jdmidwest

I see a few in the strawberry patches from time to time. I have even seen them eat a few cucumbers. For some reason, I did not see any this year. There has been one hanging around for several years with a scar on his shell like he was hit by a mower. It has not been seen this year.

Dang fur would have been too thin to make a cap this time of year. Did you let him wonder off a little before you capped him? I know the release pic was just for the humane society.

Wonderful.

Something you don't normally catch on a rooster tail.

The braided leaders have a little more give that tends to protect the tippet better than standard tapered leaders. I have used the Orvis braided leaders for year with good success. The only breakoffs I have are the ones I get in a hurry on and let it happen or the tippet is knicked by a rock. Furled leaders are the same way. Tapered mono leaders only stretch to the point of what the mono will allow. Others use a bungee system to protect the lighter tippets. One other thing about tippet, make sure it is fresh. Orvis has been dating it for years now and it does go bad and break down. I have seen it get so brittle it will not hold a knot.

I usually use the finer tippets to get the smaller flies tied on and layed out on a cast. I doubt a 2x tippet will go thru the eyes of a size 18 dry hook. I don't switch to the lighter tippets just because the fish are spooky. Here is a chart I picked up a few years ago. Of course, the diameters are probably regular mono line. X Rating Diameter Fly Size 0X .011 2, 1/0 1X .010 4,6,8 2X .009 6, 8, 10 3X .008 10, 12, 14 4X .007 12, 14, 16 5X .006 14, 16, 18 6X .005 16, 18, 20, 22 7X .004 18, 20, 22, 24 8X .003 22, 24, 26, 28 For example take a size 6 hook, divide 6 by 4 and you get one. Add one to that and you get 2. So for a size 6 hook use a 2X leader. Of course the chart says 1X or 2X will work - which is right? Well both are. The formula is a guide to get you close. A lot of people make do with a spool of 2X, 4X and 6X tippet. Check it out, 2X will do hook sizes 6, 8 and 10; 4X will do hook sizes 12, 14 and 16; and 6X does most everything else. Does it matter which tippet you use? Really? Yes it does. You might get a 2X leader through a size 16 fly eye, but you won't get much of a dead drift. The tippet will drag. Adjust your tippet to your fly and catch more fish.

A little late for the strippers on the lake. If I was renting a boat, I would try to fish for stripers. Strippers are not really impressed by the little rental boats.

I tend to scale my tippet to the size of the fly. For the most part, 6x and size 14 to 16 flies are about as small as I go. I have used 7x and 8x on the smaller drys and nymphs that are size 18 or smaller. It kinda depends on the weight of the rod also. I would only use the lighter tippets on a 4 wt with a slower, more traditional taper that will protect the tippet. My lighter tippets are flourocarbon also. They are 8x diameter with 6x strength.

Horses are alot of work. But a good horse is alot of fun. She needs a cowboy hat.

Skunks are nocturnal. About the only time you will see them out in the light is early in the morning or late in the evening. They will come out in the daylight, but not much. They seem to inhabit pastures and open ground, rarely do they live in timber. They sleep in dens under buildings or trees. They will use the dens of other animals like ground hogs.

You need one of these to get that ole coon, a Griz Getter or one of the china knockoffs. Neat little trap that requires a critter with a grabbing motion to trigger it. You can poke your finger in it all you want, but try to curl it and pull it out and you are trapped. Skunks will trigger it too. You can probably find one locally at a place that sells traps. Put some bait in the bottom and stick it into the ground. Anchor it with a rebar stake or tie it off to something solid. Your fish pellet mixture will work well in the bottom of the trap. http://www.northerntrapping.com/cgi/search.cgi?terms=Traps::Lil_Grizz_&category=Traps+:+Lil_Grizz_

I use a pair of Crocs that were designed for the river. They have a cinch top neoprene top that holds them on. Gravel runs out of the holes and they have good traction. Down side to them, they were discontinued and they don't make them any more. They make a new style that is designed much like the Tiva's but have a Croc sole.

Them stinky things were running rampant out at Montauk this weekend. Camped in Loop 1 at the upper end and saw plenty. They must have been attracted to the dog in the tent across the way about 2 in the morning, the feller in the tent had a tirets fit about then and came unglued. Did not smell it though. Smelled a few around the campfire. Saw the 2 lovers. Another neighbor said he saw one dash under his van. They need to trap some out again there. It is my observation, a good rain brings them out in warm weather in force. They like to dig, I guess the ground is softer.

Did you ever get that skunk yet? I had a pair mating in a fire pit this weekend at Montauk before I went to bed. I broke them up and shooed them off. But they came back later and tried to get under the rain fly.

Looks like it holds water good.

That is some nice work on those gigs.

I got the urge this weekend too. Ran into town and picked up a few supplies to dress up the new layout boat. Painted it, added a paddle holder and a drain plug keeper. Some new deck rigging also. Bought it a nice new hula skirt at Hobby Lobby too. Spent a few minutes in it today with the 5 yo checking it out for function. Still have a seat and some camo rigging to add to it, but farther along than usual for this time of year.

Tippet, looks like some kind of bug has been eating on them.

I actually read about it a few years back when it sheared off. Can't remember where.

Why not? Tell them you have to check underwater cables. Might have to make a service call to a marine phone.

No trout this time of year in the upper part of Hamiliton. They stock it in the cooler months, gets too warm for them in the summer. There is a trout stream near by that feeds Quachita if I remember right. I never did make it up to fish it. I have a friend that lives and works in Hot Springs. He just hired a guide for the stripers and did pretty well 2 weeks ago on Quachita. For the most part, you are going to need a boat.

What rivers are you going to be on up in Talkeetna? Montana Creek is a good one.

Dark phase young possum. Been taking one big bite out of a tomato and leaving the rest on the vine. Nothing this morning. Declaring war on the bunnies too. Came home and my fall green beans were reduced to stems and stubble this weekend.

My Tracker trailer has the Bearing Buddies too. I have been fighting them this summer, one flew off on the Interstate somewhere, hope it did not fly thru a window. Another crapped out on a back road, I drove a hour or more flinging grease all over. The bearings are still good, but one seems to be leaking inside the hub. Where do you get a seal to repair it? From the looks of the trailer, the hubs and the caps are all Bearing Buddies. The spindles have a zerk fitting also that prohibits install of a regular cap.

Local farm CO-OP carries them an I own a pair of the least insulated ones that sweat my feet off when I wear them. They are slick as hell in wet grass and developed a leak that I had to repair with aquaseal early on in their life. That said, they are good to tuck my pants into when I work my bees and ticks bounce off of them pretty well. I will not buy another pair because of the quality vs price. Lots of companies donate to the HSUS not knowing what their real agenda is. We do, and hopefully we voted today to put a stop to them here in MO today. My reasons will be not to buy another pair because of the overpriced crap they make. They were an innovator when they first came out, but others have made better products now. If you really want to get critical, look into how much your pet food companies donate to them.