FishnDave

My BIL has been looking into this. He's thinking of not using the batteries, since they'd need to be replaced every so often. He's gonna get solar, and connect to the grid. When he's making surplus electricity, it'll go to the grid. When he's not making enough, he'll draw from the grid. When electricity goes to the grid, the electrical company gives credits, and then he'll use the credits when he draws from the grid. As long as he, on average, generates more than he uses, he'll never have to pay for electricity. He does have a small generator for emergencies.

Great job on the loaches, bowfin, and snakehead!! What a night! 😃

More deer:

Koi:

Goldfish:

Got back to StL on Saturday evening. Sunday I decided to not drive very far, and maybe just go for Redear Sunfish. I found them. They were small, but had that good color on their opercles. Also caught bluegills, largemouth bass, and green sunfish.

Had to be in Iowa on Saturday. Drove up Friday night. Got into town with enough daylight left to hit a nearby public pond. Caught what I was hoping for! Flyrod Species #82 for 2024.... Pumpkinseed Sunfish! Love these beautiful fish! Caught another that may have some mixed genetics....but is certainly mostly P'seed.

I read that if you like both men AND women, but they don't like you...you should identify as "bi-yourself". And that's how threads get derailed. 😁 Back to Ham's quest!!

Seen while fishing: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (some females are black, while others are yellow with black stripes like the males) This Plain-bellied Water Snake was my buddy. He came flying off the high bank into the water chasing frogs. I was snagging sticks in the water...I'd unhook them and toss them onto the bank on my left. The snake would chase the sticks and attack them as if they were another snake. I'd pet him with my rod tip. He never seemed to mind. He finally came over and rested next to my shoe.

I also caught Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, and a BOATLOAD of Warmouth!

Took Wednesday off work to go fishing. I needed 6 Bowfin to get to 200 Lifetime Bowfin on Fly. I think that's pretty cool, considering I caught my first one ever in 2022. I went to a location about twice as far away from home as my usual bowfin spot. Wasn't sure I'd reach the goal today, but thought maybe I'd inch closer to it. I got there, and water was lower than when I'd last been here in the Spring. Some decent spots were dry or otherwise unfishable. Short story...I reached my goal! I caught exactly 6 Bowfin. They were smaller than the ones I usually catch, but cute little buggers!

Tuesday after work (I work from home), I joined in the St Louis rush-hour traffic to try and squeeze in a couple hours of evening fishing. My target was Orangespotted Sunfish, from a spot I had caught them in April. Water levels have been high since then, but were only @ 3.5' higher than April now. Fishable. Sadly, I did not catch any Orangespotted Sunfish. Nor Green Sunfish, Bluegills, Hybrid Sunfish, or Longear Sunfish....all of which I've caught there in the past. Perplexing. Where are they? There were 2-3 small current seams, and at each one, I found fish. I ended up catching 4 Common Carp, a Freshwater Drum, a Bigmouth Buffalo, a little Channel Catfish, and a Shortnose Gar. Some really good fighters in that bunch! Had my 6wt fly rod bent over pretty good!

There should be. I just suck at darters. I was having what I thought may have been decent sized darters coming out from under big rocks to hit my flies.... but I didn't manage to land any. They'd quickly dart back under the rocks, so I couldn't really see for sure what they were. Could have been small Green Sunfish, since I did catch those too. Evening light didn't give me the best spotting conditions... but I gave it a go anyway. Darn darters.

Alright!! Congrats on the Ribbonfish! How cool is that?? I didn't realize they were so good at slicing through fishing line! Is it their teeth, or the sharp jaw bones?

The deer last night kept sneaking up on me and trying to get all close and chummy.

Got out for a short trip after work. Hoped for darters. Did not catch any. Caught other stuff, including Striped Shiner and Mottled Sculpins

Saw a good variety of butterflies. Got pics of a few. Common Buckeye: Comma: Red Admiral: Fiery Skipper: Also: Common Whitetailed Dragonfly:] Six-spotted Fishing Spider:

Check out this TINY White Crappie!

Yes! I had that happen a week ago! I thought I was alone fishing a creek... heard voices, but assumed it was folks on the adjacent trail... when 2 angles came around the corner with spinning gear as I was trying to photograph the Logperch I'd just caught...in the photo bag. We talked for awhile... they were nice, understood the gist of what I was doing (after I explained it). They went on by me and continued fishing their way down the creek... kindly passing up the next good-looking pool for my benefit. I'm glad I took some pics of the logperch out of the bag too... as the ones in the bag didn't turn out very good. That was opposite for the Orangethroat Darter... decent pics in the bag, bad ones out of it.

You may be right. Just a year ago, I had no plan to microfish. Look at me grow! I've caught at least a dozen new-to-me species on micro-flies this year! Occasionally neighbors walking by, as I'm unloading my fishing gear after a trip, will ask me if I caught anything. "Yes! Little minnows!" They never talk to me again. 😏

ok. yes. very true. I admit I AM doing it the way I want to. Not the best nor easiest way. 😁 We all love a good challenge, do we not?