Knee Deep & Wet

GENUINE NUISANCE

A Wonderful Dump

more on the way

WALLPAPER:  THE HOME FRONT

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.. It's a blessed nuisance. The nuisance is the removal or rearrangement of the white stuff. Gone from the porch, gone from the deck, gone from the stairs: gone from the places of impediment and moved to picturesque piles.

.. This was our standard snow prediction of 3 inches: we received about 20 inches. There is about the same amount due this evening and tomorrow.

RIGHT HERE IN WEST YELLOWSTONE

.. The blessing is, that this should top off the high country depth and water content nicely.
.. The air temperature is warmish and windy; this will produce one more glazed slip layer for avalanches.
.. With the split in the Arctic Vortex we may get lucky and have some cool weather in the Spring.
.. That, if it happens, will slow runoff to a gentility that could entice the early fisher folks around here.

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 OLDER THAN MOST NEIGHBORS

.. This bit of wet and deep and white weather provides us with a perfect excuse to hang in the house and catch up on the maintenance of fly boxes, reels, lines, rods, poles, instruments, tools, fluff, floss, feathers, thread, and other bits of minutia of the "catch fish pastime."

NICE VARIETY

.. Since we refuse to dispense with old junk and, still use it on occasion, we are doomed to maintain it. It is pleasant and in many instances a nostalgic endeavor.
.. Since we also refuse to limit our fishing to trout on flies we have an interesting assortment of gear that gets used during the year. Can't let it go for a year or so. Shouldn't let it go for months at a time.
.. Boy, (over quite a few decades,) were we ever suckers for the latest and greatest. From tomato stakes, to Calcutta cane, to Tonkin cane we grabbed the sticks and fished them.
.. From American Fork and Hoe steel rods, to solid glass, to hollow glass we grabbed them as they came along. From early woven glass, to parallel fiber scrim, to spiral spun we embraced the lot.

PETROLEUM DISTILLATES?  ouch!

.. Oh, my, my: how many synthetics sucked us in? First glass, "S" glass, "G" glass, boron, metallic hybrids, and graphene, (used in many applications besides fishing rods such as double top guitars and ukuleles.) Such seductive stuff it is!
.. How long is a fly rod? 5' or, 13' or, 9' or, 7.5' or, 6.5' or, any length you choose is the 'correct' length. Just ask the counter help they know the perfect length.

CLEAN OR SAND CORK ??

.. Although the cleaning and maintaining process is similar for each rod type and material, the specifics can be wildly different.
.. Wax or no wax? Hard wax or soft wax? Silicon or carnauba? Oils or waxes? There are many choices and many errors to be made along the way. How's your ferrules? Got Q-tips?
.. What will harm the finish on older rods? Do new rods need any surface treatment? What protects thread and thread coverings?

EUSTIS  W.  EDWARDS FINEST

.. How's your cork? Synthetic grip? Got wood? Stainless steel, chrome, or nickle silver findings and accoutrements?
.. Erosion, corrosion, or dilapidation. Got decals? Care?
.. Happily the chores are easier if gentle cleaning and maintenance takes place daily during the fishing year. Just a bit of warm water and a soft cloth drying on a daily basis makes Winter chores so much more pleasant.

A PAYNE NICETY

.. There is all manner of online 'expertise' and then, there is neighborly advice and, of course your neighborhood feather merchant. All are sources for what to do.
.. Or just buy a new one every so often: that will fill your closet, sort of like your wife's shoes.

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OLDIES BUT GOODIES

..Well the snow is piled up nicely. The loader has come and gone, leaving places to park for a brief period of time.
.. The sun is out and glazing the streets and sidewalks to a high sheen. The snow and cold of this evening will provide a delightful slip surface of ice beneath tonight's new pile.
.. Tomorrow should bring another day of fiddling with the stuff. What should it be? Try reels? Try Lines? Try fly boxes? Try tying desk mess? Try baking some bread? Who knows?
-- The youngsters have strapped on the snow shoes and are headed to Notellum Creek. Some have even bought this year's fishing license.

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