rps

Sesame noodles with shrimp.

Store bought/affordable -> Berkley Surge. Best -> one of Babler's tuned Red Fins

Did he say arrgh?

Note: If you plan for the salsa to sit on the shelf, add citric acid to the jar before the salsa. The label will tell you how much.

Cooked: Halve 2 large or 5 small tomatoes and place cut side down on a spray greased sheet pan. Do the same for 2 or 3 serranos. Do the same for 4 tomatillos. Put one large clove garlic, unpeeled, on the tray. One lemon, but face up. Place under the broiler until the tops are charred. Peel the loose tomato skin and tomatillos from the fruit. Peel the garlic. Add the tomato, tomatillos, garlic, peppers to a food processor or blender. Squeeze in the charred lemon juice. Add a big pinch of salt, 2 tsp. chili powder, and 1 tsp. cumin. Pulse the food processor/blender until the fruit is a mash, but not a puree. Cook in a saucepan just to the boil and add to the jars. Hot water bath 10 minutes.

The fresh salsa recipe is in the middle of this. Can it and do a ten minute boiling water hot bath. Tastes very fresh despite the heat. https://www.ozarkrevenge.com/2015/12/enchilada-casserole-mexican-lasagna_7.html

Cooked or fresh before the water bath?

Many of you have read my story about how I stuck myself with a spook. After that I bought a boga grip and used long hemostats.

Just a pork chop.

Home grown tomatoes with dumplings and chili crisp vinaigrette.

Ratatouille with saffron rice.

Put in at Eagle Rock and go up river. Go to the flat at Stubblefield Branch. Rig a light c rig with a 3 foot line behind the weight. Use a #6 hook and half a crawler. Drag it with a trolling motor at .5 mph or less. Make a Z from shallow to channel and back until you find the magic depth. I guarantee the gills will be somewhere on that flat. If you are lucky you will also find a walleye or two. Try not to swear at the spots.

If we are telling about hooking odd things, I will add my story. About 40 years ago, I was fishing the Illinois River below Tenkiller for stripers with a large sliver spoon. I threw toward an island riffle and just as the spoon landed, a beaver surfaced right in the path of the spoon. The beaver took off. I could not budge him. I was fishing 20# line. I finally cut the line. I figured the spoon was much cheaper than the rod and reel.

Blasphemy! Actually, gills are great.

Wish I was there.

This time of year, stationary boats on gravel points are fishing night crawlers for spotted bass, bluegill, and maybe walleye. By now the real walleye pattern is on the gravel point roll off.

On the 4th of July, I used to go down to the marina near the Holiday Island ramp. Alan (the marina concessionaire at the time) and I would watch the show, drink a little beer, and bet on the success of attempted launches and recoveries, as well as whether the boat would start. Once every few years, someone would drop a boat off the trailer. Some people took offense when they heard us laughing.

If you are fishing right at dark, and the bats come out to feed, do not be surprised if you feel light bumps on your line. Evidently, the line returns the same radar ping as the bugs. It has happened to me more than once.

Havarti cheese, Black Forrest ham, some veg, and homemade Green Goddess dressing. The wife loves these sort of meals in the summer. Frankly, I do as well.

I think, maybe, I recognize that rod. Am I right?

Always listen to Al Agnew! Others may disagree with me, but the best way to learn to fish smallmouth with fly would be to learn to catch them on spin or baitcast. Once you learn where and how to fish them, you can apply that learning to fly fishing tactics. Bass respond to two instincts, hunger and strike response. To cater to both, certain lures excel in stream/river fishing. Poppers, walk the dog, or buzzers (Whopper Ploppers, Heddon Torpedos, or small buzz baits) would be on my list. Spinner baits like the mepps or rooster tail, or small twin spin would work for both. A small jig head with a hellgrammite (https://tackle-max.com/collections/hellgrammites) falls in the hungry category. A Rebel craw hard bait as well. I would use a light bait caster rig with 6 or 8# line because I hate spinning rigs, but I know good fishermen that use spinning gear. Go find the slow current with logs and lay downs, the river channel changes that create seams, the shoals that back up pools, create moving water, and end in eddies. (10% of the water holds 90% of the fish) When you find success doing that and have confidence in your eye, go to the fly rod if you wish. Once you catch a 15 to 20 inch smallmouth, you will never fish rainbows again. I respect big browns, but I wish smallmouth grew to 40 pounds.

You are welcome.

Squirrels just took my blush. Time to put the netting and bells up.

In order Bush early girls, summer girl, bush early girl, bush early girls, bush spacemaster with sweet 100 behind,early girl, krim front mortgage lifter rear, brandywine Lots of green ones, one strong blush, one or two more will blush in the next couple of days.

I have never written about it, but uncommon techniques may help. Let out less than enough line for the usual speed and up your speed. The harness will be above bottom. An alternative is to stay at regular speed, but periodically raise your arm and rod to the vertical then let it drop back. The drop looks like a killed spinnerbait. The lift changes the speed and puts 4 or 5 feet above bottom. Just as in crank fishing, change in speed can and will trigger strikes. Note, speed is relative to the type and size of blade on your harness.