Look Out Florida

ANGIE'S BACK

A Two Year Hiatus

welcome back girl

CAUGHT A COUPLE  . . . . .  EH?

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.. It's a great loss for fishing in the Pacific Northwest.
.. Angie has caught the tropical bug.
.. Enjoy this year's notes and humor.
.. In 16 months or so the "Sunshine State" may have some bits of insight thrown their way.
.. The folks around Cocoa Beach are in for it now.

NOT A STEELHEAD

.. Read the website introductory page (ABOUT HERE.)
.. Check out the guide site (HERE).
.. Read this year's rant, (including last Spring's stuff too) (LIKE HERE.)

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FIFTY SNOOK IN A DAY

Yonder

CANCEL PAROCHIALISM

Scan Some Other Views

expand your vision

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.. All too infrequently do we get the time and opportunity to surf a bit and wander about the web.
.. A couple of years ago we bumped into a site that was attractive, diverse, and engaged our interest.
.. Lately we've been loath to post about blogs because they seem to come and go with the rapidity of a nose in the foam line.
.. Although not a blog per se; this site is fresh, vigorous, well maintained, full of good information, and has persisted in a dynamic state for over three years.
.. As shown above WASHINGTON FLY FISHING is partitioned into five segments.
.. We return frequently to the GALLERY and reminisce about our time in that foreign country. The images include gear, flies, hero shots, and miscellaneous snaps. Good stuff.
.. Hidden amongst the forums is a gem of fly tying innovation and instruction. The STEP BY STEP FORUM is well worth burning a few electrons and clicking through.

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.. Our local village fly fishers clique is wonderfully inbred and staid when it comes to vocabulary, ideology, and fly selections. This situation obtains because of personality cults, and supposed pragmatism.
.. The "because it works" syndrome is most probably geographically localized and regionalized across the world. It leads to stifled creativity and parochialism.
.. Seldom is the question asked: "can something work better?" Infrequently a creation from fly tying vises makes it's way into the lexicon of localisms. All to seldom does it persist.
.. We too, are guilty of hanging on to old flies that have served us well for decades. The parochial mentality is a hard one to break. We've slowly come to appreciate the reason why there are so many and diverse flies: they all work.
.. Blessed are the fly tiers for they shall be rewarded in the kingdom of innovation. Remember: “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 
.. Please pardon the strong suggestion.

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WALLPAPER: ENCHILADAS AND HOMINY

So Long, We Hardly Knew Ya'

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

It Once Was Green & With Typos

we loved it then and will miss it now

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.. There is a hole in the noosphere that shall not be filled. EVER.
.. Pretenders have come and gone. They keep coming and going.
.. They are filled with self aggrandizement and piddling profundities. Bless their pretense.
.. The real world has finally caught up with Tom Chandler and he's succumbed to the exigencies of the important things, like family and the future. Good for you Tom.
.. THE TROUT UNDERGROUND is fading very fast. We will miss it. For now, it will stay on our masthead - it's become a part of us. Click on over and watch the future unfold.

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12 - 4 - 12

A FISH PER MONTH

Across The Nation

we're jealous

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.. Last summer we noted that there was a Montana-born itinerant fly fisher spending the whole summer in Yellowstone National Park.
.. He's still at it and has taken a fish, across the nation, in each of 12 months. There's a concept for you - "COAST-TO-COAST" - trout hunting. Read about it HERE.

Comings And Goings

LIFE OF THE IDLE RICH

Mimicked By Itinerant Reporter

such a glorious odyssey - we're jealous

"DAMSEL IN DISTRESS"  courtesy NATE SCHWEBER -- LINK

(All images deserve a click to see in grand scale !!)

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.. Lets see now: how 'bout we take a few months and fish all the good spots in Yellowstone National Park? Lets gather up the local experts from all the feather merchants and guides and outfitters and local characters and research biologists and have them show us the way to fish their rivers.

YELLOWSTONE CUTTHROAT - Tower Creek

.. Maybe we could interview the experts and find out the various ways to catch the wiley fish of Yellowstone.
.. I'll bet that they will take us to some of the lesser known places and give us some insight into fishing trout water with the most unusual and spectacular scenery in the world.
.. We could go to the Thorofare, back country lakes in the Gallatin Mountains, the full length of Slough Creek, 7-mile Hole, and streams with names that are only whispered.

GRIZ - Soda Butte Creek Meadow

.. We could catch all the species in the park under the most diverse conditions and in the most popular and the least known areas. That would be just alright with us.
.. It's being done right now as you read this. Montana native son, Nate Schweber is doing it and making it seem easy.
.. When not performing as the lead singer of the NEW HEATHENS he's a New York Times Reporter. When not doing those things he's in the Rocky Mountains fishing, (unless he's writing a book about beer and breweries!)
.. He's been to: Pelican Creek, Duck Creek, Firehole River, Lamar River, Gallatin River, Tower Creek, Trout Lake, Yellowstone River, High Lake, Fan Lake, Fan Creek, Grebe Lake, Yellowstone Lake, Solfaterra Creek, Snake River, Madison River, Gibbon River, Slough Creek, Gardner River, and all the others that you've read and dreamed about. Tough work, but somebody has to do it.

SPLASH DANCE - Trout Lake

.. He's caught monster fish and baby fish. He's seen Yellowstone National Park like very few ever will. He's doing it now and we've followed the adventures on his blog - LINK.
.. We suggest that you click on over and scan the posts for the last few months - if you can stand fish porn, travelogue, and some "Roots Rock" news. You can check his daily progress HERE.
.. He's been kind enough to let us post some images from his odyssey - thanks Nate.
P.S. the big rainbow on the Gallatin River was taken on a Caddis with prince dropper. You'll need to check his blog for the gory details.

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FINE SPOTS ?  -- The Yellowstone SLAM ??

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Five And Counting

JUST PLAIN FUN

Slow Start

just friendly news

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.. We started this blog about five years ago to let our friends and visitors know what was happening during the open water fishing season in the neighborhood.
.. It seemed easier than constantly answering the annual flood of email that started in April and continued through November.
.. As is often the case, we were wrong. It takes about the same amount of time. But, it's a bit more fun.
.. As a woefully inept computer jockey, we've come to appreciate the fancy blogs with many pages and glorious illustrations. We are awestruck by the daily posts of so many intrepid fly fishers and bloggers. We salute all of you.
.. We've made a few friends along the way and noticed that our annual visitation is now about what Tom Chandler, at the Trout Underground, gets in a day, (about 130,000.)
.. We've learned how to read statistical charts about visits vs. unique visits, (though we don't often do it,) and we discovered which other sites refer to this site with a link.
.. There's even statistics about what pictures were downloaded and how often - my my. You may or may not be surprised by the images that appeal to our readers. They certainly are diverse.
.. Some sites, "out there" were grabbing our posts and re-posting them with no acknowledgment. We wonder why?

.. Pete over at Fishing Jones along with the good folks at Chi Wulff came to our aid and helped us figure out how to foil that sort of thing.
.. Pete has gone through several site hosts and page layouts, (seems to be the norm,) and the folks at Chi Wulff have left the neighborhood but not the planet. We miss their detailed and insightful musings about our neighborhood fishing.
.. One thing seems apparent, Blogs are becoming "in vogue," and "de rigueur." in the fishing world. Manufacturers, feather merchants, guides, magazines, fancy fishers and just plain fishers are getting in on the act.
.. Thanks are in order. Thanks for reading. Thanks for blogging. Thanks for visiting. Thanks for helping.
.. We've learned about videos and posting them, cameras and how to abuse them, multiple page sites, (ours are separate pages,) and many other things that are entirely useless but gently enjoyable time-wasters.
.. We plan to keep it up. As we said, it's fun - and not too hard on the ego. After all, who really wants to know what happened yesterday? Who really wants to know about ice fishing with flies? We would have never guessed!  Thanks again.

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OUCH

FOR LOVE OF THE FISH

The Color Should By Grand

we await the final unveiling

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.. Via Fishing Jones: trout art from Utah, (a place where water is 'owned' by the private interests, to the tune of about 7,000 river miles, can this really be true?)
.. This 'tat' looks to be one fine fish.
.. The arm belongs to Corey Kruitbosch: fly fisher and photographer extraordinaire. His work has been featured in many national publications; most recently profiled in “The Drake”, “American Angler”, and in the Trout Unlimited Publication “Trout”.
.. Check his blog at Western Fly Fishing. His photo stream at Flickr is also well worth a click.

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.(for original see: Fly Fishing Montana)

Another Few Bite The Dust

OLD BLOGS FADE AWAY

Electrons Forever ?

my, my, my

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.. We note that HDW MOBILE hasn't posted since last August. Shame! And; announced yesterday, THE RETREAD RANGER STATION is on indefinite hiatus.
.. The YELLOWSTONE NEWSPAPER is on hold while the real world gets addressed. Thus is the way it seems to go.
.. Of course all must end sometime. Bet you're betting on this 'un.

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She's Back

LOVELY RANTINGS

Visit Angie

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.. We left the link in the sidebar because we thought it appropriate. Turns out we were right.
.. A blog has appeared from out of the PNW. It's a new page on the Fishing Goddess' site, and is beginning to roll.
.. Just force yourself to click on the link below for some choice prose, a bit of Gonzo fishing, just a smidgen of "Guido Genetics," and rare insight into the situations of fishers in the great state of Washington.
.. As she reminds us, ". . . I make this stuff up . . . " - sure thing! She's bought a farm, relegated fly fishing to the back seat, and observes that there seems to be something wrong with a whole pile of stuff. Could be.
.. We note that "Orvis Boy" is still in the picture.
.. THE LINK!

All The Blogs - All The Time

QUICK READS - QUICK PICKS

Content Aggregation

Thank You Richard

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.. The content aggregation site On Line Fly Central has been added to our masthead links. The site has matured to the point of being exhaustive and informative.
.. For a quick scan of the blogs about fly fishing just bip on over and check out the RSS. There are five sections: Favorites, U.S. West, U.S. Middle, U.S. East, International. Give the pages time to load - it's worth it. Something for everyone can be found on the site.
.. Leave a note about what you might like to see next. Perhaps a video section? Photos? Whatever? Then drop the founder a note of appreciation. Thank you Richard Primeaux!

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So Long - again

WE'LL MISS THE VARIETY

We'll Miss The Insights

we'll miss the news of farther-flung waters

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.. Chi Wulff, (AKA Best Fly Fishing Yellowstone,) has signed off ! Get over there and scarf up the past posts that you've been meaning to download for the pearls of wisdom and insight. Grab some of the fine recipes.
.. They promise to leave the site up for another month or so, then - kaput ! We'll leave the link in the masthead untill it no longer works.
.. Good luck to the whole bunch of them, and we'll follow the other electronic media as it unfolds.

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Catch Some Art

TOP ARTISTS FEATURED

Surprisingly Reasonable

delightfully diverse

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.. The folks at ArtCreel have added Jeff Kennedy to their pod of artists. Jeff is the artist that brought us Drawing Flies 365. He and Jason Borger are now up to #5 on their current project to produce a fly per week.
.. Jeff joins such fishy artists as Joseph Tomelleri, Derek DeYoung, and Bob White on the ArtCreel site. The prints offered are top drawer and very reasonably priced.
.. Click on over and buy some. These are mostly limited editions -->> when they're gone, they're gone!

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Lazy Weekend

SURF A SPELL

Sleep Some

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.. The "mature of body and leg," will appreciate that on occasion it's rejuvenating to just vegetate! We are being rejuvinated!
.. Strenuous activities include: 12oz. curls, pillow plumping, mouse clicking, web and channel surfing, eye blinking, and an occasional snoring session. It's tax time and avoidance is the best policy!

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.. Ol' easy writer has declared it a snow week - LINK. The Boss is rendered nicely and uniquely by Jeff, (HERE,) and Jason, (HERE.) Energetic fishers can see some super flies being tied by the good folks at Parks' Fly Shop, (HERE.)
.. HDW Mobile is missing in action, (NOT HERE.) Fishing Jones brings us a glorious 90 seconds of fishing art, (HERE.) The Chi Wulff gang is redecorating the office, (HERE.) The Moldy Crew has found a nice place to fish, (HERE.)
.. Murdock continues yeoman service for us all, (HERE.) The guys at Buster need a fish, (HERE.) Blogfish is back in action, (HERE.)

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.. P.S. The maggot supply in town has been replenished and ice augers are being redeployed on Hebgen Lake.