Mike G

Too bad. But you may have had a problem returning it since, if you are like a lot of guys, you are better at taking them off a girl than putting them back.

Rob, The fly in Float'n'Fly is a smallish jig 1/32 to 1/16 oz. built on a bass size hook. It is fairly easy to hang horizontally. Check the website punisherlures.com. They wrote the book on FnF. Here is a sample from among 30 or so patterns they sell: Hope this helps.

Dan, If you are not an ISA member, you should become one. ISA Membership is one of the best values that I know of. Membership gets you the Bronzeback Bulletin, access to bulltein archives, access to fishing outings, and other events like fly tying groups, meetings with guest speakers, conservation projects, and youth education activities.

I have to go tell Santa what I want for Christmas. A new baitcasting reel will be high on the list. But I have a problem picking one since Cabela's, for example, has over 60 models ranging in price from $20 to close to $700. So what is your favorite, and what do you like about it?

Nice Fly. I will dig out my Fly Tyer to take a look. Here is one case where recipe fits. As a life long baker, Mom used to say,"I can tell that recipe is good because it has all good things in it." I can tell that fly is good. I fisrt saw how good bunny fur is at the last Arlington Show I went to some years ago. Hammerin Hare had a booth. Remember the Hammerin'Hare Jig and Spinnerbait? How many flies incorporate bunny strips into effective patterns? It is a long list I bet. 1. EP 1 2. Hairy Fodder 3... Want to add more?

I just got a notice of this offer being made by J. Stockard Fly Fishing. They will match 100% on gift cards sent to servicemen. Does anyone know of other outfits who are doing the same-fly or regular fishing? In 2007 we organized our first "Support a Soldier" effort, a program to send J. Stockard gift certificates, fly tying tools and supplies to U.S. deployed soldiers. This program has proven to be more successful than we ever imagined! Together with our customers, we've sent thousands of dollars of fly tying items overseas and we're able to make a sizable donation to Project Healing Waters as well. Once again this holiday season we're asking if you would like to join J. Stockard in making a "Gift of Fly Tying". How to Make a Gift It's easy to participate! Click on the link at the bottom and choose the size of your gift - $5, $10, $25, $50, $75, or $100. We will match your contribution dollar-for-dollar and send gift certificates, fly tying materials, vises and tools to soldiers in time for Christmas. Our Gift to You - FREE Shipping Economy shipping is free if you make a gift and insert coupon code support10 when placing your order online. You can purchase other items for yourself in the same order and get free shipping (or $5 off any $100+ order). Combine FREE Shipping with Our November Deals 15% off tools from Dr. Slick, Danville thread is 20% off regular prices, and Save on every rod kit we offer. Details at left. Do You Know a Deployed Soldier? We are always looking for more soldiers to add to our distribution list. If you know a deployed fly fisher, one who has just returned or one who is about to leave, please let us know. Email his or her name and email address and we'll add each one to our distribution. Our deadline is December 6 so please make your gift soon. Thanks for your support! Your rod, your fly, your gift, email: service@jsflyfishing.com phone: 877-FLY-TYING web: http://www.jstockardflyfishing.com Gitf Card: http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/item/GC-001020-0000

Terry, It is an impressive looking site-better than some of the other log sites I have looked at. I was surprised how little advertising there was. In that regard it was like this site. In my short look at the site, I did see some bias toward fly fishing and also a bias toward western trout and salmon fishing. It may need some contributions to represent the Smallmouth Bass better. Since there is not a lot of advertising, I wonder what the gimmick might be. Now that I signed up, we will see if my eMail box gets flooded.

I know that a lot of people swear that a log has made them much better fishermen. One of the first fishing websites in Chicagoland had a bunch of guys that religiously posted their annual tally of fish in December. Literally like "78 Largemouth bass, 57 smallmouth bass, x Crappies, x bluegills, etc., etc. and a partridge in a pear tree totaling 451." I tried this keeping track several times, but I could not get motivated to keep it up. Maybe it is too much like golf where you have to write something down after each hole. Then you go out the next week and play the same holes and write something down again. Then you can tell your friends that you broke 90. My problem is that keeping score makes fishing too much like the rat race of life where your teachers grade you, your coaches rate you, your bosses evaluate you, and your pastor helps you calculate your chances at the pearly gates. Fishing has always been my escape from the rat race. I do count where there is a risk that I could get fined for being over the limit. That is about it for me.

More on the story here. The Bird Conservancy had a case backed by studies. But the EPA did not back the radical action of outlawing all lead in fishing tackle. Towards the end of the article, the statement is made that the EPA did not act on the ammunition part of the demand earlier because they did not have the authority. That is hard tounderstand IMHO. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101104/ap_on_sp_ot/us_lead_fishing_tackle

Mike, I am trying to find words. Today it is hard to find words that are not tainted by political use. Conservative, Progressive, Liberal, and Environmentalist, for example, have all become labels to be used in name calling. It used to be you had to call a person a radical or extreme Conservative, Liberal, or Environmentalist if you wanted to tag him with a "bad name." Another irony is that political Conservatives do not take a strong stance on Conservation. Political Liberals are accused of passing too many laws-very illiberal. Here's a test. Ronald Regan is proported to have said,"How many trees do they need to look at, anyway?" Is this a common sense statement about radical environmentalism? Is this a radically conservative statement about common sense environmentalism?

Mike, Since the IL EPA may have been turning a blind eye, it is good to see the Federal EPA exercising some oversight in this matter. Before the shouting on both sides geets too loud, however, I want to state what I like about this news. First, the Feds step in only after the State EPA fails to perform according to law. Though some may not like how long it took to get this response from the State EPA, it is good to see the slow sure progress of the law. Second, the action does not blow away CAFOs and all the income and jobs they produce. It brings them under control to act responsibly toward the environment. This strikes a nice balance between the Tea Party types who may be bent on repealing the Environmental Protection Act just on prilciple (because it is a Federal Law) and the Hell Bent for Leather Conservationists who want laws, laws, and more laws. About 5 miles north of where I live, just north of the border in Wisconsin near Brodhead, there is a CAFO whose waste holding tank is very visible from the road. Every time we pass it, I review this scenario. If the tank ruptures, it empties into the Sugar River drainage. The Sugar flows into the Pecatonica River which flows into the Rock River north of Rockford. There are other CAFOs in that same watershed with the same environmental threat. Now I need to ask the question. Why is so much attention being directed to one CAFO in Joe Davies County when there are many others across Illinois and Wisconsin going unnoticed? Are they no threat? This opens the real can of worms.

You are the man on this one, Ben. Your key is buying the whole rabbit hides. Once one has the hide, one can cut strips to any size and shape as needed-no fancy expensive tools required. Again thanks for sharing your source for hides. I wish I had known about that earlier.

Kevin, I feel your pain. You tried. All I can suggest is that you sign in and click your name which will appear in the upper right corner of your screen. Ou the drop down click "My Profile." When your profile comes up, click the "Edit My Profile" box a little down below your name. That will get you to the page where you can make some entries and select other things to change in the left hand column. I hope this helps.

This is to say that I wish everyone would spend a little time filling out the personal information on their account. It will make things a lot more personal and informative. Consider this hypothetical case. I read a post that said John S went down to the creek and caught 6 in less than an hour. I click John S to get his personal profile information so I can figure out where John lives and how he fishes. I find no photo, "profile not set", age unknown, gender?, no location, etc. Though it is disapointing, it is typical when I try to go below the surface to understand many posts. The posters are anonymous shadowy figures. Since I know that we all have different tolerance levels about personal information, I can't demand that everybody provides the optional personal information. So I am saying, please, if you do not mind, introduce yourself with some details. terrydodge, among others, has done a nice job of setting a good example. Click his name to view his details. Did you ever think that Terry would be held up as a role model? I admit that my own profile is skimpier, perhaps a minimum requirement, no mug shot, fewer details. I do not want to overwork the topic. Just a little more personal information, adds a lot more interest to what you have to say.

Rob, I want to do justice to Lefty's concept. But it is hard to find a good pic of Lefty's Bug probably because it lacks the pizazz of the more glamorous commercial patterns. Here's one by the Master himself.

Rob, The black trangle was added to the photo to emphasize the slanted face appropriate to Lefty's Bug. Though it beats nothing, I need a better picture, I guess.

Rob, Dressing like salad dressing may be a matter of taste. More and more I favor a KISS approach. The prime example is Lefty's Bug. Lefty sez that bulky tails and hackle collars have two strikes against them. First, the bulk makes casting them more of a chore. Second, the same bulk tends to lift the hook so one gets fewer hookups. Since the classic Lefty's Bug is a real ugly duckling, it probably does not have as much angler appeal as the more dressed up version sold by sources like Rainy's. Rainy's Version Only the fish like it.

Jonn, The profile is similar to Clouser's EZ Pop. EZ Pop I know you have used both. How do they differ?

Not dirty politics. It is a good omen. The sign has become a collectable even before the election. If I could find one I would grab it up on the spot. It would become a nice companion to my Alan Keyes sign and Sarah Palin poster. You betcha!

It is getting close to voting time. I have gotten recommendations from Jude and waded through the 35 responses on the County Website. First I took Jude's recommendations then I went to the responses to select the rest. Here are my 7 choices and why: Jude Torre ISA Mike Eickman Jude Endorsed Lee Johnson Jude Endorsed Judith Barnard Former WC board member Lots of plans Concerned for youth Daniel Williams Land advisory council chairman Expansionist in regards to acquiring more properties Tom Hawes Roscoe TWP Supervisor Good Park Experience Lenae Weichel Volunteer Grant application writer It is not too late to tell me who I missed or where I am off base.

“Anglers that would argue or down the new regulations either enjoy eating what they catch or place their own selfish desires to continue utilizing the fishery as they have in the past, not thinking of what is best for the resource.” I wish Bob Clouser would really say what he thinks Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Jim. We could be next. Forwarned is forarmed. Comment: I remember 50 years ago. There were bass in IL. But the dominant "catch and eat" ethic of the time precluded them getting very big or numerous. As a species the fish survived biologically though the fishery needed a lot of help from conservationists and groups like ISA to get to where it is today. Moral: There is a difference between what a certain tournament sponsoring group wants and what conservationists like ISA are looking for.

Nice writeup, Jonn. You are on your way to Rainey's. This fly and the one you had in the bulletin are on Tiemco hooks. Don't these use an unusual size numbering? For example, I have heard that a size 6 in this Tiemco model is close to a 1 or 1/0 in Mustad language.

Who is using them? What is your experience? Some have rigged them using BBQ rotisserie motors. Since I do not own a motor of any kind, here is my take for someone starting from scratch. I figure you can save some $$ jury rigging something on a motor you have. But putting it all together from scratch is not so attractive when there is a ready to go $39.95 unit out there that also includes hardware for rod finishing. DIY enthusiasts may have another take. Here is what I found so far: Good: Rod finishing rotator from Netcraft, $75. Pro: can be used for rod building also. Con: have to make adaptor for flies. Better: BBQ rotisseries from Walmart $25-$75. Pro: can be used for grilling. Con: have to make adaptor for flies. Best: Cabela's Stonefly Fly/Jig Dryer-$40. Pro: ready to go; can be used for rod building also. Con: can't be used for grilling. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Fly-Fishing/Fly-Tying/Tools-Vises%7C/pc/104793480/c/104721480/sc/104340780/i/103884480/Stonefly-FlyJig-Dryer/743665.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Ffishing-fly-fishing-fly-tying-tools-vises%2F_%2FN-1100441%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_103884480 I just added the dryer to my Cabela's wish list.