Adam,
As I have PM'd you the same, I mean no personal attack in any way. I do appreciate the immense amount of passion filled photos you bless this board, and all of us with. I said nothing about you foul hooking any fish, I couldn't see that good anyway.
As an Animal Rights Advocate(on the nutty side) and good friend nonetheless, regularly points out to me, we all harass the fish(spin guys, bait guys, fly guys, bead guys)....I only wanted to use the image to highlight the separation of the Upper Lip of the fish. Many folks point out that this can happen from many types of fishing, and I have even done with MicroMayflys to be quite honest.
My only point is to point out that I have used hundreds of beads and hundreds of Unreal Eggs(a bead fly), call me partial or biased, but I have rarely ripped lips with yarn dressed hooks as opposed to a free floating stinger/trailer hook after a bead.
When I see your truly wonderful photos, I don't want Johnny Weekend Flyfisherman out there snagging and gill raking fish on Putah and the American because he does not know any better. Most people I find frankly don't care!
When I was taught how to fish beads, I was handed down a tradition and a responsibility. Thats what I was told. If I was to show anyone, I had to make them aware of the proper and improper technique. Beads are like fish crack....you gotta deal responsibly yo.
I found,in my 300 to 500 Hours of Day after Day of fishing beads and Unreal Eggs side to side to several thousand willing and almost unspookable trout, you have to maintain about 1.5 Inches from that hook with your bead or if you do not, you will face(2" plus distance), gill, or stomach hook them(less than 1.5 Inch distance). Those Beads do take a beating like champs.....and who ties egg patterns in brown, blue, and purple to imitate decaying eggs....I do....after fishing with beads that color.
Thank you for posting your images, and you have my apologies for potentially placing your images at the center of controversy. I didn't realize that aspect when I posted earlier.
A disfigured or dead fish is no big deal, there are bigger things to worry about....but the impact we have as a group is magnified. I just think if we have photos of beads in fishes mouths encouraging people then I have a responsibility to speak up about their proper use. Just like you would tell someone walking on Redds to be careful. Its a fine line between education and preaching.
When I saw the obvious effects of overfishing even Alaskan Fly Fishing Only Waters it strengthened the position I have that we must cherish and protect the waters and fish we have left in California.
Respectfully,
Walter
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