Mike G

Professor, So far so good. Using a trick question to introduce a topic is classic pedagogy. Now where is the lesson (meat)? To make myself clear, though other lesson plans are acceptable, What I had in mind is: Consider the Zen of Fly Casting: "Bending and unbending." "Loading and Unloading." "Storing energy and releasing energy." Expand: Each phrase means the same but says something different. Resolve: Sidebar: John Gierarch points out that classic bamboo rods provide a subtile nudge when one tarries a little too long on the back cast. Prompt response to this nudge saves the cast. Mike G. has noticed that his Fiber Glass rods (which slavishly imitated the old bamboo model's actions) provide this same nudge while being more durable and weighing the same. The last frontier is a light, fast graphite rod that will provid this same friendly nudge. Before I die I hope to see this.

Tim, I feel your pain. The original question is too vague. "The only thing a fly rod can do on it's own is____________" Several answers here give the lie to the question itself. On its own the rod can gather dust, get wet, cool after being warmed, and suffer some material decay over time. Therefore there is not only one thing it can do on its own. We see now our instructor wanted to limit the question to what the rod can do on its own during the casting process. But he left that part out and pulled it out of the air later. I think you earned a beer fair and square. But I do like these questions . Keep them up, Joseph.

YES. Much better. Eye candy is always appreciated. PS Pretty soon you will have a true 20th Century site there.

Many here have been watching the facelift being executed on the West Branch of the DuPage River between Mack Rd and Warrenville. I know we are ready to roll up our sleeves for some enhancement work as soon as the Thorium is dredged out. Nearby Silver Lake in Blackwell FP recently appeared in the bad news of the day. On Oct 12 the DuPage FPD announced that the Fall Trout Season had to be pushed back to Nov 3 due to warm water. Rumor said that the stocked trout were dying. Whether you care about those trout or not, the nerws sends us a message about the future prospects of that lake and other waters in the area. I should point out that Silver Lake has been in trouble for a while. When I first became aquainted with it 15-20 years ago it was a jewel with a healthy population of bass and panfish. The clear waters showed depths of 25+ feet on the FPD maps. About 7-8 years ago I began to notice a severe drop in the water levels. At first I figured it was just the result of dry summers. But in spite of many wet springs the water level has not rebounded to its original depth. I estimate that the level is 6-7 feet below the old level. You can see where that used to be all around the shore line. The original 60 acres is probably down to 40. Given some siltation, I doubt that there are any places deeper that 15-16 feet. In response to my inquiry, the fish biologist for the Forest Preserve District, told me that they are aware of the problem and watching. His speculation is that a development of 300+ homes to the north of the Lake is involved since the homes are all on wells that tap into the lake's aquifer. I speculate that the zoning hearing for the development probably slipped under the radar 15-20 years ago. (We assume the developer had been generous in his campaign contributions.) Was there an impact study? I know that this is not a Smallmouth lake. But it is very close to a Smallmouth river; and the lake seems to be running out of water. What does this say about the future of the West Branch? It deserves some watching.

Get its tip caught in a closing door.

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was the last straw. Standard movies destroy fishing by using it as a prop. They make the In-Fisherman productions look great. At least I have learned something from those videos since the combine live action with theory pretty well. Lately I have been salting in a fishing DVD in our Netflix queue once I a while. Even that is a mixed bag. The best one so far has been "Fly Fishing for Bass and Panfish" by Skip Morris with his wife. 5 thumbs up! I am sure you have your favorites. The next on on our queue is Babe Winkelman's "Smallmouth Wisdom." Eat your heart out!

This thread has a life of its own with each entry confirming my opinion that Hollywood productions do little justice to fishing. Rather than Hi-Jack this thread, I am going to start another about videos strictly about fishing.

Perfect reply. The numbers game takes many forms. Posting just to pad your count makes no sense, though I do believe a "registered" site user owes us a post or two per week on average. Somewhere there is a line between participating and lurking.

Thanks, Mike!

Where and when?

Now this discussion has got me curious. How much room does an inflateable require when it is deflated? I am interested in hearing about the pontoons. The donuts are compact, I am sure. But the frame and seat of the pontoons would seam to be bulky and eat up a lot of trunk space. A 9-10' kayak does not require a lot of room being about 30" wide and at most 20" deep. No adult assembly required and acceptable almost anywhere. I use a slightly larger 15' solo canoe beacuse it gives me more carrying capacity. But if I didn't have that, I would get the general purpose yak first and think about adding a specialized craft later.

There is a lot of ambiguity here, Joseph. I guess that is why it will make a good discussion question. Over 50% of the time, the first ten seconds is also the last ten seconds. Read Eric's recent post about "padding.." and getting schooled by the big ones. Add to that the logic pointed out by several,"You have to hook them first." Of the two choices given, the first ten seconds is the clear winner. But that is like debating whether to fish on the surface or on the bottom. It is not an either or question. What about "in-between?" By that I mean that there is a third time period that the phrasing of the question has caused us to ignore. There is the paradox. The 3,600 second period before the first ten seconds is the most important. During this hour, a lot has to be checked off. Is the rod sound? Are the guides free of nicks? Is the reel in good mechanical shape and lubricated? Is it correctly mounted in the reel seat? Is the drag set corectly? Is the line in good shape? Is it laid on the reel without hidden snags? Are ther nicks or abraisions in the tip of the line or leader? Fresh well tied knot? Sharp hook(s)? I think this hour, which could spread out over several days before the big one strikes, is the most important ten seconds.

A few reach that stratospheric level MSRP if you get the carbon fiber models from top of the line manufacturers. Most are less than half that. Used boats will cost even less. Still, considering that you can get 2 or 3 injection molded kayaks for $1,200, a kayak could be a good starting point for rivers and small lakes. Upgrade and/or specialize from there.

2 Cents. Consider that some parks and forest preserves do not allow inflateables. They require rigid hulls. Consider if you want to be able to fish them. A rigid hull kayak wins in that scenario.

Thanks for posting that, Jack T. The sport is healthy and coming on. I was relieved to see our Illinois rivers are safely below the radar. Many of the rivers in the east are prospering as a result of cleanups brought on by the EPA. It aint all sunshine and roses, however. Lately the Snake in Oregon has been showing up as a blue ribbon SM Bass fishery. Sadly I remember when it was heralded as a blue ribbon trout river. The clear cutting of the surrounding watershed took its toll raising the water temp to where it is today. In less than 50 years the river "eutrophied" more that it did in the in the previous 5000. Is there a lesson there? I see two possible conclusions: 1. Carpe diem! Fish it now. Enjoy the SM fishing while it lasts. It will be a carp river before you know it. 2. Stop da music! Do something to halt the process before it is too late for the other cold water rivers in the US. Any others?

That was "Gone Fishin." It had a cameo by Willie Nelson. Add: Old Man and the Sea Moby Dick These two and the Jaws series are the best man vs fish movies IMHO. Most of the others use fishing as a backdrop for other conflicts just as Deerhunter is not about hunting deer. Though it is not about fishing, for real entertainment check "Escanaba in Da Moonlight." We need a fishing movie like that.

Those symptoms are also shared with the dreaded "carpal tunnel syndrome." Since CTS is the result of irritaing the median nerve, pain can be experiences anywhere from the shoulder to the hand. Pain, tingling, or numbness can occur even when the arm and hand are at rest. The nerve is typically irritated by frequenty flexing (up down) or deviating (side to side) the wrist. The irritation is increased if pressure is included in the motion. Onvce the nerve is irritated the muscles in the forearm tend to remain slightly contracted. This of course increases the irritation into a vicious circle of more irritation. I know this from studying and teaching industrial ergonomics and from suffering through bouts of the condition myself. Besides casting, common causes of the condition are using hand tools that require extreme postures of the wrist along with exerting pressure, using a standard "straight" typewriter keyboard, and vertical location of items being handled. The exercise you describe is a standard stretching exercise designed to relax those muscles. There are really two: 1. Hold the right hand out palm down. Flex wrist to point fingers down. Push on the back of the fingers with the left hand; push back with the right hand. Repeat for the left hand. 5 reps each. 2. Hold the right hand out palm down. Extend wrist to point fingers up. Push on the palm side of the fingers with the left hand; push back with the right hand. Repeat for the left hand. 5 reps each. Other things to do: 1. Get a brace that will keep the wrist straight all the time. Since I have the bad habit of flexing my wrist while I sleep, it really helps me to wear it at night. 2. If you keyboard a lot, get an arched keyboard to remove tha constant outward tilt of the wrist. you want to adjust the keyboard height so that wrists remain straight with elbows at 90 degrees. 3. Take some of the load off of your right hand (if you are a righty), by switching the mouse to your left hand. I find that changing the buttons on the mouse also helps since the left hand naturally mirrors the right hand actions I am accustomed to. 4. If you use tools a lot, select tools that keep the wrist straight. For instance, for a drill, a pistol grip works well on a vertical surface. For a horizontal surface, a straight shafted tool, gripped like a baseball bat with the bit pointed down, would work better. These are the ones that work for me so far. And always get professional medical advice if the condition persists.

Last week my wife noticed that she had picked a good day to take our dog Mindy to the vet, Oct. 4, the feast of St Francis. Why would she remember that date? She attended a Franciscan College. In those good old days, the Franciscan staff celebrated the feast. Though she has long forgotten the droning lectures, she remembers the days off. The brown robes make Francis a natural patron of the brown bass. But there is more. With a little Googling, I found out that Francis has been the patron of animals for 800 years and more recently he has been recognized as the patron of ecology. His appeal transcends religious lines as you are as likely to find his statue in gardens of Franciscan Convents as in gardens of Budhist Monistaries. You do not have to go to a religious store to get a statue of Francis since it is a popular item at garden centers. Many Episcopal, Catholic, Lutheran, and Congregational churches have scheduled pet blessings coming up this Sunday. Of course I do not recommend that you take a Smallmouth in for a blessing. (I think the saint is never shown holding a fish because he had the good sense to leave it in its proper element.) The Franciscans' "do it yourself" blessings are more appropriate. Next time you release one, try this instread of your standard juicy Jimmy Houston kiss. Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. On the fifth and sixth days of creation, you called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all animals his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this animal. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen. if you wan to read more: http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Francis/

I do not blame these "big box" outdoor outlets for going for the $$$. It is their nature. I do miss the little guys that know their gear and take the time to tell you how to use it. They are few and far between. To repeat the refrain in a different mode, we need a few good shops to promote the sport. What we have are these soulless "big box" retail outlets. My short list of good shops once had 8 entries. 5 have closed. The three remaining are One More Cast, Salmon Shop (Palatine), and GAT. I hope there are others.

Sorry, the devil makes me say this. Keep track of the yardage and the par for the hole you are fishing. I would think it would be very important to know how long your casts are and how accurate they are. Also what is par for the hole? Be sure to check your scorecard carefully before you sign it and turn it in. Figure you are doing well if your handicap keeps going down.

No. IMHO, "more" is the culprit. We do not need nore; we need better. PS. You mentioned FFF. Nothing should be construed as a criticism of them or TU, DU, MU, etc., etc., etc. They pursue goals in line with what I am saying. We do not need more; we need better. PM me if this is not clear.

It says, "The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) established through the efforts of the sportfishing and boating industry and state fish and wildlife agencies, is taking steps to halt the long-term decline through new and innovative marketing and education campaigns aimed at both novice and avid anglers. The Future Fisherman Foundation, the angler education arm of the sportfishing industry, is successfully working within school systems across the county through its Physh Ed program to provide grants to physical education teachers to instruct students in fishing and boating." Are they alarmed by a decline in numbers of fishermen or by a potential decline in sales? When it comes to this question of the number of fishermen, I am with the Marines. That is I, like their slogan,"The Marines need a few good men." Though they have never been the most populous branch of the armed forces, they accomplish their mission. They do not get into the numbers game. By analogy, I say, "The ISA needs a few good fisherman." Unlike the RBFF, I do not want everyone to buy a fishing rod and a boat. Quality suffers when sheer numbers is the primary goal. My point is that a disciplined focused organization gets the job done. ISA, TU, Muskies Unlimited, and FFF are fair examples of what I mean. Each one has a focus around a specific point to keep them on track. On the other hand, I think an IFA (Illinois Fishers' Association) would be an unwieldy and inefficient organization. I believe in educating the ones who are on board already before recruiting a whole bunch more to overtax or abuse our waters. The goal of quality fishers on quality waters comes to mind. If that were to be achieved, the numbers would naturally follow. I am sorrry, when I see a comercial interrest like the RBFF, I become leery. Does their interest extend beyond selling the rod or boat? Do they really care how the equipment will be used? Or even if it will be used? Recent reports on the level of expertice displayed by the help at the new Cabelas in Hoffman Estates leave me wondering. I suppose they will throw in some token seminars periodically. I just do not see a day to day commitment.

Joseph, One light color (white) and one dark (olive). Buck would be proud of your simplified equation. After a 30 year layoff, I reread Buck's classic on Spoonplugging. There is a great difference between Spoonplugging and trolling a Spoonplug I recently found out. I was surprised to see how much attention Buck gave to using surface lures, live bait, and jigs. Though I own a complete assortment of the magic Spoonplugs, it has been years since I used one. In spite of that I consider myself a Spoonplugger because I follow the philosophy. Simply stated, work fish holding "structures" controling "depth, speed, size, color, and action." But, I ramble. Please come back on the question of shape which is missing from Buck's list. We catch bass on long skinny things (plastic worms), fat worms (Senkos), minnow shapes (clousers), hot dog shapes (surface plugs), bulky craw shapes (flies, hula grubs, and jigs), and egg shapes (crankbaits). So how do we figure out what shape fly should be used?

Per Buck Perry, depth, speed, size, color, and action are the controls-things you must control. The list is in descending order of importance with color almost the least important. I think Buck got it right; so color does not keep me awake at night. Typically I want to have two patterns in a fly like a Clouser-one dark, one light. For example, one is an Emerald Shiner-White, pearl flash,light olive back; the other is a Perch-yellow belly, orange middle, green back with some gold flash. A white bugger and a black bugger might be all I really need.

What is making all those waves at the bottom of the picture? Did Bob Long Jr. fall in? In honor of Bob, I woulld pick the flat water above that big rock in the forground right of center. There even seems to be a bubble line there. The zoom helps take a closer look. The fallen trees on the left are probably "eye candy' since they look to be in shallow water < 1.5 feet deep. The right bank seems to be fairly steep indicating that that is the deep side. So I would check that area next. Since the clarity makes it hard to determine the depth, probing with a sinking lure or walking through the "hole" a la the previously mentionded Jr. would be important. The timber further down on the right bank may be good if there is some depth to the water in front. It is starting to rain too.