Kayser

demonstrations always help in getting a point accross. Rob

only able to see the one picture. Rob

Old cedar trees seem to be some of the best cover that I have seen, but maybe add some water primrose if there isn't any already. It's some of the best cover that I have seen. I would NOT recommend lily pads, as they will take over all water that is 4ft deep or less. I would agree with the minnows and bluegill for the first year, then bass the second, but then add some catfish the year after that. The amount of catfish depends on the size of the pond. What you stock and how many are all dependant on what your target species is going to be. As for general forage, take a bucket of water from any pond or creek and dump it into this pond before you start stocking. Whatever aqautic invertebrates you catch can explode in terms of populations without predators. Rob

amen to that, smac! if you want to debate the definition, start a new thread. otherwise, just let it go and enjoy the reports. Rob

the one error that i can see is that the fish the bass ate was not a crappie, but a talapia, a form of cichlid common in texas and mexican reservoirs. I'm not sure where they're native to, but you can tell from the rounded tail with a small line of red-orange dots, and the defined horizontal black stripes on the sides of the fish. That and it's kind of hard to find a 15 inch crappie. Rob

looks like someone got really bored this winter Rob

Dredging? The riffles and that 1.5 feet of water holds an amazing amount of fish if they aren't scared off. People avoid the riffles because they can't see the fish, even though they are still there. I completely avoid the holes because there are more fish and less people in the riffles, making it a good fishing experience. Where would they cut the moss from? The fly-only area really doesnt have that much. Where is Hudson at? Is it that really deep hole just down from the spring? Rob

i really like the looks of that suspended cdc midge pupa. maybe add a little hen cape soft hacke for legs in front of the dubbing. Rob

I support the farm for 1 reason only- it puts money into the local economy. I oppose poultry farms along major watersheds for the following reasons: 1- there is no such thing as a no-runoff facility, and denial of this leads to untreated waste entering the watershed. 2- this deal is no so sweet as it seems- due to the high nitrate concentration of poultry waste, it is highly acidic and will sterilize most ground it comes in contact with. I know of several people who have used chicken waste in there gardens as fertilizer and have not had a decent garden for several years after. So, it is a terrible fertilizer, and they will be stuck with an overabundance of it when it does not sell, leaving them to find an "alternate position" for it. 3- I have seen a river after a "no-runnoff" chicken farm in Gerald, MO experienced a bad storm, and all of the waste entered the bourbuese river near its headwaters. This past summer was the first since then that I have found mussels, hellgramites, an abundance of fish, an a lack of that nasty, yellow-brown foam that collects in pools and eddies during the summer. It has taken 10 years for this river to recover from 1 single mishap, and I don't believe that it has fully recovered yet. It is not worth the risk to the watersheds for this farm to be built near these state parks. Thanks for listening, Rob

Looks like wood duck or mallard flank for the tail, turkey tail fibers wrapped like on a PT nymph, peacock herl, and then some more duck flank for a throat/legs. All on a ? nymph hook? No clue, just goin by looks. Rob

now accepting bets on when they will be recaptured w/ tracking chip- 2 days w/o chip- 2 months

What do they mean by larger and safer? Did they dam up a riffle with the boulders and make another hole? Or did they just add jetties to reduce current flow? Either way, I wouldn't like for the nature of the stream to change from the way it is. Rob

I didn't get out this winter to fish montauk, in fact, i haven't really been anywhere since early July. But, when I go, I usually fish the fly only area from the first hole (below the springs, second lot from springs?) Then I fish the riffles (and some holes) all the way down to the take out above the dam hole. It's the place with the pool where people clean fish, and the trail takes you back through the handicapped area when you walk out. The riffles are what I mainly focus on, and I fish midges under dries on 6x most of the time, somewhat sightfishing. Any recommendations? Rob

What type of flies and size leader were you using to get those fish? Also, were you fishing riffles, pools, or something in between? Trying to get as close to the experience as possible. The trout bug has struck again, being so close to the season, and it's slowly consuming my life. Rob

Hello all. I fish the lake about 3 times a year, mainly from june-september, but maybe in march. I stay in a comdo around MM 32-33 in a fairly large cove with 3 large boat docks, about 1-2 miles below hurricane deck bridge. I have access to shallow gravel flats all the way down to a cliff face. I mainly fish for crappie (and do fairly well), but I really want to catch a walleye out of the lake. I have some idea on how to catch them, but I was wondering how to raise the odds in my favor on these fish. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Rob

highly doubtable. but, then again, they rarely venture into that area of the home. ROb

maybe good for walleye, too. I hear they like the somewhat cleaner water. Rob BTW- how do zebra mussels taste? might they become the LOTO oysters?

I mainly use 6-7x for my fish, and sometimes the knots, no matter how tight i cinch them, just slip off, and the fish/fly is gone. I don't have trouble with the #8 conehead woolybuggers, but on the smaller stuff #18 and down. I really don't get enough time anually to experiment with knots on stream, so I try to make every minute as productive as possible. Which one of these knots would work best on these small guys? Rob

Indicators: Two basic choices for myself, either the 3/8" microball indicators (white) or a dry fly (involves deer or elh hair in some way). The foam indicators seem to float the most weight for the size, and have never seemed to send a fish into lockjaw. Most of my nymphing is done at close range, so if the indicator goes under in a swirl of current, I just pull it back on top of the water, and I am in contact with the fly if a fish were to take it. I never use an idicator with streamers, so no problems with flotation there. The most common dries I use are a #16 Irresistible Wulff, a #14 Lime Humpy, or a #14 olive EHC. Most of the nymphs that I use are #16 and smaller (mostly midges). If I use anything bigger, I switch over to the foam. I generally attach 3-4ft of tippet to the bend of the dry for fishing in fast 1-2ft water. If I switch to slower, 3-4 ft of water, I just adjust my cast to where the nymph lands almost on top of the dry. Sinks pretty much straight down from the dry, and gives you the most depth. Rob

Just a few questions: when and where were you when the caddis and bwo's started hatching, and what was the sky like? I'm trying to put together a dry assortment for the river from the end of the Park to below Baptist Camp. Also, can I expect any hatches in mid-January on that stretch of river, or should I start tying nymphs and wooly buggers? I really won't be able to get out until then. Thanks, Rob

Don't most of those people skinny dip? I don't know about you, but I don't wanna see phil naked at any place I fish, any time of the year. Rob

Went mid-October with a fly rod to Randolph County Conservation Area (by Chester, IL). Used streamers (#8 wooly buggers and mohairs, mainly black, brown, and olive), stripping bead head crackle-backs, and tossing #12-16 nymphs under a strike indicator (hare's ear or shiny things). The key was to find where the fish where, catch a few, and switch presentations. Stripping buggers and cracklebacks: let them sink to 1-2 feet, or just above the school, and start stripping. Keep it steady, but if you see a reluctant fish following, strip it faster. Reaction strike will follow. For the Nymphs, peg them under an indicator (or bobber) even with the school, let it sink, and move it a couple of inches. Probably caught over 40 each day. 2# only matters for the slower presentations (slow strips and idicator rigs). You can probably get away with 4# for average-faster stripping. Best guess for a spinning rod, if you want to use artificials: rooster tails (black/yellow and white always produce), and tinsel, marabou and mini jigs, jigged or fished under a cork. Rob

Liking the Sandstorm Links. Close to Papyrus, but a little different, in a good way. Rob

Ive seen this game before and played the demo, but i was too stingy to pay $25 for this thing. I tried to cheat the demo by fishing behind the RESTART screen: you can still cast and fish behind it, along with select flies, tippet, ... Just remeber not to click DONE to exit out of the flybox window or any other window. But, even if you do catch your 2# fish and another fish, it will not let you advance. I have played demos similar to this before, that forgot to not let you advance, and i unlocked the entire game without purchasing the full version. Still, a good game, and I liked it. The best fly-fishing game that I have played as of yet. Rob

I'm with 3wt all the way: No to dredging!! There are more fish in those shallow riffles at the head of the holes than you could possibly imagine. Get a pair of polarized sunglasses ($10 @ Walmart), look for the fish in the current, and get down to them with a nymph. They seem eager to hit and fight harder with the strong current. There are a lot of them in there, it just takes a while to figure out where they are (normally tight to the bottom or in any current break, sometimes right against the weeds). Other than that, just be ready. The fish will spit it out before you even know they bit, but they do this almost every time. Sorry if I wasted anyones time. Rob