jdmidwest

I think that most over react to the party on the river. I spent the last two weekends on the Spring River in Ark., one with the better half, the other with the 17 yo daughter. If you plan your float right, most of the party goes in front of you and you never get involved in it. Both times we put in around noon, kicked back on gravel bars on every other hole and visited, fished and had a good time. Only one hiccup, a drunken bunch partying on the bank at the Bayou Access, not floating. 2 500 lb guys, one in a black thong and the other in a speedo. I think it damaged me more than it did my daughter. Float any river on a Sunday and you won't have a problem. Put in after noon on a Sat, same thing.

If I change the color of my shingles on my roof to white, can I stop global warming? If I put a little burner on my sewer vent to burn off the methane I produce, will I stop global warming?

But Ness, I like sweet pickles and bread an butters. Never cared much for dills.

Actually you can the pickles after you pickle them in spices. It seals and preserves them. I use straight 8 cucumbers around 6" long. Here is a refrigerator sweet pickle Dad makes every year. Downside is it takes 6 weeks, but you don't have to can them, just keep in fridge when done. cut ends off cucs and put in gallon jar 4 cups white vinegar 2 table spoon alum 4 table spoon salt 2 table spoon pickle spice fill rest of way up with water leave in frig for 6 weeks pour off liquid and discard slice pickles put back in jar add 4 cups sugar, nothing else wait 2 days, shake often sugar draws juices out and makes crisp.

Looks like you waited too long on the greenbeans, they turned purple.... Mine garden is doing ok, canned 2 gallons of cucumbers, froze several quarts of green beans. Zucchini and small tomatoes are producing well. Replanted a lettuce bed this week as the other bolted in the heat. Peppers are about as tall as they were when I planted them but have a few peppers on them. Corn was a waste of time and okra is getting plowed under an replanted today. Planted okra at first of May and it is still only 5" tall. Marigolds and sunflowers are petering out in the dry heat.

I am going to need a bigger trap. Each time I checked today they were full to the top. I stood out and watched it fill up once about 1 this afternoon. Seems like they fly better in the heat of the day.

Waited around till afternoon so it would be nice and hot on my little honey hole for Gar. It is a nice little river with all of my favorite fish with the exception of trout. First hole by the bridge produced 2 nice smallies on a popper. It was a nice surprise. A third, larger than the other two, followed both in and never would take a fly. Then came the hard part. This stream has about 1/4 mile of slick bedrock to traverse to get to the next hole. I slipped and slided upstream till I found some gravel and carried on. It was hot. At first I thought I was seeing things, a teepee in the field along the river. Must have been the Visqueen tribe looking at the construction of the teepee. Visions of Pocahontas swimming nude in the river above kept me going to my favorite gar spot on the river. A few more holes with no fish and I came to my spot. I was already late, the river was being shaded by trees, but the gar were still on top. I tied on a white bunny strip fly and caught this one on the second cast. Tempted a few more and left a fly in a nice one. Then they retreated back down to the bottom of the hole. I swiched flies and started catching smallies and green sunfish. One cast produced a shiner minnow that erupted in a cloud of scales on the way in. A nice smallie of about 18" nailed him. He did the same when I was bringing in a small longear sunfish. I fished the hole till the fish quit biting. Pocahontas never did make it, two ladies several years my senior did show up on a 4 wheeler. On the way back, I found a spot that produced several nice google eye but nothing else to brag about. Made it thru the bedrock unscathed, and never was attacked by the natives. All in all, a good afternoon.

I just googled it and found them at Pyramid Air for $28, shame I just ordered an air pistol from them yesterday, could have combined shipping. As far as the holster goes, it is always in my equipment outside of a public park. I have the one that Ness uses, it is my winter expedition pack. You can pack a shore lunch with a skillet in it.

That would work too. When the trap overflowed, I crushed a bunch on the ground with my foot. I noticed they were swarming them too. The trap works better when there are already live bugs in it. I will have to do some engineering this afternoon. I could pick up some extra bait packs at the store and use them in the pvc pipe also. What size pvc works best? With this commercial trap, they slap into the yellow paddles and drop into the lower chamber. Sounded like rain awile ago. I have been dumping into a zip lock bag and leaving it out in the sun to kill them.

I think I will just sit in my hardened bunker tonight and get plowed. I am still wondering what drinking and paddling has anything to do with it. As long as you behave, have a shuttle or Designated Driver, don't litter, and are of age to do so, it should not be an issue. Possession of alcohol in a boat in Illinois this year is an offense. But drinking soda makes you fat and that is against the law in some areas.......

While waiting around the house this morning waiting for it to get good and hot to go gar fishing, I walked down to the garden. I stood watching the bees pollinating my cucumbers trying to pattern the direction they were coming from. There were sweat bees, mason bees, and alot of honeybees. They are coming from the west, probably from a tame hive since they were pretty tame. I noticed a garter snake laying under the tomatoes trying to get cool, I relocated him with the hoe. Then I looked over at the Jap Beetle trap I placed out on Thurs. I emptied it last night before dark. It was already overflowing. They were really working this morning. They have been on my pole beans some, but for the most part, they seem to be in my pin oak trees. It is a shame we could not find a natural predator for them. They are really taking over around here in the pest dept. All locations have been sold out of traps this week, I had to go far out of town to find this one.

Yet! Who is to say there are not already studies being done to check the invasiveness of the bait minnow and the lowly cricket. I know several crickets escape the tube when I fish with them. They have been having problems with viruses in the places that raise the crickets. What if that gets out an runs amoke in the wild killing all of the native crickets. And most people dump minnows when finished, they are not native and could cause problems. Why don't we just ban bait and fish with artificials?

The one in the pic is for the birds. The one in the garden is at ground level and has become a good water hole for the rabbits, squirrels, and a possum. This dry weather has taken a toll on many animals. I know of 2 fawns lost at the farm this year. One was in the barn, the other came into the yard. Both had masses of ticks around eyes, nose, and mouth and looked sickly with eyes swelled almost shut. Both died a few days after we found them. I am sure it is hurting the turkey hatch, they require alot of water.

You would probably need a boat on that stretch. If I was in the area, I would explore Fourche Creek or the Spring River area.

I like the looks of the Maxpedition.

Actually, the forecast is for some change. Hotter. So far we have had mild temps that have helped keep the garden and crops in fair shape. When it heats up to 1-- plus like they are predicting, what is green will wilt even faster. It will also suck the moisture out of rivers and lakes faster, and heat them up more. As I mentioned, fireworks season is kicking off. One bottlerocket into the dry timber will start many fires. Already, there are several burned spots around the area where a careless cigarette was tossed out and ignited a grass fire.

Back in Nov, my Hi Speed internet company did a belly flop and left me with a worthless dish. A few weeks ago, squirrels started cutting down corn for water so I used another small dish to make a water bowl for them. It has worked so far and saved my corn. I placed a game cam overlooking it and noticed many birds using it for water and baths. A possum makes nightly visits also. So, tonight I made a big bird bath. It is great to live in the country with no snobbish neighbors....

Just out today in the local paper. Hi temps and no chance of rain in sight has elevated our drought conditions to Extreme. Forecast is for 103 next Friday. Moderate temps have helped lately, but they are turning to the worst. I lost the battle on the yard, concentrating on watering the garden. Trees are starting to show signs of distress. Now we have a new danger of fires since fireworks season is kicking off. http://www.semissourian.com/story/1863319.html

2 of the 3 trebles on a J13 Rapala in the wrist or a pair of trebles off a Heddon Torpedo in the knee stings like a bitch too.

I still have some old Orvis display boxes from a shop I used to manage. It could have been a special run of something to display the Umpqua flys for the retailers. But it may have been mass produced somewhere for resale. Are you wanting to display flies or use it on the fly tying station?

I run into a guy 2 weeks ago at 142 access on the 11pt with a Daytripper. The open cockpit, moveable seat to trim the boat, and hull design really impressed me. I will have to step up to the Orion to get the camo I desire for duck hunting. Of course, that will be another 12' boat if I go that way. I think I want a 10' boat for a change, I have always owned and floated 12' boats with the exception of the 13'8" Predator I had a few years ago for a while. Any downsides to the Ascend?

Has anyone been using the Ascend 10' sit inside Yaks? I run into several last weekend at Fin To Fur in Thayer for a great price. I have been looking to add a 10 footer to the fleet and had my eye on an Old Town that Gander Mountain was carrying. But the Ascend's looked pretty good. Hull design was pretty impressive as well as the features. Of course, I could save my money and buy a Jackson Orion.

Having fished mostly barbless for over 20 years now, I really can't think of any downside. I don't catch or land any less fish. It is easier to release the fish. It is easier to release a fly from skin or clothing or even a net. I usually end up pinching down the barbs on my spin fishing lures too for the same reasons.

Looks more like some sort of sewing box than a fly tying box. Try a craft shop or hobby center. Is this for portable tying? If so, look at one of the briefcase types or maybe a wood tool box that looks like the old Gersterner boxes.

Let the sheep be, wolves have to eat too...... When all the sheep are gone, we can slaughter the wolves to extinction like we have done in the past! jdmidwest 2012