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I need Royalies...LOL

Started by OldBastard, August 27, 2022, 10:22:51 AM

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OldBastard

Well I just found this forum so it should be interesting since it was named after me. Pretty much all of my fishing buddies have called me a Pretentious Snobby Bastard at some point. The funny thing is I take huge pride in finding the cheapest stuff that works really well.

I am a SNOB when it comes to casting, tying, building rods but my snobbery has nothing to do with how much someone spends on their gear. One of my favorite comments is, "sure dress them up in all the they can afford but keep them out of the water. They belong on the cover of a catalog but not in the water near me" !!!!

I have had a fly rod in hand for over 40 years and have no patience for folks who think the water is where they should learn to cast. On the other hand I have taught many, many people to cast over the years. My son and I have taught many seminars on UL fly fishing and tying classes so we are happy to share our experience.

For many years I only fished dries and there was a time when I pretty much only fished spinner falls, I guess I am lazy at heart.

If you have read this far we might just get along so I will share some of the road I have traveled.
I grew up in Syracuse NY so I have Trout Streams everywhere. I am now 56 and took my first fly tying class when I was 12. I was fortunate to fall in with a an amazing group of fly tyers and fisherman. They introduced me to their friends who included Al Caucci, Leon Chandler, Gary LeFontaine and others. Fishing with these folks and learning from them was wonderful.

I fished cold water streams and rivers all summer and fished for Steelhead all winter. During the weeks between seasons I would restock my fly boxes. I tied for shops for a while and tied in a few competitions over the years. These days I focus on developing flies that simply catch fish. I am now in NC and our hatches are not like what I grew up with so I have been focusing on terrestrials and micro nymphs. My Mayfly patterns are based on Francis Betters' Usual. I have modified it over the years but the roots are still in the Usual.

I started building furled leaders 20 years back and still prefer them to any other leader system. Over the years my fishing buddies and I have tried various materials and are always trying new stuff to make them even better. I build my own rods simply because I can save SOOO much money and end up with a much nicer rod than I could ever buy. I told you I was a snob !!!!LOL

When my son was 12 we did 100 days of fly fishing in a year. That was the best 12 months of my life. We fished NC, VA and Tenn. Some weeks we would fish during the week and then fish Sat and Sunday in different states. We did our 100th day on Christmas Eve in the pouring rain. It was cold and miserable, the fishing was even worse but it was one of my favorite trips. He is now a College student so we don't get to fish together very much at all. He read Hatches II before we ever hit the water together.

My other great fishing buddy recently moved away. We met in a fly shop when he was just getting started. On one of our first trips I looked up river and saw him and my son flipping over rocks and my son was pointing out different nymphs to him. This new guy looked to be quite engrossed in the whole thing. I knew right then this fella was going to be a great addition to our fly fishing posse. That fella became one of my best friends and fished with my son and I every chance we could. I am sure there were many times when he wanted to drown me but in the end he might say it was worth it. We taught him to tie flies and now he can fish the toughest waters and do very well.

My younger brother and I have fished Utah, Idaho and NY. He says he moved there to get out of the Arizona Sun. I say he moved there for the Chrome. What is amazing is how similar his casting stroke is to my son's. When I watch my son send a really tight loop under a tree limb it reminds me SO much of how my brother casts. Where I have a long and almost lazy casting stroke at times, they are both very deliberate and precise in their casting strokes all the time. I swear they could both send a loop through a halo at 30'. Sometimes I even called my son by my brother's name when we were on the water. Genetics are wild sometimes.

I miss being on the water with a good friend. I need to find some folks to fish with as I really need to get back on the water a lot more. I am hoping to explore some of the less know or harder NC streams as well as some of the VA spring creeks. The Holston is always fun but hate how we don't know the flows until the night before. I do love fishing sz24 nymphs to sippers though. The Smith in VA is really pretty but can be very tough when the hatches are sparse. The spinner falls can be a blast though. Some of my biggest fish have come out of the Mitchell but it is getting really crowded as every yahoo who thinks they can fly fish heads up there.

So, if you think you can tolerate my snobbery and want to fish with me drop me a line (pun intended).

Paul





Woolly Bugger

You should fit in fine right here.

Welcome aboard
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

OldBastard

Thank You very much looking forward to having some fun.

Dougfish

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

OldBastard

Thanks Guys, This seems like a cool place to hang my hat.

Paul

streamereater_101691

Welcome. Post a few pics of your shenanigans. The bossman will gladly point you in the right direction.

Dougfish

Smith River TU meeting.
Next Thur. 6:30 start.
Rania's Restaurant.
Uptown Martinsville.
Come a little early and order dinner.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: Dougfish on August 28, 2022, 07:56:11 AMSmith River TU meeting.
Next Thur. 6:30 start.
Rania's Restaurant.
Uptown Martinsville.
Come a little early and order dinner.


ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

OldBastard

I just started a new job and have to be up early so I did not make it to the meeting. I am not trying to learn how to post some pics I have on my phone. Most of my pics are trapped on an old computer I cannot turn on (power Switch is dead).

I am hoping to fish next weekend, maybe the South Branch of the Holston on VA. I have never been up there so it should be an adventure. I am respooling my 1wt with a slightly lighter line and I have an idea for a new furled leader. Should be exciting all the way around.

Big J

No.  WOOLLY AND DOUG, stop it.  You will not lure another promising fly fisherman into the dark ways you all practice! I will not allow it.  Stay away from these two! Before you know it you'll be drinking hipster beer on the side of the Smith River 4 days a week waiting for some "mysterious Smith River Hatch" that will never happen.  And then the worst symptom will appear and you'll start thinking you are really sexy looking and posting selfies of you holding said beer!

Hit me up and we will fish some dodgy piss trickle of a blueline and hike miles to catch 4" brook trout.

P.S. if Doug tells you any of "Big J's secret trout streams" don't listen to him.  Just crazy talk.

rbphoto

Quote from: Big J on September 12, 2022, 08:10:05 AMNo.  WOOLLY AND DOUG, stop it.  You will not lure another promising fly fisherman into the dark ways you all practice! I will not allow it.  Stay away from these two! Before you know it you'll be drinking hipster beer on the side of the Smith River 4 days a week waiting for some "mysterious Smith River Hatch" that will never happen.  And then the worst symptom will appear and you'll start thinking you are really sexy looking and posting selfies of you holding said beer!

Hit me up and we will fish some dodgy piss trickle of a blueline and hike miles to catch 4" brook trout.

P.S. if Doug tells you any of "Big J's secret trout streams" don't listen to him.  Just crazy talk.


:laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:

He's not wrong, though.
"maybe procrastination is another word for fishing..." ben
"Just butchered my first silk kitty...." Wooly Bugger  January 26, 2018, 12:41:27 PM
You can't land an otter on 7x. Now I know - Dougfish