cyclops2

With years of fishing. My only rods that are replaced are the ones crushed by a car door or stepped on. My very old Mitchell spinning 300 reels are all still perfect with a drop of oil every 10 years.

Wading belts MIGHT not do anything to prevent Your feet from filling up with water. I used 5 MM foam thick waders. The air in the foam will always be down there . ready to float my legs up to the surface. I actually would bob in a upright position in deep enough water. I actually slipped & fell off of a high rock. Went completely under. Only a wet ring on the top inside of the foam waders. Never used a belt. They were the type that fit almost like a wet suit. Loose enough that I could roll them off under water with holding my breath if needed.

Snappers ? Big ones ? Linden, N J creek that ran under the 4 track Pennsylvania main R R lines. Watched a massive 3 to 4 footer crawling over the shallows. Hair stood up all over me. Us kids waded up & down that same stretch all the time. I stayed out of walking thru those road tunnels after seeing that big one on the move.

When your3rd cast brings in the same fish you released earlier. Same 2 tiny red dots in the same part of the Jaw.

I really have panicked in stuck mud. I finally sat down in the water. Leaned backwards. Pulled 1 foot out. Then the other. I have had enough close call in waders. I now only wear old pair of shoes with laces left very loose. And the huge life jacket. I also carry the cell phone in a zip lock waterproof bag in the top right pocket. Ican always reach that if needed. I only fish where there is good cell tower use.

I do / did a lot more early season fly fishing this spring. Casting in winds on open water is only able to do power roll casting or trolling a slow sinking fly. Big SMB are a hand full with direct 1 to 1 ratio reels. I sill have 1 automatic spring powered fly reel. That does improve C & R percentage. But I know I am cheating with it. I sometimes use double flies in tandem on the line.

Off topic. Forgot

Hi John ? Upstate N Y has plenty of those " Swept away & presumed drowned. " Power company dams. They get a few guys every year. They would raise the river about a foot for several minutes. Then you committed suicide. The fall salmon run was a killer time. Of people not aware of the water change.

It was after the terrorists bombed our USN ship in the far east waters. PLUS I am completely covered in clothes for U V protection........... He had every right to be on guard, As I approached in a small boat alone.

Age test. You look at a great boat longer. Than you look at a cheer leader.

I called N Y state F & G about terrible loss of marine plants & animals in our area. Left word. The director of the division calls me Monday & we chat about the losses. Top guy was interested in anything affecting tourism & income to our area.

Torn muscle & tendons are best done with at least S S staples & a air cast to prevent forgetting your serious injury. Almost been there. I babied it perfectly from fear.

I met up with the USCG river patrol & offered to tow them to a nearby dock if they needed help. After I uncovered my face & head the deckhand Put the safety back on & lowered the Assault gun. We then talked & they thanked me for offering to help them. Commander came out & said 15? years ago ? I would not be stopped for inspections. Never have been. We have EXCELLENT Marine Police In Clayton / Alex Bay area.

Bass Bum stated the truth about some pushy / bully boat people. I own boats. But I also fish from a dock & shore. Bass boaters are the worst at being bullies around docks with people fishing from them. We have 2 long T docks close to each other just enough room for 1 boat to pull in or go out at a time. A boat is backing out of the tight inner docks & a flying bass boat charges to the .chops the throttle late sends a medium wake into all the boats. BLOCKS off the guy trying to leave. continues INTO the pathway casting as he goes. Dirtbags. Then says. Hope you do not mind. I will not post what I said as I held up his wake coming at the dock on my cell phone. ..........Leave NOW or my buddies at the CG station will write up a ticket for tossing a wake into all our boats.

I am a 4# test person. Until a over sized pike takes over a dock and ruins C & R for the kids & seniors. I do have heavy gear & big barbless hooks for them. I tow them quickly to a distant baitfish area and release. A night catch & release works best on the pike.

My collection goes thru changes every so often. I volunteer for children's programs at some state parks. So I bring along R & R, lures & tackle. It is difficult to not allow a child to keep a set up that catches their first fish. No barb hooks, corn nibblets and feeding them every few days. Some kids fish. Others just feed them. Both are happy. Until the animal protector shows up. The camp officials do a excellent job.

Do deer eat a pumpkin in great shape. If I cut it into 1" to 2" wedges like a Watermelon ? Will other animals eat it ?

We pull into the driveway and 8 deer are upset at us. They can not find the Carrot Cake.

Birthday card from my daughter. Along with about a pound of her Sugar cookies. Life is Good ?

Hi Kirt. I fished the bridge just before the hatchery 1 year in February. Super cold day at the lodge. I took 1 step off the last stair onto the snow. Sounded like I was breaking glass with my boot. Ice build up along the shore. So I went under the bridge on river bed of pebbles, I see some trout right against the concrete of the bridge. I cast above them. Nothing stirs. I get the fly right into the group. snag 1 accidently. I slowly pull him to me & release him. He VERY slowly MOVES back to the group. I go to the bar / restaurant to warm up very cold 5 mm Neoprene covered legs. Painful started to occur. In the bar are the road crews & some state police . They all stop talking & look at me shivering. Ask if I caught any. No But a guy is snagging them & filling his tru7nk up with them. All the stateies & 1/2 the road crew go down to the guy. & check his big car. 35 Steelheads at $ 135 each & court costs. I spent 3 days in the bar talking with the locals. The guy was from out of the area. Really nice people up there

I have a 2 ounce sinker with a fast working snap. I have sent it crashing into or against the side of a dirt bag. When they start yapping. I ask them if they want me to call for the State Police.

Cyclops2 famous saying about life. " Luck always beats skill. " ?

I decide to wade out to the center of a about a 20 foot wide..... smooth ....part of a fly fishing only. Rocky gorged creek. I have fished it many times at this same spot. From the bank. Sept down carefully on the large rocks that are about 3 ' in size. No dirt or small stones. I am carefully stepping from boulder to boulder facing the current. water is at belly button high. I reach the center and feel with my feet for a solid footing before turning around to face down stream. I am suddenly submerged by water flowing over my completely bent backwards body. I tense up to get mu body up to get air. Not possible. I am drowning in 3 feet of water. ALONE !!!!!!!!! I realize I am still holding my fly rod !! I carefully slide the reel end down to a solid spot Continue to push my body up. My face is FREE. I stay there to refill my lungs for a final effort to free my legs. I am pulling and twisting the tightly jammed foot. It comes loose. I pull the other leg free. I collapse and float60 feet to the pool below the narrow spot I was in.. I am fishing the large rocky Delaware River With Kenny. He is about 100' above me upstream. I hear and sense something. I see Kenny coming towards me screaming and pointing up stream at something in the water. I see a reflection off of a submerged huge fuel tank coming right at me. I fast step on the rocky bottom to get out of the way. 2 seconds the giant starts to pass where I stood. Death waits for the wader. I NEVER wade in moving water anymore. Or wade into ANY still water fishing without my huge life jacket on. I have taken forever to pull free of firm bottom. Did not realize I was sinking slowly into muck. I turned 84. Only because I have been very lucky. I hope some of you can use my near misses / deaths to save yours. Rich

Something about trout to use AGAINST them. Their SPEED. As soon as the lure is under water. Crank very fast. The trout will have less time to see line or that the lure is not real. We had a contest with stocked trout speeds on opening day. NO BODY could retrieve faster than any trout. Not even worth more than 2 serious tests. The high up guys on the bridge were pointing & laughing for several minutes.