Happy Thanksgiving and a help request!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you and your loved ones have a
safe and fun holiday.

I learned so much this spring, summer, and fall fishing on the
surface. I hit a bunch of backcountry wild brookie streams in PA, and
of course a few in the SNP. This was the first year that I fished
almost every weekend, and sometimes both days. So, while I still have
much to learn about fishing on top (I mean, it's of course a life long
process), I'm pretty happy with where I am, at least as far as wild
brookie streams go (how hard can they be?).

What I want to learn, between now and that first warm, long weekend
that my buddies and I will spend down in the SNP, is how to fish
underneath.

I've always just given up and not bothered. If nothing's working on
top, well, I can just sit in the sun and puff up, or go back to camp
and drink, or go explore, etc.

I want to get beyond that, and my plan is to spend the next 4 months
trying to get some reasonable, practical working knowledge of fishing
underneath - with bead heads, I guess.

So, if anyone, or better yet, a bunch of people, want to write out a
short paragraph of how to start - how to rig up, how it's different
than surface fishing, common pitfalls and frustrations, that would be
cool! Just enough info (and hopefully from different people) to get
me in the water, I can spend the whole winter trying to actually
figure it all out. I do have books, but there's obviously a lot
richer info to be had here.

And has anyone had any of the 2003 Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, yet?
I'm enjoying one right now.

Your friend,
Mr. Rapidan

Hopefully, come April, I can call myself Mr. Silver Beadhead.

kyle wrote:


So, if anyone, or better yet, a bunch of people, want to write out a
short paragraph of how to start - how to rig up, how it's different
than surface fishing, common pitfalls and frustrations, that would be
cool! Just enough info (and hopefully from different people) to get
me in the water, I can spend the whole winter trying to actually
figure it all out. I do have books, but there's obviously a lot
richer info to be had here.


For small waters, I'd recommend starting out with a dropper 12 to 18
inches long, tied off the bend of a dry. Your dry will serve as an
indicator and you'll catch fish on both flies.

Willi

"Willi" wrote in message
...


kyle wrote:


So, if anyone, or better yet, a bunch of people, want to write out a
short paragraph of how to start - how to rig up, how it's different
than surface fishing, common pitfalls and frustrations, that would be
cool! Just enough info (and hopefully from different people) to get
me in the water, I can spend the whole winter trying to actually
figure it all out. I do have books, but there's obviously a lot
richer info to be had here.


For small waters, I'd recommend starting out with a dropper 12 to 18
inches long, tied off the bend of a dry. Your dry will serve as an
indicator and you'll catch fish on both flies.

Willi


yeah, and for confederate fish, i recommend a size 16 prince nymph tied
off the bend of a 12 adams in march/april, and a 16 red fox nymph off the
bend of a 14 royal wulff the rest of the year.

of course, that's from my experience in the old north state. those
snooty *******s in the commonwealth of virginia might not be attracted...

your friend in the old north state
wayno (i mean, why did they call it "pickett's charge", when more than 50%
of the boys were north carolinians, led by jj pettigrew...)

As a beginer at fishing nymphs, use a strike indicator placed at one and a half
times the depth of the water. Put a split shot about six inches in front of
the nymph. Fish the strike indicator like a dry fly. Adjust your casting
stroke to throw wide loops; more of a slinging action than the hammer motion
associated with dry fly fishing. You fish a lot closer than dry fly fishing
and get a lot more tangles as the strike indicator, split shot, rod tip, and
fly tangle. You should get an occasional snag on the bottom. If not, fish
deeper by adjusting split shot weight or distance between the bobber and fly.
Not getting the occasional snag or periodic bumping on the bottom means you
are not fishing deep enough. Strike quick, but not like a spin casting bass
fisherman. Remember you only have to move that hook point a fraction of an
inch for penetration. Many fish will mouth and spit out a fly quickly.

Lou T

Kyle,
I fish the SNP often. Nymphs are dynamite. Don't bother with streamers
TROUT DO NOT TAKE STREAMERS!! especially in the SNP
Contrary to what Wayno might try to tell you, a dark bead head nymph early
in the season through the middle of May is your best bet. The alternative
is a Beaded GRHE. I use a dark nymph dubbed with dark mink that is a SNP
killer. Especially if you have not done it before, use TWO strike
indicators. The one closest to the rod will give you line speed and
direction, the other will actually indicate your strike. Place them about
8 - 12 inches apart and make them different colors of Bio-Strike. Use two
very small split shot ahead of the nymph about 4 inches. The Bio-Strike is
preferable because you change depths quickly in the SNP. Cast up (Joe
Humphry's style) so the nymph hits the water first and goes straight down.
Make sure you drop the nymph right in the white water closest to the rock
ledge before you leave a pool. When I know I'll be spending the day
nymphing, I'll leave the 6'6" 3 wt. home and take the 9' 4 wt. A little
more hassle in the overhang but you need the length for line control. Line
control is even more important in nymphing than dry drifting. Keep the
closest indicator ahead of the hook-side indicator at all times. Lift line
off the water as the indicator drifts toward you keeping very little line on
the water between the rod-side indicator and the rod. Strike at everything
that wiggles the hook-side indicator. Drink Scotch.
--
Wayne
To Fish is Human...To Release Divine!

"kyle" wrote in message
om...
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you and your loved ones have a
safe and fun holiday.

I learned so much this spring, summer, and fall fishing on the
surface. I hit a bunch of backcountry wild brookie streams in PA, and
of course a few in the SNP. This was the first year that I fished
almost every weekend, and sometimes both days. So, while I still have
much to learn about fishing on top (I mean, it's of course a life long
process), I'm pretty happy with where I am, at least as far as wild
brookie streams go (how hard can they be?).

What I want to learn, between now and that first warm, long weekend
that my buddies and I will spend down in the SNP, is how to fish
underneath.

I've always just given up and not bothered. If nothing's working on
top, well, I can just sit in the sun and puff up, or go back to camp
and drink, or go explore, etc.

I want to get beyond that, and my plan is to spend the next 4 months
trying to get some reasonable, practical working knowledge of fishing
underneath - with bead heads, I guess.

So, if anyone, or better yet, a bunch of people, want to write out a
short paragraph of how to start - how to rig up, how it's different
than surface fishing, common pitfalls and frustrations, that would be
cool! Just enough info (and hopefully from different people) to get
me in the water, I can spend the whole winter trying to actually
figure it all out. I do have books, but there's obviously a lot
richer info to be had here.

And has anyone had any of the 2003 Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, yet?
I'm enjoying one right now.

Your friend,
Mr. Rapidan

Hopefully, come April, I can call myself Mr. Silver Beadhead.

I'll leave the 6'6" 3 wt. home and take the 9' 4 wt.

Thanks, Wayne, and everybody else, too. I think I'm armed with enough
pointers for a start. And just a couple months ago I picked up a
Winston DL4 8'9" 4wt (got it on sale through my winston rep buddy),
and I can finally get it out on the stream! I was just going to
continue fishing with the 6'9" 3wt, if you hadn't said this. So,
thanks!

Kyle

Nymphing is very productive fishing, once you learn how to do it. Here are
some thoughts;

Try to find out the size and shape of the nymphs in the water. Pick up some
flat rocks from the water and see what's on them. Seine net the water to
see what's drifting in it. You can easily make one from fiberglass window
screening and a couple of dowels, or buy one. A product called QuickSeine,
that fits over your landing net is really great in cold weather as your
hands stay dry.

Drift your fly very close to the bottom. If it is not bumping on rocks
occasionally, you are not deep enough. Be willing to adjust your weight and
the position of your indicator as water depth varies.

As mentioned previously, strikes can be very subtle. Set the hook on every
slight pause or unnatural change in direction of your strike indicator.
Many of these will just be your fly hitting a rock, so you'll have lots of
false strikes. Unlike with dries, trout rarely hook themselves on nyumphs,
especially in cold weather.

Remember, in cold water, trout will move very little to get their food.
They'll tend to be in the deeper water. So be very patient in covering any
given spot, with multiple drifts through the same potential holding water.

You really have to concentrate on your strike indicator or the end of your
fly line for nymphing but, heck, that keeps your mind from working on less
enjoyable things.

Good luck with it!


"kyle" wrote in message
om...
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you and your loved ones have a
safe and fun holiday.

I learned so much this spring, summer, and fall fishing on the
surface. I hit a bunch of backcountry wild brookie streams in PA, and
of course a few in the SNP. This was the first year that I fished
almost every weekend, and sometimes both days. So, while I still have
much to learn about fishing on top (I mean, it's of course a life long
process), I'm pretty happy with where I am, at least as far as wild
brookie streams go (how hard can they be?).

What I want to learn, between now and that first warm, long weekend
that my buddies and I will spend down in the SNP, is how to fish
underneath.

I've always just given up and not bothered. If nothing's working on
top, well, I can just sit in the sun and puff up, or go back to camp
and drink, or go explore, etc.

I want to get beyond that, and my plan is to spend the next 4 months
trying to get some reasonable, practical working knowledge of fishing
underneath - with bead heads, I guess.

So, if anyone, or better yet, a bunch of people, want to write out a
short paragraph of how to start - how to rig up, how it's different
than surface fishing, common pitfalls and frustrations, that would be
cool! Just enough info (and hopefully from different people) to get
me in the water, I can spend the whole winter trying to actually
figure it all out. I do have books, but there's obviously a lot
richer info to be had here.

And has anyone had any of the 2003 Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, yet?
I'm enjoying one right now.

Your friend,
Mr. Rapidan

Hopefully, come April, I can call myself Mr. Silver Beadhead.

And just a couple months ago I picked up a
Winston DL4 8'9" 4wt (got it on sale through my winston rep buddy),
and I can finally get it out on the stream!
Kyle

And Kyle, here is an official invite to you and your "Winston rep buddy" to
the Penns Clave in Coburn PA next May. Tell your buddy its fertile ground
for selling high-priced rods at dirt cheap prices and we'll be happy to ops
check anything new he has coming out for the new year. Imagine, 50
top-flight fishermen from around the globe discussing the latest in fly rod
technology and spreading the word from South Africa and Sweden to New
Zealand. Just don't tell him that the top-flight fishermen will be home
nursing a hangover instead of hanging with this bunch, and we'll all get
along fine.
--
Frank Reid
Reverse email to reply

moc.deepselbac@diersicnarf wrote...
And Kyle, here is an official invite to you and your "Winston rep buddy" to
the Penns Clave in Coburn PA next May. Tell your buddy its fertile ground
for selling high-priced rods at dirt cheap prices and we'll be happy to ops
check anything new he has coming out for the new year. Imagine, 50
top-flight fishermen from around the globe discussing the latest in fly rod
technology and spreading the word from South Africa and Sweden to New
Zealand. Just don't tell him that the top-flight fishermen will be home
nursing a hangover instead of hanging with this bunch, and we'll all get
along fine.

This past summer I met two interesting people on the Gallatin. One was a rep
for J. Austin Forbes who happened to be in town for something to do with MSU's
football team (don't remember the connection). Turns out he had fished many of
the waters I had fished during Penn's and also knew Jonas. The second guy
heads Nittany Mountain Trail Rides and also is some sort of big wig at the
Woodward Camp. He also gave me some pointers about Penn's. Hopefully I can
get both of these guys to come out during the clave. They were both very nice
people that I would gladly share some water with. I think both of them would
easily become addicted to ROFF given the right circumstances and I think ROFF
would benefit from their presence.
--
Warren
(use troutbum_mt (at) yahoo to reply via email)

I think both of them would
easily become addicted to ROFF given the right circumstances and I think
ROFF
would benefit from their presence.
--
Warren

The more the merrier. We needs some fresh brains in this food fight.

--
Frank Reid
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