Hello Sandy :)

I am from the "middle of the mitten" here in Mt. Pleasant MI. I've not actually measured it with a yardstick... however, if you look at the map, you'll find it is about as close as it gets to the middle of the lower peninsula.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Not caught a fish in 8 months? Not one single bite?

Either your are looking for sympathy, or you are trying to fool all of us here.

I smile in your general direction... Just saying so.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Greetings and Hello Evolution91,

It is such a nice pleasure to see you are here!

I come from a "not fly fishing" background and now I fly fish. I used to be spin casting, bait casting, and such things as that, however... it is such a pleasure to see many, many women join into fishing...

Especially when they post their thoughts here. :)

The fly fishing club I belong to begged for ladies to join... for month and years... It is because of women like yourself, fishing is not "just a guy thing". Thanks!

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

It's quite likely it depends on which part of the lower peninsula you're asking about. I live in almost the exact middle of the LP, and there are several places along the Chippewa River that are wonderful, Isabella Lake and Coldwater Lake can also be a happy time.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Greetings oceansblue1984,

I've seen many people hook their flies into the cork or foam on the handle... this pretty much destroys the handle over time. The other replies have well explained what that little loop is for.

As a thought, when you're walking between fishing spots, carry your rod by the handle, and pointing the rod tip backwards (behind you)... this avoids (and greatly reduces) the possibility that you will stab the front rod end into a tree or the ground, and break the end off of your favorite rod. If you carry only one rod with you during a fishing trip... breaking the end off the front end, it will so totally ruin a day at the fishing hole.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Flyguy, I smile in your general direction. :)

Honestly, I can imagine how I'd be aggravated while fishing, seeing fish swimming through the area with teeth marks and knowing it was otters that caused the injuries to the fish. I suppose that otters don't have as good a sense as we do about what "catch and release" actually means. Although I'd guess too, if I was a Mr. Otter, I certainly wouldn't want to hear the yelling from Mrs. Otter when after a hard day at work, all I hear is "two fish?... that's all you can find is two little fish? If I'd of wanted only two little fish every day, I'd rather have married Joe Raccoon! At least he washes his paws before eating...".

And no, I don't like being out fished, especially when one or both of my brothers finds a way to out catch me by three or four to one.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Greetings Joeseph1,

Welcome to our world of everything fishing. I wish you great happiness in your success in OK. :)

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

I have found it both amazing and amusing that the generally accepted wisdom is that when fly fishing that longer casts create more success when casting. It seems to me, that for the majority of my truly successful fly fishing... the casts are only in the the ten to fifteen yard ranges. Pete gives some most excellent thoughts on how to extend beyond all that.

Sure, you may be able to cast thirty or fifty yards - however, at those ranges you might find that your accuracy suffers a horrible decline.

There seems to be the thought that, when fly fishing... the long casts produce more success. I would submit that this is not so. Long casts in the fifty to thirty yard range may be needed during some special situations... however, during most situations for us who do not fish in those special situations, the ten or fifteen yard casts are perfect.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

I'm feeling that the opinion offered was not an a$$ chewing as much as those opinions were offered more as recognition of your current difficulty in dealing with the naturally occurring behavior of our natural world.

I would hope that you have other places to fish for trout whilst those otters are passing through your area. Yes, all those otters have interrupted your fishing place... I find it difficult to understand that where the otters are have completely destroyed your favorite fishing hole. Your opinions here have (to me) always been helpful and honest. It might be a good idea to find other places nearby your favorite spot until the otters move along to another place.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

I'd guess the savings from tying your own compared to buying your own can be a bit varying, depending on your own experience.

Considering that if your experiences consist of losing a handful of flies over a weekend of fishing due to trees, snags, and such things... especially with individual flies purchased at a typical fly shop being in the two to three dollar range apiece, and that the total price can easily go up from there - you could understand that losing 11 or 15 flies over a weekend fishing trip can get a bit expensive very quickly.

Tying your own flies can be an option... many folks have found that unfortunately, we cannot fish every single day of the year (sad but true), that during those cold winter days, or other interruptions of fishing, sitting down and tying a couple dozen flies during a session can "pay for" the costs of acquiring a simple set of tools to tie your own.

I know that for fly fishing, catching a nice group of fish with flies you've tied yourself adds a lot of pleasure and removes the two or three dollar expense for each one when visiting a fly shop on a regular basis. Like most hobbies, the initial expense of the equipment required can save a ton of money in the long term.

Like anything else fishing... it's whatever fits your personal style (or budget) usually ends up being what's right for you. :)

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Greetings Elmerfud!

I'm glad you found this group, and you're very welcome here!

I've been getting into fly fishing over the last two or three years, and have found that for me... it's fishing on steroids. :)

Regardless of your personal fishing style, equipment, or how long you've been fishing - it seems that someone here can always answer your questions. It it's like an encyclopedia of everything fishing. I hope you get as much fun from this forum as I have.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Some beautiful looking redfish there nolahoff!

Makes me kind of sad I don't live in Lafayette anymore. I truly remember the fun we had in Vermillion Bay catching the reds and specks. I'm glad for you, and your wonderful luck.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Wow! Talk about bringing back memories from my younger days... The family has some property on the north side of the Manistee National Forest in the northern part of the lower peninsula in Michigan... and since those "younger days" we fished a little lake on the property and caught dozens and dozens (if not hundreds) of bluegills during the weekends we were there.

Now, there weren't many of significant size; however, the sheer number of actual catches kept us guys highly amused for however many hours we spent fishing. The wonderful thing about bluegills is that they would bite almost anything... even a simple shiny hook managed to provide success. :)

We're planning a trip back there in the next 4 or 3 weeks... and taking our fly rods and well stocked fly boxes containing our self tied flies. We're hoping that we can catch enough for a couple meals of these little guys... after all, even if all you get is like one bite of meat off each fish, when you got double handfuls of 'em for us three brothers - your dinner can be quite satisfying.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

I'm not certain that "most fishing people reel" with one or the other hand. It usually comes down to whatever you are used to. When I started fishing during my younger days, I "naturally" cast and reeled in with my right hand... I really do not think it makes a difference really, as if you catch the fish, whatever you're doing is usually the right thing to do. :)

Of course, when fly fishing, the reel is only there to hold the line, and all of the "reeling" is done with whatever hand that is not holding the pole... otherwise, the line just makes a little pile in front of you.

Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

ridgerunner13,

I'm agreeing with uncut6 here... use bread as food in your minnow trap. It's like God's gift to minnows. :)

As for myself, I kind of wonder what type of trap you are using... The type I use is like a cylinder of wire mesh (around a foot or so in diameter) with the ends that have wire mesh funnels so that the small end of the funnel points to the inside of the cylinder.

Good Luck!
Fred Williams