The North American Fly Fishing Forum - General Discussion

Interesting, Never heard of this company before.

waterfordcreek — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:45:49 GMT

https://www.alekasports.com/

Anyone ever use their stuff????

Jim

Spinner reel kicked my butt

bassguitarplayer — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:34:33 GMT

So, I went fishing with the girlfriend last weekend by the lake. So I brought my old spinner rod and reel with me.

I don't know if I've just been fly fishing too much or what but I could not get that thing to cooperate with me. Every time I lifted the bail to cast a bunch of line would fall off the reel. I had the line pinched between my rod and finger, I had the bail retrieval thing set up near the rod, I did everything I did as a kid but could not control that stupid line!!

The few times I did get a decent cast it didn't go any further than if I'd been using my fly rod. So I switched over to my fly rod and just fished with buggers and muddlers.

What the heck? Have I lost my touch?

I'm not really looking for answers, I just thought it was funny that I've become completely incompetent with a simple spinner reel.

Storing wind power as compressed air. Interesting idea.

fredaevans — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:27:30 GMT

Engineers explore compressed air for renewable energy storage
Tue, 05/21/2013 - 8:35am

Researchers at PNNL and BPA have identified two possible sites in eastern Washington state to build compressed air energy storage facilities that could temporarily store the Northwest�s excess wind power. Pictured here is a wind power project in eastern Oregon. Photo courtesy of BLMOregon.Researchers at PNNL and BPA have identified two possible sites in eastern Washington state to build compressed air energy storage facilities that could temporarily store the Northwest�s excess wind power. Pictured here is a wind power project in eastern Oregon. Photo courtesy of BLMOregon.Enough Northwest wind energy to power about 85,000 homes each month could be stored in porous rocks deep underground for later use, according to a new, comprehensive study. Researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Bonneville Power Administration identified two unique methods for this energy storage approach and two eastern Washington locations to put them into practice.

Compressed air energy storage plants could help save the region's abundant wind power�which is often produced at night when winds are strong and energy demand is low�for later, when demand is high and power supplies are more strained. These plants can also switch between energy storage and power generation within minutes, providing flexibility to balance the region's highly variable wind energy generation throughout the day.

"With Renewable Portfolio Standards requiring states to have as much as 20 or 30% of their electricity come from variable sources such as wind and the sun, compressed air energy storage plants can play a valuable role in helping manage and integrate renewable power onto the Northwest's electric grid," said Steve Knudsen, who managed the study for the BPA.

All compressed air energy storage plants work under the same basic premise. When power is abundant, it's drawn from the electric grid and used to power a large air compressor, which pushes pressurized air into an underground geologic storage structure. Later, when power demand is high, the stored air is released back up to the surface, where it is heated and rushes through turbines to generate electricity. Compressed air energy storage plants can re-generate as much as 80% of the electricity they take in.

The world's two existing compressed air energy storage plants�one in Alabama, the other in Germany�use man-made salt caverns to store excess electricity. The PNNL-BPA study examined a different approach: using natural, porous rock reservoirs that are deep underground to store renewable energy.

Interest in the technology has increased greatly in the past decade as utilities and others seek better ways to integrate renewable energy onto the power grid. About 13 percent, or nearly 8,600 megawatts, of the Northwest's power supply comes from of wind. This prompted BPA and PNNL to investigate whether the technology could be used in the Northwest.

Researchers at PNNL and BPA have identified a site they call Columbia Hills north of Boardman, Ore., on the Washington state side of the Columbia River, that could house a 207-megawatt conventional compressed air energy storage facility.Researchers at PNNL and BPA have identified a site they call Columbia Hills north of Boardman, Ore., on the Washington state side of the Columbia River, that could house a 207-megawatt conventional compressed air energy storage facility.To find potential sites, the research team reviewed the Columbia Plateau Province, a thick layer of volcanic basalt rock that covers much of the region. The team looked for underground basalt reservoirs that were at least 1,500 feet deep, 30 feet thick and close to high-voltage transmission lines, among other criteria.

They then examined public data from wells drilled for gas exploration or research at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington. Well data was plugged into PNNL's STOMP computer model, which simulates the movement of fluids below ground, to determine how much air the various sites under consideration could reliably hold and return to the surface.

Two different, complementary designs

Analysis identified two particularly promising locations in eastern Washington. One location, dubbed the Columbia Hills Site, is just north of Boardman, Ore., on the Washington side of the Columbia River. The second, called the Yakima Minerals Site, is about 10 miles north of Selah, Wash., in an area called the Yakima Canyon.

But the research team determined the two sites are suitable for two very different kinds of compressed air energy storage facilities. The Columbia Hills Site could access a nearby natural gas pipeline, making it a good fit for a conventional compressed air energy facility. Such a conventional facility would burn a small amount of natural gas to heat compressed air that's released from underground storage. The heated air would then generate more than twice the power than a typical natural gas power plant.

The Yakima Minerals Site, however, doesn't have easy access to natural gas. So the research team devised a different kind of compressed air energy storage facility: one that uses geothermal energy. This hybrid facility would extract geothermal heat from deep underground to power a chiller that would cool the facility's air compressors, making them more efficient. Geothermal energy would also re-heat the air as it returns to the surface.

"Combining geothermal energy with compressed air energy storage is a creative concept that was developed to tackle engineering issues at the Yakima Minerals Site," said PNNL Laboratory Fellow and project leader Pete McGrail. "Our hybrid facility concept significantly expands geothermal energy beyond its traditional use as a renewable baseload power generation technology."

Researchers at PNNL and BPA have identified a site they call Yakima Minerals that is about 10 miles north of Selah, Wash., and could house an 83-megawatt geothermal compressed air energy storage facility.Researchers at PNNL and BPA have identified a site they call Yakima Minerals that is about 10 miles north of Selah, Wash., and could house an 83-megawatt geothermal compressed air energy storage facility.The study indicates both facilities could provide energy storage during extended periods of time. This could especially help the Northwest during the spring, when sometimes there is more wind and hydroelectric power than the region can absorb. The combination of heavy runoff from melting snow and a large amount of wind, which often blows at night when demand for electricity is low, can spike power production in the region. To keep the regional power grid stable in such a situation, power system managers must reduce power generation or store the excess power supply. Energy storage technologies such as compressed air energy storage can help the region make the most of its excess clean energy production.

Working with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, BPA will now use the performance and economic data from the study to perform an in-depth analysis of the net benefits compressed air energy storage could bring to the Pacific Northwest. The results could be used by one or more regional utilities to develop a commercial compressed air energy storage demonstration project.

The $790,000 joint feasibility study was funded by BPA's Technology Innovation Office, PNNL and several project partners: Seattle City Light, Washington State University Tri-Cities, GreenFire Energy, Snohomish County Public Utility District, Dresser-Rand, Puget Sound Energy, Ramgen Power Systems, NW Natural, Magnum Energy and Portland General Electric.

Compressed Air Energy Storage

Source: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Second Alaskan Volcano starts to 'perk off.'

fredaevans — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:50:35 GMT

Second Alaska Volcano Belching Ash and Steam

Wednesday, 15 May 2013 11:54 PM

One of Alaska's most active volcanoes has erupted with clouds of ash and steam, and lava is flowing down its snow-covered flank, scientists said on Wednesday.

Pavlof Volcano began erupting on Monday and was still belching clouds, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said.

It has been emitting occasional dark clouds of ash and steam rising up to 20,000 feet (6,096 metres) and drifting toward the northeast, the observatory said.

The 8,261-foot (2,518-metre) Pavlof joins Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutians, which has been erupting off and on since mid-summer 2011.

Pavlof, on the Alaska Peninsula, is 590 miles (950 kilometres) southwest of Anchorage. The closest communities are Cold Bay, home to about 100 people, and King Cove, population about 940.

Pavlof last erupted in 2007, but it has erupted at least 24 times between 1901 and 1996, the observatory said.

Ash from Pavlof and other Alaska volcanoes could pose a risk to air traffic. But as of Wednesday, there had been no flight problems reported, said John Power, scientist in charge at the observatory.

Like many of Alaska's volcanoes, Pavlof lies along a major commercial airline route between Asia and North America. Generally, jets fly at about 30,000 feet (9,150 metres), and Pavlof's ash has not reached that level, according to observatory reports.

The lava flow poses a different risk.

"The concern is the hot lava melting large amounts of snow," Power said, and the result could be mudslides.

For now, the volcano appears to be putting on a show for its neighbors.

Residents of Cold Bay, about 37 miles (59 km) southwest of Pavlof, have reported an incandescent glow at night at the volcano's summit, Power said.

Meanwhile, Cleveland Volcano continues to emit heat signals, Power said. The last explosion at that 5,676-foot (1,730-metre) volcano was on May 6. (Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Xavier Briand)

I didn't know he could do that!

busbus — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:35:23 GMT

Well, after the last thread about me liking to fish alone, I brought my 21-year-old son fishing tonight. He said he would like to try to fish again. He was having a bad, bad day and he agreed he may as well go.

To give you a little insight, he has not fished since he was very young, like 8 or 9. He hooked a little bluegill about as big as HIS little hand, excluding fingers. It somehow sucked down an entire worm on a #6 hook and it ended up protruding out of its eye. Of course, it was dead, especially when an 8- or 9-year-old was trying to pry the hook out.

Well, that experience just crushed him for some reason. He refused to ever go again. (Well, lie, he did fish once with a friend in Erie for a couple hours and caught a fish but he was sort of forced to go and didn't have a great time.)

I was surprised when he wanted to go tonight but he needed to talk. Pretty neat having an adult talk with your son. He was amazed as I put together my fly rod but soon got bored and went off with his spinning gear and stated to fish. He darn near caught one on his first cast but was skunked the next 40 minutes or so. Meanwhile, I was catching bluegill all over the place on the fly rod, and some descent sized ones for where we were fishing.

I noticed he was having a rough time with the spinning rod. I tried to help him out a few times but he wasn't in the mood for unsolicited advice, so I backed off. He is not overly coordinated and a lot of his casts hit the water about 15-feet from him splashing water all over the place. His retrieve was horrible but he never fished before!

It was just about dark and he said he was ready to go but he wanted to try my fly rod. All I can really do is roll cast and and I showed him. I gave him the rod and backed way off because I had no clue where that hook was going.

He loaded up his first cast...I hold my breath...force my eyes to stay open...hoping the hook won't find his neck and/or the line won't end up in a ball...then it happened...a near flipping perfect cast!!!

I told him a lot of people would pay to have a cast like that--even me--especially for his first cast. I told him to do it again...and again...and again... They were all very good casts. He is no pro, obviously, and he needs to learn how to hold his hand since he has his thumb over his fingers like a fist, but, hey!!!

I had his cast and slowly retrieve and cast again. I made him do this until he caught a fish. He couldn't set the hook on four of them but the fifth one was a charm! It was a crappie, but a good sized one! Fought real nice and his fin was sharp as a bunch of pins.

Wow. I didn't know he could do that and neither did he. I saw some cheap, old fiberglass 6-wt rods on Craig's List recently. I have a junkie 6-wt reel with junkie line on it but it works. I may have to get him that rod. He did a fine job.

And after he saw he did well AND he caught a fish, his mood was 180-degrees different on the way home. I may have him hooked!!! :fishing:

ray

My polypropylene yarn don't float !!

okbow68 — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:15:06 GMT

Bought some of the Bonnie Craft Cord that is polypro. 6mm just like everyone says to get. Got my orings hemostats yarn scissors craft cord, all check. I make a strike indicator take it to the sink and it sunk like a rock. I thought this polypropylene was supposed to float? So what gives? I didn't think floatant was needed? Comments observations please.

Junior High Fly Fishing Club

scott11t — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:57:51 GMT

I teach science and coach. I'm wanting to start a fly fishing club at my school that would teach students basic fly fishing skills and ethics. I'm wondering if anyone has done something like this or knew of any programs or organizations that would be helpful in getting this thing started.

Thanks for any input,
Scott

Fishing a mouse pattern, what sort of leader?

kevin2 — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:39:05 GMT

I fish at night with mouse flies all the time & I just use a few feet of butt section as my leader. I'm going to give a mouse a try next trip fishing during the day, and I figured I should get a bit more stealthy & wanted to know what you all use for leaders in the day hours? I was thinking that a butt section with a couple sections tied on with a 12lb section ending, similar to my King Salmon leader rigs. That should be tough enough to turn a pretty big brown & keep him out of the wood, no?

Any formulas would be great...

Cabelas streamers?

SdDryFly — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:31:51 GMT

I have never bought flies from Cabelas before so I don't know the quality. I have a fishing trip coming up in june, and I need to stock up on some streamers. I am only considering going through cabelas because I have gift cards there, and I am also buying some fly line through them. If anybody has any experience with the quality, I would greatly appreciate it. Or if anybody would like to trade an unused gift card for some hand tied flies, that would be awesome too. :) Any help would be great.

where the big trout live

webrx — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:01:47 GMT

Hi all,

without jinxing myself (hopefully), I do pretty well in the local lakes and have even taken a few large fish for the lakes I fish, I generally enjoy the camaraderie of fishing with friends and/or family and the only reward (I C&R generally) is the bragging rights until the next trip and this generally is about how many not how big, though how big does have it's own plusses in the bragging rights category.

So, I got myself linked up with a friend to compete in a fishing tourney, and the grading for this tourney is "largest fish" not most fish. I am generally pretty good at finding the fish, and landing my share, but, I have never specifically tried to target the "biggest fish" in the lakes.

I believe, and I may be wrong, that the bigger fish tend to hang deeper, and go after the more substantial offerings, including wounded smaller fish, but in lakes where food is plentiful, it seems the bigger guys just tend to be deeper in the same locations where the other fish are - sinking lines, flies a size or two larger than what is hatching, and a little luck have been what I have used in the past to catch some decent sized trout in our local lakes, but I am sure there is more. I am aware of using the channels (where the streams enter the lake), and structures (points, dropoffs, outcroppings, etc), and am not afraid of fishing in or near the weed beds.

So here is the question/request for this post: I was wondering if you would not mind passing along your experience and/or advice on targeting the bigger fish in western alpine lakes (6000 feet) and any techniques you use when specifically going after the bigger fish?

Thanks,

Dave

Fish alone or with friends?

busbus — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:26:37 GMT

I was getting the shakes last night and took a run to the local lake. Used the fly rod this time! ;) (Thanks to Dan as those little chartreuse hickey-doos really worked on the bluegill last night. Of course, it could be that it is that time of year when bluegill hit anything that moves.)

I got to thinking: I really, really like to go fishing. Alone. And if I never see anybody the entire day, that is even better.

Am I anti-social? I don't know...I don't think so.

As I was fishing last night, I recalled a time last year when I was on the same lake, with a friend, as we were just lobbing our baitcasters for a few hours one evening. Once the sun started to go down, there were billions of mayflies all around us. He was freaking out because of all the "mosquitoes" and I told him to look closely: you could see the bent-up rear-ends and the two "whatever they are" protruding out the back. Then I said to watch the fish and they were all over the place sucking them up off the water. Immediately, nobody around us were getting any hits. To make matters worse, the bats were starting to come out and and he was freaking. Then came the part that really irritated me: he brings out an air horn and was blasting it to scare off the bats.

Needless to say, I don't go out with him much anymore.

But that got me to thinking: Why do I fish?

I have been with guys that talk smack and it drives me nuts. Then there are guys who just want to be social and they think they need to talk the entire freaking time. And you have guys who have more equipment than you could ever afford and you have to wait for them to get it all together.

But it seems that everybody, that I know at least, all think when you are fishing that you need to catch fish. And I don't mean being out there for a few hours and finally getting one on the last cats of the day; I mean they want to catch fish almost on every cast. It drives me insane because, whenever it is "one of those days" and the fish have your number, they moan and groan and whine and thoroughly act like a six-year-old kid because they are bored.

That is why I think I go out alone. I don't really care if I catch fish. Like last night, I was watching a forlorn Canada goose just swimming a little, walking on the bank eating or just standing there, and eventually getting back in the water. It has been in the same spot now for three years. It must have lost its mate. It is there in the winter and in the summer. I felt for the old boy.

I found myself just standing there several times just looking at the trees and the sky. Then the mayflies came out--and I remembered Ric--and it was neat just watching them fly around and I was just looking at them hover in front of my nose. I vowed that NOW I would force myself to learn how to tie mayflies...I figure spent ones first then the real McCoy...

Watching the fly I was using as I pulled it through the water was also interesting as was watching the bluegills come over and attack it. I did notice a lot of them just lunged for it and backed off--very few actually attempted to eat it.

All of a sudden, it was dark...and I had been on the water for about 2.5 hours...and it seemed like ten minutes.

There was no waiting to gather together somebody's ****. I didn't have to listen to how the biggest you ever saw got away nor did I need to listen to whining or air horns. I was never asked, "Why are you just standing there?" or "Are you ready to go home yet?" I got to stay exactly as long as I wanted.

I think I like to fish alone.

Need help building a starter kit

philbush1127 — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:47:52 GMT

I wanna start to tie my own flies and have no idea where to even start. Does anybody know of a company that makes like a whole starter kit with tools and vice? Does anybody have one they would like to sell to me?

Ever hear a CRASH and do a what the hell?

fredaevans — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:30:40 GMT

Mixed up Hummer food (1/2 cup of sugar to 2 cups of water) and filled/put out same. Rinsed out the measuring cup and back to work (computer). 15 minutes later a huge CRASH in the kitchen.

No idea how/why but a heck of a lot of glass to sweep up.:icon_cry:

Furled Leaders

trouton — Sun, 19 May 2013 04:45:50 GMT

I know that there is a thread that was started by the CutThroat Leader Co. but I wanted to inquire from the general membership if anyone who has tried this product can give their 2� worth.
Thanks in advance,
Roger