New guy says hi!

[kilted1]

Sparse Grey Hackle goes way back. I have just purchased a few pipes and implements from the estate of Mel Krieger. I wish I had fished half the places these pipes have seen.

WOW! :cheers: Very cool indeed!

 

[kilted1]

It occurred to me that both Mark Tinsky and Rad Davis carve and smoke pipes, and have been known to fly fish a bit in their time. I know that Rad posts here infrequently and could be of assistance. Maybe a zinger style lanyard affixed to a yard pipe would work, the prospect of a vest full of hot ashes always scared me though :lol: :lol:

 

[Trout Bum]

Kilted -- thanks for the info on Sparse Grey Hackle; most interesting. And yes, our sport has an incredible history, as well as a deep literary canon. I have never fished Eastern waters, but I can tell you that Western fly fishing is unbelievable. There are the famous waters, the Big Hole, the Frying Pan, etc, and they can get crowded too. However, there are a lot of streams (and I mean a lot), and it is very easy to get away and see few to no anglers. I fished just the other day, just me and my dog, and caught some really nice browns and rainbows. I did not see one other angler in four hours of fishing. During that stretch I happened on a MONSTER rainbow holding in about three feet of water. I am talking about a trout in the ten to twelve pound class, and in a fairly small stream at that. I sight fished to this leviathon for, oh, maybe three or four minutes before he felt the pressure and melted away into the plunge falls at the head of the small pool I was fishing. Incredible, I tell you! At any rate, thanks again for posting the info. Our local rivers are now high and off-color with spring run off, so no fishing for a while...

 

[Trout Bum]

It occurred to me the both Mark Tinsky and Rad Davis carve and smoke pipes, and have been known to fly fish a bit in their time. I know that Rad posts here infrequently and could be of assistance. Maybe a zinger style lanyard affixed to a yard pipe would work, the prospect of a vest full of hot ashes always scared me though :lol: :lol:

Both Tinsky (I've actually traded some midge patterns with him) and Davis are serious fisherman; I believe Rad used to be a guide and commercial tyer. As for fishing pipes, JM Boswell makes them. They are small, and affixed to a lanyard, and have some sort of wind cap/topper. I have never used one, but they look pretty sweet. You can check them out on his site in the "gallery."

 

[TallSmoke]

After smacking my pipe so many times while landing a trout I unofficially gave up fishing and pipe smoking a few years back. But every spring when I begin to cast that line again I officially try it again, with the same results. Sigh.

I love to wade the trout streams here in NC. I have to be moving in the water. I can't stand to fish in one spot. I want to try every little run, get up under every rock and log, try every little swell.

I don't fish too much in the summer when school is out. The streams are packed. I go in the spring and fall. At least then i can find a few quiet spots.

 

[flytyer]

Welcome aboard its a great place.......seems like alot of fly fishers like pipes too.

 

[kilted1]

Welcome aboard its a great place.......seems like alot of fly fishers like pipes too.

I think the two pursuits require a similar type of mind and personality. I'd hazard a guess that many pipe smokers or fly fishermen also play chess or backgammon. I play chess (poorly) but I've always loved the game. Pipes and Fly fishing can be both stimulating and relaxing at the same time ... hows that for a paradox? I find that both are a fitting distraction for the pressures of modern life, thoroughly stimulating my mind and interest, while relaxing away the cares of this world, into a deeper, more contemplative 'spiritual place'.

I find too that smoking a pipe late at night after everyone else has hit the sack while camping, sitting alone by the campfire to relax and yet deeply 'connects' me to the man who gets so lost in the 'world of work'.

This probably makes sense ONLY to me ... maybe not. ipe:

 

[TallSmoke]

I find too that smoking a pipe late at night after everyone else has hit the sack while camping, sitting alone by the campfire to relax and yet deeply 'connects' me to the man who gets so lost in the 'world of work'.

This probably makes sense ONLY to me ... maybe not. ipe:

You're not alone on that, my friend. The campfire is just about my favorite part of the camping experience (right after the quality time with my wife and kids). And when everyone else goes down for the night I love that little bit of solitude with my pipe and the fire.

 

[midstream]

In answer to the Mel Krieger pipes, they are well smoked and pretty run of the mill. There is nice Peterson bent, a Parker and a Castle and some others, including a corn cob. King of funny, I place all my pipes as higher end than the ones I bought from his estate, but with them came two Dunhill pouches and a very nice dunhill tamper. From smelling the bags and the pipes he smoked aromatics, I am sure my latakia blends can change the character of the pipes pretty quickly. I have been in contact with both Rad and Mark. Mark sold me a Weiner pipe that he smoked a lot while fishing, I use it for my Virginias. There is a certain mindset for pipe smokers and fisherman as well as old style games. I guess I am lost in the 1950's. I smoke a pipe, fish bamboo rods, and play cribbage. Feels good to be a throwback!

 

[kilted1]

In answer to the Mel Krieger pipes, they are well smoked and pretty run of the mill. There is nice Peterson bent, a Parker and a Castle and some others, including a corn cob. King of funny, I place all my pipes as higher end than the ones I bought from his estate, but with them came two Dunhill pouches and a very nice dunhill tamper. From smelling the bags and the pipes he smoked aromatics, I am sure my latakia blends can change the character of the pipes pretty quickly. I have been in contact with both Rad and Mark. Mark sold me a Weiner pipe that he smoked a lot while fishing, I use it for my Virginias. There is a certain mindset for pipe smokers and fisherman as well as old style games. I guess I am lost in the 1950's. I smoke a pipe, fish bamboo rods, and play cribbage. Feels good to be a throwback!

Someday I hope to own a couple bamboo rods, it seems 'more pure' somehow to me than graphite, though I think I'll give the 'gut line' a pass for modern lines :lol:

As I understand things, bamboo forces one to learn the game all over again, or at the very least learn a different technique, as the action of the rods are generally more 'relaxed' and slower action, I'd have to get past catching 'tree trout' all over again :shock:

I think I recall that Jack Howell used to build bamboo rods, I may have him confused with someone else though, memory is not what it once was. If anyone knows of reasonable alternatives to the $2500 price tag on LL Bean or Orvis bamboo, please pass it alone as I'd be interested. I could have just about all the rod weights I desire and reels for that price!

I'd love to learn to make my own graphite rods from Sage or G Loomis blanks and tie my own flies, these projects keep loosing funding and time, eventually I hope to learn them though.

Finally, for your viewing pleasure, I present the following, trust me, you've never seen flies quite like these:

Realistic and Artistic Fly Tying

 

[SailorJack]

Welcome aboard the BoB. I have never fly fished before but I can't imagine anything that would be more relaxing than doing it while enjoying a good pipe.

 

[Slow Puffs]

A warm welcome midstream

 

[Trout Bum]

Hmmmm.... bamboo fly rods, smoking a friendly pipe under starlight by a crackling fire, and the classic game of cribbage. How did we get to all of that on a Welcome Wagon thread? That's what I love about this forum: it's wide open, and the sky's the limit. As for my own two cents:

-- bamboo rods; never fished one, really want to, but can't afford one. Definitely going to happen, some day. And yes, Kilted, they are slower than graphite, as well as heavier, as well as steeped in history and tradition. And, they are hand crafted from organic materials, so your assessment of "more pure" would seem apropos. I met an aficionado not long ago -- he owns over 30 vintage split cane rods! He let me cast several of them, including an absolutely incredible 70 year old Granger. I was easily roll casting this rod 40 feet, and that was on the lawn, with no surface water tension. (ie loading the rod on the forward stroke, which is much more significant when roll casting on water) I imagine a skilled caster could roll cast this rod 60 feet or more on the water -- I am not kidding!

-- smoking around a campfire: priceless.

-- cribbage: the best two person card game, period end of sentence. I have played this game for most of my life; it was very big in my family, taught to myself and my three brothers by my grandfather when I just a whippersnapper, though my grandfather called us "hooligans." And, as a commercial salmon fisherman in Alaska, I can tell you that you'd better bring your "A" game, cause those guys eat, breath and sleep the game. Oh, and extra points are often giving for creative shit talking, which always adds depth and breadth. For instance:

"Hey, - sniff, sniff, sniff - what's that horrible smell?"'

- sniff, sniff - "What, I don't smell anything."

"Wait... no, - sniff - I definitely can smell this really - sniff, sniff - foul stench. You can't smell that?"

"What are you talking about - sniff, sniff - I don't smell anything."

"I am not kidding, something REALLY stinks. - sniff, sniff - Oh, wait a second, now I know what that horrible smell is... Why it's a SKUNK!"

I can tell you, if your oppenent hasn't heard this one, and you pull it off, with lots of sniffing, (and you are obviously going to skunk him, or, even more fun, threatening a skunk) this is absolutely hilarious. It's even better if you can get him or her to sniff too, trying to catch a whiff of the dastardly fun you are about to have at their expense!

 

[nyed001]

Hello and welcome aboard...... ipe: