Johnsfolly

Tried to give more of the step by step photos. There may have been more on my Betterhalf's phone. I had asked her to take some. Just didn't get them uploaded😞.

If this spot still has this structure, there's bound to be more browns lurking there. I caught this one in 2014 after drawing it out from that undercut bank on the far shore.

Very nice fish. Congrats to you both. You need to get a portable backdrop so Al doesn't have to bend over in the pictures !

I personally found better places to fish for both numbers, size of fish, and also more aesthetics. Makes it hard to go back to a spot that for me didn't hold that potential. I often think about going back just before I hit Vichy on Rt 63, but instead the car just keeps heading south !

Found a recipe for the rabbits, Rabbit stew with coconut cream. Pretty simple recipe from Allrecipes.com. Sliced a green and red bell pepper and two small habenaro chilis and minced garlic. I had a client in today and left most of the dish for my Betterhalf. She also sliced an onion and peeled and sliced a ripe tomato. She browned the rabbit pieces in our dutch oven, removed the pieces and cooked the garlic, peppers, and onions until the onion was translucent. She added the rabbit to the oven, then added the tomatoes, about 2 cups of chicken stock, and brought to a boil then dropped to a simmer for over two hours. Once tender removed the rabbit again and kept warm, brought the braising liquid to a boil and reduced the volume by half. Returned the rabbit and added 2/3 cup of coconut milk and S&P to taste. While reducing the braising liquid, we prepped the rice by bringing 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock to a boil with three jasmine tea bags steeping, once steeped added two cups of rice. I chunked a buttercup squash. I partially cooked the squash with a little boiling water then into a skillet with a little coconut oil and touch of butter to carmelize the outside and finish cooking the squash. Once the rice was done, served it up for all!

Its been a long time since I fished either spot. The best fishing was after there was a big accidental release from the trout park. Outside of that could expect to catch a couple fish only. Maybe a brown or two.

Marty Thanks for the tutorial on rendering goose fat. Makes me appreciate the white gold in my freezer☺!

Congrats to you both on a couple of fine limits of Canada's! You guys were where they wanted to be. Success due to a great scouting job ahead of the hunt!

Actually Pete and Johnny call Jon by his first name - Richard☺. So we were all good.

Thanks Ness. It's a cherished moment for certain. We all liked this photo as well after the game.

Yesterday met up with my friend Jon, his dad Pete and friend Johnny and we headed out to a local conservation area with a pack of beagles . Armed with the beagles and shotguns we had rabbits on the mind. Personally I have not shot at a running (or flying) target with my shotgun at all this season. Another friend of mine had hunted this property last Feb and they bagged 21 rabbits. We thought we could get a few ourselves this year. As soon as we crossed the fence and headed down to a small pond with lots of brush, the beagles began their hunt. I have not hunted with dogs too often. I was amazed how the dogs could just walk along and then in an instant begin hoovering scent along the ground. It wasn't more that twenty minutes that Clyde started bawling and the others picked up the scent as well and the whole pack started after the rabbit barking all the way. That is except Jr the pup in training. The rabbit was stuck in the CRP grasses as we stationed in the short grass trails criss-crossing the area. The rabbit popped out of the tall grass on my left and continued past me. I go the gun up and followd the rabbit, then BOOM! I shot behind the rabbit and off he ran. It took the dogs a couple of minutes to come out and a few minutes more until they picked up the scent and got back on the rabbit's trail. He circled down below us to the right and with the beagles in tow. The rabbit got past Pete and circled one more time before Johnny's 12 ga barked and he called in his dogs to share in the dead rabbit. One down. We went a little further into the CA land and the dogs picked up another rabbit. This one started with a small loop, followed by a larger one. We saw it a couple of times and Johnny shot twice, but didn't put it down. One last loop and again it came out in front of Johnny and this time it didn't get away. Two rabibits and we are still in sight of the trucks. Can you tell me that you would not expect to find a rabbit in this area. Nope no rabbits, but lots of rubs and deer trails throughout the brush. We did find a few more spots and a couple more rabbits. I missed another, but it got into an area about 150 by 60 feet of thick brush in a draw. We surrounded this draw, This rabbit was not getting away. It popped out again in front of me, but between me and Jon leaving me not safe shot. Johnny was able to shoot safely and we had our third rabbit. It was now close to noon and we hunted back to the trucks. The dogs got some water and we got a drink our selves. One of the dogs picked a rabbit just off of the parking area. Four of the dogs headed off to the left and Jr off to the right. A rabbit kicked out from the right with Jr following. It ran across the road and Jr followed until it go to a fence. The dog followed the fence and then headed across the street and began bawling when it picked up the rabbit's scent on the other side of the road. that got the pack's attention and they all ran across the road and got into the chase. Jon and I went across the street. The dogs really chased after this rabbit through some thick stuff. It popped out and ran up the trail away from me but with the trucks behind it I did not pull the trigger. It crossed the road and didn't make it too far past Pete's 410. Not as many rabbits as I would have hoped for, I shot poorly, but had a great time. Johnny gifted me his three rabbits and it's what's for dinner !

And I hate that he is wearing a Pats jersey. Would feel the same way if Vegas gets into the Stanley Cup Finals. But teams and players move on for good or bad. Franco Harris played in Seattle and Montana played in KC.

I have SB XLIII on DVR and may watch that instead. Go to go to that game with my dad and brother. It was a great game (since my team won), but also a great time spent with my father. Ness - Here is a KC memory for the Folly Family. Thanksgiving weekend - Steelers and Chiefs. Coldest game that I have ever attended. We had tickets for all of us in the nosebleed section and two seats on the 35 yard line 7 rows from the Steeler bench. Would take turns going down to the lower seats switching out each quarter.

It is a lot of sour grapes. I never whole heartedly rooted for them when I lived in CT. I did really like the old minute man in a footbal stance logo. I couldn't stand America's team the Dallas Cowboys for a long time back in ths 70s and 80s. They hadn't been very relevant for a long time. It comes down to me wanting my Steelers to be considered as the best team. Most SB wins, most SB wins by a quarterback and coach and now its the Patriots that are getting those records😞. I thought Justin Timberlake was doing the halftime show. Thus the wardrobe malfunction statement.

Been to a couple the video spots on the NFOW. Didn't catch as big of a brown on that river, only14 inches. Been a jig and stickbait guy but love the look of those articulated streamers in the water☺.

Just love catching browns. Gets your heart racing. Thanks Phil for posting this video. Only issue is those poor sculpins😞.

My betterhalf saw flocks north of Columbia on Friday.

Super bowl halftime hopefully will be without any wardrobe malfunctions . Not sure how I feel about watching the Super Bowl. Dislike the Pats and last year's commercials weren't great. so no real interest this year.

Nice brown! Congrats!

Pretty sure that they are MOMO droppings! We need to ask a cryptozoologist's opinion . Actually look a lot like the mole mounds we get in our yard. And no we don't plant sorghum!

If you want a chance at a quality turkey hunt for your son without too many crowds, I would suggest that you guys come out for the youth turkey season - April 8 and 9th. May be a bit early for the for the peak of the spawn for crappie. You should have far fewer people out even on heavily hunted public lands. As for morels, we found these in Columbia April 9th last year. Should get an earlier flush down around Truman. Good Luck!

love it when that happens. Happened twice this last year for me with musky. Didn't get good hook set but sure got the blood pumping.

Just imagine how good this would be if made with chanterelles, black trumpets, or hen of the woods mushrooms or all of the above☺! It would be the tastes of the forest.

Congrats on a very nice fish! I have caught only one snakeriver cutthroat and would love to add a Arkansas Bonneville to my life list. Of course recognizing that these fish are outside of their native ranges .

Next time down by RR state park, check out Tim's Fly shop. Definitely has that same feel to it. Also he is a great source of information about what is going on in Roaring River and Crane creek.