Mark Bowen wrote:

A few thing that they did or suggested seemed odd to me: They netted most all of the
fish, no matter the size and then handled the fish for what seemed an eternity. Now I
realize that they are producing a TV program and need to show the fish to make the
show interesting, but handlin' the fish after netting seems to defeat the purpose of
the net?

I net the larger fish. Smaller fish don't need to be netted, and I can
usually get the fly out out with a pair of long forceps. I don't like
handling the fish too much, but at the same time, I thnk trout can take
a lot more handling than people give them credit for.

One, of the two guides, stated that a 7 1/2' to 8' rod and 4 and 5 weight rods were
recommended for the small streams in the Pisgah. I tend to use shorter and lighter
weight rods myself

Lots of things determine choice of rod weight, I think personal
preference is the overriding factor. I tend to stay away from the really
light rods on the streams I fish. I will use a 6 wt most often, or a 5
wt in the summer when fishing dries. Around here, wind is the limiting
factor, and a 5 wt is about a light as I want to go; it is a good
compromise between rod weight nd being able to cast in the wind. On calm
days, in the summer, I like to use a 4 weight for dries, just because.
Delicate presentation doesn't enter into my choice of rod weights.

Finally, I couldn't help but notice that neither the guide nor their guests took any
but the largest fish to reel? Obviously, COJ isn't produced with the elite flyfisher
in mind.

Getting fish on the reel is only worthwhile for the larger fish. I enjoy
playing fish on the reel, but I don't think the trout care one way or
the other.

Tim Lysyk