tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111402652010-02-03T09:22:02.147+13:00Fishing news, fishing in New Zealand, fishing information, commentary, how-to, articles and stories on fishing, fly fishing, fishermen, fish and tackle, on rivers lakes and sea. 700+ fishing quotes and sayings.Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.comBlogger405125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-87350899430882320352010-02-03T09:22:00.001+13:002010-02-03T09:22:02.248+13:00

Five new fishing quotes and sayings are up now – numbers 921 – 925. My pick of this group, number 922… “During the past two decades we have seen an explosion in the popularity of fly fishing. Thousands of new fly fishermen, and women, have embraced the sport and taken up fly tying as a part of it. During this same period we have had a proliferation in new tying materials; and new magazines

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-47483726948819013732010-02-01T18:10:00.001+13:002010-02-01T18:10:14.558+13:00

To a South Island of New Zealand trained brown-trout fisherman, the answer to the question, what fly should I use to tempt the fish, was easy – a small brown nymph. If that did not work, toss out a smaller, browner nymph. Use a big bright glistening fly? No never – scare the fish off would have been the answer, and to many it still is the answer. But for me that answer took a tumble on a

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-726951067541003382010-01-31T16:29:00.001+13:002010-01-31T16:29:48.204+13:00

The always excellent Midcurrent fly-fishing site led me to a good article on fishing one of the best brown trout rivers in the world, in the New York Times. Just one niggle, one little sentence in the article that makes a big mistake. It adds the instruction that when crossing farmland, “… do not fail to close a gate, lest livestock get out.” Wrong! Farmers are the same world-over, and the

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-15984315831272709832010-01-28T08:25:00.001+13:002010-01-28T08:28:03.785+13:00

When wrote my post yesterday about my new hip pack which has replaced my fly-fishing vest to help keep back pain under control, I forgot to mention something else my bad back Doctor, (the back is bad, definitely not the Doctor), advised. He recommends, and remember he is a nutter fisherman like us, that when you are walking to and from the river or or stream, or from pool to pool, or wading in

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-63395667495723310432010-01-27T18:48:00.001+13:002010-01-31T16:35:56.908+13:00

I would have no real idea how many vests I have owned, but given they only last a year or two the flogging I give them, in 50  and more years of fishing I have gone through more than a few. I have had a problem with vests since way back when I played as a front-row forward in a Rugby team. First I stuffed the vest with way too much gear, then slung this heavy load onto my shoulders. By the end

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-65362207025580130292010-01-25T17:26:00.001+13:002010-01-25T17:26:37.603+13:00

Numbers 916 –920 are ready for your perusal as usual. My pick, and a bit controversial, certainly my comments about it may be… “The reason that all other kinds of fishermen look up to the dry-fly purist is not that he catches more fish than they; on the contrary, it is because he catches fewer. His is the sport in its purist, most impractical, least material form.” - William Humphrey My

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-8873674119990135132010-01-08T19:19:00.001+13:002010-01-08T19:19:47.500+13:00

Five new fishing quotations and saying are up now. Numbers 911 – 915. Enjoy. My pick of the litter: “Of course fly-fishing is not proof against craziness. In fact, spending what can easily become serious money and endless time to catch fish you mostly release would by most measures prove craziness.” - James R Babb - River Music Comment You just have to believe that moving around for

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-43320183663167552432010-01-04T22:55:00.001+13:002010-01-04T22:55:34.319+13:00

As an ex-tackle-store owner I guess I got to handle and trial way more fly-fishing rods than most. That included all that was touted to be the latest and greatest. Fact was that handling so many rods lead to the perhaps jaded view that all new rods were merely slight advances on a rod building theme, and big advances in the persuasive power of the rod-makers advertising and marketing people.

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-39727958648922698722010-01-02T08:22:00.001+13:002010-01-02T08:22:26.102+13:00

These guys just keep on getting better – pure fly fishing bliss. Highlights this issue must be the two videos on fly fishing for mean gleaming golden Dorado in the jungles of South America – guaranteed to stir the blood. As usual the photography is simply stunning – enough talk – just go get it!

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-74269665708706412122009-12-19T18:13:00.001+13:002009-12-19T18:13:11.320+13:00

Proudly presented for your personal perusal, a profoundly perceptive parade of pithy pointers to the perplexity  of piscine pottering. Which  means 5 more fishing quotes are up now – numbers 906 – 910 My pick: “My wants are simple. I have no desire to latch onto a monster symbol of fate and power and prove my manhood in titanic piscine war. But sometimes I do like a couple of cooperative fish

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-10944025294542767712009-12-03T10:52:00.001+13:002009-12-03T10:52:34.912+13:00

There are in this fishing world of ours thousands of hints, tricks, and tips to make things easier or more effective. Most of us I guess read them, say to ourselves, 'now that is a good idea, I must use that' - and promptly forget around 99% of them! Well a couple of months ago I read a tip in a UK fly-fishing magazine that was simplicity in itself, designed to solve a problem that affects us

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-60424592848589758012009-12-01T15:06:00.001+13:002009-12-01T15:06:27.269+13:00

More fishy sagacity, encapsulated in pithy, pointed penmanship, plucked from piscine publications for your perusal. Numbers 901 - 905 My pick of the bunch – this pearl: “There don't have to be a thousand fish in the river. Let me locate a single good one and I'll get a thousand dreams out of him before I catch him. And if I catch him, I'll let him go.” Jim Deren

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-77418126872353322682009-11-23T09:40:00.001+13:002009-11-23T09:42:11.086+13:00

Have just up-loaded 5 more quotes and sayings , numbers 896 – 990. Three of them, on the subject of ‘catch and release’ may stir up some flak from some quarters. My pick: “Catch and release is not merely an art of fly-fishing, not necessarily learned or suitable for some fishermen, but it is one that should be used only on waters where it makes real sense and not simply imagined sense. Where

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-15680572892837193272009-11-13T08:55:00.001+13:002009-11-13T08:55:21.159+13:00

Five more quotes and sayings, and for a change, a poem,  about matters piscatorial and fluvial, ready to swim through the streams of bits and bytes are up now – numbers 891 – 895. My pick of the catch: “(with trout) we are touching something unrestricted, wild and arcane, beyond the reach of those who carefully maintain one-dimensional lives. There is, I tell myself, someone in the city nearby

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-70376035888182858602009-11-11T14:41:00.001+13:002009-11-11T14:41:46.211+13:00

Eric King-Turner emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 102, saying he loved the country and especially loved the fishing. And even at 102 he went fishing. A couple of weeks before he died he purchased a new seasons licence, but he never got to use it, the weather kept him from the water. There is an old Babylonian proverb: “the Gods have decreed that the days spent fishing are added to the

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-72091831603323820752009-11-11T14:31:00.001+13:002009-11-11T14:31:22.672+13:00

Here is an excellent article on the state of play of the Didymo problem in the South Island of New Zealand. The sad part is that the situation in New Zealand is a graphic illustration of the ‘portability’ of all sorts of pests because of the comparative ease of travel. It is believed the introduction of Didymo in New Zealand was by way of an American angler, or returning Kiwi angler – the Didymo

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-17458203373097054172009-11-03T12:43:00.001+13:002009-11-03T12:43:50.107+13:00

The new edition of Catch Magazine is out now and the best keeps getting better. Make sure you watch the Spey casting video, beautiful!

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-70595631673686652412009-11-01T22:24:00.000+13:002009-11-01T22:24:58.718+13:00

Five more fishing quotes are up now, numbers 886 – 890. This one is my pick: “Have you ever noticed that trout seem to take better as our fly gets more ragged? Think I'll start tying ragged flies. Hell, on second thought, I don't even have to think about it, because my flies come out of the vise that way.” - Jimmy D Moore This quote is very pertinent to me. Have a look at this article and

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-33468421481378768112009-10-24T17:03:00.001+13:002009-10-24T17:03:09.290+13:00

Marlene from One Cast Fly Fishing Adventures also sent me the photo above of a very sick trout showing all the signs of being really badly handled before release. The skin ahead of the tail has been ‘burnt’ by being picked up with dry hands or gloves, and being held too tightly for too long. This type of handling removes protective slime, damages the skin and opens the way for infection and

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-36496616771060889892009-10-24T16:47:00.001+13:002009-10-24T16:49:55.289+13:00

Marlene and Craig Skeet from One Cast Fly Fishing Adventures, who were guiding a Japanese client who filmed the action, have added a bit more to the story: “Mitsuo goes through a lot of shaking and screaming before capturing the big eel attacking his trout. (The song Japanesey replaces his hysteria voice) The camera was put down after the 2 minute drama and the trout was saved and

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-55832348437180277082009-10-23T17:04:00.001+13:002009-10-23T17:04:18.272+13:00

A sparkling new bunch of fishing quotes and saying is up now to shed some perceptive light on the sport we love. Numbers 881 – 885 This posts pick: “Generally, we are united in the belief that all rod design has been progressive and that the ideas about fly rods in the past were so bad as to make it amazing that people were able to fish at all.” - Thomas McGuane

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-44936600594112853792009-10-15T12:24:00.001+13:002009-10-15T12:24:08.886+13:00

Reading the story in my last post about a big eel attacking a trout here in New Zealand reminded me that the first story I ever wrote for New Zealand Fishing News magazine was about eels. It was written about 22 years ago - don’t time fly! It was pretty well received way back then, so maybe it is time for a re-run. Have a read here.

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-51052239778338178912009-10-10T23:15:00.001+13:002009-10-11T14:19:40.180+13:00

This pretty rough video shows a big New Zealand eel doing its very best to eat a fairly big trout that was being played. The anglers managed to get the trout away from the eel and release it. I do not know what language the cameraman is using. Eels like this are native to and common in New Zealand and many European anglers come here specifically to fish for them, they can grow to 50kg (110lb).

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-16584711141625712852009-10-10T14:49:00.001+13:002009-10-11T14:08:53.941+13:00

Have just up-loaded 5 more fishing quotations, numbers 876 – 880. Be bedazzled by brilliant perception. My pick; “Stalking along from log to log, or plunging their long legs in the oozy swamp, two large herons paid no attention to my presence, but occupied themselves with their own fishing arrangements, as if their wilderness were there own.”     W.C. Prime -I Go A-Fishing- 1873

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11140265.post-27556897194236931792009-10-03T23:07:00.001+13:002009-10-03T23:07:11.953+13:00

And so we climb inexorably (Thank big G for a spell checker) towards 1000 fishy quotes and sayings – numbers 871 – 875 are up now. My pick of today’s bunch: “And if ye angler take fysshe; surely thenne is there noo man merier than he is in his spyryte.” Dame Juliana Berners -The Boke of St. Albans- 1496 I guess this is as true today as it was 500 years ago. What is also true is how

Bishfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03700654337059318472noreply@blogger.com0