BilletHead

NO, no,no @Daryk Campbell Sr Leave them there cookies alone!

Trust me it does not need to be that expensive or complicated. You need one rod and I am sure you can get one for way less than some of your conventional gear. You need one reel, a good drag is needed for some species but the reel is more of a place to keep your line. Lets say you are going to do warmwater fish. You need no waders and no net. We don't keep up with the Jonses with our gear here in the BilletHead household.

Thank you Jeff for sharing this with us. Rip Rick and may God Bless you Sandy from Pat and I.

Bingo! Some learning involved just like other hobbies. You should see Pat and I scan while at a pretty good walking pace in flea markets. Her for one thing and me another. Sometimes she gets ahead and is pointing to booths as she goes. Too funny.

Congrats, Isn't it nice to have someone put up with us for so long? I think it will be 45 for us this August. We are blessed Oneshot. Not so sure about our brides. 😁

I am betting you can Randy. You just don't know it. Actually, it is easy. Get someone in your area to help you. If we were closer, I would most certainly get you going. First thing you need to do is forget about the type of fish, size of fish and numbers caught. Then all will fall in place. After that the type of fish, size of fish and numbers will be in play.

Thank you cheesemaster for looking. Yes, there was a time that Wagner was unmarked. Just like the marked ones but a later time period. All of those will have a smooth bottom with no heat ring. Still number on top of handle, Some with size on bottom in inches with or without made in USA. All are great cooking utensils but not as vintage as others. Ha Rick you crack me up. 100 percent they are out there but either being used, collected or long forgotten and rusting away. Someone of you on here or I will find one but I will not be raped on ebay .

After a two-year hiatus "due to the pandemic" it was once again on. Nine men with a history of cancer or currently still in treatment or in recovery were attending. Along with that were nine of us "river buddies" were there also there to take these good fellows to the stream for fun, fishing, just talking or anything they might like to do. Two of these river buddies were new including Pat and Paul. We had a retired oncology nurse (Bonnie) for our first responder. A necessity as a couple three of these gentlemen needed watched closely. A couple facilitators rounded out the tribe. Five of the attendees were flyfishing ready! The others were really new at this gig. First evening it was meet and greet and a dinner. We all scattered out amongst each other and introduced ourselves. They we as interested in us as we were them. Some were on the quiet side but that all changed by the end of the retreat. Then we split up and we did our thing getting gear ready for the next morning as they did a group discussion. Next morning breakfast and again it wasn't them and us it was one cohesive group, Then it was the signing of the flyfishing vest time. These vests have been used by many men around the country attending and doing the same thing as these nine men were getting ready to do, Ii seen signatures of men I had fished with in the past are not now with us while others still are. The speech given by the facilitator is very moving each time we hear it. We broke for the standard Kodak moment and here are this year's men. Two from out of state, Florida and Iowa. Time next for a fishing session. Short from all the mornings activities. There is no cherry picking for partners. You just begin to talk and ask would you like to fish together. So, I paired up with Scott from Florida. Scott had never fly fished and his only fishing before had been for bass in Florida. We grabbed him a rod and walked towards a spot and all the others did the same. As we visited about everything in the world about each other we began to fish. A quick tutorial trying to explain to one never knowing anything about this fly-fishing process was interesting to both of us but fun. We worked hard trying to get him a fish. The indicator went down many times, but the reaction was a bit slow for a newbie. Then he explained that with bass you needed to let them run some with the lure before setting the hook. Three were actually hooked but came unbuttoned. Was all good though. I learned that morning that Scott is an avid birder. Has been to 22 states looking for birds including Missouri when he flew into St. Louis to take the time to go to a place that has what I think he called a chirping sparrow that had been introduced way back when but unlike the house sparrow this one never took off to other places but stayed and flourished in one place in ST. Louis. Scott actually reminded me of our own OAF member @Johnsfolly and his micro fish list. Yes, sir Scott has a bird spreadsheet . More on birding later! Here is Scott and he actually picked up the reason for mending and the dead drift, Lunch followed and a quick break. Another pair up. This time I got to fish with a longtime friend. Brian. We go back to 2007 when Pat attended her casting for recovery retreat. Brian was a River helper for the girls. Next year I got involved and we began to know each other even more. We helped in the river helpers capacity until casting for recovery stopped and reeling and healing for the girls started. Then when it went away we kind of lost touch until this retreat when Brian became a participant. Brian got a cancer too. this can hit any of us at any age. Be aware of changes and or do the screening we or your significant other requires. Any of your loved ones or friends for that fact. It was great to reconnect and fish with him. Quite a guy and full of fishing knowledge. Some of you may know Brian as he is a member of the Ozarks Flyfishers club in St. Louis area. As Brian and I fished we got to see participant Matt hook up on a fish, Then the hero picture with his Buddy Paul, Dinner and visiting again in the evening. Final morning another breakfast and one last fishing session Matt and I made a pair. Matt is a fly fisherman and good at it. He brought and used a 1wt. He lives in Lebanon and is a regular at Bennitt springs. Took awhile to revive the 1wt catches but we got it done. Last session Pat paired up with Scott. They fished and then they went birding. Scott and Pat identified 22 bird species. if that is what the participant wanted that is what you did for them. After a break on a bench Scott said he wanted to fish again so they tried and tried. Pat asked for a bit of help from another River buddy who did the cast and hook set and handed to rod to Scott and he got two landed that way. Didn't matter Scott got his fish. Would not touch it though but he got his trout! :). The Morning session over it was back for a quick lunch and the closing event. Another great event and lives crossed once again. i am blessed to be able to help and now Pat is also. Thanks for reading you all, Marty

There as we speak helping with Reel Recovery. Tom is a hoot. Visited with him and Lisa today.

May not eat a lot during the week but make up for it on the weekends. Yesterday comfort food, chicken fried steak with mashed taters, stovetop stuffing and whole cranberry sauce. Gravy from the drippings. Today sous vide strip steak, asigo fried taters, green beans and sauteed morel mushrooms. Need to eat those up,

No turkey early for the missus. Did a few things and she went solo behind the house. Got back a bit later chirping about the hen at ten yards. She was holding a bundle. Turns out it was her undershirt. Opened it up and poured these out. Probably the last of our patches. Getting big and she left some dried ones behind.

Doug you are older than even that. In the garden of Eden Eve tempted you with an apple. Take that apple and quit de railing the skillet hunt thread! 😂

And you can run the fireside chat!

Way to go Ryan. OAF members on the board even crossing the state line. I know of another member that scored this morning. Not sure if he will share but he got it done

Ditto Here in the boonies TV is a maybe, sometimes, kinda choice kind of deal. Only thing I have is dish and since the government decided to give the cell phones the old bandwidth that pretty well worked in any weather now when a rain shower hits, I get nothing. Became that way even with an antenna and rotor which I finally gave up on. Had HughesNet and that also sucked big time. Still no highspeed internet here but have gone cell route for internet service. Cheaper than hughesnet, much faster too. Fire up the laptop and hit NWS 7-Day Forecast 37.75N 94.3W (weather.gov) They have current radar that works very good.

Cool catch and release! COOL CATCH AND RELEASE: A Paddlefish snagger Troy Staggs got a surprise when he inadvertently landed his second lake sturgeon from Lake of the Ozarks. It was 56 inches long, weighed 50–55 pounds, and is around 30 years old. This was the sixth lake sturgeon reported from LOZ since 2016. Instead of snagging the fish, his fishing tackle wrapped around its tail! It took him 47 minutes to bring the fish to the boat, where he took a quick measurement, snapped a few pictures, and released the fish back into the lake. Lake sturgeon can live to over 100 years old and reach over 200 pounds. They are Missouri’s longest-lived animal and our second largest fish. They become adults at around 25 years and move into tributary streams to spawn. This makes them more visible as the fish frequently spawn in shallow water. MDC began stocking lake sturgeon in the 1980s and continues to stock them to help recover this state-endangered species. Lake sturgeon are protected in Missouri and should be released immediately after capture. Anglers are encouraged to report any lake sturgeon captures or sightings to local conservation agents or by calling the lake sturgeon recovery leader at 573-248-2530. Courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation

Thanks bunches.

Peeking outside as it was warming up I noticed quite a bit of extra activity on one of the hives. This hive in particular is the oldest and first built one three years ago. It is the number 1 beehive hive due to the painting Pat did on the front of it. I told her it may swarm today with it getting warm and humid. We had business in town and left at 10 and returned at noon. As we pulled in the driveway, I looked in the yard towards the beehives and cold see a black mass in one of the short trees. Could not tell which one and I assumed it was the same scion that had caught a couple days back. Nope it was the dwarf pie cherry tree about on its last leg. The hive they had swarmed out of had less activity at the entrance, so my guess was right. I put on my jacket and got some things together for the transfer. Asked Pat to take some pictures and videos. Here is what happened and we are tickled to death. Good swarm I think. @jdmidwestcan tell us if it is a good one or not. For sure my largest to date. Very , very easy going and calm. Pat helped and never gloved up but did put on her bee suit. Bare handed she was. VID_20220421_122636336.mp4 Here I dumped the swarm into the hive. Before video got started part of them had already dropped into the hive. I had already picked some frames that had drawn comb on two frames so the queen could start laying right away. After dumping I slid the frames together carefully and shut it up, VID_20220421_122655853.mp4 VID_20220421_122727673.mp4 Put a board leaning up to the entrance where other bees not in the hive began to land and march in while others were fanning to let others know the queen was home and this was the place to be. I took off jacket and with no suit of gloves made a few trips with the scion back and forth from the swarm tree tapping the scion on the board and the bees marched into the hive. Just like the others I hope they stay and do their bee thing. Raining and stormy Pat just checked and all were inside right now.

Thanks for asking @cheesemaster . Like most things as you know condition, condition, condition. To me in cruddy need to be cleaned the five and six I would go forty each as I'm really wanting them. Then restored maybe fifty. And I want no pitting on cooking surface or chips or deal breaker cracks. Look hard for cracks especially the crud coated ones. Run fingernail around rim and feel for snags. Inspect close and really check at handle junction. The 11 is going to be more difficult to find. 60 max taking a chance under crud there will be bad blemishes. I feel guilty I paid 100 including shipping for the 9 but it cleaned pristine IMO. Please keep looking if you have the chance and keep my in mind, BilletHead

Yep take an ice chest and let them feed you and yours. We should not feel bad. They were planted for us to utilize. Those fish have a shelf life. Some sooner than others. Good eats IMO.

Caught another swarm on a scion. Bigger swarm. I thought a third larger than the other but comparing pictures from day before yesterday over double the size. Had a videographer, wannabee videographer taking pictures. There will be hold my beer and watch these videos coming up. another blessing in the bee yard today.

The darned things fight so hard and it takes it's toll. Released many. Sometimes I have worked for 30 minutes to revive. It can be futile. Then they get eaten.

I bet the oily things are going to the catfish guys. I know fish like that are coveted by the cat fishermen below Truman dam.

Day three was my day. Was not a call it in and shoot classic hunt. This became like an old Western head them off at the pass kind of hunt. Yesterday I could not get them to budge with hens but thought maybe this one by himself. Nope not going to come to me so I did the intercept deal hoping to get ahead and ambush. there was some crawling involved, putting trees and brush between us and then the shot. It worked and as you all know by now if I shoot a trophy so be it, if I shoot a jake so be it because it is all about the groceries and good eats. He is one of those in between sizes but a decent weight. 12 inch double beard and 7/8ths spurs, Plenty of meals here and actually retained the heart, liver and gizzard for using the dirty part of dirty rice. Carnitas will also be in our future and fried turkey with morels maybe tomorrow? All I lost was part of one wing. Weather permitting will try to get Pat on one tomorrow on her day off.

I would also stay and yes, he has lots of squirrels. Can you imagine the feast!