders when not in use. While this may sound like alot of trouble, I wound up shooting a roll of 36 exposures a day each day. The results were excellent with not a single badly focused shot in the lot. I could not have even hoped for anything close to this with the Dual. The Dual has its place, IN MY OPINION, if you are serious about the quality of the photos I would suggest you look elsewhere. (Please, no flames from those who love their Duals.) Tom – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I use a Minolta Dual 35. I has two lenses built in, is water resistant to 18′, and is bright yellow to help avoid lossing the camera. It also has a built in auto flash and is auto focus. What I like to do is take picture of fish while they are under the water and this camera works well for this. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Response:

I am looking for a camera to take with me out on the river.  I fish mainly for Salmon and Steelhead, and much prefer taking a photo rather than killing a fish.  My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks! Matrix

Response:

Get those self contained one time disposable camera/film deals from Kodak. No hassle, no worry if you lose it. The fish will nevefr lok as good to anyone else as it did to you anyway.

Response:

My question is, what kind of camera should I

buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks!<< Nikonos.                         Mike in PDX                "When the trout are lost, smash the state."                                            Tom McGuane

Response:

I am looking for a camera to take with me out on the river.  I fish mainly for Salmon and Steelhead, and much prefer taking a photo rather than killing a fish.  My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras?

I use a Pentax zoom 90-WR. It’s been submerged any number of times and has banged on a lot of rocks but it still works well. But you face some real technical problems taking pictures of fish. First, if the fish is in the water it won’t show up well in the photo unless you have a polarizing filter. And for me it turned out to be a real hassle to net the fish, remove the fly (all while holding on to my rod), and still take any sort of decent picture while keeping the fish alive.  I’ve come to the conclusion that the folks at home are going to have to rely on my word about the fish I catch! I still take my camera if I think there’s going to be something interesting to record. Lots of times, that means other things than fish. Bob

Response:

I am looking for a camera to take with me out on the river.  I fish mainly for Salmon and Steelhead, and much prefer taking a photo rather than killing a fish.  My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks! Matrix

Hi, You might want to look at the Pentax Zoom90WR. It is a water-resistant zoom-lens, point and shoot with many features. It is probably the most popular compact camera with fly fishers and kyakers. I believe the current price is in the $200-$250 range. Best regards,   Alan.   Alan Barnard   Kiene’s Fly Shop   Sacramento, California   WWW Fly Tyer   http://www.ns.net/~barnard

Response:

I am looking for a camera to take with me out on the river.  I fish mainly for Salmon and Steelhead, and much prefer taking a photo rather than killing a fish.  My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality, but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks! Matrix

Hi Matrix I use a Minolta Dual 35. I has two lenses built in, is water resistant to 18′, and is bright yellow to help avoid lossing the camera. It also has a built in auto flash and is auto focus. What I like to do is take picture of fish while they are under the water and this camera works well for this. Tight Lines Al Beatty BT’s Fly Fishing Products Bozeman, MT (96 catalog)

Response:

My question is, what kind of camera should I buy?  I want good quality,

but reliability is important in that environment.  Should I look at waterproof / resistant cameras? Thanks!<< Hi Mike   What is the intended use for your photos? I shoot lots of stuff for magazines, advertisements, book and article illustrations, and slide presentations. It’s commercial stuff that will be scrutinized. Depending on the intention of the day I’ll bring a specific range of camera.  If I’m shooting strictly underwater stuff I’ll lug a Nikonos RS or a Nikon f4 in a housing. Both of these are big heavy expensive cameras but nothing can take their place. The smaller Nikonos 5 is the worst of both the underwater and above water photo worlds (heavy, minimal selection of <slow lenses, funky meter, non SLR, etc) . . . don’t be tempted!    If I’m shooting terrestrial stuff and the importance for photos is greater than the need to fish (in other words I’m at work) I’ll carry the F-4 with its compliment of lenses and a tripod.    In a typical fishing situation I’ll bring a Nikon 8008 with a 105mm macro on the body and a 24mm stuffed in the vest.    When packing light I’ll stuff an Olympus Stylus in a vest pocket. It’s a small convenient camera that can take pretty good shots if you bracket a lot (piss poor meter) and brace the thing well (the #1 enemy of small light cameras is vibration). I’ve had many small 35mm cameras and even though the Olympus is FAR from perfect, its water resistant, durable, small, and there when I wouldn’t have another camera. In the land of the blind, it’s the one eyed king.    For film I shoot slides and experiment alot but always come back to Kodachrome 64 or Velvia 50. I can’t help you on print film sorry.    -Ralph —

Response:

You might want to look at the Pentax Zoom90WR. It is a water-resistant zoom-lens, point and shoot with many features.

I have one and I love it.  It’s not as small as some other brands, but it has a host of very nice features and it takes great pictures. –Stephen Wong

Response:

Question:

Hi all,     thinking about buying a pair of danner wading boots… for $5 more, i can get them with cleats already built into the soles… I’ve never worn cleats before, stealth is not my concern since a do a fine job spooking trout even in my felt soles… thanks, g.

Response:

   thinking about buying a pair of danner wading boots… for $5 more, i can get them with cleats already built into the soles… I’ve never worn cleats before, stealth is not my concern since a do a fine job spooking trout even in my felt soles…

Easy answer — get the cleated felts.                                                       Dan Dan Gracia                                                               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!).

Response:

   thinking about buying a pair of danner wading boots… for $5 more, i can get them with cleats already built into the soles… I’ve never worn cleats before, stealth is not my concern since a do a fine job spooking trout even in my felt soles… Easy answer — get the cleated felts.                                                       Dan

Big ditto.  You’ll wonder what took you so long.

Response:

: :     thinking about buying a pair of danner wading boots… for $5 more, : : i can get them with cleats already built into the soles… I’ve never : : worn cleats before, stealth is not my concern since a do a fine job : : spooking trout even in my felt soles… If the water is fast enough to warrant cleats, I can’t imagine that a loss of stealth from cleats would be a problem.  Fast water over rocks is a prescription for turbulence, and the energy generated from turbulence will overpower (and dissipate) anything added from the cleats.  A bit like our inability to see the stars in the day time.  They are still there, but the energy from the sun swamps them.  Slow water will be different. — Rick T. Rick Fletcher   –   http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~fletcher/ Assistant 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:

Let me register a negative vote on the cleats (the sort that are imbedded in the felt).  I hope folks will stay away from these.  They are destructive of the bottom, make a mess of a drift boat, are unusable in a raft, and are very inconsiderate to wear anywhere outside of the water (like in a car or into a flyshop).  If you must wade where you have to have cleats to stay upright, use a pear of slip-on stream cleats.  You can then take them off when they are not needed. Lyman

Your points are well taken, but I thought the warning about using them in boats had already been voiced.  Looking back it wasn’t, but the tone of the thread was about wading, not drift fishing.  You don’t really need them to stand up in boats anyhow just in the river.  8^.   That was supposed to be a little humor, but you are absolutely right about wearing them in boats.  Most drift boat guides I know won’t allow them in the boat and for good reason.  I’ve used the Stream Cleats.  Stream Cleats can be removed, but how often do you see people remove them?  And boy do they cut fly lines up easily when they are new and the edges are sharp. If you get them tight enough to stay on your feet when you need them to, they are not easy to remove and most people don’t.  Certainly not likely to pull them off and put them back on numerous times a day.  Korkers are much easier to remove, they just weigh a ton.   I have a pair of Korkers that I used for years, and they are still in the bottom of my wader bag in case someone else needs them.  For my conditions (just go ahead and try to wade the Pit River in CA or the North Umpqua in OR without them) the studded felts are the best choice.  The operative phrase is "my conditions". Thanks for the reminder of other’s fishing conditions,                                                             Dan Dan Gracia                                                               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!).

Response:

   thinking about buying a pair of danner wading boots… for $5 more, i can get them with cleats already built into the soles… I’ve never worn cleats before, stealth is not my concern since a do a fine job spooking trout even in my felt soles… Easy answer — get the cleated felts.                                                      Dan Dan Gracia                                                               Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools

Let me register a negative vote on the cleats (the sort that are imbedded in the felt).  I hope folks will stay away from these.  They are destructive of the bottom, make a mess of a drift boat, are unusable in a raft, and are very inconsiderate to wear anywhere outside of the water (like in a car or into a flyshop).  If you must wade where you have to have cleats to stay upright, use a pear of slip-on stream cleats.  You can then take them off when they are not needed. Lyman

Response:

 thinking about buying a pair of danner wading boots… for $5 more, i can get them with cleats already built into the soles… I’ve never worn cleats before, stealth is not my concern since a do a fine job spooking trout even in my felt soles…

We sell about 50/50,  felt versus studded felt.  The studs are popular in large rivers and may increase felt life.  On small streams, felt is more popular and not so " skippy " on dry rocks.

Response:

I live in Bozeman, Montana and fish in some waters that are difficult to wade. I am a Stream Cleat fan, too.  They are actually made in Livingston,  Montana.  The nice thing about them is that you can bring them along on a float trip, and just slip them on and off.  I’ve guided here for 22 years, and I don’t like folks to wear them in my drift boat, either.  I do like the extra stability they provide and the confidence they give the angler which results in them being able to wade into good fishing positions and reach more fish.  Add a wading staff to your "handling package, too".  Dave Kumlien, Montana Troutfitters Orvis Shop, Bozeman, MT   http://www.gomontana.com/Business/Trout/trout.html

Response:

Question:

Every time I drive from TN to NC, I look down at the Piegon River near the border by the Waterville exit.  I remember hearing that most the fish left the river due to the discharges of the Canton paper mill in Canton, NC.  Now that the mill has cleaned up it’s discharge, does anyone know if the river supports any fish? If so, do you know what patters work in this area? Thanks in advance. Steve

The Pigeon River is still on Tennessee’s (ever-growing) list of places you shouldn’t eat fish from.  I’m not sure if fishing is allowed, or if you have to catch and release, or if it’s one of Tennessee’s areas that you’d just be better off not eating fish from (kind of like the Clinch River from Oak Ridge down to five miles below where it enters the Tennessee…)   The problem is that the dioxin discharged from Canton accumulated in the sediments that the insects live in and eat.  So the trout there very efficiently concentrate this dioxin by eating lots of insects. I understand Tennessee is trying to get the river dredged out and cleaned up, but naturally the North Carolina government doesn’t care to hurt its people’s jobs for a fishing stream 45 miles away.  Looks like another drawn-out Superfund kind of battle, with not much chance of a clean-up in sight. I think I remember the warning/prohibition lasts all the way downstream to Douglas Lake. Hope this helps.         Pat

Response:

Every time I drive from TN to NC, I look down at the Piegon River near the border by the Waterville exit.  I remember hearing that most the fish left the river due to the discharges of the Canton paper mill in Canton, NC.  Now that the mill has cleaned up it’s discharge, does anyone know if the river supports any fish? If so, do you know what patters work in this area? Thanks in advance. Steve

Response:

The Dioxin Dry fly pattern works best.  It’s a three headed fly best fished with care  not to touch the fly, line, rod or water.  I agree the river is beautiful, but 30-40 years of uncontrolled pollution does not clean up in one year. The only people Champion Paper company is fooling are fools who are suckered into their commercials on TV.  If your truly interested in fishing the area for trout write me at:  Phil –    

Response:

The Dioxin Dry fly pattern works best.  It’s a three headed fly best fished with care  not to touch the fly, line, rod or water.  I agree the river is beautiful, but 30-40 years of uncontrolled pollution does not clean up in one year. The only people Champion Paper company is fooling are fools who are suckered into their commercials on TV.  If your truly interested in fishing the area for trout write me at:  Phil –    

 I thought it was more than 30-40…didn’t they open the mill in 1908?   Just curious. *                                                                       * *                                                                       * *  ENTOMOLOGIST          ANTIQUE TACKLE COLLECTOR        ALL-AROUND NUT * *                  _____/  O                                           * *                                  |                    |               * *                                  |                    |               * *                                  |                 _/ _/            * *                               _/ _/                                 *

Response:

Question:

A while back I saw some info on the TMA on the Housatonic in Northern CT. including a phone number for latest info.  I hope to have a chance to fish there Sept. 10 and 11.  Any info and that phone number would be appreciated. Thanks. Tom G.

Response:

To answer a previous inquiry, for information about fly fishing in the trout management area of the Housatonic River in northwestern Connecticut, try calling the Housatonic Meadows Fly Shop in Cornwall, Connecticut at 203-672-6064.  Good luck! Mark Melnick Stamford, Connecticut, USA

Response:

To answer a previous inquiry, for information about fly fishing in the trout management area of the Housatonic River in northwestern Connecticut, try calling the Housatonic Meadows Fly Shop in Cornwall, Connecticut at 203-672-6064.  Good luck! Mark Melnick Stamford, Connecticut, USA

The owner of the HMFS is Phil .. Phil pointed out a nice spot for us this spring, and we ended up the day with a few nice smallmouth and a 16" rainbow, plus watched others get some nice ones. you can also look at the CT fishing page http://metro.turnpike.net/J/jfagan/index.html

Response:

A while back I saw some info on the TMA on the Housatonic in Northern CT. including a phone number for latest info.  I hope to have a chance to fish there Sept. 10 and 11.  Any info and that phone number would be appreciated.

The best source is the Housatonic Fly Fishermen’s Association’s recording at 203 248-8616.  However, unless we get some good rain in the next week, you really should stay off the Housie:  water levels are too low and the water temperature is too hot, with the result that the fish get overstressed when caught and have a poor likelihood of survival even with the most caring resuscitation.  

Response:

(203) 248-8616

Response:

Haven’t been to river but my guess is it’s unfishable due to drought.Fish move to mouths of cold feeder creeks which are closed to fishing. Anyway, info number is 203 248 8616. Better bet is Farmington River from Riverton downstream to New Hartford. Water remains cold ’cause it’s dam-fed. Info number 860  738 7327. Brian Matthews

Response:

Haven’t been to river but my guess is it’s unfishable due to drought.

I drove down Rte 7 along the TMA today, Saturday, 9/3, and stopped at a few places to look at the water.  I have never seen it so low; barely a trickle. Rocks I’d never seen before were fully exposed.  A couple of jerks were ffing in the Church Pool, but there seemed little risk that they’d catch anything.  Otherwise I think I would have jumped in and splashed around just to put down any trout that might have been thinking of lunch. This river should not be fished until after we’ve had some rain and cooler weather.

Response:

Question:

Hi, I hit the "D" key instead of the "S" key by mistake so lost the e-mail address and name of the guy I was talking with about flyfishing Puget Sound. I was just wondering how things went for you.  Did you try the area near Shilshole?  Catch anything?  What type and how big?  See any Salmon or Steelhead?  What flys did you use?  Try any shiney streamers? Another spot was across the sound near the Straights of Juan De Fuca, off some of the jettys and sand bars out there.  Makes a nice weekend trip when the salmon are running.  Nothing like double-hauling a 9wt line on a two-handed rod in a stiff breeze casting a 6" streamer.  I can taste the salt on my face just thinking about it.

Response:

" Nothing like double-hauling a 9wt line on a two-handed rod" says

Exactly how does one double haul with a two handed rod?  Have the ghilly do the hauling?                                 Mike in PDX                "When the trout are lost, smash the state."                                            Tom McGuane

Response: