The Contemplative Angler

Reviews of "The New Scientific Angling - Trout and Ultraviolet Vision" are starting to come in

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2009-12-14T16:53:45Z

KB of Singlebarbed.com reviewed "The New Scientific Angling - Trout and Ultraviolet Vision" which he referred to as "The Ultimate Stocking Stuffer" (you'd need very large stockings). He graciously noted the following:

"There is an enormous amount of real meat for the angler, and the segment of greatest interest to me was the discussion of “pattern matching” that answers that most elemental of all questions, “Why do fish think this is food?”

...

The section on “the composite insect” and how it fits into a fish’s pattern recognition “database” is enough to send any fly tyer into a reproductive frenzy."

[Ed note: I'm not certain my psyche would survive witnessing fly tiers in "a reproductive frenzy" as most of the older fly tiers I know are rather craggy individuals.]

"… and while Reed answers more questions than he poses, it’s plain that both vision and perception suggest there is a great deal of unexplored territory left in the classic stalk and seduction of trout – and any other UV equipped gamefish.

This is a wonderful reference work for all anglers, likely to turn some of your notions about fly fishing on their ear. Careful study of the colors and their qualities under UV will assist in fly selection, clothing choice, and fishing qualities like retrieve and how depth may play into fly selection.

… and for the fly tier the color plates alone justify inclusion into your reference library. An essential book if you’re attempting to navigate the vendor offerings and add UV aids in insect imitations."

KB had many more interesting comments. See Singlebarbed.com for the full review.

Buy it now through Amazon.com

Well, it's about bloody time!

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2009-11-23T16:11:01Z

Yes, the book was supposed to be ready in September but hey, it's ready now! The fly-tying season is upon us, Christmas is set for December 25th this year, several planets are in alignment with something, if not each other, and the exciting volume "The New Scientific Angling - Trout and Ultraviolet Vision" is just a mouse-click away.

Buy It Now from Amazon.com

Trout see a world invisible to man -- the world of ultraviolet light.
You can now meet them in that world. Through abundant photographs and clear text the author illuminates the remarkable distinctions between the vision of man and the broader vision of trout, revealing for the first time flies, fly tying materials, and insects in both visible light and reflected ultraviolet light.

In this groundbreaking work, the author presents recent scientific discoveries in the understanding of trout vision and illustrates how these discoveries benefit the discerning scientific angler. Complementing the text and photos are the drawings and cartoons of Eric Reaves - longtime cartoonist for Jim Davis of the "Garfield" comic strip.

The New Scientific Angling

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2009-08-21T14:51:40Z

Due in October of 2009 is "The New Scientific Angling" an exciting new book about trout and ultraviolet vision

You and a friend are casting to rising trout on a quiet pool. Your friend is catching them... you are not. Both your flies look the same in size, pattern, and color, but his uses a different dubbing material for the body. The trout are wary and looking for a key invisible to you, an ultraviolet reflection from the fly's body. Your friend's fly contains that UV signature.

In "The New Scientific Angling" we learn that trout see in the near ultraviolet range, as well as our visible spectrum, and what that signifies to the fly fisherman. Using UVA Reflection photography, the author offers views of a trout's world otherwise completely invisible to us.

Examining baitfish, natural flies, artificial flies, and tying materials as a trout sees them in the Ultraviolet, this original research answers longstanding questions about flies, fishing, and the ways of trout.

Filled with visible light and UV reflectance photos, as well as line drawings by Eric Reaves and insightful - if not illuminating - comments by Overmywaders, The New Scientific Angling brings a new world of light to life.

Soon to be available from Amazon.com

American Salmon by Rudyard Kipling

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2009-02-15T03:12:00Z

AMERICAN SALMON

The race is neither to the swift nor the battle to the
strong; but time and chance cometh to all

I HAVE lived!

The American Continent may now sink under the sea, for I have taken the best that it yields, and the best was neither dollars, love, nor real estate.

Hear now, gentlemen of the Punjab Fishing Club, who whip the reaches of the Tavi, and you who painfully import trout to Octamund, and I will tell you how old man California and I went fishing, and you shall envy.

Continue reading "American Salmon by Rudyard Kipling"

What is Blue Dun?

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-12-09T19:16:04Z

The colors we find in fly tying literature are baffling to us today. Where, for example, did they come up with the term "blue dun" or "golden dun"?

Examining the dictionary definition of "dun" gives us a starting point. "of a horse : having a grayish-yellow coat with black mane and tail" (Merriam-Webster Online)

The use of the term "blue dun" in fly tying predates the common use of the automobile. Needing a color description, it seems that the tiers turned to what would be most commonly understood and used horse colors as reference points. Thus, when documenting a fly pattern, "dun" would be broadly understood as being a "grayish-yellow." If in doubt, one only had to look out the window at horses going by in the street to understand the tier's intent.

Here then are some examples of duns:

Dun

Light Blue Dun

Blue Dun

Medium Blue Dun

A herd of Blue Dun from Light to Dark

A Pale (Champagne) Blue Dun

A Dark Blue Dun

and here is a link with yet more Dun colors.

Traditional Fly Fishing Only

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-11-17T16:35:45Z

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.

Trout Sanctuaries

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-11-12T10:50:50Z

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.”

Continue reading "Trout Sanctuaries"

Replacing the Fishing Vest

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-08-01T15:49:20Z

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.

Better Fishing Through Global Chaos

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-06-15T18:53:09Z

I wish to state now - well in advance - that I am not to blame for the "Great Blackouts of 2012!" I am simply offering insights which could transform a possible future of sitting quietly in your basement, enjoying a can of cold beans in the dark -- into some of the superb fishing opportunities that only global chaos and destruction provide!

As you are probably aware, the Solar Storms of 2012 will be the most impressive since 1958 - when the Aurora Borealis was seen in Mexico [1]! However, unlike 1958, we now have low-Earth-orbit communication satellites, an expanded electrical grid, and semi-conductors -- but not for long...

Continue reading "Better Fishing Through Global Chaos"

Of Ducks and Men - Illustrated

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-05-30T21:21:05Z

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...

Continue reading "Of Ducks and Men - Illustrated"

Catching a Decent Fish -- Illustrated

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-05-13T09:57:57Z

Not a rise...
If a friend hadn't assured me that this pool was the home of "some decent trout" I would have thought the water barren. Decent trout, indeed! But with that word "decent" came an epiphany - all my flies had been appealing to the trouts' sense of sight... but what about their sense of decency! These fish - if indeed they existed - had been blithely ignoring all my offerings. Surely, that was a shameful act from any "decent" trout!

With renewed energy, I positioned myself on a rock in mid-stream and began to regard the pool with disdain - then switched to moderate annoyance, accelerated through active pique, and arrived in seconds at a withering scorn.

Two minutes later, I saw a "nice" fourteen inch brown roll to the surface in humble chagrin... but I casually ignored him. A moment later a sixteen inch rainbow with a visible blush on its cheek wallowed in the tail of the pool. I glared at it with a Force Five Contempt - it gave a few feeble wiggles of its pectoral fin in mute apology and then died of shame. Rushing downriver, I netted my first "decent trout" as it drifted slowly by. My second fish, a very decent fifteen inch brookie, was taken on a single glance of reproach cast to the eddy behind a boulder.

Continue reading "Catching a Decent Fish -- Illustrated"

Why I Fish Barbless Flies -- Illustrated

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-05-07T18:42:26Z

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...

Continue reading "Why I Fish Barbless Flies -- Illustrated"

Inventor's Notes - Pisscalator MarkIV - Illustrated

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-04-30T05:33:00Z

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...

Continue reading "Inventor's Notes - Pisscalator MarkIV - Illustrated"

Cabin Fever Illustrated

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-04-21T14:06:15Z

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...

Continue reading "Cabin Fever Illustrated"

The Pisscalator Illustrated

nospam@example.com (Reed F. Curry) — 2008-04-15T13:45:19Z

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.

Continue reading "The Pisscalator Illustrated"