The Fly Fishing thread

“I mean, that's how the laws are in Maine.
(I can't type, must be time to go home!)

o(=D”

“I used to flyfish the catch and release streams in winter, but the action really isn't good enough to keep me interested. The bigger ones around here are a lot tougher to catch in winter and I stopped enjoying standing in ice water all afternoon to catch a couple skinny trout off the bottom. Now, I just wait until the fly hatches start in the spring and head out then. In winter I found I'd rather go hiking, skiing and snowshoeing. Don't get me wrong, I love flyfishing, but it's just a low priority for me in winter since I like to do the other activities then.”

“The fork limits; slot limits; length limits and total creel limits change all over the south.

Resevoirs and streams all have their own rules. And on the coast, there is a huge difference in being off the Alabama Coast as opposed to the Florida Coast.

A GPS has become a must.”

“http://www.csupomona.edu/~rosenkrantz/personal/streamweaver.htm
This is a pic from last spring at Patapsco Valley State Park which is about 4 miles from me.

Ive fished Lake Sabego and Arcadia in maine but the last time was about 25 years ago! Maine was nice! Most of our winters here arent as cold as it is now so getting out isnt to bad. I know what you mean about the limits and regs I carry that little guide book that comes with the license like a bible!! Especially with fish like stripers which were endagered but brought back to a very healthy population by good managment. They are always changing the regs for stripers.”

“"And on the coast, there is a huge difference in being off the Alabama Coast as opposed to the Florida Coast.

A GPS has become a must."

chili36
03:38:19 PM
01/27/04

what does that mean chili? (have patience, I've never been anywhere but Maine, so what you're saying may be obvious, I just don't get it) Sailing the Maine coast we always went by chart and compass (then loran, then GPS) but I never have for fishing in the ocean with a motor boat.

Nice fish streamweaver!”

“Oh yeah, fishing in the river (Kennebec) is supposed to be great fun! I don't know why I've never done it. Last I knew they had to be 36" to keep, but I'm pretty sure that changed recently.”

“oh for chrissake, I still can't type - that would be "fishing in the river for stripers"

o(=D”

“Zac, if you want to learn to fly fish we can get to-gether this summer. On my home water I promise the first trout in less than half an hour after touching the rod. Fifteen minutes instruction and fifteen fishing - travelling time doesn't count. It's dead easy, really. On unknown water I make no promises.

BTW, it looks like I've sold two reels I don't use to someone in Scotland.”

“Doug, your on. I've been meaning to make a trip back up to Canada. The last time I was up there (about 13 years ago), I watched my cousin loose one of the biggest brookies in my life. We were fishing inside an old sawmill on PEI and a 24” brook trout snapped his hook. He hasn’t used brass hooks since.”

“Strippers are fun. The first and only one I ever caught was at Popam Beach in Maine where the Kennebec meets the Atlantic. I caught it on a fresh water pole (I left my surf rod at our campsite near Small Point). I thought it was going to snap the pole. I had to throw it back because it was only 26”; I was hoping for a fish dinner.

All this take about fishing is making me stir crazy. I think I need to get the tip-ups out this weekend and head over to the lake.”

“I never heard that term until a friend of mine searched ice fishing on the internet and started talking to me about tip-ups. I had no clue what she was talking about - we call 'em traps.”

“That's funny, I've never heard them called traps before.”

“If you can learn to enjoy the casting, you'll never have a disappointing day on the water.
(strong winds make me crazy)”

“artex jumps up and down excitedly while waving his arms at gremlin

Ooo! Ooo! Hey uncle gremlin! Can you teach me to fly fish also? It's quite possible I'll be living somewhat closer to you after this summer (you know... the thing).”

“I went fly fishing for the first time last week with Jon. Liked it a lot. I have enjoyed fishing in the past, but I get bored watching a bobber. This fly fishing business I could get into. I'm sure I looked pretty funny as I practiced casting though. Any suggestions on videos or something like that to teach me technique?

Our plan is to take a trip out west in the late summer and fit some fly fishing in, perhaps Montana or Wyoming or Utah.”

“I went last weekend and caught an ash tree. Nothin' eles. Just the tree.”

“You can make a lot of bats out of that tree.”

“ruby, joan wulff has an excellent video on flycasting.

it's regarded as one of the best, if not the best you buy.

it's amazing to learn that this tiny little gray old woman can cast further than 99.99% of fly fishers. - she held the distance record for some time.

proof that fly casting is about timing and technique, not arm strength”

“Ash is nice, but I think hemlock puts up a bigger fight.”

“The worse part was the bass were spawning. There is nothing worse than having a five pound bass just sitting there as you drag everything in the tackle box passed it’s nose as it looks on with disinterest.

[disclaimer: I don’t snag bass on the nest and I don’t harass the ones already on the nest.]”

“here's the vid. you may be able to find it cheaper elsewhere, this is just the first one i found when i googled

http://hallsports.com/store/vhs_0892724323_Joan-Wulff's-Dynamics-of-Fly-Casting.html
last edited: 5/25/05 9:56:11 AM”

“LOL, Nigal

Thanks, Sacco. I'll look for that one.”

“Nigal, we call that 'tree fishing' down here.
I'm a Master at it, LOL.”

“of materials available. Go to any book store and purchase everything there is on the shelves. or start watching outdoor channel, they have lots of fishing programs.

Here is a link to some info fly fishing

go to a bass pro shop and get a nice set up. they are always having specials. I recently picked up a Browning 5 peice pack rod set up, including reel and case for $99.00 there.

Fly fishing is an interactive sport. It is truely fishing and trying to outsmart, out think the trout. One needs to know insects, water and habits. I'm getting more and more into it every week. 2 weeks ago, I caught 3 trout, last week, nothing...same place, same flies, but not one strike. Conditions always change and sometimes you gotta change too.

Have fun...MORE gear!!!”

“arrange and pay for a guide. It is well worth the money to be taken to a good spot and actually catch fish and learn from those that do it for a living. It will ease your pain...trust me.

and get a good book on tying knots. thats important. and practice tying. I sit in front of the tv and practice.

My last guide told me that 90% of catching the fish is the presentation of the fly...so, get out and do it...the more practice, the better.

Have fun. When you come down here for canoeing, you can cast on the river, we got monster trout in my river.”

“Cool, Stikmon. I have Jon's fly gear and poles that he left for me to use while he's gone. When I come down to see you I'll bring that.”

“i won't argue with your point about a guide stik, but for me, i'd rather catch a small trout on my own than a few monsters from a guide.

'sides, half the fun for me is the research and learning process.”

“I did a story on a local guy who specifically moved to this area because of the great abundance of trout streams. He's a science teacher and very funny.

We went on what he said most people would think of as something like a scrub piece of a stream -- very small, not too deep, etc. He was pulling naturally reproducing brookies out of there at will. And he also caught a huge brown trout.

He guides in Montana in the summer. I'll find the story and look up where he's at. He's funny and would be a great guide, I expect.”

“Cool. Thanks, Lizs.”

“LOL...I caught 7 small trout on Clear Creek in colorado, near Boulder, then 3 5"ers on Fall River in Estes Park, then 3 6-7"ers on the Big Thompson in Estes...those aren't exactly monsters.

The guided trip was on Clear Creek. The dude showed me what I was doing wrong, showed my how to tie the fly on, and built my confidence.

Without a bit of confidence building, the beginner can be frustrated and give up. I was close to that, but, nothing comes easy to the person with no patience...

I fish now on my own, but would gladly take a guided lesson 1 time a year, to hone the skills. It ain't cheap though, so, its better to know someone and go with them...I'm no professional, and still consider a succesful day to be a day where I loose no flies...catching fish is a bonus...LOL.”

“learn how to "mend" your line. this is extremely important as it relates to presentation. Imagine the fly on the water floating downstream with a "wake" like a boat. NO bug would look like this. You need to mend the line in order to give it slack as it floats with the fly. Pick up some books on flies, you'll need to learn how to match the hatch when it occurs around you. There is nothing more cool than FF'ing when a hatch is going on. Trout go NUTS.
Get a hula hoop, tie a piece of yarn at the end of your fly line. Walk off 30 paces then cast the "fly" into the hoop. I used this drill when teaching my daughters to cast. Learn how to do a roll cast, it's very useful in tight places.
Good luck with your new addiction. It's a grreat way to spend time and money. LOL!”

“I have never much cared for the taste of trout. I prefer salt water fishes and farm raised catfish, but that's what is around me.”

“i won't touch a catfish or bullhead, let alone eat one.

they're so icky”

“I caught a big catfish the other day. Well, big for me anyway, it was the first catfish I ever caught. It was too big to be good eatin' so I let it go. But it was fun to catch.”

“Speaking of big catfish. I saw that someone else has posted it on the fishing thread. Yesterday I read in the Chicago Sun Times about a guy in Illinois who caught a 124 pound catfish. Seems to be a world record. Check out the other thread for a link and a picture. After they weighed and verified it, he released it back into the river.”

“Well sure, it's flesh would taste like garbage scow keel.”

“sacco, sacco, sacco......

Mississippi Farm Raised Catfish is a taste treat!!!
The key is Farm Raised, they are fed a special Purina Catfish food.

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/may98/catfish.html
last edited: 5/25/05 10:41:26 AM”

““I caught a big catfish the other day. Well, big for me anyway, it was the first catfish I ever caught. It was too big to be good eatin' so I let it go. But it was fun to catch.”

Ah no such thing! I like them about 3 pounds for eating but if it’s bigger, say, 10 pounds or under ya just fillet ‘em and cut the filets into smaller chunks for frying. Especially this early in the year when the water’s cleanest.”

“I wish I knew how much it weighed. Lessee, it was longer than the bottom of my styrofoam cooler, and about three inches wide at the head.

I've never cleaned a catfish before, plus I've had river cat that tasted like crap. So I just tossed it back.”

“Catfish good
Trout good
Seafood good.

Ah heck it's all good.”

“


Yo, fish! It's a 124-pounder

May 24, 2005

BY DALE BOWMAN Advertisement


It is the biggest fish story in Illinois history.

The battle between Tim Pruitt and a 124-pound blue catfish began below the Melvin Price Locks and Dam on the Mississippi River at Alton at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

"He was pulling and pulling,'' said Pruitt, who used mooneye as bait in heavy current. "Sometimes I can turn them. I had my finger on the spool [of the reel]. But I knew my 250 yards of line were about out. I finally got an anchor up.''

At that point, the fish dragged the boat with Pruitt, wife Carla and a friend half a mile downstream. Somewhere after midnight, they boated it.

"The live well would barely hold it,'' said Pruitt, 33, of Godfrey. "I didn't want to sit on the river all night with it.''

So they splashed water on the fish and went ashore. They rousted Dale St. Peters, an owner of St. Peters Hardware in Alton, at 1 a.m.





Credit: Courtesy of the IDNR

"You hear stories, but until you see it, you have no idea,'' St. Peters said. "I told my wife, 'You won't get that smile off their faces for two weeks.'''

The smiles lit up when the fish was weighed on a propane scale at 124 pounds and was witnessed by St. Peters and a conservation police officer. At about 6 a.m. Sunday, they found Rob Maher, commercial fisheries biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

"It took three of the guys to lift the thing up,'' Maher said.

By 10 a.m., Maher certified it as a blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) with a length of 58 inches and a girth of 44 inches. It is the heaviest verified fish caught in Illinois and a state record for blue catfish.

It should be approved as the world-record blue catfish after the paperwork is submitted and processed by the International Game Fish Association. The standing world-record blue (121-1/2 pounds) was caught by Cody Mullennix from Lake Texoma in Texas on Jan. 16, 2004. Lindsay Sample caught the former state-record blue (85 pounds) on the Mississippi in Alexander County on Feb. 22, 2000.

"Fish-wise, this is the biggest story we ever had,'' said Mike Conlin, director of resource conservation and wildlife for the IDNR. "Fish like that, can you imagine the stories they could tell of the Mississippi, the travels and travails.''

After being kept alive in aerated tanks, Pruitt's blue was picked up Monday and shipped to Cabela's for display in Kansas City, Mo. It should be returned to the Mississippi this summer.”

“AHA! I thought the fly fishing story should be on our website, even though we recently changed our name.

I searched a little better and found it:
http://www.hometown-pages.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=8349&SectionID=12&SubSectionID=&S=1”

“"I've never cleaned a catfish before, plus I've had river cat that tasted like crap. So I just tossed it back.”

The easiest way to clean them is to bash it in the head and kill it, cut a shallow line around the neck just behind the head. Then cut a line around each side of the dorsal fin back to the tail. Cut a very shallow line from the neck to the tail on the belly side. Get a pair of pliers and get a hold of the skin and just kind of shuck it like a squirrel. The you just filet it right off the body. No gutting or choppin’ off heads. Soak it in either salt water or milk over night to get the river taste out.

And don’t forget the slaw! LOL!”

“I'll probably mess my pants with brown stinky stuff.

jeebus cribes, thats a big fish.”

“OK, I'll admit it. I was scared #&%!$less of this monster fish. It looked at me and said, in plain English, TOSS ME BACK OR I WILL EAT YOUR TRUCK. So I put him back. Then I went home and changed my drawers.”

“that is awesome!

Nigal...you are soooooooo right.

I smoke those fillets on the Weber grill.
Soak them in a brine solution that floats an egg overnight. Dry them in the oven at 250 for 2 hours, then put them on the Weber for a 8 hours with hickory or mequite wood chips soaked in a cheap white wine.

Now that is some goooooooood eats!!!”

“I will have to try that if I ever catch another catfish like that one again.”

“Holy sheep shlt Ruby! Isn't that the catfish from Big Fish?
last edited: 5/25/05 11:05:00 AM”

“Do you mean "Bass Turd"?
last edited: 5/25/05 11:07:45 AM”

“Yeah, that's what I said. What the hell are you talking about? heehee”