Fliegenbanners (yes, it is what it sounds like)
I wonder how many of these got swatted? And what tiny-fingered, fly-wrangling intern had to hot glue banners to their legs? Regardless, nice execution.
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Bannerflies, definitely the most annoying way to advertise
via youtube.com
I wonder how they attached the banners to the flies.
King Salmon: Heart-Pounding River Action
BUMP - BUMP - ACTION!
A large male king salmon held almost motionless in a four-foot-deep run along the edge of an undercut bank. Long tendrils of grass hung down, creating some problem in accurately placing a fly.
My fly would swing past his nose, time and again, and he’d either back away or ignore it. The casting became repetitious, cast, drift, lift the line and fly out and cast again and again. After perhaps 50 casts the big male moved forward an inch or two to intercept and inhale the wet fly as it drifted near bottom. The fly’s drift simply stopped, and only one thing makes that happen. The rod tip slashed back with a forceful hook-set, and the 17-pound king uncorked a jump that would have made any fish proud. The big buck salmon surged upstream, throwing up a wake in the shallow water, made another belly-smacker jump and the yellow-orange fly hung from its lip like a lit cigar. Rod pressure was applied, and the fish took off on another short, stuttering run. Minutes later the fish rolled up on its side, and rod pressure slowly skidded the fish up onto a gravel shingle, and the hook was wiggled free. The fish was held upright in the current until it gathered its energy, and swam off toward the deep holding water. It was 15 minutes and 200 yards of river that was traveled to beach this hefty fish.KING SALMO ON FLY
It’s still a bit early, and the water is still too warm for active spawning, but salmon have begun their spawning runs. This is a fly-rodding sport unequaled by any other river fishery in this or almost any other state.
There are king salmon in varying numbers up the AuSable, East Branch of the AuGres, Betsie, Boardman, Cheboygan, Little Manistee, Manistee, Muskegon, Pere Marquette, Pentwater, Rifle, White and many other streams that are tributary to Lakes Huron and Michigan. Cooling air temperatures and a good cool rain will lower river water temperatures and cause king salmon of both sexes to head upstream to find spawning gravel. It’s here during the next four weeks where flyrodders can find great fly rod action.IF YOU DECIDE TO GO
..take this advice from an old river guide who originated most of these techniques 45 years ago.
- Wear polarized sunglasses and slowly walk the river banks and study the water. Stay out of the water until you spot fish, and then slowly move within casting distance. Slowly can mean taking 20-30 minutes to get to within 30-40 feet of the fish. Move slowly, and if the fish start milling around, stop and remain motionless until they settle down.
- Fish only for the males. If fish numbers are scarce, and the female is hooked or caught, the reason for the males to hold in that spot is gone. They will disappear in search of another female.
- Sight-fishing for visible fish seems like it should be easy, but it isn’t until you’ve got a few trips under your belt. Learn to read current speed, depth of water, and sinking time in fast water. Flies should be tied in sizes 4 and 6. I usually used wet fly and nymph patterns.
- Two fly categories exist: attractor and imitator patterns. The attractor patterns are tied with bright colors while imitator patterns are tied in shades of black, brown, gray, dark green, etc. On any given day, fish will go for an attractor or imitator pattern. Choose one pattern, and if after 15 minutes of pitching it to a salmon without a take, switch. It also pays to switch from smaller to larger sizes or vise versa.
- Anglers can choose shooting heads, sinking fly lines, floating lines with a sinking tip for shallow water, but in many areas where a back cast is impossible and a roll cast won’t allow the fly to go deep enough to interest the fish, it may be time to switch to the chuck-and-duck method.
This method means using enough split-shot to take the fly deep. My choice is to determine depth and current speed, and add just enough weight to take the fly to the proper depth, which means scratching along the gravel. Carry a hook hone to keep the hook points razor sharp.
- Casting positions vary depending on location and water current conditions, but my preference is to cast from below the fish. If fishing with a fly line, mend the line often to slow the drift and keep the fly near bottom. If chucking-and-ducking, I still prefer a downstream approach. Read the water speed, water depth, and cast quartering up and across. Strip line as the fly comes down, and make certain the fly line or shooting head, lead core line or whatever you use is out of the fish’s sight. Fish each cast out but once the fly drifts past the fish’s nose without a hit, lift the line out and cast again in a quick, repetitious manner. Don’t wait for a salmon to chase it downstream. It doesn’t happen.
It’s possible to be a bit more precise with the split-shot, monofilament (usually testing 10-12 pounds) and fly. The split-shot will take the fly deep must faster than a fly line, even if the leader has a split-shot or two a foot up the leader from the fly. Once the fly passes the fish’s nose, lift the fly out and cast again. You’ll soon learn that a cast too close to a fish will spook it, and judging exactly where to place the fly takes time to learn so take your time and don’t get discouraged.
- I don’t care how skilled you are as a fly caster, if you cast enough times to a motionless salmon, if your cast is off a little bit, there is a chance of foul-hooking the fish. If this happens, don’t set the hook but jiggle the line to make the fly fall off. Or wait for the fish to move and often the fly will fall off. Occasionally salmon will hit a fly hard but you can’t count on it happening. Most takes are very soft as the fish picks up the drifting fly, moves it a few inches and drops it.
- Some people don’t feel competent at casting flies. Guide Mark Rinckey of Honor (231) 325-6901 uses spinning gear with bait or spinners to catch king salmon in the Betsie River. He has a night job, and may be sleeping or guiding when you call so leave your name and number on the answering machine and the best time to call.
7 Herbs That Deter Flies Naturally!
Marye Audet
Herbs That Repel Bugs
There are herbs that repel flies as well as other pests. They tend to grow easily, are drought resistant, and are often dual purpose. Who knew?
It works. Here are some of the best herbs for repelling insects of all kinds. Order a few seeds when you are checking out your seed catalogs this winter and plant some eco-friendly, dual purpose insect repellent. Herbs seem to work best if they are moved around once in awhile. It brings the oils to the surface of the leaves and releases more of what it is that the pests don't like. Just brushing against a growing plant or stirring up the leaves of a dried one should do it.
1. Basil
There are about a million kinds of basil and new varieties being introduced all the time. Basil is a beautiful fragrant plant that grows easily in most climates. It even tolerates the dry, Texas heat pretty well.
Most people know fresh basil is delicious in pesto, tomato based dishes, and salads but did you also know that it is one of the best ways to keep flies out of your house? Just plant basil next to the doors, use as a foundation planting mixed in with your flowers, or plant in containers. The flies will stay far away.
You can grow basil in containers by your picnic table or on your patio and cut a nice size bunch of it to decorate the blanket with when you go to a remote picnic spot. As an added bonus, mosquitoes don't like it either. Choose your favorite, all the basil that I have tried works equally as well.
2. Bay Leaf
You can grow bay outside in the summer but you will need to bring it indoors during the winter months. You can buy dried bay leaf at the store if you find you are unable to grow it; the dried variety that you put in stews and soups works as well as the fresh for keeping pests away.
You can put one bay leaf in fifty pounds of wheat berries or organic white flour and it will keep the weevils out of it. If you don't happen to buy flour in those quantities you can add a bay leaf to a smaller sized container with similar results. Other items that it will protect are:
- Barley
- Cornmeal
- Oatmeal
- Quinoa
- Rice
Most cereal products will be just fine for months with the bay leaves to protect them. Scatter a few leaves on the pantry shelves to repel moths, roaches, earwigs, and mice. Flies seem to hate the smell of bay leaves, too. Who knew they had such sensitive olfactory nerves?
3. Lavender
Lavender smells wonderful and if you have never used lavender buds in cooking you should give it a try. In small amounts it adds a wonderful floral and citrus flavor to baked goods, meats, and even vegetables.
Lavender also repels moths, mosquitoes, and fleas.:
- Hang a bundle of it in your closet or lay a few sprigs of it in with the out of season clothes you are storing.
- Grind it to a powder and sprinkle it on your pet's bedding.
- Grow it in containers on your patio to repel mosquitoes.
- Grow it in your kitchen garden to keep rabbits out of your lettuce and spinach.
4. Mint
Mint, catnip, and pennyroyal planted around the foundation of your house can keep both ants and mice out of your home. Neither of these pests seem to like the smell and all but the most determined will head to a better smelling yard. You can also place shallow bowls of the dried mint leaves in your pantry to discourage mice.
Pennyroyal is also repugnant to fleas, ants, flies, and mosquitoes. Just be careful of it because large amounts of pennyroyal can be toxic to pets and children. You can place dried pennyroyal on your pantry shelves and it will keep ants away.
Just a quick warning about mice. They love anise. Keep anise in jars or it will draw mice to your pantry no matter how much mint you have out! You can use anise to bait live traps with excellent results.
5. Rosemary
Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs, not only for cooking and grilling but because it has a number of uses medicinally and as a household herb. As it grows it repels mosquitoes. Try planting it around your patio or any area that you use in the evenings to keep the air smelling fresh and the mosquitoes on someone else's property.
Rosemary also repels cats, so planting it around the kids sandbox is a good idea. You can use rosemary springs under the cushions to keep the cats off the furniture but beware - the oils in the rosemary can stain the cushions. Be sure they are the one sided type.
6. Sweet Woodruff
Sweet Woodruff has long been used to deter carpet beetles and moths. Just lay it beneath wool carpets (or other types). It may also deter ants. An added benefit is that it releases a sweet scent when you walk across your rugs.
7. Tansy
Tansy is another little known herb that repels flies, ants,fleas, moths, and mice. Its flowers resemble marigolds or yellow Bachelor's Buttons and it makes a great foundation planting. Tansy was traditionally used by churches as a strewing herb in the Middle Ages.
Original, Green, and Frugal
Herbs were the original household cleaners, disinfectants, and bug repellents. They had been used for thousands of years with good results before humankind came up with toxic chemicals in a can. These herbs are not only better for the environment; they actually improve the environment. Herbs continue to work for you when you have finished with them and discarded them to the compost heap. They enrich the soil, add nutrients, and some (like Valerian) attract beneficial earthworms.
Next time you are tempted to reach for the fly spray, reach for the basil instead.
The Most Entertaining iPhone App Ad I've Seen
You had me from "Wanna make new friends using flies & technology?"
Echange Theatre Company presents the "Flies" by Jean Paul Sartre
After a huge success last year, Echange Theatre Company and "The
Flies" return for three weeks to Camden People's Theatre. The press
night is on Thursday 12th March 2009 at 19:30 and we are looking
forward to seeing you all there!
