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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:36 am • # 1 
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Location: South Africa
Hello

Sorry for the spammy looking title, but old man Byrd's website is giving me a 403 error. http://www.byrdultrafly.com/ Is anyone else also getting this? :/ He is a brilliant advocate of UL fly fishing and I will be SO sad if something happened to him/his site!

Kind regards
Gert


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:30 am • # 2 
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I get the same thing, have never visited it before so I guess I won't know what I'm missing.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 8:47 am • # 3 
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You missed a world of ultra-light knowledge and recorded experience. I spoke to Bill several times over the years and it was a wonderful experience; was hard getting him off the phone. Even purchased flies from him, 2 patterns that never failed to produce in any waters or conditions when fished as he suggested.
I printed out every article in every category on his website over the years; filled a 3" binder double sided.

He used a lot of experience from Tom Wendelburg's teachings in his book on how to catch big fish on light fly tackle.

I guess you hit a point after 13+ plus years of maintaining a website when you just burn out. He did leave the site (face page) up for a couple of months stating that he was retiring and "just going fishing."

I encouraged him to write a book which would have been a complete, in-depth treatise on the subject; maybe some day.......

Jim


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:00 pm • # 4 
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Jim

Is there any way the 3" binder could be scanned and emailed? I think you had a brilliant idea with that and I missed out by not thinking of that! -.- He does have an amazing wealth of knowledge and I'd love to know which to flies those are and how they should be presented ;) I pretty much followed his and Bob Wyatt's guidance. One or two South African anglers are also interesting reading, but I feel these two both influenced my approach a hell of a lot.

Kind regards
Gert


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 7:34 pm • # 5 
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It looks to be gone. I don't agree with Bill on some things, like him pontificating that UL is only 1wt and under. While Bill's site was the only UL deal going on for many years, this forum has totally eclipsed it with way more information. The members here have probably done more than any one single individual off board to spread the UL message.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 9:28 pm • # 6 
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True this site has a wealth of info and knowledge but it is hard to deny Bills influence and desire to share the ul gospel. He was very passionate to speak to you on the phone. His site started me in the ul journey and ultimately led me to this site.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 1:22 am • # 7 
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The same as it was for me, I found his site one day, read through all the articles and then found this one and have probably read through quite a lot of things posted on this forum as well. ;) Both places are a wealth of knowledge and I appreciate both sources as they cause me to get into UL fly fishing and I have never had as much fun as I am having now!


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:47 am • # 8 
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Yes indeed Bill Byrd is an avid ultralight fly fisherman. I actually fished with him on one occasion at Bear creek in Maryland. Talked with him by phone on numerous occasions. Haven't talked to him in a while, but he has a wealth of knowledge and quite a collection of fly rods.

Sorry to hear that his website is down, but everyone needs to retire at some point. I will miss his well written articles.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 5:42 pm • # 9 
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I cannot see why anyone would deliberately 403 a site unless there was an emergency situation, e.g. a hacking. Check in every day or two and see if it comes back up.

You can quell the withdrawal, if you wish. ;)


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:47 pm • # 10 
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andrew,
Thanks for doing that! that's a cool tool...

Les


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:00 am • # 11 
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Thank you!


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 8:55 am • # 12 
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Fantastic! Unsociable, get your printer warmed-up (still checking on who I loaned the binder to).

Jeremy's right, this site has g-r-e-a-t-l-y e-x-p-a-n-d-e-d upon Bill Byrd's and Tom Wendelburg's early works, however, there is more why and how-to in the aforementioned contributors to the sport. That's only due to their total focus and concentration on the one aspect of fly fishing. Bill asserts using 9wt. and Tom has photos in his book with a 6wt. There are always conditions that dictate other than 000-3wt. gear, but for the most part, that's where the "shear childlike fun of fishing" comes in.

Although I'm 69yo.and have only been fly fishing exclusively for the past 15 years, I'll never stop experimenting and will never stop listening to those who have "been there, done that" and can contribute to the pleasure of the sport for me.

And, this is the first site that I click on first thing every morning as soon as my eyes begin to focus. Period.

Jim


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:10 pm • # 13 
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Byrd's site sure has done much to promote UL. I had been fishing UL long before I even know Bill's site existed, and I purchased Wendelburg's book last year, so neither had any real impact on me personally. I had found Bill's site the same year I started ULFF, but I was driven to start ULFF because of negative attitudes towards UL on other forums.

Before I started fly fishing in my early 20's, I was fishing UL and Quantum Micro spin gear. My first fly rods were 6wt, and 5wt's (based on fly shop and literature recommendations), but that quickly changed to me using a 3wt. The 5/6wt rods were overkill for my panfishing, and I wanted the same experience that I was used to with the Micro tackle. Back in the 90's I was pretty much on my own, and learned things by trial and error.

I believe this forum has brought more attention to Wendelburg's book too. While it's not a perfect treatise on UL fly fishing, I think every serious UL fly fisher should have the book in their FF library.


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:47 pm • # 14 
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I Must agree, I also bought into UL "because you can't land big fish on a 3wt". There is something built into me that loves challenging conventional thought. Imagine the sheer joy and surprise when I hooked into the first Rainbow Trout of 1.5kg on the first 3wt medium action rod I had ever used and landed it faster than on my 5wt rods! ;) I was so scared of tiring the fish out I worked it hard and brought it in very quickly with the rod, this taught me how to fish my other rods as well lol! They are now all med-slow action fly rods. Then I stumbled across Bill's site and began absorbing everything I read, sharing it as well, then found this site and it is one of the 6 I open in the morning with my first cup of coffee before I start work. ;) Thanks to everyone for contributing to this site... Need to go research Wendelburg now!


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:47 am • # 15 
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**** that sucks, it was a good site... Oh and by the way UL fly fishing is 1wt and under only ;)







I kid :lol


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:54 pm • # 16 
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According to this forum it is 3wt and less. Lol, I suppose as the rest of fly fishing many of the opinions are subjective and based on personal preference. Luckily not everyone has to like and eat the same ice cream right? ;)


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:27 pm • # 17 
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Has anyone been in contact with Bill to ask?

The domain was renewed in August, suggesting an intention to keep it.

The site is hosted on Earthlink.

I would be more than willing to either offer it a home or create a mirror but would do nothing without the Owner's permission. I'd also be willing to assist in getting it back online too.

His contact details are easily found, should anyone care to call, visit or email him. ;)


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 9:18 am • # 18 
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He was the reason I started using UL tackle fly fishing, a pioneer in the realm of
This type of fishing, a wealth of information, he has tried it all. Innovative was the word I was looking for ....one thing I found out when you speak to him you'd better be comfortable, your going to be there for a while ... He did it first, was like my Mickey Mantle of fly fishing, my idol ... He's getting on in years ..hope he is alright ..last I heard he just wanted to be on the water with no other distractions ....I bookmarked his site a while ago and re-read it often

Seasons greeting from Florida to all

Paul


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 9:42 am • # 19 
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Merry Christmas Paul!

Les


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 11:35 am • # 20 
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Merry Christmas to you and your family Les ...you are one of the more pleasurable people
On the WWW to talk to ...a gentlemen at all times ...

Paul


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