One day. I’m sure. When river time isn’t so precious.
I can ABSO-LUTELY relate. I think it boils down to confidence in your approach. If you don't have someone who you can bounce ideas or voice frustrations to it makes it hard to stick with a certain tack. It's easy to second guess yourself when you don't have a track record of success to fall back on. And when you can only steal a few hours when the stars align, you want to increase your odds of success by doing what has worked in the past.
Don't get hung up on casting; you can catch a fish after a bad cast, but you probably won't catch a fish on a bad drift. You are freaking PortlandDawg, the absolute man. I've seen some of your awesome artwork; you can remember a couple knots. Start with a blood knot to connect different thicknesses of line together. Your regular old improved clinch knot is fine to connect the fly.
You can make it as easy or as complicated as you want. People make things, in general, sound harder than they actually are. There's this thing called tenkara flies from Japan, which is basically chicken feathers on a hook. It's been proven to catch any species of fish, so when you hear some jack hole talking about nothing biting except using a size 16 Brown drake, know you have just as much of a chance as he does. Just work the same water you would with your spinning rod with enough confidence to keep yourself from changing rigs every 5 casts.
I've never fished the Susquehanna , it sounds awesome. Spend some time in Potter County, God's Country, fishing Freeman's Run for Brook and Brown.
Have you ever looked up Joe Humphreys? He was a professor at Penn St. and taught Jimmy Carter and his wife to fly fish. He's got a real common sense approach. He grew up fishing small streams with thick cover, no wide open areas like out west. He tells a story about catching a trout on a fly he made from orange scraps around the house, putting it in the basket of his bike,and singing at the top of his lungs the whole way home. It's a feeling I think we all are trying to recapture when we wade into the water how many years later.
Honestly I have been a dedicated fly fisher for many years.
Sure I have read Humphreys. I have read and done so much in fishing it has been a great passion.
My favorite book and the one I recommend to anyone beginners to expert.
Dave Whitlock's Guide to Aquatic Trout Foods. Really well illustrated and super informative.
I could teach someone to cast effectively very quickly.
There are some basics tips that really help. I read first. Then studied. Then watched. And then practiced.
It is a feel thing. Like riding a bike. Once you get the basics. Experience teaches.
I lived in Harrisburg as a young boy. My father started me fishing for smallies.
Today the best smallmouth fishing anywhere is Lake Erie. My brother is going out with a guide today near Presque Isle. Average smallie 3-4 pounds. Unreal fishery.
I have a couple of stripers in my pond. Great game fish.
If any of mine were even 8 pounds I'd be surprised. (I have a rule for my pond: come fish. Bluegill don't get put back in the pond. The bass are catch and release only)
My favorite book and the one I recommend to anyone beginners to expert.
Dave Whitlock's Guide to Aquatic Trout Foods. Really well illustrated and super informative...
Thanks for the recommendation. I will definitely check that out.
Do you have any recommendations for books on fly tying? I have been tying my own for a while, but really want to get good at it. I got a copy of "Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple," by Skip Morris. I felt it did a good job of progressively building techniques with each fly tied. The dawggone materials are so expensive though, I found myself using a lot of substitutions that I'm not quite sure were appropriate.
I'm taking a guys trip with my son and father to the Au Sable near the end of June. Looks like a lot of mayfly hatches. I'd like to find a good book that shows different fly, emerger, and nymph variation. I'd really like my son to be in the midst of a hatch where I've rigged him up with a dry and an emerger on the dropper. This will be his first fly fishing trip where he will have a chance to catch native and wild trout; until now it's been all stocked put and take fish. Sounds like Mr. Whitlock's book might be the thing, as I'm sure it details different species throughout the life cycle. Even if it's not a book on tying specifically, I think I have the skills to produce a reasonable facsimile. There's always YouTube as well.
Have you ever fished at night? There's hex hatches that I've heard produce bruiser Brown's at night. I'd like to learn to tie some spinners. I've never night fished for trout before though. I'm guessing they aren't typically sipping and are really aggressive at that time, but I don't normally feel a take, so I am apprehensive of fishing when I can't see.
[Verse 1] Generals gathered in their masses Just like witches at black masses Evil minds that plot destruction Sorcerers of death's construction In the fields, the bodies burning As the war machine keeps turning Death and hatred to mankind Poisoning their brainwashed minds Oh, Lord, yeah!
[Verse 2] Politicians hide themselves away They only started the war Why should they go out to fight? They leave that all to the poor, yeah! Time will tell on their power minds Making war just for fun Treating people just like pawns in chess Wait till their judgment day comes, yeah!
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3] Now, in darkness, world stops turning Ashes where their bodies burning No more war pigs have the power Hand of God has struck the hour Day of Judgment, God is calling On their knees, the war pigs crawling Begging mercies for their sins Satan, laughing, spreads his wings Oh, Lord, yeah!
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I took one fly tying class. Not my thing. Whitlock goes into it a little in the book. But he has a theory that replicas are not needed.
I know in Upper Michigan they fish for huge browns at night with mouse patterns. I looked into it once and there are guides that specialize in that.
Check this out.
I really got into fly fishing and fly tying for a while. I dedided that I have too many expensive hobbies, so fly tying and golf were the ones to go. I do miss it, and gave away tons of fly tying materials and gear. But I'm sticking with photography, cycling, guns and guitars.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. - John Muir
This song depicts the great Jazz bassist/composer/arranger/bandleader Charles Mingus in his final days. He always said he'd outlive Duke Ellington (who died at 77), but suffered ALS which stole his body, then took him from us- at 56. From Joni Mitchell's liner notes:
"Charles Mingus, a musical mystic, died in Mexico, January 5, 1979 at the age of 56. He was cremated the next day. That same day, 56 sperm whales beached themselves on the Mexican coastline and were removed by fire. These are the coincidences that thrill my imagination."
"A Chair In The Sky" -Joni Mitchell/Charles Mingus from 'Mingus' Asylum Records ‎– AS 53091 1979
The rain slammed hard as bars It caught me--by surprise Mutts of the planet And shook me down for alibis I'm waiting For the keeper to release me Debating this sentence Biding my time In memories Of old friends of mine In daydreams of Birdland I see my soul on fire Burning up the bandstand Next time I'll be bigger! I'll be better than ever! I'll be happily attached To my cold hard cash! But now Manhattan holds me To a chair in the sky With the Bird in my ears And boats in my eyes Going by
There are things I wish I'd done Some friends I'm gonna miss Beautiful lovers I never got the chance to kiss Daydreamin' drugs the pain of living Processions of missing Lovers and friends Fade in and they fade out again In these daydreams of rebirth I see myself in style Raking in what I'm worth Next time I'll be bigger! I'll be better than ever! I'll be resurrected royal! I'll be rich as Standard Oil! But now, Manhattan holds me To a chair in the sky With the Bird in my ears And boats in my eyes Going by
Dawg... this album has been in my Top 10 for forty (!!!) years. That's how good it is.
And that's counting all the landmark historic Classical and Straight-ahead Jazz masterpieces in my 750+ LP collection. All the exotic stuff I've found. All the family favorites.
Top 10. All Time.
Everything Joni had done before was leading to this joint. The personnel on the album is a 'who's who' of contemporary front-runners... and sitting at the feet of The Master had to be both inspirational and intimidating af for her. Joni herself even said that she ran 3-4 versions of every tune past Charles during her process.
The Boys In The Band were more than happy to indulge her- and themselves. It was that much of a worthy project, and her music was that good. They all worshiped Charles. They'd do anything to make this thing happen.
_____________________
A tip: Set aside a chunk of 'me time'... and do this thing justice. It's best enjoyed/appreciated if listened to deeply. Consider the album a concert suite to be experienced like a complete story... with multiple chapters that tell the tale. Take it in from start to finish. The way we always used to listen to music, you know?
Old School.
Set aside the time to do it right. Create/prepare a listening session. If you enjoy a sip/equivalent, please do so. Every tune on this collection is a knockout- from lyrics through final mix... and the musicians are the best of their generation(s).
Dawg, I promise you: If you love and appreciate deeply-conceived music, you will adopt this album like a family member. This album sit on the same shelf as Miles Davis' 'Kind Of Blue.'
It's a good song though. I probably haven't heard it is 25-25 years. That's what makes these kinds of threads cool though.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Randy Newman has written a bunch of great songs this is one.
In America you'll get food to eat Won't have to run through the jungle And scuff up your feet You'll just sing about Jesus and drink wine all day It's great to be an American
Ain't no lions or tigers ain't no mamba snake Just the sweet watermelon and the buckwheat cake Everybody is as happy as a man can be Climb aboard little wog sail away with me
Sail away sail away We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay Sail away-sail away We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay
In America every man is free To take care of his home and his family You'll be as happy as a monkey in a monkey tree You're all gonna be an American
Sail away sail away We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay Sail away-sail away We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay
My favorite Randy Newman composition is actually an instrumental called "Dexter's Tune". It's a very pretty song he composed for the movie, "Awakenings" with Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro.
![[Linked Image from i28.photobucket.com]](http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c201/shadedog/mcenroe2.jpg)
