hydropsyche

I want to double what Gary says. I'm not one of the "sage is the rage" crowd. They are sweet rods, but it doesn't begin and end there. There are probably a lot of hidden jewels out there and although I have never cast any of the rods he mentions, for some reason, it sounds like he knows what he's talking about. His advice on slow(er) also sounds sound. If you are going to get a lighter rod, why get a fast action? It kind of defeats the purpose. I have an ultra fast 3wt and I can land (and lose) fish like its a 6 wt. Anyway, I think Gary has some "sage" advice.

Squatcher, I like it. Sung to the tune "Hotel California" It was a misty morning, casting to the rise An eagle from above, dove down to my prize With his claws extended, a display of might a spray of commotion, and a fleeting fight As he rose in the distance, he called out to all Was it a prayer, or an ode to the fall A trail of droplets, lead away to the trees The horizon swaying, in time with the breeze As the ripples faded, I thought with a sigh "I should have used an Adams before that :$*%&: came by....."

What a cool saying. To hell with "tight lines" (sorry, Jeremie), this is way better!!!!! Rickr. Right on, on all counts. My comment about taking out the trash was a joke (or course). Sundance, thanks for the post (Atlantics, Lobster). I had no idea.

I've never heard of airsoft before. Cool. So how is one marked as being "hit"? BWT, you guys look more like a SWAT team then Tali-bandits. Hidding in the bushes to rid the bow of ganstas, eh? (...trying to stay on topic....)

So, is that what the paint ball boys are wearing these days??

That third dude is scary. Is that a gun tripod I see in the background?

I didn't confuse the two. I just pointed out that the success and proliferation of AMP's may adversely affect the success of this and any future letter campaigns. From the link given: "Missing from the Photo but these people also contributed greatly: Dave Narver, BC Wildlife Federation, Paul Bech, Steelhead Society, " I'm assuming the Steelhead Society is the one and the same. This doesn't mean they are for the AMP. They may be a voice against. Does anyone know their stance? Here nor there, this was a hijack from the original intent of the thread and I'm sorry. I'll shut-up now.

MOE makes it offical but I doubt they were the instigator. I found a good website that shows who the movers and shakers are. http://www.noelgyger.ca/quality-waters.htm = link

What have you done lately for the good of the manatee? Just Kidding!!! My point is human nature is human nature and the crafters of the AMP should consider human nature for what it is. Who knows, if/when the AMP becomes a gold mine, the government might then pay attention (politicians being human too) because $ and votes count to them, not the plight of the manatee. However, if the river banks are empty, no one will be writting letters. There is no way I'm suggesting we spite the steelhead for personal gain. Heck, we should all be writing letters for environmental reasons at the least. Likewise, the BCSS, when crafting the AMP, should not be thinking about personal gain. I'm not suggesting they are, but again, human nature is human nature and guides are human too.

This just goes to show the old adage "The more friends a river has, the better" is true. Does it matter where the friends come from? The recent rush to AMP's only serves to reduce the number of friends a river has. To come onto this board to ask those targeted for exclusion to come to the rescue is....I can't seem to find the right word for it. Yes. I care about the plight of the Steelhead. I also care about the plight of the Manatee but with the AMP coming on board, they both have about the same relevance to me.

Very sweet looking. If I ever see one of those rhea birdies walking by, I'm gonna tackle the mo-fo.

That is cool. Ugly as hell, but really cool. I hope it lasts longer then a dozen flies!

...Hey, Bullwinkle.....what the $^*$&^$&^ was that?

Thats what I thought but for some reason, only $40 more here and only $20 more there and it always ended up going way over. But you're right. If you just want to build a rod and don't care if its the best it could be, you can get really cheap (but good) blanks. Thats where most of the cost is.

I suggest going to fishtales because they will make sure you have the right reel seat, cork, guides, etc. You can get that stuff on line but having someone to talk to about it goes a long way. If its your first rod and you don't care about the size of it when its broken down, a 2 piece would be easier because you don't have as many furle wraps and guide spacing would be a bit more straigh forward. Expect to pay at least $200-250. Add on the stuff you need to put it together (jig, maybe a cork honer, expoxy and a book on how to do it) and you're getting closer to $300. However, depending on the blank you decide on, the rod could be worth 500-700. I've only built DanCraft as I think you get the best bang for your buck with those blanks. Since you are building you own rod, you pick the components (and decide where to spend your $). Some are cosmetic and some are functional. Reel seat is mostly cosmetic. It holds the reel. Good cork will last longer, but its still somewhat cosmetic. I think guides are probably the most important thing you can upgrade from a functional point of view. I recommend Recoil single footed guides. They cost more but you can bend them in a circle and they will "recoil" back to shape. Single foot equals less weight and resistance as they are only afixed on one side. Think of it this way. If a diver jumps off a diving board, it will spring him up ten feet. Tie a 50lb sack to the bottom of that board and he won't be able to get 10 ft, plus the board will continue bouncing long after he's in the water. You want your rod to recover quickly/stop bouncing. So, the lighter the quides (and the less expoxy on it), the better the recovery. And yes. A novice a build can decent rod. Just measure twice and glue once.

WHERE DO YOU FLY FISH?: LARGE LAKES_____ SALTWATER_____ STILLWATERS__x___ STREAMS__x___ RIVERS___x___ FLY RODS: HOW MANY "REGULARLY USED RODS" DO YOU OWN?:__3__ (This information will NOT be relayed to any other member of your family !) REGULARLY USED FLY ROD CONFIGURATIONS: LINE WEIGHT # OF PIECES LENGTH ACTION(M-moderate) (MF-mod-fast) (F-fast) -_____6______ ____4___ ____9____ ___MF (DanCraft Sig V) -_____3______ ___4___ _____8.5___ ___Uber Fast (DanCraft FT) -_____1_____ ___2___ _____7___ ___MF (DanCraft Sig III) Obviously, I like DanCraft. IF you had the opportunity to have THE ULTIMATE FLY ROD built for you, what would be the configuration? Line Weight: ____3_____ # of Pieces:___3___ Length:____10ft_____ Action:____MF_____ Additional notes: 3wt because I like light rods. 3 piece because I think 4 might be too much and 2 is too little (big when broken down), 10ft for nymphing and flicking ability, plus it would help when sitting in a toon, MF for casting and fighting feel. I believe a rod doesn't have to be heavy to land big fish, as long as I can trust it won't break on me. If I'm into a big honker, I just have to make sure I don't put too much bend in the rod and make sure I use butt to land it. So to me, this would be the rod I would use for most fishing situations I find myself in.

Have you ever heard of Jason Becker? Check out all his youtube vids and I think you'd agree this man was one of the most awesome shredders that ever hit the stage. It's too bad he got ALS at a young age. Sorry for the hijack.

Me too...taken this year....(Pentax Optio 43 WR)

Those are some picture I *don't* want to see.

You guys make me sick. Great stories. I really wish I had one to share......

Yes.....you are. After 24 yrs in the Army, you deserve it. Good on ya. And Thank You.

I was looking for them too. No one told me playing a real guitar was so gawd damn hard!!! It sure does create a new appreciation when I'm listening to tunes now.

I think Pythagoras has a winner there. Nice shots from everyone. I love looking at fishing (and other) pics. This is not a great picture but I thought I'd share it. Its a typical Livingstone Cutt. Really beat up.

Alnico Humbuckers.

I got something anti-fishing. I bet it will cut into my tying time "A Major". RGX-A2 Reviews...despite what it looks like, this thing is not a toy. Who knows, it might actually help if I can convert my shredding techniques to tying techniques.