From The Stream

FROM THE STREAM...MARCH 2010.............................. BOB EVANS

By this time your TAXES should be done or at the very least at the tax preparer. Now is the time to bring

your vest(s) to the kitchen or any room where you have plenty of light and reorganize every patch and

pocket. In my case, I start with my bait-fishing vest and make sure all lures are where I expect them to be,

make sure the emergency rain jacket is still useable, and make sure I have enough bobbers, hooks(several

sizes), pre-tied gang hook leaders swivels and an assortment of weights and last but not least a spool of

Maxima 51b. Leader.

Then it's on to my fly fishing equipment. First a quick check of all the rods(3) for lose or missing guides,

repair if necessary and coat all of the threads with clear fingernail polish.  By the way, a light coat on the

male section of each joint will tighten up you rod.. Now, a quick scan of each patch to remove Fall and

Winter flies and return them to the proper container all the while doing inventory on each and making a

note of needed replacements. Next it's the fly boxes and wool-lined wallets to determine the available

inventory of all other flies. At this point I'm usually compelled to return to the van for my back-up supply

of flies, as I rarely carry more than 3 to5 of any one variety in my vest. How often do I come up short while

on the stream? More often than I care to admit. Of course, having the right fly in the correct size and shade

would add another 10 Ibs. to my already 301b. Vest.

Organization is the key !! Pre-season flies go on the patches... .Egg patterns, molting nymphs, Stone fly

nymphs (Black for Bowmans, Brown for the Lackawanna and Yellow for the Lackawaxen) p.s. there was a

hatch of black stone flies on the Susquehanna last week,.. .And a few medium Wooly Buggers.

Next the fly boxes themselves.. .First Row Top Left Side... .Attractors such as Adams, Royal Coachman,

Patriot all dry.   Second Row .. .Hendricksons, a few sizes and types (I often do very well with Compara

Dun style) Third Row .. .March Browns.. .The bigger, the better !.. .Again different styles and sizes.

Third Row....Cahills, BWO, Rusty Spinner (Big and Small)  Next 3 Rows ...Caddis ..One row each

Green Body, Black Body and Tan Body in various styles and sizes

Right Side First Row Spinners, floating nymphs.. .Second Row.. .Floating emergers Third Row.. .Drakes

in Green, Tan and White.   Remaining Rows... Terrestrials and assorted wet flies.

If you're wondering where my Griffith Gnats and Trico are.. .That's another fly box and I DO need to

restock that.

While I have the vests in the house I'll check the nets, the tools attached and the floatant, line cleaner and

leader sink I know I need a new cord for my net on my fly vest but few stores carry the cords separate from

the net.

The most time consuming task is to clean the reels and line and check the leaders(I tie my own) and retie

where necessary. Better to check now than to lose that first good fish in the Spring.

Are you seriously ready for THIS SPRING??? We finished last year short a few niches of rain from normal

and already this year we are short anywhere from an inch or two. If that condition doesn't change, we could

be looking at lower than normal water levels and the affect that may have on water temperature and

hatches..

Pay attention!!............................................................................................................ See you on the stream.