BilletHead

Scott, Sure will be hard on us midwest pond hunters. You really know how to hurt a guys hope for a nice waterfowl season:) BilletHead

Justin, Myself and Mrs. BilletHead both have the Vinci. Mine has seen two seasons a and the wife has seen one. From dove loads to 3 inch heavy loads, no problems. Yes the wife shoots 3 inchers in hers for waterfowl and turkeys. Sweet guns. Wish I was closer to you, Would let you shoot a couple of boxes through them, BilletHead

Al you are right about Big creek being pretty steep in places and not very large. There is a place quite a way up there where there is one little camping spot with a picknic table at a bridge. Going downstream the landowner has put in a gate access so anglers won't ride down mess up the fence. I fished mainly upstream. First time I was there caught small rainbows. A couple years later found the cutts. Caught several nice ones. There is only enough room to walk right up the middle of the stream casting the same way. Used big hoppers. Managed some big whitefish too. Even with there small mouths they were smashing the hoppers. It would be easy in places to turn an ankle on the bolders too. As far as Mill creek the fellows at the fly shop which Is in Emigrant (I think) told me to try there. First place was access on a road where there is a forest sign. Dropped off the road there. Big falls below that. Went upstream staying below the high water mark because it went through some private ground. It is in a meadow setting. Wife and I did well there also on cutts. Then we went farther up to the campgrounds on the same road quite a way up. I dropped in the stream right behing the camper and proceeded to catch more. Here it was tight quarters with timber both sides and hanging over the creek. Fun times and we will go back sometime. I have tried the yellowstone here and there at public accesses catching a few fish. One time right in Livingston the wife dropped me off so she could do some laundry. I get quite intimidated at larger waters. I need to get over that. I suppose it is that way with me missing access the floaters with boats have. We like that part of the country. you are truly blessed to be able to be there like you are, BilletHead

Looking good. Thanks again Phil for the site you provide and the stickers, BilletHead

I hope you are not planning on leaving us soon Oneshot. Maybe we will dissapear in the blink of an eye, if that is the case I'm ready to go with you. BilletHead

Mike I can tell you two places mentioned above where the Mrs. and I caught nice fish. Easy access too. You have to love Montana for what they have done for fisherman to be able to do what we like to do. We have spent more time fishing places in Wyoming where access is limited. I will PM you with my e-mail address and phone number and put yopu on to these two creeks, BilletHead

Al if you and Mike don't come up with a plan let me know. The Mrs. and I will be out pretty close to you in a couple of weeks with the Kayak Koffin. I knew I should of made a third story on it:) Have you ever fished Big Creek West of Meditation Point on farm road 2500? How about Mill Creek East of Pray? We have done well on those two creeks before. BilletHead

Thanks again fellows. Did a test run yesterday. Trailer did well although I am adding some gussets in the corners. Needed for the dog to try also. She went in our old sit in side kayaks so she needed a trial on the sit on tops. BilletHead

Received stickers in the mail today, thanks Phil. The word will be out in my neighborhood and soon on vacation across the country, BilletHead

Smalliebigs, The wife and I both have the Adios... Love them big time! Thanks for the compliments on the paint job guys. billethead

We wanted to have a way to haul the kayaks on long trips. Keeping them out of the weather and also a good way to store them. Got a wild hair and this brought on the idea. Had a good friend assist in the primary build. The box is 13' 6" long.. Sitting on a just shy of 16' trailer. Some photos of the build. Flipped it on it's side and gave it a oil primer. When it dried caulking and a oil gloss coat. When dry uprighted for the next coat. Outside complete primer coat, caulking and then a oil paint finish. Then the vent for and aft covers. Custom paint by the BilletHead's too. 5/16" exterior plywood screwed and glued. The thing is so tight when I shut the doors there is a woosh of air out the back vents. Still some tweaking to do on more of the paint job. Kayaks rest snugly on carpeted runners keeping them centered. Tied off to keep them from moving forward or back. The bearings were in bad shape so I replaced with new bearings, races and seals. Up graded from 12" to 13" tires but I need to raise the fenders a bit. New lights also. It is a beast but we are happy with it. The name came from a neighbor that said it looked as though I had a crypt or vault in the yard. billetHead

Go get them Scott. I hear them calling your name, Catch me Scott, Catch me! Did you get rid of the one a day? May you continue to get better, BilletHead

OK Chris just let me know, Mic they are made by diablo paddlesports out of Texas. http://www.diablopaddlesports.com/why_were_different BilletHead

Thanks fellows, North of the dam? Hummm? What dam? Yes Chris I will be around tomorrow afternoon and would be in for a info seeking mission. In the morning at daylight I will be pestering the gills though. They are pumping things right on down for the crops. The "E" lake is really sad. BilletHead

The Sac River below Stockton, all the way to Truman is seeing more nesting too. Early this Spring Mrs. BilletHead and I seen three nests from the 82 Access to 54 hyway when chasing walleye. I was back up there a couple of weeks ago and there were young eagles around all three places. Parents close by also watching there young. I shot some pictures of them while up there. A week ago I was on the Osage arm near Schell City and seen two more along the river there. Really nice to have them back like this...... BilletHead

Hit a favorite place with the kayaks with the flyrods this morning. Started out throwing larger flys, caught lots of bass with a bluegill now and again. Fished about an hour when I told the better half I was going to try a underwater hump in the middle of the lake. Well I hit the mother load of big bluegill. On a size 4 brown wooly bugger of all things over 2 inches long. I got Mrs. billetheads attention to come over and join the fun. Game on! Over the next hour we caught 70 of the gills. Between 8 to 9 inches with several pushing 10. We also threw burks aggravators in a olive/chartruse color. Thought we would share the morning with you all with a report and photos, BilletHead The flys Mrs. BilletHead in action Some of the fish. Thanks for letting us share, BilletHead

Well bless your heart Ness you fortunate fellow! Rain! I watched the storms track up your way. Our weather man said they would peter out before they got here. He was right. We froze 32 cups of corn this morning. Picked tomatoes and peppers too. Then off to the corn patch for more picking. I owe these farmers big time. They let my wife and I harass there ducks and geese. I suppose I do a little service taking out some geese though Also make sure they have gooseberry jam, smoked cheese, mess of crappie now and again, goose jerky too. Mrs. BilletHead is making salsa right now. I have some hot peppers in the dehydrater now. I dried herbs, basil and rosemary last week. Here is this mornings harvest. The BilletHead who needs more vacuum seal bags.

I have a good crop right now Ness but it isn't going to last long at this rate. We usually have tomatoes to take out West on our two week flyfishing in the high country in August. It isn't going to happen this vacation for sure. Our garden is kind of in the timber and does get some shade from the sun but the constant heat will take it's toll. Cabbage is already stalled with some the size of baseballs. Probably out to go ahead and pick. Assorted peppers are doing the best and I think they will be ok. We take a chance every year like the big time farmers. Wonder if we can get crop insurance like them ? On a good note we have become friends with farmers around here. When they plant there corn they usually plant some big and I mean big patches of sweet corn somewhere hidden in their field corn. Have had three calls from three different farmer friends for us to help ourselves. We have eaten so much it is crazy good. Mrs. BilletHead took corn off of at least fifty ears today. We throw about two cups and a good pat of butter in a bag and vacumn seal. Repeat until we are out and smash flat, stack and freeze. It sure tasts good when the snow is a flying. BilletHead, full of corn

Thanks Chris for the info. Grilling them brings out what little cabbage flavor is in them more. Cut about a half inch thick. Got them good and hot all the way through. Still crisp in the center but softer on the sides. Marty

Thanks guys, some of mine are between a tennis ball but less than a softball. I better pick the biggest and give it a try raw. Chris, how does your dad eat them? BilletHead Ok then, I picked the largest one. Peeled and sliced. Tried raw, good and crisp, not too tough yet. A little salt and pepper. Good like that and then a dip in spicy ranch (answer to most anything). I can see all kinds of possabilties. Might try this http://www.restaurantwidow.com/2006/07/kohlrabi_and_wh.html Really a bland cabbage flavor in my opinion. I think as easy as they are to grow they will be a staple of my raised garden from now on. Time for lunch. May slice another couple pieces and olive oil and throw on the gas grill? BilletHead

First time growing these. What size to harvest? How to fix? I put in starts right after lettuce came out. I am enjoying reading and seeing the harvest from all on here. Started getting cherry type tomatoes now for a couple of weeks. The larger ones now. A cherokee purple and orange whopper have now been consumed. will have more to pick in a day or two. More cherokee's black krim's, lots of orange whoppers, brandywine and yellow types. Peppers on big time. melrose, double delight, cubanelle, jalepenos and rio grande. They have been on for a couple of weeks. I had a bunch for lunch, slice and gut them, coat with olive oil and salt and pepper. Throw them on the gas grill, lightly char and soften. This with sliced tomatoes. Good eats. Picking cabbage too and cooked in the skillet tonight for supper. Thanks for letting me share my garden. Going to be in triple digits the next few days. I am worried it will be like last season and get too hot for all the tomatoes to ripen properly, BilletHead

Mrs. BilletHead and I will be thinking good thoughts for you Scott. Man your just a pup too:) You know there is lots of waterfowl to take down in the future. I had my wellness physical today and I'm basically good to go for another year. Get that 3 a day stopped my friend, Billethead

Thanks Ness for this post. This really got me to thinking of my Dad and some old photos. The one I really wanted for the time being couldn't be found. I had reservations even asking Mom to look for photos as she still weeps of loosing him. He was born in 1930 and we lost him in 2001. He had a rough go from the get go. Polio for one thing approx 1955, heart problems later in life then leukemia which took him. So I asked Mom and she brought this photo. Again this was taken aroung 1960 give or take a year. Southern California. He was quite the guy and like you Ness I miss him, think of him often. For those of you still having Fathers still among us be thankful, talk with them all that you can. Your spose, children and mothers too. Thanks again Ness, BilletHead The BilletHead's Dad

Wayne they are Diablo Paddlesports. Made in Texas. Backcountry Outfitters fly shop in Springfield is a dealer. We do have a Native Watercraft 12 sit in side also. I have stood in the Native and flycasted some but it is a bit wobbly for me. The Diablo models we have now are the Adios. They are the cats meow for the fishing we do. Here is the Diablo website. http://www.diablopad...com/store.boats There are also some You Tube videos on ther use. I had my diablo at Caplinger Mills below the mill dam Friday morning. Fishing is so slow there was not a soul fishing on the bridge. So I paddled right up to the dam and flyfished. Caught bluegill, drum, channel cat and crappie on the fly. Of course the fish were small and Stockton was only running once a day and the water was down. Fun none the less. Here are some nice 9" to 10" bluegill I caught out of my kayak a couple of weeks ago on the fly. BilletHead

Nick it also depends on the type of kayak you have. The wife and I have hybrid kayaks. Kind of a cross between a sit on top and paddleboard. We have low seats and a higher seat that will put us up another ten inches. Casting is a breeze. Plus so stable we stand to fly cast. Easy to paddle but you won't win any speed races with these. Mrs. Billet head just got hers last Thursday and she was standing and casting fron the first trip out. Here is some photos of her in action on our first two trips, BilletHead