Kansas Fly Fisher

The indirect method is the best way! Smoking whole trout is very similiar to the method cardiac mentions, but with a slight twist. Watch for the skin to start to separate from the meat. When you see that the fish is done. I also have a receipe for a good fish rub at home. I'll post tomorrow when I get home. John

Chuck - welcome to the forum and I, for one, will be hounding you about questions. I've downloaded your PDF file and will start working on some of my photos today. I'm sure many questions will follow. Thank you for your interest in sharing this information. John

Thanks for the PDF file! I've downloaded it and will study it at work tomorrow. Sunday's are historically a slower day for us in EMS so hopefully I'll have a few hours down time to play with some of my photos and your guide. I've also bookmarked your tutorial page. Thanks again for the advice and I hope you don't mind the multitude of questions that will follow. John

Great looking flies! Wish I had the patience and ability to tie something half that good. John

Today was the first annual hunting and fishing expo at Big Brutus in West Mineral Kansas. Although it rained most of the day, we made the short journey with our granddaughter Aspen. Admission was $5 for adults and $3.00 for children but each ticket came with a coupon for $10 off a purchase at the Sporting Warehouse in Wichita. They had drawings for door prizes every half hour while we were there. Aspen's number was called three times and she brought home a Bass Pro cup wrap, a rain poncho, a personal fan and a $25 gift card to Academy. OK - papa kept the gift card! Most of the door prizes were fishing lures, hats, and can wraps. They gave away about four to five items at each drawing with one of the prizes being a gift certificate of some type. They also had a silent auction set up as well. Several vendors braved the rain and set up. Most were under the pavilion near Big Brutus and a few had brought awnings themselves. Some of the vendors / exhibitors were; the NWTF, Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks (they were scoring antlers for anyone that brought one in), DU, Academy Sports, a couple of local sporting goods stores, a gentlemen that collected antique fishing lures who also would appraise your lures if you brought them in and another that made homemade lures. A local fishing club held a casting contest for the kids (every kid won something) and you could tour Big Brutus while you were there. There was also a couple of hunting preserves present, one in particular was giving away a kids hunt for a ram. I tried to convince him I looked older than my age but he didn't buy it. Aspen was signed up so hopefully she'll get to go on a ram hunt soon. Of course, a parent or guardian has to accompany the child (guess who's getting that assignment?) Daisy was also represented and had a shooting booth set up for the kids. Overall I'd give the event a "B". Of course, I'm sure the weather had alot to do with the turn out and any first time event seems to be a little slower than later ones. After word of mouth gets around I'd expect next years to be better. I also don't think they advertised this very much considering a friend of mine that lives in West Mineral didn't know anything about it when I asked him. My wife heard it on our local radio station and asked me about. That's how we found out it was going on. We'll be back next year for sure and I would recommend any reading this to be on the look out for next years. This years expo was worth giving them another try next year. John Jackson

Sorry Fishmeister, didn't get your post until our return trip. We didn't have much on the way of details but it's only about a 20 mile drive for us so we started that way. Turned out it was outside under a pavilion and they had it rain or shine. It was okay, especially for a first time event. I'll probably go back next year if they decide to have one. I'll post a report on it on another thread but for now my granddaughter is calling. So, it's papa time. John

Looks great Phil! She did a bang up job. John

Chuck First - excellent pictures, I've often wished I could make my pictures look that good. Second - GREAT article. With some practice I think I could improve my pictures. Not quite to the point of yours, but better than they are. I'm a photoshop user so any hints would be greatly appreciated. Thanks John

Glad to hear that. Wish I would have held on a bit more before changing plans now. We're going to Big Brutus with the granddaughter today. They are having their first hunting and fishing expo. Thought we'd see what it was all about. I'll post about it later. John

Hand the laptop to the person annoying you . . . problem solved! John Jackson

Thom said it best - it's like a buffet line. You take what you want and pass on the others. I like the options just the way they are. If a thread starts to turn into a mud slinging event - I simply stop going to it. I too, enjoy the reports, comments, debates and Terry's great humor. It all has a place and it's up to us to pick what we want. John Jackson Kansas Fly Fisher

I love it! I think I've even walked that way a couple of times myself! John

Don't think so now. I was planning on a trip but Tim's other post shows the water up and more rain coming. Think I'll stay home and try another day. I'll post when I'm going down, maybe we can meet up and swap some lies. John

Guess I'll hold off coming down this weekend. Thanks for the update. John

Beautiful birds! Thanks for the pictures! John

Glad to hear everyone made it through. Tim, do you think it will mess with the fishing this weekend? John

Bar any unseen incidents I and my wife will be there. John

Great fish! Guess it's time to tie up some hoppers! Thanks for the report. John

Welcome to the funny farm Mr. Trout. Hope we can swap "lies" on the water some day. John

Excellent fish Leonard! Can't wait to get down there myself for some night fishing. If luck holds out I'll be there the later part of this month or the first of October. Take care! John

Great videos Phil! Can't wait to see the rest. Thanks for posting them. John

oh stop it - my ribs hurt from the laughing! John

Excellent pictures. Sounds like another great trip to Alaska. Can't wait for next year and my return to the great northwest. Thanks for sharing. John

I like the idea also. I'd buy one, but like flyfshn said - how would you get it approved? It's worth looking into. John

Welcome to the funny farm Hawkeye! Located in Erie, Kansas. John