BilletHead

Nice fish! Now he needs a tattoo of that:) Tell his kids and grandkids the story. That is one fat fish.

You are not telling me anything I don't know here. Been spending two weeks out West chasing trout since 2008. Missed last year. Skipping this year for a different trip. Had to adjust to hoot owl hours in Montana. Fished that State plus Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, New Mexico and Arizona. From glacier run off to high desert. No to western Rivers getting shut down because they are artificial fisheries. The fish were and are there. Native and introduced species. They are shut down because of warmer than normal water temperature. They do this to keep undue stress to the fish. The only places stocked to this day on Montana are lakes and to restore the native cutthroat and bull trout. Don't assume do some research.

More from the BilletHead's, Busy day. Supposed to be a days of rest but as they say no rest for the wicked. go the invite to a farmer friend to hit the sweet corn patch. He generally has his grand kids pick and sell but this year they did not want to. He said best crop he has ever had. Giant patch to come get all you want. We drove over. He had mowed paths where you could drive truck around to pick. Yes big enough patch to actually explore. We parked dead center and in a jiffy filled a taller than five gallon bucket and two over flowing milk crates. One crate we trucked to town to gift to our Doc that Pat works with and for daily then back home. As I type this she is on the living room floor on a sheet shucking corn. Lots to cut off cob and freeze. We have eaten some and the best we have had I believe. Might go get more in a couple days. Either pick or it will go to waste farmer says. We are hunters, gardeners, foragers and gatherers. So forage and gather in another's field we did. So this brings us to our daily meal. Thawed a deer backstrap. Seasoned with Alderwood smoked salt and smoked Plabano dust. More hunter garden stuff. As I heated up the hot plate outside Pat cooked corn then I put goose fat into a vintage Wagner skillet and slipped in the backstrap section to sear all sides. Pat had also made a blueberry, red onion salsa to top the meat with. Yes we forage at Wal Mart too .What a great meal. Some garden cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and foraged Vidalia's from the store in Italian dressing. The deer loin with salsa piled on and I pigged out on four ears of corn. A barley pop washed it down. Life is good.

Had to try out a new to me gem pan. It was gifted to me by a friend. Dang when I seen it I got excited. This Number 23 / 955 breadstick pan is very collectable and will be a keeper in my ever expanding cast iron cookware. Circa 1925 to 1940s. Had fun restoring this one and I say perfect condition. So it was going to be Nana Moorhouse's ginger gems. Some native chopped pecans mixed in the batter. Extra batter so broke out a Waterman #3 gem pan to take the overflow. Waterman pans started in 1859. Properly seasoned pans made the gems fell out.

Here we go a blast from the past, I was dinging around in the shop the other day, Popped in an Iron Butterfly CD. Brought back come childhood memories. Yes childhood. I was 10 or 11 years old when In-A Gadda-Da-Vida came out. So In Southern California we were way ahead in the Flowerchild days. Pretty Liberal lets say. Our long Haired Freaky School Bus Driver put an Eight track tape player in the bus. Every and I mean Every morning he had this song going full blast in that bus. Guess you could say this has something to do with my selective hearing when Mrs. BilletHead says something to me. Song is actually pretty mild to some of what we have now. Listen to it all it really is quite good,

Beautiful rig man Randy. Hope you are still well and good luck on the sale.

Bummer city!

Look awful close do we have a match? @MOPanfisher

Good thought. I know out west where they rely on snow melt to feed the rivers during warm spells they shout down during high heat hours. Montana for sure. Does anyone know the temps coming out of roaring river or Bennett spring and does that temp shift much? I am betting there is a daily record. I imagine towards the end of the trout area yes it could warm up some. Fish have a way of knowing and try to stay where they are most comfortable. Bass run into the Bennett spring branch to constant warmer water during the winter. I bet the trout move up higher if the flow will let them to be in the sweet spot. Heck I move in and out if I can to feel good.

I think they just need to do some updating. As academic people there has to be a properly trained scientist knowing what they are looking at. I can understand it at times because every wannabe herp experts see is as a rattlecopperheadedpuffadder.

Only in the frying pan! HA

Oh good grief. I Think of one temperate bass that is designated as a very pale color that may need to be renamed. Maybe call it the peoples bass so as to not offend multiple races. Then we have another dark bass species. Rename them green stinkin bass. :).

YEA ! hope you can use it.

Does anyone have a craftsman 19.2 drill driver? Mine burned up. Brushless motor. Spare parts not available. If anyone can use the chargers and a lithium ion battery you can have them. Battery is good. Chargers work. Give this a few days then I will recycle battery and trash the chargers. It has been a good drill and served me well may it RIP.

Plenty here Jeff! Would you like me to send some? Pat and I did a walk from Jolly Mill down to the intersection of of shoal creek in early spring. Found bunches of dead armadillo along the creek. That cold snap did a good job.

Oh yes and koi too. Have a bait shop that sold and I think still sells koi on the cheap. He said he cannot use the term koi so he sells them as fancy carp. A big one was caught up at Caplinger mills a few years back.

Stop Dumping Your Pet Goldfish Into Lakes (gizmodo.com)

I miss posting fisheye pictures. Got to get some on here.

Well Played Randy!

I love a DYI projects!

Just what we need is another invasive species. I vote no. You will be on the most wanted list from the green and brown bass fishers.

I need to go even not being a participant. Just to shake a hand or three.

I could send him a sample in an eye dropper. He can put it behind his ears to entice his bride!.

Rick my first timber rattlesnake was approx. 25 years ago on 54 highway between South 850 and south 900 road. East of drywood creek. We were coming back from an archery shoot south of Fort Scott. Have seen two more since then in various places. Closest cottonmouth within a mile of the Ed Woodington farm where the Powwow was held. You know the place. Most in one area Sac River upstream from the 82 access. Going from the Bluff in Spring to the low ground swamp area across the river. Reverse migration in the fall when it cools off. I have posted many pictures of those sightings. Up to 15 a trip clear up past coon creek. 6 t0 8 at a time on the bluff bank sunning themselves. It used to be a novelty deal seeing them. Now it is watching out and not running them over. Boat slalom course. Bunches along flat creek along flat creek while looking for Reeds spring chert for flintknapping. One while Pat and I were in the canoe on Weableau creek above where it runs into Truman. Again looking for flintknapping resources. Copperheads thick here at he house and in area at times. What MDC says. About both Timber and Cottonmouths . Northern Cottonmouth | Missouri Department of Conservation Timber Rattlesnake | Missouri Department of Conservation (mo.gov)