Thread: Fly fishing anyone?

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

I live on the Yakima river. It is great fishing in this area, but my head is currently swollen to the size of a watermelon and the end of summer these fish are so smart that they can be buggers to catch. Of course that is part of the fun.
Within on hour drive from my front door I have over a dozen premium lakes, small mouth fishing, salmon, steelhead, spring creeks; its hard to find bad fishing here.

I have gotten lazy on tying and rod building lately. The market here for custom rods died off with the economy, but I'm still the only one in my area who builds wood rods and all parts from scratch.

Nice! I really like fly tying, I usually design my own for my area but have tied some tried and true patterns. Post some picks of your fly rods I'd like to see them.

Originally Posted by pcg

Mastershake, I presume you're pond fishing in the Valdosta area? I lived about 14 years in Brunswick & St Simons, but moved up to Massachusetts some years ago. Here we have real coldwater trout streams and even Salmon runs!

I grew up in the Berkshires and I remember my dad taking my out to the Housatonic river for bass and panfish. He got me hooked. A couple years later he started taking me down to CT for trout and out to the Vineyard for Stripers.
I've yet to catch a Striper but he goes out for the catch & release tournament as well as the big tournament every year.
Now that I am in VA I'm usually after smallmouth. They are fun and I can catch them almost year round.Nowhere near as fun as trout but I'm just happy to be on the water.
A small wild trout hits like an m-80. The big ones scare the bajeebies out of me. I darn near had my 3/4wt snapped on me last summer. 22" brown, it was a good day. There are some great trout fisheries but they see a lot of pressure so I have better luck with the wild ones in the spring.

Like Bill S, I'll be salmon fishing at the end of Sept, and again end of Oct. I'll be off Lake Ontario on the Salmon River in western NY. Spey rods and long, tight-looped casts. Great fun, rain or shine!

I will definitely try to post pics of my newest rod when/if I find the time to make another. Have a bad habit of giving away my rods. Still have a small number of graphite and glass around. My next rod I'm debating on adding stone rings to my stripping guides and possibly tip if I can figure out how.

Let me tell you, if you want to keep fishing don't start medical school.

My next rod I'm debating on adding stone rings to my stripping guides and possibly tip if I can figure out how.

Try Fuji ceramics. They're almost frictionless. Jeff Hatton (the Gnome) makes cane rods that cast farther than almost anyone's because of the Fuji guides (as well as taper). They're also perfect when using silk lines.

Originally Posted by pcg

Try Fuji ceramics. They're almost frictionless. Jeff Hatton (the Gnome) makes cane rods that cast farther than almost anyone's because of the Fuji guides (as well as taper). They're also perfect when using silk lines.

I have been tempted, but they might look goofy on wood rods. I built a graphite a few years back with all ceramic guides and another with oversized guides attempting to ease casting, but have since reverted. No reason.

BTW, some here don't know; I named my daughter Cortland.

The Fuji SIC guides are either loved or hatred by fly fishermen. I use both the Fujis and traditional guides on rods without a thought. Anyway, if you haven't seen Hatton's rods, here's his site:

GNOMISH ROD WORKS Jeff Hatton, Maker Paonia, Colorado

Originally Posted by pcg

The Fuji SIC guides are either loved or hatred by fly fishermen. I use both the Fujis and traditional guides on rods without a thought. Anyway, if you haven't seen Hatton's rods, here's his site:

GNOMISH ROD WORKS Jeff Hatton, Maker Paonia, Colorado

Thanks, they are nice. I rarely look at other's rods.

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

Let me tell you, if you want to keep fishing don't start medical school.

Also, don't have kids. I used to get out a lot before the kids. I figure once they're all in school I can fish more.
And maybe get a cane rod. I've been wanting to learn how to make them. I figure that's my best odds at owning one without pawning a kid.

I've got a book on cane rod building. The tools are quite an investment.

I live in Grand Junction, CO, kinda over the mountain from Paonia. Is the guy there also a straight shaver? He doesn't have a pin in the Google map.

I used to flyfish for trout, smallies, and warm pond species in Iowa but have hardly fished at all since moving to Colorado. What gives, eh? New job partly.

I've got the spool for a homemade reel but haven't gotten around to machining a frame. There's an in utero Spey rod scattered around my workshop, too. So much neglect!