Serenity

Serenity

Sunday, December 16, 2012

A tribute to mental health awareness.

I wanted to re-post the blog from a mother that is dealing with a child that threatens death to her and then suicide on a regular basis.

Giving what happened in Connecticut, I feel it's important we see this perspective, and research others. Fly fishing might help heal wounds, as seen in Project Healing Waters. Could it heal the trauma of a badly-wired brain? Food for thought.
 
Thinking the Unthinkable

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

More Project Healing Waters awesomeness...

Had to share this from my Facebook wall, via High Ground...

Veterans giving back."Here is the fruition of my labor of love. The drift boat that I purchased with my flyfishing club specifically to take vets, primarily mobility impaired down my river which is rated the best fly fishing river in the country." Eric Ortegren, Battle Company, 173rd ABN.
 
Thanks for such great service.


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

HOW-TO: Bypass BIOS password on Toshiba P755 Satellite

Along with being a fly-fisherman, I consider myself to be a student of IT. I did it a lot in High School, have always done it as a hobby, and now have a part-time night job in it at Layton Flower Technologies owned by Chad Gross.

One particular little roadblock came in to the office: a Toshiba P755 Satellite with an unknown BIOS password.


After researching how to bypass a pesky BIOS password on this family of laptop, and trying lots of things on the internet (which were all close, but wrong, by the way), I finally figured it out.

Here is the step-by-step. Hope the internet benefits!
Bypassing the BIOS password is easy, and is not laid out correctly as of today (11/28/12) on the internet. Here are the steps!

1. Flip the laptop over, unplugging it and removing the battery.

2. Remove the covers to the RAM compartment and the HDD.
 
3. Remove the HDD and both sticks of RAM.
4. Remove the sticker with the barcodes on it that is just below the RAM on the MOBO, then reinsert the top stick of RAM.

A. (For the following, any improvised tool will work, but this one worked for me.) Find a twist tie.
B. Strip a half inch of plastic off of each end.
C. Using your fingers, twist the bare wire together down to the tip. Use a pair of dikes to trim the tips flush.
5. Plug in the laptop with the battery and HDD still removed.
6. With the top stick of RAM still inserted, locate a small pair of golden nodes with the letters "JPSW"
7. Stand the laptop slightly open on it's side, charge-port up.
8. Contact each node with one tip of the shorting tool.
9. With your free hand, reach around and boot the laptop. The screen should flicker and it should boot normally after a few seconds.

You are set!
Tight lines everyone. I may not know the answers right away, but I know someone that does.

Friday, November 9, 2012

No fishing for months!


It has been months since I have posted anything about fishing, and there's a great reason for that.

Actually, not really. It's not great. It's not even that good. I just haven't gone!

To an observant end, I'm noticing a trend. This year was amazingly productive. I fished - on average - twice a week for about six months. That more than paid for the license.

What shut it down, though? Catfish and carp. Wanted to catch some really bad, but hey, my efforts were thwarted. So I did what all cowards do. I ran away. Now I think about it. Every day. In my subconscious.

That means I think about it without thinking about it, for all of you that want to know.

Am I a die-hard fly-fisherman, poised to take the world by storm? Of course.

Will it be right now or anymore this season? Probably not. I'll probably wait for the 58 degree days of March with light drizzle and no ice on the water. The green sunfish will be fattening up and waiting for my Olive Woolies, and the big bass will start scouting for spawn. Carp will be thrashing about soon after, then I can chase kitties in the heat again.

And trust me, I will win. I will. Until then, remember - fishing's not that hard.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Patience, Young Grasshoppa.

Two years ago, I tied my first plastic crawdad onto an offset shank and, armed with my newly acquired internet knowledge, I tried to catch Largemouth Bass on spinning gear. And I succeeded… but not until the following season. For some reason I had to patiently wait until the following fishing season to see any success.


Patience is funny that way. As my family and I sit around our Scriptures and talk about what patience is, I am struck by how often it applies. Sometimes jobs don't come through right away, or pay is less than expected, or technology fails, and the inevitable “D” word jumps right to the front of our minds as we struggle.


No, not that “D” word. I mean "delay." (I don't recommend swearing.)


The point is, sometimes we create our own delays or come up against them naturally. Patience is the art of expecting that delay and knowing that there is a greater reward in waiting.


Just like I tried and failed one year, I waited patiently for the next opportunity to try plastics, and I succeeded. Then I was successful with any plastic. Things worked out.


This year, I haven't caught a carp or catfish yet on my fly rod, despite new flies and multiple, multiple attempts. I've actually found myself withdrawing from attempts more lately because of it.


But, as I think about it, I should expect this delay, and wait until things fall into place. Because they will.


And when they do, they'll bend the snot out of my rod. Just gotta be patient!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

All in Order and First Things First

(Picture from maineflycastings.com)

The L.L. Bean Ultimate Book of Fly Fishing states that a successful fly cast is broken up into four different parts, namely:
  1. Pickup
  2. Back Cast
  3. Foreward Cast
  4. Presentation
Ever read Quitter by John Acuff? Dave Ramsey recommends this book over and over again on his popular radio show. It's for those who struggle with day jobs and continue to dream.

John Acuff points out that some people like to think their lives are a series of buckets. That they can live a "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" lifestyle in one corner of their lives, and then flip a switch and accomplish their dreams on the weekend.

This is obviously bogus. Back to fly fishing: you can't put too little power on the back cast, then throw a perfect forward cast and expect everything to turn out just right. Your rhythm is wrong.

When each part of the cast is pursued with discipline and practice, one feels calm and focused. Time seems to stop, and patience increases. You catch more fish, or you are just as satisfied if you don't. You enjoy the weather. Things seem quiet. It really does something to you.

Project Healing Waters is one of my favorite examples to cite when referring to this "something". When a veteran, blown apart halfway around the world by other men, can come to grips with life one pickup, one back cast, one forward cast and one presentation at a time - in that order - healing happens. To quote a young veteran in this video, His respect for nature increases, and his trauma seems to run out of him like the water he's standing in.

My point is, there is freedom in the groove, perfection in the practice. Want to heal your wounds? Want to chase your dream? Want to cast better?

All things in order, my friend, and put first things first.


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

A couple new ones...

Hey there, folks.

'Chuck S.' linked to a mighty fine looking little devil called the Infamous Pink Worm (with instructions).



This is a beautiful looking imitation, so I couldn't help myself. I tried two. 


Brown chenille with similar colored mohair sac.

Black woolly bugger chenille with red yarn sac.

Can't wait to try these out. 

But wait, there's more! The Orvis Book of Fly Tying (Rosenbauer)  has soft hackles mostly in hair's ear, so I tried a little bit of fox for a tail. Hackles were a little too short, though.


Got some serious chase from some green sunfish on this one today.

And guess what I found in my wife's sewing bag? Yep. Pom poms. You know what that means!


Egg sucking leech! Woohoo!

Then, I just had to tie another bomber, this one with a lighter helping of foam, a taller hump and a badger wing on it. I dubbed with red yarn. I call it the Winged Widow Bomber.


I will let y'all know how these do! Any pointers, let me know.


Thursday, July 12, 2012

How-To: The Stealth Bomber

So, I got another gift card to Bass Pro. I used it to pick up some more supplies. I grabbed some materials for the Stealth Bomber, and using instructions from the internet, got to tying.

Ready your hook. I used a Gammy B10S #2 here.  A little too small on the foam for the size.


Tie in your tail material. Original calls for bucktail and flashabou or krystal flash. I used maribou and fox.


Using a template found online (FlyFishGA.com and look under tying), cut out your foam. Then, after making sure the part where the foam starts to spread is just behind the eye of the hook, tie the foam down at the rear of the shank.


Tie in dubbing and dub 60%. 


Tie down foam, and dub up to behind eye. I used black woolly bugger chenille. Tie down the foam again.


Dub the rest of the way, then tie down again.


Backwards wrap to get to the middle tie-down of the three, then fold the "tail" of the foam over and tie down. Remember, the higher the loop, the more bubbles created in the jerk.


Tie on an underwing of the material of your choice, then fold the flanged back and tie down. Tie in two legs on each side for a total of 8, and you're done after the finish of your choice.


I tied another one on the much smaller hook Jim gifted me. Lost one last night going after bluegill, so the smaller one is a good size for big panfish. 

Not that I lost it last night to a fish. I didn't. I lost it to a stump in the lake.



Went out to Cunningham two days ago and tried the Stealth Bomber with a Leech Bunny dropper. Hooked into a nice 13" bass with a decent tug. Blood on the tail fin. Looked like he'd been in a fight. 

Can't wait to try the darker color. I still can't seem to entice the cats!
     
     

Monday, July 2, 2012

A great birthday.

So, today is my birthday.

I'm 9 years old inside. I really love my birthdays. I got lots of cool things, of course, and got to spend some time with my family after work. Here's the breakdown:



DisneyNature Oceans was my daughter Ruth's gift choice, which we watched before I went to BPS with my gift card (thanks Jenny.) That was fantastic. I highly recommend this when you have a young child fascinated by the natural world.

One sad part, the baby turtles hatched out of the sand and everyone was happy... then the birds started swooping in for a snack. My daughter, breaking into tears, urged that, "They have shells to protect them!"

Broke my heart having to talk about how Heavenly Father gave them shells to protect them, and also has to feed those birds. Sad that it has to be that way to a 4 year old.


Oh yeah, buddy. I wanted to go to BPS as soon as I got my card, but my wife told me to wait. And this is why: the plethora of patterns Tom Rosenbauer presents herein. 

Then I went to BPS. It was hard to choose what $25 should go towards. Here's what I bought:


For Bunny Leeches.


For Bead-head Buggers and soft hackles.


White buggers with olive hackle.


For buggers and bunny leeches.


... yeah, buggers.


The hackle. 

Word up. Tight lines, everyone!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Carp on the fly: live or die?

Dynamite on a fly rod, distributed in 48 states, and amazingly tough, Cyprinus carpio, the common carp, has such a bad reputation as a trash fish. They trash the sediment of lakes, uproot valuable vegetation, increase algal blooms with their phosphorous secretion and feed on gamefish roe.

Minnesota classifies Cyprinus as a regulated invasive species, meaning "introduction into the wild is prohibited. Fish caught while angling may be returned to the same water body."

But should we return it to the water? That was my burning question as I reached out to the Invasive Species extension of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln:

"If I angle for common carp, should I immediately kill them as an invasive species and leave them out of the water? Thanks."

 Cue the Jeopardy music.

Then, awesomeness from Karie Decker at said extension.

"Hi-

Sorry about the delayed response- I just got back to the office.


Common carp cards are a tricky species- lots of folks like to fish for them, but in some reservoirs, they can become invasive. Our main goal w/ common carp is to prevent them from spreading to other waters. And actually, I would even recommend learning how to fillet them for eating...they can be quite good. There is plenty of info online with directions.


Thanks for your interest in invasive species, I hope this has been helpful!
"

I asked her if I could quote her on my blog, because I thought it was great to get some authority behind the question. She responded:

"Sure, I'd be fine with that...
And she continued:
"According to the 2011-2012 regs,
"It is unlawful to sell, transport or offer for sale as bait, any live carp, carpsucker, bullhead, buffalo, gar, quillback, gizzard shad, alewife, or bowfin. Live fish of those species may be used for bait only in the same waters from which they are legally taken."
While common carp are not-native, they are different than the Asian carp species generally referred to in the media. The 'group' of Asian carp generally refers to silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp, and black carp. These are listed in many states as aquatic invasive species, including Nebraska, and several states have laws against the possession/transport of live fish in this group. Nebraska just passed this law in April - prohibiting the possession/transport of aquatic invasive species."
 A big shout out to Karie from the UNL Invasive Species extension. 

Now, back to the original question, should carp be killed when caught?

(The following is my opinion and, although now influenced by Karie's comments, they do not reflect her professional opinion in any way.)

If its silver carp, destroy it, and here's why:



If it's not a silver carp, well... after watching this next video, I wonder if it wouldn't be better to throw on some classical, pull on some mesh and hack-and-slash. Or maybe, get out a hand grinder? No, kitchen shears should be sufficient.


Can't wait to catch one this year! I keep throwing out a double fly, one weighted soft hackle and one not. Haven't landed anything yet.

By the way, the Hairy Badger. Not a carp fly, but Bill asked for pictures:



Badger tail with eyelash yarn body. Actually dubbed black mohair under the yarn. Clipped a slot for the eye in the lower lip. Imagine this on a small Mustad, and you've got a killer bream fly. That was my first creation, and it really is killer on bream.

More to come!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Catch and Release: the Myth

To quote Kirk Deeter in his recent F&S article:

"How many fish are suffocated for photographs, put back in the water, only to die downstream?"

With so much information floating around out there about proper catch and release techniques, I wanted to echo some of the great information that I have found so educational and debunk the #1 myth about Catch and Release.

The three sources used in this post are Casselman (old and in-depth), Field and Stream  (the inspiration) and Michigan DNR (new and confirms technique).

This information answers many questions as to "why" catch and release fishing is still lethal to a percentage of fish, and what to do to limit fish fatalities if this is the method of fishing you prefer.

What? Limit fish fatalities with catch and release? That's right.

Myth: All fish "live to fight another day" when released.

That's right. A certain percentage of all fish released back into the wild die anyway due to causes directly related to your 45+ seconds of pleasure catching and handling them. Some studies suggest it is as much as 10%.

Here are some things to remember so that you can keep that percentage as absolutely close to 0% as you can, and become a more responsible catch-and-release fisherman or -woman.

1. Manage your "air-time"

One day, back when I flip and pitched more plastics than anything, I wanted to know how long I could hold a bass out of the water without "hurting it". I watched this video. (For your sake, start at 1:04)







Count the seconds he has it out of the water.

No, wait, I did for you. From beach to release, he held it for two minutes, forty seconds. That's 160 seconds.

According to Casselman, the amount of "air time" a fish receives adversely affects the internal organism of the fish, with the adverse affect compounding the longer it is held out of water. The periods of time in certain species that he cites tops out at about 90 seconds.

This guy held that bass out of the water for 160 seconds. Don't be that guy.

2. Reduce hook trauma

Hooks cause trauma. They break blood vessels, damage bone, reduce mucous covering, increase infections, reduce growth and otherwise hurt fish. They do this every time, to one extent or another.

This damage can be very drastically mitigated every time by simply mashing the barb of the hook down. 

Also, if you want to release what you catch, don't use live bait. Whether you do or not, a barbless hook is much less likely to cause long-term damage to the fish. 

Also, if you have a deeply hooked fish that you wish to release, cut the line. Survival percentages increase by doing so. Most fish shed a deep hook eventually, and they survive more often than forcing the hook out. I'm not making this stuff up. They test it in laboratories. (See Casselman.)

3. Use your hands, *not a net.

*If possible. A muskie or big pike will remove fingers if you don't use a net, unless you have one of these. If at all possible, use wet hands or moist cloth to handle a fish. They are coated in mucous that protects them from aquatic bacteria and infection. It's that stuff that makes your hands smell like fish.

Using dry hands or dry cloth will remove the coating and increase the fish's likelihood of premature bucket-kicking.

If you use a net, use only knotless or rubber coated nets, and never for a fish too big for the net. You will break fins.
 

4. If you fish deep... stop it. Unless you want to fish slow, or kill the fish.

Ever come up from 20ft down too quickly after normalizing pressure? Yeah, it hurts. It hurts fish, too. Actually, it kills them. Bring a fish up from 30 ft. down in too big of a hurry, and you will "pop" its buoyancy bladder and it will die eventually. Slow down, if you absolutely must fish deep, and plan on keeping it anyway.

This brings up another point. "Fizzing" deep caught fish kills them. Don't do it, unless you are keeping it.

5. Don't "throw fish back" or drop them.

Sure, they're still flopping around after hitting the ground, but what you can't see is the contusion on its brain or the fact that it can't see anymore out of the eye on the side it landed on. If you drop them, you decrease their survival rate.

If you throw them - literally, throw them - you are increasing "air time" as well as stressing the fish's muscles and physiology even more. I cringe about this, because I spent last night tossing bass fry back in the water at a local fishery. It will be that much less of a bass lake now that I irresponsibly handled those fish.

Closing thoughts

Read over those articles, and Google more. There are other great, useful, important tips to remember.

Now, all of the information brings up a great set of questions.

Is it right to fish at all if you're bound to kill at least some? 

Is it ethical to sell or promote fishing to others, especially children, knowing that they are damaging and ending life even while they enjoy themselves?

Yep, deep questions. Hope I didn't ruin the sport for you. The truth is, though, that you can properly and humanely reduce fish fatalities to 1% or less through education. 

That 1% will be the ones you keep and eat.

The occupy movement might like this post, although I think I'm talking about the survival of a different 99% than what they had it mind. They can keep their pickets, though. Give me my favorite fishing buddy and my 5w.


The Hairy Badger

I went to a local lake last night to try out a new creation, the "Hairy Badger." Basically it's a bass gurgler on a size #10-or-something hook, tan razor foam with eyelash yarn body and a badger tail. It was wildly successful. The bass fry couldn't leave it alone. I went to Carter Lake, so I only caught a fairly constant 4 inch size. Lots of fun! I'm going to make a larger version, since I lost one of my big size #2s. Try it! Works great!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

The best catch of my life, and the horizon.

As all of those who read my blog may have guessed, I am very passionate about the catch. There's something about the four-part cast and the feel of a fish on the end of the line. All fishermen and women understand the rush that follows a bobber blipping below the surface. What causes it? I don't know. I am passionate, however, about the catch.

Twelve years ago this august, I began my sophomore year in High School. I was a wild teenager, with parent problems and crazy friends. I played sports, and got injured on a semi-frequent basis. On one occasion, I had to get therapy for an ankle during football. On that occasion, there was an incredibly attractive young woman with auburn hair and beautiful eyes. What can I say? I'm passionate about the catch. So, I rigged up some bait and made a cast.

My newly opened Sprite sat open on the training bench.

"You come here often?" I asked.

Auburn hair and pretty eyes might have rolled them. I don't remember. I gave the bait a desperate twitch.

"... want some Sprite?" I extended the bottle towards her. It was 7:00 AM.

"I don't drink pop in the mornings," she responded, and left.

... Dave, you know when you cast to that goldfish and you get cold-shouldered? You trout mongers, you know when you're staring down a 20" Brown and they ignore your presentation time, after time, after time?

 Oh, it was on like Donkey Kong. I bobbed. I weaved. I side casted, roll casted, used harpoons. I actually saw some activity on the line!

Then I moved.

But just as the water levels in the river of life rise and drop and create change in the landscape of its bed, I found myself in a situation to try to pursue her again. This time, though, I got a bite.

On May 12th, 2007, we effectively landed each other and mounted the trophy on our wall... minus the taxidermy.







And I'm passionate about the catch. I love you, sweety.

***

Two days ago I finished my application to Boise State University to pursue a Master's Certificate in Workplace Instructional Design. My chosen career will be in training and corporate instruction. In five years, I want to be a Training Development Manager or Corporate Instructor making $100k/year. By the grace of Almighty God, we might be able to cash flow it (and I mean that will all the reverence He deserves), and I finally feel like I have a horizon to look forward to with contribution to humanity.

Now, no matter how many or what kind of fish I bring to hand during a day's fishing outing, I come home to the best one in my life. It is because of her and her counsel that I finally was able to put my foot down and make a decision. And I feel liberated for it.

Brent McGuire once asked me, "What do you want to do for a living?"

"I want to be a dad," I said.

"That's great, but you can't be a dad without providing for your family. So you need to decide what you want to do."

Brick to the head? Yes please. That comment haunted me until recently. Now that I've made the decision, I feel much better. I have a goal, a finish line, and a direction for that part of my life. I thank God for the wife that helped me clarify it for myself.

Now, I just need to find someone to pay me to present about fishing.







Sunday, June 17, 2012

Father's Day Fun

A big shout-out to all of the fathers out there. Happy Father's Day, y'all. And a big "tight lines" to the pescadores among them.

My wife and beautiful daughters and I had a chance to go to Ruth's T-Ball game yesterday. Eva had a bit of a hard time, but it was neat to watch Ruth interact and learn the basic mechanics of baseball. Also, there was a runoff ditch nearby and Eva kept pointing at it saying, "I wanna go fishy." Atta girl.

I worked for a few hours and visited two pest visits and a termite sales call, then came home knowing everyone wanted to go out to the lake. Since my daughter had shared with me the secret that they had gotten me a gift card to Bass Pro, I asked my wife if I could use it to get her a fishing license so she can fish with me. She lit up and said that was so sweet.

Yes it was. The girls played in the rocks, mud, and water while my wife caught her first fish on the fly. Pictures to follow.

I love my wife and daughters.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

The Stealth Bomber

I think I want to give the Stealth Bomber a try. Anyone got any pointers?


Here's the full .pdf blueprint, complete with template.

Youngman Lake

Found at 192nd and West Dodge, Lawrence Youngman lake rests in a bowl behind a sandpit and across the street from the new Women's Hospital here in Omaha.

With more salad in the water than Golden Corral, it was a complete and utter disappointment... again.

Until I started catching 9" bluegill. Then had one of them eaten off my line by a catfish.

I arrived a little before eight with a group of guys from Church. The building was occupied and the group didn't play B-Ball, so I suggested we fish instead. My physicist and astronomer friend Vincent, quoted in this Wikipedia article (Cool!), reported that the weeds were bad. We got our lines wet for a while, moved around, more people showed up... went to the fishing dock. Nothing. Squat. Zilch.

By the way, wind speeds were constantly 20-25 mph with gusts at higher.

Moved up the shore to a protected cove. Caught a small largemouth (didn't get skunked, yay!) Vincent and my friend John came up and followed. No luck.

"A bad day at Cunningham is better than a good day at Youngman," John said. "I'm outta here."

And he was.

"You taking off, too?" I asked Vincent. He was. Not catching anything, so why stay?

I was of the same mind, but I'm also thoroughly competitive, so when mother nature throws me a curve, I swing different. I made up my mind, though. One more spot, then I was done.

I'll never forget that spot.

Rabbit-tail Eyelash Yarn Leech on the line, and I'm landing it gently along some rings that are popping up here and there around a break in the weeds. First bluegill is about 4". Not bad, nice little fighter.

Next one was 8".

Then 9". My blood was really pumping.

Next one was about 7". These are the biggest bluegills I had ever caught! At this point I snapped a picture with my stupid camera so that y'all would believe me.


I didn't take any other pictures, because I had my stupid camera, not my good one. But a couple of fish later, I put my fly in a large furl near the weeds, and hooked a gill, only to have the furl suddenly turn and thrash its nearly 3 ft. body and snap the fish off my line. 

I almost pottied on myself.

Last fish of the night was a 12" crappie. Hit my size 2 leech. Note to self: the Gammy B10S#2 is definitely  not a very good hook for the Boa Yarn or Mohair Leech pattern. 

Ok, so Youngman... you gained some serious points in my book. Now, where do I get the money to get my wife a license? And a kayak?

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

My butt can take better pictures than my iPad

For real.

Notice the graininess. The pixels. The grittiness.

Three leeches and two soft hackles.

Ugh.

The awesome thing about this picture is that it shows five more flies that I tied tonight as my wife headed home from hanging out with a friend. I wanted to try a brown chenille/olive hackle Softy so I tied two, then I tried three leech variations with some of the material Jim Smith sent me.

Obviously, some of those are better than others. I'm better at working hackles now, which has been a real struggle for me.

I am looking forward to watching that lower left leech perform especially.

Now, where to get some beads for heads... there's got to be something around this house with a bunch of metal beads on it that nobody wants...

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Hey Guys, Look What I Tied!

TGCB 1


TGCB 2
A great, big, huge thank-you goes out to Jim Smith at FAOL for contributing so many cool looking materials and hooks to my growing collection of fly-tying materials.

When I checked in with him about what to tie, he mentioned a few patterns, but the Soft Hackle was probably the most intriguing, because of the mighty carp and John Montana's many adventures with them. I really wanted to try a weighted head, so I found some chain bead in the light from upstairs and found it quite excellent. (My wife asked last night, "What happened to the pull string?" I let her know I trimmed it. It definitely got put to good use!)

The first two pictures I what I like to call the TGCB (Tony Gardner Carp Buster). Now, will it bust carp? Who the heck knows, but just as Po's adopted father says, "There is no secret ingredient. You just have to believe it's special!"

And then there's this little dandy.

The Cape Nodge
This was my lame-as-a-three-legged-horse attempt at a weighted-eye hackle-less Woolly Bugger.

I called my four year old out of her room and asked her what the soft hackle looked like. She said, "Oh, a bug."

Then I asked her what the brown one looks like. She said, "Ummm... a mouse, or... it's a cape nodge!"

"A cape nodge? What's a cape nodge?"

"Hm... it's a fly you fish with."

"Oh. Well I think I'm going to call it that! The Cape Nodge."

"Yeah!" she said.

Good times. Can't wait to bust some carp.

By the way, anybody tried to tie any variations on Price's Raton?

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Stab Wounds While Fishing

(Caution: some narration in this account may be graphic.)


As part of my chill-out time today during work - aka the lunch break - I decided to take my boss' advice and park at a shady area to relax for 30 minutes. It just so happened that shady area was on a lake. Carter lake, to be precise. Being very low, mossy and fully of water millfoil, it wasn't very attractive. But hey, it was a lake.

I had just completed a bed-bug inspection on a home very nearby and was getting ready to do some ride-alongs with my boss.

I thought I would just stare at the water and enjoy the air conditioning while dinking around with my iPad. I pulled up and another gentleman had a couple of catfish lines in the water. I put my car into park, convinced he catfishing gentleman was really just bathing his hot dog in a bunch of seaweed for a couple of hours.

Then the water moved.

If you haven't read John Montana's Carp on the Fly, you should. The fish he is constantly holding up, and the descriptions that accompany them haunt you any time you are near water where grass carp might be milling around in the depths. I still had 25 minutes, so I hopped out, strung up and tied one on. (Of course, I follow strict rules about fishing while at lunch so as not to misrepresent myself or my employer, including wearing my vest to cover my logo. Don't be that guy who doesn't do that.)

"Caught anything?" I asked the gentleman as I pulled line through the stripping guides. My boots crunched clods of clay as I made my way to the rocky shore.

"Nah, I just got here."

I got everything set and started fishing the water. I dropped an egg sucking leach about eight feet from shore with very slow action, and an approximately 14" carp came up and hit it on the surface. I couldn't believe my eyes, and my heart took a leap.

Missed the hookset. Tunnel vision immediately set in.

I put the leech right back where it was, and the carp took it again. It was a rich, golden color with a bright white mouth. This time, I made the hookset, but the s.o.g. buried his nose in the silt trying to run.

You know why I knew he had a bright white mouth? Because it flashed right as he spit out my fly. It was like he had chosen me, then thrown me out like the garbage.

I cast a few more times as I let my adrenaline drop again.

"What are you fishing for?" I asked the gentleman, once again aware of my surroundings.

"Catfish. I'm using hotdogs."

"Oh. Well, try them pretty shallow. Seems to be working."

He reeled in and adjusted them while I pulled in a fingerling bass and two sunfish.

"Yeah, I just buried my nephew, and he loved to fish, so I figured I would come out and fish," the man said.

My heart sank for him. My attention was riveted. The remnants of my tunnel vision immediately dissipated.

"May I ask how he passed?" I ventured.

"Stabbed. Right in the heart." the man said, as he sat in his lawn chair with his poles. A few moments passed.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I was maybe twenty feet away, fishing a clearing in the millfoil.

"Yeah, and boy, heh, when it rains it pours. I just got a phone call after setting up here that my 102 year old grandmother probably won't live through the day. So, I figured I would do something relaxing."

Only three seconds passed.

"I'm sorry about your grandmother and your nephew."

"Well, that's life, you know... my nephew, he loved to fish. Always tryin' to help somebody, and some guy had to go and stab him right through the heart with a Rambo knife. He never had a chance. Bled out on the table."

"That must have been terrible to go through for you."

Silence settled again. The wind picked up, but it was at my back, so casts were still steady. But, I didn't want to be late, and had been party to enough. It honesty felt like the man felt better talking to somebody. And maybe I'm crazy, but I felt better after listening. I felt I should have said more.

Before going to that lake, I had been thinking about my earlier mistakes that day: comments and things that I had said, or silly mistakes at work that were getting me down. I had been praying for some help to come out of it with strength beyond my own.

Then it was like, boom. Everything came back to perspective for me with one simple sentence, with someone I didn't know, the wind at our backs, relishing something that the living and the dead both fondly enjoy.

Whoever it was that stabbed this guy's nephew had stabbed him, too, just in another way.

Before I left, I told him I believed we will see those who pass away again. He shared the belief. I offered a visit from some folks to share a message, and he politely declined. I wished him a good time fishing, even if there was nothing I could do to wish him a good day.

As I drove off, I saw him reading his scriptures, sitting in his lawn chair with his pole, trying to heal. Stab wounds don't go away very easily.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Lots of work, family, scripture and some night-time fishing.

Man! It has been quite a while since I've thrown something up on my blog.

Not that I've thrown up. You know what I mean.

I have been hitting it hard at work and at home and everything... drawing myself out a little too much, playing mind games with myself about my own abilities and things. But its getting better, thanks to a loving, patient, dedicated wife, great kids, good scripture and some fishing trips.

This past Sunday, we went up to my mother's farm to prepare and stake out a campsite on their farm away from it all. I dug and installed a fire pit, as well as mowed. I had an opportunity to hang out that was much needed. All worth the amount of sun and calories.

Tonight, after my wife gets home from Church, I'm going to go try some dusk/night fishing for bass, blues and cats. I hope to have some great pictures! Stay tuned.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

El español y la traducción

¿Buscas una manera de presentar la información de tu blog o de tu negocio a una audiencia más amplia? ¿En algún momento has pensado en hacerlo por medio de un traductor?

It's true, people! If you are looking to get more of your passion out to more people, do it through a translator.

Even fish eat flies in English and Spanish!

Guess what? If your website or the information about your business is in two languages, you will reach twice as many people. Imagine that.

Not only that, but there are two dominant languages in the United States: English and Spanish.

English
Spanish



He traducido muchas cosas desde que creé mi negocio pequeño de Gardner Translations.

During the fall of 2009, my family hit some hard economic times. I have always had a passion for the Spanish language, so I decided to try my hand at translating. I'm anal retentive when it comes to definitions and spelling, and love the art, so it fit quite well.

To speak another language is to adapt to another culture. It requires an understanding of the way different people live their different lives, and communicate those lives through speaking and writing. For instance, I learned my Spanish in Peru.

¡Qué viva el Perú!




For some of my Spanish Composition work, check here. Fair warning, though. It's all in Spanish

Long story short, if you want to get your stuff out to more people (and share it with more cultures), consider doing it through a translator.


My feelings wouldn't be hurt if you asked me to do it, either! And besides, I'll probably do it for free.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Super Dynamite Fishing for Android/iOS

So, like many a person nowadays, I have had the opportunity to spend the last few years utilizing a little piece of technology called a Smart Phone.

Now, not all Smart Phones are created equal. My Motorola Q was good for about three weeks before I used it to the greatest extent possible.

My HTC Snap was a little better, but about the same.

My Blackberry Curve, now that was a treat! But it soon became less than useful as well.

Then, I was introduced to the Samsung Galaxy, and found a new favorite for telecommunications as I explored the applications available to Android and Apple.

In my fly and regular fishing adventures, I have found many applications that are helpful or informative, or just plan entertaining. Whether you fish or not, I recommend you give this one a try. This one falls in the "entertaining" category.

Also available through iTunes for Apple devices.

That's right, Super Dynamite Fishing! Start out cruising in a bathtub with your dynamite and a 12 gauge, working your way up to bigger and better firepower.

Now, real-life application of such ordinance in a fishing environment is something I wholly condemn. One should never, ever try what is in this video game in real life. Plus, fly fishing is way more fun.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars, because it is just a goofy good time for those days you want to hear some explosions and meet some goals.

I don't give it the 5th star because it is rather tasteless. Check it out for yourself!


Sunday, May 27, 2012

5/26 Fishing Report, Happy Memorial Day


Happy Memorial Day, everybody. 



 A special thanks to all of the servicemen and women who were the lucky ones. And I hope you all can join me tomorrow in at least a few moments of silence in remembrance for those who have died for us and their country. God bless America, because Heaven knows many have sacrificed for it. Our prayers are with them and their families.

***

My wife and I set aside some time after a Church activity for me to hit the pond on Saturday. Last night was the night, as I wanted to try to hook into some feeding cats if at all possible.

Overwhelming count went to Green Sunfish. I caught about a dozen. Note the beautiful yellow in their fins.



I have never been a fan of these fish, until I started finding them in this size and coloration. They are beautiful, and aggressive. On more than one occasion, I have hooked into one and thought it was a bass.

Speaking of which:

You know, I don't even know how long this is...

First one on the Dirty Rat!

I fished a few flies: an Egg Sucking Leech, a Weighted Olive Woolly Bugger, a Bass Gurgler, and the Dirty Rat. I fished the Weighted Olive mostly because of top-water turbulence due to a high wind. It paid off!

The second bass on there was my first on the Dirty Rat.

The culprit.

There was a protected cove with calm surface waters. I actually screwed up my cast and deposited the fly at a 90 degree angle to the right of the tip of the fly line and was gradually pulling it back when I got what I was promised in Catch Magazine: an explosion. It was phenomenal!

I recently got some fly tying materials donated by Jim Smith. Can't wait to find out what to do with them. He wants to share what he typically does. 

Have a great holiday, and remember what it's for!