An Old Alarm Clock and Fly Fishing

I suppose it was inevitable that I would do the research and write an article on the history of fly fishing.  I grew up wanting to know what makes things tick and quite literally I made my first discovered at the age of eight.  It was to my great delight, when I became the rightful owner of a large alarm clock that ‘‘ticked ‘and obtained the permission to dissect it to discover where the ticking sound came from.  If you are a Baby Boomer like me, then you know I'm referring to a time prior to the digital age, when clocks had all those moving parts and a wonderful ‘‘tick tock'‘ sound.

Now if you are an avid fan of fly fishing like me, you know there is no better thrill than wading out into a body of water and pitting you're casting skills in snaring a beautiful fish in their own natural habitat!  I suppose man has been fishing in some way or another since the beginning of time, however it's the sport of fly fishing that captures the imagination and there is nothing quite as popular as the art of fly fishing.  A quick search of Google reveals over thirty three million inquiries on the subject, so like the old alarm clock; I decided to see where all the ‘‘ticking'‘ comes from.

‘‘They fasten red (crimson red) wool around a hook, and fix onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock's wattles, and which in color are like wax.  Their rod is six feet long, and their line is the same length.  Then they throw their snare, and the fish, attracted and maddened by the color, comes straight at it, thinking from the pretty sight to gain a dainty mouthful; when, however, it opens its jaws, it is caught by the hook, and enjoys a bitter repast, a captive.'‘ Translated from a piece of literature dating back to 1558 the above is a reference to a Macedonian fly that was observed to hover over water and when it landed on the water, it floated there long enough for a fish to take it.  As far as we know this is the earliest reference to the observance of a type of fly that could be used to catch fish.

Around Medieval Times a text was found referring to the catching of trout and grayling using a '‘feathered hook'‘.  Other texts identify fly fishing as the chosen method of commoners from 1360 onwards.

The earliest rods were about six feet in length. This was a rod that was ideal for fishing on overgrown rivers where there is no clear back-cast, but the main reason for was that six feet is about the maximum length of straight hazel shoot, which was the basic material available at that time.

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It wasn't until the eighteenth century that silk lines appeared. Up until silk was available, early anglers fished with knotted from horsehair lines.  These lines would have been about the same length as their rods, and most likely the fly was tied directly onto the end of the horsehair.  The fly would float at first, and then sink to a depth of a few centimeters.  A reference to casting a fly was made in 1620 in the form of footnotes to a poem, ‘‘… a line twice your rod's length of three hairs' thickness,  in open water free from trees on a dark windy afternoon,  and if you have learned the cast of the fly,'‘  The concept of the ‘‘dry fly'‘and the ‘‘wet fly'‘were centuries in to the future.

Rings first appeared on rods towards the end of the seventeenth century. The invention gave anglers much more control over the line while a fish was being played, however it had little effect on casting distances.

Jointed rods were becoming more common by the latter half of the eighteenth century. These were often made of wood, sometimes reinforced with brass, and were terribly unreliable.  Trout fly rods were still much longer in these early years and were as much as fourteen to seventeen feet.  The majority of them were shorter rods.  A typical rod might have measure twelve foot long for fishing with lines that terminated in two hairs or more; nine feet for fishing with single hairs ‘‘for the small fly'‘, and seventeen feet long for salmon.  An experienced angler might reckon to throw twelve yards of line with one hand, and or seventeen with both, while using a sixteen foot rod.

The tackle trade had become well established by the eighteenth century, and sold every conceivable item a fly fisher would have needed, as well as many that they didn't need.  In the last half of the century, the multiplying reel was developed. The multiplying reel gave the angler a much higher rate of retrieve, but most designs had brass gears, which ground to shreds under any kind of strain, leaving the fisherman in a horrible state of affair for much of that period.

In the early days anglers had had to twist their own fly lines, generally out of horsehair. During the industrial revolution a variety of tapered manufactured lines became available which could be cast with greater accuracy. By 1850, tapered reel lines were pretty much standard issue and it was pretty much a routine for anglers to reverse a fly line when one end had worn out.

The years 1851 to 1900 were a time of great change in the world of fly fishing.  The false cast was discovered, the dry fly technique emerged, split cane rods were perfected, and ‘‘modern'‘ reels were developed.  The winds of change began to blow in 1857, when Stewart, a young Scotsman, suggested upstream wet fly fishing with for 'a light stiff, single-handed rod of about ten feet long.  The discovery of the false-cast and the beginnings of dry fly fishing began the trend towards shorter trout rods that led to the split-cane rods of Halford's generation.

With Aluminum came a brief practice for using of all sorts of exotic materials. Rubber was in popular use for fly-reel construction between the years 1851 (when Goodyear put in his first patent for rubber processing), to around 1925.  American indigenous reels had almost completely replaced imported products by 1845.

The 1850s marked the beginning of the end of long double-handed trout rods, although they didn't totally fall from favor for at least another forty years.  At the turn of the century the hexagonal split-cane rod was the dominant design, with single, double and steel-centered builds available on request.

In the 1890s, the development of wet trout fly fishing effectively stalled, and dry fly fishing was to drive the technology of the next century.

Glass-fiber rods first appeared in the late 1940's, but it took a while for the new material to be adopted. In 1949, polyvinyl chloride became available, and the first nylon fly line appeared.  In 1952, the discovery of a method of altering the thickness of the PVC coat on the new lines allowed the taper on these lines to be controlled to a precise amount, and the invention of ways to alter the specific gravity of the PVC coating produced a line with greater flexibility than anyone had ever dreamed of in a fly line.

The early years of the twentieth century were a time of great innovation, and the design of the fly reel was greatly improved. At long last, technology was up to the job, and the designers were free to experiment.

Today you can't pick up a fly rod without taking part in history, so next time you cast your line and flick your fly into the future you are part of the ever developing and exciting history of fly fishing!

 

How to Make Adventurous Deep Sea Diving

Deep-Sea Diving

Deep sea diving or Scuba Diving as it is popularly known as, is diving in the deeper parts of the ocean with the help of SCUBA gear. SCUBA is for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It allows the diver to breathe underwater and remain there for a long period of time. Deep Sea diving is mostly done for the purpose of research, fishing, and exploration or simply for fun. It is a popular sport.

Fundamentals of Deep-Sea Diving

Deep-sea diving is very popular amongst the adventurous kind, but then, more the adventure more the danger. There are a few basic fundamentals one should follow while diving.

Always double-check the equipment.

Avoid diving in shark-infested areas.

A diver should de-pressurize the ears. As the diver descends deeper into the water, the pressure on his body increases, causing discomfort in the ears and sinuses or even worse, it can cause your capillaries to burst. To avoid this, close both your nostrils and blow, this will block your ears, hence, de-pressurize them. This technique is called ‘equalization’.

While diving, the diver should have a spotter, either on the boat or on the shore, looking out for his safety.

And all the divers must follow an important rule; they must fly a diver down flag (red flag with a white diagonal slash) to alert the boats around, that a diver is down in the water.

Advantages of Deep-Sea Diving

It is a fantastic and adventurous sport that gives you an experience like no other.

Career-wise, it is great. The money is good. It is definitely worth considering as a career.

You get to travel around the world.

There is a good chance of finding valuable things, which can be kept as Maritime Laws allow the divers to keep whatever they have found in the ocean.

Disadvantages of Deep-Sea Diving

A very demanding job which involves working for long hours.

Since travelling is a big part of it, it may take toll on your health.

It is very dangerous in nature.

It is an expensive hobby as the scuba gear is pricey. Also a boat is required every time you go out to sea.

Deep-Sea Diving Hazards

Since deep-sea diving involves going into an environment not conducive to humans, hazards are a norm. Most hazards are pressure related. Divers often end up bursting their blood capillaries, by not following the equalization method. Decompression sickness is another hazard divers have to be careful of; it occurs if the divers spends too much time in the deep or ascends too quickly to the surface. Nitrogen bubbles are formed in the body, which then cause a lot of pain in the joints. In extreme cases it could also be fatal.

Deep-Sea Safety Measures

Divers should follow all the safety measures by the book to avoid any mishaps. Before every dive, the diver should calculate the depth at which they would be diving and the time they would be spending underneath. Divers should also know the marine animals that may pose a threat.

Fly Fishing in Curecanti National Recreation Area

In Curecanti National Recreation Area, Kokanee Salmon, as well as Brown, Rainbow, Brook, and Cutthroat Trout can be caught using flies. Blue Mesa Reservoir is the largest Kokanee Salmon fishery in the United States. The fall spawning season is the best time to fish for Kokanee with flies.

The Gunnison River provides excellent fly fishing with good chances for catching large trout. The Lake Fork of the Gunnison River (Gateview) is more challenging, but also provides excellent fish habitat and sizeable trout. While the reservoirs are best fished from boats using artificial lures, fly fishing can be good in areas where there is fresh water flowing in from tributaries or drainages.

Fly fishing in the small creeks provides the best opportunity to catch fish. Curecanti provides access to public lands for the numerous small creeks feeding Blue Mesa Reservoir. Curecanti Creek and Blue Creek (boat access only at Blue Creek) are tributaries of Morrow Point Reservoir; and Cimarron and Crystal Creek empty into Crystal Reservoir. Make sure that you check the property boundaries prior to fishing to ensure that you are not fishing on private land.

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The appropriate fly fishing gear can make the difference between a successful outing and a bust trip. Most of the fish that are caught on fly are done so using lightweight gear with a matched rod and line weight of between 2 and 7, 2 being extremely light and 7 being considerably more than is necessary. Without the proper fly, the fish will not take interest.

Flies that work in all seasons include the Orange Stimulator, Atoms, Royal Wolfs, Pheasant Tails, Elk Hair Caddis, and other Caddis. During the early spring and fall, streamers work well in most of the waters of Curecanti.

The tentative hatch schedule for the Gunnison area is May-Mayflies, June-Green Drakes, July/August-Stoneflies, and August Wooley Bugger and Leaches.

In addition to the fly rod and fly, a net and hemostats will aid in the successful release of live fish by minimizing handling stress.

Fish become stressed through capture and handling which upsets their blood chemistry. The effects can be cumulative and decimate a fish. We recommend these actions to increase the survival chances of a catch and release fish:

* Bring the fish in as quickly as possible.
* Use barbless hooks, or crimp the barbs with needle nose pliers.
* Minimize handling the fish. Be sure your hands or net is wet before touching the fish. Use a net with knotless mesh.
* Keep the fish in the water. It preserves its protective slime coat.
* Use a hook disgorger to remove hooks in the throat. Do not remove a deep hook, but cut the line just above the lure.
* Use a heavy leader line, which exerts maximum pressure on the fish.
* Gently hold fish in water facing upstream to allow it to gain equilibrium and add oxygen to its blood. Release it when it struggles.

Review of Oasis Brisas Resort in Santa Lucia, Cuba

Despite the damage done by 3 consecutive hurricanes in the fall of 2008, the Oasis Brisas has rebuilt quickly and remains one of Cuba’s Atlantic Coast hidden gems. Being some distance from the airport in Camaguey and being a flight away from the hustle and bustle of Veradero and Havana, Santa Lucia is a peaceful and friendly place unparalleled in Cuba.

Location: Santa Lucia is a small strip of resorts on the northern coast of Cuba. It is 90 minutes from the closest airport in Camaguey. The Brisas is a fairly small resort and all rooms are relatively near to all activities, restaurants and bars.

Rooms: The rooms are modest but quite adequate. As with many resorts in Cuba, plumbing, electricity and air conditioning are subject to breakdowns quite often. This is a way of life in a country so cut off from a number of ‘western’ countries. See it as part of the romance and appreciate what these people have to go through on a regular basis dealing with what we consider small problems.

Restaurants and Bars: The food may be bland as it is at most Cuban resorts. This is more their interpretation of what North Americans and Europeans want than what their traditional food is. However, the food is plentiful as is the booze. There is a bar open 24 hours per day and there are others open until varying hours. Cristal is the only beer available and may start to taste a little disgusting after 5 or 6 days. Everything else is based on Rum. A common complaint about Cuban resorts is that bar service is slow and unfriendly and the bartenders don’t appreciate tips. They do appreciate tips but they appreciate being talked to and treated like human beings even more. Take the time to learn a few Spanish phrases and try to converse a little with these folks. You’ll find it will go a long way.

Beach/Pool/Grounds: The beach at the resort is beautiful. Straying off the grounds will find you walking through garbage. The water is amazingly clear and do bring snorkelling gear if you have it. There are patches of coral reef within an easy swim of the beach that are teeming with tropical fish. There is only one pool. It is fairly large but the water may be cool. The swim-up bar is worth the cold water, though, as this is where you will get the best service!

Excursions: There are not many off-site excursions available and the ones that are available are the usual that you will find at any resort. You can fly to the major tourist centres in Cuba which would involve overnight stays. There are sporting trips such as snorkelling, catamaran trips, sailing, deep-sea fishing, diving, ATVing, etc. You should take a walk down the main road to visit the workers town. It’s a good education on how the resort workers live and you can get in on some great hospitality for a few pesos.

Common Complaints: The usual complaints always arise when people post a review of this resort. The staff are unfriendly. Well, no they aren’t. They don’t speak your language and it is hard to be friendly to someone who wants an instant answer and who thinks they are of a superior society. The rooms are poorly maintained. It may seem this way, but they are trying as hard as they can with the minimal resources they have to keep the resort in working condition. The drive is too long from the airport. You knew this going in and if you didn’t, the bad review goes to your travel agent and not the resort. The further you drive from an airport, the more exclusive and real your resort is going to be. It is worth the drive.

In all, the Oasis Brisas in Santa Lucia is a great resort for anyone who wants to get away from civilization and relax. The resort is small enough that you will form friendships with the staff and entertainment crew. In fact, this is the only resort I’ve been to where the entertainment crew intermingles with the customers all day long until their evening performance. Don’t forget your sunscreen, snorkelling gear and gifts for the local people.

Hint: If you want unlimited coconuts and speedy service from the maintenance and grounds crew, money talks, yes. Rum speaks much louder. Discretely take the maintenance and grounds crew drinks from the bar that you’re getting for free anyway and you will be treated like kings and queens!

Fly reels, dry flies, mayflies and caddis flies are some of the various flies that can easily be stored in a fly fishing fanny pack.Learn more in this free video series. Expert: Jim Dowd Contact: www.zoaroutdoor.com Bio: Jim Dowd runs the fishing program at Zoar Outdoor, is a Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructor, Life Member of Trout Unlimited, and co-author of The Deerfield River Guide. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

How to Choose a Fly Fishing Rod

Fly fishing is another fishing activity that is basically involved using an article fly. The most common or the traditional fishing uses worms and other forms of bait. The fishing flies on the other hand is used so that it will float in the water. If you are a total newbie and wants to try fly fishing, you should have a fly fishing gear and a rod to start.

There are many types of fishing rods available in the market. Here are some tips and guides on how to choose the perfect fly fishing rod.

Canvass and go to a sports house outlet and take a look on fishing rods. If you are lucky enough and catch an expert in fly fishing in the shop, make an effort to ask for some advices. It is highly recommended to practice casting using their sample equipments. Find a rod that makes you feel comfortable and easy to use.

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The material is basically made of either fibreglass or graphite component. A rod that is made out of fibreglass is recommended for beginners because of its durability, functionality and practicality. This type is also used in several fishing situations. A graphite rod is much lighter to use and great for casting. It gives you more control over your rod and improves your accuracy and angling skills.

Consider your rod action. Rod action refers to the stiffness and flexibility of the rod while casting or fighting a fish. There are three types and categories under rod action – fast, medium and slow action rods. These types of rods differ in techniques and uses. Fast action rods are commonly used for longer casts while the slow action is advised to use for close range casting. Go ahead and try these different types of rod and pick the one which you are comfortable with.

You may also need to consider the fly size, fishing line weight and the rod you will use in fly fishing. They should be properly inclined and well balanced. Experts in this field are very knowledgeable on what rods they would use. As for beginners, there is a convenient way on to make your equipments easy to assemble. You can have the option to opt for fly fishing rod combos which includes all the equipments needed from rod, reels, line weight, fly, leader to tippets. As you go along and master the art of fly fishing, it is ideal for you to refine and match these equipments for a better catch.

 

Eagle Claw 8-Feet 6-Inch 5/6 Weight 2 Piece Fly Combo

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The Chinese Music Box, Poem

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The Chinese Music Box

中国音乐盒

zhong guo yin yue he

(The love of a life needs a life full of love

With neither one present, they both fade away)

Wayne Wilks

This is a little story I have wanted to write for some time now about a music box I purchased in Oklahoma City, manufactured in China, which I then shipped back to Shenzhen as a present for my new daughter, Wen. The box then made its way back to Oklahoma with her mother, my wife. It struck me as some sort of miracle, this traveling music box and how it was love that saw it safely across 8000 miles of ocean, 3 times, following one little girl across the globe. It now sits on little Wen’s desk, in our home in Oklahoma.

God bless: Tim Wilkinson

(Once upon a time, not so very long ago, in a far away place in a country named China, there lived a kind man, a maker of beautiful music boxes.)

Four daughters he had and a beautiful wife

All living together and sharing their life

In the mornings together, they worked and they smiled

In evenings they played, they cleaned and they schooled

At night when the light, sank down out of sight

They cooked and ate peaches with tofu and rice.

In a glen by a brook in the shade of a hill

Father built them a house and he built it quite well

In the tiny wood cabin, with a shed by the way

He built them a home with wood and with clay

And somewhere about, in China no doubt

By the brook in the shade, it stands to this day,

They six of them lived in this field all of green

With grasses and flowers and beauty unseen

Butterflies and bees danced about in the breeze

Squirrels and fat chipmunks chattered high in the leaves

Robins and Wrens, Blackbirds and Hens

Red Cardinals too would wait to begin

They gathered to sing and all would join in

To whistle a tune with the trees and the wind

Apples and pears most loved by the bears

Hung fatly and sweet and grew everywhere

Within their green field sat their small wooden house

Complete with a bunny and one kindly mouse.

The chimney on top with the smoke curling out

Smelled yummy and hot like Mothers steamed trout

With the scent of fresh breads, of puddings and stouts

The air tickled noses and turned people’s heads

It filled the night air with the smell of roast bear

Boiled mutton, baked beef, cherries, pumpkins and Pear

In the coldwater Locke by the woods in the glen

They fished and they sunned and they swam, all of them

And when there was ice, they skated and sliced

Then fell on their rumps with a grin

When the wind it blew haggard and harsh

When it rushed so rough to the south

When it chilled the small house and the one kindly mouse

When all noses were red, inside and out

Then they snuggled quite tight, beside firelight

While father told stories that he knew

No care did they have for together they thrived

Never alone or affright

If love could make candy and kisses make fruits

Turn joy into chocolates and smiles into treats

Then never a family, was more like soft candy

And never were Six more sugary sweet

You see, he learned how to sing from the Mockingbird King

And the Storks, well they taught him of dancing

So he taught his four girls

And his wife with dark curls

To dance and to sing and to live as if spring

Would never depart from the world

He learned how to carve and build boxes

While schooling with red winter foxes

Learning his trade and how to be paid

Selling red wooded, Chinese music boxes

He carved with tree thorns and sharp little horns

Always his wife there beside him

Carved with small figures, of bunnies and guineas

With doves and with flowers and penguins

He made each one sing, with bells that could ring

With a dancer that sang through the evening

With care and great skill did he use

All that he’d learned and he knew

And all that he built, with a heart free from guilt

Was shiny and lovely and true

Only one at a time, did he glue and fit tight

Not starting another till the first was just right

Placing within each new box

All he’d learned from the fox

In the glen by hill, near the woods and the field

Beside the coldwater Locke

Created with smiles, with laughter and sighs

Then painted with bird feather brushes

With flowers for girls and tigers for boys

He painted them one then another

Yes, he made boxes that sang, to cure little girl’s pains

So music and song would surround them

All the magic he knew from the world when still new

He used on his red music boxes

All the dances he’d seen

The songs that he gleaned

He used to create each beautiful thing

His daughters, his wife and his boxes

When one each was done and he’d named every one

He sold them to those who would love them

He harvested the wood that he used to build boxes

From towering Cedars that grew with the oxen.

He cut what he pleased for they grew like the weeds

In a year all he needed was twenty

The trees grew as high, as high as the skies

As high as an eagle whenever he flies

With a small wooden cart, he would carry the wood

To his home in the field, to his shed in the woods

The trees grew so thick, so tall and so long

As brown as the dark eyes of his little girl Wong

He formed the small pieces of the finished wood tops

From the stalks that he gathered to replenish his stocks

He cut them himself from within the dark woods

Tall, thin bamboo, where nothing else grew

He cut and he wacked at the great tall bamboo

Working all the hot day, until he was through

The stalks grew so thickly, so tightly they did

Where Panda, Tiger and Elephant hid

Then he bound it and dried it, then whittled it down

To make tiny drawers and the things that go round

When young it grew green and could sing in the wind

Like whistles from leaves, it sang from within

Bamboo remembers and knows it’s young tune

It will sing in a box when dried and loved true

It never forgets the sound of its song

As pure as the smile of his little girl Yong

He sawed and he cut, he dried and he planed

He smoothed and he formed, then he glued and he stained

He sanded and painted, he polished and smoothed

He lacquered and finished, then smoothed once again

He made tiny pieces of bamboo and carved wood

Then sealed them with glues, as best as he could

Glues made from eggs whites and Robin’s eggshells

That he picked up himself, just right where they fell

He gathered them one and he gathered them all

Yet only those that were broken and those that did fall

The shells were of azure and indigo too

A tiny bit round and a little bit new

As deep as tall iris, they were and remained

Like the swift giggling brooks, for which they were named

They each were bright blue, like the clear sky at noon

As dark as the sea, as bright as his mood

As blue as the soft words he sang to his wife

For all that she gave him, his children and life

As blue as the sad years he’d spent without song

As blue as the heart of his little girl Fong

He gathered the stones from the rivers all round

Stones full of copper and zinc that he found

He crushed them and mixed them, then smelted them down

For the Brass to make gears and the teeth that made sounds

For a box without sound is sad little thing

As sad a lover, alone in the spring

For it’s gears that give life to a box that can sing

And it’s love that turns sound into songs in the spring

You see the heart of a music box is only as big as its gears

As strong as its joy, as sad as its tears

The gears that he molded were strong and quite sound

Shiny and sparkly, the best to be found

They gleamed like the sunshine and shone the dawn

Like the eyes of his last born, his little girl Hong

He then carved it a lovely, petite, tiny dancer

Of Whalebone or Walrus or maybe Deer antler

No one could say, for only he knew

By the end of the day when the carving was through

But carve her he did and then set her on top

To twirl and then spin, to dance until stopped

When all was just perfect and all was arranged

There sat a new box for his daughters to play

Smooth as new silk, red as the dawn, bright as the eyes

Of his little girls Wong, Yong, Fong and of course little Hong

On top spun the dancer, of pink and chiffon

She danced in a circle while the box sang it’s song

He wound it then set on table or pot

When dinner was through but the dishes were not

Then they’d all gather round and they’d watch and then smile

As the box played a tune to while away hours

For there in the stones, the metals and trees

There is life in the magic for the love of all these

A man and his wife with their four little girls

Cause it’s love that brings life, to boxes and worlds

But it’s one music box that I’m here now to say

Came to life in that season, that very same day

A gift for sweet Hong, with her own tune to play

A song about life, true love and the way

The way that a father can so love his girl

To build wooden boxes to brighten her world

There was magic and power in that green Chinese field

With love and with romance, really quite real

The woods held the Magic, in the bamboo and trees

With power in waters, rivers and streams

It came to be then, within little Hongs hands

That the music box sang, with the force of a band

The love that they shared, little Hong and her box

That her father had made, once taught by the fox

Sing, boy did it ever, whenever it could

Of a fathers great love, in their home in the woods

She loved and took it wherever she went

She always rewound it when it’s song was all spent

The love that she gave it, so innocent and true

Was all that was needed, for wishes to bloom

Well that love grew so strong, so true and so real

That before they all knew it, well that box…it could feel

It’s little brass wheels, they then turned into flesh

It’s heart filled with joy and it’s gears drew a breath

The six of them then, formed a family each day

A family of six, no seven they say

And each lovely night, when the sun went away

When foxes did prance and the rabbits did play

When robins and blue jays and owls up on high

Looked down from above, with glee and with sighs

The family of seven, with song in their hearts

Did sing and then dance, to the songs of the larks

They smiled and they laughed, they giggled and pranced

While Mother and Father passed winks of romance

For years they remained, so happy and free

While Hong and her sisters grew tall as the trees

Yet spring turns to autumn and rain turns to snow

It wasn’t that long, before all was to go

Too soon came the time that it all turned to gray

Their life in the grass, the fields all a sway

But the love of a father for child and sweet lass

Lives on forever, in wood and in brass

Like the love of a girl, for her red music box

Loves great as these, well they never stop

Before they knew why, their songs faded out

Things change so fast, of this there’s no doubt

It was summer that year, when the rains went away

Then Father’s great fear came true as the day

The city was growing, no longer a town

Black smoke filled the skies and smog burnt their eyes 

Great sadness was near, no longer bound

They watched and they cried as the trees were cut down

The woods disappeared, all turned into houses

People and trains scared off the small mouse’s 

The bamboo was sheared, the grasses all died

The animals left, the birds flew away 

The brooks they all dried as the Governor lied

Selling the waters for pennies a day

The rocks they were mined, crushed and refined

To build fences and roads, to bar people’s way 

The field filled with grass, soon covered in ash

Turned brown as the dust, cause the rain couldn’t last

Soon factories and stores and people in hordes

Buried the green hills with concrete and floors 

Wong met a boy that she married quite fast

Leaving Father and Mother, minus one lass 

Yong left for school, no longer a girl

But a woman with dreams and a life in the world

Fong went to work, in a town, by a church

In a country and city by a woods, full of birch 

This left father and mother, Hong and her box

To live by themselves, they and one fox

Now it wasn’t too long, before there came along

Sickness and illness and many sad songs 

Soon Father took ill and Mother a chill

Little Hong couldn’t fix and couldn’t make well 

Before thaw turned to spring and the sun warmed the ground

Both mother and father and Hong were all gone

The box it was sold, to pay fathers debts

For doctors and nurses and all of the meds 

Mother was with him, just holding his hand

When he faded off, to new better lands

Mother soon followed, like flowers and seeds

Dropping her petals, replaced by the weeds 

For she couldn’t stay, without Father beside her

Without her dear husband to love and to guide her 

Together they left, leaving Hong all alone

In a country named China, in a home not her own

On that very day, as little Hong sobbed

The gears of her box…well they just sort of stopped 

Without little Hong and her bright summer smiles

Her heart just stopped beating, her gears had grown tired

The sad music box, now alone by the Locke

Grew lonely and rusty and wouldn’t unlock 

Her heart had grown old, due to rust and her tears

For a future of nothing but lone empty years 

Soon she was taken to a small little shop

And sold with the rest of fathers old stock

Then packed in a crate and shipped over seas

To help pay the cost of Hongs food and small cot 

The trip it was long for rough was the ocean

On a ship with a sail, just as old and forgotten

When she arrived to new shores in a land far away

She sat alone on a shelf, until this very day 

When came a young man in the shop to do trade

To seek a small gift, for his bride down the way 

He looked and he thought and looked once again

Yet nothing he found could make his wife grin

Till he found in the back, in the dark, at the top

A duty old shelf with a rusty old box 

She had sat on that shelf, refusing to sing

For so very long, through winters and springs

With never a peep, nor a word or a phrase

Not a lyric or song or tune did she raise 

Yet when the man touched her, something happened you see

She felt once again the need to be free 

There was something that day, in his touch or his way

That tickled her gears, made her heart pound away

Something of magic was here once again

She felt it and knew it, yet couldn’t begin 

She had been far too long, without family or Hong

Now her gears were too rusty, too dusty for song

So try as she might, to move and to sing

All she could manage was one tiny…Ting 

So the man placed her back, back on top of her shelf

Then turned back around, to find something else 

Yet before he moved far, this small music box

Gathered her strength, forced open her lock

Her top it slid open, her key it did turn

Her gears cranked around, her heart it did burn 

In just that one moment, she came back to life

And sang, take me, and love me, a gift for your wife

She sang and she sang as if all of her life

Was all about this, this moment, this strife 

The young man then turned and smiled a wide grin

For now he knew what, his wife he would give 

So he bought the small box and wrapped her all in

Pretty red paper, with bows at each end

And when she was opened, unwrapped for her song

Whom did she see, but her little girl Hong? 

For the young man you see, had searched high and low

For a love that loved him, and with him would go

To make him a family and be his new wife

So in China he searched for the love of his life 

And the one that he choose, who choose him alike

Was little ole Hong, now grown to full height 

So all of them three, forever they stayed

In a house by a brook, with a field all a sway

Where the trees grew so thick, so tall and so long

As brown as the eyes of their little girls Yong, and of course little Hong 

If love could make candy and kisses make fruits

Turn joy into chocolates and smiles into treats

Then never a family, was more like soft candy

And never were five more sugary sweet 

(For Little Wen)

The End

© 2010, Tim Wilkinson & Wayne Wilks

Work And Travel, Living Like a Gypsy

With the economy in the dumps and the job market as poor as it is I assume that many people would consider a job requiring travel who previously wouldn't have.  People who live like gypsies while working are a minority, but they're not uncommon.  Admittedly it's not for everyone.  Some people instinctively know that it's not for them and avoid it.  Some people, myself included, loved the lifestyle, but circumstances change, and so does our lifestyle.  Some people wouldn't live any other way.

Lots of people have jobs that require them to travel.  To my way of thinking the difference between a person who travels as part of their job and a gypsy is that the former is always looking forward to returning home, while the gypsy is at home in their travels.  It's largely an attitude.

This article is not meant to entice anyone into living like a gypsy.  That's in your blood, either you will or you won't.  Rather, I'd like to share a few lessons learned from my years on the road.

Since living on the road means travel, the most important consideration is how are we going to travel?  Occasionally this may entail flying but usually it means driving.  Keep in mind that we're talking about living on the road, not taking a vacation.  I advise against using a bus or Amtrak for this kind of travel.  Once you're at your destination you're still in need of transportation if you got there by bus.  This isn't an issue if you drove there yourself.

With gas prices as high as they are I encourage car pooling and sharing travel expenses as much as possible.  But I want to travel in my vehicle and split the cost with others.  I've been in situations where I wanted to visit different attractions that are fairly close but can't because I don't have my vehicle.  With my wheels, I'm in charge.  Remember, this is your life not just a work trip, and there's more to life than just working!  Also, if you decide to quit a job for any reason, you don't want to be stuck for lack of transportation.

What type of vehicle is best for a gypsy?  I highly recommend a pickup.  My favorite vehicle was a 1984 Chevrolet 3/4 ton, 4X4 pickup, with dual gas tanks, manual hubs, a 350 engine, and standard transmission.  Having a 4X4 can be indispensable if you need to travel off road, or on poorly maintained back roads.  It's also handy in the winter.  With a pickup you can travel with whatever gear and work tools you need, a set of mechanics tools for wrenching on your own vehicle, camp gear, and a few toys. 

Breakdowns are a huge pain but they're going to happen.  Be proactive instead of reactive as much as possible and keep up on the maintenance.  Do whatever you can do to minimize the severity of breakdowns, and how often they occur.

Actual living arrangements will depend on the area you're in.  Many people stay in motels.  In a big city that makes sense, but most of my jobs were out in the country.  I got to the point that I felt like motels were largely a waste of money.  Fortunately I've always enjoyed camping, so that's what I did.  But you need to realize that there's a huge difference between a recreational camp out, and working out of a camp site.

With camp trailers there are pluses and minuses.  It's convenient to have a small home on wheels that you can hook onto when it's time to move and simply drop off when you've arrived at your destination.  Naturally the larger the trailer, the more creature comforts there are.  With the largest camp trailers you're courting disaster if you attempt to take them off road and into the back country.  So you're looking at parking them in RV parks.  There you'll find water and power hookups, and septic tanks.  They usually have a small store on site and laundry facilities.  Their cost is often as much as some motels.  Don't count on seclusion in an RV park, often times they're more crowded than living in an apartment complex. 

If you want to use a trailer and camp off road or in the back country, a smaller trailer is called for.  In this case you're giving up the hookups and amenities that you have in an RV park.  This means packing in water, the necessity of emptying your sewage tank occasionally, and keeping the batteries charged and propane tanks filled.

For a few years I had a 21 foot camp trailer that I enjoyed.  It was large enough to have a lot of creature comforts, but was small enough to take off road in some places.  After I sold that trailer, I started living out of the back of my pickup.  This is the period of time that I have my fondest memories of being a gypsy.  I had a cab high sleeper shell on the back of the pickup, and I put plywood on the floor so that I had a flat surface there.  An old army cot set up with a couple of foam bed rolls and a sleeping bag made an excellent bed.  Some of the gear fit under the cot to economize on space. 

A tent is an indispensable item.  If you're in an area where it's practical pitch your tent and make camp.  If there are enough people in your group that someone's always in camp, you don't need to worry about breaking camp when you leave for awhile.  Make improvements around camp as you have the time.  It's amazing how creative people can get with these improvements.  If there's fairly long periods when no one is in camp pack up everything but your tent and bed when you leave.  They reserve your camp site, and they're easy to replace if they're stolen.

A major issue when working out of a camp site is personal cleanliness.  On some job sites there are showers, most mines will have them.  It's possible in some places that you can use pay showers such as the ones available at truck stops.  I've found that a solar powered shower works well if you have a secluded area where you can hang it and take a shower.  The biggest problem with a solar powered shower is that it's easy to overheat the water.  But you can always add cooler water to bring the temperature down to a tolerable level.

Coolers took up most of the space in my pickup.  Old coolers work great to store things in.  I used one old cooler to throw cook gear in; camp stove, white gas, skillet, dutch oven, coffee pot, utensils, and lantern.  Another cooler was used for dry goods; canned goods, pancake mix, bread, things of that sort.  Then there was a cooler used for produce and meat that needed to be kept on ice.  Finally, there was a large water cooler.  Canned drinks were also thrown into this cooler.  Depending on the temperature ice will last two or three days.

Use work clothes that haven't been ruined at work yet as your good clothes.  This cuts down on space taken up with luggage.  Being a gypsy is fairly casual, so you're not dressing to impress anyone.  This is both practical and cost efficient.  When old clothes are worn out save them instead of throwing them away.  They make excellent fire place tinder.

Depending upon how much travel you're doing and how often you're moving, it may not be practical to establish a mailing address, even a P.O. Box.  In the 80's I'd send money orders to my mother and she'd collect and pay my bills for me.  Now days with online banking and billing I'd have it set up so that I could pay all my bills online.  Computers are so prevalent any more that it shouldn't be a problem to find one that you can use for a short while to take care of bills.

The "toys" you travel with for recreation will vary from one person to another.  I carried a set of horseshoes, fishing gear, and a few guns.  This worked well for me.  Attitudes have changed since the 1980's and I would make it a point to know the gun laws in each state before traveling through them with guns.  Even back then California had such a hard nosed reputation when it came to guns that I packed mine away out of sight and left them alone while I was in that state.

I was pulled over by the state police in New Mexico once.  It was a fairly minor offense and they let me go on it.  However, I had a New Mexico Drivers License, Arizona plates on my truck, and a mailing address in Utah.  This had them scratching their heads and they considered hauling me in just to sort things out.  Fortunately for me they didn't.  Now days I think they would.  If I were still living the gypsy life I would pay more attention to my personal "papers", so as not to set off alarms or raise any flags with the police or anyone else in authority.

In short, with the economy and the job market being in the poor shape they are, I believe that traveling for work is a more viable option for many people than it once was.  Call it being a gypsy if you will.  Using a little common sense, it can actually be an enjoyable experience.  It's even became a lifestyle of choice for many.

Question by kelhalla: Has anyone used Hardy Fishing gear for fly fishing?
just wondering

Best answer:

Answer by nudangler
Yes.

What do you think? Answer below!

Choosing Fly Fishing Equipment

As the popularity of fly fishing has grown, so has the availability, and choice, of  gear to use for this very enjoyable sport. This means though, that unless you really know what you are looking for, the choice of equipment can be rather overwhelming. The best advice is, just focus on the basics and you'll find the gear you need to truly enjoy your fly fishing. Having said that, as with most things, you get what you pay for. So don't go for the cheapest you can find. If a piece of equipment is relatively inexpensive, find out why before purchasing, or you may find that you've wasted your money.

Basic Gear for Fly Fishing

The Rod

First and foremost, you need the right fishing rod. Without the right rod, the rest of the gear is meaningless. In the beginning, flexible fly fishing rods were made from sturdy wood. Next came treated and reinforced bamboo rods.

Bamboo was a step up from the original wooden rods and increased the quality of the fishing experience. Many anglers still use these and wouldn't swop them for anything else. A good bamboo rod though can be extremely expensive, as many hours work has to go into it's construction. The most recent advance in materials is carbon fiber, or fiberglass.  

Rods made for fly fishing are heavier than the normal fishing rods. Fiberglass gives weight to the rod, while still maintaining flexibility. The additional weight also gives the rod a smooth and clean cast. When selecting your rod, be aware that the smoothness of the cast can vary from rod to rod. You can choose from fast action rods, which are only flexible at the tip, to medium action, which are flexible for around half their length, right to the other end of the scale, slow action rods, which are flexible throughout their length. 

The Fishing Reel

As with the rods, fly fishing reels are larger and heavier than a normal fishing reel. They are also more durable. These reels possess a distinctive design which allows it to work in unison with the rod. This means that the rod and the reel must be compatible with other. This factor is much more important in fly fishing than in normal fishing. So when you decide to purchase your gear, it would be wise to buy the rod and the reel at the same time. It is possible to buy a combination set, where everything is matched for you. If you already have a rod, then take it with you when you buy the reel. That way you can ensure they will work together as one unit.  

The Fly

The most important piece of fly fishing equipment is also the tiniest, the replicated fly. Selecting a fly can be difficult. There is a huge selection of flies from which to choose, and different flies are designed to catch different types of fish. Before you purchase your flies, decide what type of fish you want to catch. Otherwise, instead of the perfect break from stress described above, you'll just get frustrated when you catch nothing.

The Clothes 

Okay, clothes aren't really important in fly fishing, anything comfortable will do although bright colors are not a good idea, as with any kind of hunting, try and blend in with your surroundings. Remember also, that you may be wading out into cold water, so buy yourself a good set of rubber waders. You'll enjoy your fly fishing experience more if you're warm and dry.

How to attach a reel to a rod in fly fishing. Learn about fly fishing gear, supplies, and other equipment in this free video. Expert: Alvin Dedeaux Contact: www.alvindedeaux.com Bio: Alvin Dedeaux has been a fly fishing guide and casting instructor for 12 years, and has been fly fishing for 32 years. Filmmaker: MAKE | MEDIA
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Best Fly Fishing Rod

When fly fishing, it helps out tremendously to have quality equipment.  Although you do not have to have the best of everything to be successful, it certainly helps if you have a rod, reel and line that go well together and made out of high grade materials.  In the last 20 years, fly rods have improved immensely as the fly rod manufactures compete to build the "Best Fly Fishing Rod" on the market as devoted fly fishermen are willing to part with large sums of money in order to have top notch gear.  So the big question is: What is "The Best Fly Fishing Rod".

Any experienced fly fisherman will tell you that there really isn't one specific rod that could be considered the best fly rod.  You see, there are so many different species and different sized fish in the world that there is no way for one rod to be the perfect rod for all fish.  That is exactly why choosing a fly rod is so difficult because there is a huge spectrum of applications and a large number of rod makers trying to build a better rod.  

In your quest to find the best fly fishing rod, there are certain aspects that should be considered.  Size, Action, and quality (price) are the three big ones and what we will cover in this article.

Size

The first thing we need to do is figure out what size of rod you will need.  If you are presenting small dry flies to trout, then you will want a light rod with a delicate presentation.  If you are planning on targeting Rooster Fish in the ocean, then obviously the same rod that you use for trout is probably not going to cut it.  There are different sized rods designed for different sized fish and different situations.  Here is a generic list of rod weights and the fish they are designed to fight.  

2wt    small trout, pan fish
4wt    trout, pan fish
6wt    bass, trout,
8wt    steelhead, bass, saltwater
10wt    salmon, steelhead, tuna, saltwater
12wt     saltwater, dorado, sail fish
14wt    saltwater, sail fish, marlin, shark

Obviously there are extremes in most cases, so your individual fly rod needs may differ a bit.

Action

A Fly rod works by throwing line instead of a lure.   It does so by bending and loading up energy to cast the line back and forth.   That is why fly fishing rods can get quite expensive and why quality is so important.  The "Action" of a rod is the term that signifies at what point the rod bends.  There are 3 main types of rod Action: Slow, Medium, Fast.  A rod can also fall somewhere in between actions and be called a combination of the two such as Medium Fast.  Here is a list of the main action types and how they bend:

•    Fast Action: rod bends mostly at the tip.  Built for high line speed good for long casts, accuracy, wind conditions, and casting large flies. These rods are best suited for experienced casters as they are difficult to learn with.

•    Medium Action: rod bends in the mid section of the rod.  This is the easiest rod to cast but will lack the distance and accuracy of faster action rods.

•    Slow Action: whole rod bends when casting.  Made for small streams and short casts.

While Medium Action rods are easiest to cast, if you are a beginner looking for the best fly rod, then you will probably want to go with a medium fast action as eventually you will want to be able to make those longer cast and through heavier flies.

Quality

Quality and price are synonymous with each other.  You will have a hard time finding one that is not the other.  I will tell you one thing though, while there is a huge difference between a set up and 0 rod, the difference between a 0 and 0 is not near as significant but there still is a difference.  When it comes to all fly fishing gear, you will get what you pay for.  My number one rule of thumb is always go with the best fly fishing rod that you can afford.  Number two would be to make sure all fly rod purchases come with a lifetime warranty.  That way you will make an investment designed to last a lifetime and know that you are buying a quality fly fishing set up.

So, what is the Best Fly Fishing Rod?

To answer this, you will have to look at your situation including when, where, and what you are to be fishing for, as well as your experience level.  A good place to refine your search is at www.OnlineFlyFishingGuide.com.  Here you will be able to figure out the size, type, and price range you are after and apply that to figuring out the exact brand, make and model of what is to become your own"Best Fly Fishing Rod".

Question by Tony: beginning fly fishing and need gear?
i have recently become interested in the sport of fly fishing, and need a rod. i am willing to spend a total of $ 115 for the whole set up. I use the rod to catch eastern trout, blue gills, and the occasional bass if possible. If not for only blue gills, and Eastern trout. I am very new and need some advice on what rod to pick. Please leave links to rods and gear thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by AIRFLOW
Search the yahoo search engine on this site for questions relating to fly fishing outfits- there are hundreds, most of them asking the exact same thing as you with the same budget range. Most of them are recent and suggest what line ratings to get and have links to outfits on cabelas, bass pro shops and KMD tackle.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Establishing a carrying pack that can easily hold all your fly fishing gear and supplies isdiscussed in this free video series. Expert: Jim Dowd Contact: www.zoaroutdoor.com Bio: Jim Dowd runs the fishing program at Zoar Outdoor, is a Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructor, Life Member of Trout Unlimited, and co-author of The Deerfield River Guide. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Fly Fishing In Popular Culture

Fly fishing is an ancient style of fishing that has become an important part of popular culture. Images of it gear often evoke powerful emotions in the viewer.

It was practiced at least as early as the 2nd century by Macedonian anglers; however, some argue that fly fishing may have originated even earlier with the Chinese.

Little is known of the development of it from the 2nd century through the end of the 15th century. The English publication of a book in 1496 detailing dozens of artificial fly designs suggests that the sport was kept active during this period though. It continued to grow in popularity for some time in England, Scotland, Scandinavia and the United States. However, the sport eventually came to be viewed as an elitist sport, in part due to the high cost of fly fishing gear. Early fly rods were crafted from a tropical wood and later from bamboo. Both types of rods were expensive. By the 1920s interest in fly fishing in the United States had peaked.

Following World War II, fly fishing interest increased in the United States again. The introduction of fiberglass fishing rods, mono filament leaders, and synthetic line all served to lower the cost of fishing gear. Fly fishing interest in the United States was once again on the rise. Many of our fathers and grandfathers were fly fishermen of this era, and the overall respect that is given that generation in American culture may be reason enough to explain the enduring strength of it in popular culture.

Over the years Western it has emerged with its own cultural image. This may be due to several factors, including the American romanticizing of Western culture in general along with some brilliant marketing by early Western fly fishing entrepreneurs. The Western American cultural image of fly fishing is inextricably linked with horses, wide-brimmed hats, and leather apparatus. Western-clad fly fishers wading a rocky river while horses graze nearby on the aspen-lined shore is a powerful picture that transports most of us to a place we want to be. Whether the image is completely rooted in reality is not important.

Consider how many images designed to communicate masculinity feature fishing gear. Artists and graphic designers know that images are a powerful way to communicate masculinity - whether attempting to speak to men or to speak about men.

Even those who have not held a fly rod in years are powerfully impacted by the image of a fly rod or a fly fishing scene. The picture instantly transports people back in time. Fly fishing is so deeply embedded in the American culture that a single picture can take us back to childhood or transport us to a far away place. In this place the world seems right again; everything is once again as it should be.

It's an important part of popular American culture. Images of fly fishing abound in movies, magazines, books and homes. Even an image of it apparatus communicates powerfully to many Americans. It's an important part of American popular culture and history.

Fly Fishing - The Simple Art

In its simplicity, fly fishing transcends the commonplace to become art itself.

Years ago I used to live in the Berkshires, the heavily forested and hilly land of Western Massachusetts, home to writers, theater folk, and artists of all types.  It is a beautiful place, a land rich with natural beauty.  Its rivers and lakes boast trout of all kinds - brook, brown, rainbow, even tiger trout (a cross between a female brown and male brook trout) and fishing with flies is deeply embedded in the angling culture of the area.

The Berkshires are home to painters, too, and of these I count Norman Rockwell as my best example of a painter who grabs the inner heart of fishing.  Rockwell, who lived in Stockbridge, Massachusetts from 1953 to his death in 1978, did homage to that ideal.  All outdoor sports have their cache of needed equipment, and fishing is no different.  Every angler has his or her favorite fly fishing gear to port along.  But it is in the quiet simplicity of casting flies, over and over again, that one begins to feel what Rockwell once said:  "if it isn't an ideal world, it should be so."

Fly fishing is a game of cat and mouse, or fly and fish, true.  Whether it's Montana fly fishing, with its pristine mountain lakes and rivers, or a wilderness trek for Alaska fly fishing, it's all the same. 

Combing the banks, one is always on the hunt for the trout rise, trying to read its complex nature - bubbles?  rings?  nipping rise, or gobbling attack? - and thereby one decides on a fly and a strategy.  But at the heart of it lies the desire for more than fish.   One is after solitude and peace, and connection with a pastime which stretches back into the mists of time. Those who are interested in fishing should also wear suitable camouflage clothing so that they can take advantage of all the great wonders of fishing.

Perhaps no one said it better than Herbert Hoover:

"Fishing is much more than fish.  It is the great occasion when we may return to the simplicity of our forefathers."

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Orvis For Your Fly Fishing Gear Needs

Orvis is one of the most well-known names in the sport of fly fishing.  They are the oldest mail order company in the United States and have been catering to their customers since 1856!  Orvis does have other products beside fly fishing equipment, but all of their products do cater to people who have a love of the outdoors.

The biggest product line at Orvis is fly fishing gear and clothing.  Their extensive collection of fly rods puts any other company to shame.  They carry virtually everything a fly fisher needs from fly tying supplies to pre-made flies to vests and lines.

When you visit their website at www.orvis dot com, you will find almost everything you could ever imagine for fly fishing supplies.  If you're interested in accessories, they've got it all.  They even carry specialty sunglasses designed especially for fly fishers.

Orvis has a popular and well-known fishing school.  Classes are conducted all over the United States in some of the most popular fly fishing spots.  You learn all types of fishing techniques as well as casting and how to find the most fish in the waters you are fishing.

Orvis also offers some great fly fishing trips all over the world for people who visit their website.  They are such a big name in the fly fishing industry, they take the time to research various destinations and lodges to give them their endorsement as worthy of their quality.  You can trust Orvis when they suggest you stay in a specific lodge.

But Orvis also offers you much more.  Their website has instructional articles that can help any fly fisher - both the novice and the experienced.  They give a glossary of terms for beginners; tell you how to choose a fly line, and other helpful information like how to sharpen a hook.

You can even watch instructional videos on their website.  These videos highlight everything from their product lines to endorsed guides and outfitters.  You can learn about various fly rods, different types of waders, and tips on the best lines to choose.

Want to learn how to tie different knots?  Orvis offers animated instruction in their fly fishing store that will guide you step by step.  You can even post a question for their fly fishing experts.  

Orvis is truly a full-service fly fishing company with a lot to offer.  You'll find so many products and so much information when you both go to their website and order their catalog.  They are very trusted in the fly fishing industry.  When you get fly fishing supplies from Orvis, you can be assured you are getting quality equipment from a company you can rely on.

Fly Fishing Gear From The Sage Company

The Sage company has been producing quality fly fishing gear for many years.  They offer quality, top of the line fly fishing rods, reels, and lines to the beginning and experienced fly fisher.  They take pride in the quality of their equipment producing rods and reels that many fly fishermen use exclusively.

They design and test their hand built gear with one thought in mind:  maximum fishability.  That term was coined by the company to represent the type of performance that will help you cast better, fish more effectively, and have more fun while fly fishing.

Their company offers the fly fisherman all sorts of advice and tips on how to select the right rod for you and what is important to look for in your fly fishing equipment.  Sage rods and reels have long been the choice of many fly fishermen all over the world.

When you are just beginning to get interested in fly fishing, it's easy to get frustrated at the amount of information you need to know.  However, those same frustrations are also felt by experienced fly fishers that provides them with the challenge and excitement that makes the sport so compelling.

As we've said, Sage rods are hand built which makes them quality products.  They manufacture nine different series of rods in a variety of models and sizes for every fishing situation.  They have medium to ultra fast action rods to suit many types of fly fishers.

Their website, which can be found at www.sageflyfish dot com also boasts many new product lines and accessories that all fly fishermen can use.  They carry hats, t-shirts, rod and reel cases, fly lines, and much, much more.  

Their new Z-Axis series of rods has breakthrough technology that is significantly stronger, lighter, and easier to cast.  That makes this new line of rods great for beginners, and also experienced fly fishermen.  They implement their exclusive Generation 5 technology that makes their rods unique and high end.

When you buy a Sage fly fishing rod, you are getting a quality piece of fishing gear.  But that quality doesn't come cheap.  Rods range in price from 0 to 0, but they do come with a guarantee.  Plus, if anything happens to your rod, they offer a rod repair service.

Many sporting goods stores and specialty fishing shops carry Sage fly fishing rods as do many online retailers.  You can go to their website and click on the "Buy" link to find a retailer near you that carries their equipment.

Sage fly fishing equipment is well known in the fly fishing world as a trusted manufacturer of valuable fly fishing gear.  Check them out for the best in the sport!