I Not Only Do Microscopy

Danny, Michael, and I (Tom) couldn't be happier and more impressed with our members and friends! It would be wonderful if we all got to know each other better. Here's a forum to post images and short autobiographies of ourselves as well as any other info you would like to post about yourself. We are looking forward to meeting you all!

Moderators: nzmacro, Ken Ramos, twebster, S. Alden

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Ken Ramos
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Location: Western North Carolina

I Not Only Do Microscopy

Post by Ken Ramos »

:shock: I am not very photogenic so that is why there is no flash in this picture but however I am an avid fly fisherman. This is my little corner, nothing fancy, as some of the purist would have but functional. I have in my hand, barely visible I know, a Wooly Bugger size 12. I have tied this fly in "crawdad" colors and those colors seem to work pretty well not only for large brown trout but for largemouth bass as well.

Image

Many of the other flies that I tye are the usual Royal Coachman, Elk Hair Caddis, Prince nymphs, the infamous Hares Ear, Pheasant Tail Nymph, etc.

Here in the mountain streams of Western North Carolina, should you perhaps visit and want to enjoy a relaxing late afternoon or early morning on the stream, flies tyed in sizes 20 thru to size 14 work best I have found. Mostly the Hares Ear variety 16 and 18 sizes and a size 16 Elk Hair Caddis work very well.

It is not hard to find solitude here either. Many of our most infamous trout streams are elbow to elbow with fisherman but I know of many places off of the beaten path that will take one to solitude and plenty of small "brookies" and breathtaking views. At one time I had considered "guiding" here in WNC but I guess I had better stick to my regular job. As a guide you must have to be able to put up with a lot, like getting flies out of trees and your hide and of course making sure your client catches fish.

My choice of tackle? Sage SLT 2 wt. 3 pcs. 8' strung with WF3F line and a 5 ft. leader with a 1.5 ft. tippet of 6 or 7X. Reel, Orvis CFO The reason for 3 wt. line on a 2 wt. rod is so the rod will load faster on short casts and make a better, more delicate presentation. Mountain streams that I fish are quite small, brushy, and out of the way. Long rods and big flies don't fit quite well in these type areas. So, light tackle is highly recommended here. 8)
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Kenneth Ramos
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Kens Microscopy
Reposts of my images within the galleries are welcome, as are constructive critical critiques.

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twebster
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Post by twebster »

You just have to rub it in, don't you, Ken :!: :?: :D You sure do live in some nice country, my friend. I have a little Winston 6 1/2' split bamboo 3-wt rod and a Hardy Featherweight reel. Would that be adequate :?: :D

Best regards as always, Ken :D
Tom Webster
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Phoenix "The Valley of the Sun", Arizona, USA

Think about this...maybe Murphy is an optimist!!!

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Kenv
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Location: New Zealand

Post by Kenv »

A most enjoyable occupation Ken. I once had a go at tying my own flies but I didn't do very well at it. We have some of the world's best trout fishing down the highway at Lake Taupo. Rainbows running the rivers from the lake average 5-1/2 lbs, big Rainbows of over 10 lbs are not infrequent and every year there are several Browns around 15 lbs taken. However my favourite fishing was coarse fishing - Perch, Tench, Carp, Rudd etc. I can't do it anymore unfortunately because of CFS.
Cheers Kenv
Ken

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Spilt bamboo, six and a half foot three weight by Winston??? "Oh sure Tom, that would be perfect!" :? Talk about me rubbing it in. Wish I had one of those. What little ol'man did you mug on the stream to get it? :lol: Kidding aside Tom, that sounds like a real nice outfit there, perfect for here. I once saw a split bamboo, don't know who made it, it was used but had what I would call a "new" price tag on it. The last time I looked at a new one like that and I believe it was a Winston, maybe not but a well known name, not Orvis, it was around four figures. I guess I will just have to be content with my Sage SLT. :roll:
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Kenneth Ramos
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Kens Microscopy
Reposts of my images within the galleries are welcome, as are constructive critical critiques.

Steve West
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Post by Steve West »

Hi Ken,

One of my close friends is an avid fly fisherman who is miserable here in S AZ. However, any year I shoot an Elk, it's mandatory that I cut small sections of the hide with the various hair colors. Apparently, elk hair is very expensive, but a tiny fraction of my hide is almost enough elk hair for a lifetime of tying.

Steve

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Hey Ken, to bad you can't get out to the stream much anymore. I don't get to do enough fishing as it is myself. However, I would like to get into some of the "bows and browns" you've mentioned. Many years ago, I almost made it down your way or at least close anyway. We were about 100 miles from the equator and I had recieved my summons from King Neptune to appear before the Royal Court but Siagon fell and we were turned around. We were headed at the time for some R&R in Austraila. 8)

Hi ya' Steve. Yeah when I lived out in Arkansas I would badger the deer hunters for hides and tails to make streamers and Caddis from. Deer hair in my opinion doesn't make good Caddis imitations but is sufficent, makes excellent streamers however. Elk hair is much better and is stiffer. Yeah when it comes to fly tying materials any free dead thing is better than paying for it. At one time my living room looked as though it was full of "road kill!" 8)
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Kenneth Ramos
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Kens Microscopy
Reposts of my images within the galleries are welcome, as are constructive critical critiques.

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twebster
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Post by twebster »

Hi ya' Ken :D

Little good that little Winston is doing me sitting in my closet :!: In the late 1960s my brother and I lived at the upper end of the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco. Winston fishing rods were made in downtown San Francisco. I saved my pennies real hard and bought the fly rod straight from the factory. (Now Winston has moved to somewhere in Montana.) I think I paid nearly $300.00 for that little rod and I fished it nearly to death :!: I had it refurbished by Winston in about 1977 or 1978 and haven't fished it since then. Figured it would make one of my children happy to own it after my death. I have a couple Orvis bamboo rods and a mighty fine Leonard bamboo rod. I'm leaving one to each of my children.

I fished Sage flyrods for quite a number of years. I had a 9' 4 wt, a 9' 6 wt, and a 9' 8 wt. I also had Ross reels for all three rods. I did love fishing those western rivers and Lee's Ferry. :D My favorite flyfishing was on the little creeks and brooks, however. I think you would faint if you saw my fly tying cabinets. I probably have $2000 to $3000 tied up in Metz #1 and Spencer #1 hackle necks alone not to mention all of the other materials. Oh yeah, I was in to fly tying in a big way. My personal fly boxes contain about 7000 flies I tied myself.

My sons live in Colorado Springs and do quite a bit of fishing in Colorado. They don't know it yet, but when they come down to visit for Christmas they're getting the fly tying kit as their present. I know my youngest son is going to wet his pants when he finds out :!: :D I figure it ain't doing me any good when I can no longer go fishing and, rather than sell the kit to someone who might not appreciate it, I'd rather see them get the use out of it.

Same goes for my rifles and shotguns. Each child gets one of my shotguns and I have two rifles that I don't know which of my sons is going to get which rifle. The rifles are a bit much for my two girls. One rifle is a pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 with a 4x Leupold scope and the other rifle is a pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 in 300 H&H mag with a Leupold 6x scope. Redfield scope rings, of course. :D Talk about an elk rifle :!:

Anyhow, microscopy has had to fill in for all of the hunting and fishing I can no longer do. So far it has been a worthy replacement. I guess in a way I'm still hunting and fishing, just on a much, much smaller scale. :D

Best regards as always,
Tom Webster
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Phoenix "The Valley of the Sun", Arizona, USA

Think about this...maybe Murphy is an optimist!!!

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

:D Tom you've really started something here my friend. I am not much into guns. I used to deer hunt when I lived down in Arkansas but never saw anything more than a fox squirrel. I had a Marlin 30-30 with a scope, can't remember what kind. But I would love to see those Winchesters.

As for flyrods, aside from microscopy they are one of my passions. By the way, I would like to see that Winston, bet it is a sweet rod. Your boys are going to get a real hierloom (did I spell that right? heir....oh, forget it) there with those rods. I have a Sage SP 9' 5wt., three piece that is really my pride and joy for fishing tailwaters. I have an Abel TR2 on it and a Sage SP 3wt. with an Abel #0 for more open areas which have small rainbows and brookies. I love that emerald green finish and gold wrap they placed on it along with the nickle hardware. In my opinion for what it is worth I think the SP is a much better rod than the SLT's. I sent Sage a letter saying so but I never got a reply. I guess they were impressed!?? :roll:

Yep, 7000 flies you say. Whew that is a lot of tying. I suppose some are shadow boxed. Don't know of a tyer worth his hackle that doesn't have at least one or in my case had one. I use a lot of Metz #1 but mostly #2's, most of my budget goes to microscopy now. As a matter of fact fly fishing is what got me back into it after the service. I started studying stream environment and ecology and the next thing I new, I was realizing that I loved doing this years ago. It can get frustrating trying to read a stream and look for good collection spots at the same time but it all seems to go hand in hand. I have been turning over rocks here lately looking for nymphs and such. Most of our streams are freestone and there is little in aquatic vegetation but the caddis and mayflies still find a home, along with an occasional stone fly. 8)
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Kenneth Ramos
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Kens Microscopy
Reposts of my images within the galleries are welcome, as are constructive critical critiques.

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twebster
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Post by twebster »

You know, Ken, I don't have a single fly in a shadow box :!: I guess I never thought to do that. I just tied for what I thought I was going to use. Yep, 7000 flies was pretty optimistic :!: :D It was just one of those things. I would tie a dozen flies a night, 5 days a week...lose a few on a weekend outing...tie another dozen flies a night for 5 days...well you get the picture. :D

Get out and get fishing while you can :!:
Tom Webster
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Phoenix "The Valley of the Sun", Arizona, USA

Think about this...maybe Murphy is an optimist!!!

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