Foghorn

So I had been married to Susie about 10 years when her Dad says "I want to show you this gun that belonged to my great grandfather and tell you the story that goes with the gun." The story goes that his great grandfather was a Doctor and spent some time in the old West in the mid to late 1800's. He had a patient owe him some money so the guy gives him this gun. The guy also says the gun was a Calvary issue gun that was used at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The gun looked like one of the old Springfield models in a carbine model. The gun was in fantastic shape and I envisioned one day it being passed down to Susie. He only got the gun out one more time over a 20 year period before he passed and that was to show it to my Dad. How true the story was that was passed down over the ages, the gun looked authentic and Susie's Dad was as honest a man as there ever was. I asked Susie's Mom later about the rifle and she said she gave it to Susie's older brother. His first wife kept it when they divorced and who knows where it ended up.

Awesome sharing your story and the tradition of your hunting. And another nice buck too!

Thanks for the report Ollie.

Sure will. Susie can't seem to throw the coughing.

Amen Sandy-thanks to all who served.

Good to see you keeping a record of the lunkers you're catching, Sandy. Wish I would have done that starting 50 years ago! I've got a shortened version somewhere of the bigger fish caught over the years but not the total numbers and info Rick compiled. Hope the trout parks can turn around one day and start raising and releasing some quality fish.

Nice one Marty!

Eatin good in the neighborhood!

Sounds like both a full day and full pants.

Nice colors on that brown.

It's legal in the designated bait areas and the entire park at Maramac.

Old Bosco was showboating one day while we were fishing Maramac Springs. Think he was on their watch list for helping people catch their limit. He was breaking his bait off and I was fishing the same hole with a little brown jig and catching a bunch. He figured he wasn't going to get any business and as he left the stream picked up a soda can off the ground and threw it at the garbage can. Missed it and left it laying on the ground. Don't remember if it was the park ranger or a conservation agent, but the officer took him to the park office and was going to write him up for littering. Heard he was later banned from the park but that was probably 30-35 years ago. Think there was more going on than just littering.

That's a nice problem to have. Great day/night on the water.

From the looks of those fish and the size of your net, you might need to invest in a bigger net!

Just got off the phone with Sandy and she was gearing up for another round. Said it was a very good day especially for you!

I always enjoy the fishing reports and pictures. Thanks a lot!

Got one buddy who has also just started fishing Montauk and usually camps out. He goes at the whistle and uses a Panther Martin spinner and usually catches his limit. I've fished it for years( think it was 1966 the first time) and rarely go at the whistle anymore. It's a 2 hour drive and another 30 minutes getting a tag and getting fly rods and waders on so it means leaving really early. One friend takes his kids and uses the pellets ground up with white sandwich bread and they always catch a bunch. Polarized sunglasses help see the fish and how they are or are not reacting to your bait, lure or fly. A marabou jig on 2# test should get you some strikes and you can fish it anywhere in the park.

Duh, I looked at the pics and saw the VMC hooks on the second picture.

Sure beat the heck out of my old Lee production pots I've used for years. I bought molds over the years advertised as 1/100 to 1/8 ounce from various companies. The original molds I bought years ago were from the "Ament" company out of Independence, Missouri. I really liked the shape of the jig heads and still use it from time to time. It's only drawback is that it doesn't really mold cleanly and it doesn't have any handles to keep you hands from getting hot after a half dozen or so molds. Have a Hilt's mold in 1/00 ounce but it only molds 4 at a time. I had a buddy get me an ingot of lead that weighed close to 100 pounds 40 or so years ago and I'm still using it. Your setup is awesome. Was wondering what brand of jig hook you are using in your mold. Might take a pretty stout hook with some of those bruisers you catch at Taneycomo. I bought some Mustad in a salmon/steelhead model but they didn't fit the mold I intended to use them with.

Around here I get a lot of "that will be my Christmas present this year." We are currently about 50 years ahead on those presents.🤣

Couple of those "Yuengling" beers and I'd have trouble saying Southern Squirrel Fricassee!

Susie and I walked 2.5-3 miles everyday weather permitting and will join the Farmington Civic Center this winter to walk again. The oldest grandkids kept me moving coaching their softball games and now the 4 youngest ones are playing sports so I play basketball, etc. with them. They're still in grade school so i hope to stay healthy long enough to help them.

I was playing a little basketball at 65 with one of the older grandkids. he was 14 and I faked him out, went around him to shoot a layup, and twisted my left ankle went I came down. No big deal until a couple days later when my right hip felt like it was going to fall off. I hand landed on my right knee when I fell and had a labrum tear in my right hip. It still gives me problem at 70. Happy belated birthday and be careful in those basketball games.

One of Al's high school classmates and possibly the last of the "Gumbo" boys has taken up trout fishing. He camps and gets up at the whistle and heads to his favorite spot . He usually stands on the bank or in a few feet of water and enjoys his time until the folks who are wading show up. He tires of them scattering the fish as they wade thru the hole he fishes. He has been using spinning gear and spinners and can cover most of the water. I asked him if he can roll cast because he won't be able to stand on the bank or in most places barely in the water we gets his fly rod out. He hadn't thought that far in advance. Most of his adventures have been to Montauk and he's not going to be able to always fish the way he likes in any of the trout parks. His fly fishing is a work in progress.

You're in our hearts and prayers, Jeff and Susie.