BilletHead

Males of breeding age are pretty solitary. Article said one or two. In all that excitement I'm not so sure I could tell if surprised. I can only imagine. I have seen them fishing on clear creek. Two mothers showing the young how to fish. I sat against a tree and watched them catch carp. It was a ravenous fight amongst them to who go the carp. I would not want one after me. They are fast and I am slow. I was turkey hunting in the fall and was armed.

Jefferson River otter attack: 3 women injured in rare otter attack in Montana's Jefferson River | CNN

I read about that Mitch but had not seen any photos. They are not very nice for sure. When I am asked to get rid of them by a neighbor I do it with killer conibear traps. here is a 56 inch one. No messing with one in a foot hold unless it is in drowning set.

A light one for us, well maybe could have been light if I wouldn't have eaten so much. Charcuterie board with a bowl of squirrel chowder kicker. Smoked fish dip was made. This was hot cooked fish but heavy on the smoke. When I grill fish there is always some type of wood over the coals. When flame appears, the lid goes on and the smoke rolls. give it a couple minutes and repeat until done. Mixed this with Mayo, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, a few drops of hot sauce, a pinch of old bay, small diced or chopped onions and some pepper. I am finding that charcuterie boards are really getting really changed up with ingredients and now just called boards. Guess you could say that about ours with the chowder kicker 😀.

I fully concur with this tjm. Never had a problem with crappie or bluegill but other larger fish get bled. Overcooking can be an issue. Cutting fish up and making "nuggets" is even worse. 350 to 375 oil it only takes a few seconds to cook a small or thin piece of fish. If the coating used becomes darker than a light honey, it's went too far. Inch thick or more fish can be taken farther but when the flesh turns from translucent to the first signs of opaque take them out.

Thank you. Just seen that on the evening news. Nice version of the The Weight I have never heard that one.

Yes, forgot one sorry ask @ness same question. 😁Am I leaving anyone else out how about @grizwilson ?

Well said. Another thing the fish mentioned really are not great fighters. Why do we fish for them? We do because we enjoy it. We no longer fish to survive we might reap the benefits of eating our catch, but we don't have to. I don't know how many times I have been asked why I don't bring fish home. I enjoy the process of fishing and I do not always have to catch a bunch. I just like to go and enjoy myself. With the fly-fishing process, I am always busy. You are in contact with that fly. Mending the drift. I literally cannot watch a pole waiting for a bite on bait. I enjoy that less and less. Not saying I won't do it again but prefer other options. Heck yes! I can tell you right off the bat two places we would go back. New Mexico for Gila trout. I caught three and Pat one. Plans are another trip for that after Pat retires. Same trip will be Arizona again for Apachie trout. There we hiked and fished a stream three quarters of a day. Finally got far enough up that we both caught one each. I want to challenge myself. If I just wanted to catch fish, I would go to a pond just down the road and catch bluegill and bass with a kicker bullhead every so often. There is so much more to fishing than catching. It's tying that fly, finding the quarry, making that perfect cast, setting the hook and playing that fish to the net. The places that we have seen and caught native fish are amazing. One of the reasons some of these western states have fish challenges is to visit the specific habitats where the fish live. From Alpine to high desert. Chasing natives is not for everyone I get that. Until you try it don't ask why. Once you do it the answer it there. Ask @Phil Lilley, @Johnsfolly, @Ham and many, many more here on this forum and other forums this same question.

I have messed with them if I see them while targeting something else. Never connected as of yet so I can't tell you. Many of my strange catches have been a byproduct of chasing something else. Never said they were as easy as trout. I find wild trout easy if they are not taking something specific size and pattern I don't have. Not saying they are smart just conditioned to one thing. Trout Park can be easy but have seen the same thing on something specific. I know you don't make a habit of fishing Bennitt springs. People clean the fish in the spring creek. When that happens there is a gut hatch. Fish are feeding on the offal and remaining flesh. People constantly try to match the gut fly and it works but the fish can and do recognize that and will seek out the real thing avoiding the gut fly.

Correct Daryk. Personally, I like Meateater shows. This being said the gear is high and I do not own any. We have bought some tee shirts when on clearance for ten bucks . Call me cheap! Not always true. We go places and hunt for trout. read the BilletHead adventures. Then again, we are not like most you speak of. Over 90 percent of what we fish for is with fly gear. Not picky with what we target either. We are not fly-fishing high-class snobs. Just like to fish. Just as happy with a three-ounce bluegill as we are with a three-pound bass.

The 4 Most Overrated Freshwater Fish in North America | MeatEater Fishing (themeateater.com)

I can be kind Gavin, glad you were not deleted. Welcome back.

Thanks, we eat light like this often. Especially during hot weather. Do I see some smoked Gouda in there?

Yes, you can. There is also an extended season after it opens again for regular furbearer season. Then after that more season on private ground. Download the MDC hunting app on your phone. Then you can look up seasons really easy.

This is why Coon, opossum and skunk season is open for trapping and hunting right now through October 15th. Of course damage control on your own property year around.

Good story Daryk! OAF members are everywhere. I have some of @Jungle Jim Jigs. Never met in person but lots of PM visits. Have some of his jigs and heads. He does good work.

That is one of the prettiest fish I've ever seen. Thanks!

Sort of but not as drastic as the dogs and husband.

Fun Ham! Reminds me of @curtisceand I rescuing the fawn stuck on a bank just like this on spring river. Good going buddy.

Welcome back lance. Time out can be a good thing.

Another two for one post, Yesterday was a pizza day. Did buy a premade pizza crust. I fired up the trager pellet grill and pat built the pie. Toppings from the garden were fresh tomatoes, jalepenos and basil. Other toppings were sliced mushrooms, onion,pepperoni,cheese and Italian sausage. Into the grill it went, out it came and sliced up, Th is morning grilled/smoked some fat mallard breast for snacking and charcuterie trays. This will be vac sealed and thawed as needed. One breast half had to be eaten right off the grill. I got to lick the platter clean well kind of. There might only be one thing better than this. Might be bone marrow. Sopped up the juice with bread and down the hatch it went. Yummy.

Funny, not so funny! The Billethead's and our neighbors are in a severe Drought section of the state. I mean bad. Rain all around us. Splits up as it goes through town, and we miss everything. Lawn has not been mowed for weeks. Rural water bill is high from watering garden and flowers. I have even broken down and started watering some trees. Three big chestnut trees I started from seed. Second year in a row it has affected us. Have one farmer friend in particular that has row crops and cattle. A few years back he had a deep well drilled. He has been pumping this well with diesel fuel at the rate of 560.00 plus depending on diesel prices per hour into a pond at his house. Then electrical rate he has to pump into five other irrigation lakes/big ponds to irrigate his crops. At least he has some corn. All other non-watered corn is now cut or being cut as silage for his cattle. He has got what hay he could cut and bailed. Things like this are the reasons the consumer pay so much. Visited with another neighbor this morning. He was filling stock tanks in the field close to the road. I asked how much water the cows in that pasture drank. He said 1500 gallons a day. Rural water and that family owns a full square mile of row crop and cattle pasture fields. Only one pond on this square mile has some water in it and it is lower than it ever has been since 1965 when farm was bought. Since no grass left in the pasture with water tanks, he just bought 1000 feet of garden hose so he could run it to next pasture move cattle and move tanks. He does not have enough hay either and will be buying silage from another neighbor.

Tjm you are right about the ocean city automatic reel. Could be trouble but very well made as I held it. For someone not used to this it could until you figured it out very confusing. With trigger not engaged as you pull line it winds the spring. When you engage pulling trigger it will retrieve that line. If no spring tension and you engage the trigger and strip line out free spools without winding the spring. My description might be as clear as mud. On the first rod @kjackson was thinking the same thing it could be a Lamiglas blank. I did what I could on the laptop to see if that was true. Found out they did not make a two-piece blank under 8'. Although being a custom-made rod someone might have utilized a longer two piece. who knows? The Ted Williams rod could very well be a St Croix but it really isn't yellow. Could be lighting when I took the pic. More of a cream or ivory color. I will take your word for it. I'm too new in this game to make a definite call. Your quote "Out of curiosity how often do you get into the backing?" More often than one would think when it comes to Hybrids in fast water. In one place in particular we fish a pinch point in extremely fast high flow water. before a person can react and get anchor up and engage motor to follow the fish I have been run to just a few wraps of backing. @grizwilson can confirm that. I have been the boatman and seen Pat Mrs. Billethead spooled but we caught up some with boat where she got some backing on the reel. Not an everyday occurrence but it happens and only on the fish mentioned. Great idea on modifying line to fit the reel. If I had an old line would consider it. Thanks for your input.