Sensei

Oh inquisitive grasshopper:

After several years at our Sensei fly fishing school we found if one regards the changes of the frictional forces during the first several centimeters of slide on a horizontal rock as transitions from static to dynamic conditions, the relatively constant coefficient finally reached is the coefficient of dynamic friction for that particular speed. Likewise the nearly constant speed which is attained after the first several centimeters of motion down the inclined rock represents the equilibrium speed for that particular angle of incline.

But I digress. In non-sensei terms, first it is not steel that is needed but aluminum. Think of an aluminum canoe that you are taking over a shoal or rocky riffle. The aluminum canoe grabs and holds tight to the rocks below and you have to “pull” your stuck canoe to deeper waters. So is it with aluminum cleats. They grab the rocks as you walk on the bottom, like tiny little ninja hands working for you. Rock Treads are aluminum disks that hold tight to your boots and to the river bottom.

Oh Grasshoppers,

Chosen you must be to enter my school. Your FATC Sensei many years he spent learning the art of fly fishing from me. There is no tuition to the University of Salmo Trutta located in the town of Oncorhynchus Mykiss, Mongolia.

Difficult this school is – do you have what it takes… https://vimeo.com/286033184

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Sensei.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Sensei.

Oh FATC Grasshoppers, your Sensei is very good looking and caught a beautiful rainbow. I’m very proud of what he is doing with you guys. Listen to him – I taught him well!!

Ah Mcclurey, wise man you are! Unfortunately a scary thing the internet is. I was told that if you are put on any web site or in any newspaper article then you become an internet sensation. Your picture or story floats in the cloud forever and ever. This is why you never see the great Sensei of all fly fishers anywhere in the cloud for I am above the clouds…….

Ah good question you ask. There are many ways to remove “stuck rods”. Using rubber shelf liner is a good way. Cut two small round or square piece of the rubber shelf liner and keep them in your bag. It will help you with your grip on the rod when pulling apart. Also, you can have your partner help you by both of you grabbing the rod – one hand below the ferrule and the other hand above the ferrule. Then pull straight in opposite directions to free the stuck ferrule. Works most every time.

Using wax to make it easier to remove your ferrules after fishing – no! I do not recommend it because you have the chance for the wax to get sand or small grit stuck to it. Then it can act like sand paper inside your ferrules wearing them and not allowing them to be tight. They must be tight, not loose, or they could break under a load. I recommend not waxing your ferrules but only your backs. Works wonders removing my back hair but it does hurt – OUCH.

Oh Grasshopper,
One of the latest craze, you have found. We enjoy carp here in the Far East too. Fight these carp do…. and no need to try and fool them with light tippet. 2-3x tippet I would use. Your friend if knowing carp, large flies he would bring. But carp may take flies that look like mulberrys on the surface. A fight be prepared for as carp can be fiesty.

Oh Grasshopper,
Correct, the wise man is!!! Being one with His glory is what we must achieve. But you are also correct in that adding a few of His beautiful creatures into our nets make His glory all that much better.

Trying too hard, we must avoid. It is here where we lose our total concentration. Like a slumping baseball player, he too, will get back in the groove with time. Recommend I would, to concentrate on a certain “technique” and only work on it. For example, if nymphing (trout feed mostly underwater) use an indicator and concentrate on mending (getting good dead drift) and depth of fly. Change your depth often until you constantly drag bottom then bring indicator up 6 inches. Just work on that only. The fly can be any small nymph – doesn’t matter. Once you find that particular depth then set the hook ANYTIME there is any movement other than the slow drift of the indicator, i.e. if the indicator slows, stops, bounces, and yes, goes under. Remember hook sets are free. So 1) concentrate on one technique (preferably dead drift nymph at first), 2) use an indicator and change depth constantly until the true bottom is found, 3) set hook when there is anything different than the ordinary drift of the indicator.

This is what I would start with first to get out of your slump. Relax and make it fun. And oh yeah, grab that knucklehead of a “leader” you guys have in your group and have him fish with you and watch you. I’m sure he would be happy to do that – just tell him that he can’t fish for an hour and he must just stay with you or you will tell me. He doesn’t like when I scold him….

Dearest Grasshopper and favorite student,

Questions you want to ask of me? The secrets of fly fishing are for all grasshoppers to learn. Hard questions I can answer for your men. But only the hard ones should you ask.

It reminds me of the hard questions you used to ask of me long ago as a young fly fisher.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Sensei.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Sensei.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Sensei.