Kayser

All you need is a small hackled hook, so that you could slide on one of those grubs, or something like it. If its permanantly attached, then it counts as a fly, and can't be used in zone 3. If it's scented, it can't be used in Zone 1 or 2. So basically, it's kinda tough to find a loophole. On the other hand, those small grasshoppers in the park would probably be pretty exciting on top in the riffles. Rob

Looks a lot like a golden redhorse. Could be some other type of sucker, but I'm pretty sure. Rob

Just great. Here I am, a senior, and no real way to prolong my time in high school. Well, maybe I could be a coach or something... Rob

I'll be down this weekend. Heading down Saturday morning and comin back Sunday. Rob

Wow, I really didnt expect that much info on lines. Thanks everybody. Would any of the lines suggested be good for throwing a #8 conehead streamer (slumpbusters & wooly buggers)? That's my "go to" when nothing else works. Rob

Thanks for all the info- I'll have to check out a bunch of those. Gonna try to get it before a trip to Montauk this week. Rob

Just finished building my first rod- an 8.5', 5 piece, 5wt rod (the Stowaway-5 from Cabelas.) Mainly got it for close-up nymphing and streamers. The only problem is that I don't have a decent line to couple it with. I really like the SA Mastery Distance GPX (I think) that came with a barely used 4wt. I mostly fish the upper Current, so there are a lot of mid-range casts. Just looking to see if there is a better choice for this rod before I go off and spend the money. Rob

I've seen them sold at almost any store with a trout section, under the name of Super Dupers. This includes Wal-Marts and the Montauk and Bennett Springs lodges, or anywhere else near trout water, for that matter. Never used one, but those who I have seen using them seem to do well. Rob

I'm jealous of anyone who got out today. I'm layed up sick in Illinois. Rob

69% or something like that. Not so good on the beetles. Rob

That last one is a good lookin fly. Might have to make a couple if I still have barbell eyes. Rob

RedOakMo- are you upstream or downstream of Mill Rock, and how far? I might know the cabin(s) you are talking about. Since it was a river, I guess there could've been an early settlement there, but the cabins mightve just been some old fishing/hunting cabins that people owned as a getaway, like mine. Besides, a town wouldve probably been located in the river bottom, close to the river, where it was easy to build and farm. Rob

Thought about goin today, but woke up too late and the ice was already rotten. Hopin the lakes will thaw this weekend so some good ice can form. Rob BTW- anyone ever tried for catfish through the ice? I caught one last winter on accident (unexpected bite), and was curious if it would be worthwhile to target them.

I thought that they were escapees when I hooked em, but they lacked the scarring on the nose and fins typical of hatcery fish. Specially the bow- full pink fins with sharp, white tips. Oh well, just a nice little surprise. Rob

When I fished this summer, I pulled a 4" bow and a 5" brown from behind the same rock in about 10" of water. No scars, full fins, beautiful colors. Curious where they might've come from. Also saw some trophy sized fish, a few of them rainbows. Hard to spot and even harder to get a bite without spooking em. Rob

A couple of stories to share: Though not at Bennett, I had a water snake try to crawl up my leg in the middle of the Current River. Knew what it was, just didnt want it on me. My dad tells this story of how he was digging for nightcrawlers along the Bourbuese. You know, the BIG nightcrawlers. He turned over a shovel-full of sand, and here was enough bait to last him all day. So, before they can get away, he reaches down to catch the 8-10...Baby copperheads. A fine story of the bait almost biting back. Rob

Go small, go slow. The bluegill are biting (when the ice clears out), as are the crappie in a local farm pond. The water is about 15-20 ft deep at the deepest, but the fish are 4'-5' deep around drop-offs in 4'-10' of water. Small (1/120-1/60 oz) pink jigheads with white thread bodies tipped with a waxworm. The crappie like a 1/2"-3/4" sparse marabou tail with a short collar (with a waxworm). Bass have been 1-5' deep along sunny rockpiles with wind, hitting small suspending jerkbaits. Hope this helps, Rob

I was somewhat interested in becoming a fly-fishing guide last winter, but that idea got lost in all of the confusion that is exams. Before I go off to college, my parents have told me to go to one, because I will regret it if I don't. So, does anyone here have any recommendations as to which school would be a good choice? Looking for something between here and 75 miles on the other side of the continental divide(Baisically nothing in CA, WA, OR, AK), that is a GUIDE school for fishermen, not a FISHING school for beginners. Thanks in advance, Rob

It's that time of year again, when the small ponds freeze over leaving unsuspecting panfish everywhere open to attack. Anybody else planning on going out into the winter wonderland for mid-winter fun? Care to reveal hard-water secrets to the rest of us? Rob

There is a lake here in So. IL that is stocked each fall. I use some #12 BH-HE 1-2' below a small indicator- no weight. Cast, count to 20, twitch, count to 10, twitch, 10, twitch... Repeat. Stripping cracklebacks and wooly buggers works well too. Use the unweighted flies and you can "wake" thm right under the surface. Fish will crush the fly, so keep your rod parallel to the water, about 2-3' off the surface. The slack loop absobs the shock from the hit, and the line won't break as often. I can usually outfish natural bait as long as I keep changing flies or locations. Rob

I've got some chubs and shiners in the aquarium, and they eat tropical fish flakes, but the logperch won't touch the things. He only goes after stuff thats alive. It's perfectly fine. I don't take offense at anything that's typed or written unless its a blatent attack on me. Too hard to find a tone of voice online to get mad about anything. Rob

Mix flour and lemon pepper in a ziploc bag. Add gutted trout, shake to coat, let sit in bag to ensure thick breading. Add some oil to a large skillet. Fry over hot campfire. It's a good break from the traditional frying (or cold sandwiches and granola bars on the river). Lemon pepper goes good with the fishy-ness and spices it nicely, and the woodsmoke from the campfire helps the flavor too. Rob

Might be because the pollution from the chicken farm incident was concentrated in them (like DDT in eagles) and killed em off. Or locals might not be as tolerant of them (or just better armed). Also, I hate to say it, but paddles are very effective when one is trying to climb into the canoe with you. Rob

I live in Waterloo and hunt in Valmeyer. It mainly hit the older bucks in the area, but the farmers havent been seeing too many dead in the Waterloo-Valmeyer-Maeystown area (Thom should recognize these towns if he lived in Valmeyer). The only ones that have been found were those old bucks. Rob

They are pretty neat- mine likes to flip over rocks with his nose to find the worms i drop in for him. Fun to watch him hunt. But I did find quite a few in some riffles this summer- lot more fun to watch in the river than an aquarium. It might be because I can't get a good current in my aquarium. Rob