Fly Fishing

AvidDavid · Location: Long Island, NY

Jeremy's response to my 1st post (with its graphic from Google Earth) reminded me of how I have been using Google Earth to look at some of my potential fishing spots. In many locations near me (so far I have been focusing on coastal spots near New York City), the detail is really amazing. You can find the location easily and zoom in to get resolution that gives a lot of detail. You can find drop-offs and you can get a good idea of the bottom structure: rocks, grass, sand. I know that some locations (e.g., Rhode Island coast) are at low resolution and some others are purposefully maintained at low resolution due to "national security" in response to 9/11 but much of the coastal water near me is high resolution. I think it will help me in my new-found search for Stripers and Blues on the fly. Has anybody used it for freshwater? I know that with the dinky streams (that I fish) the trees get in the way (the same as they do for my backcasts!) Anybody else use Google Earth?

jeremy · Location: Portland, Maine

oh yeah -- i use google earth all the time -- it's crazy technology - the possibilities are endless - i just can't wait till i can access it via wireless in my car or a hand held device with a projection monitor so that i can leverage the technology in real time in real time usage scenarios --- that way i could use it instead of all the paper maps -- of course - would keep the paper maps in my trunk - incase of satellite disconnectivity or battery issues - however, battery issues will be a thing of the past in the near future - don't think its gonna be too long before a battery hits the market that runs on a chemical fluid that will measure battery life in years rather than hours... of course nuclear would be a solution to the battery technology issues - but probably a little less safe Very Happy

------->>> I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU DID NOT MENTION ANY FLY FISHING SPOTS - AS ALL OF THE TECHNOLOGY PROGRESSIONS CERTAINLY ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND SHARE AND ACCESS INFORMATION - THE ONLY TRUE FORM OF KEEPING OUR PRECIOUS FLY FISHING LOCATIONS A "SECRET" IS BY KEEPING OUR MOUTHS SHUT...SO - THE IRONY OF THE TECHNOLOGY + FLY FISHING INTEGRATIONS IS THAT I LOVE IT FOR SO MANY REASONS AND ITS POWER AS AN INFORMATIONAL AND PEER TO PEER RESOURCE IS MIND BOGGLING - AT THE SAME TIME I HATE THE FACT THAT I HAD TO FIND MY "SECRET" SPOTS THE HARD WAY...BY MEETING PEOPLE WHO GAVE ME A LITTLE TIP... AND THEN I HAD TO USE MY DELORME MAP TO GO FIND THESE PLACES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.... POINT BEING - THAT PART OF THE FUN AND ADVENTURE OF FLY FISHING IS PUTTING IN THE TIME TO MEET PEOPLE AND HEAR THE LITTLE WHISPERINGS THAT POINT YOU IN THE DIRECTION OF NEW WATERS THAT THEN BECOME YOUR 'SECRET' SPOTS --- I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY BENEFITS BY ACQUIRING THAT INFORMATION USING EASY SHORT CUTS AND BY NOT PUTTING IN TIME ON THE WATER... BECAUSE IN MY OPINION THERE IS A NATURAL FLOW THAT KINDA PUTS FLY FISHERMAN WHERE THEY BELONG FOR THAT SPECIFIC TIME IN THEIR FLY FISHING CAREER.... BY THAT I MEAN - WHEN I LOOK BACK TO WHEN I FIRST STARTED FLY FISHING AND I LOOK AT THE LOCATIONS THAT I WAS FLY FISHING - THOSE LOCATIONS WERE PERFECT FOR ME AS A BEGINNER FOR THAT POINT AND TIME - I THINK THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY OUTGROWN SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS AND NOW I FIND MYSELF IN OTHER LOCATIONS THAT SUIT MY PERSONAL SKILL LEVEL - I AM NOT SAYING I AM BETTER OR WORSE - ALL I AM SAYING IS THAT EVERYONE HAS A NATURAL PROGRESSION AND A NATURAL ROAD MAP OF WHERE THEY ARE FLY FISHING AND THOSE LOCATIONS ARE NATURAALY TIED INTO WHAT IT IS THEY NEED TO LEARN... SO I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY THERE ARE MANY LOCATIONS THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY NATURALLY BELONG AT - IN DUE TIME THOSE LOCATIONS WILL PRESENT THEMSELVES TO ME NATURALLY AS MY EXPERIENCE AND SKILL LEVEL AND PERSONAL NETWORKS EVOLVE. MAYBE THIS YEAR I WILL FIND MYSELF AT 2 OR 3 SPOTS THAT I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO AND I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN TO THEM BECAUSE I WAS NOT MEANT TO BE THERE IN THE PAST... THEN - AT THE END OF A FLY FISHERMANS LIFETIME - HE FINDS HIMSELF HAVING NATURALLY PROGRESSED WITH HIS PERSONAL FLY FISHING ENDEAVORS TO THE DEGREE IN WHICH HE WANTED TO AND HIS/HER PERSONAL FISHING LOCATIONS ARE PROPORTIONAL TO WHAT THE FLY FISHERMAN WANTED TO GET OUT OF FLY FISHING.... MAYBE I AM MAKING IT TOO COMPLEX... ALL I AM SAYING IS THIS...

WHEN MY SON STARTS FLY FISHING (HE IS ONLY 1 YEAR OLD NOW) HE WILL BE BEST SERVED ON A SMALL, HEAVILY STOCKED TROUT STREAM THAT IS VERY EASILY ACCESSIBLE BY THE ROAD AND VERY SAFE AND VERY EASY FOR HIM TO UNDERSTAND. HE CERTAINLY DOES NOT BELONG ON THE DELAWARE RIVER CASTING TO PICKING WILD BROWNS WITH 13 FOOT LEADERS AND CRAZY SMALL DRY FLIES...FOR HIM THAT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE. FOR ME THAT WOULD BE HEAVEN. NOW - WITHT THAT SAID - AS I AGE - THERE WILL PROBABLY COME A TIME WHEN EVERYTHING WILL COME FULL CIRCLE AND HE WILL BE BETTER SERVED FLY FISHING THE DELAWARE AND BECAUSE OF MY AGE I WILL BE BETTER SERVED TO BE BACK ON THE SMALL, HEAVILY STOCKED TROUT STREAM THAT IS VERY EASILY ACCESSIBLE BY THE ROAD. Very Happy

SO - MY POINT IS - DON'T TRY TO HARD TO FIND AND GET TO PLACES BASED ON WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY... BECAUSE ONE PERSONS HEAVEN IS ANOTHER PERSONS HELL..... REALIZE WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT AND FOR THE MOST PART YOU WILL NATURALLY FIND YOURSELF WHERE YOU NEED TO BE...

THANKS - FOR NOT POSTING SPECIFIC LOCATIONS ON FLIESANDFINS.COM - MUCH APPRECIATED.

Pete · Location: New York, NY

AvidDavid,

Where are you based out on Long Island? The Connetquot and Nissequogue are my two home trout streams, but I spend most of my fishing time in season chasing fish in the Western Sound.

Pete