Question:

I’m looking for recommendations for Tarpon fly fishing in mid December.

Belize. Tarpon there aren’t huge (to around 100# mostly) but are plentiful. I like the Ambergris Caye area, but they got hit pretty hard by a hurricane this fall so you want to make sure they’ve got everything back up and running. — Charlie…

Response:

I’m looking for recommendations for Tarpon fly fishing in mid December. Glen

I’ve fished Belize for Tarpon and had a great time, never caught one but did get a Permit and lots of Bone fish.   The area that I would recommend is the Florida Keys.   Talk to the people at Florida Keys Outfitters at:  1-305-664-5423   This is Sandy Moret’s school and FF shop.  They have the top guides… Sharp Hooks, Pat Holdzit Fishing Products Inc. http://www.holdzit.com Before you buy.

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I’m looking for recommendations for Tarpon fly fishing in mid December. Glen

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Question:

Hi Mike, I would take a larger #7, 8 or 9 weight outfit with a floating line. It is better during the summer and particularly in the Fall (Oct) when the wind lays down, but if it is warm, who knows, it could be great?. — Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop http://www.kiene.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going to be in the Brownsville, TX area next month and would like to take an extra day while I’m there for a little fishing. Is it worth it at this time of the year? Can anyone recommend a guide? I’m thinking along the lines of redfish, or whatever in the nearby bays. Thanks. — Mike Terrian terrian at ibm dot net

Response:

I’m going to be in the Brownsville, TX area next month and would like to take an extra day while I’m there for a little fishing. Is it worth it at this time of the year? Can anyone recommend a guide? I’m thinking along the lines of redfish, or whatever in the nearby bays. Thanks. — Mike Terrian terrian at ibm dot net

Response:

Mike, Don’t go! If you do go, leave the area immediately!  You might see the flag of a once independent Texas which would be offensive to all with eyesight and will create an off-topic thread from which we will never recover .

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going to be in the Brownsville, TX area next month and would like to take an extra day while I’m there for a little fishing. Is it worth it at this time of the year? Can anyone recommend a guide? I’m thinking along the lines of redfish, or whatever in the nearby bays. Thanks. — Mike Terrian terrian at ibm dot net

Response:

Mike, I recommend Eric Glass, Gib Little or any one that Larry Haines at The Shop in Port Isabel recommends.  This time of year can be hot for Reds and Specs.  I friend of mine has been taking Snook in the Arroyo.  Unfortunately we just had a chemical spill in the Port of Brownsville and that may damage or disrupt some of our snook fishery.  Eric # is 956.761.2878.  Gib’s 761.7682.  Larry is at 943.1785.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m going to be in the Brownsville, TX area next month and would like to take an extra day while I’m there for a little fishing. Is it worth it at this time of the year? Can anyone recommend a guide? I’m thinking along the lines of redfish, or whatever in the nearby bays. Thanks. — Mike Terrian terrian at ibm dot net

Response:

Unfortunately we just had a chemical spill in the Port of Brownsville and that may damage or disrupt some of our snook fishery.

It’s so comforting to know that due to Gov. George Bush the oil and gas industry in Texas is permitted to comply with environmental regulations in a purely "voluntary" manner. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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Yeah, well it wasn’t oil nor gas. The truck driver broke the law and was hauled of by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Unfortunately we just had a chemical spill in the Port of Brownsville and that may damage or disrupt some of our snook fishery. It’s so comforting to know that due to Gov. George Bush the oil and gas industry in Texas is permitted to comply with environmental regulations in a purely "voluntary" manner. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/ something bogus to avoid spam)

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Question:

This group makes me think about where things are going in our sport. I like to pick out trends I see, fantasize about them and follow them to their extreme conclusions.  Below is one of the perverted, but maybe not too far fetched, scenarios I came up with. Jim and Bob arrived at the Neiman Marcus Orvis shop and met up with Rod, their guide for the day.  They were looking forward for a chance to get away from it all and rip some lips on the famous Turquoise river. A short ride took them to the base of the massive dam. While they were waiting for the Ranger directing traffic to give them the OK to launch, Rod started checking out their equipment. It was the latest and still showroom fresh. "I’m going to replace that 20X tippet you have on for some 15X. 20X is good enough for the little 10 or 15 pounders but when we get into some good fish you’ll be glad you have the 15X," He said. "What’s the new, hot fly?" Jim asked. "Rod’s Killer Krill (patent pending)," Rod replied, "Since they engineered the krill to live in fresh water and stocked the reservoir with them, that’s all the hogs will eat. They won’t even open their mouths for any of the insects that fishermen used to imitate. The fly is tied with Natural Scent Dubbing, so it smells and tastes just like krill, as well as looks like it. It’s the only fly you’ll need." The Ranger signaled to them that their turn had come and they quickly launched their boat and proceeded down stream. Rod skillfully maneuvered the craft to maintain the mandated 20′ between them and other boats. After a short drift, they arrived at the first hole and Rod switched to auto pilot to maintain distance and keep their place in line. He then started his instruction, "These fish are something special. By combining DNA from extinct species, they engineered a Super Trout that fights like an Atlantic Salmon, grows huge like a King and has the beauty of a Greenback Trout. They’re sterile, so all they think about is food and with the dam regulated temperatures and flows, all they do is eat all day, everyday." "They line up all across the bottom, gobbling up every krill that passes. All you need to do is cast up stream and with your Indi-glasses you’ll be able to follow the electro-indicator in your fly as it drifts along the bottom.  When your fly disappears, set the hook because it’s been eaten." The guys started casting.  Jim had fished a little when he was a kid and was having some trouble because he kept fighting the rod by trying to cast on his own. Rod said, "Just let the rod and reel do their job, quit fighting them. Throw a short length of line behind you, hold the rod straight up and let its molecular memory do the rest.  The reel will keep feeding out line and when your cast is far enough, drop the rod tip." The advice helped Jim and after his third decent cast, he got the first hook up. Rod cheered him on, praising Jim’s skill while knowing full well that with the 100 lb. test 15X tippet and the "smart" rod, Jim could land a truck. Fishing was great, as usual, and either Jim or Bob had on a fish every 20 or so casts. They made slow, steady progress down stream, filling in the spot vacated by the boat just below them. After releasing another 30 pounder, Rod reminded them, "This is a restricted take, Trophy river. The first fish caught under 4 pounds must be kept and the fishing for that angler stopped for the day." Rod knew that the state only stocked "Super" trout over 4 pounds in the upper river but in "Keeper Hole", just above the take out, they stocked plenty of old fashion stockers. This was a perfect arrangement for the outfitters, their clients could C&R hogs for a couple of hours, then catch their dinner just before take out. Things, as usual, went according to plan. Jim and Bob caught lots of fish that Rod recorded on Stereo Tape before releasing them. Jim and Bob each caught their dinner and Rod got his tip. That evening while eating their trout dinner and drinking their favorite tiny-mini-micro brew, Trout Sweat, Jim turned to Bob and said, "You know, it just doesn’t get any better than this." Willi

Response:

Willi Thats not a fantasy; its a nightmare. But you do have the writer’s touch. How about another scenario;  one where Jim and Bob remember how the fisheries Dr. Frankensteins had been making great progress on the supertrout, and Bob and Jim had even caught a few in the experimental river, but the whole technology had been lost when some crazed old coot from an island somewhere near Seattle had burned their lab to the ground, hunted down every last one of the technologists, but finally succumbed to the authorities screaming something about deconstructing the meniscus. Dave

Response:

Actually, the guys at Macrohard are working on a virtual reality fly fishing kit. You can plug it in any time,any where. Choose the type of fishing you want (small stream, lake, saltwater, etc.), level of difficulty, wind direction/speed, if the fish are easy or hard to land, etc. The game comes with a virtual fly rod that you wave around…if you present the fly well and you tie your virtual fly onto your virtual tippet ok, the virtual fish will take. What a kick. Also, you can choose if you want Cindy Crawford as your guide. If you choose Cindy, she gives you a kiss everytime you land a fish. You get the sensation of the fish fighting through the virtual rod. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Bob E., Rochester, NY

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What is ya? Ignernt?

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Question:

I’ve seen plenty of days when it wasn’t running.  To see the difference, visit the following URLs:         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/Rafting/aftermath.jpg         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/River_Pics/Zoar3.jpg Not shot from the same POV, but you can see the large square rock that the paddlers are standing on in the first photo also in the second one, and note the difference.

HAHAHAHAHAHA! I remember my friend Gabe (who is a crabapple guide) telling me about how bill had pinned a raft on that rock below the gap the day before. I remember hearing of pictures, but never saw them…This is a riot! I am gonna send this to every crab apple guide I know Chris

Response:

These are SCHEDULED releases, dates on which there will definitely be water (absent low water, in which case the cancelled releases will be made up the following year, as is the case with 2 releases on the Dryway this year). Although there are often **unscheduled** releases many other days, they are not certain and may not happen if US generating choses not to generate at Fife Brook on those days.

Well, I ran fife brook 3-4 days a week this past summer, and I can’t remember a single day this past summer that they didn’t release. True…sometimes they don’t release, but it is extremely rare. There is a good 95% chance there will be water, and if there isn’t going to be…you’ll know because you have to call to find out discharge anyway Chris

Response:

I’ve seen plenty of days when it wasn’t running.  To see the difference, visit the following URLs:         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/Rafting/aftermath.jpg         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/River_Pics/Zoar3.jpg Not shot from the same POV, but you can see the large square rock that the paddlers are standing on in the first photo also in the second one, and note the difference. HAHAHAHAHAHA! I remember my friend Gabe (who is a crabapple guide) telling me about how bill had pinned a raft on that rock below the gap the day before. I remember hearing of pictures, but never saw them…This is a riot! I am gonna send this to every crab apple guide I know

Twasn’t Bill, it was Dirk.  It happened last October, so I’m not sure if it’s the same incident.  The whole sequence of events is:         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/Rafting/sofarsogood.jpg         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/Rafting/unexpectedbump.jpg         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/Rafting/overtheside.jpg         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/Rafting/uhoh.jpg         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/Rafting/aftermath.jpg Every raft guide needs fifteen minutes of fame.  The real lucky ones get fifteen minutes of fame and a rock named after them — ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::         "They write books that contradict the rocks…"

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Fife Brook April 10-11, 14-18, 21-23, 28-30 May 1-2, 8-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-30 June 10-13, 17, 19-20, 23-27 July 3, 7-11, 17-18, 21-25, 28-31 August 1, 4-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29 Sept. 1-5, 8-12, 18-19, 22-24 Oct. 2-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-22 Total number of releases: 106 don’t listen to these dates…I don’t know where US generating pulled these from. Fife brook runs every single day…with a flow of at least 700 cfs.

I’ve seen plenty of days when it wasn’t running.  To see the difference, visit the following URLs:         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/Rafting/aftermath.jpg         http://www.shore.net/~malmros/Images/Paddling/River_Pics/Zoar3.jpg Not shot from the same POV, but you can see the large square rock that the paddlers are standing on in the first photo also in the second one, and note the difference.   — ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::         "They write books that contradict the rocks…"

Response:

These are SCHEDULED releases, dates on which there will definitely be water (absent low water, in which case the cancelled releases will be made up the following year, as is the case with 2 releases on the Dryway this year). Although there are often **unscheduled** releases many other days, they are not certain and may not happen if US generating choses not to generate at Fife Brook on those days. -Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Fife Brook April 10-11, 14-18, 21-23, 28-30 May 1-2, 8-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-30 June 10-13, 17, 19-20, 23-27 July 3, 7-11, 17-18, 21-25, 28-31 August 1, 4-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29 Sept. 1-5, 8-12, 18-19, 22-24 Oct. 2-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-22 Total number of releases: 106 don’t listen to these dates…I don’t know where US generating pulled these from. Fife brook runs every single day…with a flow of at least 700 cfs. The river runs even this time of year. call 1-888-flo-fone for times and discharge Chris

Response:

US Generating Company publishes these dates because they are the ONLY scheduled releases for Fife Brook in 1999.  It’s true that they often release on unscheduled days when there is power demand, especially this time of year.  But don’t expect there to be many unscheduled releases mid-summer unless we have a wet summer.  It certainly does not run every day in the summer.  They usually update the flo-fone (888-356-3663) around 5pm for the next day, but they are not always consistent about it in the winter. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Fife Brook April 10-11, 14-18, 21-23, 28-30 May 1-2, 8-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-30 June 10-13, 17, 19-20, 23-27 July 3, 7-11, 17-18, 21-25, 28-31 August 1, 4-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29 Sept. 1-5, 8-12, 18-19, 22-24 Oct. 2-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-22 Total number of releases: 106 don’t listen to these dates…I don’t know where US generating pulled these from. Fife brook runs every single day…with a flow of at least 700 cfs. The river runs even this time of year. call 1-888-flo-fone for times and discharge Chris

Response:

kathy,         those are last years dates, ya gotta move them all back a day.    black: july 24   beaver sept. 4-5 i think moose oct.16 deerfield july 31  hope that helps and hope to see ya ’s there. in anticipation for precipitation!

Response:

Oh um   yeah      that’s what I meant    thanks for waking me up and bringing me forward with time. for a Moose River virtual tour,  check out www.dreamscape.com/kkemp/moose/index.htm Kathy

kathy,         those are last years dates, ya gotta move them all back a day.    black: july 24   beaver sept. 4-5 i think moose oct.16 deerfield july 31 hope that helps and hope to see ya ’s there. in anticipation for precipitation!

Response:

Full schedules will be posted by the end of the week to the American Whitewater and NOWR web sites.  www.awa.org and www.nowr.org.  Sorry for the delay. Jayne Abbot, Events Manager American Whitewater/NOWR

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Fife Brook April 10-11, 14-18, 21-23, 28-30 May 1-2, 8-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-30 June 10-13, 17, 19-20, 23-27 July 3, 7-11, 17-18, 21-25, 28-31 August 1, 4-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29 Sept. 1-5, 8-12, 18-19, 22-24 Oct. 2-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-22 Total number of releases: 106

don’t listen to these dates…I don’t know where US generating pulled these from. Fife brook runs every single day…with a flow of at least 700 cfs. The river runs even this time of year. call 1-888-flo-fone for times and discharge Chris

Response:

New England FLOW and USGenerating 1999 Deerfield River Whitewater Schedule Fife Brook April 10-11, 14-18, 21-23, 28-30 May 1-2, 8-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-30 June 10-13, 17, 19-20, 23-27 July 3, 7-11, 17-18, 21-25, 28-31 August 1, 4-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29 Sept. 1-5, 8-12, 18-19, 22-24 Oct. 2-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-22 Total number of releases: 106 Monroe Bridge May 23, 29, 30 June 5, 6, 13, 18 (Fri.), 20, 25 (Fri.), 26 July 3, 4, 10, 11, 16 (Fri.), 17, 24, 30 (Fri.), 31 August 1, 6 (Fri.), 7, 14, 15, 20 (Fri.), 21, 28, 29 Sept. 4, 11, 12, 19 Oct. 9, 10 Total number of releases: 34 Notes: The May 23 and July 3 dates on Monroe Bridge are make-up days for the two lost days in September, 1998. Special Events: One Fly Fishing Tournament, June 5-6 – minimum flow in Fife Brook only. Lions Club Canoe Race, June 26 – Fife 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. release Riverfest, July 30-31-Aug. 1.

Response:

(I have the following dates for the Bloomington releases: 4/17, 18; 5/1, 2, 16, 17, 29, and 30; can someone confirm these dates?)

I can and so can the Army Corps of Engineers at their Bloominton info website: http://nab71.nab-wc.usace.army.mil/projects/rand/WHITEWATER99.html – Mothra  (aka Kathy Streletzky) "Life on the newsgroup is a strange gestalt of folks who are brethern at heart the long distance trippers, and rads throwing ends, and those who ask how to start" – CubicDog

Response:

Moose River Festival October 17 Old Forge, NY "Don’t call this a Festival River Rendezvous" September 5-7 Belfort, NY/Beaver River and I must add the: Black River Festival July 25-26 Watertown, NY ……What are the dates for the Moose (NY) Fest, Beaver (NY) Rendezvous…… Enquiring Minds Want To Know!

Response:

Of all of these, ol’ dynamo_ratt, you must not miss the Beaver releases. — Richard Hopley, concise and to the point, as always. OC-1; Rockville, Maryland, USA, BBM; (301) 330-8265 Monocacy Canoe Club, Blue Ridge Voyageurs, Canoe Cruisers’ Ass’n, Greater Baltimore CC, Coastal Canoeists, Rhode Island Canoe/Kayak Ass’n, Carolina CC, Tennessee Scenic Rivers Ass’n, ACA, and AWA Note 1: Sometimes I just forget to type that smiley-face emoticon. Note 2: Nothing really matters except Boats, Sex, and Rock’n'Roll.

Response:

No, I’m not trying to find my pet moose and beaver a romantic tryst. Rather, I’m putting together this year’s Tripp schedule for Keel-haulers, and I need to know: What are the dates for the Moose (NY) Fest, Beaver (NY) Rendezvous, and the West River (VT), Deerfield Dryway (MA), and North Branch Potomac (Bloomington) releases? (I have the following dates for the Bloomington releases: 4/17, 18; 5/1, 2, 16, 17, 29, and 30; can someone confirm these dates?) Enquiring Minds Want To Know!

Response:

No, I’m not trying to find my pet moose and beaver a romantic tryst. Rather, I’m putting together this year’s Tripp schedule for Keel-haulers, and I need to know: What are the dates for the Moose (NY) Fest, Beaver (NY) Rendezvous, and the West River (VT), Deerfield Dryway (MA), and North Branch Potomac (Bloomington) releases? (I have the following dates for the Bloomington releases: 4/17, 18; 5/1, 2, 16, 17, 29, and 30; can someone confirm these dates?) Enquiring Minds Want To Know!

Zoar Outdoor posted the Deerfield dates on their website (www.zoaroutdoor.com).  Make sure you look at the dryway dates and don’t confuse them with Fife Brook — there are a LOT more Fife Brook dates! — ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::         "They write books that contradict the rocks…"

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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.

Response:

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

Response:

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

Response:

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

Response:

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.

Response:

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:

Tell me how well they do in 15 or 20 years. — Remove NOSPAM to send E-mail Ernie Harrison – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – . All the rod makers that state their guarantee fulfill their guarantees. I have broken Orvis  and Sage rods and never had a bit of trouble.None of the rod companies could get away with refusal on their guarantee–they would be lepers at the party!

Response:

scroll back and look at the previous mulitude of posts about this subject.   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -are my eyes deceiving me or is the sage 0 wgt rod in the $500 range….i got $250 in gift certificates to my favorite fly shop and thought i would treat myself to a new rod in the spring and when i checked the prices i almost had a heart attack….am i wrong or is the fly rod makers getting a little carried away…..

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are my eyes deceiving me or is the sage 0 wgt rod in the $500 range….i got $250 in gift certificates to my favorite fly shop and thought i would treat myself to a new rod in the spring and when i checked the prices i almost had a heart attack….am i wrong or is the fly rod makers getting a little carried away…..

You’re wrong. OK OK, you’re right too! OC Garza

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Thank the "free replacement" lifetime guarantee and all those who break rods simply to get a new one! Prediction: this policy will stop in the next years. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – are my eyes deceiving me or is the sage 0 wgt rod in the $500 range….i got $250 in gift certificates to my favorite fly shop and thought i would treat myself to a new rod in the spring and when i checked the prices i almost had a heart attack….am i wrong or is the fly rod makers getting a little carried away…..

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Thank the "free replacement" lifetime guarantee and all those who break rods simply to get a new one!

Never thought of that. Hmmmm…..

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Thank the "free replacement" lifetime guarantee and all those who break rods

simply to get a new one! Prediction: this policy will stop in the next years. than the equivalent Sage DS series rod. As far as I can tell, G Loomis doesn’t yet (and probably never will) offer an unconditional warranty on their rods. Gary Loomis must be laughing all the way to the bank – he charges more for the same rod than other manufacturers do, then he charges you more when it breaks and you want a replacement. My point is, you say that prices are so expensive because of the warranty on some rods, why are Loomis rods(which don’t carry the unconditional warranty) as expensive as their equivalent Sage (et. al) rods? Performance? Doubt probably! I would much rather spend a couple extra bucks to help me if for some reason my fly rods breaks than to spend a a couple extra bucks to help Gary Loomis’ pay his insurance on his Mercedes! I own a Loomis rod, and while it is of what I consider average performance, I will never buy another one because I find other manufacturer’s rods as good, if not better, and they come with the added benefit of the lifetime warranty. Which, by the way, I have never had to use in 8 years of fly fishing and I hope I never have to. But its there, just in case.

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I have an attic full of things that had a lifetime guarantee and after a few years could no longer get them fixed or replaced.  I suppose that if you become insistent on the guarantee the dealer will arrange with a "hit man" to fulfill your contract. — Remove NOSPAM to send E-mail Ernie Harrison Thank the "free replacement" lifetime guarantee and all those who break rods simply to get a new one! Prediction: this policy will stop in the next

years. <snip

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I have an attic full of things that had a lifetime guarantee and after a few

years could no longer get them fixed or replaced.  I suppose that if you become insistent on the guarantee the dealer will arrange with a "hit man" to fulfill your contract. Remove NOSPAM to send E-mail Ernie Harrison

I don’t understand your point.

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I have an attic full of things that had a lifetime guarantee and after a few years could no longer get them fixed or replaced.  I suppose that if you become insistent on the guarantee the dealer will arrange with a "hit man" to fulfill your contract. Remove NOSPAM to send E-mail Ernie Harrison I don’t understand your point.

Ernie-You are a guy who posts here all the time and i have enjoyed your comments–up till this one. All the rod makers that state their guarantee fulfill their guarantees. I have broken Orvis  and Sage rods and never had a bit of trouble.None of the rod companies could get away with refusal on their guarantee–they would be lepers at the party!

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are my eyes deceiving me or is the sage 0 wgt rod in the $500 range….i got $250 in gift certificates to my favorite fly shop and thought i would treat myself to a new rod in the spring and when i checked the prices i almost had a heart attack….am i wrong or is the fly rod makers getting a little carried away…..

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are my eyes deceiving me or is the sage 0 wgt rod in the $500 range….i got $250 in gift certificates to my favorite fly shop and thought i would treat myself to a new rod in the spring and when i checked the prices i almost had a heart attack….am i wrong or is the fly rod makers getting a little carried away…..

Hi all, Sage has a new series of specialty rods for very light fishing situations.  They have 3 sizes available for 1998.  Size  0, 1 and 2 line rods and  complete outfits. I have personally tried these rods/outfits and they cast very well. Sage worked with Scientific Angler to develop the new fly lines for these rods. If you are interested in fishing 7x and 8x tippet with #20 and smaller flies you might want to take a look. If this is not your ‘cup of  tea’, then don’t let it ruin your day. Bill Kiene Kiene’s Fly Shop Sacramento,CA,USA 800/4000FLY

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Question:

OK – Now that I have you attention. I looking at buying a new flylline,  the guy  in the shop reckons Mastery flylines are the way to go – are they better than the 444 cortland? If you have any other recomendations I would appreciate it. In addition I am considering buying a  5-6 weight  5 piece , 8′6 Shakespeare  fly rod-  they aren’t a sage but for the price (around $NZ 165) they seem OK.  Does anyone out there own one – if so what do you think of it? PS could you reply to my email addess as my News Feed is sporadic AT BEST. Cheers Steve Christchurch NEW ZEALAND- The place where the BIG   trout live.  

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I bought Cortland Lazer Line last year, for $50 it made me a pro!  No memory, just great.  I recommend it! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK – Now that I have you attention. I looking at buying a new flylline,  the guy  in the shop reckons Mastery flylines are the way to go – are they better than the 444 cortland? If you have any other recomendations I would appreciate it. In addition I am considering buying a  5-6 weight  5 piece , 8′6 Shakespeare  fly rod-  they aren’t a sage but for the price (around $NZ 165) they seem OK.  Does anyone out there own one – if so what do you think of it? PS could you reply to my email addess as my News Feed is sporadic AT BEST. Cheers Steve Christchurch NEW ZEALAND- The place where the BIG   trout live.  

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ASS to removing the hook,simply freeze the area with ice,then pull it with a piece of monofilament at the bend of the hook while pushing the eye of the hook down.hope this helps!!!  :0

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ASS to removing the hook,simply freeze the area with ice,then pull it with a piece of monofilament at the bend of the hook while pushing the eye of the hook down.hope this helps!!!  :0

One can only hope the hook was debarbed. And I think perhaps we can all agree that in this case C & R is the best approach….unless you want to give it a good whack to dispatch it…. ohh man I must really be bored

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Question:

I am fishing a small lake for brookies in Hawkes Bay in the next week. The only information that I have is that they are there, and in patches. No one seems to fish there much. Does anyone have any ideas that work in small lakes elsewhere in the world? Simon

Brookies attempt spawn in the fall.  Fish the shallows or if the lake has inlet stream at mouth.  Bright flies work well as well as black leaches. Don’t be afraid to try blood worm or chironomid larva imitations as the blood worm migrates from shallows to deeper water in the fall.  At Henry’s lake bright crystal buggers and sparce crystal bodied flies do great.  

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My experience with brookies in lakes generally varies with lake location and time of year.   When fishing the Cypress Hills lakes in southeastern Alberta, I have the most luck fishing deep (right off the bottom) and slow using a black or very dark green nymph pattern.  I generally use a dragonfly pattern in a size 8 to 10 hook. I have often seen these insects in shallow water along the shore. From a belly boat, I can slowly troll my line from shallow to the deepest water. My luck increases if I regularly twitch the line with my fingers.  When I connect, the fish strike hard and put up an amazingly good fight.  Trout sizes generally range from 10 to sixteen inches in length. I generally have very poor luck trying to take the brookies off the surface of the lake with a dry fly. Hope this helps. — David J. Wormsbecker, Regina, Saskatchewan Ph/Fax: (306) 789-4024

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Question:

Would appreciate any suggestions concerning the following: I will be leaving Asheville, NC early Saturday morning (either the day before Father’s Day or the following Saturday), travelling to Washington, DC, taking two days, i.e., spending one night in western Virginia. What’s a good place to spend the night  along Interstate 81 so I can fish for trout on Saturday evening, after the drive from Asheville, and on Sunday morning, before the drive to DC?  The stream(s) should be somewhat easily accessible since I will have to spend time buying an out-of-state license before I can start.  BTW, what does a 2-3 day out-of-state license cost? Thanks again.

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I’ve often fished around the town of Bridgewater, VA. Its on I-81 in the middle of the Shenandoah valley, south of Harrisonburg. There are several creeks around there–the best is Mossy Creek, but to fish it or a couple of the others you need a special permit and they have made it hard to get one, i.e. you have to write in for it OR pick one up as some government office south of Bridgewater. Call the Mossy Creek flyshop in Bridgewater and ask them where to get the permits, or which streams don’t need em. There is a decent motel called the Village Inn near there on Rt. 11, or a great B-n-b about ten miles away in the hills, called Boxwood. Let me know

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What’s a good place to spend the night  along Interstate 81 so I can fish for trout on Saturday evening, after the drive from Asheville, and on Sunday morning, before the drive to DC?  The stream(s) should be somewhat easily accessible since I will have to spend time buying an out-of-state license before I can start.  BTW, what does a 2-3 day out-of-state license cost?

   You have several choices for smallmouth/bluegill flyfishing…not as much for trout (you’d have to drive farther from I-81 for trout).    Both the James River and the Maury River, which I-81 crosses in the vicinity of Lexington & Buena Vista, offer good smallmouth fishing.    My best recommendation, though, is to go ahead and do the longer drive up past Harrisonburg, then stop and fish the South Fork of the Shenandoah.  The Shenandoah offers great smallmouth fishing!  One of my favorite spots is at a bridge crossing a few miles downstream (north) of where Rt. 211 crosses the South Fork on its way to Luray.  You can fish here, then take Rt. 340 north to Front Royal (about 25 miles) where you pick up I-66 East to D.C.    The spot I mention is at the Rt. 643 bridge (or 6-forty-something)…there’s a Virginia Game Commission public boat landing.  You can park and wade upstream where there are some rubble/cobble dams.  I fished there just two weeks ago and caught close to 20 smallmouth in about 90 minutes!    This suggestion basically takes no time off the trip other than what you spend fishing.      —Scott

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   If you fish in a trout stream that is not catch and release, the license is close to $70.00 for out of state !!!   The James river around natural bridge area or Buchanan is good smallmouth fishing.  I think it is easier to fish with a canoe or small boat but it is possible to wade it alot of places if water is not high from run off. (would not be very fly fishable if muddy anyway).  During the week the folks at James River recreation area (a commercial camp ground) were kind enough to let me park my truck there and it is quite wadeable right around the cap ground.  The camp ground is advertised along rt 81.  I launched by boat there and went up stream the fishing was quite good. It is marginally boatable there lots of rocks and stuff.    I have not fished the Maury but it is much smaller and probably more appropriate for wade fishing.  I talk to one local gentleman who liked the Maury better than the James.  Good luck.                                     regards  leo

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Would appreciate any suggestions concerning the following: I will be leaving Asheville, NC early Saturday morning (either the day before Father’s Day or the following Saturday), travelling to Washington, DC, taking two days, i.e., spending one night in western Virginia.

What Pent1 and PWS said about this may be fine, and no doubt the fishing they descibed may be great. But for my buck. I’d haul butt from Ashville all the way to I-66 and Front Royal, Va. Hit Front Royal and get to the K-mart and buy a license and then head back west on Rt. 55 west to Patterson Creek and Elizabeth Furnace park and camping area. Patterson Creek has some challanging fishing and is very accessable and very pretty. And after you have spent as much time there as you want, you are only 2 hrs from D.C.

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I’ve often fished around the town of Bridgewater, VA. Its on I-81 in the middle of the Shenandoah valley, south of Harrisonburg. There are several creeks around there–the best is Mossy Creek, but to fish it or a couple of the others you need a special permit and they have made it hard to get one, i.e. you have to write in for it OR pick one up as some government office south of Bridgewater. Call the Mossy Creek flyshop in Bridgewater and ask them where to get the permits, or which streams don’t need em. There is a decent motel called the Village Inn near there on Rt. 11, or a great B-n-b about ten miles away in the hills, called Boxwood. Let me know

Just 90 minutes from D.C. is the small town of Edinburg 1 mile east of  exit 71.  Go into town, turn left at Main street, then begin looking on the right side of the road for Murray’s Fly Shop.  He’s got maps, advice, and plenty of knowledge abou t the trout AND — if you want to catch some real fish — Smallmouth Bass  fishing in the immediate area.  Harry Murray is the author of at least 2 books about fishing in the area.  His book on smallmouth fishing is excellent!  Phone # is 703-984-4212. Jim IwishIwasfishing Stewart.

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Question:

I’d like to apologize to Mark for flaming him.  That was not my intent!  My intent was to poke a little fun at elitist dry fly fishermen who look down on nymphing.  BTW my perferred method of fishing is with a dry fly or emerger, but only when it is effective, most of the time it’s just not as effective as nymphing.  IMO nymphing in many ways is more challenging than dry fly fishing.   For example dead drift is every bit as important to nymphing as with a dry fly presentation but tougher due to the differential current speeds from surface to stream bottom.

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Keywords: I got  e-mail in response to a previous post  and I thought I’d share it with the group. Mark Writes in response to my post below: For nymphs fished dead drift I always use long leaders, indicators and lead. when you say "indicators", are you referring to "bobbers"? i.e. Little things that float around and bounce up and down when a fish bites.                           Mark

Yes Mark that’s exactly what I mean and with no apologies.  Except for sight nymphing where you can see both the fish and the nymph at the same time, its almost impossible to see the take by watching your line (another little thing that floats around and bounces up and down when a fish bites).   Even with an indicator experienced fisheman miss at least 50% of the takes.  This experience comes from years of fishing to sighted fish with partners, where one partner spots for the other.   Frequently, when I’m up on a bank with a good angle, I’ve watched the trout we’re hunting inhale the nymph with no movement in the line leader or indicator.  A nymphing trout’s take is very subtle.  They suck the nymph and almost as quickly blow it back out again if you don’t set the hook. So Mark if you can’t stomache using a bobber or indicator, then just sit back and continue to be   self satisfied catching only the trout dumb enough to hook themselves (Usually the smaller ones who have to dart in from the side.), then by all means continue.   I’ll just have to take my satisfaction from success on the water, knowing deep down inside that somehow I’m just not the fisherman I could be if I could only loose my dependence on those bobbers! Just in case anyone out there thinks I’m serious.  I don’t know a single nymph fisherman, whose opinion I respect, who doesn’t use indicators ( that includes Andre Puyans, Mike Lawson, Lamb, etc.).  I vary the type of indicator to the conditions I’m fishing.   In fast water I use Marks bobbers to set the depth of float as much as anything.  In fast water the line drag usually sets the hook sets the hook before you’ll see the indicator move or pause.  In glass smooth gin clear water I use either a little silicon on the leader or a small tuft of yarn.  But what the heck it’s all bobber fishing right Mark.

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