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2. Fly Tying
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3. Time for some light-hearted Advice

I was reading some posts on another site earlier this week. I read someones little saying beneath their signature and it said "I tried to think but nothing happened". This was fortuitous and here is what happened. Some Chinese 6wt Fly line arrived and I didn't know what to think of it as I have zero experience with any fly line but the price was right so the order was placed. I went online to see what others had to say about quality concerns regarding these foreign supplies. My oh my we battered the quality up and down and spewed all kinds of comments maligning the Chinese products up and down. Finally the day came and the new Chinese fly line was installed on an inexpensive fly reel and sure enough the line was just plain junk. Out on the water it couldn't cast my #18 nymph, 1/16 split shot and indicator 20'. Anger came over me, why did I fall for the old "what can go wrong with cheap stuff trick"? Well I bit my lip and shelved it for a couple days. Today I watched some famous old guy from Penn State say that he uses a double tapered line. That is when it dawned on me; my cheapo line was WF. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Uh Huh!
I had installed it backwards and of course I was lucky to make twenty'.
That's my story.

Hi Baron-

Interesting. So, how far were you able to cast the line once you had properly reinstalled it on your reel?

In my excitement I went to the driveway to test it and easily, in near darkness, was able to cast it two-three times the length of my extended cab pickup. When I get to the Bushkill Creek, and stand on the old mill dam, I bet I'll be laying it out flat 40' or more. Thats more than enough for the little creeks I fish.

I'm still laughing.

I've yet to catch a trout during the 2 or 3 times I've tried it. But I was in heaven the other night when fishing a Pheasant Tail across lily pads and spawning bluegills. I threw them all back but in an hours time I probably caught 25 with 10-12 being easily over 8".

Next week I'll be in Bear Lake UT/ID and hope to get into small feeder stream trout there.

Is there a way to have an alert to sent to my email when I have replies?

Hi Don-

Under User Setting, you have "Get an email alert when you receive a new private message?" check-marked, so assuming you have entered your email address correctly, there should be an email in your Inbox folder (or Junk folder) as a result of my previous reply.

"But I was in heaven the other night when fishing a Pheasant Tail across lily pads and spawning bluegills. I threw them all back but in an hours time I probably caught 25 with 10-12 being easily over 8"."

Nothing like a pond full of big 'gills for practicing one's fly fishing techniques. I call it a "live fire exercise". A neophyte buddy of mine came up a few years ago with a fellow veteran of the fly rod, and we took the newbie panfishing first so he could actually catch something before we exposed him to a trout stream. He caught five big fat (8-9") sunnies on a fly rod, then of course nothing on the trout stream his first time out. Well, he lives on a lake full of nice panfish and bass so he can "practice" off his dock anytime...for fish up to and including a 19" smallmouth I once pulled onto his dock, on a freakin' 3-weight no less!

Enjoy your trout fishing, but never leave those bass and bluegills behind. "Comfort fishing"!

Tight lines with whatever is pulling on the other end,

Jonathon

I was out Nymphing this morning on the Martins Creek. Beautiful Day. Lots of flies in air had the fish rising and of course I only had Nymphs with me. I still yet have to catch any trout on my flyrod, but I'm going to keep trying, mending my way as I go. I don't know if my presentation is wrong or if it is the type of nymph. I know that if I switch to the spinning reel and an egg I will have hits. But for now need to stick it out and learn this Fly business.

IN THE MEANTIME IF YOU ARE A BLUGILL AVOID ME!