tjm

So many loose dogs around here that that rabbits have a hard time getting big enough to attract a hawk. I've had several cats drag in fresh killed squirrels and cottontails over the years and there are millions of feral cats out there. With roads dogs, cats and raptors that disease may have to bring it's own bunnies. But you know we saved the raptors from DDT cleansing.

It's keeping the board active though, and I'm reading lots of stuff that I'm not interested in.

My left foot is more of a hang up than it should be, I've cut a couple lines by stepping on them.

I have too many reels now, 15 or 20 Medalists and 10 or 12 Sal Trouts and 6-10 others that I don't recall brands. The first Medalist cost me almost a day's wages back then so any time that I see one selling cheap I'm tempted to buy it. That started by looking for one to have as parts, which are no longer available. Actually I have too many rods and too much fly tying stuff also.

I've always wondered about a line basket, but never tried one; now I think I want one of these- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OthFWcfQpXs Back on topic, although I thought Mustad was the worlds finest back when, out of those hooks I bought then, dozens have broken off at the bottom of the bend, where the forging ends. Sometimes several hooks in a row then dozens of flies before another bad hook, most often they break when mashing barbs, but I've lost a lot of trout to broken Mustads. I guess I got a bad batch, and at a penny a piece the biggest loss is my time, but it's enough to put me off seeking out Mustad hooks when others are more available. I think all the bad hooks were 94840 #14, but it doesn't really matter. I've never had a TMC hook break that I recall. The last hooks I ordered came from Wholesale Fly Company, cheap and sharp but I haven't used them enough to recommend them, has anyone else used these? Other sources? The big thing about Mustad back in the '70s was that almost all patterns called for a recognized Mustad hook by number, that and there weren't but a few other choices in fly hooks. No way to compare sizes and shapes either, now with the Web and resources like https://flyhooks.org/ we can make more intelligent or more informed choices.

I never have figured out how bait and spin tackle became "conventional gear" at about a hundred years since beginning, they are the new kids on the block, with fly tackle going back to prehistory.

See, that's where I disagree with a lot of people who blunder into trouble, that Murphy that made the law was a danged optimist, not a pessimist. Nothing wrong with a backup plan or several.

I think it paid better fifty years ago, but have you ever contemplated 50 dozen #18 Adams? 600 of them, fly after fly so you don't have to sort materials. I'm usually bored after six, flies, not dozens, but it was still new to me back then. Wages ~$2/hr, so piece work had appeal. You are right though any well tied fly should sell for a lot more than the imports sell for and the imports set the wholesale prices. Current wages ~$30/hr? so $6-7 per fly? $4 for the Catskill stuff?

I'm still using Mustad fly hooks that I bought in bulk about 1978 with the intent of becoming a pro tyer, that was before I realized how really really tedious it is to tie many many dozens of exactly the same fly. I don't recall how many hundreds or thousand hooks I bought to get the bulk price, but, I still have a few of several sizes and patterns and lots of some streamer hooks that I haven't used since the 70s. The dry and wet fly hooks in 18-14 Have been replaced by non-Mustad. So, yes I use them and no I don't make special effort to seek them out, with the exception of the #3366.

I own a copy of Ashley's Book of Knots , but find a couple of online resources pertaining to knots to be handy- https://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/all_fishing_knots https://www.animatedknots.com/fishing-knots

But I have an opposable thumb so knots are not a problem. The only tool that I've found useful in ~65 years of making knots is the one you don't show- the Tie Fast nail knot tool nail knot is another name for a whip finishing knot, it has a lot of uses

I have sack full of Medalists and spare spools, but I'm currently using the Saltrout 1554 more than the Medalists, simple and about the lightest reels I've handled. I like the old Shakespeare autos too, especially for smallmouth streams but they get heavy after an hour or three, as I age weight matters more. About half the Medalists with one Saltrout near the middle.

maybe, bump this a couple days before the meet or I'll forget about it.

I don't think most criminals have the work ethic to make living poaching fish, if they did they would be working at something that paid better. Are the signs/markets in the images even in the USA? It looks like Asian writing on the signs? and what is a bigmouth?

I cleaned our freezer out once and found we were over the possession limit, so now if we don't eat the stockers right away I feed the cats. I guess it would be a violation to can them or preserve them for later too. Back in the '60s my aunt pressure canned trout all summer (and any other fish or game ) and they ate fish patties through the winter, looking back I wonder if they were poachers then or if laws have been changed regarding possession.

Did Sage roll their own 'glass or buy blanks from someone else?

I'd never make a 6AM meet, I haven't gotten up at 3am since I quit working; but I might make it up there later in the day. Brian, I was at four bridges the day I scouted the creek, but I can't place that one.

Isoppyl is cheaper too. Isopropyl Is more prone to absorb water from the air and self dilute than ethanol is. Two common sources of ethanol would be paint store for DNA and liquor store for vodka or Everclear.

I don't need any thing lighter than a five weight, ever, and in that water I think I'd never need anything other than a seven weight. I have a few of those. But when you talk about midge fishing it makes me think about and wonder if I still have my 9'9wt as that is the only rig I've ever used for the tiny flies.

Pretty? I have actually seen worse. I guess you could smell it?

Not at all, canine Sarcoptes victims become hairless/partially hairless and they stink terribly. I don't know anyone who could stand to skin one. Ivermectin is the cure though if you start treatment soon enough. It's also the prevention.

I don't think it would be "a beautiful Red Fox" if it had mange.

Seem to be a zillion Ozark Log perch in the Elk drainage, but you'd never see one if you weren't kinda looking for it.

I'd expect it to bring <$10, but Peterman Fur (417) 328-8001 is likely your best bet unless you want to finish it and have it tanned, not many furbuyers left in Mo. And you are kinda lucky that the fur is still good, typically my fox are starting to lose quality by this date. Almost zero wild fur market since PETA bought shares in Canada Goose and turned them from the biggest coyote buyer to "fur free", and then China prohibited import of raw fur, meaning it had to go somewhere else for dressing before importation and the added cost makes it less attractive to end users. Maybe if oil prices go high enough there may eventually be a Russia market again, it hasn't developed yet.

So, Wikipedia says Tinder is an "online dating and geosocial networking application", I just learned something I didn't need to know. I thought tinder was stuff like punk wood, char cloth or dryer lint used to start a fire. I don't want know what "geosocial" means