Hey Flip17; I originally had 2 pc rods, but they're a complete pain to travel with unless they're a 6-7 ft rod. I use 8,9 and 10 ft rods and they are mostly 4 pc with 1 - 8 pc "travel rod". I can break any of them into 2 pcs, fully loaded and ready to head to the stream. The rod tubes are nice and short for travel as well and can fit them right in my gear travel bag. You give up nothing in terms of "feel" or performance. I'll never go back to 2-pc rods.

First of all, nice Striper! Secondly, did/do you play for 4Leaf Lax? I'm in NH, played Lax at Assumption College and fly fish mostly for Trout and Salmon. However, just put together a nice 8 wt rod and Lamson reel for Stripers and big trout in NY. Keep at it!

Craig -
"you have a great economy with words"
(Hobson from the movie "Arthur")
like other responses, let everyone know where you're located and thetype of fishing you do. I have found alot of great advice from the nice people on this site.

I'm back; crack open a beer and take some time to watch Tom Rosenbauer on the Orvis website. He goes through alot of casting tips and quite honestly, his videos are a pleasure to watch and you'll learn A LOT. Watch for "mending the line" (which sets you up for the drift I mentioned above).

Hey FlaniganWacker,
Here's the #1 tip; whether you are fishing nymphs or midges off the bottom, emergers through the middle water columns or dry flying on the surface, you MUST match your drift to the speed of the current. A good practice tip; watch for a line of foam/bubbles on the water for 2 reasons; 1. match your drift to the speed of the bubbles. 2.(trout many times come up to feed on the dead insects caught in the foam/bubbles as well). Good luck!

fishyaker's response is very good. One thing I would add is you can alter the dropper fly color from the emerger. i.e. - olive or gray soft hackle emerger with a black, green or brown midge or nymph tied behind as the dropper. It might help to hone in on the right fly color as well as fishing 2 different levels in the water column. Good luck!

Right on, Muskyhunter!

Hey All- let's simplify;
upstream = going against the current
downstream = going with the current
Fish orientate themselves facing upstream because food flows downstream...
Any guide I've ever seen in a river drifts downstream.....

Hey Darrel - welcome! There’s a few of us fly fanatics here and growing. Greetings from New Hampshire and I look forward to sharing info going forward. BTW - nice rainbow!

Tahnks, Flyguy!

Hi DJ, There are a number of good spots on the Pemi in Bristol, right near the center of town. The water level is likely very high and fast right now and it’s a tough river to fish when high. Streamers and stoneflies have always worked well for me there. Or, head up the road a bit to the Newfound River - a stretch of about 3 miles of catch and release only and you can hook up on some nice sized salmon and trout. Head up to the dam at Newfound Lake and fish your way south. NHF&G website can give some more details and special rules on the Newfound. Good luck!

Hey Able Man - just saw your note and thank you!

Hi mistred64 - there have been alot of good comments here, but I'll focus on your point about your 3 yr old grand daughter. Little kids will certainly not know how to keep tension on the line, let alone paying attention at all until a fish bites! First, buy barbed hooks, then pinch the barb with pliers or file them off for the day on your barb-restricted ponds. If it's getting frustrating for her, go elsewhere where she can use a barbed hook to have fun pulling in a fish. If it were a 12 year old, I would say a life fishing lesson of how to keep tension on the line is in order. Make sense? Have fun!

I have to comment on the guys I'll meet out on the rivers that hide what they're using like the secret formula for anti-aging. At the end of the day, there are many versions of each fly and how you fish them is the key. So, here are my picks, by season in the Northeast;
Spring and Fall; Grey Ghost, Magog Smelt and Winnipesaukee Smelt streamers, San Juan Worm and Flashback Pheasant tails, Green Pupa and Copper John nymphs. Don't forget black and yellow stoneflies....killer. And if your eyesight is good, midges in size 18-20 alone or as a dropper.
Summer; soft hackle emergers, try going with a dropper of nymphs of your choice. Blue Wing Olive and Dave's Hopper up top. Floating line.
Winter; go low and slow with big Stoneflies, weighted nymphs. Sink tip line.
Good luck!

I'm with flyguy - my Boggs (about 12") are excellent. Snow, mud, you name it. Very rugged.