Entries by Reed F. Curry

Recently I submitted a petition for a rule change to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. This change, should it be implemented, will radically alter the fishing - both in terms of technique and impact upon the fisheries - of a number of fine streams currently designated as "Fly Fishing Only" in this State. I hope that the fly fishermen of NH will give it their support; however, I am also curious whether readers in other States and countries find the concept of "Traditional Fly Fishing Only" useful.

Of course, petitions do not necessarily resemble the final presentation to the public; nor the rule as implemented. However, the substance of the petition is as follows:

Petition for Adoption of Rules – New Rule for Fly Fishing Only Streams

Pursuant to RSA 541-A:4, the undersigned hereby petitions the State of New Hampshire, Department of Fish and Game, to modify the regulations for existing flowing waters currently designated as “Fly Fishing Only” (FFO) to be upgraded to a new designation of “Traditional Fly Fishing Only” (TFFO) and to add such additional waters as it determines may benefit from the new designation.

In this brief, we will endeavor to present the myriad benefits of a different approach to Fly Fishing Only than exists under our current rules. Through Traditional Fly Fishing, as defined below, large sections of many of our current FFO designated rivers and streams will become sanctuaries for large trout - growing trophies and reducing the need for intensive, and expensive, stocking.

The Concept of Trout Sanctuaries

Until 1991-1992, the FFO sections of New Hampshire rivers had a conservation purpose that no other angling type presented. Because no weight was allowed on line, leader, or fly, the trout in fast water or deep pools never had the fly presented directly to them, it was always passing overhead. Even with an intermediate line, the leader and fly would seldom get deeper than six inches in fast water. Of course, in some back eddies the fly might go deeper, but for the most part, large trout had those waters as "sanctuaries". Lee Wulff, a former member of the NH F&G Commission and renowned writer, defined and promoted this concept of trout sanctuary in his book "Lee Wulff on Flies" (Stackpole, 1980):

“… we can break fly-fishing down into several classifications, depending upon technique. The first classification is surface fly-fishing, with floating lines and no weight of any kind, in the fly or on the line. The second classification is intermediate fly-fishing, in which weighted flies or sinking-tip fly lines are used, but no attached weight, such as split-shot or sinkers. The third classification is unlimited fly-fishing, in which lead-core sinking lines, weights and sinkers, and weighted flies (and perhaps spinners) are used.

Of the three classifications of fly-fishing, surface fly-fishing is the most difficult way of taking trout and all the classifications of fly-fishing are more difficult than spinning. With surface fly-fishing all the fish have to be brought to the surface for the lure, and all the deep flowing water is sanctuary for the fish. Any trout caught by surface fly-fishing leaves the sanctuary of its own volition, and unless it leaves, it cannot be caught. This eliminates the drifting of a lure right into the trout’s holding level and almost right into its mouth, so that simple curiosity as much as hunger may cause it to mouth the lure. The intermediate fly-fishing classification gives the angler a greater advantage and allows him to drift his flies deeper in the flow, where most of the feeding by the trout is done. The unlimited fly-fishing classification lets an angler have maximum advantage, allowing him to reach the fish at their holding level, and this is particularly deadly on big fish.”


Thomas McGuane, an internationally famous outdoor writer and novelist, wrote in "Live Water" (Meadow Run Press, 1996):

“In a perfect world, fishing with split shot on the leader wouldn't be fly fishing at all. Neither would monofilament nymphing and maybe even shooting heads. Lee Wulff said that the fish is entitled to the sanctuary of deep water. That's where most of us used to set the bar in trout fishing. We fished on top and tried to devise ways of catching big fish that way, fishing at night, fishing with greater stealth, hunting remote places that rarely saw an angler.”


John Gierach, a modern writer on the subject of fly fishing and the author of many books, wrote in "Good Flies" (Lyons Press, 2002):

“I still do my share of dredging with weight on the leader – sometimes lots of weight, as much as it takes – but in the past few years I’ve tried to do it more sparingly. If there’s anything wrong with this kind of nymph fishing, it’s that it can be too effective. Lee Wulff once said that trout deserve the sanctuary of deep water, and I can’t help thinking about that every time I nip three split shot onto my leader and dredge up a fish that might have started rising in an hour or two if I’d left him alone. Maybe there was a time when this didn’t make too much difference, but with the crowds you now see on popular rivers – not to mention the beat-up trout you sometimes catch – maybe the idea of letting the fish hide, rest, or feed undisturbed from time to time is worth thinking about.”

So, the concept of sanctuary for trout is neither new, nor logically inconsistent as a practice beneficial to the growth and preservation of large trout.

Benefits of Traditional Fly Fishing Only Designation

The introduction of Traditional Fly Fishing Only waters will have sporting, practical, environmental, fiscal, and social benefits to the State of New Hampshire. These include, but are not limited to:

• Free advertising of New Hampshire waters in fishing magazines, journals, and the Internet as sportsmen explore and debate the concept of TFFO.


• Fly shops will realize an increase in sales of flies and fly-tying materials that meet the criteria of TFFO.


• Guide services will flourish as newcomers require guides to instruct them on casting and fishing in the traditional manner.


• Spin fishermen will warmly accept the new regulations. The current FFO regulations allow the use of jigs (Clouser minnows, conehead Muddlers) and other weighted flies which are more safely and easily cast with spinning gear; thus fishermen using a spinning rod justifiably question the fairness of FFO rather than ALO. Since the flies used in Traditional Fly Fishing are too light to cast with spinning tackle, the equity of the new designation will be apparent.


• Trout will grow larger in the safety of their “sanctuaries”.


• The added cachet of TFFO will resonate with new fly fishermen and the similarity to the fishing prior to 1992 will be attractive to the old-timers.”


• The Department of Fish and Game will save money in stocking, as the number of fish caught per angler day will be less, but the satisfaction with each catch will be greater.


• The fishermen who adopt Traditional Fly Fishing methods will be possessive of their waters and will police them themselves, calling upon Conservation Officers as necessary. Thus no additional enforcement checks will be required.


• Only FFO flowing waters need be altered to TFFO, as ponds and lakes would not realize the same benefits as rivers and streams.

Proposed Definitions for Traditional Fly Fishing Only Waters:

Artificial Fly for Traditional Fly Fishing – In waters designated Traditional Fly Fishing Only, a fly shall be constructed on a single hook with a single point dressed with any or all of the following: feathers, fur, hairs, wool, cotton and other grasses, silk, metal tinsel not greater in thickness than five thousands of an inch, rayon or nylon thread or floss. Resin, gum, and nitrocellulose varnishes and lacquers may be applied to the thread of the fly. Epoxy and other synthetic adhesives may not be used. The hook shall have no additional weight affixed, including but not limited to: hooks, natural bait, molded weight, beads, coneheads, dumbbells, spinners, spoons or similar devices.

Traditional Fly Fishing - A technique for fishing where the weight of the line is used to cast a very light-weight fly that would not be heavy enough to be cast with a spinning or casting rod. No additional weight may be affixed to fly, leader, or line. The line shall be either a floating fly line, or an intermediate fly line with a sink rate of less than one inch per second, to which a leader of Nylon or silkworm gut is affixed. The rod shall be one designed for fly fishing and the reel shall be a single-action fly reel. The fly shall conform to the definition of Artificial Fly for Traditional Fly Fishing (above). No more than three such flies individually attached to the leader may be used. Dropper flies must be attached to the leader by Nylon or silkworm gut droppers no less than eighteen inches apart.

Clearly, Traditional Fly Fishing Only will bring attention to the finest fishing waters in New Hampshire, both from resident fishermen and out-of-state anglers. The additional challenge and prestige of catching trout under TFFO conditions will increase angler count on the waters, but decrease actual angling pressure on the fish.


The Petitioner thanks you for your thoughtful consideration of the above and looks forward to your response.

*********

Readers, let me know what you think, either by submitting a comment to this post or by email at reedc@overmywaders.com.
Thank you.

The Concept of Trout Sanctuaries

 

Until 1992, the "Fly Fishing Only" rivers and streams in Maine and New Hampshire had a conservation purpose that no other angling type presented. Because no weight was allowed on line, leader, or fly, the trout holding in fast water or the bottoms of deep pools seldom had the fly presented directly to them, it was always passing overhead. Even with an intermediate line, the leader and fly would seldom get deeper than six inches in fast water. Of course, in some back eddies the fly might be drawn deeper, but for the most part, large trout had those waters as "sanctuaries". Lee Wulff, a former member of the NH F&G Commission and renowned writer, defined and promoted this concept of trout sanctuary in his book "Lee Wulff on Flies" (Stackpole, 1980):

 

“… we can break fly-fishing down into several classifications, depending upon technique. The first classification is surface fly-fishing, with floating lines and no weight of any kind, in the fly or on the line. The second classification is intermediate fly-fishing, in which weighted flies or sinking-tip fly lines are used, but no attached weight, such as split-shot or sinkers. The third classification is unlimited fly-fishing, in which lead-core sinking lines, weights and sinkers, and weighted flies (and perhaps spinners) are used.

Of the three classifications of fly-fishing, surface fly-fishing is the most difficult way of taking trout and all the classifications of fly-fishing are more difficult than spinning. With surface fly-fishing all the fish have to be brought to the surface for the lure, and all the deep flowing water is sanctuary for the fish. Any trout caught by surface fly-fishing leaves the sanctuary of its own volition, and unless it leaves, it cannot be caught. This eliminates the drifting of a lure right into the trout’s holding level and almost right into its mouth, so that simple curiosity as much as hunger may cause it to mouth the lure. The intermediate fly-fishing classification gives the angler a greater advantage and allows him to drift his flies deeper in the flow, where most of the feeding by the trout is done. The unlimited fly-fishing classification lets an angler have maximum advantage, allowing him to reach the fish at their holding level, and this is particularly deadly on big fish.”

My fishing vest must weigh thirty pounds. It contains enough aircraft-aluminum fly boxes that, in need, I could flatten them and assemble a Boeing 747, with enough left over for a Cessna or two. Add to that my Oxygen tank and you understand my ads in the Pennysaver for three on-call Gillies or one Sherpa-lite.

Well, thanks to the folks at DARPA (whose last known useful invention was the Internet -- and we know how that turned out) and Boston Dynamics, my Uber-Gillie is now available.

A friend, and superb fly-tier, was lamenting to me today that whenever he used duck quills he could always find plenty of usable quills on the left wing, but fewer on the right. Immediately I understood the complete global implications of this information -- ducks don't actually migrate, but their stronger left wing causes them to fly in very large circles, of which we only detect the resting points...

I don't have close friends - not, at least, when I am fly fishing. There was one fellow I was attached to for quite some time, but we were finally able to extract the hook. He has since kept his distance...

For those who are unfamiliar with the Pisscalator concept, the purpose of the invention is to allow a gentleman angler to continue fishing when the water in which he was standing is deep, and the fluid in his bladder is registering "FULL". No longer will it be necessary for the devoted fisherman to wade back to shore, find a convenient (and discrete) tree, and partially disrobe in order to respond to Nature's urgent call -- the Pisscalator allows the fisherman to blithely catch and enjoy “release” simultaneously.

My first three prototypes of the Pisscalator presented design issues that would have made them less than marketable, though not always lethal. However, the Pisscalator “Mark IV” incorporates a radically new design. While the previous prototypes used external force to pump or suction the fluid away...

Some people are at their best when they're not breathing. Now, I don't wish any harm to them - just a cessation of the respiratory process. Especially when they sleep. Most especially when they sleep in a cabin ... in the woods ... with me ... during a bitter northern winter...

While wandering the aisles of my local fly shop in search of a half-price sale on Blue Chatterer - or Condor Quills three-for-a-dollar - I encountered a rack of chest-high fishing waders ornamented with a waterproof zipper in the front. Imagine, I thought, being able to stand up to your waist in fast water, thirty feet (but twenty minutes of wading) from shore, and you can relieve yourself without problems! But how did they design it so that you can unzip without water pouring in?

As I pondered that question, a thought surfaced in my mind, wallowed for a moment (disoriented in the unfamiliar environment) and then fled. But this momentary flash of insight was sufficient to provide a simple solution to that ageless angling dilemma – male incontinence midstream.

Eric Reaves is an avid fly fisherman - that should be recommendation enough - yet he also has twenty years of cartooning experience, having spent the last thirteen years drawing the comic strip, “GARFIELD”, for Jim Davis. In the industry Eric is termed a “ghost” – an essential part of a creative team of inkers and writers that produce the most widely syndicated comic strip in history. As well, Eric recently received the 2007 Hoosier State Press Association's- “Editorial Cartoonist of the Year” for his superb editorial cartoons.

A few months ago, Eric and I decided to try an amalgam, written and graphic, of our humor work. Eric took some of my humor pieces and enhanced them, - nay, completed them - with his delightful interpretations of my words.

I hope you fully enjoy the works that follow. For more of Eric's illustrations see Eric Reave's Art

Feathers are the mainstay of the fly tier. The hackles of a dry fly, the wings and tails of most wet, dry, and streamer flies -- all of these use the feathers of birds gathered from dozens of countries and climes. The colors are sometimes subtle, sometimes dazzling. But what I do not see when I run my hands over a Silver Pheasant skin, is the ultraviolet light reflected from the surface - and those reflected wavelengths may be crucial to the effectiveness of the fly I tie.

Just as trout are now known to have vision in the Ultraviolet as well as the visible human spectrum, birds are now being examined for both their UV reflecting plumage and their UV vision. For example, an extensive study of forest songbirds discovered that even when the male and female were identical in color in the visible spectrum, their plumage was markedly different when examined for UV reflectance. Unfortunately, the scientific study of UV reflective plumage and its effect on the mating pattern of birds has just begun - we do not yet have access to the UV characteristics of most of the bird species used in fly tying.

Humans see their world through trichromatic vision - visual input is represented by the colors Red, Green, and Blue, and their millions of combinations. For centuries scientists thought that most of the animal world shared a similar ocular capability - either within man's visible color spectrum or in Black and White. With H. Mueller's proof in 1854 that photoreception occurs in the rods and cones of the eye, steps toward a scientific understanding of human and animal vision began. However, it was not until 1959 that physiological research confirmed that the human retina contains three types of cones, each most responsive to a different wavelength of light, with some overlapping response curves.[1] More recently, it was discovered that mature rainbow trout have a fourth cone - for Ultraviolet - providing a vision capability that had been previously detected in smolts but presumed lost as the fish matured.[2]

Ultraviolet light, the non-visible wavelengths below 400 nm, was discovered by Ritter in 1801, but little recognition was given to it in terms of its effect on animal behavior until 1980 (though some research was done on minnows as early as 1924).

If you are reading this, it is likely that you are not a trout. Oh, you may share 95% of your DNA with a distant relation, Salmo trutta, who is finning quietly in a sun-dappled pool in the Carpathians... but you can never share the world he sees.

For thousands of years man has tied flies to fool trout, and for much of that period we have attempted to "match the hatch" with an artificial that had just the right shade of pink or olive in the body, the proper dun in the hackle. We hold the natural mayfly in the sunlight alongside our imitation and give a primal grunt of satisfaction - the colors match perfectly.

However, there is more to see. For millions of years, the lowly trout, through his ultraviolet sensitive vision, has been observing brilliant markings on the natural insects that form his diet - markings invisible to the human eye...

I am faster than a six-year old at burrowing through wrapping and foam peanuts to get at a present. Imagine then my childlike delight when I drew from the depths of an oversize box one of my favorite examples of photographic art, tastefully framed and matted in a shadowbox treatment by Nathan Kennedy of TVAngler.com.

Click on thumbnail to display larger image

At last, this talented Southern gentleman has decided to make his photographic work available to the public as part of a fly-tier's shadowbox.

Consider these few lines a very modest expression of gratitude that folks like Nathan are providing us with new ways to reflect upon our sport during these long winter days.

Sincerely,

Reed

Is it possible that a fly as well-known, much-loved, and universally effective as the "Royal Wulff" could have a questionable past? Yes, not only possible, but probable. Many anglers believe that this paragon of dries was born, not from the imagination of Lee Wulff, as he claimed in later life, but through the work of others...but decide for yourself.

I never wish to cause needless suffering to others - this is not an apology to my grade school teachers or my childhood compadre Wayne (I didn't get him stuck, and the pipe looked big enough - certainly the two fire-truck response was excessive) - but as I wander about this planet I will cause some harm to plants, animals, and, regrettably, even Man.

Can I defend my actions which result in the death of living creatures? Certainly, as I always endeavor to make any necessary mortality as swift and pain-free as possible. If I catch a fish and it is edible and legal to harvest, that fish will probably die quickly and be eaten with rejoicing (and strips of bacon, perhaps some lemon or lime...). It is inevitable that creatures must die that others may live - we call this the food chain. I don't gloat that I hold the top position of this chain, because there are many instances in which I would not, e.g., naked on the ice-pack confronting a hungry polar bear, swimming with tiger sharks off Perth, AU, while bleeding profusely... But, more to the point, this body is headed for the bottom of the food-chain someday, so I like to show respect as I go up the chain, and hope it is returned when I go back down.

I have had the great pleasure to enjoy two creations that are near perfect for the purposes for which they were born - two angling journals that, through a combination of art and information, are a continual delight.

The first is a fly fishing magazine from Italy, unlike any bi-monthly fly fishing journal you may have seen, called "Sedge & Mayfly".

To properly appreciate this publication, I will lead you through it using photos of an issue chosen at random. The photo quality doesn't do justice to the original, but I trust it is sufficient to serve as a temptation for the reader to explore further for himself.

The cover of a typical issue [Click on any of the thumbnails to see a larger image.] Note the curious absence of phallic images - large salmonids protruding from the crotches of impeccably coiffed, meticulously dressed fly fishermen.

"And about time, too", I thought. Just two days ago Eve had broken the tip of my favorite 9' 5wt. rod, a masterpiece in split cane, while trying to knock some fruit out of a tree. As if there wasn't plenty of low-hanging fruit; but the fruit salad surprise she made for us that evening had been delicious. Then yesterday she grabbed the other tip for a "curtain rod".

"What is a curtain for?", I asked.

"It keeps people from looking in our house."

"But there is no one to look."

"Go fishing, Adam...", she sighed. That I understood. She's a good woman, I suppose, though I don't have any others for comparison. So, I went fishing.

I usually try to catch the evening rise on the Pison, there is a medium size mayfly that is quite dependable for a two hour hatch. My fishing buddy, Jehovah, enjoys the Garden in the cool of the evening. He will sit on the bank for hours, watching His bobber and talking about all manner of things, as I work the slightly faster water with a #16 Sulphur (dry, of course). I realized yesterday that Jehovah is a bait fisherman - funny I never noticed that before. I must talk to Him about that, I'm not sure I want to be seen in the company of a bait fisherman. Hey, there I go! Who would see us?...

We hear of the joys of casting cane fly rods, and some even wax poetic about the sound of a silk line slipping through the guides, but many fly fishermen believe that cane rods and silk lines can't cast a long distance. Olaf Borge of Viroqua, Wisconsin (a.k.a., "The Silk Line Pimp") felt it was time to enlighten the new breed of fly fishermen to the tremendous casting abilities of the silk line/cane rod pairing.

Taking advantage of the Cane Rodmakers Gathering at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum, Livingston Manor, NY on September 8th and 9th of this year, Olaf threw out a challenge to the assembled makers and cane enthusiasts to counter the challenge presented by the Cortland Line Co. (see 1st International Rodmakers and Casting Challenge Rules.)

Here were the rules:

Phoenix Silk fly line
Bamboo Rod Maker, casting, Challenge Trophy held
at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum
September 8th and 9th, 2007

Since Silk fly lines were, and often still are, the natural choice of cane rod fishermen; and since the plastic fly line provided for the “1st International Rodmakers and Casting Challenge” is named “SYLK” it would seem appropriate that a counter challenge should be offered by a true silk fly line manufacturer.

That challenge is to cast a true modern oiled-Silk fly line of the same AFTMA weight designation, further, under the same conditions, than the modern plastic “SYLK” line.

The rods used will be the bamboo rods selected for the “International Challenge Finals”. The casters and casting format will be the same as the “International Challenge Finals”.

Casters will use a Phoenix WF 5 silk fly line, with appropriate leader and fly, provided by Phoenix Silk Fly Lines and Olaf Borge.

The Phoenix silk fly line award will be presented to the caster, rod combination that casts the furthest in this endeavor.

And furthermore a Phoenix Silk Fly Line, of the winners choice, will be awarded to the rodmaker and caster combination who casts further than any rod cast with the “SYLK” fly line in this contest.

And now (drumroll) the results of the competition...