tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86837819795046434902024-03-20T03:15:46.122-07:00Unskunkable Fly-FishingAnything and everything fly-fishing.
Proper grammar and punctuation may be optional.Unskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-25402407755811296702012-08-28T13:48:00.003-07:002012-08-28T13:49:04.893-07:00The top ten reasons stripping baskets are sexy..<br />
<br />
<br />
Personally I feel that the stripping basket is fly fishings hottest accessory. Both functional and attractive no fashion concious fly rodder should be without one.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UX759mQq-ObdqB0SJo8DB3Vn6DJ9efLqJogw_ThqLCD3v2H0mjmh3OOnmcJEnCD4Rzld25HLRmbtZDRYRokIzpp8YKHuhcfN6YBNYinEcmZ5boUxJZVkI2AHfq8mGJbvWzIHRv3mp_M/s1600/052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UX759mQq-ObdqB0SJo8DB3Vn6DJ9efLqJogw_ThqLCD3v2H0mjmh3OOnmcJEnCD4Rzld25HLRmbtZDRYRokIzpp8YKHuhcfN6YBNYinEcmZ5boUxJZVkI2AHfq8mGJbvWzIHRv3mp_M/s320/052.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They keep your line from tangling like Fabio’s
hair in front of a wind machine.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anybody that will wear what amounts to a dishpan
around their waist is obviously comfortable in their appearance…..and their
sexuality.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I almost always meet hot chicks while wearing
one. Okay maybe not meet, more like gawk as they go walking by on the beach.
(note: Police Officers are not there as match makers)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You can always say that you’re pushing out your
stomach to help keep the basket in place.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They make your butt look smaller. That’s
probably not true but I’m leaving it in anyway.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They give you a great spot to place your hands
for that “I’m cool but disinterested” pose.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stickers, you can pimp out a stripping basket in
such a way that even an East L.A. low-rider would blush.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7F-zXuixpH_O76VuP3zR6MoqjMWPRORHt_GPISZW9qiFO5YkUBsH8Us7mghBYy5rz6yCzqwZTPyZ5jYpNWfxir05fp_s85G06YIOYl1DTNg5Yi93oyZt6YzDYPIjkvXLwV1MbDf1gRM/s1600/718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7F-zXuixpH_O76VuP3zR6MoqjMWPRORHt_GPISZW9qiFO5YkUBsH8Us7mghBYy5rz6yCzqwZTPyZ5jYpNWfxir05fp_s85G06YIOYl1DTNg5Yi93oyZt6YzDYPIjkvXLwV1MbDf1gRM/s320/718.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Distance, everyone knows that longer is better.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Their muted colors go with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everything</i>!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s a much hotter accessory than the Murse.</span></div>
Unskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-32367377578966124612012-08-14T14:06:00.000-07:002012-08-14T14:07:00.632-07:00 Sometimes you get the bear....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZN6FCyDuwdodcn0i9YknjnFflckbgqNMLLta5qdkFgXRuCDmys7HTx9mXM9IxbhPQLX0lbgkSJlp5fd6hh3c1Lfv821Pa6jxmR3uArzX7SiE_5-TFWijR6gS8DaEwALdSipH0LjoW8RI/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZN6FCyDuwdodcn0i9YknjnFflckbgqNMLLta5qdkFgXRuCDmys7HTx9mXM9IxbhPQLX0lbgkSJlp5fd6hh3c1Lfv821Pa6jxmR3uArzX7SiE_5-TFWijR6gS8DaEwALdSipH0LjoW8RI/s320/001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fish are funny
creatures in general and when you put them in shallow water it gets even worse.
Corbina are that way, they make fools of the best fly fishers with an almost
graceful ease. Think that cast was spot on? They’ll just move a foot to the
left in the time it takes for your fly to unroll out of its loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you think that fish is coming for your
fly and you’re trembling with anticipation they just swim calmly over top of
it, barely lifting their sand crab stuffed belly far enough from the bottom to
clear the hook point. The fact that you can see all of this happening is both a
blessing and a curse. I think that any type of sight fishing is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, while sight fishing is the most exciting
way to catch them it’s not the only way.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQyACZYuD4D08pqvI1Tp2leAZ2fyjE6ywu76SoPFnvwWrFe0nJYAeJYU2wNzxWc09QFLaoch7zIAwkoLTcNCt-XUCDC0_XrgONhTW04SGMTGcrjeN6snNs5YRDkmNvtm1wLz8KputPak/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQyACZYuD4D08pqvI1Tp2leAZ2fyjE6ywu76SoPFnvwWrFe0nJYAeJYU2wNzxWc09QFLaoch7zIAwkoLTcNCt-XUCDC0_XrgONhTW04SGMTGcrjeN6snNs5YRDkmNvtm1wLz8KputPak/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been spending
some time fishing in an area that has produced several world record corbina but
not for corbina. Instead I’ve been on a mission to get a big halibut on the fly
and this spot is known for that as well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As summer progresses and the water warms the
halibut have a tendency to head into deeper, cooler water with a little less
penetration of light into their realm. Corbina to an extent will do the
opposite. They enjoy the warming waters and the lack of a marine layer doesn’t
seem to hurt their eyes as much as other species. It could just be that with
the increased visibility from my perch on the beach that I just tend to notice
them more.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMzdI1250CuzVVL2iOF5gdH3DRu3BsuZ2QP4yu93BK6lOZzQbOQ11PkdciQSLfZviLoL1PY3VMgtSwFM7379GWPHGuVNOLu-bxS1eZoBtxx6i7wsKfKq6Z3VELxIk8ZYBQEfxHiLkzqc/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMzdI1250CuzVVL2iOF5gdH3DRu3BsuZ2QP4yu93BK6lOZzQbOQ11PkdciQSLfZviLoL1PY3VMgtSwFM7379GWPHGuVNOLu-bxS1eZoBtxx6i7wsKfKq6Z3VELxIk8ZYBQEfxHiLkzqc/s320/045.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The question that haunts us.. Which one to use?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-kjtjP-O4u5mLa7iRexZmtTGQ7J4rGnJRqCOgt3aB3EdGo0HU5Ks7aqNaRBiw-oGIPht5DtEQdpBcK3AgzBrNYLUWEcdnYUYUlS6MJsJ2U8vQv9j83JHe14CymWP7x26RLm0n2FbPvA/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-kjtjP-O4u5mLa7iRexZmtTGQ7J4rGnJRqCOgt3aB3EdGo0HU5Ks7aqNaRBiw-oGIPht5DtEQdpBcK3AgzBrNYLUWEcdnYUYUlS6MJsJ2U8vQv9j83JHe14CymWP7x26RLm0n2FbPvA/s320/033.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d been making my
way down the beach taking pictures and casting, my total take for the morning
one slight little needlefish with an impossibly large appetite considering the
size of the flies I was using.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
easily distracted so when I saw the remains of what must have been a sand
castle competition I stopped and started taking pictures of that. My fishing
partner however, was much more focused than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She continued on down the beach and after I’d entertained myself looking
at the amazing creations that had been left on the beach (I can barely get a
bucket of moist sand to stand correctly) I figured I’d better catch up. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdlKhmCgGbSXFzbuLUNfS3KM7bHsLwdyc3jUosa69nOct09JoN0MPbB5DBIpGI9X2jfARaUpglKgBZwIrSVGV6909TNvY_n8ra-qJYa4NHh-X1coBSwSWswvbOyxlPYyaTDmJmhQiC0E/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikdlKhmCgGbSXFzbuLUNfS3KM7bHsLwdyc3jUosa69nOct09JoN0MPbB5DBIpGI9X2jfARaUpglKgBZwIrSVGV6909TNvY_n8ra-qJYa4NHh-X1coBSwSWswvbOyxlPYyaTDmJmhQiC0E/s320/040.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fishing our way down
the beach she spotted the fish first. The size of it was impressive, most are
around eighteen inches and this one added a half a foot at least to that. Being
the chivalrous male that I am and not wanting to end up with a 7 wt being
broken over my head, I offered to let her cast in the area that she’d spotted
the fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few casts later and I hear a
whooping noise followed by “You’ll want to get a picture of this one!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shuffled my way back over to where she was
backing out of the water trying to get the line clear of her legs and the
stripping basket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few moments later I
managed to help get the line untangled from around her legs where the surf had
tangled it. I’m positive that there was more than one onlooker laughing
quietly, okay loudly at the sight of me with my camera slung around my neck and
her alternating which foot she was standing on so that I could get the line
clear. Finally the line was cleanly on the reel and it seemed the battle was
won.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was starting to forget my own
disappointment at not getting a cast or two towards the fish before she ran me
off like a grizzly protecting its salmon dinner, in fact I was actually getting
excited at the thought of getting a few shots of it with the camera.</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWE68YxMP95P_NLK_N746aobXN9ny6mFmmRVJwzJVot4b-YbSeASH131IF-nRYRPVkYuVSn0p-p3duOl_2Bq29HBAHUJtt_iEapwlgKnnW2DrGAXUAGTxFAYj-t5HYAq5f2-2XoQKN-ts/s1600/052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWE68YxMP95P_NLK_N746aobXN9ny6mFmmRVJwzJVot4b-YbSeASH131IF-nRYRPVkYuVSn0p-p3duOl_2Bq29HBAHUJtt_iEapwlgKnnW2DrGAXUAGTxFAYj-t5HYAq5f2-2XoQKN-ts/s320/052.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only shot I actually got.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was not meant to
be though. I was standing in the surf waiting to get a nice broadside shot of
the fish in the water and planning the series of shots that I wanted once it
was on the sand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A loud, rather
unladylike word came out of her mouth and I turned to see the rod pointed
straight up into the air. If you’re not familiar with fishing that’s not a
position that you want to see the rod in when a fish is supposed to be on the
other end. Something had given and it wasn’t the fish, one last attempt had
earned its early release. The anger level radiating outwards from a roughly
five foot six inch epicenter convinced me to stay well out of range, a distance
I estimated at about twenty feet. The distance I figured she could throw the
rod with any sort of accuracy.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlTGvYwN7NFVJUMoKFqrYkqr1dEM7QHWIPdK8gcu9ceLxXUbt1rNKlJs5SwH38Dj4wfzzJsrQEm24a-lE_UyJ_hV1Ao-jHd9sQ0tbfx_LRljLr_2KA1OuD4YP46w2W5fhYMB29bufF0g/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlTGvYwN7NFVJUMoKFqrYkqr1dEM7QHWIPdK8gcu9ceLxXUbt1rNKlJs5SwH38Dj4wfzzJsrQEm24a-lE_UyJ_hV1Ao-jHd9sQ0tbfx_LRljLr_2KA1OuD4YP46w2W5fhYMB29bufF0g/s320/017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually she
cooled down enough to make the walk back to the vehicles. Being who I am as
soon as I thought I could get away with it I commented on her use of an open
ended loop knot. A knot which I reminded her was very difficult to master.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately though I had miscalculated both
the amount of time needed for her to cool off and the speed with which the toe
of her wading boot could connect with the back part of my thigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These things happen…</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-36224285897862701412012-08-11T13:45:00.000-07:002012-08-11T13:51:25.041-07:00You've got to have soul<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember reading
somewhere in a Stephen King book the character stating “you’ve got to have
soul”. I don’t remember the name of the book or character off the top of my
head but I’ll never forget that line.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fly fishing is the
same way, at least for me it is. I was told recently that people wanted to see
noyhing but how-to articles and blog posts. If that’s true then how do you
explain the success of mags like The Drake and Fly Fish Journal? I like the
occasional how-to but it seems as if we’re bombarded with them on a daily
basis. How to tie a knot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How to Catch a
Trout! How to find that secret spot that no one else knows about except they
all do now, because we just blew it up for you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fuck THAT!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUCeXSwDBDG7QGy22Dd7zPv5jVJb7ThS3I9viqQ_UOUS8k9jjb8myMgVjJVjneCWJ6CaVjx1HYM6kH9JK4kw7qrJIXXjF96MD4UBUMCN5B0QxlucufTK3TBP75YDvNV7emOF_ZUAkiGM/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUCeXSwDBDG7QGy22Dd7zPv5jVJb7ThS3I9viqQ_UOUS8k9jjb8myMgVjJVjneCWJ6CaVjx1HYM6kH9JK4kw7qrJIXXjF96MD4UBUMCN5B0QxlucufTK3TBP75YDvNV7emOF_ZUAkiGM/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been struggling
with my own fishing lately and now I know why. I let that “soul” go, let myself
get too mechanical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got worried that
someone was going to see me make a bad cast or trout set on some beastie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought if I mechanically fished my way
through that run or the trough along the beach that I wouldn’t miss any fish. I
forgot that although the fish are what gets me there it’s the soul that I stay
for. I’d watch Pelicans diving on bait thinking what a cool picture it would
make if I caught that moment when they break through the meniscus. That one
exact time when the water opens up and says “you’ve earned it”. What was I
doing instead?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mechanically working my
way down the beach trying not to miss a section of bottom, cutting it apart
like a grid. Cast, step, retrieve, step, repeat. Not in the fun way that
Steelheaders seem so adept at but more like a bunch of robots at some car
factory in Detroit. Buzzzz, whirrr, twist and snip.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lIzbsSquUF6w5bUgJ98OKuvsxtm4hxdEQsmHVGl4zO6RdMFCqbcwLNaYeHOfa14rsBSQrG0KKMGezBfKD6IoGyzY7BWETzvwdD8kbfOEIyczFZE6gzmGt9M8mQgBcgZjUbqk6uIrduE/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lIzbsSquUF6w5bUgJ98OKuvsxtm4hxdEQsmHVGl4zO6RdMFCqbcwLNaYeHOfa14rsBSQrG0KKMGezBfKD6IoGyzY7BWETzvwdD8kbfOEIyczFZE6gzmGt9M8mQgBcgZjUbqk6uIrduE/s320/025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, fuck that. It’s
not why I fish. I’m as competitive as the next guy, maybe even more so if you
ask my friends but it’s not my only reason for fishing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fish because as a kid I could walk down the
railroad tracks to old Mrs. Sills Bass pond and see Deer or Egrets or Ospreys
and even catch some fish if conditions were right. I could sneak into the run
down barn where they used to have their dairy and check out the old unfinished
restoration of the Model T. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the
sunlight would hit that car and shine off the metal shavings that were on the
floor it was magic. I’d sit in the dust and wonder how much time her husband
had put into that car and if she left it there after he’d passed away hoping
he’d come back to finish it.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzG4uQH6KDMY0k06oZef0Hy14f2EcJzHk8B0bNEkCelxMRNlPCNGFF11a-B6iTqr5Ip7tr2EGutNYJ9CF4a1Es1UcjUegnb_gLTytuF4OKkSipiU33Q_Cw21DwYlSHhqdSeyznKCZK7qg/s1600/2012-07-05_07-02-41_767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzG4uQH6KDMY0k06oZef0Hy14f2EcJzHk8B0bNEkCelxMRNlPCNGFF11a-B6iTqr5Ip7tr2EGutNYJ9CF4a1Es1UcjUegnb_gLTytuF4OKkSipiU33Q_Cw21DwYlSHhqdSeyznKCZK7qg/s320/2012-07-05_07-02-41_767.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I fish because there’s always something new to see and
learn. What makes a Striped Bass go from the Chesapeake all the way north,
sometimes as far as Maine and back again? How come the sunrise always seems
that much more spectacular when you have a fly rod in your hands? I’ve never
seen a marsh dawn over the bayou and I want to more than anything. I have seen
the sun rise over Long Island Sound and seeing the swirls of Stripers and
bluefish as they chase down sand eels in that eerie gray light of dawn though.
That’s the kind of thing that gives it soul.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You’ve got to have soul, man</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmsFp3fNl-zv3UgLNF0WWLIwq5ryvPSaZf2dq-G-ZmyzPfLs1_HmPDBMEIU6qsTHqVyjygdmoq9SDHjjRv6oOqq30VMo2lYmwG7_rtOuGzqZckgoPlCcUeUgd_FT9744NaFEFblOnrXl4/s1600/LA_River_2012_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmsFp3fNl-zv3UgLNF0WWLIwq5ryvPSaZf2dq-G-ZmyzPfLs1_HmPDBMEIU6qsTHqVyjygdmoq9SDHjjRv6oOqq30VMo2lYmwG7_rtOuGzqZckgoPlCcUeUgd_FT9744NaFEFblOnrXl4/s320/LA_River_2012_009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-52227747921237376872012-06-05T16:03:00.001-07:002012-06-05T16:03:32.397-07:00Some things don't need to be touched<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxipGqlsdoePikmvGNFCukFcRrCgvO6mUPANh5-c9x4hO9ZIbeVLvJuP-hkvPo7ppQWkInMTHSkyX3H8Tpnehcv5UIGPFIaHVUGDJZprg2bJCdtTJ43Kwhffysm2HFcE_ZDT0G3TFNQY/s1600/219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxipGqlsdoePikmvGNFCukFcRrCgvO6mUPANh5-c9x4hO9ZIbeVLvJuP-hkvPo7ppQWkInMTHSkyX3H8Tpnehcv5UIGPFIaHVUGDJZprg2bJCdtTJ43Kwhffysm2HFcE_ZDT0G3TFNQY/s320/219.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Left to right, 30
feet out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s usually when it starts
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart starts beating so
loudly I swear the fish can hear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
blood rushes to my face and swallowing gets hard. It doesn’t matter though; my
mouth went dry when I spotted the bugger so there’s nothing to swallow anyway.
I try to concentrate on my breathing and making sure that the coils of line in
my hands aren’t tangled since the last time I looked at them a half second ago.
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t rush these
things, that’s what I’ve been told. Somehow it’s hard to think about that when
you have twenty plus pounds of beautiful golden Carp grubbing along the bottom
just a short cast away from you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
isn’t my first time and I’ve managed to get lucky and land a few big ones but
the feeling never changes. That’s what keeps me coming back; it’s an intangible
feeling a strange mixture of adrenaline and fear. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUlkODakYNr8AiqAGCifxlvcDn2R_kmFb0_QQcIZmySSGFPJNRJYrJrDOSqcpTtmqqfOWgdEf99S2bcbqiSG1usjOvw_l4R-kNCrKTQpmemq735XAOgRynKsCQo3SZ2NBNXX0u8pxkM4/s1600/236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUlkODakYNr8AiqAGCifxlvcDn2R_kmFb0_QQcIZmySSGFPJNRJYrJrDOSqcpTtmqqfOWgdEf99S2bcbqiSG1usjOvw_l4R-kNCrKTQpmemq735XAOgRynKsCQo3SZ2NBNXX0u8pxkM4/s320/236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still keeping
track of her as she moves along, Waiting for that moment when I can make a cast
that won’t send her fleeing from the shallows for the safety of deeper water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s already happened a couple times this morning
so I’m aware of the game. The first time a pair of Mallards decided to land
nearly on top of the fish I was stalking, leaving nothing but a cloud of mud
where a happily tailing fish had been. The second time, well that was my fault.
I had been so focused on my fish that I failed to notice the smaller male come
along looking for love. When I made my cast he spooked at the movement or glare
of the rod and took the bigger fish with him.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eyes scan the
water quickly to make sure I don’t make that mistake again. No one else is
around and I make a false cast to judge trajectory and distance, a second and I
shoot some line on the forward cast plopping the fly two feet ahead and just to
the right of her. She pauses for a moment and I think I’ve messed it up for
sure. “Too damn close” I grumble to myself angrily. There isn’t enough time to
beat myself up any more as she darts forward and slurps the fly. I can’t even
set the hook before she does it herself bolting at the foreign object in her
mouth.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little bit of
extra line shoots through my fingers and then the guides putting her on the
reel almost instantaneously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I wouldn’t
touch that fish, the water here is really dirty”. I’m startled by the strangers
voice behind me, I hadn’t even noticed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I watch the backing melt off my reel I can’t help<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but think that it doesn’t matter if I land
her or not, I’ve already managed the most enjoyable part for me anyway. It’s
the feeling of the cast , beating the shakes and the lump in my throat that
really matter. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8qiqYeEorzZoWAX5C0huJKQRD3cCdsxAmojgoFJ5E7yYtgkebtV-W_bwXTszCeTU_XVD1WMqsH5y9ObRgu7qMnOxJLmkaU2LQd_B7SM0l9GZevpMDz63HWnCL5bWA9bLhVRvDYN7Lcw/s1600/275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8qiqYeEorzZoWAX5C0huJKQRD3cCdsxAmojgoFJ5E7yYtgkebtV-W_bwXTszCeTU_XVD1WMqsH5y9ObRgu7qMnOxJLmkaU2LQd_B7SM0l9GZevpMDz63HWnCL5bWA9bLhVRvDYN7Lcw/s320/275.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me it’s the
things that you can’t touch that make fly fishing an addiction.</span></div>Unskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-28374987542866907842012-06-02T12:51:00.002-07:002012-06-02T12:51:49.014-07:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 28pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A Striper
Bum in Trout country<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grew up on the
East Coast, Long Island to be exact. Although I started fly fishing when I was
twelve, I never caught a Trout on a fly until I was almost seventeen. It wasn’t
for lack of locales, more so it was a lack of desire. I started with Bass and
Bluegill and quickly graduated to Bluefish and Stripers. Trout were more of an
afterthought in my fishing ventures and in many ways still are. When I would
chase Trout in my teenage years it was because they were the first species that
the season opened for. I would ride the bus or hitchhike to whatever lake seemed
to offer the most promise (read: most heavily stocked). With a spinning outfit
a few Mepps Roostertails and maybe some bait I was set for the day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fast forward
several years and go clear across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I got a job offer that brought me to California in January. I’d never
been and well, it was freaking January in New York. Work kept me pretty busy
the first couple of weeks and then suddenly I realized I was in the middle of
the desert. I’d seen the beach out here but mention of fishing; much less fly
fishing just brought confused looks from the locals. I may have even been asked
if that was a new type of surfing or I could just be remembering poorly, it
wouldn’t be the first time.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PqyrwQYrVsd-NoMxkTSO6SXf7a6pJPEW1E1VAP-4MWfJM_LAXdWh5c_jaoQQYUfqtY7TZXx6GSqIIgTxdHLXDbnF_vJEfurbulP1X3ekK4kQOUueSeTzu_BvFZRNQUA2LU9s6_dMbCw/s1600/037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PqyrwQYrVsd-NoMxkTSO6SXf7a6pJPEW1E1VAP-4MWfJM_LAXdWh5c_jaoQQYUfqtY7TZXx6GSqIIgTxdHLXDbnF_vJEfurbulP1X3ekK4kQOUueSeTzu_BvFZRNQUA2LU9s6_dMbCw/s320/037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Los Angeles quickly
lost my interest and I soon found myself in the high Sierras packing mules and
smack dab in some of the prettiest Trout country you ever saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard to pass much of the water I was
riding by, so naturally, I didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
an eight and a half foot five weight stuck in one of the panniers I made some,
umm, extended stops. Purely to let the stock rest of course. Catching smallish
wild fish on dries has a way of becoming addicting to nearly anyone and I still
find myself laughing to the trees when a wild Brown misses the fly and leaps
several times it’s body length out of the water.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFcLWCqriwxK0rGbYFZDOKFMCey1O5V7x1GhDh3laJZZaF3HGIIjTQvxSunpnmcMZzYIWsQCgEXYLVYIVXeLe5jH1GUErvNKXFym5SU7YVaR9byg2abAo5pva64TXallEMVGrVQI_lOo/s1600/241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFcLWCqriwxK0rGbYFZDOKFMCey1O5V7x1GhDh3laJZZaF3HGIIjTQvxSunpnmcMZzYIWsQCgEXYLVYIVXeLe5jH1GUErvNKXFym5SU7YVaR9byg2abAo5pva64TXallEMVGrVQI_lOo/s320/241.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although work, family
and more have brought me back to L.A. I still find my way to the high country
to fish for Trout on occasion. I don’t think that they will ever take the place
of my beloved Stripers, they do make for a nice diversion here and there;
mostly when the lakes seem completely devoid of any fish with stripes. So what
if I may make a stop on the way home to sight fish to some Carp (my second
favorite type of fishing). When I’m there I’m perfectly happy giving myself
over to watching my fly bounce along the surface until it disappears with a
flash of either buttery yellow or silver and rose.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0tWjZl2EoEIoVTQT-kSUwgAZrvdovRsPqLLvfE-GtIS9q1K1kWPj7wz1srnCifrH-OlJo7o1IaOnfQK6bswo6UmoYzb4ua6ZDnJMUZUV7HLLIw3jM0CcRKlCKi8osnLN7xOmf_zfxH4/s1600/039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0tWjZl2EoEIoVTQT-kSUwgAZrvdovRsPqLLvfE-GtIS9q1K1kWPj7wz1srnCifrH-OlJo7o1IaOnfQK6bswo6UmoYzb4ua6ZDnJMUZUV7HLLIw3jM0CcRKlCKi8osnLN7xOmf_zfxH4/s320/039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Till next time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Unskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-22130611835912754602012-05-23T09:06:00.000-07:002012-05-23T09:06:38.566-07:00 Cuda Time! Sort of<br />
<br />
<br />
The last couple of weeks have promised big Barracuda at almost every turn. For reference Pacific Barracuda do not get nearly as big as their Atlantic brethren, a big one here is anything over 8 or 9 pounds. The sport boats have been tearing it up, so naturally I've been unable to find myself a ride to the Barracuda grounds. That finally changed yesterday.<br />
<br />
We knew that the big body of fish had pushed up the coast from us so we were hoping to find a few stragglers or some fish from the second push, although they tend to be smaller they stick around a lot longer. A 2:30 AM wake up is not on my list of fond things but when you hear it's an early bite you do what you've gotta do. I made the drive to my buddies house and we loaded the boat and headed to the LBC.<br />
<br />
Rigged and ready we finally made the Horseshoe kelp around 6ish and started looking around. A big spot on the meter turned up a lone Calico Bass before we drifted off the spot. More running around and a couple of hours later I spotted promising looking bird activity. I grabbed the 8wt stripped off some line and made a cast. A long thirty second count later and I started my retrieve. My head is always on a swivel while I'm chasing fish that can pop up at a moments notice and I was looking away when I felt the grab. I set the hook and a few runs later saw the color of the fish beneath the boat. There's no mistaking the look of a Cuda when it's in the water; Long and sexy with that bright yellow tail that always seems to be enhanced by the blues of the ocean. <br />
<br />
Sure enough as Rob is getting ready with the Boga, one last head shake and it's gone. I picked up the last of my line expecting to see a clean slice through the 50lb fluoro I was using as a shock tippet. No such luck..my fly was still there I just hadn't set the hook hard enough. Damn. I looked over and said "I sure hope I didn't screw up my only fish of the day." I don't have to tell you that of course I had. We spent another couple of hours searching but no more schools materialized. Rob decided to bang the wall with clousers and I decide to just catch a nap on the deck.<br />
<br />
<br />
That's Fishing<br />
<br />
DW<br />
<br />
Unskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-21728996146321630032012-05-04T14:44:00.001-07:002012-05-04T19:13:02.328-07:00Have Carp gotten Trendy? I recently got involved in a conversation with someone who's married to a fly fisherman. Naturally the subject of Carping with a fly rod came up. I stated that it was nice to see more of the Carp subculture showing up in ads. She then told me that she didn't think that classifying Carp fishing as a "subculture" was accurate. As an example she used her husband whom she described as your typical bamboo-dry-fly-only-trout-snob. Within the last year or so he had taken up fly fishing for Carp, so obviously it must be going mainstream. I'm not sure that I agree with that logic though. It could just be that I like feeling that I'm once again part of a subculture again. It reminds me of listening to Nirvana in my bedroom wondering why nobody understands me.<br />
<br />
In reality though I still have many customers come in to the store wondering what that funny looking fish is. I've had customers come in and say "geez I need to get you guys some pictures, you've got a Carp on the board for Chrissakes!" I know, I know, it's hard to find a fly shop that doesn't have a picture of some sun-bleached dude in a visor and shorts holding a Carp bugle first into the camera lens. Blogs hailing the virtues of Carp abound. Every company now carries a Carp fly selection and most shop rats are wandering brown canals for Carp on their days off. I still don't think it's mainstream. When we see ads with a guy in tweed standing waist deep in some brown frog water maybe I'll believe it. I still think we're a ways off from having some metrosexual admiring the spawning colors of a Carp along the banks of the L.A. River while pondering how it relates to the meaning of life. I'm glad for that!<br />
<br />
Until then I may have to find a fish that's slightly less trendy though....Gar anyone?Unskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-58410788747848132692012-04-20T18:28:00.000-07:002012-04-20T18:28:26.079-07:00WHO DAT?Well I'm finally back on the interwebs with something other than my phone. I know it's been a while so I figured I'd lend some of my legendary wisdom and insights since my last post.<br />
<br />
1. A PayPal account is not neccessarily a good thing. While I now have some bitchen clothes from <a href="http://www.skinnywaterculture.com/">www.skinnywaterculture.com</a> , The Fiberglass Manifesto and <a href="http://www.southerncultureonthefly.com/">www.southerncultureonthefly.com</a> in addition to others my wife is not nearly as happy with the situation as I am.<br />
<br />
2. A 4 year old is a good selling tool. Not in that way you sick bastages. I mean dressing up your kid in a fish costume and fighting her from the bow of your derelict boat in the driveway is freaking hilarious.<br />
<br />
3. Just chill, Things aren't always as bad/desperate as I seem to want to make them. Taaking things in sttride and not being afraid to speak your mind are both good things...it's the timing that takes getting used to.<br />
<br />
4. If you think it's a good idea, chances are that someone else does too. Find that person and either beat them senseless so that you get there first or work together and get there faster.<br />
<br />
That's about as much knowledge as I'm gonna drop on you right now..except one last thing.<br />
<br />
When in Philly You'ze has to have the cheesesteak!<br />
<br />
Later<br />
DWUnskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-85110266743395535742012-02-02T19:13:00.000-08:002012-02-02T19:13:29.279-08:00Marriage and fishingBecause I fish so much I get asked all the time "how do you do it?". I say proper pre-screening is key. I had a girlfriend many years ago that was a smoking hot borderline nymphomaniac, sounds perfect right? She had one major flaw. Let me set the scenerio. <br />
<br />
We decided to go to a lake that was quite a ways down some dirt roads in Montauk, NY. When we get there she gets out of the Jeep pulls a tent out and starts setting it up. I'm thinking to myself that if she gets tired of fishing she wants to be able to take a nap, that's fine by me I prefer being unencumbered while I'm fishing anyway. I set up a couple of rods for myself and she sets up one for herself( I still have to tie the damn knots though). We wade into this fantastic warm water and start casting. It is literally a fish every or every other cast, all cookie cutter Largemouths about 2-3 lbs each. Do you have any idea how much fun that is? Did I mention she had a bikini top on? Well after about an hour or so of this she sidles up next to me and asks if I want to go to the tent. Didn't I say that we were getting fish on nearly every cast?<br />
<br />
I of course keep casting and she goes back to the tent after whispering some other nonsense that I never heard in between casting to and catching bass. RED FLAG number 1- NO suitable mate would ever leave active fish to go hang out in a tent! After a few minutes(O.K. it was 45 of them) she peeks out of the tent and asks if I'm going to join her any time soon. I have moved a little further down the bank looking for a fresh batch of fish and almost fail to notice that she is topless. RED FLAG number 2- No suitable mate would ever seek to distract someone that is stalking fish! I mean I nearly tripped over that log and scared the 4 lb'r that was lurking on the other side!<br />
<br />
As it started getting dark I heard the horn beeping. She had already packed up the tent and was waiting patiently(no, not really) for me to stop fishing aand go home. RED FLAG number 3- No suitable mate would honestly expect that darkness would put an end to fishing. I seriously started questioning the relationship at this point, especially when she threatened to drive off and leave me there. RED FLAG number 4- No suitable mate would leave you alone and in the dark without at least bringing coffee and some food so that you could fish through the night!<br />
<br />
Sad to say that shortly after that we broke up, I'm still not sure why. It did however impress upon me some very important characteristics of a suitable fishing wife.<br />
<br />
1- She needs to realize that fishing comes before all else.<br />
2- Sometimes that new hyper-graphite space technology rod IS more important than paying rent on time.<br />
3-It's probably better if she either doesn't fish or is as addicted as you are.<br />
4-If she's going to be out in the woods topless than she better have a (fishing) rod in her hand and not try to distract you from that fish you're hunting.<br />
5-She MUST realize that the fish will NOT be there later and if they are then that just means you can catch more of them.<br />
6-Fishing comes before all else.<br />
<br />
There are more but I'm hoping that when somebody actually starts following this blog that they'll post their own ideas.<br />
<br />
<br />
Later<br />
DWUnskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8683781979504643490.post-28698273518827049082012-02-01T17:23:00.000-08:002012-02-01T17:24:59.053-08:00Getting StartedI feel a little stupid writing this, seeing as how I'm the only one that can read it right now. This is just me getting going here as the title so obviously states. First thing to figure out is how to resize my damn photos so that I can have a background that actually says something about me and MY awesomeness. Instead of making it simple with an auto resize they are making me get off my ass and actually learn something about how to make a computer work for me, instead of the other way around. Usually I would just write it off and say "fuck it" (strong language will pop up here from time to time). However, since this is mine and I have to own it I better learn. So, with that little intro if someone does actually read this and can help a technological cripple any advice would be appreciated.<br />
<br />
Later<br />
DWUnskunkable Fly-Fishinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598809471767751873noreply@blogger.com2