Fly Fishing & Tying: In for a little…in for a lot

Darrell Pendergrass writes a humorous piece re the downward spiral of Fly Tying’s Hoarding gene….

“When I fell in for fly-fishing I went in deep. Along with purchasing a couple-a-three fly-rods, a vest, several pairs of waders, fly-boxes and bugs, along with an assortment of bells and whistles that go along with the sport, I also bought a fly-tying kit. You know, I wanted to not only catch trout with dry and wet flies, I also wanted to make the flies by hand; myself. I have problems making toast, so it’s unbelievable to me 10 years later that I ever thought I could do this. There should be a one-day waiting period on the purchase of a fly-tying kit so an angler can rethink his actions.” (more)

Would Be Nice To Be Organized Someday

Fly Tying: Wire Bodies for Density

Several years back, John Barr’s Copper John emerged upon the FF scene and gained immediate popularity because it worked and because, for its size, it quickly sunk. The copper wire body was adopted-adapted to many patterns. Consider wire wraps to suggest segmentation and to add additional weight to get a pattern down quickly and tumbling along. The wire body, metal bead and lead wraps beneath the dubbed thorax combine to get the stonefly pattern down quickly. A small chuck and duck pattern. Barb the hook streamside.

Note the Wire Abdomen on this Duplicated Commercial Tie

or, with this Wired Prince Nymph

Wired Prince Nymph (SwittersB)

Steelhead Debauchery @ Dharma’s

At Dharma of the Drift, he lays out the plain realities of fishing for Lake Erie Steelhead. Not a pristine experience, it sounds much like Salmon fishing near me. A cluster of techniques standing shoulder to shoulder and the niceties of pristine experiences lost on the realities at hand.

Drifting, nymphing, bouncing egg patterns may offend some that swing a fly. It shouldn’t. Dharma explains the truth re hatchery/put ‘n take fishing in the L. Erie tribs. No need for pontificating. An aside, how many fly fishers (even shop owners) do you know that fish gear at least once a year? Pulling plugs, sturgeon, seriously? I haven’t in a long time, yet I have all my gear and still have an educated thumb for a level wind and can lay a spinner in a pocket behind a boulder with the best of them. So, I don’t waste time judging people that fish egg patterns or San Juan Worms, let alone guys standing shoulder to shoulder dredging for hatchery Steelhead.

The assumption is often made that if you fish a certain way you don’t appreciate or respect the habitat/resource. It may not be pretty, but this is a reality of man made runs. There were no native runs to degrade.

Swinging a fly, for me, is purposely selecting a classic technique to enhance the experience. If I wanted to up the odds, I would fish smaller waters and shorter lines with an egg pattern. I choose not to for the fun and interest of it. Read Dharma’s multi part series on Lake Erie Steelhead Fishing.

Cell Phone & Water (Possible Saving Moves?)

 

Popular Mechanics

 

“Finally, use a desiccant to wick away any leftover moisture. The most convenient choice is uncooked rice. Just leave the phone (and its disconnected battery) submerged in a bowl of grains overnight. If you’re worried about rice dust getting inside your phone, you can instead use the packets of silica gel that often come stuffed in the pockets of new clothes. But acting fast is far more important than avoiding a little dust….The most important thing to remember is to avoid heat. That means no hair dryers, ovens, microwaves or extended periods in direct sunlight. While heat will certainly evaporate the moisture, it could also warp components and melt adhesives…”   (more)