Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
I got you all beat Baseball practice with my Boy. So There!
Vivs also the leader of the Snap Crackle and Pop gang...
Everything was going find until Snap developed a little Crack problem.Pop thought he could run the gang and Crackle just wanted to be freinds with Boy George.
It is wonderful isn't it.
Colt you seem to have this thing for really really old men...
You know Husker.....
I rode my mountain bike from Seattle to Portland...twice
Anybody interested in riding it with me this year????I'm going to bring my fly rod and camping gear and follow hwy 505. Beautiful beautiful and beautiful.
It's only 5 where shes at darn it. Work Harder!
Hey Matt.....
Colts really a woman and Viv is really a guy.
What is in a name?Would that that be called a rose still be a rose by any other name? My S sucks
I see they accepted the ransom Colt..That Philippe didn't enlighten you to the ways of kangaroo love did he?
Having no use for a human,Colt was sold to Philippe for reasons still unknown...
http://anyfun.net/pics/pics/anim26.jpg
If you have seen either Philippe or Colt please call the authorities. We here at the swamp are offering two cookies and a pint of Wine for his return. No questions asked.
Then Colt thought A little Alabama White Tail action might relieve his woes.
Sadly, like a nightmare, it just got worse.
http://anyfun.net/pics/pics/anim11.jpg
What Colt is doing with his new found free time....
http://anyfun.net/pics/pics/oops10.jpg
The real reason Colt was booted from RB exposed....
http://anyfun.net/pics/pics/oops1.jpg
NYC.......
My commission check for those April puts????? You only hounded me for a month till I FOUND YOU a moneymaker....Should I start checking the mail today or tomorrow?
Eagerly waiting
Paule
Unlike the rest of us he has a real job......
He's retired.
As with everybody Pre is tired of this crap and would like to move on and forget this crap.
"Quit with those negative waves man"
Kellies Hero's
"I know of a few millionaires who started trading with inherited wealth. In each case, they lost it all because they didn't feel the pain when they were losing. In those formative first years of trading, they felt they could afford to lose. You're much better off going into the market on a shoestring, feeling that you can't afford to lose. I'd rather bet on somebody starting out with a few thousand dollars than on somebody who came in with millions....This is one of the few industries where you can still engineer a rags-to-riches story. Richard Dennis started out with only hundreds of dollars and ended up making hundreds of millions in less than two decades - that's quite motivating."
William Eckhardt
"I would hate it if the success of Chesapeake was based on my being some great genius. It's the system that wins. Fundamental economics are nice but useless in trading. True fundamentals are always unknown. Our system allows for no intellectual capability."
Jerry Parker
"Can the skills of a successful commodity trader be learned? Or are they innate, some sort of sixth sense a lucky few are born with?" Richard Dennis, the legendary Chicago commodity trader, who turned a grubstake of $400 into $200 million in 18 years, has no doubt. Following an experiment with a group of would-be traders recruited from around the country, he's convinced commodity trading can be learned. Over the past 1 1/2 years, a group of 14 commodity traders he taught earned an average annual compound rate of return of 80%. In contrast, about 70% of all non-professional traders lose money on a yearly basis. "Trading was even more teachable than I imagined," he says. "In a strange sort of way, it was almost humbling." Mr. Dennis says he debated the learning vs. innate ability question with some of his associates for years. While they argued that his skills are "ineffable, mystical, subjective or intuitive," he says his own answer was far simpler. The 40-year-old Mr. Dennis attributes his success to several trading methods he developed, and, perhaps more important, the discipline to follow those methods. To prove his point, Mr. Dennis decided to run a real life experiment. In late 1983 and again in 1984, he placed ads in the Wall Street Journal, Barron's and the New York Times seeking people who wanted to be trained as traders. The job required that they move to Chicago, where they would receive a small salary and a percentage of any profits while Mr. Dennis taught them his methods."
Wall Street Journal, 9/89
FIRST ENCOUNTER
Seventy-five years of selective breeding put to the test, in South Texas.
"Going to a hog"
Initially, I had my doubts that our young Dogos should be allowed to hunt freely with the other two hounds that we were using. At least not until they gained enough training in the woods to get beyond the "rookie" stages of their hunting careers. Not because I doubted their capabilities, but because the life expectancy of a catch dog is not very long. The loss of even one Dogo would be a major set back for us. From the articles I had read about the Dogos In Argentina, I gathered that they were used chiefly for this mission. Although I knew the breed was designed to perform the entire duty from start to finish, I was not prepared to take any unnecessary risk with our Dogos at that time. We felt that during the first few hunts, the Dogos should be kept on a lead until we could verify the size of the hog and amount of danger involved with the capture. These dogs were still young, two of them were barely over a year old and the other Just under two.
As it worked out, the two bitches came into season and were bred, so the decision was made not to hunt either of them until after their puppies were past weaning age. As a result, Zulu (our male) was the first of our Dogos to encounter a hog in the wild. We took him on one or two hunts before he actually got the opportunity to assist in a catch in the hog's domain. It was obvious that the first thing that he needed to learn was to deal with the elements here in South Texas. Its just like they say, always very hot and sometime humid and everything in the woods either bites you, sticks you, or stings you. It didn't take long to find out what these dogs are made of, In only a few hunting trips I realized the potential waiting to be released. On one particular night, we were in a pretty massive thicket and Zulu seemed to take it a little easy at first, carefully picking his way through the cactus and thorn bushes. But the instant we jumped a hog, he didn't seem to know the thorns existed. He literally pulled me through the thickest brush imaginable trying to go with the other dogs. The other hounds had jumped a hog and were running away from us at a pretty good pace. It was everything I could do to restrain Zulu. We were making our way toward the other dogs as fast as possible, but that was not satisfying the desires of this massive white dog at the end of my lead. He could tell that the other dogs were in hot pursuit and he wanted in on the race.
Soon the dogs bayed and we came to a little clearing in the brush and I asked Leroy, to take Zulu so I could get to the other dogs faster to see what they were holding at bay. Leroy said he would hold Zulu back until I signaled for him. Then my Uncle Kenneth and I took off running in the direction of the other dogs. As usual, the closer we got the thicker the brush became. We slowed and split up when we got to within thirty or forty yards of the dogs. They had the hog bayed and if he heard us coming, he may break and run again. As I got closer I could here small limbs snapping and teeth popping together, so I knew this was no small pig. When I got close enough to see the action, I could tell the hog had taken cover inside a clump of prickly pear cactus. It must have been twenty feet in diameter and at least ten feet tall. I could vaguely see Kenneth's light on the other side, and he too was trying to see what was going on inside there. I quietly moved In to get a closer look, I could tell that it was a good size hog, but I couldn't see him yet. All I knew at this point was I wasn't going to call to Leroy to release Zulu, YET - I was in no position to get a hold of a back leg and this appeared to be a good size boar. As I shined my light toward the action, I knelt down and could barely see the back legs of the hog through a tunnel in the cactus. The two bay dogs were keeping him busy by barking in his face.
Unexpectedly, my flashlight went out. Then I heard a bunch of rustling around then a dog yelped as she got cut or thrown into the pear. The hog grunted and snorted and then another yelp and I could tell the hog was about to break bay. As I backed off, I quickly felt around in the dark for a little sapling that I knew was only a few feet behind me and pulled myself up into the fork of the tiny tree. I was barely three feet off the ground. Luckily I found it when I did, because the hog came straight in my direction. As he got right under me one of the dogs nipped him on the tail end and he turned to fight back. By then, I was able to get my flashlight working again and could see what was going on. Knowing I'd be right there if Zulu needed my help, I yelled for Leroy to turn him loose. I figured that Leroy must be getting pretty close to us by then.
Suddenly out of nowhere came this large white figure plunging through the brush and hit the boar in midair. At that instant the hog began to squeal, and I think it was more from the shock than anything else. The other dogs simultaneously came into the picture as I sprang from the sapling and reached for a back leg. Kenny appeared from the other side and we threw the beast to the ground with Zulu still attached to the top of his head. Ken tied the hog's legs together, and I removed Zulu from his scalp. "Where in the heck did he come from?" Ken asked, as he looked down at Zulu. I just smiled and said, "Did you see the collision when he hit that hog?" That was one hell of an impact.
Soon the rest of our hunting party arrived, and I described what had taken place. My dad explained how he and Zulu got caught up in a barbed-wire fence. Then we all accessed the damages. The two bay dogs took several stitches. Kenny and I both needed many cactus thorns removed from places I'd rather not mention, and the hog needed some minor repairs to the top of his head. All Zulu needed was a drink of water and a pat on the back for a job well done.
The boar weighed about two hundred pounds and had about three inch tusks. He was no record-breaking hog, but he was not bad for Zulu's first bout in the woods. Plus, he was big and mean enough to do serious damage to the dogs had we not been able to get there when we did.
I asked our broker friend if I should start shorting this when it hit 15 and he told me no.
Thank you very much Broker friend
THE PREPARATION
Training, practice, and exercise are key elements for survival in the wild.
I believe that when a dog puts his life on the line for his master, whether it is in the home protecting his property, or in the woods hunting a wild animal, the master should be proud to have such a friend. When it comes to hunting, the hunter must be willing to follow his dog through rugged terrain in the most adverse conditions to arrive and assist his companion in what he has asked him to do. in my case, hunting for wild boar.
Over the last twenty-five years, I have seen many a dog go into the woods In pursuit of wild boar, some return, some do not. The ones that do not are remembered for many years in the stories that are told. Stories that when written will have captions like "Yeller fought that four hundred pound boar until . . . and "Remember that night when Tina saved my skin when she grabbed that big hog by the..." and "I'll never forget the night cousin Lance and I crawled Into that cave while our dogs were fighting hogs all around us. Buford and Slate were already badly cut . . ." etc. . .
These dogs become legends to their owners and their children and even grandchildren. The stories are undoubtedly true and the dogs themselves are irreplaceable in the minds of many hunters. I have personally hunted hogs for many years, and over the years have lost some of the best dogs I have ever seen hit the woods. The pain of losing a good dog is only overcome by the pleasure of seeing another dog step in and lead the pack on a successful hunt another day. Of the dogs that do return from the hunt and most of them do. Several of them have numerous battle scars as testimony of their pure dedication to the challenge they truly love. This is what impressed me the most about the Dogos I have come to know. They possess a great desire to pursue their quarry. And being the true hound that they are, when given the opportunity, they will stop at nothing to fulfill the task at hand.
A great hunter I know once said, "I'd rather see my dog loose his life doing what he loves the most, rather than have him wither away dying of boredom and old age cooped up in a pen. If I can no longer hunt him, I will put him in the hands of someone that can." When I first heard my father say that I thought it sounded rather harsh, but then I realized how much I feel the same way. Naturally none of us want to see any of our dogs seriously harmed in any way, so we do what we can to prevent it, but that is not always enough. It's kind of like the fastest gunman In the west, there is always going to be someone faster. With this feat, it is the enormous boar with the six-inch tusk that threatens all challengers.
It may seem like a lot to ask of a dog to track, run down, attack, fight and hold a big boar until you can get there. The truth of the matter is, it is a tremendous task, but a true hog dog would rather do that than anything else on this earth. In most cases, he has been trained from the time he is old enough to tell the difference between a hog and another dog. In some breeds, like the Dogo, it is in their blood and the instinctive desires take over the instant they see a hog. The enthusiasm comes so natural to them that little training is required. The main thing that has to be realized by the dog is the exact animal that is to become their prey. Consequently, we use only wild hogs when training our puppies. Dogos seem to have little doubt about what he is to do with them. I tip my hat to the Nores Martinez brothers for a job well done. I fully intend to do everything in my power to ensure the Dogo Argentino breed remains pure and intact. We currently have three adult Dogos, one dog and two bitches. Now they have rewarded us with thirteen puppies, assuring us future generations of hog dogs. We are using the adults for the primary purpose of hunting wild hogs. Because none of them had ever seen a hog prior to our taking ownership, we spent several hours training each dog to hunt in a controlled environment.
The response was incredible. After the Dogos learned what a hog looked and smelled like, their desire to hunt increased daily.
"Options are a zero-sum game."
Top Post, Tue Apr 10 17:41:00 EDT 2001
By capcollett
- Taken from Juniper Networks (JNPR)
Remember, next week is option's expiration again. I have learned a critical lesson that I keep enforcing: options are a zero-sum game. There is a winner and a loser. When you buy a call there is someone who sells it to you. Sometimes that person is someone who is long common stock and wants to pick up income by selling a call.
Sometimes that person is someone who was long a call and sells it to you. But often the call is sold by someone who is betting against you. It is the latter that comes in to play in the last week. Those who sell calls because they want them to go down are in a pitched battle all week with those who want the calls to go up. And the battle has a conclusion, a bona fide ending that makes the battle get more heated all week.
There are winners and there are losers. There are people who are trying to stop you from making money and there are people who are trying to make money. There are people trying to tag you out, people playing defense. They need to stop you.
Why do they need to stop you? Probably because they are trying to make it up in volume. Let me explain. The people who sell calls for five-eighths of a dollar and three-quarters of a dollar don't make much on each one. But if you sell thousands of them and they go out worthless you have quite a payday.
Let's say that you have been selling calls regularly against this stock because the calls always go out worthless because the stock's been a dog. As you are typically selling a lot of calls each month, and they are all going out worthless, you have been picking up mucho dinero each expiration day. Sometimes, when the stock runs up to its upper end of the range, you think, hmm, maybe it is going to break out, but you see that people are willing to pay really juicy premium for the calls and you sell them. Then the stock recedes and you collect the gains when the calls go out worthless.
So you offer the April 40 calls for a few bucks. As do others, 1000 times. That means, you are offering the buyer the right to buy 100,000 shares of Juniper at $40 for $500,000. With the stock at $38 that seems like a pretty stupid bet to make. The guy who buys them, who is not dumb, bids you less. These markets are negotiable. You hold firm. You want to make $500,000 this week and you aren't going to sell them for less. The prospective buyer passes, as they are too rich for him.
But I hear about your offering, I hear it from a broker. I don't know anything about Juniper but I think the techs are due for a rally. This offering seems like an interesting speculation, or spec. I am looking for upside insurance against a big blowoff in the traditional stocks. I am thinking that the S&P is too oversold and the NDX is too overbought.
I am willing to take the gamble that this is the week that techs go up, the Dow explodes and I make some money in the old economy. I take lift your offering. In other words, I buy the 1000 calls on Juniper, with a week left. I love upside insurance. I want to give it a try. I am thinking the most I lose is $500,000 and when you and others like you are running $380 million that's not too much to pay for an insurance policy against an upside blowoff. Even if it goes out worthless in five days. Stranger things have happened.
The next day there is a seismic shift in the market. The tech stocks explode up along with the chemicals and basic industry stocks. Maybe somebody thinks the Fed will move. Maybe these stocks got too cheap. Maybe some price increase is sticking. Juniper jumps. The call seller is still oblivious. He is thinking this stock is so far from the strike, that he has nothing to fear. If he wanted to, he could always buy 100,000 shares of Juniper to protect himself. But that's a lot of capital he would have to expend. He could borrow the money and put the trade on but his risk reward is not so good. If Juniper drops back $10 he will have made $500,000 on the call but lost $1,000,000 on the common. If is drops more, it is an even bigger nightmare. Plus there is the nagging cost of carry. Most of the people who sell calls don't want to borrow money to finance common stocks underneath.
He could buy them back, of course, and take a loss. He could find some firm, some brokerage, that would sell him 1000 calls but he might have to pay 7 1/4 or $725,000 for them which is a huge loss. So he does nothing.
Wednesday the whole world changes. Real buyers come in to buy the tech stocks again. In the meantime, Juniper, which had a bullish earnings call, steps up and begins to buy back stock right under the buyers.
Making matters worse, Juniper is highly shorted. There are lots of people who have shorted, and they are being squeezed as it climbs higher. They keep coming in to buy it back forcing it up ever more. And new money is at last pouring in to buy these tech stocks.
It's Wednesday, at 2:00 p.m. and Juniper has broken out of the range. You are beginning to think, hmmm, I could be in a spot of trouble on those calls. Two days till expiration and this stock is breaking out.
But still you do nothing, because the calls, with two days left are still where you sold them to me. What are the odds that this move continues?
You do nothing. You gamble that this move can't be sustained. It would be a once-in-a lifetime move. If we could analogize to insurance this would be the Johnstown Flood for you. Once in a thousand years. You just don't think it is possible. You don't want to hedge against it. You let the short call position ride.
On Thursday, the market simply explodes. The Dow goes up 500 points. Tech stocks are just the rage. Three firms recommend Juniper and it opens up five points. You are now short a call for $5 that is at $13 and change with one day left. You are down $800,000 on this trade (you picked up $500,000 but now you have to buy them back at $13 and change if you want to, so $1,300,000 minus $500,000 that you picked up equals $800,000.)
You can't really handle that big a loss and you are beside yourself. You go into buy the common stock to hedge, and next thing you know, there are four other buyers and the company has stepped up its buyback even more.
You check the option market and it is the same as the common. You panic, just panic, and you say, to your broker, pay anything, anything, for 100,000 shares. You buy the stock at $52.
The pressure is now off. But you just lost $1,200,000 and you are out of business. All because you tried to make that $500,000 with a week left. You were part of a giant squeeze and you contributed mightily to it. This pitched battle happened millions upon millions of times this week. It led to the ramp we saw. It explains how options contributed to the run up.
That's why expiration played such a big role. Because these trades all had to end this week. The seller of the calls couldn't wait any longer. His number was up. He capitulated because he could not come in short 100,000 shares of National Gift on Monday.
Game over. Call buyer wins, call seller loses and the stock goes higher!
ABOUT THE ADVERSARY
The term bringing home the bacon takes on a whole new meaning when, the "bacon" is capable of devastating your entire pack of dogs.
When hunting wild hogs, there are many elements that can alter the outcome of any given hunt. Everything from the weather, to the terrain, to the amount dogs and hogs Involved comes into play. Wild hogs vary in size, shape, color, and even attitude. Some are naturally more aggressive than others as with every form of life. Of course the large "Russian boars" are always extremely violent. They fear little and when confronted they will put their head down and charge like a raging rhino. Razor sharp tusks combined with their massive weight and low center of gravity make them truly a force to be reckoned with. A three hundred-pound boar is not unusual and an eight hundred-pound boar Is not unheard of in these parts of Texas. A few years ago, a boar was taken just northwest of San Antonio that weighed over twelve hundred pounds. We have caught hogs, with dogs, that weighed as much as four hundred and forty pounds field dressed. That is part of what makes this "sport" so exciting, you never know what the dogs are going to run in to when you turn them out.
Even though there are many hogs that have never seen a dog, there are the many that know exactly what a dog Is and what will happen if he is allowed to get too close. Most likely the latter have been pursued by dogs before and somehow managed to avoid being captured. The action an experienced hog will take when confronted by dogs is typically to head for cover and fast, even If It means traveling several miles to get there. To a hog cover means the thickest, thorniest, roughest place he can find. And believe me there are many such places In South Texas. When the catch takes place, or shortly thereafter, the hunter must do what it takes to be there. Considering hogs range in size and temperament, It is rarely known how large or well equipped the hog(s) will be until you get there. Ultimately, the hunter's swiftness In the woods is a key factor to help prevent possible injury to his dogs and elevate their chances of survival. The larger, older boars usually have tusks anywhere from two to twelve inches in length, and they are expert swordsmen when it comes to using them. The average size boar, weighing two to three hundred pounds, will have three or four-inch tusks provided they have not been broken off in territorial disputes among themselves.
One of the things that is commonly overlooked about wild hogs is the fact that they are omnivorous, meaning they will eat both plant and animal matter. Because of this, they need very little assistance to survive. They are very opportunistic feeders and much of their diet is based on seasonal availability. Foods include grasses, roots, bulbs, leaves, nuts (acorns), fruits, mushrooms, and invertebrates. They will also eat insects, snails, earthworms, eggs, reptiles, live mammal and birds, as well as carrion dead animals). Feral hogs are especially fond of acorns, and domestic agricultural crops such as corn, Milo, rice, wheat, soybeans, peanuts, potatoes, watermelons and cantaloupe. They feed primarily at night and during twilight hours, but will also feed during daylight in cool or wet weather.
As long as they can find water they will thrive and flourish in the harshest of environments. Under normal conditions their population will increase at astonishing rates. A young sow is capable of breeding at six months of age but will normally have her first litter of pigs at eight to ten months, provided there is good nutrition. Under poor habitat conditions, sows have been known to eat their young. The average survival rate of a litter is approximately four to six pigs, but under good conditions may be as many as ten or twelve. Sows usually have two litters per year, roughly half males and half females. The production peaks in the early spring. However, if a sow has a litter in early January, she will have two more litters before the end of the year. When you put a pencil to those numbers, you can see why that there are so many wild hogs running around down here.
MORE ABOUT THE ADVERSARY
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (T.P.W.D.) did just that. They performed a study in 1991 and it was estimated that there were over one million feral hogs in Texas alone. I recently spoke with Mr. Rick Taylor, a Wildlife Biologist for T.P.W.D. and he agreed that was a conservative figure. There Is no way of knowing exactly how many hogs there are in and area as large as Texas, but these people make It their business to get a close count.
This was Mr. Taylor's answer to the question, "Can I wipe out a hog population through hunting or trapping?" He says, "The feral hog has managed to survive, adapt, and Increase its numbers despite attempts at population control. While it is possible to keep the population in check with continuous control, it Is highly unlikely to eradicate a hog population within an established range."
In talking with Mr. Taylor, he offered to provide me with some very interesting distribution and technical data from TEXAS FERAL HOG FACTS and FERAL HOG DISTRIBUTION IN TEXAS). The distribution map illustrates the areas were the hog populations are higher. I reside in south Bexar County, and we do most of our hunting south of where we live. However, the area just northwest of Bexar County provides some good hunting as well.
The "Russian boars" or European hogs that are mentioned on the "Texas feral hog facts" sheet were imported without the foresight of the effects they would have on this country. Soon the people involved with this endeavor realized these hogs were going to be a problem. The game ranchers were not prepared for such a beast. This is an animal that knows no boundary or border. There are very few fences, then or now, that will contain these massive wedge shaped creatures. This resulted In the loss of many of these large European hogs to the wilderness. Eventually they interbred with other wild hogs.
That is how the multiple varieties came to be, there are feral hogs that have the appearance of some of the more common domestic hogs. I have seen litters of wild pigs that have several different color piglets Contrary to popular belief, hogs are very intelligent animals. They travel the many miles around the countryside in search of food sources. Somehow they always know when the crops are ready for the picking. For this reason alone, thousands of dollars worth of crops are destroyed within days of harvest. An average size group of hogs will devour several acres of crops per night. A large group, of say eighty to ninety head, will destroy hundreds of acres of crops in less than a week. I have personally seen the results of such a feast. My father has told me of places he has seen that make what I just described look like child's play. That makes me wonder how much of this goes on and how, many dollars are lost each year.
Many of the farmers in and around our area know we have hog dogs, so they call upon my father to run the hogs off their land. Whether it be at planting time or harvest time, they are always having problems with wild hogs. When they go into a freshly planted field they will eat nearly every seed that was put in the ground. I think the sound of a tractor is probably like a big dinner bell. So, when a farmer calls us, he is usually desperate. He needs help and he needs it fast. Traps are helpful, but not effective. The same with shooting them or even at them. There is even an automatic "SHOT GUN" simulator that discharges a loud blast at preset intervals. They are usually set and placed in and around the problem areas. This is usually effective on deer and other small animals, but the hogs simply don't scare off that easy.
SOUTH TEXAS HOG HUNTER'S LINGO
Before I go any further, I feel that it is necessary to explain a few of the terms commonly used by hunters in our area. Understanding this terminology will make the hunting articles easier to understand.
Description of terms
wind: When a dog smells the hog. The dog will hold his head up In the air and test, or smell for the scent of a hog carried in the breeze. winded, winding
hot trailing: When the dog follows a trail that a hog has crossed fairly recently.
cold trail: An older trail the dog finds that a hog has crossed many hours before.
start or jump: When the dog finds the hog. As the dog smells the hog he moves in the direction of the scent, when the scent becomes strong or hot enough the dog will "start" or open by barking.
race: The chase accompanied by intermitting barking after the hog has been located.
start dog: The hound that will go find the hogs. The dog that starts or opens the race.
bay: The continual barking action taken by the dogs when face to face, or very close to the hog. When the hog stops running, the intermitting barking of the race changes to a more solid constant barking. A beacon to the other dogs and hunters. bayed, baying
catch dog: The dog used to attack, fight and hold the hog.
all-around dog: A dog that is capable of the pre forming the en tire job from start to catch.
tank (stock tank): Water hole, small lake, fishing pond.
thicket: Extremely dense brushy area, could be anywhere from .5 - 50+ acres. Virtually impenetrable wooded area. The types of place hogs prefer to bed down during the hot daylight hours, and/or retreat to when pursued.
clearing: A break in the thicket An open area in the woods.
Example: The start dog winded the hog from the back of the truck. He jumped out and started the race while the old all around dog was trying to cold trail a different hog. The catch dogs got there when he bayed up in that thicket on the other side of that clearing by the tank.
Hog Signs
crossing: A heavily used path over a road or through a clearing containing hog tracks. A game trail or normal route to and from bedding ground areas, water and food source & natures hi-ways.
rooting: A plowed up area in the soil where hogs have dug for worms and roots. Trench like holes up to three feet deep, typically covering a large area.
rub: A noticeable muddy blemish on fixed objects such as trees, fence posts, telephone poles and rocks. These are places where the hogs scratch or rub themselves.
wallow: A crater type depression made by hogs In the mud, usually found along the edge of a tank. They do this to cool off and the mud protects their skin from insects and the sun.
Example: We followed the crossing to the tank where we found several fresh wallows. There were also fresh rubs on the trees and lots of rooting under them.
I just found this made me lol
http://www.potbellypigpets.com/
Who said let anything die? I refuse to post on RB so If I want to talk to my ...acquaintances, than it looks like I’ll be posting here. RB has stopped being ‘all that’ for quite some time. And the way I see it, the faction of babies, isn’t going to rain on my parade here at IH.
Besides I met someone really cool at the corner bar.
As NYC stated change is good.
Paule
I believe All this other nonsense is over.
Colt you have private message.
B@C = Boone and Crocket record book for most Large game animals. I was watching a British Columbia black bear hunt today on the outdoor channel. The way to measure the bear is from the back of the skull to the front teeth and then from side to side. Add the two together and you have your measurement. 20 “ are where the B @ C record book starts for Black bear. For the USA, Oregon and Montana have the Largest BB populations at an estimated 25,000. For Canada the average providence has 40,000, with BC at about 100,000 Black Bears.
I’m seriously considering going on up there for a guided glass and stalk hunt. I hear the prices are extremely affordable and I can drive there. You stay in a huge log cabin with hot tubs and SHOWERS. You have chefs fix great meals. The scenery from your room and the long walks along the lake shores…OHHHHH, Even if you’re not a hunter that sounds good.
Hey Carolyn/Pre, Matt really has this place up and running. Looks like we don’t get to flog him anymore. Darn it. Oh Well buy him a drink or two, that'll teach him.
Hello is this establishment open for business?
Pre
Unless he had altercations that I am not aware of, I do not think it was anyone from swamp that had anything to do with Colt Getting the boot from RB. He was involved with several different threads. Debating heated subjects such as abortion and gun control. I doubt seriously that this little bickering here at this swamp would spread into attacks against the non-participants. At least I don’t remember Colt getting involved. A few off the cuff jokes and back handed remarks but that’s about it.
If Colt would be gracious to tell us why HE thinks he received the boot that would be cool. I'm just beaming that I’m not the only swamper with the RB footprint on his ars.lol
Matt Would never give us the size 12 cuz we too cool
Nevermind...........
FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
I knew there had to be a reason why I've been feeding those squirrels in my back yard.
I am taking up fly-fishing. When I go down to California to hut hogs with Pre, He’ll be searching out the latest wines and I’ll be fishing every stream and river accessible from here to there, and back again.
That lucky bastid.... If I used 'gro-thermal' the cops would put me away for at least 5 years. Tell me, how does he get away with it?
Green thumb Paule
Well, I guess I could be considered a secretive tyer. I don’t tell a whole lot of people about my patterns. It isn’t that I’m a snob, I just feel self-congratulatory walking into a flyshop and saying “Look at this!” These flies have been proven to be effective, though, and I’ll share them with you if you won’t accuse me of self-adulation. They aren’t the greatest new flies in the world, they just work for me, and I think they’ll work for you too. If you are interested in purchasing flies, email me for a price list, or check out my eBay auctions.
Deep Damsel Nymph
This damselfly nymph pattern is intended to get down quick in still waters whil presenting a lifelike, undulating motion to the fish. The beadchain eyes not only help the fly dive quickly, but emphasize an important "trigger" characteristic to an inspecting fish and create the proper balance to effect serpentine movement. It will ride hook-up to prevent hooking snags. The eyes will still ocassionally hang up, but less frequently.
Hook: Tiemco 200R or equivalent, #14
Tail: Olive marabou, sparse
Body: Olive dubb
Rib: Gold wire
Wingcase: Mallard dyed Wood Duck
Thorax: Olive dubb
Legs: Mallard tips
Eyes: Beadchain
Note: To tie in the wingcase and legs, measure the mallard flank fibres the length of the hook. Tie in by the butts on the underside of the hook, dub the thorax, and pull the fibres forward between the eyes. Tie off under the hook and pull the tips around the hook's eye (over the top of the hook) and tie them down, facing rearward. Use a whip finish at the hook's eye or behind the beadchain eyes (as I have done here) to secure the eyes.
Claret & Black (Salmon Variation)
Claret is a colour that is rarely used on salmon and steelhead flies anymore, but it really should be. While fishing for Cutthroat with traditional wet flies in a local lagoon, I had a Steelhead viciously attack my Claret & Black wet fly. Taking this as a hint, I went to the vise and rearranged the pattern to standard salmon/steelhead stylings, and offered it to these fish with great success. It has been effective in all seasons, particularly in cloudy conditions, and when used with a riffling hitch.
Hook: Dai-Riki 899 or equivalent
Tag: Flat gold tinsel
Tail: Black hackle (optional)
Body: Claret dubb
Rib: Oval gold tinsel
Hackle: Claret cock hackle
Wing: Black Bear
Collar: Black Schlappen
Note: I have used Ronn Lucas Sr's. Iridescent Dubbing in Burgundy for the body. Be sure to dub it thinly, and allow the shiny cock hackles to bring a glowing silhouette to the fly. If you think the stem of the hackle will be strong enough under fishing conditions, the oval gold rib is unnecessary. The black tail is also optional, added in deference to the preferences of some of my tying friends.
Full Dress Preacher
A display fly created from the stylings of a hair-wing Atlantic Salmon fly. Given my calling to the ministry, the drive to "dress it up" was irresistible. I have not yet had the opportunity to offer it to Salmo Salar, but several Steelhead have relished, then regretted the opportunity to take it.
Hook: Partridge Bartleet
Tip: Oval silver tinsel
Tag: Yellow floss
Tail: GP Crest
Veiling: Indian Crow sub
Butt: Black Ostrich herl
Body: Rear 1/3 red floss, front 2/3 black dubb
Rib: Oval silver tinsel
Hackle: Black cock hackle
Underwing: Amherst Tippets
Wing: In strands: black Peacock, yellow Goose, red Goose, black Peacock, yellow Goose, red Goose, Florican, and Speckled Bustard.
Throat: Black cock hackle
Cheek: Jungle Cock eyes
Topping: GP Crest
Para CDC
Another "variation" fly that is applicable to many different ephemeroptera. The styling is classic, but some of the materials are more "modern" to bring together the best of both worlds.
Hook: Dai-Riki #060
Tail: Coq de Leon Indio spade fibres
Body: Cinnamon Biot
Thorax: Ginger/Orange dubb
Wing: Blue Dun CDC oiler puff
Hackle: Ginger
Note: As the wing is tied in, take a few tight wraps of thread up and down the wing base, then dab some Flexament on the wraps in order to solidify the wing. These bright colours were to imitate a local ginger-coloured mayfly hatch late in the evening when the setting sun created a bright vermillion sky. The sky filtered out the red hues of the fly, and created a perfect match. Adapt the colours of the fly to suit your fishing requirements.
Cinnamon Biot Caddis Pupa
This is no revolutionary pupa pattern, but it is effective, and easy to tie. It is an extremely versatile fly that can imitate all stages of the caddis' emergence by varying the amount of CDC that goes into the wing.
Hook: TMC 2487, size 14-22
Body: Cinnamon Biot
Wing: Very Light Dun CDC
Hackle: Black, swept under hook
Head: Peacock herl
Note: This biot is from the Peacock's wing pointer. It is a fun feather because of it's two-tone colour scheme, but Turkey biots in the shade of your specified Caddis hatch will work just fine.
TD Hex
Why tie another imitation of the nypmhal version of a Hexagenia Limbata? Why not? This is a shot at making a good, close imitation of the Hex.
Hook: TMC 2302, size 6
Tail: Emu Herl
Shellback: Pheasant Quill
Gills: Emu Herl over forward half of body
Body: Tan/Yellow Dubbing
Rib: Gold wire
Wingcase: Turkey Quill, Epoxied
Hackle: Badger
Antennae: Emu Biots
Eyes: Mono
Note: I generally use a blend of Hare's Ear and Antron dubb for the body, although in this fly I used a blend of Blue Dun and Cinnamon SLF, which is also an effective shade blend. Emu can be hard to find, but it is the best material for this fly. Ostrich can be substituted of necessary. A bleached turkey quill can be used in place of the pheasant.
Dizzy Blonde
My all-time favorite dry fly to imitate the Little Yellow Stonefly (isoperla bilineata) would have to be a yellow Kauffman's Stimulator, but for spring creek fishing, you sometimes need a less representative, and more imitative fly. This is my attempt at matching the little yellow hatch.
Hook: TMC 200R or equivalent, sizes 14-16
Thread: Yellow
Tail: Light Elk Hair
Butt: Red Silk Floss
Body: Yellow Antron Dubbing
Wing: Mallard dyed "Wood Duck"
Hackle: Light Honey
Antennae: Ginger biots
Note: Silk is used for the butt rather than other flosses because of its retention of the bright red colour. Also, although natural Wood Duck can be used for the wing, for once, the dyed Mallard is (in my opinion) the better material!
Trinity Olive Nymph
While fishing the Trinity River, I kept switching back and forth between a little olive mayfly nymph and a dark yellow/gold stonefly. Instead of changing them all the time, I developed a fly based on standard mayfly and stonefly shapes with an olive color. It didn’t come out like I wanted it to, but I found that I had come up with quite a killing little pattern! Oh, well, they say Gore-Tex was an accident, too. I have had reports that this fly works well from MI to NC to WA and all over. It is my number one fly on Bluegill, and my favorite big water mayfly searcher.
Hook: TMC 200R or equivalent, sizes 10-16
Thread: Olive
Bead: Copper or Gold(optional)
Tail: Grouse Tail Biots
Body: Light Olive Dubbing
Rib: Copper Wire
Wingcase: Grouse Tail Fibers
Thorax: Light Olive Scintilla Dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly, palmer-style.
R. M. Nymph
There are plenty of good nymph patterns out there that are fairly close to the Western March Brown(Rithrogena morrisoni), but when the water becomes clear, the trout become quite selective. This fly has the shape, coloration and movement of the natural, and that can often make the difference between "troutless" and "troutful" days. The fly also features inexpensive materials and is quite easy to tie, which is a redemptive quality when the tippet size drops to near invisibility, and flies snap of frequently. (Turkey, pheasant and other birds can be substituted if you don't have grouse.) The fly can also be tied with a gold beadhead which looks just wonderful.
Hook: Tiemco 3761, #14.
Thread: Rusty dun 8/0.
Tail: Iridescent pheasant rump barbs.
Rib: Stripped Cree hackle stem.
Abdomen: Grey fox side fur with grouse flank over.
Thorax: Grey fox back fur.
Wingcase: Grouse flank feather tip.
Hackle: Natural Dun Cul de Canard.
Iron Blue Hare’s Ear
What do you do if the fish in your home river are taking red like crazy and the blue duns abound? Merge two old classics – the Iron Blue Dun and the Hare’s Ear! For some reason the trout of the Mad River just love anything red, and I needed something medium colored and wet. They approved of my concoction. I have found it to be quite good in stillwater where Callibaetis nymphs are about, particularly on Cutthroat.
Hook: Mustad 3906 or equivalent, sizes 8-18
Thread: White
Bead: Silver (optional)
Tag: Red Floss
Tail: Dun Hare’s Mask Guard Hairs
Body: Dun Hare’s Mask and Antron Blend
Rib: Silver Oval Tinsel
Wingcase: Teal Flank Fibers
Thorax: Dun Hare’s Mask and Antron Blend
Rainbow Chickatuka
This is my variation of Dave Engerbretson’s, (one of my favorite fly-tyers) patterns. I have simply adapted the colours to look like a juvenile Rainbow Trout. One of the great things about Dr. Engerbretson’s pattern is the lack of a “belly.” The bellies of baitfish are quite translucent in the water, so “nothing” may be the best material to imitate that. The bead chain eyes make it sink well, and it makes a great stillwater pattern. Try different colours for different baitfish. (Badger or Grizzly-dyed-Brown Cape Trimmings make an unbelievable Sculpin!)
Hook: Dai-Riki 700 or equivalent, sizes 4-16
Thread: Olive
Head: Bead Chain
Body: Red Braid
Rib: Copper Wire
Wing: Grizzly-dyed-Olive Cape Trimmings
Hackle: Grizzly-dyed-Olive Chicken Marabou
http://www.tidepool.com/~pastortd/
Do you watch fishing videos and growl at those fancy casts because you can’t perform them? Don’t worry – you aren’t supposed to, and probably don’t need to! You’ll never cast like Lefty Kreh or Steve Rajeff. You certainly won’t cast like me! I’m not being impolite; it’s a very simple concept: you aren’t Lefty or Rajeff (unless they somehow heard about this page and are reading it… but I’m quite sure you aren’t me!)
Oh, no, I’m not putting myself in the category of these giants. The only similarities between myself and these men is that we both hold in our hands a piece of cork attached to a long stick with a line running through metal pieces attached. We all are individuals and we all cast individually. You will cast like you! (Imagine!) Having said that, take a look at these tips, but remember… you should learn the basics without trying to be someone else.
New article! Having problems with wind knots? The problem may be as simple as changing
speed! No, this isn't a baseball site, but maybe these tips will help.
General Notes
I’m assuming you know the basics about fly casting. If you’re familiar with the basic “10-2” movement and keeping line taut with your line hand, you’ll do just fine.
Rule No. 1 in Duncan’s Flycasting method: don’t work so hard! There is a reason we use rods that are longer than we are tall; it is supposed to do the work for us. I see folks cringing from the idea of fly fishing because they are wary of all the effort that goes into it, and little wonder since I see guys all over the water who look as though they are fighting dragons with a nine-foot graphite spear. Don’t do all that work See the Gear page for a word about the rods, but here we will look at how to let it do the work for you.
A second rule is: get the fly to the target the simplest way possible. This is an extension of Rule No. 1, but it is also important to increasing your enjoyment on the water. Sure, a spey cast looks great and we get a great sense of achievement when we launch a double-haul 125 feet, but is that the best way to both a.) get the fly to the fish and b.) keep our shoulders from crying out in protest to us? Often, we overlook the simple methods in an attempt to be great flycasters or just to look good to the other guys on the river. Before you throw a 70-foot cast behind that rock, see if you can’t sneak a little closer and make it a 40-foot cast. You may save time in the day, and money on Ben-Gay!
Okay, now rule number three: have fun. That’s why you spend ridiculous amounts of money on tackle and drag yourself out of bed at ungodly hours to drive ridiculous “roads” and hike ‘til your back screams for mercy, finally reaching your favorite water to discover that the flow is low and wily old Mr. Brown isn’t taking anything larger than a size 28 Trico spinner with a CDC tail of exactly the right length. This is fun! Don’t sweat all the difficult aspects. Enjoy your time on the water while being observant and you will learn. Take it easy. Relax. Do the best you can and don’t push yourself to be someone you’re not. We all learn at different paces. Fish the way you know is correct and work on improving, but don’t push it! Have fun!
False Casting
Is the line slapping water? Can’t keep your line in the air? False casting is a very misunderstood method. Hopefully this section will help you to work out any problems you might have and tighten your loops along the way.
The easiest way to reduce problems in false casting is so simple that I’m embarrassed to even bring it up, but here it is:do you remember rule No. 1?Apply it here, and we come up with the false casting principal, don’t false cast so much.We tend to do a lot of unnecessary flailing in an attempt to aerialize the maximum amount of line possible.Basically, though, this much false casting only accomplishes the following results:
Wears out our arms
Wears out our tackle
Gives leaders more opportunity to tangle, and
Acts as tree-radar, finding every limb and planting flies in them.
Is it worth it?I’ll leave the decision up to you, but I think you’ll agree with me that an unrefined false cast doesn’t do much that is beneficial to the caster. What to do?
Perhaps we should determine what the purpose of the cast is, and that is simple: to move the line from its current position to a new position.That’s all.Now there are a lot of physics involved, but that’s basically it, so…
Supposing you’re casting to a spot 40 feet away.You have all 40 feet of line out.How many false casts does it take to put the line on target (or close to the target)? Correct: technically, just one.Your fly drifts a few feet.You pick it up before the drag gets bad. How many casts do you have to make to get the fly back where you want it? Right again: one. Don’t throw the line around like a cowboy with a lasso; just pick it up and put it down. If you’re swinging a wet fly or searching with a nymph in big water, give a little line on each false cast, but one or two false casts per presentation is all it takes!
Roll Casting
I use this cast all the time and have wonderful results with it. Although it is generally perceived as a “lowly” form of throwing a fly line, it can be very effective if used to its full potential. Here are a couple things I’ve learned concerning the technique.
The roll cast is most often viewed only as a technique for casting when there is no room for a backcast. It is quite effective for such a situation, but is certainly not limited to it. You may find that when using floating line a roll cast can save your arm! With practice, most balanced rods/lines can roll cast in the area of 55 feet. That’s plenty of room! Try rolling that line out from time to time to save energy. (You may need it later when you find that really tough Brown!) The key to the roll is like any other cast: loop size. You can alter the size of the loop by adjusting the angle of the rod and speed of the rod. For the optimal loop your rod should start with the rod even with the water level. Pick up the rod so your hand is by your ear, allowing the line to slide along the water toward you. The rod should be tilted back at a 30º angle, and be pushed down with increasing speed to about a comfortable 60º. Keeping the rod tip slightly tilted away from the body will also help. That’s the way to get the best distance and accuracy, but play around with the cast to determine better presentations for different situations. For example, when fishing dries I like a wider loop because it “piles” on the water just enough to help combat drag and make mending easier, but without tangling.
The roll cast pickup is hardly used anymore, but I rarely backcast without it. We all know that you don’t need a cork popper to make a good “pop” on the water. A Dark Hendrickson will do just fine when you need it to pick up quietly to return to that picky Rainbow’s lair. Have you gone to pick up that fly and the noise it makes spooks every Salmonid in sight? The roll cast pickup is your solution. Just make that roll cast high like you were rolling to a spot six feet above the fly’s position. When the line picks the fly off the water, start your backcast. Very simple, very quiet, very effective.
Oh, and don’t practice that roll cast on the soccer field. It won’t work!
Troubleshooting
Like I said before… I’m not a casting expert. This page was not designed to solve all your casting problems. There will always be problems because no human will ever perfect their cast completely. Don’t be discouraged, it’s just time to figure out what’s wrong.
Now, I don’t know what problems you might be having with casting… I’ve tried to cover some of the basics here. However, none of us cast perfectly. If you still have a particular problem, there is a great invention which may help you clean up your casting. It won’t be found in any
fly shop, and you can search all your catalogues and never see one. The technological marvel? A camcorder. Shanghai a family member or friend or set the camcorder up yourself, and cast for it. Show the camera your front, back and sides in all the various casts. Perform all the casts you’re having trouble with a few times each at various angles and focal lengths.
When you pop the tape in your VCR, you may automatically notice that you’re dropping your elbow here, flipping your wrist here…. If you don’t notice anything funny, ask someone who knows about casting if they will take a quick look at a segment. Your flyshop manager may be willing, but if he doesn’t have the time, he probably can recommend someone. Sometimes a few Royal Wulffs, a package of Cul De Canard, or some other object will help make a person more willing to take the time. One way or the other, it can’t hurt to repay their time and expertise.
An old man once gave me some good advice concerning my penchant to be overly technical. As I sat with him splitting unnecesarry hairs, he smiled at me and said "Son, you don't need to be a cardiologist to know your heart is beating!"
Since that time, I have been less reluctant to admit what I don't know, and one of my ignorances concerns the science of chemistry. I will confess now that my knowledge of Titanium is highly limited. I did quite a bit of research on the element, but all I really learned was that I still don't know much about it. So, when I put the Lamiglas Ti2000 7-wt. to the test, I put the simplicity concept into practice: I may not know much about Titanium, but I know how a rod feels in the hand and on the water.
Any of us who are sports fans have been familiar with the basic properties of Titanium for a while now. Golf club commercials have lauded it's light weight, and the use of the metal in prosthetics for injured players attests to its strength. The waiting game to see how long it would take for fly rod manufacturers to include it in their products was not long, and anyone who has read a flyfishing magazine in the past six months has found its presence unavoidable. There are a few companies that are now including Titanium in their fly rods, but Lamiglas was the first to put one in my hands. Admitting my ignorances, I kept my mind a blank slate, and opened the tube.
The first thing that struck me about the 9'0" 7-wt. threin was the unusual look of the rod. Most of the butt section of this four-piece rod is covered with a pure Titanium tube, which adds to the diametre of the blank. This is a stark difference from the narrow graphite blanks we have become accustomed to seeing on rods, and I couldn't help the feeling that it would be heavy and clumsy. I was wrong on both counts.
Although the end of butt section of this blank is greater than half an inch in diametre, it is remarkably light in the hand. The lightness of the Titanium certainly comes into play here, along with the qualities of the single-foot guides and Titanium carbide stripping guides. The rest of the rod is dressed modestly, the graphite being left its natural grey colour wrapped with black thread. A full-wells grip, black saltwater reel seat, and 1 1/2 inch fighting butt complete the look; simple, yet not unattractive. There are lots of pretty rods that cast poorly, though, and some just plain ugly rods that are magnificent, so the unassuming cosmetics were put aside as I spooled up a 7-wt WF line and headed out to see what the rod could do.
I put out 45 feet of line and false-cast a few times just to get a feel for the casting characteristics. The action is listed a "fast," which is accurate, but without the stiffness which accompanies some fast rods, no doubt due to the IM700 modulus graphite of which the blank is made. I found the fairly short casts to be absolutely effortless, even with a rod of this size, but one of the reasons I would use a 7-wt. is to put some distance on large, weighted nymphs and streamers, and Steelhead flies, so what was it going to do farther out? I blindly stripped a good amount of line from the reel, and with 40 or so feet of line out I coiled the line and put a half-hearted double haul on the line. I was rather unimpressed, as the rod did not give me the boost of overwhelming power I expected to feel coming from the Titanium butt section. It took all the line I gave it, but in question, I looked at the spool where I was surprised to see that there were only about six inches of line left! I retrieved, spooled out my entire line, false-cast 40 feet, and put an average double haul on the presentation cast. With so little effort, the line sailed out. Is long distance casting supposed to be this easy?
If I had to pick a word to describe the feel of the rod it would be "comfortable." There is no dynamic burst you expect from a high speed rod when fully loaded, and it doesn't really feel powerful, but when you ask it to go to work, it responds quickly, accurately, and very comfortably. According to the folks at the factory, this is due to the increased sensitivity the Titanium tube brings to the rod. According to their website, "The Titanium tube acts as an amplifier to transmit what your line is doing while false casting...." True? While I have no reason to be in doubt of their word, I simply don't know. I do know, though, that I don't have to be a metallurgist to know that this is a very nice rod. When a fish is hooked, the rod does give you a good feel for what it is doing, and would seem to be a great asset to detecting light takes as well as helping fight the fish.
The Lamiglas Ti2000 is available in line weights 5 through 10 to cover most fishing needs. Its qualities make it seem likely that both ends of the spectrum would be helpful for a variety of needs: the 5-wt. would be perfect for feeling the gentle take of a Trout gently sipping a caddis emerger, and the 10-wt. would keep you in closer contact with a fleeing Bonefish on the flats. They make a great Salmon/Steelhead rod because the light weight would help with the enormous amount of casting that fishing for these difficult fish would provide. The fact that they come in four-piece models makes them highly portable as well.
Adding all these together, it must be said that the people who have been known mainly for their fibreglass rods have come up with a state-of-the-art rod that rivals the most prominent names in the business today. When you combine the light weight, ease of casting, quiet power, high sensitivity, and minimal tube size, you come up with a truly dynamic piece of equipment. Exactly what does the Titanium bring to the table? I'll let the folks at Lamiglas deal with giving you the technicalities of the chemistry, but I know a good rod when I cast one, and I have cast it -- the Ti2000.
The Ti2000 comes in a Cordura-covered travel tube at the cost of $550.00, and is available through their website, or by emailing fishon@lamiglas.com. While you at the site, check out some of their other new fly equipment, some of which will be hopefully reviewed here in the future.
Redington Red.Fly
As much as the evolution of the high-speed rods has been beneficial in immeasurable ways to the sport of flyfishing, there are times when speed is simply not the panacæa we might think. My favourite Steelhead water presents such a case; it is a small coastal stream whose most productive spots are less than 60 feet bank-to-bank. Here, I rarely need to cast 45 feet, and there is rarely a brushy bank to deal with. Thus, although the temptation is always to go with the biggest and the best, sometimes in these cases a slower taper fills the bill better than the fast action.
I came across a Redington Red.Fly 9’6” 7/8-wt rod that suited my needs quite well. The action is moderate, but with a good double haul it had the capability to put my #8 shooting taper well beyond the needed length. The feel of the rod is quite comfortable as well. A slow-action rod in larger weights can often be a challenge, but the Red.Fly was easier on the arm than most I have cast.
My main problems with the rod are in the hardware and length. There is a lot of plasticine material on the reelseat, but at the rod price, it becomes overlookable. I’m not sure if changing the seat would void the guarantee. The length can also be challenging. Although I recommend going with the longest length you can because of the ease of casting, these rods are evidently only available in two-piece models which makes the tube length for the 9’6” a whopping 4’9”! Once again, consider the price.
I would highly recommend this rod for beginning casters. I put the rod in the hands of two men who had never cast a flyrod in their lives, and both were doing well by the end of the lessons. (Then again… maybe it was my remarkable manner of teaching….) The price makes it good for the entry-level fisherman, too.
The Red.Fly is available through most retailers, and at www.redington.com (email jim@redington.com.) It comes in line weights 3/4 - 8/9 and lengths from 7’6” – 9’6”. The price is a friendly $75.00, and comes with a lifetime guarantee!
Nash Small Stream Net
In an industry so dominated by high technology, our world can sometimes be coldened by the chill of aluminum, graphite, and other "new" materials. If you're suffering from this, there's nothing better than a piece of the tradition that you can hold in your hands. I received such a piece in the mail last week: the Small Streams Net from Nash Nets in the high Sierras of California.
Now, a net might not seem like such a big deal, but this is special.Consisting of a lacy Redwood Burl handle and triple-laminate, bow of White Oak, Mahogany and White Oak, the net is not simply a piece of fishing tackle, it is a piece of art. The woodwork is flawless and the brass reinforcements are perfectly fitted to the handle. The burnt-in inscriptions (personalization is available) are cleanly cut, and would make the perfect final touch to an heirloom net. The bow has a unique triangular shape which lends that extra bit of both spaciousness and uniqueness. To be concise, the net has a look that is simply stunning. (I took the net to a friend who is a general contractor who builds a lot of Victorian structures, and he couldn’t believe the quality!) The marine-grade adhesives and finishes ensure that this net will hold up for years to come.
As to the functionality of the net, my “test run” proved no fish to fill it, but that’s another story. I did check the buoyancy, though, and it floated just fine. Perhaps the most important element, though, is what one of my colleagues calls “The Visual Element,” which he defines by saying “if you aren’t catching fish, you might as well look good!” Well, I caught no fish, but did put a few compliments in the creel. (I may release trout, but I always keep compliments.)
The Small Streams Net has a ten year guarantee, retails for $69.00, and may be found along with other net styles and accessories at www.nashnets.com. Information may also be gained by emailing mail@nashnets.com.
Fly Logic Freshwater Ready-To-Go Kit
I learned two things when trying out FlyLogic's Premium Combo:
1.) Don't wade on that side of the Mad River (the point at which I did)!
2.) The Premium Series Reel is tougher than it looks.
When the FlyLogic setup came, I decided to give it a workout on the local run of Half-Pounder Steelhead. The rod looked sturdy, but the reel... well, I just wasn't sure how well an aluminum composite reel was going to hold up there. It isn't that I had reason to think the drag was faulty or under strength, but it is aluminum composite! I called the rep. to check up before I took it to task, and he said it was as strong as machined T6061, and since it was he that said it, out we went!
The FL Premium Plus 5/6 rod performed nicely. It has a medium action that was just right for mid-sized casts. It was quite easy to cast up to fifty feet, and although I got plenty more than that out of it, it took a bit more work, and the aid of some double-hauling. It is certainly capable of putting some significant amount of line on the water. It is a beefy rod with a large diameter butt section which, no doubt, accounts for the power. However, this also makes the rod feel heavier in the hand. I would probably use this more as a 6-wt. than as a 5-wt. because of that size. It also makes the presentation of the smaller flies one might use with a 5-wt. more tricky. This is not your gentle, Spring Creek rod! This one means business for larger waters, and feisty fish. I would not hesitate to use this for Smallmouths, and anywhere you have to bulldog Trout to bring them to hand.
If your focus in rod selection is cosmetics, this is probably not for you. Although there is nothing displeasing about the look, it is modest - perhaps even conservative. A matte grey blank is augmented with shiny black wraps and a black aluminum reelseat. The focus is obviously on providing value in casting performance, and not as much on the "extras." (Sure, everyone loves a nice polished hardwood seat and nickel silver fittings, but can most of us afford it? Maybe some of the higher-end rod companies could learn a thing or two from FlyLogic and Redington! Would revenue increase?)
Now, about that reel: I guess you could say it stood up. It looks nice. You can get it in two colours: the powder coating comes in Platinum or Charcoal. They sent me the Platinum, and the look is unique. That test passes. It is a 5/6 wt. reel that is moderately light to the hand, and balances perfectly with the rod. That test passes. It strips out line smoothly with a blessed quietness. (What a relief!) That test passes. I got into a few half-pounders that set the reel singing, but held the fish nicely. That test passes. But... it is still an aluminum composite!
The day I went out to test the setup, I took some friends who were new to the river with me, and since I know that stretch and they didn't, I opted to take the "other" side and let them have the easy gravel bank. I shouldn't have. I found out that you have to wade a very long way in unfishable territory to get to where you want to be. This path could not have been travelled much because the slime covering the rocks must have been an inch-and-a-half deep, and it was slick as you could imagine.
You guessed it. There was only so long I could stay upright. I fell right on the reel with the entire weight of my body smashing it into a rock. But the reel stood up! My dad always taught me that if you fall, you protect yourself at the risk of your equipment, so the reel took the shock of the fall, but when I hesitantly looked at the reel to see the damage for which I would be responsible, there was none! Not even a scratch on the powder coating was to be found. I have always been tentative about composite reels, but I gulped down my pride and prejudice, and yes, even that test passes.
The FlyLogic Freshwater Ready-To-Go Kit retails for $279, and comes with the rod, reel, backing, 9' leader, and a Wulff Triangle Taper floating 5/6 line in a tube and sock. The reel comes in a nice cloth bag. (I'll admit I put my own reel and Cortland WF6F on there and it performed better for me. The Wulff TT may be a bit gentler on the water. This is definitely a matter of personal preference and casting style which will vary from flyfisher to flyfisher.) The combo is certainly worth the price and more, the retail value being $366.45 according to the FL folks. This is more than the 5/6 rods by Redington and St. Croix, but it will probably be used for different purposes, so the price difference may turn out to be inconsequential.
More information may be gained by visiting FlyLogic at www.flylogic.com, emailing them, (fli@flylogic.com,) or calling 1-888-FLYLOGIC (359-5644).
Coyote Rod Company Fly Rod Blanks
We have been being told by numerous fly rod manufacturers of late that "modulus isn't everything." While there is truth to this, it can also be used as an excuse for a poor blank, so what was I to think when I got the chance to review a 33-million modulus rod blank that was supposed to be pretty fast, but retailed for only $49.95? All price considerations aside, it is true that there is far more to the rod than that single aspect that affects the performance of the graphite, so when I had the received a Coyote Rod Co. 908-4 Saltwater blank, I kept an open mind.
I dry-fitted the rod and flexed it. It's response was pleasingly stiff, so I proceeded with the building process. Staying with the economy idea, I outfitted the blank with less-than-premium hardware and took it to the casting yard. Now, how good can a $50 blank be?
Surprisingly good, actually! A thirty-foot cast showed me a nice, tight loop and accurate placement. A little more line out... still nice. Now came the real test: hauling. I continued to be pleased with the rod's performance as it put the line through the air with remarkable speed, and after a few quick loops, the entire line laid out before me!
There must be something in the taper of this blank that makes it cast like this because even though the modulus is low, the performance quality is quite high! It does have a drawback in its weight. For an 8 weight, it felt somewhat heavier in the hand than one might desire. Nevertheless, by balancing it with lightweight hardware, you can counter this obstacle. It is not unseemly heavy, just a little bulky in the long run.
The Coyote Rod Co. blanks come in standard and Saltwater options, the former reaching down to small trout weights and the latter to the larger sizes. Casting of the non-Saltwater blanks proved them to have slightly less line speed than their salty companions, but a good value, nonetheless. I also found the 4-piece blanks to be of a faster action than the 2-piece models.
The Tigereye brown blanks are available through Northern Tier Outfitters who may be emailed at nto@penn.com. Prices range from $27.95 to $69.95 -- all are fabulous deals for the performance they will provide.
Ronn Lucas, Sr. Spey Hackle
The evolution of Spey Hackles is an interesting phenomenon. Since the illegalization of the coveted Heron hackles, multiple feathers have been sought out to be used for the long, flowing hackles that characterize the traditional Spey fly. The standard is currently Blue-Eared Pheasant, which is a delightful feather, but is occasionally brittle. Schlappen has been used, but it does not have the length to properly hackle a large Spey fly, and does not flow properly to the rear of the hook. Burnt Spey hackles are nice, too, but can be a bit difficult to find, and not necessarily in the colours we want. The wonderful action of Marabou is countered by the difficulty of tying with the floppy feathers. Who is going to find a solution to this problem?
Ronn Lucas, Sr., that's who! Ronn, the materials genius who has brought us Iridescent Dubbing, Gocha!, and other innovative materials has developed a hackle which makes some of the most lovely Spey flies I have seen. In a rather simple manner, Ronn strips fibres from the sides of Peacock quills, treats and dyes them, and provides to the market a remarkable hackle that will be of interest to every Salmon and Steelhead tyer.
These do not replace Heron hackle in the sense that they look anything like the "original". These hackles retain the original iridescent mottling of the quill, and the colours provide brilliance to any fly. These are truly groundbreaking materials that will certainly take the tying world by storm. They can be described in words, but to little valuable effect, as, like any Peacock material, they must be seen to be believed.
Ronn Lucas Sr's. Spey Hackles may be acquired by emailing Ronn. A catalogue detailing all his tying products is also available on request.
A 3-500 dollar electricity bills for the average consumer. Coupled with the doubled rates of the gas company. Followed by the increase of the water bill that, and get this, they didn’t charge us for seven months instead of the usual three, and then sent out double sizes bills already past due. Since January the cost of living has almost tripled for me and I have been doing every thing possible to save energy costs.
When is it going to stop?
I listen to Californians complain about how they pay less than we do for the electricity we sell them. Why are paying for electricity at all. Washington and Oregon are self sufficient with plenty to spare, even during a drought. Right now we have enough electricity to power the west coast in the form of geo-thermal and they won’t let us build the plants. Don’t give me it’s the environmentalists as these plants are 99% pollution free with the cleanest purest production of power next to hydro without the damage to the rivers and fish that the big dams do.
Right now it’s the big squeeze and once again it’s the common folk who feel it the most.Just as we reach any level of financial security they raise the bar and take it all away.
I'm pretty livid at the power companies...
Instead of NOT selling our power to other states they came to us today and stated that the good news is they are raising our rates 100% the bad news is we are thinking about raising it by 300%. Now that is going to raise my personal bill from 108(after the two raises we already had this year) to 2-300 a month, or roughly 1/3 of my house payment. I had already gotten rid of two freezers and converted all my lights over during the last two increases to knock my bill back down to that 100-dollar level.
What about OLD people on fixed incomes? What about all of us with two jobs that barely make it now? Why are we the consumer not being protected from this monopoly? Where is my free market, in deciding where to purchase my electricity? Why are we letting the local government allow California to use our power at ALL. Is Washington St. having this problem? I notice their Governor doing a ton of commercials with our liberal money grabber what’s the deal?
ANGER ANGER ANGER AND I DON’T CARE WHO GETS MAD AT ME FOR EXPRESSING IT. If this keeps up people are going to be running the streets with oozies as the streets will be their new homes and the guns their new credit cards.
You know what Judd, if ONEBGG had let me come to his computer and do to everybody at MF what you what let your friend do to all of us, The wining that would come from your mouth couldn't be satisfied by any amount of cheese. I am pretty much sick of your self-righteous thumb up the rear end attitude. You are considered by most to be one of the funniest guys on the web. However as of late you have been acting like a big purple-headed pole.
Mr. NYC booted me so I’m going to do it to him. So there.
And you’re calling me a drooling baby? I took the liberty of hiring you a diaper service. Your first weekly installment should be arriving shortly.That is if weekly is enough?With the amount of doodoo coming out as of late I don't know.
Because there are plenty of wetpanties@juddsfarm.crybaby/old
Simple answer as how to achieve Wallace’s greatness.....
Go play for the Lakers and then he will become the next MJ.