My Thoughts From The Show------------------------------------

[JeffK]

I'm so old that I remember when a brown Fenwick glass rod was an expensive rod! I learned on cheap white Shakespeare fly rods and lusted after Fenwicks. When I was 17 I saved my pennies and drove to Dale Clemen's to buy a Fenwick blank - couldn't afford the whole rod. That was the first rod I built and the first decent flyrod I had. It had a short life though. My brother and I went camping at Woodland Valley in the Catskills and some moron in the neighboring campsite tripped over my rod and broke it as he came over to ask if we were catching anything.

Early graphites were way out of my league, but Shakespeare came up with a cheaper graphite/glass mix for their famous Ugly Stik. They had just one Ugly Stik flyrod - a heavy, ugly thing. However, it was $29 and you couldn't break it. That sold me and I used it for many years before I got an Orvis Green Mountain unsanded graphite rod. I did love those rods and caught plenty of fish on them. I'm not sure I even have a count of all the rods I have now. When I had only a rod or two you just picked one up and fished. With a closet full I always worry about the best rod for the day and are constantly on the prowl for the perfect rod. Simpler was less stressful for me.

 

[lightenup]

So Jeff, waadya do to the guy who broke your rod.....did he pay for it, did you get a new rod, did you build another one...The frst rod and only rod I ever built, never got fished.....My older brother rode over it with his bicycle five minutes after it was done drying......I used my old one after that....and when i got to be his size..I kicked his ass!!!!!!

 

[Rusty Spinner]

So Jeff, waadya do to the guy who broke your rod.....did he pay for it, did you get a new rod, did you build another one...

You've heard of Jeff's now famous Musky Murder Mystery Tours? He presents on 3 famous murders, but it's the 4th one he seldom speaks about that may interest you most....

 

[sh4ne87]

the advancement of clothing is most certainly a huge help when it comes to braving the elements. Being comfortable is probably the most important factor when spending a day out on the water, and also encourages a positive attitude when you are comfortable as opposed to being uncomfortable and wanting to get back in; which we have all had days of that.

Yes the world is changing, some for the good, some not for the good. Plenty of people have a lot of disposable income and merchants respond.

The funky little flyshops aren't there as much, but I still found Dai-Riki hooks for $7/100 and some old furnace patches for $5 that will make some great little streamers. You have to look harder each year though.

I think one of the biggest improvements is that modern outdoor clothing keeps you dry, warm, and protects you from the sun. Sure many of the brands are overpriced, but fleece liners, smart wool socks, and better raingear have made my life better.

 

[lightenup]

Are you Musky guide Jeff?.....My wife is from Hayward, WI......I have been there and musky fished.....didn't catch one.....but caught plenty of Walleye, Pike and small mouth in the Namekogen and lakes in the area.....I would like to catch one...on the fly perhaps?.....

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Are you Musky guide Jeff?.

No, he grew up fishing the Musconetcong/Musky and still does quite a bit. He knows its local history better than virtually anyone I know.

 

[lightenup]

No, he grew up fishing the Musconetcong/Musky and still does quite a bit. He knows its local history better than virtually anyone I know.

Oh well...worth a shot......any one know where and how to get Musky in New Jersey.........I like history!!!!

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Oh well...worth a shot......any one know where and how to get Musky in New Jersey.........I like history!!!!

Aside from the Delaware River all along our border with PA, there are lots of stocked musky lakes in NJ worthy of a nice fish. Fly, spin or baitcast. Check out the Division's website on muskies and where you can find 'em. Then grab your 9 weight and have at them.:bigfish:

 

[JeffK]

Musky are introduced to NJ and there aren't a whole lot of places to get them; Delaware R, Greenwood Lake, Mountain Lake, Furnace Lake, Monksville, and Mercer Lake. Mercer Lake has a decent catch rate - it's the highest catch rate according to info from the 2011 December fisheries meeting. NJ has a Musky Unlimited? chapter and they are the guys to ask.

I roughly know how to get them in the Delaware. Spend a whole lot of time fishing covering water from a boat and observe where you get follows from a musky. Go there over and over again until they bite. It's a lot of work. The pool around the Copper Mine lot usually has a musky or two swimming around. Other than Mercer lake, you need to spend lots of time to get a musky in NJ. However, the last few years I have been teaching fishing at the Hackettstown Hatchery on the days they net the breeders. Last couple of years they are back by noon from Greenwood Lake with a truck full of good sized muskies. They sure must stack up somewhere to fill their breeder quota in a morning.

As per the rod incident, I just took a loss. I was a kid and the guy was a big dude who used the "awww shucks" defense.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Musky are introduced to NJ and there aren't a whole lot of places to get them; Delaware R, Greenwood Lake, Mountain Lake, Furnace Lake, Monksville, and Mercer Lake. Mercer Lake has a decent catch rate - it's the highest catch rate according to info from the 2011 December fisheries meeting. NJ has a Musky Unlimited? chapter and they are the guys to ask.

Don't forget Echo Lake in Newark watershed amongst others.

 

[Trouser Trout]

WBDluver,
Never found another rod that was that sensitive.
Peace
Dan

Wow, that thing must have been special!!!!

 

[Eagle Claw]

Last year I bought a kid an Eagle Claw rod for $50 and then tested it in my back yard, to my amazement it cast beautiful, not too soft and not too stiff, just right. It cast about 10 feet less distance than my $800 T&T rod. The kid only had about ten flies and put on a dry with split shot and fished it on the bottom all day and caught fish all day, out fishing me with 30 years experience. I came home and looked my self in the mirror and asked myself it I was nuts spending that kind of money on each of 8 rods. I now buy used quality rods on Ebay for $300.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Guess that kid never heard of strangers with fly rods.