Carp Fly Fishing Gear

Fly Size

6 JINDY SPECIAL STREAMER FISHING FLIES Size 10 $12.58

1 Dozen ROYAL HUMPY DRY FLY FISHING FLIES Size 12 $11.68

Techniques of River Fly Fishing

Techniques of River Fly Fishing

 

Fly fishing is a great past time and hobby for many nowadays and it has even evolved into a competitive sport on the international arena with competitions being held annually across the world. River fly fishing and in the sea as well have become immensely popular and offer great prizes as well. River fly fishing or fly fishing in a lake is the more preferred option because of the fact that the waters there are generally calmer. This would be more apt for the lake, but it stands true that when fly fishing, in land is a somewhat safer option than in the deep sea, especially for a beginner. River fly fishing entails a large number of options for the type of fish that one wants to catch. There are trout and salmon which are the most commonly caught types of fish and are widely found in most rivers. Trout fly fishing is quite a hobby and a sport for many who enjoy the challenges posed by the smart fish.

 

Salmon Fly fishing is all about skill. Fly fishing is not an easy sport and it takes a lot of practise to get the hang of it. There are a lot of factors that bear upon your skill and the result when you go fly fishing. Things like your gear and even the weather can make a difference. Choosing the right equipment is a major factor when going trout fly fishing.

 

One has to choose the right size rod which is suitably weighted. The flexibility of your rod has to be in consistence with the kind of fish you are fishing for. Similarly the reel, spool and line and flies that buy should be able to handle the rigours of salmon fly fishing or trout fly fishing. Unless your equipment is suitable you will have a tough time getting the fish, especially if you are a beginner. Though it may sound daunting, selecting the right equipment for river fly fishing is not a tough task thanks to the help available in various forms both online and offline. Even the attendant at your local store will be able to help you pick out the right equipment for your fly fishing needs.

 

Some interesting tips to having a successful trout fly fishing session involve certain amount and planning and thinking from other perspectives. Observe the fish and their feeding patterns. There will be a fixed pattern or at least a variation of similar nature. Based on this you will be able to figure out the size of flies that the fish consistently target. This will help you in attaining greater hits from the fish and hence a better catch as well. With the average fly size in mind, go for a fly that would be one size larger and then see your fly fishing trip working miracles. Also look out for feeding grounds. You will notice that there are specific areas where fly fishing has yielded better catch. Larger fish will lurk at specific areas and if you can identify them, you will hit the jackpot.

About the Author

Hunter, the author of many articles regarding fishing, hunting and fly fishing is always keen to give away her advise on various adventure sports and river fly fishing

Choosing & Flying a Kite

Mini Kites

Generally these kites are no bigger than a foot across, ideally suited for the youngest flyers, they can fly in the slightest of winds and simple to fly, a single line attached to the kite means that they can be flown with ease. On the whole the Mini Kite range is the cheapest range of kites we stock, which also makes them great birthday presents for young children. As these kites are made and sold with young children in mind, safety is of paramount importance, their small size means even in a worst case scenario of the kite being crashed into someone it is unlikely to cause any injury. Please also read the section below on safe kite flying.

Diamond Kites

The classic kite shape, unchanged for centuries, but now available in a huge range of styles and sizes. The diamond is a suitable first kite for children and is a very easy to fly style of kite, although some consideration should be given to the size of the kite as we sell many different sizes of diamond kite and some of the larger kites may be unsuitable for smaller children. Diamond kites generally require only the slightest of breezes to fly and can reach a high altitude quite easily, most can also be easily adjusted for the angle of flying to ensure a stable flight in a wide range of wind conditions, although they are best flown in a moderate wind coming from a constant direction. Diamond kites can usually be disassembled easily by removing the horizontal strut, which makes them easy to store and transport. Please also read the section below on safe kite flying.

Creature Kites

Creature kites are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and as the name suggests they represent a creature, which could be something you’d expect to see in the sky, like a bird or butterfly or something you may not expect to see soaring through the air like an octopus or frog. Some are diamond in form, some are delta, but some are purely custom shapes to represent the creature. They are 99% single lined, and therefore an easy kite to fly for the novice pilot and very appealing to the young pilot. Usually requiring a moderate wind to fly they are a low drag kite which means they’re not going to pull you about when you fly them but can easily reach a good height with little effort. Please also read the section below on safe kite flying.

Delta Kites (Not to be confused with delta stunt kites)

Delta kites are named after their delta-wing shape, a slanted triangle design, very aerodynamic and able to fly in very gentle breezes. Alike to a birds wings or an aeroplanes body. They are a single line kite and simple to fly, suitable for young pilots they represent a change to the standard diamond shaped kite and are more suitable than the diamond to changable winds, although not suitable for strong winds as they tend to ‘corkscrew’ in the air. Available in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colours they are a very fun kite to fly and will be an enjoyable gift for any child, check the size of the kite though as some are bigger than others and the larger ones may not be ideally suited for the youngest of pilots. Please also read the section below on safe kite flying.

Box Kites

Another age-old design, the box kite, flies in a different fashion to other kites in that the air passes through the kite to create lift rather than push against a solid face. They usually look as though they shouldn’t fly, but in fact are one of the most graceful flying kites there are. Not available in as many forms as the diamond kite, but every one is beautiful in it’s own way. They are suitable for children as they produce very little drag, but may also appeal to the adult flyers out there, in fact they are the ideal gift for active grandparents to accompany their grandchildren when they’re flying their kites. Single flying line guarantees an easy flying experience. Please also read the section below on safe kite flying.

Stunt Kites

Getting a bit more complicated now than the previously mentioned kites, stunt kites get their name from their ability to perform tricks in the hands of the pilot, this is down to their 2 string control method, which by shortening or lengthening one of the strings by pulling or extending one of the control handles makes the kite take a different course through the air, practice will allow the pilot to perform amazing loops, dives and climbs with ease. Not the perfect choice for smaller children, but will be greatly received by older children, and also adults, for who we stock a wide range of high end stunt kites. When browsing our shop note that the stunt kites are divided into different sections; childrens, novice, advanced and expert, this is generally dictated by the size of the kite – the larger ones produce more pull and require more tug on the lines to perform their tricks. Please also read the section below on safe kite flying.

Power Kites

Finally we reach the cutting edge of 21st century kiting – The power kite, ever more popular and our best selling kites. Powerkites are named for just that reason – they take the maximum power from the wind, flying a power kite is not about watching it gracefully soar into the air, it’s all about the drag. Even the smallest power kite can produce an outstanding amount of pull, and the largest can even make you take off! Always take care when choosing a power kite that the person you’re buying it for will be able to cope with it. Safety is of maximum importance when flying a power kite and that’s why we stock a wide range of safety equipment to accompany the power kites, such as kite killers (specially designed wristbands which will allow the kite to drop out of the sky in an emergency), and a range of protective body wear; like gloves, pads and helmets. We recommend that you work your way up through the sizes of power kite and don’t just jump in at a huge 6 metre kite without prior experience. Safety aside, power kites are popular for one reason, they’re so fun to use, whether you fly it on it’s own or combine it with an ATB (off-road kite powered skateboard) or a buggy, they produce a huge amount of power which is very exciting to be at the end of. Smaller power kites tend to be 2 lined, whilst larger ‘traction’ kites are generally 4 lined, which require some form of handles or harness to fly them, sometimes these are supplied with the kite or they are available seperately. Again we have to stress the safety point with power kites, fly safely, know your limits and most of all choose the time and place to fly your power kite with the greatest of care, for yourself and other people. Please also read the section below on safe kite flying. And see our special page on flying power kites safely.

Safe Kite Flying

Location – Select a location that is free of obstruction such as houses and trees that can pose a danger to your kite and the public, and even more importantly do not fly your kite anywhere near power lines, substations or airports. Make sure wind conditions are right for your particular kite. Also make sure that as well as preventing damage to yourself and your kite, that you are going to fly in an area where you are not going to cause harm to anyone else or any wildlife, a beach is a perfect place, but make sure that there are no people around you if you are using a large or powerful kite. Also be aware of changing weather conditions, if you think there may be a storm approaching, quickly and carefully cease your flying activities, a kite can act as a lightning conductor when it is damp, and even if there’s no lightning, excessive winds can damage or destroy your kite, or just pull it from your hands, which in the case of children can be very upsetting.

Launching – With the wind at your back, take the kite about 50 feet or more downwind and have a friend hold it up, pulling the line tight. As your kite catches the wind, pull on the line handle until the kite gains altitude. Smaller kites can be launched from a smaller distance than this. Ensure you quickly give the kite lines some length after launch as the wind tends to swirl close to the floor and can quickly bring your kite back down. Ensure that there is no chance of wrapping the lines around another person or yourself as this can be dangerous in changable wind conditions.

Landing – Release the tension on the line of your kite and this will allow it to drift to the ground, quickly retreive or immobolise your kite as it can easily take off again in the right conditions. Choose a suitable place away from water and busy public places for this. You may also find that you can just wind your kite back onto the string and as your kite is approaching the ground it can be caught and held for you while you finish winding it up.

Above everything else USE YOUR COMMON SENSE, and constantly be aware of your environment, the wind is always changing and can only be guessed at. Keep aware of other people coming close to you and always supervise young children when flying kites. When you follow the necessary safety steps kite flying can be one of the most enjoyable pastimes all year round. Thank you for reading – and fly safely.

About the Author

South African born Keith has lived in the south of England for most of his life. After graduating from University with a degree in Business Information Systems Management he decided to start Strawberrysoup; a website design company based in West Sussex and Dorset.
Keith successfully gained entry into the Southampton University Air Squadron and spent over 12 months training to fly. Since then he has continued to follow his interest in flying and has now began his own training in the form of a Private Pilot’s Licence.
Keith also spent 13 months working within the Image and Printing Group at Hewlett Packard in Bracknell. Throughout his time there, he was responsible for many activities including events organisation and website design and maintenance.

6 JINDY SPECIAL STREAMER FISHING FLIES Size 10 $12.58

1 Dozen ROYAL HUMPY DRY FLY FISHING FLIES Size 12 $11.68

1 Dozen BLACK HOPPER TROUT FLY FISHING FLIES SIZE 10 $11.68

KETCHUM RELEASE FLY HOOK REMOVER FOR MEDIUM SIZE FLYS $9.95

FLY BOX POCKET SIZE MICRO SLIT FOAM AND WATERPROOOF $6.00

EGG SUCKING LEECH 6 JOINTED SIZE 4 FLY FISHING FLIES $5.99

100 Mustad 3407N Fly Tying Hooks, Size 1/0, NR $0.99

100 Fly Tying Hooks Caddis/Shrimp Size #8 (2457) $4.79

4 x CDC DUSTERS SIZE 12, 14 OR 16 NEW FLY FISHING P04 $1.87

4 x CDC DUSTERS SIZE 12, 14 OR 16 NEW FLY FISHING P04 $1.87

Pocket Pen

Pocket Size Pen Reel Rod Line Fishing Tackle Gift Set $18.69

Pocket Size Pen Reel Rod Line Fishing Tackle Gift Set $18.69

Usb Pen Drive as Defined by Compact Size and Low Cost

As you know, every device such as a laptop or your desktop PC has an USB port. This allows for plugging of removable storage device for easy transfer of data from and to the storage devices. One of the most commonly used storage device is the USB pen drive. These days, these devices are available in sizes so small that they can be easily carried in your pocket without someone even knowing it’s there. It is an ideal tool to transfer your data while moving around.

These storage devices are great companions for anyone today who uses electronic devices. Since when you play and with work around with digital data, a pen drive can about as a really handy piece to facilitate transfer of image files, music, movies, audio or video clips or text files or any other data anytime you like using speed that can delight you.

USB Pen Drive is such common thing that common people know it by many personalised common names such as Pocket Drive, USB Flash Memory Drive, USB Memory Stick besides many others. Memory stick is one name that has stuck good note with many people, although it is a different product altogether compatible generally with host devices manufactured by Sony.

These drives serve as a brilliant substitute to earlier unreliable storage devices known as floppy disks. Pen drives, in contrast, are resistant to dust as well as to undesirable magnetic fields. Copying data to or from pen drives is an easy fare. You can simply drag and drop any file of any type and within seconds, you can see the icon of the copied file inside your Pen Drive window. Your pen drive then requires ‘safe removal’ which is obtained by a simple click on the pen drive icon.

Compact size, good data transfer speed and low cost make USB pen drive easily popular with everyone.

About the Author

Brayan Russell is a renowned business writer. He has won appreciation especially for good writing about Price Storm products…the USB Pen Drive and ink cartridge.

Advertise your Business Through Promotional Pens

Modern day business is all about marketing, promotion and competition. Companies thrive on competitively marketing offers, discounts, and freebies corporate world often vie for growth usually go to great lengths to maximize their profits. Most successful businesses will vouch that nothing works better than recognizing key tools that boost businesses by acting as promotional banners, promotional pens, used as such, stand out.

A decent promotional pen serves as the perfect promotional advertising specialties. They are available at a reasonable price, high quality, and serve as an ideal gift. One of the best things about considering a promotional pen is the optimization value of the former. A good pen will always find pride of the place in a pocket; will be taken out more frequently and hence create more brand value for an organization.

Business promotional pen serve as an ideal medium for business houses to market their businesses. They can be customized according to will and designed in a creative, stylish fashion to enhance the appeal. Promotional product pens are one of the best ways to advertise an organization because they can be given to just about anyone.

Companies can easily place their orders for customized pens, which are manufactured at very affordable rates. It blends cost-effectiveness and effective promotional campaign. At www.promotional-logo-pens.com, corporate marketers who want to order such pens can browse through a wide category of options, such as Promotional Pens, Business Logo Pens, Advertising Pens and Promotional Item pens. Pens can be customized and engraved with company logos. Companies also have the choice to imprint and put their slogans or tag lines on them.

Low cost promotional pens at www.promotional-logo-pens.com can be available at about a dollar. These gift pens can be ordered in many styles. A class ballpoint business logo pen costs $1.44, The Original Metallic Light Up Business Pen ($1.89), Satin Chrome Business Logo Pens ($1.49), Cushy Business Logo Pens ($1.05), Rib Gripped Executive Business Logo Pens ($1.49), Trendsetter Business Logo Pens ($1.94). There are hundreds of other pens to choose from. You can order your pens today. It is simple. Log onto www.promotional-logo-pens.com and make your choice. Give your corporate identity ongoing visibility today!

About the Author

Chris Shetler is a well known author who writes articles on business promotional items, gifts, etc. For further details please visit the site www.promotional-logo-pens.com

Pocket Size Pen Reel Rod Line Fishing Tackle Gift Set $18.69

Pocket Size Pen Reel Rod Line Fishing Tackle Gift Set $18.69

Mini Pocket Pen Fishing Rod,Reel,Line,hooks Special Set $9.01

Tying Scissors

Dr. Slick 4″ Straight Tip Scissors, Fly Tying, NR $0.99

Dr. Slick 4″ Curved All Purpose Scissors, Fly Tying, NR $0.99

Breastfeeding a Baby with Tongue Tie

Breastfeeding is not always easy, it doesn’t come as naturally as some would assume. One example of something that can make breastfeeding difficult, is if baby has tongue tie.  This is not a well known problem.  Diagnosis is often missed, the mother assumes she is not breastfeeding correctly and will switch to formula.

A mother was experiencing excruciating pain when feeding her new baby during their first night together.  In the morning her midwife viewed her torn up nipples and suggested it was just a bad latch. But when the midwife held the baby, as she had first suspected baby had oral thrush, the she noticed the tongue tie immediately.  The baby was actually so severely tongue tied that he was unable to lick his lips or put his tongue over his gums.

The possible complications of snipping the tongue include bleeding, cutting the tongue/lip, needing blood products etc.

The mother then had to express breast milk inorder to feed her baby, while they waited for the tongue-tie to be snipped.  She was very keen to breastfeed her baby, and wanted to try it.  All that was required was sugar syrup (for anesthetic) and a pair of surgical scissors and baby was ready and waiting. Snip. 

The mother said “No blood curdling screams, no gushing blood, no tears, nothing horrible I had imagined happened.  Except now my son could feed from me. No pain, no more blisters, cuts, grazes or blood… whoohoo!”

Sometimes gaining another professionals opinion is worth the hard work and pain for your baby. 

 

About the Author

Frances McInnes is the owner of Breastmates Maternity Store, which is a website with gorgeous maternity products aswell as tips and advice for mothers.
http://www.breastmates.co.nz

Arts-crafts-halloween Crafts for Kids

Balloon Ghost: To make this fun Halloween decoration you will need a white balloon, scissors, white plastic grocery or garbage bags, tape, string and a black marker. Cut the plastic bags into strips leaving an uncut edge to hold the strips together. Blow up the balloon. Tape the cut up bags around the balloon to make the ghost’s body. Make sure the balloon is upside down when you tape the bags on so that you have something to hang the ghost from. Draw a face on the balloon to make the ghost’s head. Tie a string to the balloon and hang the ghost up.

Egg Carton Spider: For this craft project you will need an egg carton, googly eyes, scissors, pipe cleaners and crayons, markers, or colored pencils. Cut one section out of the egg carton. For more details www.greateducationonline.com Poke four holes in each side of the cup with scissors. Put a pipe cleaner into each of the holes and bend them to look like spider legs. Draw a face on the spider with crayons, markers, or colored pencils.

Pompom Spider: Supplies needed for this craft are yarn, scissors, pipe cleaners, cardboard, glue and googly eyes. Cut yarn into a 2 foot long piece and a yard long piece. Cut a piece of cardboard into a 3 inch by 2 inch rectangle. Loosely wrap the yard of yarn around the cardboard piece. Take the yarn off the cardboard, being careful to make sure the loops stay together. Put 4 pipe cleaners on the yarn loops. Tie the yarn loops and pipe cleaners together tightly with the 2 foot piece of yarn. Cut the loops in half to make a pompom shape. Bend the pipe cleaners in the shape of spider legs. Glue googly eyes onto the spider.

Pasta and Beans Skeleton: This craft project is made with a piece of black construction paper, glue, dried beans and several types of pasta (small shells, wagon wheels, ziti, elbow macaroni, salad macaroni, spaghetti, spirals, etc.). Lay out the pasta and beans in the shape of a skeleton. Elbow macaroni is good for ribs. Spaghetti can be used as toes and fingers. Small shells or small beans make good joints. Lima beans are perfect for hips. After you are satisfied with the layout of your skeleton, glue it down.

Ghost Necklace: For this craft project you will need Elmer’s glue, a small paper clip, googly eyes, wax paper and string. On wax paper, make a ghost shape out of your glue. Unbend the paper clip and reform it into a V. Stick the ends of the V into the glue at top of the ghost’s head. For more details www.greatindustrialguide.com Put googly eyes on the ghost’s head. After a few days, the glue will turn completely clear. Peel it off the wax paper and thread your string through the paper clip to turn it into a necklace.

Jack-o-lantern Pinata: Make a perfect Halloween party item by gathering a balloon, newspaper, flour, water, a bowl, a pot, a wooden spoon, scissors, orange craft paint, a paintbrush and a black marker. Make papier-mâché glue by mixing 1/2 cup of flour into 1/2 cup of water. Then stir the flour and water mix into 2 cups of boiling water. Simmer for a few minutes. Let it cool. Take newspaper and tear into 1 inch wide strips. Dip strips of paper in the glue and wrap around the balloon. Repeat process, covering the entire balloon. Let a layer dry and then add another layer. It dry completely, then pop the balloon, and remove it. Cut a small hole in the top to put in the candy. Decorate with the orange craft paint and black marker, making a jack-o-lantern face. Hang the pinata and have a party!

About the Author

www.arts-crafts-for-all.com

www.activities-little-fingers.com

Dr. Slick 4″ Straight Tip Scissors, Fly Tying, NR $0.99

Dr. Slick 4″ Curved All Purpose Scissors, Fly Tying, NR $0.99

Dr. Slick 3.5″ Straight Arrow Scissors, Fly Tying, NR $0.99

Dr. Slick 3.5″ Curved Arrow Scissors, Fly Tying, NR $0.99

NEW FLY TYING TOOL KIT-VISE SCISSORS BOBBIN – $75 VALUE $34.95

Fly Tying Tool-Feather Scissors $2.99

Fly Tying Tool-Scissors $3.99

lot of 3 pair of fly tying scissors $3.99

New Fly Tying Station- Vise, Clamp, Scissors & More $49.95

X-FINE TIP STR8 SPRING SCISSOR FLY TYING FISHING FLIES $4.99

Fly Leader

Umpqua Fly Line Leader Tapered 10 ft 12 lb Test 1X NIP $3.98

5 X KNOTLESS TAPERED LEADER 9ft 3X NEW FLY FISHING $6.24

Fly Fishing Equipment: What You Need for Success

Fly fisherman have tackle boxes and closets dedicated to their equipment. And while a person can list dozens of ?necessities? for a fishing trip, a fisherman really only needs a few essentials.

Obviously, everyone needs a fly rod if he plans on fly fishing. A good rod will be anywhere from 6 to 10 feet long. New fisherman should note that no other piece of equipment is more important than this rod, so if you have a liberal budget, give this road financial priority.

Ironically, while some will tell you that you cannot fish without a reel, you can. Many a successful fly fisherman has landed a nice fish without the mess of a reel. He just knows how to move his line. A reel does come in handy, though, for those seeking out the larger fish. This is especially important to warm water and saltwater fisherman.

Fly Line comes in a variety of strengths but in a standard length. You will usually find it in 90 foot lengths but with weights depending on the pounds you are planning on landing. Fishermen rate their line according to grain, with 7000 grains equaling one pound. You can cast a heavier line farther and obviously land bigger fish, so this works best for those windy days. Lighter line obviously costs less and can work well on calm days when searching for smaller fish. You can even buy line in two styles: level and tapered.

Fishermen searching for Moby Dick utilize backing: an extra line that will give you more than the desired 90 feet of line. Though some might tell you that you really dont need this extra line, one reel will cost you only a few bucks, and it gives fishermen the security of knowing that if they do catch a big fish, they can land him with ease thanks to their extra line.

To affix your fly to your line, you will need a leader: a piece of transparent material that attaches to both elements. The leader will be as short as 6 feet and as long as 15 feet, just depending on what youre looking for. They have ratings based on a variety of things, from the diameter of the line, to the lines breaking point, to different business classifications.

Finally, no one can fly fish without a fly. Flies are basically artificial bait for the fish. Though no fly is alive or ever was, a good fly fisherman tries to either create or pick a fly that looks alive, because no fish wants to eat a dead bug. Flies will range in style from mimicking frogs to shrimp. Creative fly fishermen create their own flies from scratch using felt, wire, and even feathers.

So we can see that really no one needs a big closet for his fly fishing materials. In the end, fly fishing shouldnt take over the whole house but should still make its owner smile.

About the Author

Resources of fly fishing can be found at: www.excitingflyfishing.comand here

Fly Fishing in Cincinnati – Come and Join the Fun!

Spend a day learning to fly fish and open up the door to a lifetime of angling adventures and memories. Upon completion of this full day, comprehensive school, you will be skilled and confident enough to pack up your fly fishing gear and head out to enjoy a trip on the water of your choosing. The elements of the sport we feel are essential for beginners and cover in the school are as follows:

· Equipment Knowledge and Selection

· Casting Techniques & Presentation

· Reading Water

· Wading Techniques

· Fishing Knots

· Fly & Leader Selection

· Fly Presentation

· Proper Fish Fighting Techniques

· Lots of time spent fishing!

The setting for our fly fishing schools is a sportsman club in Manchester, Indiana. The location is a short drive from Cincinnati, Ohio. The club is comprised of 1000 pristine acres of rolling hillsides housing 14 ponds and a man-made trout stream. The waters are home to largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, panfish, trout, carp, and catfish. In addition to the breathtaking scenery, a newly remodeled lodge with full amenities is at our disposal.

The fly fishing schools run from March-August. The cost of the school is $175 and includes all fly fishing equipment, a hearty lunch, and beverages. Accommodations at the lodge or nearby casino hotels are available, and we would be happy to make those arrangements for you. The schools are limited to 4 or 5 participants, ensuring a lot of personal attention.

2008 Introductory Fly Fishing School dates:

March 29th

April 5th

April 12th

May 10th

June 7th

June 28th

July 12th

August 2nd

The following items are recommended items for the beginning flyfishing school:

· Flyrod and reel if you own one. If not, one is provided as part of the class.

· Sunglasses-Polarized sunglasses are strongly recommended as they help cut the glare on the water allowing you to “see through” the water.

· Sunscreen

· Hat

· Hiking shoes or similar. Recommend against wearing open-toe shoes

· Bug Spray-usually not bad but you never can tell.

· Camera

· Any personal medications

· Clothing recommendation is long pants (lightweight) and a short sleeve shirt (no bright colors)

· Rain gear if appropriate.

(If you have any questions regarding what to wear or bring, please do not hesitate to call and ask us. We will be more than happy to review the checklist with you.)

To reserve a slot for an upcoming school, please call us at 513-871-3474. If you cannot attend any of the available dates above, you can email or call us and we will place your name on a list and contact you if we open additional school dates. Private schools are also an option if the dates above do not fit your schedule.

For more information, feel free to contact the school instructor, Brian Barnard, at Brian@BestGear.com.

About the Author

Brian Barnard is a Federation of Fly Fishers licensed instructor at Best Gear, an online supplier of field and stream apparel and Kentucky fly fishing and Ohio fly fishing experts.

Umpqua Fly Line Leader Tapered 10 ft 12 lb Test 1X NIP $3.98

5 X KNOTLESS TAPERED LEADER 9ft 3X NEW FLY FISHING $6.24

5 X KNOTLESS TAPERED LEADER 9ft 4X NEW FLY FISHING $6.24

PFLUEGER 5/6 WT REEL w/LINE-BACKING-LEADER & FLIES $35.95

Airflo Delta Fluorocarbon Leader 4lb 100m Fly Fishing $12.47

Furled 6# PhotoChromic 7-1/2′ Fly Fishing Leader 4-6 wt $4.99

Freshwater Bass/Bream flies-56, box, leader, tippet. $8.50

FLY FISHING,”CAMOU” LEADER 900cm, INDISPENSABLE KIT $22.55

Furled 12 # Moss Green Mono Fly Fishing Leader 6 – 8 wt $4.99

Furled 7-1/2 Ft Red Fly Fishing Leader 12Lb Test 6-8 wt $4.99

Fly Hackle

Steelheed~Fast Water HEAVY WTD Bugger~Hackle Trout Fly $8.99

30 Packs 4″-5″ Dyed Neck Hackle, Fly Tying, NR $0.99

The Origin Of Spiders

The order Araneae (spiders) is traditionally divided into three divisions:
1) Mesothelae (also known as the Liphistomorpha). These normally have a narrow sternum and always have 4 pairs of spinnerets
2) Mygalomorphae (tarantulas and relatives – also called the Orthognatha or the Theraphosomorphae) . These all have downward pointing fangs (called chelicerae) and can live for up to 25 years
3) Araneomorphae (the rest of the spider family – also known as the Labidognatha).These are distinguished by their fangs that point diagonally forward and cross in a piching action.

However it is possible the Mesothelea are really a part of the Mygalomorphae, this would leave us with only two groups; the primitive Tarantula types (Mygalomorphae) and the more advanced Aranaeid type (Araneomorphae).

If you have got this far I am very proud of you, that was an awful lot of very big words, it doesn’t matter if you can not pronounce them all. The important thing is that we have two groups of spiders, one of which we call ‘primitive’ and the other ‘advanced’.

The ‘primitve’ Orthognathans have chelicera (fangs) that flex up and down, i.e. they bite wholly vertically, while the ‘advanced’ Labidognathans have chelicera that flex sideways i.e. they bite at least partly, horizontally or down and inwards at the same time.

There are about 1,000 species in the Mygalomorphae, (only one in the UK) and over 36,500 species in the Araneomorphae of which more than 600 can be found in the UK. But what do these terms ‘primitve’ and ‘advanced’ mean? It is all to do with our perception of time as running in a line, with a direction along which evolution is moving. Primitive characteristics evolve earlier and are shared by more species within a given breed.

Spiders don’t seem to fossilise well, we have very few fossils from the Mesozoic era, 230 to 70 million years ago (MYA), and even less from the Paleozoic, 600 to 230 MYA. In the more recent records of the Cenozoic we have much better fossilisation due to the growing success of resinous trees which allowed for insects and spiders to be trapped in amber.

By then however most of the spiders closely resemble modern species. We have about 300 species of spiders from about 40 MYA. Three hundred is a very small sample of the thousands of species that Must Have lived then, but this is the best record we have. Moving closer to the present we have only about 100 species from only 20 MYA.

It is suspected by scientists that the first spiders used silk only to wrap eggs and for sperm-webs. The next step is believed to have been the lining of a burrow and the laying out of trip-lines as described below.

We are pretty certain however that spiders were spinning webs to catch insects at least 160 MYA, or during the age of the Dinosaurs. Spiders very similar to modern orb-web weavers existed 100 MYA and this is one of the reasons that some experts think that the orb-web was one of the earliest webs constructed and that many of the other sheet and dome webs made by modern spiders are derived from this.

The first spider probably evolved from a crustacean like ancestor called a Eurypterid during the early Devonian era of history almost 400 MYA. One of the most ancient spider fossils we know of is Paleocteniza crassipes which walked and hunted on the earth in the late Devonian. We would call this the most primitive spider of all, and all its characteristics would be described as primitive characteristics.

Here ‘primitive’ just means those that came or were first. Paleocteniza crassipes had 8 legs and chelicera (fangs) that flexed vertically so these two characteristics are ‘primitive’ characteristics. All spiders still have 8 legs so we cannot use that to help us understand spider evolution.

However about 250 MYA a new type of spider evolved that had chelicera that were slightly twisted around and that are now flexed partly sideways, because this characteristic evolved out of the first one we call it an ‘advanced’ characteristic. Here we have only two steps, if we had three or more steps then the middle ones would be called ‘intermediate’.

Unfortunately in human society the word primitive is often used as an insult and means something that is no good, while advanced means good, in evolution there is no good or bad except from a personal point of view, all of life is good. In fact many people would prefer a ‘primitive’ spider like a Tarantula to a more advanced spider like a Black Widow.

You will also occasionally hear or read the terms ‘highly evolved’ and ‘more evolved’ these really refer to the number of observed evolutionary steps that can be discerned in the creatures’ evolutionary history.

Again being highly evolved is not necessarily good, many of humanity’s most obnoxious parasites are more ‘highly evolved’ in terms of evolutionary steps, than humanity itself.

It is fun though to observe how characteristics and traits have evolved in animals. Let’s take a closer look at the use by spiders of silk in hunting. First I have to point out that though we have divided the spiders into two (or three) main groups in terms of their taxonomic development we have been left with over 36,500 species in one of our groups.

There are, however, two ways we can divide this large group up that will facilitate learning. One is two divide them into active hunters and passive hunters, or in other words those who use silk to catch, or help them catch their prey and those who don’t.

It may surprise you to know that many spiders do not use a silk snare at all. They include all the Wolf spiders (2,261 species), Crab spiders (2,024), Mouse spiders (1,957) and Jumping spiders (4,869). Jumping spiders are the family Salticidae, which with 4,869 members is the largest single family of spiders in the world.

The second division is based on how spiders spin their webs, some spiders use sticky silk to trap their prey in their web, and some use a mass of very fine tangles a bit like Velcro (or a tangled fishing line), more correctly this is called ‘hackle band’.

This second type of spider has a special organ called a ‘cribellum’ to help them spin this sort of web, and they are therefore, called ‘cribellate’ spiders, the rest are referred to as ‘ecribellate’.

Now the interesting thing is that the lineages of these two groups of spiders separated a long time ago and in looking at the sort of webs spiders spin we can see that the same sort of geometrical patterns have been developed by both types of spider independently.

Amongst the more traditional webs, those that simply wallpaper a retreat hole and then have a few extended lines stretched out in front of the retreat, are considered to be the most basic.

The trip-lines in front of the retreat do not catch prey items, but do let the spider hiding in its hole that there is something out there. It can then check this out, rushing out to catch it if it seems to be edible. Tarantulas and many other spiders such as the European Segestria Florentina live in a silk lined holes like this. An unusual development of this basic plan is seen in the purse web spiders (family Atypidae) such as Atypus Affinis.

This European spider lives in a hole in the ground, like the simpler spiders mentioned above it lines its hole with web. However it also builds a sealed tube, often called a finger that extends from the apex of the hole some distance.

When a fly lands on this web tube the spider runs out along the inside of it and bites the fly through the web. The fly once bitten is pulled in through the web and taken into the burrow where it is eaten. After its meal the spider repairs the rip in the web where the fly was dragged through it.

The house spider (Tegenaria Domestica) hunts in a similar manner except that instead of a few trip lines she has a whole messy sheet of web in front of her door, any insect that lands on this is regarded as dinner.

From these humble beginnings there have developed many more interesting uses of silk ranging from the horizontal sheet and tangle webs used by many different spiders through dome webs of the Linyphiidae that you can see in any wood, garden or grassland and on to the familiar Orb-web.

Interestingly scientists used to think that the evolution of ecribellate spider webs could be traced from the simple trip lines of Segestria to the sheet webs of spiders such as Lithyphantes through webs of growing geometric perfection such as those of Linyphia and then Cyrtophora to end in the orb-webs of Araneus.

Now however it seems certain that the orb web may have developed first and that the webs of Cyrtophora, and possibly those of Linyphia as well, may be derived from it rather than precursors to it.

On the cribellate side of things the sequence of development that was worked out 50 years or more ago seems more reasonable. Here we have a similar five stage development starting with the simple hole retreat and a few trip lines (though these may have some hackle band on them) of Fillistata.

Stage two is recognised by the expansion of the trip lines into a catching plane as in Eresus and stage three by the abandonment of the stone or wood hole retreat as seen in Dictyna. This allows the spider to occupy more parts of the environment, the retreat is now built at the edge of the web.

In stage four (Sybota) we see the web develop a centric pattern (meaning it has a definite centre with catching threads and support threads).

Finally in spiders like Uloborus we reach stage five where we see a web that is basically an orb-web except that it has hackle band instead of sticky web. The fact that the basic geometric shape of the orb-web with its external boundary lines, its radial supports and its spiral of catching threads winding out from the hub is seen in both cribellate and ecribellate spiders is interesting.

It can be interpreted in two different ways, either it is an example of convergent evolution such as we see in many places in nature where two animals independently evolve the same characteristic simply because it fits the environment best. Or it could support those theorists who believe that the orb-web evolved before the division of the spiders into cribellate and ecribellate.

If this second scenario is the correct one it would mean that all the non orb-web ecribellate spider webs are derived from the orb-web. The answer is unlikely to be found in the fossil record, if spiders tend not to fossilise well then their webs fossilise not at all.

The truth will, I am sure, eventually be sorted out through the use of methods such as protein sampling, DNA sampling and cladistic analysis.

Evolution is not finished, and it certainly didn’t stop for spiders at the orb-web design. Many spiders show modifications of this basic form, many of which are simplifications. The New Guinea spider (Pasilobus ssp.) builds a simple triangular web consisting of only three radii and four sticky crossbars.

This works because if an insect flying past brushes against one of these strands it breaks off from the outer radius and hangs down. In doing so the free end swings around and sticks to the insect which is then reeled in from the still attached end by the spider.

There are also fascinating examples like the Net Casting Spider (Dinopis Guatemalensis) which makes a net of silk web and then hangs upside down waiting for something to pass so that it can drop its net on to it.

Or the Bolas Spiders like the American Mastophora ssp. which emit a pheromone that mimics the sex attractant used by certain moths of the genus Spodoptera (Army Worms).

Males that are attracted to the false pheromone are then caught by the spider using a swinging strand of silk with a sticky blob on the end. The moth gets caught in this, the original bolas, and then the spider hauls it in.

About the Author

Nikki Fox, like over 50% of the worlds population suffers from arachnophobia.
She has created a website to help fellow sufferers to deal with the fear of spiders and spider prevention in the home. Please visit www.spiderpanic.com

Winter Time Is Midge Time When Fly Fishing For Trout

Let’s face it, we dream in Technicolor of size 10 Green Drake
hatches or Hexagenia Limbata as big as beavers – but the reality
is Winter Time Is Midge Time. Often the only bugs on the frigid
water are so small; they challenge most anglers to consider
LASIK. And as you already know, much of the eating is under the
surface.

At a fly-tying class, I once heard a locally famous fly tier
named Pops quip something along the line of “my second best fly
Tying Material supplier is Hobby Lobby”. This, of course,
assumes that Blue Heron Fly Shop where we were sitting is his
“first best”. This guy is also well known for the quote “it
ain’t no use, if it ain’t chartreuse” but that, as they say, is
another story.

Armed with this nugget of wisdom, I scoured every section of
Hobby Lobby. Eureka! Great little wires for tying “ribs” of
nymphs, wonderful foam sheets for terrestrials, assorted yarn
varieties for ‘buggers, and beads, beads, beads! All this is
available at a fraction of the cost of their fly-shop
counterparts. Bingo!

From this magnificent Wall-O’-Beads, I found some fine little
metal ones in a small pinky-sized cylinder. They came in a
variety of colors like olive, purple, copper, and brown. Many
had fancy names like Brown Iris Metallic Beads (the one I took
home) and numerous others. Perfect. We ARE talking tiny here.
Just the right size to barely squeeze on to barb-less size 20
hooks and be proportionate.

Armed with these at my fly tying station, I began to
experiment. If you have ever collected and looked at tiny water
bugs, you will note their appendages and segmentations are not
distinct unless under a microscope. So, I combined the little
bead heads with many simple body materials trying to find a
simple-to-tie solution. I wanted to approximately match the
hatch from recent trips to the stream. I finally boiled it down
to dyed Goose Biots. I had originally experimented with biots to
tie Prince Nymphs at a much larger scale and certainly a
different application. My favorite biot color is olive, and man,
what a great subtle segmented body biots make. Ultimately, I
designed Duff’s Bead/Biot Midge – perfect for fishing Winter’s
cold waters. More than just this emerger, I developed a powerful
One-Two Punch combination that has proven itself over and over
in many tailraces throughout Texas and Oklahoma.

Though the tiny bead/biot midge is a killer as a dropper below
a larger nymph, the One-Two Punch consists of a dropper below a
similar looking dry. Before I give you the recipe, let me
describe the simplicity of these two flies. The Dry Fly is:
olive thread, olive biot, and olive/gray hackle on a size twenty
barb-less hook. The dropper, often fished just 6 inches below
the dry, is: olive thread, olive biot, and metallic bead on a
size twenty barb-less hook. Simple, right? It’s really easy to
tie too. But don’t let that make you feel guilty when you when
you catch numerous trout with it.

Duff’s Dry Midge – Olive

Materials –

* Hook: Size 20 dry

* Thread: Olive 8/0

* Body: Goose Biot dyed olive

* Hackle: Olive/Gray sized to match hook gap

* Head: Olive Thread

Technique – Crush barb, put hook in vise, jamb knot thread and
wrap back to bend, tie in point of biot, wrap thread forward,
spiral biot forward leaving segmentation and tie down with half
hitch, tie in single hackle, trim base, wrap hackle and tie off,
whip finish forming head, add cement.

Duff’s Bead/Biot Midge – Olive

Materials –

* Hook: Size 20 dry or scud/nymph

* Thread: Olive 8/0

* Body: Goose Biot dyed olive

* Head: Brown Iris Bead

Technique – Crush barb, place bead head on hook, put hook in
vise, jamb knot thread and wrap back to bend, tie in point of
biot, wrap thread forward, spiral biot forward leaving
segmentation and tie down with half hitch (optional – tie in a
few strands of Crystal Flash as a wing and clip close), whip
finish behind bead head, add cement.

For those who are not into fly tying but are into fly fishing
Scott has put together an assortment of dry flies and nymphs
that no fly fisherman should be with out. See Duff’s
Ultimate Midge Pack.

Scott is a lead editor and contributor to SouthwestSportsman.co
m, a website dedicated to the enjoyment of the great
American outdoors.

About the Author

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