Question:

Several people e-mailed, asking if these stories are true…….

Never doubted your veracity myself.  As a matter of fact, it never occurred to me to wonder whether or not any of your stories are true.  Now that the subject has been broached, I am forced to wonder why anyone would concern him or her self with such a question.  There is no doubt in my feeble little mind that "Huckleberry Finn", "Gulliver’s Travels", and perhaps even "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" would fail the test of scholarly historiography.  Should this prove to be the case, I suspect that they would all nevertheless continue to draw readers and furthermore, that it would not detract one whit from the truth contained in these timeless stories. In other words, fuck ‘em.  You go Mike. Wolfgang

Response:

Several people e-mailed, asking if these stories are true, and if so, how on earth such things could happen to me…

Hi Mike, I do enjoy this stuff: up to your usual form. I have tried to e-mail you privately, but have had no replies. Is it not getting through? Best & Tight Lines, Tony Deacon

Response:

Had a little problem with some software. Maybe that is the reason ?  I saw no posts from you recently. Lookout Distress is once again living up to its name, coupled with the arcane machinations of the German Telecom, it makes Brown trucks look like heavenly chariots. TL MC — "Where fishing is concerned, most anglers are basically manic excessives" http://www.mikeconnor.de – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Several people e-mailed, asking if these stories are true, and if so, how on earth such things could happen to me… Hi Mike, I do enjoy this stuff: up to your usual form. I have tried to e-mail you privately, but have had no replies. Is it not getting through? Best & Tight Lines, Tony Deacon

Response:

Thanks Chris,  very kind of you to say so. Care must be taken in some instances though, not all of my exploits and methods are suitable for emulation. My track record with poachers for instance is quite abysmal. TL MC – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – —- Mike, I for one enjoy your vast knowledge and experiences.  I never thought for a moment that they did not ring of truth and I have employed some of your past suggestions with success, I might mention.

Response:

I had trouble shooting Teel when I first started duck hunting.  It was because they fly much faster than the other ducks.  I consistently shot behind them.  I finally got so I could hit one, but never could hit a Snipe. Ernie

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If you spend a great deal of time and energy on something, several things tend to occur. You  become fairly good at it, and you experience a lot more things than if you only occasionally did it. A few weeks ago, I was out duck hunting (OBROFF: gathering CDC feathers.)  I had just flushed a flock of mallards out of a slough, and I was crouched down in the grass hoping some of them might come back, when a pair of blue wing teal appeared out of nowhere, crossed in front of me and settled on opposite edge of the water, out of range. I sat still for another 15 minutes or so with one eye on the teal and one eye on the horizon, where the mallards were still flying.  There was a sound of wingbeats overhead and suddenly there was an enormous redtailed hawk, hot in pursuit of the teal.  The teal dove underwater, but the water was only a foot or so deep so the hawk had no trouble following them, hovering over the water, wings beating furiously like a huge kestrel.  The teal eventually made good their escape, flying right past me.  I suppose I could have shot them fairly easily, but it didn’t seem quite right.  I just stared, filled with awe and wonderment at my good fortune to have been a witness. I would have never seen it happen if I hadn’t been out there, and what possible other reason could I have to be crouched down in the weeds next to a slough out on the prairie?  I think I have posted before my belief that the reason we go out hunting or fishing or whatever is not so much to gather fish or game (unless we seriously need the food), but to gather interesting stories to tell.  The fishing is fun, but it is also a reason to get out of the house and out into the world and let things happen to us. Kevin

Response:

Several people e-mailed, asking if these stories are true, and if so, how on earth such things could happen to me.  I have attempted to explain this in the past, I seem to remember even on here, but for those who missed it the first time, ( assuming I did in fact explain it before on here), here it is again.

<snipped, but deeply appreciated —- Mike, I for one enjoy your vast knowledge and experiences.  I never thought for a moment that they did not ring of truth and I have employed some of your past suggestions with success, I might mention.  The reason some people may question your veracity could be that the have led colorless lives themselves and are judging your life experience against the standard of being a spector of life instead of participating in life as you have. In a given week, I tend to do a lot of different things.  When someone asked me how I did so many things, I told them, simply, "I do not own a television."  I have a VCR player hooked to a video monitor for some of my instructional videos that I own, but I NEVER watch television.  Since the average American, according to one source, watches an astounding 40+ hours of television a week, it is small wonder where I find the "extra" time to indulge myself in my many varied interests. —- Padishar Creel "I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work…I want to achieve it through not dying."  – Woody Allen

Response:

Thanks Chris,  very kind of you to say so. Care must be taken in some instances though, not all of my exploits and methods are suitable for emulation. My track record with poachers for instance is quite abysmal.

—– So is my experience with Game Wardens, as it so happens <G — Padishar Creel "I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work…I want to achieve it through not dying."  – Woody Allen

Response:

Mike,   Some have doubted the veracity of my many misadventures, but any doubts were laid to rest at the Rappahanock Clave (read Frank meets tent stake).   Your stories are so wonderful because we, as a group, can identify with the situations.  As a whole, I’m sure it would take the combined experience of ROFF to match your own.  We thank you for sharing yours. We will not match yours (thinking about going beak to beak with an owl is a tough way to get into PETA’s bad boy book. Go strangle a pheasant me boyo.  Very proper that.).  We will however, experience that vicarious thrill of looking at the world through your eyes as we slog through the day-to-day life with our commutes and lousy jobs.    Your every story conjurs up the fun of a Guy Fawkesian tale.  You have the unwitting anti-hero (you), the protagonist (the sea,a crazed bus driver, a policeman), an injured victim (an owl or the bloomin bloomerless WI) and a common thread of life just outside of the bounds of control, a train wreck waiting to happen.    I will often piggy back on your stories.  Like stories around a campfire, or more properly, in front of a fire in a ghillie hut, single malt in hand, they become seeds for other stories and ROFF threads. I’m glad you’re back.      Frank Reid Before you buy.

Response:

I would have never seen it happen if I hadn’t been out there, and what possible other reason could I have to be crouched down in the weeds next to a slough out on the prairie?  

That’s an astonishing observation, Kevin. I’ve felt the same thing on many occasions. People who don’t hunt or fish can’t really understand what it’s like to experience this stuff. — visit my web site: http://home.earthlink.net/~royalwulff/

Response:

I had trouble shooting Teel when I first started duck hunting.  It was because they fly much faster than the other ducks.  I consistently shot behind them.  I finally got so I could hit one, but never could hit a Snipe. Ernie

Too bad, Keith at Grindstone Angling has been bugging me about finding him some snipe.  I could’ve gotten a pretty penny out of him if you were any good.  :)  I was holding out on him, but he recently got his own computer and you’d never guess who he dug up all by hisself. Mike, truth always has been stranger than fiction.  I look on your stories as a life spent in an endless "Carry On" movie.  There are far worse fates.  :)   A rich life always appears untrue to those who rarely try to extend their lives beyond the poverty of their spirit. Peter

Response:

If you spend a great deal of time and energy on something, several things tend to occur. You  become fairly good at it, and you experience a lot more things than if you only occasionally did it.

A few weeks ago, I was out duck hunting (OBROFF: gathering CDC feathers.)  I had just flushed a flock of mallards out of a slough, and I was crouched down in the grass hoping some of them might come back, when a pair of blue wing teal appeared out of nowhere, crossed in front of me and settled on opposite edge of the water, out of range. I sat still for another 15 minutes or so with one eye on the teal and one eye on the horizon, where the mallards were still flying.  There was a sound of wingbeats overhead and suddenly there was an enormous redtailed hawk, hot in pursuit of the teal.  The teal dove underwater, but the water was only a foot or so deep so the hawk had no trouble following them, hovering over the water, wings beating furiously like a huge kestrel.  The teal eventually made good their escape, flying right past me.  I suppose I could have shot them fairly easily, but it didn’t seem quite right.  I just stared, filled with awe and wonderment at my good fortune to have been a witness. I would have never seen it happen if I hadn’t been out there, and what possible other reason could I have to be crouched down in the weeds next to a slough out on the prairie?  I think I have posted before my belief that the reason we go out hunting or fishing or whatever is not so much to gather fish or game (unless we seriously need the food), but to gather interesting stories to tell.  The fishing is fun, but it is also a reason to get out of the house and out into the world and let things happen to us. Kevin

Response:

Several people e-mailed, asking if these stories are true, and if so, how on earth such things could happen to me.  I have attempted to explain this in the past, I seem to remember even on here, but for those who missed it the first time, ( assuming I did in fact explain it before on here), here it is again. Well, first of all, for quite a long time, I was so fanatical about fishing, that I often went seven days a week, I did not much care where, or for what, I simply took every available opportunity, and even if none was apparently available, I made one. Sometimes I only went for an hour, school, work, and other things allowing, ( and often even if they did not allow it, school bored me to death, and I rarely attended, I went fishing instead), and sometimes I disappeared for days, or even weeks. During these times, all I did was fish, and read, and what I read was also mostly about fishing. When I first started seriously fishing, the main reason was to catch fish for food. As it was absolutely imperative that I catch something to eat, I did not mess about very much, if at all, I made a point of discovering the best methods, ( for "best", read,  "most successful in terms of edible fish caught "), and applied them diligently, with considerable success. Not all of these methods were equally enjoyable, some were certainly not "fair", although to me all were enjoyable to some extent, (even hauling nets at sea, or longlining, which I also did for a while), but most were extremely successful, when correctly practiced, and as enjoyment was not the main driving factor, this did not really matter in any case. What I am trying to explain here, is that the enjoyment was more or less completely incidental initially. Fishing was not a way of "killing time", or "pursuing an interest", "a hobby", or all the other various euphemisms one often hears for various pastimes. It was a way of obtaining food for nothing, and it was also very cheap, healthy,  and fulfilling entertainment. I never considered fishing, or anything even remotely connected with it to be  work, although I knew a few who did. If you spend a great deal of time and energy on something, several things tend to occur. You  become fairly good at it, and you experience a lot more things than if you only occasionally did it. If the subject also interests you per se, and you also perhaps have a certain talent for it,  then you get even better at it, you really have no choice in the matter, it is a simple progression. One thing leads to another. Before I was twenty years old I had caught more fish, and spent more time on the water, often in the company of experts, than many men will ever do in their whole lifetimes. For years I gave lessons in tying and casting to various local clubs, spent weekends teaching fly-fishing for the local water authority, giving fly-dressing demos at various fairs, ( long before tying became as popular as it is now), etc etc etc. In the years that followed, the frequency of my trips decreased of course, you may play truant from school with relative impunity, but if you play truant from work you will eventually be sacked.( Fired ! ). Nevertheless, I still managed to spend a great deal of time on the water, or involved in some way. I had become firm friends with many other anglers, and people connected with angling, and because of this, I received opportunities which others did not. Anything to do with fishing interested me, and I went out of my way to be part of anything at all where fish or fishing was involved.  All the time my interest remained steady, and I read every book or magazine that I could lay my hands on. When I got the chance, I went fishing with others, some of them already world or at least nationally renowned experts at that time, others perhaps less well known, but experts nonetheless, and of course with lots of other people, who were neither well known nor experts. All contributed to my angling education. Much of what I read, learned, or simply saw,  I immediately put into practice. What I could not buy, I built, ( basically why I started tying flies as well ), insofar as it was within my capabilities to do so. Astoundingly enough, one discovers fairly early on that most things are not that hard to do, what one man can invent or design, another man can build, given reasonable intelligence,  time, persistence,  and materials. Simply attempting this, hones your capabilities automatically, until you reach a point where you find very few things difficult. At a fairly early point during these years, the need to catch fish for food decreased, and eventually disappeared entirely, but my enthusiasm for fishing did not, and I continued reading about it, and fishing a great deal, but now purely for enjoyment, the fish having become an incidental bonus to the entertainment, and so it has remained to this day. Apparently I have a very selective, but almost photographic memory, for things concerning fishing. It took me almost fifteen years before I finally managed to remember my wife’s birthday, but I only have to see a fly pattern once, and it is fixed forever in my memory.  I can not remember my own mobile phone number for more than a day, and constantly have to look it up, but I can remember every single run on every single river or stream I have ever fished with brilliant clarity. Even those I fished over thirty years ago. Although a fairly good navigator, and with an excellent sense of direction, I can not remember a street in a city which I visited last week, but I can find my way across the North York Moors, from any point you care to mention, to any stream or valley within hundreds of square miles with absolutely pin-point accuracy, in the pitch dark, with no moon or stars and in heavy snow or fog. I can do the same here, in the Lueneburger Heide. I have no idea why I can do this, or even how, I just can. I wish I did know, I would certainly apply the talent to something else if I possibly could. I can not remember whether it rained yesterday, but  I can remember  every sizeable fish I have ever caught, where I caught it, how I caught it, and what the weather conditions were at the time. I can "see" these things in my mind, like a film which may be rewound and replayed at will.  I could give more examples, but I suppose you get the drift. Regarding actually fishing, if I absolutely must catch a fish, then I do, I do not find it particularly difficult. Nowadays I do not bother with extremely productive methods much, as I find other methods more enjoyable, even though they are less productive.  The size of fish caught has ceased to bother me very much, although it is nice to catch a large one now and then, as the fight is simply more interesting and challenging. Somebody on here said ( I believe it was Willi actually ), some time ago now, that he had more or less ceased nymphing, as although it was extremely productive in terms of fish, it was hard work, and got boring after a while.  I feel much the same about some methods. It is just too easy, although perhaps hard work, and therefore not worth the bother.  This doubtless sounds extremely arrogant, but it is nevertheless simple fact. Catching one very difficult fish from a challenging position, or for other reasons, ( actually regardless of size ) is much more enjoyable than banging out a dozen in double quick time with an easy method, or because the fish are madly on the feed, and have thrown caution to the winds. Unfortunately this applies to many "new" methods as well. There are not many angling books I have not read, and there are not many methods, tackle, or materials,  I do not at least know something about. Once read or seen, never forgotten. I can even remember shotting patterns somebody once showed me, again over thirty years ago. Often I am quite amused when I read about some "new" method of tying flies, or casting, or a host of other things. Invariably these things are not new at all, and in all likelihood have been around for quite a while, in some cases for centuries. I remember being extremely crushed over thirty five years ago, when I sent in a parachute version of the Greenwell

Question:

Hey, Phillips, you have to start watching a different weather channel…the one you use doesn’t appear to be too accurate.  Here’s a picture I took from my den just ten minutes ago: http://home1.gte.net/ikvamar/rainier.jpg The mountain is about seventy miles away…see any clouds?  When you refer to going to "UW," are you sure you don’t mean the University of Warsaw? Ron "A picture is worth a thousand posts…but we’re going to    get the posts anyway" Wanttaja http://www.halcyon.com/wanttaja/

Response:

Hey, Phillips, you have to start watching a different weather channel…the one you use doesn’t appear to be too accurate.  Here’s a picture I took from my den just ten minutes ago: http://home1.gte.net/ikvamar/rainier.jpg The mountain is about seventy miles away…see any clouds?  When you refer to going to "UW," are you sure you don’t mean the University of Warsaw?

Bill I live between  John Amptheater and John Outhouse at Hillsboro, OR and this is what it looked like at my house today. I think you  got mixed up somewhere do you see any clouds in the sky? http://www.teleport.com/~jsflyrv/elcamino.html —

Response:

This is an area about the size of Wisconsin with not one stream unless it rains. It’s dismal man.

So now you admit the truth about your dessicated excuse for a so-called climate? — Alan Davenport                       W7APD at home dot com If I can be of any help … you’re in worse shape than I thought.

Response:

Neat pic.  That was the first sunshine in how many days? Warren – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey, Phillips, you have to start watching a different weather channel…the one you use doesn’t appear to be too accurate.  Here’s a picture I took from my den just ten minutes ago: http://home1.gte.net/ikvamar/rainier.jpg The mountain is about seventy miles away…see any clouds?  When you refer to going to "UW," are you sure you don’t mean the University of Warsaw? Ron "A picture is worth a thousand posts…but we’re going to    get the posts anyway" Wanttaja http://www.halcyon.com/wanttaja/

Response:

But… does anybody fly in milwaukee in January… maybe that ANG unit from New York with the C-130s on skis?

Naaah, We got our own unit, even have another one at Truax in Madison, a little further north. Seriously though, Milwaukee has to make for unpleasant flying in the

cold. A good snowmobile suit takes care of a lot, especially with a good ski mask and some nice lined mittens.  But then, we also have our "Polar Bear Club" in Milwaukee that takes a dip in Lake Michigan every New Years day.  But I gotta admit, there is no place colder that I know of than an abandoned 10000 foot airstrip, in January.  Even better at night, when you’re just standing in one spot, looking through a telescope.  I can take about 15 minutes of that, then I start looking for a warm place.  Little secret tho, once your feet get cold, the rest of you will be right behind.  Keep your feet warm and it isn’t too bad. (Lessee now. Insulated boots, wool socks, long johns, insulated undershirt, insulated vest, snomobile suit, ski mask, mittens.  Yep, I’m all set, but now I can’t move.) Richard B. — http://homestead.deja.com/user.rabue/index.html N33913 Before you buy.

Response:

Hope you’ve got the same one I have, misery loves company, ya know. Settled in my upper back, right between the shoulder blades.  Fun when I gotta work. Richard B.

Yep!  That’s it.  I got it.  When I cough my whole back goes into spasms.  Lovely thing. BWB

Response:

You know Kevin, I have eaten dog in both Southeast Asia and Central America.  I thought it was not bad at all.  Here in Vegas in the late 1960’s they had a meat shop that sold only horse meat.  It was excellent too.  We lived on it in college because it was so cheap. Over thanksgiving my buddy DocDave and I were reminiscing about eating the sirloin steaks from the horse meat butcher shop.  I think we paid 30 cents a pound for them and they were 10 times better than cattle. The meat was sweeter and had way less fat in it.  I found it somewhat similar to elk.  I think dog meat is better than cattle too, more lean and sweeter taste.  It’s all in what you get used to.  People eat goats.  I think eating a nice big dog would be very similar. Dave and I remember having a barbecue one time when we invited our parents for some rib eyes.  We never told them it was a horse.  They raved about it.  We told them it was corn feed midwestern beef.  They wanted to order some and wanted to know all the details since it was so good.  We sidestepped that one somehow. BWB – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Well, they did teach in survival school that ‘all North American mammals and birds are edible.’ They also taught that ‘edible’ doesn’t mean ‘palatable.’ (However, dog happens to be. In Korea and parts of China it’s a delicacy. Billion chinese can’t all be wrong, can they? Well… Mao? OK, they can). Cat’s not especially palatable, though, despite that ‘other white meat’ ad campaign. But you can shoot ‘em as varmints because they nest in airplanes. cheers -=K=-

Response:

<snip  Little secret tho, once your feet get cold, the rest of you will be right behind.  Keep your feet warm and it isn’t too bad.

Yeah. Feet, head and hands. You gotta wear a hat (especially those of us whose natural thatch is a bit thinnish)… For years I wore the Chippewa mountain boots I got issued in the Army… great big 3-pounds-each monsters, hell to fly or even drive in, they looked so butch, they just had to be warm, right? I must just be a sissy or something. Finally I meet the cold-weather genius, some PhD from the Army’s Natick Labs, and he shows me all these slides of mangled, frostbitten, destined-for-amputation feet. Enough to make a vegetarian out of a man. ‘These are all from Chippewa boots, worst damn boots ever made.’ It has to do with the nailed-on sole, and the type of last they are made on — boots that the toes curl up on will wick the cold in to your feet (or more accurately speaking, wick the warmth away). I still use the chips for skiing, but that’s because I hate plastic boots even more and you play hell finding a leather boot that fits Norwegian wire ski bindings. But I have no illusions about how warm they are.   Except when actually climbing (where I can be assured of dry cold conditions) I always stick to stuff that stays warm when wet, too. Thinsulate or good old wool. I can survive in cold weather, but I hate it. There’s a reason Goose Bay is not a resort…so if I come out to Wisconsin it’ll be bug season, not shovelling season. cheers -=K=-

Response:

Hope you’ve got the same one I have, misery loves company, ya know. Settled in my upper back, right between the shoulder blades.  Fun when I gotta work. Richard B. Yep!  That’s it.  I got it.  When I cough my whole back goes into spasms.  Lovely thing. BWB

Absolutely!  Not really too bad as far as the colds here in the midwest go, but a bitch when you discover that the hardware stores don’t stock small keystock, and you’ve gotta grind 1/32 off two sides of a 12 inch piece to get it down to size.  No traverse on the grinder, so that’s cranking it by hand, 160 passes on two sides to get it down to size.  I can imagine what my back is going to feel like tomorrow. Ah, yes! Wonderful Wisconsin! such a beautiful cold.  Now I can go visit all the people that I don’t like. Richard B. — http://homestead.deja.com/user.rabue/index.html N33913 Before you buy.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You know Kevin, I have eaten dog in both Southeast Asia and Central America.  I thought it was not bad at all.  Here in Vegas in the late 1960’s they had a meat shop that sold only horse meat.  It was excellent too.  We lived on it in college because it was so cheap. Over thanksgiving my buddy DocDave and I were reminiscing about eating the sirloin steaks from the horse meat butcher shop.  I think we paid 30 cents a pound for them and they were 10 times better than cattle. The meat was sweeter and had way less fat in it.  I found it somewhat similar to elk.  I think dog meat is better than cattle too, more lean and sweeter taste.  It’s all in what you get used to.  People eat goats.  I think eating a nice big dog would be very similar. Dave and I remember having a barbecue one time when we invited our parents for some rib eyes.  We never told them it was a horse.  They raved about it.  We told them it was corn feed midwestern beef.  They wanted to order some and wanted to know all the details since it was so good.  We sidestepped that one somehow.

Heh, good story, as ever, Bill. In the seventies the military commissaries in Europe stocked horsemeat because the enlisted with families couldn’t afford beef or poultry. When the pay situation improved during the Reagan buildup, a bunch of people had acquired a taste for it and protested when the commissaries dropped it! By the time I got back to germany the Mark was 3.5 to the dollar and only an idiot lived in the ‘US Ghetto’ and ate from the commissaries. I enjoyed (?) goat in Ranger & SF schools (where we were so starved that our culinary judgement was not well-honed) and again in the mideast. I found it pretty gamey and tough. Later I found out that the locals didn’t eat the stuff overmuch but they got a great scream out of putting us in a position where ‘they would be insulted’ if we didn’t eat it. Then they would sag off behind the building and laugh their arses off at us. Right now, someone is doing that to Our Dennis ‘Yes, al-Faris, the Emir will have your bollocks in his next two martinis for olives if you insult him by not partaking of the national dish.’ cheers -=K=-

Response:

Neat pic.  That was the first sunshine in how many days?

Two.  I don’t make any claims for the preceding three weeks, though…:-) Ron Wanttaja http://www.halcyon.com/wanttaja/

Response:

Rich, Actually, I think we got it just before Missouri did.  Right about when you left.  8-) — John Stricker "I didn’t spend all these years getting to the top of the food chain just to be a vegetarian"

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hmmmm.  You have to BRAG about having running water??   Geez, even in KS (which Ahrens will gleefully tell you is the armpit of the western hemisphere) we’ve had running water for quite a while now Bill. Three or four years at least. |Rich Ahrens           | Homepage: http://www.visi.com/~rma/           | |"In a world full of people only some want to fly – isn’t that crazy?" |

Response:

Hmmmm.  You have to BRAG about having running water??   Geez, even in KS (which Ahrens will gleefully tell you is the armpit of the western hemisphere) we’ve had running water for quite a while now Bill.

Three or four years at least. |Rich Ahrens           | Homepage: http://www.visi.com/~rma/           | |"In a world full of people only some want to fly – isn’t that crazy?" |

Response:

Hey, Ant Eater, Oysterhouse must be under water right now.  He can’t even plug in to the net and see my insulting posts!

I just returned from four days in the Cascades where we had a lovely family gathering for Thanksgiving.  The weather was just fine — one day of rain and three days of CAVU.  We didn’t even have to ford the creek.  Every day I went for a walk in the woods, ate until I couldn’t eat any more, watched football and drank Scotch Whiskey until bedtime. At each meal as we said grace I said I was thankful that I didn’t live in Las Vegas. – John (webfoot) Ousterhout – * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

Not quite but close.  It’s the only running water in the southern part of the state of Nevada other than the Colorado River.  I’m not bull shitting you. In a good 10 billion square miles there is NO running water here south of Ely Nevada except for the Panaca area.  This is an area about the size of Wisconsin with not one stream unless it rains. It’s dismal man. BWB

And, YOU LIVE THERE.  Just goes to show that a pee aitch dee don’t mean shit when it comes to common sense. John Ammeter Seattle WA USA http://members.home.net/ammeterj/ 1975 Jensen Healey RV-6 (sold 4/98) EAA Technical Counselor NRA Life Member ICQ#48819374

Response:

This is an area about the size of Wisconsin with not one stream unless it rains. It’s dismal man. BWB

Hells bells, Bill.  From my house, I have more than twenty lakes, at least 5 streams that I know of, and that doesn’t even include going the other 7 miles to Lake Michigan.  Ground visibility without running into a tree line is less than a mile in any direction. And you want me to bring my glider out _there_? Anyone for a trip to the beer gardens of Milwaukee, in January?  It would be fun to see Bill stiffen up from the cold with his beer in his hand.  (Desert rats are how we get statues for the beer gardens.  Just bring them up in the cool months, and they stiffen up and turn to stone.) Richard B. — http://homestead.deja.com/user.rabue/index.html N33913 Before you buy.

Response:

I got a damn cold and I’m pissed.  I’m going to take this out on something.

Hope you’ve got the same one I have, misery loves company, ya know. Settled in my upper back, right between the shoulder blades.  Fun when I gotta work. Richard B. — http://homestead.deja.com/user.rabue/index.html N33913 Before you buy.

Response:

I have to go kick my dogs.   Maybe I’ll shoot one of the son’s a bitches and barbecue him tomorrow.

Well, they did teach in survival school that ‘all North American mammals and birds are edible.’ They also taught that ‘edible’ doesn’t mean ‘palatable.’ (However, dog happens to be. In Korea and parts of China it’s a delicacy. Billion chinese can’t all be wrong, can they? Well… Mao? OK, they can). Cat’s not especially palatable, though, despite that ‘other white meat’ ad campaign. But you can shoot ‘em as varmints because they nest in airplanes. cheers -=K=-

Response:

<snip Anyone for a trip to the beer gardens of Milwaukee, in January?  It would be fun to see Bill stiffen up from the cold with his beer in his hand.  (Desert rats are how we get statues for the beer gardens.  Just bring them up in the cool months, and they stiffen up and turn to stone.)

Eh, I always wondered why the pictures on BWB’s webpage so closely resembled my garden gnomes. Who says you learn nothing on RAH? But… does anybody fly in milwaukee in January… maybe that ANG unit from New York with the C-130s on skis? (Your tax dollars in action. The aircraft which support Antarctica are based half a world away, in a place where there are normally no snow runways). Seriously though, Milwaukee has to make for unpleasant flying in the cold. Even in the Boston area I’m a shivering puppy for three to four months. The reason a 152 sells for more than a 150 here has nothing to do with the newer airframe or more durable engine. It’s simplicity itself: the 152 heater HEATS. And it’s signally warmer here than in WIsconsin. It’s no coincidence every Ole Johansson and Sven Nygaard in North America lives around there. cheers -=K=-

Response:

of the summer next year.  There are three places on that mountain where water is running all year long.  Two are public and one is private…AND I OWN IT! Hmmmm.  You have to BRAG about having running water??   Geez, even in KS (which Ahrens will gleefully tell you is the armpit of the western hemisphere) we’ve had running water for quite a while now Bill. And you paid $400K for THAT??

Not quite but close.  It’s the only running water in the southern part of the state of Nevada other than the Colorado River.  I’m not bull shitting you. In a good 10 billion square miles there is NO running water here south of Ely Nevada except for the Panaca area.  This is an area about the size of Wisconsin with not one stream unless it rains. It’s dismal man. BWB

Response:

Hey, Ant Eater, Oysterhouse must be under water right now.  He can’t even plug in to the net and see my insulting posts!  Figures.  You guys need a good antifungal.  You know, like agent orange to just wipe out all that fungus, greenery and the greenies with it.   Damn tree huggers, shit….screw and even more naughty words.  I’m going out tomorrow and KILL something.  I got a damn cold and I’m pissed.  I’m going to take this out on something.  Come here Shoney I’m going to kick you! Damn wolf-dog,good for nothin but eating my ducks and chickens.  You to Hunter you worthless hound dog.   I have to go kick my dogs.   Maybe I’ll shoot one of the son’s a bitches and barbecue him tomorrow. BWB

Response:

of the summer next year.  There are three places on that mountain where water is running all year long.  Two are public and one is private…AND I OWN IT!

Hmmmm.  You have to BRAG about having running water??   Geez, even in KS (which Ahrens will gleefully tell you is the armpit of the western hemisphere) we’ve had running water for quite a while now Bill. And you paid $400K for THAT?? PT Barnum WAS right. — John Stricker "I didn’t spend all these years getting to the top of the food chain just to be a vegetarian"

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just logged off the CNN IR satellite photo.  Stay inside today Oysterhouse…you too Ant Eater.  You guys might develop fungus between your toes.  For about the last 30 days, those Seattle folks haven’t seen the sun.  Now Oregon is in the same condition until April.  Me, on the other hand will be going flying today in the R-22, then maybe the RV-6.  300 mile vis and 65 degrees.  Oh…how boring. BBWWHAHHAHHHAHAAAAA Hey, John’s I have some floats for that Minimax.  In another couple weeks Independence will become a seabase for the winter. BBWWHAHHAHHAAAA! I got you a coin filter yesterday Amphitheater.  I’ll try to mail the thing on Monday. Bad Billy

Listen, you poor excuse for an airman, I’ll have you know we like the rain, we like the clouds and we like the slick streets.  The worst month I’ve ever had was the 3 days I spent in Las Vegas last August. You’ve told me that you don’t go flying during the summer because IT’S TOO DAMN HOT!!   You just spent $400,000 to buy a pathetic little patch of barren dry dirt on the side of a mountain so you can survive another summer in LV.  Just so you can be 20 degrees cooler. Shit, Bill, an old man like you ought to be smart enuf to know that even the birds migrate to where there is better weather.  You can’t fly in the summer, we can’t fly in the winter, BFD. BUT, we can go outside all year in shirtsleeves.  We can actually grow green things (look in one of your books, you’ll remember what green looks like) in soft fertile soil.   Now, you’ve lost the opportunity to buy 11 acres of the best view in the valley complete with a deep dark and quiet canyon to walk about and watch the deer, coyotes and bear wander about.  I’ll be sitting on my deck listening to the coyotes howl as I sip my scotch and soda. When I get hungry, I’ll just pluck an apple from one of my trees, pull a carrot from the ground or poach Bambi from my backyard.  The only thing I won’t have on my property will be fish or airplanes.  And they’re both less than 4 miles away. So, to end this with a dignified further comment: BWAAHAAABWAHHHHAAAAABWAAAAHAAAAAA I got mine and you can go suck eggs!!! John Ammeter Seattle WA USA http://members.home.net/ammeterj/ 1975 Jensen Healey RV-6 (sold 4/98) EAA Technical Counselor NRA Life Member ICQ#48819374

Response:

Listen, you poor excuse for an airman, I’ll have you know we like the rain, we like the clouds and we like the slick streets.  The worst month I’ve ever had was the 3 days I spent in Las Vegas last August. You’ve told me that you don’t go flying during the summer because IT’S TOO DAMN HOT!!  

So what’s your point ? You just spent $400,000 to buy a pathetic little patch of barren dry dirt on the side of a mountain so you can survive another summer in LV.  Just so you can be 20 degrees cooler.

It’s 30 degrees cooler there you nimrod.  That’s about $13,000 per degree. Shit, Bill, an old man like you ought to be smart enuf to know that even the birds migrate to where there is better weather.  You can’t fly in the summer, we can’t fly in the winter, BFD.

I can fly in the summer. I just have to drink four gallons of water during taxi and tko.  Once I’m up at 10k or so, I’m fine.  You poor bastards can’t even see to get to the fucking airport for six months out of the year. BUT, we can go outside all year in shirtsleeves.  We can actually grow green things (look in one of your books, you’ll remember what green looks like) in soft fertile soil.  

Yeah!  I remember the winters there.  You bull shitter.  Hell, it was always hanging right at 33 F.  You couldn’t get warm in the student union.  You couldn’t get warm in the hospital library (other than the engineering library cause we screwed with the thermostat in there).  I was always cold, wet and miserable.  I’d rather die than spend one day there in the winters.  For a country bumpkin like me it was miserable to move to that big malignant tumor you call Seattle.   It was like living in an ant pile.  Goofy people too…in all directions.  My palms are starting to sweat just thinking about it.  I have no idea how I made it.  I was motivated by the buck John.  I knew I’d make a gob of money if I got that goofy degree from the Med school program in health physics…and I did. That was the only carrot at the end of the maze! Now, you’ve lost the opportunity to buy 11 acres of the best view in the valley complete with a deep dark and quiet canyon to walk about and watch the deer, coyotes and bear wander about.  I’ll be sitting on my deck listening to the coyotes howl as I sip my scotch and soda. When I get hungry, I’ll just pluck an apple from one of my trees, pull a carrot from the ground or poach Bambi from my backyard.  The only thing I won’t have on my property will be fish or airplanes.  And they’re both less than 4 miles away.

Okay, you smart ass.  I’m building a helipad this very day up there at 8700 ft.  I’m going to sit on my porch 30 miles from my pad down here in the valley.  I’m going to drink scotch, and eat filet mignon from the groceries stores or fish.   I ordered 1000 Sierra gold trout too for my trout pond.  Come on down and go fishing anytime near the end of the summer next year.  There are three places on that mountain where water is running all year long.  Two are public and one is private…AND I OWN IT! Na na naaa na naaa naaa! One more thing.  My neighbor is a lifetime member of the NRA just like you and I.  I’m putting up old glory at the mouth of the road where we have that gate and I’m going to fly the NRA flag below it.  Next to the flag pole will be a sign that says, "NRA members only beyond this point.  If you are not a member, get the hell out.  If you are member you are welcome to anything we have!" So, to end this with a dignified further comment: BWAAHAAABWAHHHHAAAAABWAAAAHAAAAAA I got mine and you can go suck eggs!!!

Yeah  yeah yeah.  You’ll be lucky if you can find it even using a road in the winter let alone an aircraft of any sort.  Shit, you and Oysterhouse can open your own seaplane base and compete with Kenmore. Don’t give me any crap or I’m not going to mail your coin separator to you.  And, I know that will really piss you off.  I may take it out and just shoot it with my new stainless Ruger 44 magnum. Suck air old man…that is if you are wearing a filter to get the water out. BBWWAHHAHHAHHAHAAA!  Yourself. BWB – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -John Ammeter Seattle WA USA http://members.home.net/ammeterj/ 1975 Jensen Healey RV-6 (sold 4/98) EAA Technical Counselor NRA Life Member ICQ#48819374

Response:

Just logged off the CNN IR satellite photo.  Stay inside today Oysterhouse…you too Ant Eater.  You guys might develop fungus between your toes.  For about the last 30 days, those Seattle folks haven’t seen the sun.  Now Oregon is in the same condition until April.  Me, on the other hand will be going flying today in the R-22, then maybe the RV-6.  300 mile vis and 65 degrees.  Oh…how boring. BBWWHAHHAHHHAHAAAAA Hey, John’s I have some floats for that Minimax.  In another couple weeks Independence will become a seabase for the winter. BBWWHAHHAHHAAAA! I got you a coin filter yesterday Amphitheater.  I’ll try to mail the thing on Monday. Bad Billy

Response:

Question:

Anyone know websites where good examples of a wide range of Tyed Flies can be found? One with good color pictures would be great to see the nuances of a well-tyed fly.

Response:

To : Keith Harkins Take a look at  www.popularfishingflies.com More pictures will be added soon, over 470 different pattern. All high quality flies tied on Mustad  quality hooks . One of The Best Prices on the Net. Regards Popular Fishing Flies Robert Lindberg – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anyone know websites where good examples of a wide range of Tyed Flies can be found? One with good color pictures would be great to see the nuances of a well-tyed fly.

Response:

Question:

Will be going to Boulder in May and June for some training.  Any suggestions for fly fishing in the area.  (Hopefully, I will be able to get away from the class room long enough to go fishing) Thanks, T. Bell

Response:

Lots of fishing around Boulder, however, May and June are generally runoff months and the local streams could be running mud. There are numerous small alpine lakes within a fairly short drive. Some you can drive to, the better ones require a hike. E-mail me before you arrive and I can get you some current info. Willi – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Will be going to Boulder in May and June for some training.  Any suggestions for fly fishing in the area.  (Hopefully, I will be able to get away from the class room long enough to go fishing) Thanks, T. Bell

Response:

Depending on runoff conditions, you could just walk over to Boulder Creek right in town. For famous tailwaters the South Platte, Blue and Frying Pan are only 2-3 hours driving from Boulder. If you are here at peak runoff (which will be short this year unless we get some more snow) try higher streams in and around Rocky Mountain National Park, about an hour away if you don’t drive the canyon roads like I do.  ;-) Feel free to drop me a note when you get closer to fishing time for more current conditions. In May and June spring runoff is perhaps the greatest factor in choosing a place to fish, and conditions can change from day to day. Ken Clark Ft. Lupton, CO – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Will be going to Boulder in May and June for some training.  Any suggestions for fly fishing in the area.  (Hopefully, I will be able to get away from the class room long enough to go fishing) Thanks, T. Bell

Response:

Will be going to Boulder in May and June for some training.  Any suggestions for fly fishing in the area.  (Hopefully, I will be able to get away from the class room long enough to go fishing)

    South Boulder Creek, below Gross Reservoir.  Get a map – hike down the hill. You’ll be glad you did,  it’s worth finding. JE

Response:

Question:

You might take a look at Dan Blanton’s site, Peter. They do alot of striper fishing, both from the beach and in the Sacramento Delta area. Lots of good info. I think its: www.danblanton.com Jim Nelson Blackfoot Idaho – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just acquired a 14′ St. Croix 9/10 for the Niagara and it made me think that it might be good for stripers too.  I’m going to try and jig my work schedule next year to get in some Atlantic salmon fishing with it.  If things work out, I’ll head down the Maine coast for stripers too.  Problem is, I know diddley about striper fishing. Like, should I be using floating or sinking lines?  Is the 14′ a good idea for it?  Can you have reasonable results from shore or is a boat a necessity?  What are the usual shoreline tactics?   Are there some good web sources on stripers? Thanks P.S.  If anybody is thinking about a spey rod, check out this St. Croix.  It’s tons cheaper than the others but it’s no slouch. Peter        Merry Christmas

Response:

Like, should I be using floating or sinking lines?  Is the 14′ a good idea for it?  Can you have reasonable results from shore or is a boat a necessity?  What are the usual shoreline tactics?   Are there some good web sources on stripers?

Peter,     You are going to love striper fishing, I’ll bet.   An intermediate line works well for most fishing.   No boat necessary.   That long rod would be great for keeping your backcast up off the beach.   WAY UP off the beach.     I fish from the beach at Chatham, Cape Cod for a week or two every spring.   The stripers chase sand eels up and down the beach, and you can catch them in the surf right at your feet, literally.  Fishing is usually hot on the moving tide, and around rips, gravel beds, sand bars, and any "structure" you can find. (sometimes the "structure" along the beach can be pretty subtle.)   Night fishing is very effective, too. Nothing like having a big striper explode on a popper in the evening darkness.  The Cape also has some beautiful sand flats where you can wade out, or better, sight-cast to big stripers from a flats boat!     If you really want to find out the scoop on the techniques, take a look at "Inshore Fly Fishing" by Lou Tabory and "Fly Rodding the Coast" by Ed Mitchell.   Either of these two EXCELLENT books will tell you most all you need to know about northeast striper fishing, including where to go.     I like the "Reel-Time" website for striper info.  There isn’t a lot on technique, but there is lot of good regional fishing info in season, plus fly patterns, bulletin boards, etc.    http://www.reel-time.com/ Tight lines, Bob Scott

Response:

Just acquired a 14′ St. Croix 9/10 for the Niagara and it made me think that it might be good for stripers too.  I’m going to try and jig my work schedule next year to get in some Atlantic salmon fishing with it.  If things work out, I’ll head down the Maine coast for stripers too.  Problem is, I know diddley about striper fishing. Like, should I be using floating or sinking lines?  Is the 14′ a good idea for it?  Can you have reasonable results from shore or is a boat a necessity?  What are the usual shoreline tactics?   Are there some good web sources on stripers? Thanks P.S.  If anybody is thinking about a spey rod, check out this St. Croix.  It’s tons cheaper than the others but it’s no slouch. Peter        Merry Christmas

Response:

Question:

Gruezi! Anybody out there have recommendations on decent streams in Switzerland for flyfishing? I am particularly interested in streams around Zurich, but would love to hear any other recommendations you might have. TIA, Sid

Response:

Eine sch

Question:

-Does anyone have any info on a new disease appearing in Irish frmed salmon called Nervous Mortality Syndrome? Has it spread to any wild stock? Wild Fish First Socety C Mckee

Response:

Actually, its a hangover.

Response:

. sfeed.internetmci.com!news.mathworks.com!arclight.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.dire c

Question:

About a month ago I asked for info about fishing in N. Georgia.  The response was very good and I thank everyone.   Well, we just got back from the trip to Ga., and I have to tell ya, if I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it.  I discovered the Chatooga River, infamous for being the river where "Deliverence" was filmed.  What an absolutely beautiful piece of water!  I thought I was back in New England.  Fast, cold (61), free stone, clear trout water. There was a hatch of very small caddis, but didn’t see too many rises.  In NE I use a cased caddis fly called the Strawman; just spun deer hair trimmed short.  Gink it up so it floats.  Ga trout like it too.  Only had two days on the Chatooga, but managed a couple of nice browns (10-14 in) down-stream from the Rt 76 bridge.  Caught a few small rainbows downstream and upstream from the Rt 28 bridge.  Great river.  I also tried the Chatahootchi ( The Hootch) below Buford Dam.  Super cold – like 53; no hatches.  But lotsa fog!  Dragged a nymph or two, and lobbed a few streamers, but got zilch.  The rocks on this river are the slimiest, most slippery I’ve ever encountered!  I checked out the Hootch above the lake (iat next trip.  Also, I’d like to try the Chatooga just below the NC border.  Anyone know how to get there? The roads in Georgia are also terrific, and gas was $1.07 a gallon (it’s $1.50 here in Mass)!  Georgia’s not NH or Maine, but it’s great!   Good drifts, Dave LaCourse

Response:

[snip] The rocks on this river are the slimiest, most slippery I’ve ever encountered!

You don’t even want to ask what that slick stuff is! Also, I’d like to try the Chatooga just below the NC border.  Anyone know how to get there?

Go east from the river on Hwy 28 .  Hwy 107 will enter from the left. Take 107 north until you pass the state park on the right.  Start looking for the sign on the left for Burrells Ford road.  It’s a couple of miles down this road to the river.  When you get to the river the NC state line is about 4-4 1/2 miles upstream.  This part of the river is mainly brown trout water and is not stocked.  A good trail goes upstream on the east (South Carolina) side of the river. You can fish on the South Carolina side of the river with a Georgia license, just don’t go up any feeder streams.  As an alternate go west from the river on hwy 28.  Take the first gravel road to the right. That will bring you in to the opposite side of Burrells Ford. The roads in Georgia are also terrific, and gas was $1.07 a gallon (it’s $1.50 here in Mass)!  Georgia’s not NH or Maine, but it’s great!  

We don’t tax gas heavy but did you check the price of beer and cigs? Got to make those sinners pay! See ya, John Johnson Atlanta, GA

Response:

Question:

 Going to Callaway Gardens 70 miles So. of Atlanta Ga. to fly fish in a float at end of October.  Bass is thje object.  What do you know?

Response:

I didn’t know Callaway had fishing trips – I would like some info also.  

Response:

(Allen Turner) writes: fish in a float at end of October.  Bass is thje object.  What do you know?

What is there to know besides it is somewhat expensive……. Seriously The Callaway Gardens resort has some lakes (10 is what sticks in my head but it is not important) which they have designated as guided flyfishing C&R only for Largemouth Bass and Breams. The lakes are only open periodically, they are maintained to keep out unwanted grasses and predators and from what I’ve seen and heard the Bass get very big. I have not personally done it as it is a little costly when I’m so close to Lake Lanier and the fact that I did not care for the guy who set it up, who has sent moved on. But several friends have done it and I have seen the pictures, no one I have talked to about it has been disappointed. If you can get a copy of the latest "Orvis News", I noticed it was mentioned in there. E-mail if I can help further.

Response:

(Allen Turner) writes: fish in a float at end of October.  Bass is thje object.  What do you know? What is there to know besides it is somewhat expensive…….

I concur. I have a friend who spent four days there and it was as pricey as getting a guided float tour in a Mackenzie on the Hiwassee. HOWEVER, he caught bream as big as most average bass (1-2 lbs) and one 3lb. and 1 4-5lb  (He says You’ll have fun, I’m sure. –Chandler

Response:

Question:

Every lake and water system down there has fish in it.  It dont take a genius to catch them.  Catch a grasshopper in the grass and throw it out into the water and watch the fish take it under.  If nothing hits it, move on.

Response:

I am going to be in Lafayette, LA  april 13-16 and would like to try flyfishing for bluegil (brim).  I am a rank amateur. Anybody have any suggestions on where I should try? thanks Mike in MI

Response: