Many kids enjoy the sport of fly fishing, whether it be at a fly fishing camp or with a parent.

So, what age are kids ready to fly fish?

There's really no set age. Each child is different. Some start as young as 5, while others may not be ready until they reach their teens.

First, you need to have the ability to recognize your child's development skills. And you need to be keenly aware of the moment when fly fishing is no longer fun for them. Some kids may only be able to handle 10 minutes to a half hour of fly fishing before they become bored or frustrated.

Childrens' attention spans are limited and can be quite short.

One of the most important aspects of fly fishing is knot tying. If knots are not tied appropriately for the situation at hand or if they aren't tied correctly, then you're not likely to land many fish.

Here are some tips for tying knots, plus links to the best sites for learning to tie your own fly fishing knots -- including animated photos and videos!

So you’ve decided to take up fly fishing?

You’ve bought the necessary fly fishing gear for beginners and now you’re searching for a few tips to help you catch a bunch of fish.

Let’s take a look at some ways to make your first fly fishing adventures more enjoyable ...and successful!

If you have recently taken up fly fishing it’s imperative that you’re able to read the water surface activity, also known as “reading the rise.” 

This allows you to know exactly what the fish are doing and also when their activity changes.

What exactly is the rise? The rise is the movement a fish makes when it comes to the water's surface to take an insect.

Why should you know how to read the rise? Because the fish’s activity lets you know which tactics to use in order to catch fish.

When casting to a rising fish, don't target the rise rings. Put your fly at least 3-4 feet in front of where you saw the fish last rise, remembering to give yourself time to thrown an upstream mend into the line if needed.
Source: Fly Fishing Tips

In my search for stitch and glue wooden drift boat plans, I came across a company called Glen-L. In this post a comment was left by Barry, the Glen-L webmaster. He mentioned their website. I wrote him an email and Barry gave me permission to use photos and quotes from their website and to let him know if I had any questions.

I went to the the Glen-L Website and the first question I had was: What is her name?> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Wait, did I say that out loud?

Turns out, this is one of the Pin Up Girl pictures they used in their boat plans catalog in the early 1950's.

Glen-L was started back in 1953 and though they are one of the largest suppliers of plans and boat building supplies, they are still a small, close knit family type company. I mean, there are people other than family that work there, but they all seem like family.

I recently got an email from them announcing Barry's retirement. They were all wishing him well and letting him know that he would be missed. I'm sure many Glen-L customers will miss him as well.  He seems like a great guy from our emails.

When you visit Glen-L, be sure you sign up for their newsletter and the e-book on boat building. Both free and full of really useful stuff.  I don't understand everything I don't know about websites though and there isn't a direct path to the sign up page.  I had to go to their main page at  http://www.glen-l.com/ and then click on the search link in the left hand navigation bar. I entered the word newsletter in the search field. Up popped a link to Glen-L Guest Book. I clicked that and when you sign up, they'll send you the ebook for download. It's Boatbuilding 101. Good notes in there.

What About The Wooden Drift Boat Plans?

Sunday Sunrise Service
A Little Piece of Outdoors Poetry

I mentioned back in part one of the post I titled Readin', Writin, and ARhythmAddict-Part 1, that I'd tell you something about a piece I wrote for Easter. As I said, I was going to post it here, but another publisher picked it up and ran with it so instead, I'll tell you where you can find it and what prompted me to try writing that kind of stuff.

Giving It A Try

I love to give gifts. I hate to go shopping.

I don't like to go shopping for gifts. I like to go buying. What I mean is, I hate to go to a store and wander around aisle after aisle without something specific in mind. Every time I do that, I find myself walking in circles like an adventurer with a broken compass. It seems as if every aisle starts to look the same, just like trees in the forest. Searching, hoping something will catch my eye and shout "Hey, you! Mr. clueless lost man! Buy me! I'm the perfect thing. BUY MEEEeeee!!!!" Nope, I hate that part. I like to have a pretty good idea of what I want to buy for someone long before I go to a store. Once I know what I want, I'll go to a store, inspect the item up close and if it suits my expectations, I make the purchase. Hopefully they gift wrap because that is another thing I'm not fond of doing.

Seeing as how Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I'm taking some advice from a blogger friend of mine. Her name is Meridith and her family likes to fly fish. She sometimes writes about it on her website about Brentwood, TN. Check it out. She gave me the idea about putting together a list of Valentine's Day gift ideas for fly fishermen/women. That got me to thinking about fly fishing oriented gifts I have been given. Some good, some well intentioned but not so good. The beautiful and the ugly. Here's a list of 10 ideas that cover both ends of the map. In this list you'll find fly fishing gifts under $10 to over $1000. To my fellow shopping haters, quit walking in circles with that dazed look in your eyes. Here, my gift-seeking adventurers, is your compass.

These is a list of 7 products I really like and 3 that I could have lived without. I hope you find it useful.

"You want a fast one or slow one? I got two here. Gonna be strippin' wets or you think yer gonna be driftin' a dry to risers most of the time?" queried the man behind the counter. I stood in silence. I had that deer in the headlights feeling inside my brain. I didn't understand a word he had said. He continued "Come on now boy, yer gonna have to give me a hint iffin you want me ta help ya."

"I, uhhh, I'm not, ahh, sure. I don't know." was all I could muster. "I just want to buy a fly rod."