tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66767674620772909392024-03-14T00:09:38.424-04:00Custom Flies by VERN-OVERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-82706327083484513032017-08-29T09:38:00.004-04:002017-08-29T09:38:53.365-04:00On The Water Magazine August 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xPF0Cuv96rc/WaVuH5iz8aI/AAAAAAAABsw/ZavvgkAMhLYZYz3QEKVtSnWr7I7yT2qRQCLcBGAs/s1600/OnTheWater%2BAugust%2B2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="647" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xPF0Cuv96rc/WaVuH5iz8aI/AAAAAAAABsw/ZavvgkAMhLYZYz3QEKVtSnWr7I7yT2qRQCLcBGAs/s640/OnTheWater%2BAugust%2B2017.JPG" width="510" /></a></div>
Thanks Tony Lolli and On The Water Magazine August 2017<br />VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-36022645464153369252017-01-13T07:35:00.003-05:002017-01-13T07:35:41.443-05:00Jungle Cock Soft HackleJungle Cock Soft Hackle (usual looking <img alt=";)" src="http://www.flymphforum.com/images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif" title="Wink" /> )<br />Hook: Daiichi 1530 size 8<br />Thread: 6/0 Hot Orange Danville<br />Tag: UTC gold holographic tinsel<br />Tail: wood duck<br />Body: LaFontain Touch Dubbing in pale yellow spun in a loop<br />Hackle: Jungle Cock hackle<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bzlJdueYjUY/WHjJijoQ7KI/AAAAAAAABr8/fAE-2GIueh8knGBoSerfnos6dJKn0MC_ACLcB/s1600/jc.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bzlJdueYjUY/WHjJijoQ7KI/AAAAAAAABr8/fAE-2GIueh8knGBoSerfnos6dJKn0MC_ACLcB/s320/jc.png" width="282" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4rgjN-5KprI/WHjJishRZaI/AAAAAAAABsA/9x-rARCjemkV1kH6I9R9SpqKuaCvf6q1wCLcB/s1600/JCSH.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4rgjN-5KprI/WHjJishRZaI/AAAAAAAABsA/9x-rARCjemkV1kH6I9R9SpqKuaCvf6q1wCLcB/s320/JCSH.png" width="247" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7j-mTBXeeSQ/WHjJiv1CY-I/AAAAAAAABr4/jxMd7IDTWpsdoi9b7M0jJDTVtPqhxbcRgCLcB/s1600/jcsoft.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7j-mTBXeeSQ/WHjJiv1CY-I/AAAAAAAABr4/jxMd7IDTWpsdoi9b7M0jJDTVtPqhxbcRgCLcB/s320/jcsoft.png" width="273" /></a></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-22942723739984433972017-01-13T07:33:00.004-05:002017-01-13T07:33:37.182-05:00<a href="https://flymenfishingcompany.com/blogs/blog/fly-fishing-and-perspective">https://flymenfishingcompany.com/blogs/blog/fly-fishing-and-perspective</a><br />
<a href="https://flymenfishingcompany.com/blogs/blog/fly-fishing-and-perspective">https://flymenfishingcompany.com/blogs/blog/fly-fishing-and-perspective</a>VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-78516124972906825022015-02-24T16:29:00.001-05:002015-02-24T16:29:03.826-05:00Modern Terrestrials<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g0mu5bmk3vU/VOztACnAq8I/AAAAAAAABo4/g_JQPH4jH4I/s640/blogger-image-1263239733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g0mu5bmk3vU/VOztACnAq8I/AAAAAAAABo4/g_JQPH4jH4I/s640/blogger-image-1263239733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NW4pI_S0h78/VOztCkfK2lI/AAAAAAAABpA/gMqJsdBuMxQ/s640/blogger-image--32141596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NW4pI_S0h78/VOztCkfK2lI/AAAAAAAABpA/gMqJsdBuMxQ/s640/blogger-image--32141596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CUqXKA4fjq4/VOztHSMKJhI/AAAAAAAABpQ/iOVRrdQvQqw/s640/blogger-image-486667313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CUqXKA4fjq4/VOztHSMKJhI/AAAAAAAABpQ/iOVRrdQvQqw/s640/blogger-image-486667313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>A few of my flies are found in a new book called Modern Terrestrials from Stackpole Publishing<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-533f1WyzATM/VOztFLsiq6I/AAAAAAAABpI/Ny5tnyYJ_SA/s640/blogger-image-720214022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-533f1WyzATM/VOztFLsiq6I/AAAAAAAABpI/Ny5tnyYJ_SA/s640/blogger-image-720214022.jpg"></a></div><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CUqXKA4fjq4/VOztHSMKJhI/AAAAAAAABpQ/iOVRrdQvQqw/s640/blogger-image-486667313.jpg"></div><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NW4pI_S0h78/VOztCkfK2lI/AAAAAAAABpA/gMqJsdBuMxQ/s640/blogger-image--32141596.jpg"></div><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g0mu5bmk3vU/VOztACnAq8I/AAAAAAAABo4/g_JQPH4jH4I/s640/blogger-image-1263239733.jpg"></div>VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-43998976702030656702014-01-28T15:07:00.001-05:002014-01-28T15:07:23.317-05:00Oak Orchard Fly Shop Demo 1/18/14Havent been feeling very inspired lately. My trip to Oak Orchard Fly Shop revived me a bit. One of the best demos for me on a personal level. I had a lot of fun and the crowd was engaging. I can't say enough about the folks at the shop and my buddy Eric. Thanks for making the trek worth it.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nQAWqAjzMsA/UtxMdS_kf4I/AAAAAAAABSM/RCRav0u_zas/s640/blogger-image--1312544119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nQAWqAjzMsA/UtxMdS_kf4I/AAAAAAAABSM/RCRav0u_zas/s640/blogger-image--1312544119.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dJpV6FJ-2bs/UugN7k29BGI/AAAAAAAABXQ/VIsjXzAHmM8/s640/blogger-image-1747847958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dJpV6FJ-2bs/UugN7k29BGI/AAAAAAAABXQ/VIsjXzAHmM8/s640/blogger-image-1747847958.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Vq91CT5C9FU/UugN-f-oioI/AAAAAAAABXY/TxC0LmV3ijI/s640/blogger-image--1137960340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Vq91CT5C9FU/UugN-f-oioI/AAAAAAAABXY/TxC0LmV3ijI/s640/blogger-image--1137960340.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-crutn57erbE/UtxMa8bu_nI/AAAAAAAABSE/s0tW9IKCmRQ/s640/blogger-image-1229251778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-crutn57erbE/UtxMa8bu_nI/AAAAAAAABSE/s0tW9IKCmRQ/s640/blogger-image-1229251778.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XMbxGtm1Pas/Ut04ma1aTKI/AAAAAAAABSc/0OuLVTjuBMg/s640/blogger-image--204772590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XMbxGtm1Pas/Ut04ma1aTKI/AAAAAAAABSc/0OuLVTjuBMg/s640/blogger-image--204772590.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XTmTeBrpRFE/UtxMVljGlzI/AAAAAAAABR0/j_Tb8WyDkLQ/s640/blogger-image--199310733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XTmTeBrpRFE/UtxMVljGlzI/AAAAAAAABR0/j_Tb8WyDkLQ/s640/blogger-image--199310733.jpg"></a></div>VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-78736831668586210632013-12-06T11:34:00.003-05:002013-12-06T11:34:51.215-05:00Bat Banger Article in Hatches online<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
DISCLAIMER: The blog page has been a royal pain in the ass to maintain, so I apologize in advance for any formatting issues...enjoy the article<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bat Banger- by Vern-o<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2013/11/21/bat-banger-by-vern-o/<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Read and see more at </span><a href="http://vern-o.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://vern-o.blogspot.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I knew who Rich Strolis of </span><a href="http://www.catching-shadows.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.catching-shadows.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> was long before ever actually meeting him in person. I kept bumping into his web forum posts on the far too many forums I visit to pacify my need for fly tying satisfaction. Rich always seemed to have some Vimeo video attachment of a tantalizing trout catching pattern that incorporated some element or function that left me thinking “why didn’t I think of that?” Rich’s videos grew and developed into the nicely produced and informative videos that they are today. Then along came the Headbanger sculpin a spinoff of his Hog Snare fly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am a big fan of sculpins, and I don’t really know why. Yes, they are tremendous fish catchers, but that aside, I am still fascinated by them. When the Flymen Fishing Company launched their Sculpin Helmets, I was hooked on them before I had them in my hands. I created some very pleasing patterns with them and fished them mostly tied on HMH tubes. Then Rich comes out with his Headbanger articulated sculpin. </span><a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2012/10/12/headbanger-sculpin-rich-strolis/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">See the step by step video here</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I was impressed to say the least, but if there was a downside to the Sculpin Helmets, it was that they could be a bit heavy cast. Sculpins are river bottom lurkers, so the helmets need to be heavy. Around the same time as Rich was working his Headbanger, I was creating my Batwings fly that was tied on a shank and meant to swing nice and smooth through pools and rely on its marabou in drab colors to entice the fish into crushing it. The Batwings was a keeper fly right away for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/files/2013/11/100_4964.jpg"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G3gtZDRFDkE/UqH5rirgcQI/AAAAAAAABBk/vAxX0qNNCGg/s1600/100_4964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eua="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G3gtZDRFDkE/UqH5rirgcQI/AAAAAAAABBk/vAxX0qNNCGg/s320/100_4964.JPG" width="279" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Headbanger</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then in November of 2012 while at the International Fly Tying Symposium, I had the opportunity to meet Rich face to face. I think there was that mutual feeling of “hey, I’ve’ve been wanting to meet you”. We didn’t get a lot of time to chat, but enough to realize that we had some common piscatorial interests, especially when it came to fly tying. I too got to see the Headbanger tied in front of me and understand the internal workings of it. The thing that really stuck with me was Rich’s use of plastic beads between the articulations. Again, that “why didn’t I think of that?”, popped into my head. After the symposium Rich and I kept in contact on and off through the social media vortexes. The plastic beads kept dancing in my head and while tying at an event in Syracuse, NY I threw in some egg beads that I had rediscovered in a box. While at the demo I started fooling around trying a variation of the Batwings and incorporating a pseudo rear section of the Headbanger. I had brought my swim tank to the demo and threw the fly in to watch it swim. The beads were a bit too big for the rest of the fly, but the swimming motion was exactly what I had envisioned. This fly was alive! I fooled around with a few color variations and combinations. This developing pattern constantly swirled in my head and I needed to advance with it. Not long after that Tying Show, I was home with my daughter who happened to be ill from school. I was fueled with too much coffee and sent Rich a message. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/files/2013/11/100_4974.jpg"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Es9zPT9JWrI/UqH6SUqUK_I/AAAAAAAABBw/INZ0YxAFyzY/s1600/100_4974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_863606="null" eua="true" height="296" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Es9zPT9JWrI/UqH6SUqUK_I/AAAAAAAABBw/INZ0YxAFyzY/s320/100_4974.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> The Bat Banger and Headbanger<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I inquired about working together to create a fly pattern that incorporated our two patterns. Rich was on board and we were off to the races. Rich sent me a Headbanger sculpin for reference and a few of the right sized beads. From there we collaborated on a pattern. The end result was to keep the rear articulation pretty much unchanged from the Headbanger sculpin, other than to move the artic fox wing to the rear of the shank portion and replace the rubber legs with DNA Holofusion fibers. For the shank portion again things are kept pretty close to the original. I thinned down the artic fox wings a bit, to keep the fly a little lighter and for the body I used polar chenille which gives a little more flash and movement. Again the legs were replaced this time with Krenik’s copper flash. In front of the artic fox wing, I added a collar of Whiting Farms spey hackle bird fur. This stuff is a lot like marabou, but not as dense and adds a ton of fluidity in the water. Keeping with the Bat Wing tradition I added downward angled jungle cock eyes and a pheasant rump feather topping. I experimented with the Bat Wing, the Bat & Balls Banger, and the Headbanger in the test tank. My hopes were met. The Bat Wing wants to ride high, the Bat & Balls Banger was intermediate, and the Headbanger hugged the bottom. The water column is now covered. The articulation on the Bat & Balls Banger was precisely what I was hoping for. The holofusion and copper flash added a little more flash to draw the strikes. The test run for the Bat & Balls Banger resulted in an early season smallmouth that thrashed it on the strip back. I have taken this fly for several “test swings” and each outing it’s gaining more stream credibility.</span><a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/files/2013/11/100_4960.jpg"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/files/2013/11/100_4960.jpg"><v:shape alt="The Bat Banger" href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/files/2013/11/100_4960.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_2" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 274.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 412.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t"></v:fill><v:imagedata o:title="The Bat Banger" src="file:///C:\Users\leburm\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.jpg"></v:imagedata></span></v:shape></a></span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oen5jQZbUUs/UqH7fzwVH5I/AAAAAAAABCA/rFggTVaD6-8/s1600/100_4968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eua="true" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oen5jQZbUUs/UqH7fzwVH5I/AAAAAAAABCA/rFggTVaD6-8/s400/100_4968.JPG" width="333" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Bat Banger</span><a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/files/2013/11/100_5097.jpg"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2Bh6o4X6io/UqH64PWIlXI/AAAAAAAABB8/KpGA3JE8_Bo/s1600/100_5097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eua="true" height="468" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2Bh6o4X6io/UqH64PWIlXI/AAAAAAAABB8/KpGA3JE8_Bo/s640/100_5097.JPG" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Victim of the Bat Banger<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-42145325698665460762013-10-16T10:24:00.000-04:002013-10-16T10:25:54.194-04:00Troutoberfest 2013<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OI6PfS1Bass/Ulw18YiDYrI/AAAAAAAAA_0/2YsCzRrp5dM/s640/blogger-image-804767058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OI6PfS1Bass/Ulw18YiDYrI/AAAAAAAAA_0/2YsCzRrp5dM/s640/blogger-image-804767058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lNK979wXSUk/Ulw1vlVpwOI/AAAAAAAAA_M/0J54aC_gFEQ/s640/blogger-image-965768150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lNK979wXSUk/Ulw1vlVpwOI/AAAAAAAAA_M/0J54aC_gFEQ/s640/blogger-image-965768150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-20enbyjrSJs/Ulw10i4UvgI/AAAAAAAAA_c/76QqXHs5wlA/s640/blogger-image--818520894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-20enbyjrSJs/Ulw10i4UvgI/AAAAAAAAA_c/76QqXHs5wlA/s640/blogger-image--818520894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_BSEQieviVY/Ulw1_KLISuI/AAAAAAAAA_8/hNviEdsgJlU/s640/blogger-image--1486951226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_BSEQieviVY/Ulw1_KLISuI/AAAAAAAAA_8/hNviEdsgJlU/s640/blogger-image--1486951226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TdGCngccrsI/Ulw13tAOcyI/AAAAAAAAA_k/_Tlhg-mIKbg/s640/blogger-image-940021141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TdGCngccrsI/Ulw13tAOcyI/AAAAAAAAA_k/_Tlhg-mIKbg/s640/blogger-image-940021141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-e5RBW3ohWlQ/Ulw2BpSmPLI/AAAAAAAABAE/fBBfTzBT4wQ/s640/blogger-image--462326193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-e5RBW3ohWlQ/Ulw2BpSmPLI/AAAAAAAABAE/fBBfTzBT4wQ/s640/blogger-image--462326193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1QrX7U14K1U/Ulw1s6rCOGI/AAAAAAAAA_E/c6wC3K_w7I0/s640/blogger-image--599536997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1QrX7U14K1U/Ulw1s6rCOGI/AAAAAAAAA_E/c6wC3K_w7I0/s640/blogger-image--599536997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V70vpIiux_g/Ulw2HLdi_5I/AAAAAAAABAU/V5vOtH_Oajg/s640/blogger-image--814590753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V70vpIiux_g/Ulw2HLdi_5I/AAAAAAAABAU/V5vOtH_Oajg/s640/blogger-image--814590753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kQArB7y2tJw/Ulw2MTiB44I/AAAAAAAABAk/rx-Y74zQbr4/s640/blogger-image--1676085628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kQArB7y2tJw/Ulw2MTiB44I/AAAAAAAABAk/rx-Y74zQbr4/s640/blogger-image--1676085628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KVeKBY7PVxE/Ulw1yIeG1DI/AAAAAAAAA_U/LVk02JQ1jMA/s640/blogger-image-1513865639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KVeKBY7PVxE/Ulw1yIeG1DI/AAAAAAAAA_U/LVk02JQ1jMA/s640/blogger-image-1513865639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Mc-wje7f4Hk/Ulw2J3sRvJI/AAAAAAAABAc/QUhkgPQLzmM/s640/blogger-image-1267611703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OI6PfS1Bass/Ulw18YiDYrI/AAAAAAAAA_0/2YsCzRrp5dM/s1600/blogger-image-804767058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OI6PfS1Bass/Ulw18YiDYrI/AAAAAAAAA_0/2YsCzRrp5dM/s640/blogger-image-804767058.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre Tying garb...Barvarian Redneck style</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
The second annual Troutoberfest in Roscoe, NY was October 12+13, 2013. Last years event was good, but this year was over the top. Fishing tournament, Orvis vs. Hardy cook-off, Tiers galore, two days of jam packed seminars and classes, and a pig roast to close the event on Sunday. Shop manager Matt Nelson and Shop Owner Evan Lavery went above and beyond your typical shop sponsored event. This truly was a "Fest". I was glad to be a part of it and I look forward to next year. A special thansk to William Anderson and Eric for putting up with my antics and being willing to tie next to me. Always nice to see John Shaner, Lance Hidy, Pat Cohen, and Eric Reed. As has been the norm for me lately fishing was a bust.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<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="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-W5h8JuWx0Ns/Ulw2EVk8IwI/AAAAAAAABAM/a5D35VVJyQg/s640/blogger-image-1324787767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-W5h8JuWx0Ns/Ulw2EVk8IwI/AAAAAAAABAM/a5D35VVJyQg/s640/blogger-image-1324787767.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-EEklztDOj3I/Ul6WPmlrTAI/AAAAAAAABA0/JvekZXZgt_8/s640/blogger-image--1072769408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-EEklztDOj3I/Ul6WPmlrTAI/AAAAAAAABA0/JvekZXZgt_8/s640/blogger-image--1072769408.jpg" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Vickie's cupcakes taking a hit Saturday morning</td></div>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Mc-wje7f4Hk/Ulw2J3sRvJI/AAAAAAAABAc/QUhkgPQLzmM/s640/blogger-image-1267611703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TdGCngccrsI/Ulw13tAOcyI/AAAAAAAAA_k/_Tlhg-mIKbg/s1600/blogger-image-940021141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TdGCngccrsI/Ulw13tAOcyI/AAAAAAAAA_k/_Tlhg-mIKbg/s640/blogger-image-940021141.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<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;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KVeKBY7PVxE/Ulw1yIeG1DI/AAAAAAAAA_U/LVk02JQ1jMA/s640/blogger-image-1513865639.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt, Evan and Tom taking care of business.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<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="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kQArB7y2tJw/Ulw2MTiB44I/AAAAAAAABAk/rx-Y74zQbr4/s640/blogger-image--1676085628.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric and William Anderson talking flies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<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://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lNK979wXSUk/Ulw1vlVpwOI/AAAAAAAAA_M/0J54aC_gFEQ/s1600/blogger-image-965768150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lNK979wXSUk/Ulw1vlVpwOI/AAAAAAAAA_M/0J54aC_gFEQ/s640/blogger-image-965768150.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan Thomas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V70vpIiux_g/Ulw2HLdi_5I/AAAAAAAABAU/V5vOtH_Oajg/s1600/blogger-image--814590753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V70vpIiux_g/Ulw2HLdi_5I/AAAAAAAABAU/V5vOtH_Oajg/s640/blogger-image--814590753.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<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="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1QrX7U14K1U/Ulw1s6rCOGI/AAAAAAAAA_E/c6wC3K_w7I0/s1600/blogger-image--599536997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1QrX7U14K1U/Ulw1s6rCOGI/AAAAAAAAA_E/c6wC3K_w7I0/s640/blogger-image--599536997.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Willow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-e5RBW3ohWlQ/Ulw2BpSmPLI/AAAAAAAABAE/fBBfTzBT4wQ/s1600/blogger-image--462326193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-e5RBW3ohWlQ/Ulw2BpSmPLI/AAAAAAAABAE/fBBfTzBT4wQ/s640/blogger-image--462326193.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooly Bugger Contest Entries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<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="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Mc-wje7f4Hk/Ulw2J3sRvJI/AAAAAAAABAc/QUhkgPQLzmM/s1600/blogger-image-1267611703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Mc-wje7f4Hk/Ulw2J3sRvJI/AAAAAAAABAc/QUhkgPQLzmM/s640/blogger-image-1267611703.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat Cohen getting ready to twist them up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-20enbyjrSJs/Ulw10i4UvgI/AAAAAAAAA_c/76QqXHs5wlA/s640/blogger-image--818520894.jpg" /></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XigHp3xSpNc/Ul6hQtGSS0I/AAAAAAAABBM/SeyoOGoEpKk/s1600/pig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_223919="null" height="238" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XigHp3xSpNc/Ul6hQtGSS0I/AAAAAAAABBM/SeyoOGoEpKk/s320/pig.jpg" width="320" xsa="true" /></a><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_BSEQieviVY/Ulw1_KLISuI/AAAAAAAAA_8/hNviEdsgJlU/s1600/blogger-image--1486951226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">T</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XxDcyxPRKQw/Ulw1507jDpI/AAAAAAAAA_s/6CDMAM801lo/s640/blogger-image--685158211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XxDcyxPRKQw/Ulw1507jDpI/AAAAAAAAA_s/6CDMAM801lo/s640/blogger-image--685158211.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The coolest t-shirt in ages....IMHO<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-18376067255048659872013-09-05T08:50:00.002-04:002013-09-05T08:50:56.359-04:00The Quest For Heady Topper<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l2ftDA1u9Vs/UidP_9aS6fI/AAAAAAAAA-0/pF7Q5fxO1c8/s640/blogger-image-1341267786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l2ftDA1u9Vs/UidP_9aS6fI/AAAAAAAAA-0/pF7Q5fxO1c8/s640/blogger-image-1341267786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YY55GQ_ECFs/UidP6qb57fI/AAAAAAAAA-k/_B1X5X2sTIU/s640/blogger-image-517713191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YY55GQ_ECFs/UidP6qb57fI/AAAAAAAAA-k/_B1X5X2sTIU/s640/blogger-image-517713191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BQGTQlTboRY/UidP9bWuBpI/AAAAAAAAA-s/BJ7Owt8RyTQ/s640/blogger-image--1012473125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YY55GQ_ECFs/UidP6qb57fI/AAAAAAAAA-k/_B1X5X2sTIU/s1600/blogger-image-517713191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YY55GQ_ECFs/UidP6qb57fI/AAAAAAAAA-k/_B1X5X2sTIU/s400/blogger-image-517713191.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Quest For Heady Topper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Disclaimer: THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FISHING!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When countless friends of mine that don’t know each other start recommending the same beer repeatedly, I take notice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First off, what is all the hype?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me wrong, I love my craft brews but to the extent that people get that faraway look in their eye at the sheer mention of it. Enter the Heady Topper brewed by the Alchemist Brewery in Middlebury, Vermont.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Geography time, Vermont borders New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problem right, I’ll run to the local Wegmans grocery store known for its tremendous selection of crafty brews……no go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A buddy mentions that the stuff is really hard to come by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I begin calling several beer specialty stores in a two hour driving radius in search of….no dice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enough of this stuff I say and google the brewery itself to find out what the deal is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The website has a distribution map that shows a cluster of retail locations all crammed into one area of Vermont. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Geography lesson: Vermont is not a monster sized state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now the “what the fuck?” has entered my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I attempt to call the brewery and get the scoop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course no human answers the phone and I listen to the “come early in the week because we sell out quickly” recording…again WTF? pops into my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is beer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How good can it be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I start contemplating whether or not to end the summer with a weekend trip to Vermont.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, that is ridiculous to drive five hours for beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lucky break came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A co-worker was headed to the eastern edge of New York and volunteered to pick up some Heady Topper for me across the border into Vermont.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mention that I want a case of this stuff sight un-tasted. A case will run roughly $72….not a keg, 24 cans of beer= $72.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My co-worker is certain I have lost my freaking mind at the absurdity I am bestowing upon her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was soon going to learn of the insanity even within the state of Vermont for BEER….not just any beer, Heady Topper beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She trekked to the actual brewery and they were sold out of cans of Heady Topper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dejected and rejected she was sent on a mini-mart quest for the said product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rejection followed more rejection, when low and behold she scored a display at one mini mart with a limit of one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One four pack of beer per customer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was able to secure me a single four pack of the heady stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cash for beer was exchanged in upstate New York and I raced home from work to plan my course of action on how to consume said beverage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was easy, just get all the bullshit stuff done, kick back and taste the nirvana in a can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kicked on the classic rock radio station and sat on the screen porch, put me feet up and opened a can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now I am so annoyed at the ordeal to get a beer<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that I’m ready to criticize everything I can about the beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I go to taste that first sip when the aroma hits me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I’m not nosing a glass of fine merlot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m drinking beer from a can….that telltale hoppy scent hits me nicely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the taste encompasses my tongue and mouth……it’s hoppy, piney, citrusy, and overwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heady Topper is a double IPA (India Pale Ale)….in a nut shell it’s supposed to be hoppy tasting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not obnoxiously hoppy by IPA standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is wonderfully hoppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Descriptions abound for the actual taste, but it is so intriguingly satisfyingly complex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hands down I can find no fault with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now the family dog is staring at me wanting to know what mental cloud I have landed on to not notice her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reassure her that it would be ok to pull up a chair and sit with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Careful not to consume the whole can to quickly I am surprised at every pull from the can how great this is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then “Turn the Page” by Bob Segar comes on and I cherish the solitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 8% alcohol content these are somewhat potent by normal beer standards, but not out of control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then flowed Pink Floyd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a classic rock station not Pandora.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now the can is nearly empty, and in order to fully understand the beer I needed to have another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I begin to carry on a one way conversation with the family dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F3NvugUcsew/UidPrLb3h2I/AAAAAAAAA-c/08A_E56QNJI/s640/blogger-image-1431646091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F3NvugUcsew/UidPrLb3h2I/AAAAAAAAA-c/08A_E56QNJI/s640/blogger-image-1431646091.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>When a 4:20 trivia contest comes over the radio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am certain at this point I can answer any trivia question in the world and start dialing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer is a Popcorn Maker and my call gets through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It matters not the actual question, just that I am a winner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A winner to a pair of Bacon Fest tickets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all my glory of consuming Heady Topper, I am now the proud winner of tickets to festival featuring BACON.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now understand why those countless friends got that faraway look in their eyes at the sheer mention of HEADY TOPPER.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is magic in a can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BQGTQlTboRY/UidP9bWuBpI/AAAAAAAAA-s/BJ7Owt8RyTQ/s1600/blogger-image--1012473125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BQGTQlTboRY/UidP9bWuBpI/AAAAAAAAA-s/BJ7Owt8RyTQ/s640/blogger-image--1012473125.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>After the second can dissolved into nothingness I reached into the frig to open a craft beer IPA to compare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like comparing Guiness to Miller Lite for those of you not familiar with crafty beers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heady Topper is worth the quest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l2ftDA1u9Vs/UidP_9aS6fI/AAAAAAAAA-0/pF7Q5fxO1c8/s1600/blogger-image-1341267786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l2ftDA1u9Vs/UidP_9aS6fI/AAAAAAAAA-0/pF7Q5fxO1c8/s320/blogger-image-1341267786.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-9553162478419207772013-09-03T11:17:00.004-04:002013-09-03T11:17:51.786-04:002013 Arctic Circle Flies <div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Occasionally cool things happen to flies I tie. Sinking hooks into jaws is always nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes my flies get to travel to faraway places that I can only dream of fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus I live vicariously through my flies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In mid-June I was contacted through a social media vacuum by an individual in Germany who had stumbled across a picture of some flies I had tyed a couple years back for a buddy who was headed to the Arctic Circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This individual wanted to know if I was interested in tying some flies for him as he was going there himself in late August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me it’s always exciting to see messages like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a gamble involved with a prospect like this; meeting deadlines, shipping costs, lost packages, currency exchange rates, and just getting ripped off in general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fly fishermen are generally decent people and keeping initial orders small tends to minimize the risks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sven and I worked out an agreement for me to tie some flies for his trip to the Ekaluk River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On July 22, 2013<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mailed the flies to Germany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the waiting began……lots of waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took nearly a month for the flies to arrive and Sven got them literally days before leaving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PPPPHHHHEEEEEWWWW!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never anticipated it taking that long for the flies to reach him and anxiety had set in over what to do if they had arrived after he left on his journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of our deal was to share some photos from his trip when he returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sven delivered on his end with some cool pictures and a brief note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Had a Great Trip, flies worked well, cold and storms (Winds over 100 mph), very nice people, Good Camp, loads of big, big Char!</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cq8_vrCpMcA/UiX5jhSdFbI/AAAAAAAAA9g/VLaB0AuQRKQ/s1600/flies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" psa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cq8_vrCpMcA/UiX5jhSdFbI/AAAAAAAAA9g/VLaB0AuQRKQ/s320/flies.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flies ready to go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uHQ1yg-VmdI/UiX6imDC65I/AAAAAAAAA9s/m2iOzadhrGo/s1600/sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" psa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uHQ1yg-VmdI/UiX6imDC65I/AAAAAAAAA9s/m2iOzadhrGo/s320/sky.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from on top of the world</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RmDDArIGjYA/UiX6eNqjSEI/AAAAAAAAA9k/IM_PeJ4avxE/s1600/snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" psa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RmDDArIGjYA/UiX6eNqjSEI/AAAAAAAAA9k/IM_PeJ4avxE/s320/snow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rxw13jZkFhc/UiX6nThk1FI/AAAAAAAAA90/gw7xvYyqr4Y/s1600/Ohouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" psa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rxw13jZkFhc/UiX6nThk1FI/AAAAAAAAA90/gw7xvYyqr4Y/s320/Ohouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know it's windy when shit flows sideways.....LOL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OKI6N7epRio/UiX6sBJJhPI/AAAAAAAAA98/Myle26vpMgo/s1600/fishy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" psa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OKI6N7epRio/UiX6sBJJhPI/AAAAAAAAA98/Myle26vpMgo/s320/fishy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LGdtB2d_1l8/UiX66BTk9UI/AAAAAAAAA-E/oA8M6y2hUCI/s1600/fish+fly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" psa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LGdtB2d_1l8/UiX66BTk9UI/AAAAAAAAA-E/oA8M6y2hUCI/s320/fish+fly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What it's all about!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is what it’s all about…..it fuels the fire within and drives the motivation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A huge thank you to Sven for his patience and sharing his experience with me!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sven stayed at: Camp Ekaluk with B&J Flyfishing Adventures<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is a link to my blog post from a few years back:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://vern-o.blogspot.com/2011/09/artic-circle-flies-part-two.html<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
</div>
</div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-31465248161474098762013-08-27T09:50:00.000-04:002013-08-27T09:52:17.011-04:00Salmon River Trip 8/25/13<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPxiyzP3jJQ/UhyTx5SvO-I/AAAAAAAAA8c/Wf59hmb38fs/s1600/rise+stadium.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" osa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPxiyzP3jJQ/UhyTx5SvO-I/AAAAAAAAA8c/Wf59hmb38fs/s320/rise+stadium.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Coughlin Stadium Sunrise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kje9jzgx6WM/UhyTokCQ4-I/AAAAAAAAA8M/2T_y8x32yBc/s1600/rise+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" osa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kje9jzgx6WM/UhyTokCQ4-I/AAAAAAAAA8M/2T_y8x32yBc/s320/rise+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I swear I see a brook trout.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-97PreW9Gbq0/UhyTtTbD5pI/AAAAAAAAA8U/ABmT63onxKQ/s1600/riser.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" osa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-97PreW9Gbq0/UhyTtTbD5pI/AAAAAAAAA8U/ABmT63onxKQ/s320/riser.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The great eye in the sky.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9rux6T8bTeY/UhyT2abuGtI/AAAAAAAAA8k/wVbFXtjCBV8/s1600/river1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" osa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9rux6T8bTeY/UhyT2abuGtI/AAAAAAAAA8k/wVbFXtjCBV8/s320/river1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GE2qJFazCos/UhyT6JO3GdI/AAAAAAAAA8s/QqC-kaBv3YA/s1600/river2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" osa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GE2qJFazCos/UhyT6JO3GdI/AAAAAAAAA8s/QqC-kaBv3YA/s320/river2.JPG" width="320" /></a></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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1clTt_dR_EA/UhyT-881gOI/AAAAAAAAA80/Cd4vgh4vOSA/s1600/river+fly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" osa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1clTt_dR_EA/UhyT-881gOI/AAAAAAAAA80/Cd4vgh4vOSA/s320/river+fly.JPG" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming fly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7k5IQeN0ZZg/Uhys04wocmI/AAAAAAAAA9M/S2uwrNK52FU/s1600/mask.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" osa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7k5IQeN0ZZg/Uhys04wocmI/AAAAAAAAA9M/S2uwrNK52FU/s320/mask.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magog in color with Flymen Fishing Company "Fish Mask"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Not a lot to say about the fishing, it was more of a visual trip. There were a few fish around, but they weren't players in my game. Really a good experience. Sorry for the stupid sideways photos, the pics appear rightside up, but blogger turns them and won't let me correct...</div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-56706448270766280082013-08-22T08:47:00.001-04:002013-08-22T08:47:39.737-04:00Advanced Fly Fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead (Book Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MPeXbrdv6kI/UhYIMwfO_YI/AAAAAAAAA7A/8QuiRBknboE/s1600/Kustich+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qsa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MPeXbrdv6kI/UhYIMwfO_YI/AAAAAAAAA7A/8QuiRBknboE/s320/Kustich+Cover.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With the hint of fall in the air, what better time to brush up on our quest for Great Lakes steelhead than with a review of Rick Kustich's book. Advanced Fly Fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead is a sort of follow up book to Rick and Jerry Kustich’s 1999 book Fly Fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The timing is perfect with the viral explosion that has become a never-ending pursuit for many of us that is steelhead fishing, in particular Great Lakes steelheading with a fly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick Kustich was the first fly tier I went to actually watch do a solo fly tying demo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember that brisk Buffalo, New York winter day at the Oak Orchard Fly Shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick was on hand to tie tube flies and I was just scratching the surface in my curiosity for the tubular knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember being captivated by the simplicity in execution and the fluidity in which he spoke and educated his audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every step and material had meaning and purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing I took away from his demo was that tube flies are a great way to have youngsters learn the skill of tying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No hooks to pierce inexperienced appendages until they are ready to be fished. It wasn’t long after that I was enthralled in his first book. Detail, detail, detail, every page had it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It opened a whole spectrum of new ideas for me and destinations to ponder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ending notes of protecting our beloved surroundings and resources sealed it for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the years have evolved so has my quest for steelhead along with many of my fellow anglers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I no longer chuck parachute cords filled with lead to dredge the river bottoms with tiny nymphs dangling six feet away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now prefer the quality of the tug rather than the numbers landed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rick Kustich has evolved as well and his detailed ability to capture every nook is chronicled in his new book Advanced Fly Fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick methodically breakdown our sport covering virtually every nuance and niche.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I like about Rick’s approach is that he covers many aspects and options and then states what style he likes and why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a no-nonsense style that doesn’t dance around what is politically correct. I applaud his stance with statements like, “Personally I have nothing against any sporting means to catching a steelhead, but when one approach significantly takes opportunity away from other anglers, there does seem to be something that borders on the unethical about this type of behavior.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick certainly doesn’t soapbox issues, but rather his on the water experiences have exposed him to a vast array of individuals and techniques.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick explores countless tactical approaches and keys in on environmental factors that affect the success of connecting to our quarry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick points out the advancements in technology to make our gear that much more versatile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick makes no qualms about the fact that pursuing steelhead with a two handed (Spey) rod is his driving desire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This style alone warrants a title using the word “advanced”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick takes the time to describe several casting strokes, many of which are designed but not limited to two handed rods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Careful descriptions are given followed by outstanding photo sequences taken by Nick Pionessa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book is peppered with stunning scenic photos and many a magnificent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oncorhynchus mykiss</i> specimens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This book really makes you appreciate and want to preserve the natural beauty that encompasses the Great Lakes region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book nears its conclusion when Rick discusses the search for a quality experience and gives insight into possible new trends to improve our sport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much like catch and release or catch limits have evolved through years of education, Rick hints to pool rotation and sharing in the experience as new avenues for improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book wraps up with chapters on flies tyed by many of those who fish these great lakes with passion and a breakdown of the many rivers and streams in which to challenge our desires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no real spot burns, but rather a point in the right direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rick has a grasp on this fishery that can only make one wonder what lies ahead in the next fifteen years or so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-28374086010514255752013-08-03T20:29:00.001-04:002013-08-03T20:29:28.125-04:00Mental Health Day<p>As real life would have it I occasionally get overwhelmed and frustrated mostly with the real life job. I then need that mental release, thus the need for a mental health day. For me there is usually a bunch of planning, on what species and what body of water, etc. What makes a mental health day more complete, than to score some fish. This day was designed to score some warmwater species from the kayak. The weather forcasted changed on me last minute making me rethink my original destination. No problem I usually have a backup plan. I headed to the North end of Cayuga Lake and searched for a launch spot. Once I did I was off and eager to get the day reeling. No dice, I moved to another location, and another, and another.....no dice, no dice, no fish. A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.....right? So be it, not every outting can be what the vision in my head wants it to be......thus the quest continues. I did manage to take both my girls fishing, so that brought smiles to everyones face, myself included.<br>
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-w5jIlwsMpWg/Uf2gXNZZW4I/AAAAAAAAA6o/PQlaL9qRFBQ/s1600/IMG_20130729_211805-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-w5jIlwsMpWg/Uf2gXNZZW4I/AAAAAAAAA6o/PQlaL9qRFBQ/s640/IMG_20130729_211805-1.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--BtzxieqGRY/Uf2gZdrQUrI/AAAAAAAAA6w/-0DGX3ruvu8/s1600/photo-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--BtzxieqGRY/Uf2gZdrQUrI/AAAAAAAAA6w/-0DGX3ruvu8/s640/photo-2.JPG"> </a> </div>VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-16352708077988139372013-06-05T13:15:00.000-04:002013-06-05T13:15:08.106-04:00Deerfield River Spey Day June 1, 2013<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the last three years now, I have volunteered my time, my abilities, and my money to help out with the Deerfield River Spey Day in northwestern Massachusetts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event is hosted by Walt Geryk (</span><a href="http://www.neffguide.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">www.neffguide.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) and his crew of volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event usually consists of fly tying, spey casting demos, free BBQ, raffles, and auctions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-swFxJcOwjto/Ua9cv10VadI/AAAAAAAAA2s/txDOdda2ogA/s1600/IMG_20130528_195016_zps8cc900a6%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-swFxJcOwjto/Ua9cv10VadI/AAAAAAAAA2s/txDOdda2ogA/s200/IMG_20130528_195016_zps8cc900a6%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" yya="true" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dsUpONxufw/Ua9c3EXSrcI/AAAAAAAAA20/kGni6aasLrY/s1600/IMG_20130528_194937_zpsc8288926%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dsUpONxufw/Ua9c3EXSrcI/AAAAAAAAA20/kGni6aasLrY/s200/IMG_20130528_194937_zpsc8288926%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" yya="true" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The proceeds go to Reel Recovery, an organization devoted to assisting cancer survivors in their recovery through fly fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoy helping the cause and traveling to some beautiful river locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every year I have constructed a leather fly wallet and tie a few flies to go along with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The items are then added to the list of wonderful trips, gear, and artwork to be auctioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year was no different, except I may have donated more flies and materials than usual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, it’s all for a good cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year was a little different for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually have the family in-tow with me and we spend time after the event together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the addition of a new puppy to our family, traveling a good distance and finding accommodations for the puppy was a bit much this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made the trip this year solo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank goodness the weather held out, unlike last year’s monsoon event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had aspirations to fish before and after the event. You would think a solo trip would allow me endless hours of fishing, but it didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><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="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NT_60ntVJsU/Ua9eCaAPwPI/AAAAAAAAA3M/zbaqwoMPpZY/s1600/Hairpin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NT_60ntVJsU/Ua9eCaAPwPI/AAAAAAAAA3M/zbaqwoMPpZY/s320/Hairpin.JPG" width="320" yya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Hairpin Turn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The drive is nearly five hours each way, and not leaving until late Friday afternoon put the kibosh on the evening hatch since I had to find a place to throw down the tent for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GjWL33pOCAs/Ua9dLkobruI/AAAAAAAAA28/OKxoWRHZh-0/s1600/tent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 160px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 210px;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GjWL33pOCAs/Ua9dLkobruI/AAAAAAAAA28/OKxoWRHZh-0/s200/tent.JPG" width="200" yya="true" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0p4nf6qIbTM/Ua9dWsTFgVI/AAAAAAAAA3E/gM_MGLjBPmk/s1600/VT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0p4nf6qIbTM/Ua9dWsTFgVI/AAAAAAAAA3E/gM_MGLjBPmk/s320/VT.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Up early on a quest for coffee took me to the Shellburn Falls Coffee Roasters, then as I scoped out fishable water I ended up at the Zoar Picnic Area and decide to give a hand setting up the big tent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6LPNg-cv-h8/Ua9eaLiBxeI/AAAAAAAAA3U/D86606yp8XI/s1600/set+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 187px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 241px;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6LPNg-cv-h8/Ua9eaLiBxeI/AAAAAAAAA3U/D86606yp8XI/s320/set+up.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mos7-pfYtc/Ua9ekA3yDcI/AAAAAAAAA3c/7h3Y1EQOl5Q/s1600/raffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9mos7-pfYtc/Ua9ekA3yDcI/AAAAAAAAA3c/7h3Y1EQOl5Q/s200/raffle.jpg" width="150" yya="true" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once the event got underway there was a steady flow of people, some faces new, and some familiar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My little travel table/tying table soon had the company of two other tiers, one of which was Allen Landhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve encountered Allen at many of the Somerset Tying Shows, and he is an exceptional tier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nice to have fellow tiers at the table to share in the skills and chatting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hSfwU-cxnyw/Ua9fOVSePlI/AAAAAAAAA3w/sieY4axjc-U/s1600/tying+co.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hSfwU-cxnyw/Ua9fOVSePlI/AAAAAAAAA3w/sieY4axjc-U/s320/tying+co.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CF_y4nyD8og/Ua9fd4pkhZI/AAAAAAAAA34/8C678odWEW4/s1600/sculp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CF_y4nyD8og/Ua9fd4pkhZI/AAAAAAAAA34/8C678odWEW4/s320/sculp.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Q8REZoBhX8/Ua9gwTAo1wI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/GCOz4LAz0Es/s1600/allen+tying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Q8REZoBhX8/Ua9gwTAo1wI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/GCOz4LAz0Es/s320/allen+tying.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allen Landheer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To say the least, the day was perfect and as the afternoon wore on and the event was winding up, I contemplated driving back home or fishing the evening hatch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Tw6QeQhNPs/Ua9xTW2Fd6I/AAAAAAAAA50/_BSbTViFmGA/s1600/cast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Tw6QeQhNPs/Ua9xTW2Fd6I/AAAAAAAAA50/_BSbTViFmGA/s320/cast.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div>
</span></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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FMUixm3HiBs/Ua9f7HaGN8I/AAAAAAAAA4A/jJ28enfrdHY/s1600/demo+talk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FMUixm3HiBs/Ua9f7HaGN8I/AAAAAAAAA4A/jJ28enfrdHY/s320/demo+talk.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walt talking casting finess</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xj1UB5jqDa8/Ua9iJcGBQaI/AAAAAAAAA4k/Ut10yuMcN7Q/s1600/chuck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xj1UB5jqDa8/Ua9iJcGBQaI/AAAAAAAAA4k/Ut10yuMcN7Q/s320/chuck.jpg" width="240" yya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auctioneer Chuck!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k2Ms0WRs018/Ua9uKCealfI/AAAAAAAAA40/HRlxcdaV5Ec/s1600/streamers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k2Ms0WRs018/Ua9uKCealfI/AAAAAAAAA40/HRlxcdaV5Ec/s320/streamers.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Streamers donated by Eunan <a href="http://addictedtovise.blogspot.com/">http://addictedtovise.blogspot.com/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What I’ve noticed each year of doing this event was that the auction has some really incredible items, and each year I watch as countless items go for virtually less than cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The point of the event is to raise money for a charity, not get an item for dirt cheap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This brings me to why we are there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure we all know someone who has lost the battle with cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I for one know an individual who is currently battling cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His name is Mark and he is an avid soft hackle tier and angler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark goes by the screen name soft-hackle on a few web forums and is a co-founder of the flymph web site (</span><a href="http://www.flymphforum.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.flymphforum.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met Mark a few years back at a tying event in the Catskills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Mark was the first internet human being, at least fly tying related that I met face to face. Mark came up introduced himself and we just started talking flies, and everything soft hackle. The knowledge just fell out of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was my first time really doing a tying event and I wasn’t even unpacked yet. Mark made me feel like I had been tying with him for years. I think from there it’s been no- stop for me. I still smile thinking of all that enthusiasm he shared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually I got to sit down and watch him tie and again the knowledge just gushed and I beamed with respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark and I have stayed in loose contact over the years since then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark truly has been an inspiration to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two years ago I got to see Mark while battling with cancer at the first annual Flymph gathering in the Catskills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was glad to be able to stop and say hello to him and the fellow Flymphers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had hoped to tie at this years Flymph event, but scheduling was an issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I digress a bit here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flash back to the Deerfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided that my obligations to get back to New York were greater than fooling around chasing trout all evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I packed my vehicle with a bit of mixed feelings, but mostly pleased with being a part of the Deerfield River Spey Day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t resist the temptation to wet a line for an hour or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found an unoccupied pull off and threw together my gear and hit the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worked my way toward a sweet little run when I noticed a decent splash as a trout inhaled a bug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opted for a March brown parachute pattern, since they were sporadically coming off the water. I then wanted to increase my odds of hooking up with a fish, so I added a dropper fly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose the Genesee<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jewel wet fly, created by Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve heard and experienced the capabilities of this fly as a searching pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now let me paint this in a different light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQlv9qOXbU8/Ua9utF5_QgI/AAAAAAAAA48/dEgTMOK5c90/s1600/river+spot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQlv9qOXbU8/Ua9utF5_QgI/AAAAAAAAA48/dEgTMOK5c90/s320/river+spot.JPG" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zhsc4vwvHhk/Ua9uwgTfVZI/AAAAAAAAA5E/GAr6UMyfo8w/s1600/mljewel%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zhsc4vwvHhk/Ua9uwgTfVZI/AAAAAAAAA5E/GAr6UMyfo8w/s320/mljewel%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Genessee Jewel by Mark Libertone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am on a tight schedule, I’m physically and mentally beat from the previous events, and I’m fishing a non-descript piece of water I have never fished before, in hopes of connecting with a fish (trout preferred) on a sunny slightly humid June 1<sup>st</sup> day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t easy, but eventually my parachute was pulled under and the Genesee Jewel was connected to an over excited rainbow trout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I played the fish to submission with a giddy kid type feeling overcoming me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It happened, my road trip, tying event, hoopla extravaganza was candy coated with one simple fish, taking one wet fly, created by one remarkable person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MirfD4TodZk/Ua9u3jcAN0I/AAAAAAAAA5M/GTnTU6eJ3rs/s1600/blurbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MirfD4TodZk/Ua9u3jcAN0I/AAAAAAAAA5M/GTnTU6eJ3rs/s320/blurbow.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LTDY7iqNgOk/Ua9vIvGajsI/AAAAAAAAA5g/The2NBcASjc/s1600/bowrocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LTDY7iqNgOk/Ua9vIvGajsI/AAAAAAAAA5g/The2NBcASjc/s320/bowrocks.jpg" width="249" yya="true" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I fished a bit longer hoping to improve my odds and as the sun shone bright, a brief down pour of rain told me it was time to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I searched the skies for a rainbow, but realized it came in the form of a fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thank you Mark Libertone for all the inspiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/part402.php">http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/oldflies/part402.php</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-73212863097390713682013-05-13T08:06:00.000-04:002013-05-13T08:06:46.216-04:00Spey MagogI was recently challenged with converting the collors associated with the famous Atlantic salmon streamer known as the magog smelt into a swingable spey like fly. I use this termonology very loosley, since you can certainly swing a magog smelt. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67hLmkQwFEo/UYurUnYKB_I/AAAAAAAAA1w/qh6aKB9k8Ss/s1600/Ray+Magog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" mwa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67hLmkQwFEo/UYurUnYKB_I/AAAAAAAAA1w/qh6aKB9k8Ss/s320/Ray+Magog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
What was desired was something with a little more flow and movement to it. The big colors being; white, purple, yellow, silver tinsel, a splash of red, and checkered black and white. The black and white checkering coming from teal flank feathers. Did I mention the flies needed to be fairly easy to tie? I started out with an Alec Jackson Size 1.5 spey hook, silver holographic tinsel and fire red thread. After covering the rear 2/3 of the shank with the tinsel I did two turns a white marabou, then wrapped back over the turns with the thread for durability. I advanced the thread forward a bit to cerate a gap then repeated the same steps for yellow followed by purple. Then came a couple of turns of teal flank feathers for a collar, a bit of flash, and some peacock herl strands for an under wing. A pair of jungle cock eyes and a dyed black pheasant rump topped the fly as a wing. I was pretty pleased with the results.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GyYMzNOyJss/UYurrJBcahI/AAAAAAAAA18/eifCPZrJ7Ps/s1600/100_4946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" mwa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GyYMzNOyJss/UYurrJBcahI/AAAAAAAAA18/eifCPZrJ7Ps/s320/100_4946.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FxiBjtiL9e0/UYurqyZiBMI/AAAAAAAAA14/NrwKZfWOz4k/s1600/100_4941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" mwa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FxiBjtiL9e0/UYurqyZiBMI/AAAAAAAAA14/NrwKZfWOz4k/s320/100_4941.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I then took a size 3 Alec Jackson spey hook did the same tinsel and thread steps as above. This time I took marabou tips and tyed them pointing reward similar to the John Shewey's Spawning Purple method (<a href="http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/060605fotw.php">http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/060605fotw.php</a>). I did so alternating from white, yellow, and purple. When I got toward the front of the hook, I added and extra patch of the white to the bottom side of the hook. Again a teal flank collar, some synthetic flash underwing, and some peacock for a topping. I then added some Flymen Fishing Company Living Eyes secured by some Clear Cure Goo. I had a keeper in my mind! I played around replacing peacock with synthetics and was indifferent in my opinion. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S76XXKemMAI/UYu--bHmg6I/AAAAAAAAA2Q/ZGKVakl4Hzw/s1600/100_4943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mwa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S76XXKemMAI/UYu--bHmg6I/AAAAAAAAA2Q/ZGKVakl4Hzw/s320/100_4943.JPG" width="299" /></a></div>
My next option was to replace the marabou with arctic fox for the layered wings. This version was okay in my mind, but I like the more vibrant colors from the dyed marabou. I presented the sample flies to the interested parties, and the arctic fox wing seems to be the lead style, with a more pronounced collar of teal. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-iY4nut1R8/UYu_MxwOCPI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/P0hlbKJ2TzE/s1600/100_4908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" mwa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-iY4nut1R8/UYu_MxwOCPI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/P0hlbKJ2TzE/s320/100_4908.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Either way I have a keeper fly or flies for swinging.VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-15644167011971029462013-05-06T09:38:00.001-04:002013-05-06T09:38:49.161-04:00Yak AttackEver since my wife won a free beginner kayak lesson from LL Bean, I have been tossing around the idea of getting my own. With the warm weather of spring knocking and winter going dormant, the urge grew even more. I did a fair amount of research online and eventually reached out to a friend. I use to work with Doug Reagan a few years back and knew that he had his own canoe and kayak livery along with his wife Diane in the heart of the Finger Lakes. I contacted Doug and set up a time to get down and see what he had on hand. My oldest daughter came along to see the selection. This is a tricky call since kids love instant gratification and they are always excited at the thrill of getting something new. Who am I kidding? I like those things too! Did I mention that I brought the trailer along with me too? It didn't take long and I was tossing around which model would fit my needs and more importantly, budget. My most pressing issue was, can I fish from it? I really didn't want to buy and angling kayak knowing that I don't have a lot of kayaking experience to begin with. I played it safe and went with a standard model. I can always upgrade later if need be. The final decision was an Old Town 10 foot Vapor XT. Abbie and I took it out for a spin at the local boat launch. A little getting use to, but when we were done, we wanted to know when we were going to do that again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X4WUdcOIygg/UYJtqeUnFbI/AAAAAAAAA0U/rd_3ljCZzuc/s1600/476370_3088269103670_1093138362_o%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lua="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X4WUdcOIygg/UYJtqeUnFbI/AAAAAAAAA0U/rd_3ljCZzuc/s320/476370_3088269103670_1093138362_o%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6rNqRDnaXhk/UYJtsGIdqRI/AAAAAAAAA0c/ldCUdJxxrR4/s1600/473120_3088278023893_601120978_o%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lua="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6rNqRDnaXhk/UYJtsGIdqRI/AAAAAAAAA0c/ldCUdJxxrR4/s320/473120_3088278023893_601120978_o%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSTEFqtaLis/UYJtuSx2ihI/AAAAAAAAA0k/gon4xawGczA/s1600/475103_10151365892986922_983131711_o%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lua="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSTEFqtaLis/UYJtuSx2ihI/AAAAAAAAA0k/gon4xawGczA/s320/475103_10151365892986922_983131711_o%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r0Kf3RC9gZU/UYJtwFkvNzI/AAAAAAAAA0s/xrqV6pf2pRw/s1600/479132_3088355545831_1936124865_o%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lua="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r0Kf3RC9gZU/UYJtwFkvNzI/AAAAAAAAA0s/xrqV6pf2pRw/s320/479132_3088355545831_1936124865_o%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I have gotten to cruise around a bit with the yak, but mostly the kids keep wanting to try it out. I manged to take them out on a half day of school and get some more practice. Now it's becoming a family affair, as I hoped it would......and I even let our family dog come along for a spin. The family dog is a bit of a challenge, but time should fix that. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NZ8rlU2bD9w/UYewvdQMeZI/AAAAAAAAA1U/8dn765-Ddto/s1600/913730_3101289029160_634126890_o%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mwa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NZ8rlU2bD9w/UYewvdQMeZI/AAAAAAAAA1U/8dn765-Ddto/s320/913730_3101289029160_634126890_o%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t7geEse5Q5w/UYewxz2BlRI/AAAAAAAAA1c/lvqH16_xbY0/s1600/904738_3101291949233_1744985960_o%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" mwa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t7geEse5Q5w/UYewxz2BlRI/AAAAAAAAA1c/lvqH16_xbY0/s320/904738_3101291949233_1744985960_o%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I did manage to break free and try fishing from the kayak, but this too is going to take some getting use to. The main problem being that it's quite tricky to keep the yak situated and not drift too far off the desired course. And then there was the dumping of the yak.....I tried to take the family dog out again, and the trouble started while trying to launch. No matter how you look at it, I dumped the yak dog and all. Not one to give up easily, I gave it another go. The dog wasn't totally impressed with this idea, but did better once we got moving. Whetehr the temptation of birds flying over head or loss of balance, but either way the dog fell overboard again. I managed to keep the yak right side up and retrieve the dog. Nothing beats the learning curve! </div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-27068620858481805722013-04-08T09:10:00.002-04:002013-04-08T09:10:42.348-04:00April 7, 2013 Line Wetting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f65Vjo1_QqY/UWK-1gFJinI/AAAAAAAAAy4/lG2M3K9TFqc/s1600/100_4869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" mta="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f65Vjo1_QqY/UWK-1gFJinI/AAAAAAAAAy4/lG2M3K9TFqc/s320/100_4869.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After avoiding the April first opener for a slew of reasons, none of which are surprising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a fool in April I opted to fish for a few hours on the first weekend of the season opener.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not really foolish, but it was just a brief outing to wet the line if you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The conditions around here are a bit troublesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The groundwater table is replenishing, but the surface runoff from spring is mostly non-existent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus making the majority of the streams in the area pretty low and clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked a local put and take stocker-hunters paradise verses the lake run tributary zoo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I arrived at the pull off to a warm 45 degrees, strong winds, newly posted signs, and only two cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hopped down the bank and found that the other anglers were upstream of where I wanted to be….perfect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started swing small streamers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was ready for the assault of freshly stocked browns to attack, but it didn’t happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Swing after swing turned to drift after drift as I started downsizing my fly choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it became apparent that they hadn’t stocked this section yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then my mind went to holdover trout and the fly selection went to large flowing-hackle-articulated-streamers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I approached a known section to hold fish, I focused on the swing with astute attention. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was contemplating moving to another stream due to the lack of online entertainment. Then about mid-belly in the swing the unweighted prototype streamer was thrashed and a splash disrupted the surface flow, but no hook up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sealed the deal for me, I was staying and pressing on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little further down the pool, there was another thrashing below the surface and a solid hook up on my prototype articulated streamer (yes, there is a future post coming related to this).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was excited since this was sure to be the first trout of 2013 for me and it had some fight to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEQtAzBWma4/UWK_HjAwbZI/AAAAAAAAAzA/dTnsMAHCZsw/s1600/100_4863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" mta="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEQtAzBWma4/UWK_HjAwbZI/AAAAAAAAAzA/dTnsMAHCZsw/s320/100_4863.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The excitement was short lived when I spotted the large cyprinidae scaling of a monster fallfish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These fish still make me laugh because they can be fun to catch, but when caught at the wrong time, they deflate the morale balloon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still was I was happy that the fish liked the fly and the line on my swing was tight for the first time in 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the release I went back to swinging and covering a ton of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-shnHmALPVK4/UWK_WqlYZ0I/AAAAAAAAAzI/ulu3q_oHYyQ/s1600/100_4871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mta="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-shnHmALPVK4/UWK_WqlYZ0I/AAAAAAAAAzI/ulu3q_oHYyQ/s320/100_4871.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I turned the remaining time into an exploration mission and discovered new to me areas for future warmwater fishing pursuits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put the camera to use on my surroundings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s6ogbZECYdU/UWK_n0JXmWI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/9-nDxqyx1vs/s1600/100_4867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" mta="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s6ogbZECYdU/UWK_n0JXmWI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/9-nDxqyx1vs/s320/100_4867.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
A put and take fishery...put your junk here and take the fish with you?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7fcd9sQDvCg/UWLAFkVavuI/AAAAAAAAAzY/M6k4wxvFbmY/s1600/100_4872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mta="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7fcd9sQDvCg/UWLAFkVavuI/AAAAAAAAAzY/M6k4wxvFbmY/s320/100_4872.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
I like it when I don't have to walk far to get to my fishing spot.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-laoJu-9zvSE/UWLAUdWRaAI/AAAAAAAAAzg/pO71M8B5mfE/s1600/100_4870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" mta="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-laoJu-9zvSE/UWLAUdWRaAI/AAAAAAAAAzg/pO71M8B5mfE/s320/100_4870.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sbfxFKCy7IM/UWLAaHopUHI/AAAAAAAAAzo/ZLxsz7o06ok/s1600/100_4875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" mta="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sbfxFKCy7IM/UWLAaHopUHI/AAAAAAAAAzo/ZLxsz7o06ok/s320/100_4875.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Signs of spring.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VGXD53xucIo/UWLAlsXktFI/AAAAAAAAAzw/o0et-JdbmdA/s1600/100_4876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mta="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VGXD53xucIo/UWLAlsXktFI/AAAAAAAAAzw/o0et-JdbmdA/s320/100_4876.JPG" width="184" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RVfAo4AuXAA/UWLAxlZ2DaI/AAAAAAAAAz4/KuQne6IW7cc/s1600/100_4877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" mta="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RVfAo4AuXAA/UWLAxlZ2DaI/AAAAAAAAAz4/KuQne6IW7cc/s320/100_4877.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lAoAuZHnCzs/UWLA7mf5UeI/AAAAAAAAA0A/fI38wv5vwIw/s1600/100_4878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mta="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lAoAuZHnCzs/UWLA7mf5UeI/AAAAAAAAA0A/fI38wv5vwIw/s320/100_4878.JPG" width="202" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Canned Corn...nourishment for meth heads or crack for trout? Either way you lose.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Til the next!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-4664393920290491712013-04-01T07:02:00.001-04:002013-04-01T07:02:30.733-04:00April 1st, 2013 In Memory Of Pops!Ode to a fishing Buddy!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2011/05/12/4952/">http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2011/05/12/4952/</a><br />
<div id="sidebar">
<div class="widget">
<a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2011/05/12/4952/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to “Pops”- by VERN-O">“Pops”- by VERN-O</a></div>
</div>
<div class="post">
<div class="post" id="post-4952">
<small><a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/category/articles/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Articles">Articles</a>, <a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/category/gear/product-reviews/book-reviews-excerpts/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Book Reviews & Excerpts">Book Reviews & Excerpts</a>, <a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/category/featured/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in featured">featured</a> — By <a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/author/kevinhoss/" rel="author" title="Posts by Kevin Hospodar">Kevin Hospodar</a> on May 12, 2011 11:55 am </small><br /><em>Vern-O is a commercial fly tyer from upstate New York. You can see his flies at J. Stockard’s Fly Market, or visit his Blog <a href="http://vern-o.blogspot.com/">Vern-o.blogspot.com</a></em><br />
<br />
April 1st for many in the Northeast signals the opening of trout season. For the rest of the country it means April Fool’s Day. I have been fishing for as long as I can remember, though fly-fishing came much later. Opening day of trout season is one of those things where I ask myself, “Do I really want to go out there with all those nut jobs trampling through the streams and be stacked Asses to elbows?” No, not really! Don’t get me wrong, I like comradery and all that jazz and I’ve done my fair share of opening day trips.<br />
<br />
<div style="display: block; float: right; height: 300px; width: 350px;">
<ins style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; display: inline-table; height: 280px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 336px;"><ins id="aswift_0_anchor" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; display: block; height: 31px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 38px;"><iframe allowtransparency="" frameborder="0" height="280" id="aswift_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="aswift_0" scrolling="no" style="left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px;" width="336"></iframe></ins></ins></div>
<br />
When I married my wife I inherited in-laws. This is not the case for me, I enjoy my in-laws. My father-in law, “Pops” to everyone who knows him as family, loves the outdoors. He was into Scouts, camping, hunting, and fishing. You name it with “outdoors”-attached and he was always willing to do it. After he inherited me as a son-in-law, along with a brother-in-law began to teach him the fine art of fly-fishing and eventually fly tying. He was an eager participant. It is always fun to help someone learn and enjoy the new life experiences that come with fly fishing; the flies are too small to see, the tangles of line, the cracking of the whip also known as a fly line, the frustration of rising fish refusing your offering, the task of getting waders on in the dark in sub-zero temperatures, and the art of skillfully removing those waders when nature calls. No, really it is fun to watch because we’ve all been through it. For me it was odd to show someone older than me the ins and outs of fly-fishing, but my student, Pops never complained when I asked him if he wanted to go fishing. He did however complain when it came to tangled lines, donning waders, lost flies, and the whole list of things that can go wrong during a “River Runs Through It” fishing trip. It eventually became funny to chat with my brother-in-law about what we saw Pops doing. We of course would offer assistance when needed and I usually found myself rigging his rod for him while he tried to fit into his natural casing, known as waders to many of us. Of course when I was rigging his rod I realized that his leader was about eight inches long, understand here that leaders usually run in the nine to twelve feet range. I would say to him, “What happened to you leader?” and he would respond that he was meaning to replace it. After doing so, I would position Pops in a likely fish holding spot and go trekking off up or down stream. After an hour or two we would meet up and discuss how things had gone and strategize on a game plan. During these discussions we would talk about our earlier success and or failures. Pops was always willing to give you the number of flies lost rather than number of fish hooked. Nevertheless I always enjoyed fishing with Pops and when no one else wanted go, Pops was always willing, and I mean always willing to go! The destination near or far didn’t matter. The targeted species didn’t matter. The weather didn’t matter; Pops was a Scout remember, always prepared. I fondly remember picking him up one early spring morning and he came out explaining he didn’t know what the weather was going to do that day. He had a fleece, a raincoat, a vest, and a Carhartt jacket stowed either on him or with him. One of the greatest joys of fishing with Pops was you were guaranteed a free treat to Dunkin’ Doughnuts if you were driving. Nothing beats a fresh giant apple fritter at o’dark thirty in the morning while driving and trying to drink scalding hot coffee. The other joy was to arrive at the fishing destination to see who had more doughnut filling dripped all over the front of themselves. Not every trip was perfect with Pops. There was the time when he had eaten a liverwurst and onion sandwich the night before and we had to keep reliving it through the power of stench filled burps that seemed to linger in the cab of the pickup truck, too rainy and cold to open the window, I was sure this would be the last fishing trip with Pops! As the years evolved Pops became a fly fisherman and a dear friend. His skills never really got to his potential but we had a lot of fun and a lot of stories. One of the fondest was the time we had gone to a spot never fished by us before and struck gold. The stocking truck must have just left, I really don’t know. We caught brook trout after brook trout and had the entire spot to ourselves for the entire morning. The pure joy and beauty of that day lives in my memory forever. Pops was in his glory and he shared a story on the way home about fishing for brookies with a stick, some string, and a safety pin as a young boy in Vermont.<br />
<a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2011/05/12/4952/fishing-buddy/" rel="attachment wp-att-4954"><div style="clear: both;">
</div>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4954" height="550" src="http://d25gtpn5p7hhlr.cloudfront.net/blogs/Hatches/files/2011/05/Fishing-Buddy-366x550.jpg" width="366" /></a><br />As the years progressed and our trips seemed to level out as life catches up with all of us, I noticed Pops was slowing down and his breathing seemed labored. Pops wasn’t getting younger, but he certainly wasn’t ready for packing in the gear, he had grand kids and great grand kids to take fishing. A couple of bouts with pneumonia and I realized Pops wasn’t really the same. The labored breathing really made me nervous and I mentioned to my wife that I had concerns about taking him fishing. I think we all know where this is heading and it pains me to relive the pain that came over the next two years and still lingers today. Pops battled lung cancer as a non-smoker to the best of his ability. He didn’t want to go and we all wanted to the best outcome. It was hard to see Pops in this way and I had a hard time keeping it together when visiting with him. Often times when it was just him and I sitting together I would remind him of some of our fishing trips together and how much I appreciated his help in life. As April 1st, 2010 came around and many flocked to the streams for the trout season opener, friends and family flocked to Pop’s side. It was the sunniest, warmest April 1st in memory. I got the call at work that I should come soon. When I got to Pop’s side I let him know that I was there. I said; “Pops what are you doing, It’s April 1st and we should be fishing”. Pops in his deteriorated state gathered the energy to attempt to get out of bed. I reassured him that it was ok and we were there with him. My last memory of Pops, always ready to go fishing. I spent the next night in my fly tying room trying to fill orders and take my mind elsewhere. Into the late night I tied and it was time to create a fly for my fishing buddy. As I listened to the Jerry Garcia Band play out a mournful version of Lucky Old Sun, I made sure Pop’s had a fly for his trip. I miss my fishing buddy.
<br />
<a href="http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2011/05/12/4952/pops-hatches/" rel="attachment wp-att-4956"><div style="clear: both;">
</div>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4956" height="357" src="http://d25gtpn5p7hhlr.cloudfront.net/blogs/Hatches/files/2011/05/Pops-Hatches-550x357.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
</div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-40557655198312703562013-03-28T10:09:00.002-04:002013-03-28T10:09:47.976-04:00Tie One On ReviewI was lucky enough to be invited to the Tie One On event in Syracuse, NY on march 23, 2013. This event was to benefit the Iroquois Chapter of Trout Unlimited and had a nice selection of tiers to back it up. There were a few vendors on site with fly tying materials: Badger Creek, Dette Flies, and Mickey's Bait & Tackle. Attendance was a little lacking, but a fair amount of women showing interest, which is always good to see in our sport. I had the pleasure of tying next to deer-hair master Pat Cohen and fly tying Jedi Steve Silverio. We had plenty of laughs and discussions about tying, fishing, and general life things. I brought my newly constructed swim tank, figuring this was the type of event where most folks hadn't one. With the popularity of Skagit Master 3, there is still a good portion of people who haven't seen one up close. After joking with Steve that the leaky side of the aquarium was on his side of the table....I was totally kidding since Steve has some stunning displays. Steve even wanted to try out one of his tube flies, which we tried several hook placent options to see the difference in the swimming motion. Cool stuff. I got to chat with Rick Kustich the author of the newly released Advanced Fly Fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead (which features three flies tyed by yours truly). Rick is a great guy and an equally talented tier. Dave Brandt, Allen Landheer, Mick Heck, Joe Caebellos, and Kevin Compton were all on hand as well. Also fellow Flymph Forum members Ray Tucker and Tim Didas showed up. The event also had several raffles and silent auctions. Hopefully the event was enough of a success to continues it again next year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m8Qt1kTaZ_g/UVROoP23_1I/AAAAAAAAAxw/w9KC0HUZUVY/s1600/539866_3006596861915_840329523_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m8Qt1kTaZ_g/UVROoP23_1I/AAAAAAAAAxw/w9KC0HUZUVY/s320/539866_3006596861915_840329523_n.jpg" usa="true" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Pat Cohen</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PvnwviOys1Q/UVROpO1D2gI/AAAAAAAAAx4/e4kqjOEkTH8/s1600/549815_577969455546917_602634076_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PvnwviOys1Q/UVROpO1D2gI/AAAAAAAAAx4/e4kqjOEkTH8/s320/549815_577969455546917_602634076_n.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-amwdtNx97D8/UVROqcLe7lI/AAAAAAAAAyA/L5K3R4wfuo8/s1600/578066_577969532213576_694435562_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-amwdtNx97D8/UVROqcLe7lI/AAAAAAAAAyA/L5K3R4wfuo8/s320/578066_577969532213576_694435562_n.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s6eRf0jS8E8/UVROqrO6U7I/AAAAAAAAAyE/kIyLUIOj8tQ/s1600/882014_3006597261925_1315813249_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s6eRf0jS8E8/UVROqrO6U7I/AAAAAAAAAyE/kIyLUIOj8tQ/s320/882014_3006597261925_1315813249_o.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Allen Landheer and Steve Silverio<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6HjDx6kTPSo/UVROrmHVXDI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/2HauHVEt5Rc/s1600/882539_3006596101896_29511468_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6HjDx6kTPSo/UVROrmHVXDI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/2HauHVEt5Rc/s320/882539_3006596101896_29511468_o.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Brad Buzzy<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L1UeAADSKBI/UVROsJR_77I/AAAAAAAAAyU/169fUgcYDn8/s1600/882622_3006595221874_1263124147_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L1UeAADSKBI/UVROsJR_77I/AAAAAAAAAyU/169fUgcYDn8/s320/882622_3006595221874_1263124147_o.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Dave Brandt and Mike Heck<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RVUCRyqnu1o/UVROuWXFXVI/AAAAAAAAAyg/WrX-y1NH0Ks/s1600/893885_3006598621959_1992201541_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RVUCRyqnu1o/UVROuWXFXVI/AAAAAAAAAyg/WrX-y1NH0Ks/s320/893885_3006598621959_1992201541_o.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Ray Tucker and Tim Didas<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0Z3CBmINWU/UVROvgXmEZI/AAAAAAAAAyo/Ck0nuRqmzcM/s1600/901152_3006599501981_630379982_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0Z3CBmINWU/UVROvgXmEZI/AAAAAAAAAyo/Ck0nuRqmzcM/s320/901152_3006599501981_630379982_o.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Rick KustichVERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-24329572718040165822013-03-18T08:48:00.001-04:002013-03-18T08:48:08.982-04:00Tie One On March 23, 2013I'll be tying at this event on Saturday<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h3rLEjQu8GM/UUcM7lZCI8I/AAAAAAAAAxc/ABC_ypD8DsU/s1600/tie+one.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" psa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h3rLEjQu8GM/UUcM7lZCI8I/AAAAAAAAAxc/ABC_ypD8DsU/s640/tie+one.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-11305775844486633112013-02-20T08:17:00.000-05:002013-02-20T09:51:37.216-05:00More Test Tank FoolingsCall me a kid, if you want....but I have a new toy and I like it. I built this test tank with mostly scrap materials laying around, but I really dig it. For me there is a lot to take in as a tier. The biggest thing, is the effect increased or heavy flow has on the way a fly will swim. Next to being a fish catcher, the way the fly swims has got to be the most important aspect of fly fishing (subsurface). Here are a couple of videos of recent test runs.....enjoy and expect to see more in the future.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/tiV9PH5QTx0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KeLbQ3B-L-g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-1656195545592682672013-02-12T12:08:00.000-05:002013-02-12T12:08:18.982-05:00Inspiration: Nemo<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Occasionally I get bogged down with fly tying orders or I get immense feelings of being overwhelmed. Not untypical for most tiers, I’m sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I often find myself breaking away from the routine, or trying to draw inspiration from different sources. Compound this matter with a harsh winter and cabin fever and things can get really dark mentally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will often tease my psyche by trying to reward myself with a few hours of free-form idea tying or just plain old tie something I want after filling a big order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The proverbial carrot on a stick, only I occasionally get the carrot if you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take the recent Northeast pounding of the storm called Nemo and my oldest daughter down and out with a nasty cough and fever. The storm came a pounding and I found myself tying for hours making progress on an order til the wee hours of the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iQUq4e5zLA/URp1zlwyLNI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/OHRBiwttvco/s1600/morning+covered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iQUq4e5zLA/URp1zlwyLNI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/OHRBiwttvco/s320/morning+covered.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next morning I awoke to a still precipitous sky, but the visual outside was amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything was serene and blanketed in snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tree branches bent over and touched the ground with a blanketing layer of snow, just a magical sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked out the window after breakfast and said I need to tie a cool fly and photograph it out side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I disappeared to the basement and worked out a pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I incorporated some Whiting Farms salmon colored Spey Rooster hackle lashed to HMH orange poly tube with some peach orange UV ice dub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I completed my work, it was time to head outside and see what magic the surrounding environment could add to my fly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was enthralled with the surroundings and was grinning from ear to ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just an amazing way to pull inspiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r4eegjfFa7I/URp1-D7pgoI/AAAAAAAAAwY/vmUZLGsSzkg/s1600/snow+mound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r4eegjfFa7I/URp1-D7pgoI/AAAAAAAAAwY/vmUZLGsSzkg/s320/snow+mound.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9mUsKQ_4Tb4/URp2CHk-j4I/AAAAAAAAAwg/l0BmVNTwDXI/s1600/fly+and+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9mUsKQ_4Tb4/URp2CHk-j4I/AAAAAAAAAwg/l0BmVNTwDXI/s320/fly+and+trees.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had posted some pictures on the social media vacuum called Facebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mentioned that the fly had no real name and someone suggested Nemo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought to myself, it does kind of look like the Disney character, but wasn’t totally sold on the idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then a full twenty four hours later it clicked in my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The snow storm had been called Nemo, and the colors worked for the Disney film, a sort of Freudian slip if you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As my daughter started to feel better I showed her the fly and we fooled around with a newly acquired black light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRHprYbRIRQ/URp2P9eYL5I/AAAAAAAAAwo/VXxDgvjVtf4/s1600/Blue+background.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRHprYbRIRQ/URp2P9eYL5I/AAAAAAAAAwo/VXxDgvjVtf4/s320/Blue+background.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2--DFXn_nY/URp2S7HugqI/AAAAAAAAAww/oB3Sb-yycgk/s1600/black+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2--DFXn_nY/URp2S7HugqI/AAAAAAAAAww/oB3Sb-yycgk/s320/black+light.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then the question came. How does it swim? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/AGBFlT_YE9k/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AGBFlT_YE9k&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AGBFlT_YE9k&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9sNJKdalnRw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With the recent popularity of the test tank in Skagit Masters 3, I too had fallen victim to wanting to create my own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had everything previously secured from the old family fish tank days, but I lacked the clear acrylic tube<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for the fly to swim in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank Swarner III came through with an extra piece after building his own test tank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Swim it did! Nemo swims again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of fun, all from a chance winter storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inspiration Move Me Brightly…..Terrapin Station (Grateful Dead)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-feS1m7RDZ00/URp2xgOpoAI/AAAAAAAAAw4/Ft6PltpzTVM/s1600/day+after+sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-feS1m7RDZ00/URp2xgOpoAI/AAAAAAAAAw4/Ft6PltpzTVM/s320/day+after+sun.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-10047294795078185602013-02-06T13:55:00.000-05:002013-02-06T13:55:10.038-05:00Mini Sculpin HelmetsI had the pleasure of tying a few flies using the new mini sculpin helmets from the Flymen Fishing Company. I really like these and can't wait to field test them. I'm already a fan of the two standard sizes.<br />
<a href="http://flymenfishingcompany.org/products/fish-skull-products/sculpin-helmet/mini-sculpin-helmet/">http://flymenfishingcompany.org/products/fish-skull-products/sculpin-helmet/mini-sculpin-helmet/</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kx7tHLrKz64/URKm00OwIWI/AAAAAAAAAvk/yvKgnGyjGQI/s1600/IMG_20130205_230038_zps5b450224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" jea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kx7tHLrKz64/URKm00OwIWI/AAAAAAAAAvk/yvKgnGyjGQI/s320/IMG_20130205_230038_zps5b450224.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8lYfpa3u1JU/URKm33z8p4I/AAAAAAAAAvs/7OJTi3kutGw/s1600/IMG_20130205_225937_zps4c37c8e2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" jea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8lYfpa3u1JU/URKm33z8p4I/AAAAAAAAAvs/7OJTi3kutGw/s320/IMG_20130205_225937_zps4c37c8e2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Stay tuned for more in the future. The above are tyed on HMH micro tubing.
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-13272630133231721782013-01-25T09:24:00.001-05:002013-01-25T09:24:32.584-05:00Oak Orchard Fly Shop Demo <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made my annual trip to the Oak Orchard Fly Shop in Williamsville, NY last Saturday (1/19/13) to do a fly tying demo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The OOFS has guest tyers every Saturday afternoon during January and February.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look forward to this trip every year, as it is one of the nicest collection of folks around. From Emanual at the register, to Nick organizing/hosting, and the dedicated locals that show up to make it all worthwhile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This year is special since it is the shop's twenty year anniversary. </span>Keeping up to my standard I whipped up some chili and my wife made a chocolate jelly roll cake with mint cookies and crème filling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are willing to watch me tie for two hours, the least I can do is feed you. Right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My buddy Martin and I met up with our Buffalo friend Eric at Duff's for some Buffalo wings and a beer before heading to the shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The demo went very well and the sharing of ideas was a two way street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's always great to see folks returning from year to year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This drives me to keep it fresh with new ideas and patterns. This year I decided to do some foam flies and warmwater patterns. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As most demos go, not everything goes smooth and being able to talk through these not so perfect moments helps me improve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look forward to next year already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for the support guys and gals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nXcN1rHqK7o/UQKUO7HR2VI/AAAAAAAAAug/YjsVhE6dTyc/s1600/578553_2727957736111_847619266_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" oea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nXcN1rHqK7o/UQKUO7HR2VI/AAAAAAAAAug/YjsVhE6dTyc/s320/578553_2727957736111_847619266_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g_5b8UAzLmg/UQKU2GSkPvI/AAAAAAAAAuw/EljUu1sFoBQ/s1600/100_0153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g_5b8UAzLmg/UQKU2GSkPvI/AAAAAAAAAuw/EljUu1sFoBQ/s320/100_0153.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PMdYC2CpCxk/UQKVP70EFZI/AAAAAAAAAvA/CiAaqM58j5Y/s1600/100_0155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" oea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PMdYC2CpCxk/UQKVP70EFZI/AAAAAAAAAvA/CiAaqM58j5Y/s320/100_0155.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-67971087765067779652013-01-24T08:56:00.001-05:002013-01-24T08:56:30.673-05:00Simo Lumme & The Nalle Puh<br />
This is an article I had done several years ago for Hatches online.....I wanted to add it to my blog for reference....enjoy if you hadn't seen it before.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Simo Lumme; The man behind the Nalle Puh fly and the man who defined a country’s love for fly fishing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Have you ever heard of the Nalle Puh fly or Simo Lumme?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most likely as Americans, the answer is no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m here to give you a little taste of what the fly tying world and the Internet can do to broaden your fly fishing horizons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simo Lumme was an architect from Finland who had a passion for fly tying and fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of his most famous patterns was the Nalle Puh, which translates to Winnie The Pooh, which he created in the late 1960s. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
The Nalle Puh is regarded as the National Fly of Finland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simo created the Nalle Puh t<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">o represent an egg laying caddis as it hovers and skips across the water’s surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ingenuity of this fly shines with its great floatability and bear fur wings giving the illusion of caddis wings in motion. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;">Today there is a whole clan of Nalle Puh flies: Dark Puh, Honey Puh CDC Puh, etc. Two things to keep in mind when tying the Nalle Puh; the wings should be more upright than forward, and the body hackle should be slight shorter than the thorax hackle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These tips help reduce the chances of the fly floating face first in the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qYQa-tZ7wRE/UQE9LVnnsaI/AAAAAAAAAtk/vBYk8ws75IY/s1600/New+Picture.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" oea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qYQa-tZ7wRE/UQE9LVnnsaI/AAAAAAAAAtk/vBYk8ws75IY/s320/New+Picture.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
Nalle Puh <br />Hook- size 6-16 (dry)<br />Thread- Orange or yellow <br />Wing- bear hair or synthetic substitute, tyed in a V <br />Rib- Fine Gold Wire (counter wrapped over hackle on the abdomen.<br />Body/dubbing- Orange and yellow poly yarn and hare’s ear blend (nice and buggy)<br />Hackle-Red-brown rooster on the body and red-brown rooster for front hackle <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Simo’s fascination with caddis flies lead to more in depth studies of their behavior and life cycles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Caddis flies dominate many of the waters in Finland, and are a major food source for the trout and grayling found there. Simo would often inspect the stomach contents of trout and sketch what he saw in a notebook with ink pens and colored pencils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simo would often do his sketches streamside knowing that the stomach acid of a trout would change the color of its contents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through his research in the early 1970s Simo learned that certain times of year the trout would feed heavily on sedge pupas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He came up with an excellent pattern to represent the pupa using reflective trilobal man-made fibers (antron).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is believed he was one of the first fly tyers to use antron for it’s air-bubble-trapping properties. A good friend, Preben Torp Jacobsen of Denmark saw a pupa pattern tyed by Simo and named it the SL Pupa using Simo’s initials.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
Preben Torp Jacobsen talking about the SL Pupae; “Simo is not using very much dubbing - most flytyers use all too much material! After each turn of dubbing he brushes the dubbing backwards with his fingers. In that way, the tying silk will always be close to the hook and not placed on top of another turn of dubbing. After the tying he combs the whole fly with a piece of ‘Velcro’, so that the fibers trail backwards. Should he by accident have used too much dubbing, then he cuts the fly with a pair of scissors and then treats it once more with the 'Velcro'. The tying can seem very simple; but it’s of utmost importance, that the fly looks ‘light’ and surrounded by a 'halo' of fine, fluttering fibers, that diffuse the contour of the fly.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Simo Lumme describing his dubbing mixture to Preben Torp Jacobsen;</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
"I try to imitate it with a dubbing of a mixture of artificial wools - partly stiff; but with a sharp luster like polyamide (nylon, perlon, antron etc.), partly something more soft like polyacryl (dralon, rayon or natural wool), and I use white wool to 'tone' the colors down. I cut the fibers in short lengths, separate them and mix them thoroughly, until I get the right hue. Exactly the same way a painter mixes the colors on his palette".</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">As a skilled architect, Simo Lumme could draw excellent pictures of fly tying sequences and fishing illustrations. He co-authored the most popular book about Finnish fly fishing and fly tying in 1990 (Lumme & Pusa: Perhonsidonta (Fly Tying) Otava 1988, Finland).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">The Finnish flyfishing community was shocked in early November 1998 by the sudden death of Simo Lumme at the age of 69.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simo Lumme was a truly inspirational in his contributions to the fly fishing world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew well the importance of American fishing styles and the etiquette of traditional British fly fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Combining these two styles he was one the most influential fly fishing figures in Finnish history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">“There really was much more to his fishing than just catching fish.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simo Lumme was truly a gentleman and believed highly in ethics both on the water and in everyday life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">What started as a simple inquiry about a fly pattern, evolved into a greater appreciation for another part of the world and the amazing people that I stumbled upon along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am disappointed that it has taken me this long to learn of Simo Lumme, but I would have been more disappointed having not learned of him at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I encourage everyone who reads this article to take a little time the next time you tie on a fly and think about what story might lie behind it’s creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when at your vice looking to create that next go-to-fly….could it some day be the fly of a nation?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"<br />"What's for breakfast? said Pooh. "What do <i>you</i> say, Piglet?"<br />"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting <i>today</i>?" said Piglet.<br />Pooh nodded thoughtfully.<br />"It's the same thing," he said. ……from “The Tao Of Pooh”, by Benjamin Hoff<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Books:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Author: Lumme, Simo and Pusa, Juha<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Title: Perhonsidonta / Simo Lumme, Juha Pusa<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[Perhonsidonta=Fly Tying]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1. edition 1988<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2. edition 1993<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>199 pages (includes pictures)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ISBN 951-1-12590-7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Author: Pusa, Juha<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Title: "Urheilukalastajan käsikirja"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(That translates to: Sportfisherman's Hand Book)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Edition<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1982). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">(Simo Lumme wrote a chapter of dry fly fishing and was also<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">the illustrator for the entire book)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Sources:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.fishinfinland.com/sl.htm"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.fishinfinland.com/sl.htm</span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><u><span style="color: blue;">http://globalflyfisher.com/staff/torp/lumme.htm</span></u><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.rackelhanen.se/swe/1084.htm"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.rackelhanen.se/swe/1084.htm</span></span></a></div>
<u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.kalassa.net/perhokalastus/perhoreseptit/pupat/sl_pupa.shtml"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.kalassa.net/perhokalastus/perhoreseptit/pupat/sl_pupa.shtml</span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
<u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.sportfishingmagazine.fi/english/fly_tying_school/nalle_puh.htm"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.sportfishingmagazine.fi/english/fly_tying_school/nalle_puh.htm</span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
<u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="mailto:opaxff@gmail.com"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: blue;">opaxff@gmail.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u><span>"Olli Jääskeläinen" <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.perhopojat.fi/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: blue;">www.perhopojat.fi</span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
<u style="text-underline: words;"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Roihuvuori_water_tower_-_Helsinki_Finland.jpg">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Roihuvuori_water_tower_-_Helsinki_Finland.jpg</a><o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7MJC9a7EICg/UQE8QpGi6PI/AAAAAAAAAtU/bB1-_Mb_hwY/s1600/449px-Roihuvuori_water_tower_-_Helsinki_Finland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 356px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 401px;"><img border="0" height="320" oea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7MJC9a7EICg/UQE8QpGi6PI/AAAAAAAAAtU/bB1-_Mb_hwY/s320/449px-Roihuvuori_water_tower_-_Helsinki_Finland.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Roihuvuori water tower</span></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> in Eastern Helsinki, Finland. (60° 11' 51" N 25° 02' 59" E) Built in the 1976-1977.Design by architect Simo Lumme. It is 52 metres high and can hold around 12,000 m³ of water. Photo by Finnish Wikipedia user <a href="http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A4ytt%C3%A4j%C3%A4:O-VMikkel%C3%A4" title="fi:Käyttäjä:O-VMikkelä"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="color: blue;">Otto-Ville Mikkelä</span></span></a></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6676767462077290939.post-40952002291535561152013-01-15T08:01:00.000-05:002013-01-15T08:01:16.257-05:00Upcoming demo and the Short-Holer of the Weekend<br />
<br />
I will be tying an assortment of warmwater flies and serving chili to the folks at the Oak Orchard Fly Shop on Saturday 1/19/2013 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in Buffalo, NY<br />
<br />
<a href="http://oakorchardflies.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=events&action=display&thread=5429&page=1">http://oakorchardflies.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=events&action=display&thread=5429&page=1</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i6/VERN-O/100_4819_zps027c7174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" jea="true" src="http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i6/VERN-O/100_4819_zps027c7174.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_50f551ddcab563215348626">
Short-Holer of the Weekend goes to this nitt-witt. He drops in 15 feet below me, without a word. Then wades out to the middle of the river and proceeds to start casting. Then three casts into fishing his line tangles. For the next ten m<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">inutes he fumbles with his line. Note the line is wrapped around his head. I then proceed to smirk and get out and short hole him! If you see this guy on the water, tell him thanks for the entertainment!....LOL</span></div>
VERN-Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07611093967314440883noreply@blogger.com0