Wind Knots and Tailing Loops.

 Sitting back home in Lafayette, I'm thankful that yesterday's rain didn't add even more water to the rivers than it did. Weather service said that Hancock area had gotten 2 to 3 inches which would have produced major flooding. As things now stand I will be able to find some fishing when I return tomorrow.

Jim N. wants to know if there is room for four on the Troutfitter's "Bench". I say the more the merrier but so far Dennis has not made good on his promise to schedule the event.

Darryl - Wants to let drift boaters shoot the Mergansers. By the time the hunting season opens it's too late, the damage has already been done. I think everyone who buys a fishing license and fishes the Delaware should be allowed one "flock shot" per year. 

John H. asked about tippet selection. I would definitely use 7X were it not for the algae. The build up on the leader often more than doubles the weight of the fish and I would have to spend twice as much time replacing lost flies caused by 7X breaking when trying to get a fish back upstream to be netted. I just use 6X.

Steve asked about my time spent tying flies. When the fishing is good I go through a lot of flies. 20 & 22 sulfurs are hard to get out of fish's mouth without damaging the fly. Constantly cleaning the algae off the flies increases wear and tear and damages their appearance (I think fresh new flies work better). When the fish are refusing my flies I try to tweak the color, size, and shape. Usually I don't tie more than a half dozen at a time and the little round box I put them in never seems to accumulate many of the ones that work the best.   

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