Larry L wrote:



If I tell you that the lake 2 miles from here has a Hexagenia limbata hatch
and the bass feed on the nymphs and somewhat on the duns .... does that
prepare a mid-westerner to fish that activity better than "big yellow may"

no... but if you say the bugs look like size 8 yellow humpies (i've
never seen one of those, btw), i'd have a good clue from your words.
wayne knight showed me some hex flies once...they looked like sparrows.


Do you have a pretty damn good idea what nymph and dun patterns would likely
work? What size "big" is? What time of day to be there? What bottom type
the bug prefers and thus can limit your search to those types?

much too complicated for me and my fishing adventures, but i admire your
intellectual spunk...


I agree that to a large extent that the Latin is often the opposite of
valuable, since it DEcreases real communication ( and bores others and makes
one appear snobby ;-) unless both parties have real knowledge linked to
those Latin words.

and, truth be told, it's a very limited...some would claim,
elite...group of folks, eh? might as well require white gloves and
french for fishing discussions... parlez vous francais?

And I agree that a lot of the value lies simply in the
"more esoteric reasons" But, I think they is good practical reason ....
at times, anyway .... to learn more about the bugs and their names,
especially if one wants to communicate with others on the subject.

who are you communicating with? entomologists? i suspect yiddish would
be every bit as effective in such communications with the vast majority
of folks who are passionate about the fishing...


Um, I just flashed on a thought

I can barely walk many days and just had my knee "imaged." When the
radiologist sends his report to the Dr that will suggest "cut or no cut" I'd
FAR prefer that he send that report in the scientific language that he and
the doc both use exactly the same than to say " the guy's got a bum knee"
scientific accuracy in wording, and Latin namimg, has advantages G


do you honestly think that is a true or even helpful analogy with regard
to our specific fishing and flies conversation? c'mon larry... most
fishermen aren't entomologists; however, all orthopedic surgeons
are...well, you see what i mean?

Taxonomy is the first science and the study of most fields starts with
learning the language of that field. In my case, learning more about the
bugs, including latin names, increases my fun and enjoyment.

and, lest i be misunderstood, i accept and believe that is a good and
sufficient and even admirable reason for your or anyone else's mastery
of the latin taxonomy of bugs. however, we were talking effective or
useful communication among a group of fishermen, few of whom are
entomologists.

If that isn't
the case for others than they shouldn't do so

jeff