“If Erie steelhead failed to shine this year, you can blame voracious walleyes as much as low water in tributaries. Predation on young steelhead by record numbers of adult walleyes born in 2003 led to fewer silvery salmonids for anglers to catch in recent months. “There’s definitely an inverse relationship between big walleye numbers in the lake and the number of steelheads in the streams,” said Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission biologist Chuck Murray. “When we stock [steelhead] smolts during years of high walleye abundance, you can expect steelhead catch rates to decline a couple of years later.”
Archive for December, 2009
- Evan Muncy Looking at the Business End of a Z Axis
SPEY CASTING INTIMIDATION FACTOR
I don’t propose to instruct you on the finer points of a two hander. I have a couple rigs and suspect I will be spending the rest of my life trying to remember all the moves beyond the C spey, the Skagit Double spey, the Perry Poke etc……There are numerous movements involved in Spey Casting and if you know them well it is probably akin to telling someone how to ride a bike… But, I know this…the basic moves of the spey rod produce amazing results with minimal effort…even for a novice. Like buying a one hander, if you can afford at least a mid range priced set up, do so. Don’t be intimidated by those waving the magic wand…take a lesson or too, be patient with yourself, very patient. Pull with that bottom hand more than push with the top and have fun with a sloppy 70-80′ cast with the bank high to your rear. Get better and the drift is yours to explore and understand. Read the works of Larimer, Hogan et al and watch Ward’s dvd, check out YouTube vid’s…be inspired. Go to the river and do not compare and be frustrated (unless you are blessed)…just quietly and patiently work on the basics and soon enough you too will try to explain just how you ride a bike. Buy Ed Ward’s Skagit Master DVD and watch over and over…then get out there. Excellent fly tying info re tying Intruder’s
Looking-glass River
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Smooth it glides upon its travel,
Here a wimple, there a gleam–
O the clean gravel!
O the smooth stream!
Sailing blossoms, silver fishes,
Pave pools as clear as air–
How a child wishes
To live down there!
We can see our colored faces
Floating on the shaken pool
Down in cool places,
Dim and very cool;
Till a wind or water wrinkle,
Dipping marten, plumping trout,
Spreads in a twinkle
And blots all out.
See the rings pursue each other;
All below grows black as night,
Just as if mother
Had blown out the light!
Patience, children, just a minute–
See the spreading circles die;
The stream and all in it
Will clear by-and-by.
Yes, I understand that if you cannot love the one the one you want…love the one you’re with. Good for Tejas and misapplied stocking programs of trout. A fish to a fly is the basic concept; pick your favorite specie(s). Put and take stocking programs are often wasteful and misapplied to satisfy the gluttony of a 1950′s mentality. Put and take is ok, if the sportsman remains mindful of the wild stock and the priorities of habitat. Man’s meddling and arrogance about managing the fishery often makes a mess of things…and, the harvesting angler becomes less concerned for the habitat and fish and more for the frying pan or freezer…. I mean they did pay for that license, so they have a right to meat….right?
Nymph Pattern w/ Ostrich Body and Tail
The Ostrich herls from the plume are similar to marabou. The barbs undulate with the current, at least that is what I envision. Mayfly nymphs that are found at several excellent sites like Troutnut.com show the gills down the sides of the abdomen of the mayfly. I have a cursory knowledge of their purpose as propulsion or transference of energy/respiration, but the point is the ostrich wrapped up the shank to form the abdomen produces the feathery suggestion of gills. The gills are on the sides of the nymph’s abdomen, so you could trim the top and bottom of the abdomen, though I don’t think it is necessary.
Ostrich Plume
The Orb with Ostrich Tail & Abdomen
Ostrich herls are also used as wing components for tube flies along with peacock herl.
Trespasser (http://www.outfittersnorth.com/pere-marquette-spey-fishing-patterns.php)
Ichthus
Get rid of the reason rodents are being attracted. FOOD. The most common rodent attractant in urban locations is wild bird seed. Once a constant food source has been detected, rodents will leave pheromone trails for their family members to follow. This could result in a large populations being attracted to your home or business. An abundant supply of food will also speed up their reproductive cycle. Most people who feed wild birds don’t realize they are probably feeding more rodents than birds. Pet food, grass seed and poorly stored human food are other attractants.
Eliminate the route rodents are taking to enter living and working space. Once inside a building, rodents will follow plumbing and wiring to access all levels and many rooms. Gaps around pipes should be blocked. Pay special attention to pipes under the kitchen sink, bathrooms, laundry room and hot water tank.
MICE + FLY TYING MATERIALS = COMFY NESTS (Secure your materials and watch for the droppings. Take action)
Furled~Extended Body (Rowley)
Furling means, “to gather into a compact roll and bind securely”, from a fly tying perspective furling involves twisting a material and allowing it to fold and wrap around itself. The end result is a durable tapered body. Antron is one of the easiest materials to furl but other materials work well including yarn, Super Stretch Floss, Mohair even dubbing loops. When using soft materials such as Anton, dipping the completed furled body in Softex prior to tie in provides additional durability and reduces the chance of the extended body from fouling around the hook bend. Furled bodies also offer the added benefit of built in segmentation, ideal when tying damsel nymphs and extended body dry fly patterns. Segmentation is a by product of direct pressure and the number of twists applied while furling. The more pressure and twists you use the greater the segmentation.
