[Curtis E. Niedermier]

I didn’t get to hunt today, but I did get to watch a couple of excellent vizslas out on a run. They were just getting some exercise, but I was able to see two very different personalities. One dog likes to run to the moon and back. She’s about 2 years old and already pretty decorated in field trial competition. The other dog stayed much closer and was obviously interested in being within sight of us. Both had tremendous drive.

I was really impressed. Out in the field, the dogs had no quit. In the house, they were up in your lap, wanting a lot of love. Sounds like the perfect dogs to me.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Great stuff. Every time I see bird hunting photos or hear stories about a new place or bird to hunt, I add it to my mental bucket list. I’m going this weekend to hunt behind some vizslas. If I can arrange it in the spring, I might be choosing from one of their pups.

Mark, I grew up in Seneca County. I’ve been in Kentucky for about 5 1/2 years now. I never did much duck hunting though – mostly doves, deer, rabbits and squirrels.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

I was considering a Sony Nex. Which version did you get? They’re running some great deals on the Nex-3 and Nex-5 right now.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Thanks again, guys.

Zach, I read that yesterday, actually. Good read.

I think the rule in some places is that you can be on the water in the boat, but you can’t set foot on the bottom of the stream bed without permission.

Perhaps I’ll have to do a little yak or canoe trip. I’m learning about the water generation process on the rivers. Seems as if it’s smart to go with someone who knows when and where to wade safely before trying to make a go of it on my own.

Zach, are you by chance heading to ICAST?

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

So I’ve found a few maps of the river, but does anyone have a map that shows public/private waters? Or does anyone have a link to Arkansas’ water access laws? I’m curious if a guy can float parts of the river, hop out and fish just anywhere in the river, or if he needs permission to wade on land adjacent to private property.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Thanks, guys. I’ll probably head down around Sept or Oct, depending on how late summer lingers and how early I get the hunting bug.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Found one. Thanks.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Are the Subarus all-wheel drive?

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Hey fellas, my camera woman was a little too close when she did the film last night, but I still learned a couple things. My rod was traveling much too far forward and backward and traveling a long arc, rather than crisp front-to-back movements .

I started working on using shorter, crisper forward and back casts, concentrating on accelerating and stopping. It definitely helped.

I’m going to have her re-shoot the video in the next couple days when I can get back out. I think she was preoccupied with catching fish herself last night. I made her shoot two videos, and she groaned both times (I’m not complaining that she loves to fish, mind you).

There is definitely a tailing (or trailing?) loop in my cast. It’s more pronounced when I change direction from out front and start my back-cast. Funny thing is, I have not had any wind knots or tangles (knock on wood). It just seems like my line doesn’t want to “stay up.”

When I focus on short, fast acceleration and a crisp stop, it somewhat alleviates the problem. Also, I can reach my target in fewer strokes (don’t have the right terminology, I know, but I mean I require fewer false casts to shoot out enough line to lay it down where I want). This tells me that the velocity is much better when I keep the rod movements short, sweet and efficient.

Also, someone suggested a drill using short amounts of line and making front and back casts without actually letting out any line. Whoever, suggested it, your drill was very helpful. I was trying to get to fancy instead of concentrating on the basic fundamentals. I actually did this drill when I was explaining to my gf how a fly-cast is supposed to work. Keeping it simple, and not trying to cast a mile across the pond, was very eye-opening.

Sorry to ramble. I need to get back to work.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Thanks guys. I’m taking my girlfriend fishing tonight and am planning to have her make a video of me casting so I can see what I’m doing. I’m sure it’ll reveal enough flaws to keep me busy for awhile.

Thanks!

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Thanks guy. Zach, you mentioned a tailing loop. Can you explain this more. Is it when the leader comes back in below the rod tip? Sometimes I notice that my line is really “falling” as I’m coming back. The times I don’t have this problem are the times when it feels more “effortless” and smooth. Usually, I have to stop and really slow myself down to achieve this.

Also, I have been watching my back casts to help with loading the rod. It’s getting better quickly. I went through a lot of on-again, off-again romances with the fly rod because I’d try it a few times, get frustrated and move on to something else. But recently I had my ‘ah-ha’ moment, and it’s starting to click. Now I’m improving dramatically every time I pick it up.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Quick note: It’s the leader than snaps, not the fly line itself. I just looked at it, and the end is frayed. It wasn’t frayed when I started.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Sold.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

How about a generic mention of a canoe? I just floated the Eleven Point over the weekend and ground the snot out of the bottom of a canoe on

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

To Gavin Poppen:

You said…

“Toons rock for solo fishability….but you have to choose the right kind of water”

What is the right kind of water? I’m leaning toward a canoe because I’ll be using it primarily for still water and occassionally for moving water. Maybe I’m backward on that decision. For what I’ll be doing, I will need to cast from the boat, not from a shallow shoal or the shoreline.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Very cool….those icecicles have been known to kill people…

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

When you guys float-fish these streams, for smallmouths or trout, do you primarily use the pontoon-style floats, with your legs dangling in the wader in waders? Or do you prefer a canoe or kayak?

I’ve been considering a kayak to get into some skinny backwater areas around here where the bluegills and bass go to bed, but also for taking some float trips in the Ozarks and central Kentucky.

Those of you who use a canoe or kayak, do you take and anchor along to hold the boat on productive fishing holes where there isn’t a shoal or something to use for wading? I’ve heard of people using poles that they spike into the bottom.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. I was curious about the “cotton candy” effect, as one of you called it. Long exposure, with the proper filter. That’s the connection I was hoping to make.

My photography experience is pretty slim. I shoot what I can for our magazine, but it’s primarily grip-n-grin stuff. However, I’m trying to advance my skills so that I can do some more artistic projects.

Zach, I love this site. The fly-fishing info is great, but I love the photograpy and writing boards most. I could probably get this information from a dedicated photography or writing forum, but the people here are applying those skills to the same field as me. Perfect.

Thanks guys.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

Does anyone here know Michael Sinclair? Or is he a member of this board? I live about 30 minutes from Paducah, Ky., where he apparently lives. Just curious.

[Curtis E. Niedermier]

I hope I’m not biting off more than I can chew, but I’m going to start the research process for a complete restoration. I needed a winter project anyway. I just wish I had a shop to work in. My spare bedroom is stacked to the ceiling with reloading supplies for my other hobby.

Thanks guys. I’ll post questions as they come. For now, it’s time to roam Amazon for good prices on books.

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