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Welcome back to the new NEFF. Take a break from Twitter and Facebook. You don't go to Dicks for your fly fishing gear, you go to your local fly fishing store. Enjoy!

old school opening day

WBDluver

Official NEFF pot stirrer
i remember the anticipation of opening day. Now it seems with most streams open year long the streams and fish never get a break. And opening day is a thing of the past
 
I drive around now and watch in horror as these boobs have ruined the experience of fishing for me....I usually will stop and point and laugh at people, throw rocks in the pools they are fishing, and just generally be a complete nuisance.....kind of like I am on NEFF...:)
 
I have purchased a vintage fenwick HMG ultralight spinning rod to pair with my vintage daiwa 500c ultralight spinning reel. I will be fishing shrimp eggs hoping to gut hook every hatchery rainbow which I will then put on my stringer to parade around in front of all the jealous anglers
 
Yea MAC, that's the way I remember opening day when I was a lad. Only it was a Mitchel 408 paired with a Fenwick UL. Uncle Mike's was king of the salmon eggs and I can still taste the oil pack from holding the eggs between my lips while screwing the lid back on the jar.
 
I have purchased a vintage fenwick HMG ultralight spinning rod to pair with my vintage daiwa 500c ultralight spinning reel. I will be fishing shrimp eggs hoping to gut hook every hatchery rainbow which I will then put on my stringer to parade around in front of all the jealous anglers

you dont have the skills, but its ok to dream
 
Until 2 years ago, Opening Day was when we took our own kids to the Pequest hatchery pond with the TU fishing art contest or essay writing winners and their families. Before kids, I stayed away from normal opening day trout streams every year and had since early in high school. But two years ago my RVTU chapter started Opening Day Shenanigans at a restored piece of water on the middle Musky. We gather early, cook breakfast, then just before 8 about 20 fly guys and gals jump in and surround one small pool and start hammering away right at 8am. First fish has bragging rights and then everyone splits up and moves to open water with their significant others and kids in tow. It's sort of an homage to Saxton Falls......but fun is had by all. By noon most are passed out on the lawn or BSing around the grills. This will be year 3 for Shenanigans.
 
Until 2 years ago, Opening Day was when we took our own kids to the Pequest hatchery pond with the TU fishing art contest or essay writing winners and their families. Before kids, I stayed away from normal opening day trout streams every year and had since early in high school. But two years ago my RVTU chapter started Opening Day Shenanigans at a restored piece of water on the middle Musky. We gather early, cook breakfast, then just before 8 about 20 fly guys and gals jump in and surround one small pool and start hammering away right at 8am. First fish has bragging rights and then everyone splits up and moves to open water with their significant others and kids in tow. It's sort of an homage to Saxton Falls......but fun is had by all. By noon most are passed out on the lawn or BSing around the grills. This will be year 3 for Shenanigans.

I will be there throwing rocks.....I know the place don't worry...;)
 
I have purchased a vintage fenwick HMG ultralight spinning rod to pair with my vintage daiwa 500c ultralight spinning reel. I will be fishing shrimp eggs hoping to gut hook every hatchery rainbow which I will then put on my stringer to parade around in front of all the jealous anglers

That's what opening day is all about. Even after I started flyfishing I would pick up the spinning gear and bait and join the bucket brigade on the ramapo like I used to when I was first introduced to trout fishing. I havent gone in the past few years but maybe I will this year.
 
I have said this before. I have become a fly-fishing snob. I refuse to fish in the vicinity of worm and egg dunkers. They lack any respect for anyone that is fishing close to them. It is bad enough that I have to tolerate the guys tossing jewelry laden treble hooks at times.I don’t miss fishing on Opening day at all.
I have thought about a less noble approach on Opening day. My vision includes a 14 foot surf rod and baiting it with a whole bunker that has been festering in the sun for four days. So far have not succumbed to the urge to lower my standards. Although it would be fun to disrupt the bait guys with a stinky bunker for a change.:victory:
 
This wasnt about the opening day crowd, but more about giving the fish and stream a rest from constant impact.
 
I have purchased a vintage fenwick HMG ultralight spinning rod to pair with my vintage daiwa 500c ultralight spinning reel. I will be fishing shrimp eggs hoping to gut hook every hatchery rainbow which I will then put on my stringer to parade around in front of all the jealous anglers
A real "Old School" opening day does not involve a stringer... nor products from Asia.

Before "catch and release" became nearly a religion, outdoor writers could give advice about how to keep your catch eatable with impunity. A creel was used until the fish could be put on ice.

When people used a "foreign made" spinning reel, it was normally from France or Switzerland.
 
This wasnt about the opening day crowd, but more about giving the fish and stream a rest from constant impact.

this makes as much sense as wearing one wading boot.....so we on NEFF give the fish a break on opening day, but the rest of the angling world goes out and thumps them on the head with rooster tails and 5 ozs of lead with 20 salmon eggs strung under a meal worm with a red wiggler tied to the hook eye....how do the fish or the stream get a "rest"?
 
this makes as much sense as wearing one wading boot.....so we on NEFF give the fish a break on opening day, but the rest of the angling world goes out and thumps them on the head with rooster tails and 5 ozs of lead with 20 salmon eggs strung under a meal worm with a red wiggler tied to the hook eye....how do the fish or the stream get a "rest"?

If I could have typed it with stick men drawings so you could understand it, I would have. I mean close the stream down for a period of time so that..... Aww never mind.
 
If I could have typed it with stick men drawings so you could understand it, I would have. I mean close the stream down for a period of time so that..... Aww never mind.


No, no, don't never mind me, I want to see this stick drawing thing.....like the caves of Altamira????
 
i remember the anticipation of opening day. Now it seems with most streams open year long the streams and fish never get a break. And opening day is a thing of the past
I was a little worried about this one. The thought of you posting a photo of yourself standing in the river knee high with nothing on, playing with your ugly stick.
 
no rest for the trout, they are constantly moving anyway.
i'll be out saturday, making sure they get no rest.
 
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