I'm getting old and my arms are too short

[GSFeder]

Had a great trip this past weekend Fri-Sun on Rapidan and Conway. Lots of decent sized eager bookies willing to take a foam beetle or a stimulator on top or a zebra midge on the dropper and a couple of browns on the Conway, too. Put the lo-4wd to the test on the new Chevy Colorado, so that was fun as well.

Biggest problem was I can't see 6x tippet and the eyes of trout sized flies as well as I used to. I sure was spoiled by a summer of warm water fishing! What do some of you "more experienced" anglers use to help? Flip-down magnifiers?

Cheers,

-- Greg

Sent from my iPhone

[Evan D]

Greg,

Thanks for sharing - great photos!

Regarding 6x tippet: I've more of less sworn it off (except for very specific situations).  I would say that for 95% of coldwater fishing (that isn't with streamers) I'm using 5x.  It's easier to see and handle than 6x, you don't break off as many fish, and I think that fish really don't care as much as we fly-fisherman think they do.  Funny thing is, I actually own 7x - free to a good home!

Regarding fly size: For brookies they are typically hitting very aggressively and, therefore, using a slightly bigger fly certainly won't stop them in my experience.  It might prevent some of the smaller fish from being hooked, but that's a bonus on some days!  Even for browns who can be very picky, I tend to size up to make my life easier and more fun (the point of fly fishing is having fun, right?!).  I fish technical streams fairly often (where fish can be finicky) and I still catch plenty of fish using 5x (and even 4x) and a slightly larger fly.

Oh, and the short answer to your question: flip-down magnifiers seem to work well for a few guys I know!

Just my two cents...

-Evan

[arthur...@gmail.com]

I know some guys that fish two dries all the time for that very reason. If you have two it's much easier for you find them in the water.

Art

Sent from my iPhone

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[TurbineBlade]

I've heard of "threaders" that are popular with some folks, but I've not used any myself.  Luckily, my vision seems to be going strong....but I am getting more random aches and pains and stiffness that is novel to me.  

Regarding tippet size -- eh, nevermind.  It's kind of pointless for a man sitting on a couch to "inform" a man just returning from what was clearly a successful fishing trip ;).  I'd say what you are doing works better than what I'm doing.  I'd bet that 7x works better than watching television on the couch!  

Being very much stuck at home now, I did fish the backyard stockers yesterday evening and despite locating dozens and dozens of the suckers, could not get a single take!  Man, I know that entire stream as well as anyone and couldn't find any "fishy" enough to take anything (had a few "bump", and many acting "fishy", but the darn things won't commit).  So you made the best choice for a trip ;).

DGIF did drop some lunkers in there, but someone else will have to go after 'em after the rain comes through.  

I did pull someone's woolly bugger out of a tree, so that was a score of sorts.  

Gene

On Friday, October 21, 2016 at 9:16:58 AM UTC-4, Greg Feder wrote:

[Greg Feder]

Thanks, Art.  That's why I tie a pink foam beetle.  They really pop with the Costa copper lenses, and with a peacock ice dub underbody, the fish don't know they are pink.  They work great on top and as an indicator for the dropper. 

It's just tying the flies on that's getting more difficult. I don't want to move to a bifocal because I've read about people having wading mis-steps when they look through the magnified bottom part of their lenses. I'm hoping someone here has found a solution they're happy with.  

Cheers,

-- Greg

---

From: "arthur...@gmail.com" <arthur...@gmail.com>
To: tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2016 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} I'm getting old and my arms are too short

I know some guys that fish two dries all the time for that very reason. If you have two it's much easier for you find them in the water.

Art

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 21, 2016, at 9:16 AM, 'GSFeder' via Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>
> Had a great trip this past weekend Fri-Sun on Rapidan and Conway. Lots of decent sized eager bookies willing to take a foam beetle or a stimulator on top or a zebra midge on the dropper and a couple of browns on the Conway, too. Put the lo-4wd to the test on the new Chevy Colorado, so that was fun as well.
>
> Biggest problem was I can't see 6x tippet and the eyes of trout sized flies as well as I used to. I sure was spoiled by a summer of warm water fishing!  What do some of you "more experienced" anglers use to help?  Flip-down magnifiers?
>
> Cheers,
>
> -- Greg
>
> Sent from my iPhone

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[Greg Feder]

Gene --

I set up camp in that spot in the RMWA where you, Beth and I met up that one time.  Emily asked if I'd invited you along, but I told her you were housebound minding the redds.  Any news? 

Cheers,

-- Greg

---

From: TurbineBlade <doubl...@gmail.com>
To: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2016 11:08 AM
Subject: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: I'm getting old and my arms are too short

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[TurbineBlade]

Yep, just playing the waiting game and sneaking off to fish 1-2 hours at the usual local haunts.  That's about it!  

Good to see a SNP report -- or, close anyway.  The SNP sign is pretty much within sight from your tent if I recall ;).  

Take care Greg,

Gene

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[Lane Thurgood]

I prefer to use CLIC magnifiers.  (Basically reading glasses with a hard lanyard that detach between the lenses.)  I tried, but did not like the flip-down magnifiers.  In part because they had a habit of popping off my cap but also because they were just not as clear for me for the fine work as the reading glasses (CLIC or otherwise).  I also use them at the bench.

On Friday, October 21, 2016 at 9:16:58 AM UTC-4, Greg Feder wrote:

[Carl Z.]

I have flip down cap magnifiers and can't live without them.

  I was missing them today, my arms were just long enough in the bright sunshine.  

For me, they stay on the hat.  They slide on and get tacked in place and I just leave them there.  However you have to put the hat in a bag to protect the lenses (or leave the hat upside down in the back seat of the car).  

The advantage is they are always there, ready to flip down.  They are cheap and work.   I would try them out and see how you like them.  

Carl

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Carl Zmola

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[namfos]

Flip Focals - attach to the hat brim and flip out of the way. THE solution to anglers presbyopia! 

Mark

[TurbineBlade]

I need to keep those in mind in the event that I convert from slacker to presbyterian.  

Gene

[namfos]

I know plenty of presbyterian slackers - no reason you can't do both, Gene. ;-) 

Mark

[Greg Feder]

Thanks for the feedback, gents.  I think I'm going to try the flip down magnifiers.  I'm worried that the CLIC types will be too difficult to use as they will require two hands to get into place, as would regular reading glasses. 

Cheers,

-- Greg

On Friday, October 21, 2016 at 9:16:58 AM UTC-4, Greg Feder wrote: