Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Live Fish Porn!


Just when you thought it couldn't get any better. Each evening, (Eastern Standard Time), you can watch lunker trouts swim merrily across your monitor live from Sugar Creek Ranch.



Click on the LAUNCH button under the picture to view the live webcam feed.

Oooohhh! Now I'm all hot and bothered.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

A New Minion is Born!




Minion Fly Fishing secures its future with another generation to carry the torch.


Please welcome Grant James Parsons.


Born 7/22/2008 at 1651 EST.


6 lbs 8 ounces; 18.5" long.


Buyaa!!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Yellow Breeches Dams to be Removed...

One of the dams removed in 2007



July 24, 2008 - Two dams will be removed from the Yellow Breeches Creek to improve the passage for migratory fish, according to a news release from the Chesapeake Bay Program.
The Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited received a $50,000 grant from the program to open more than 4 miles of the stream.
That money will be coupled with a state grant to pay for the removal of the Spangler's Mill and Green Lane Farms dams as well as repair the areas.
Neither dam is the one that 70-year-old Leon Clymer of Oklahoma City drowned at while tubing on the Yellow Breeches Creek earlier this month, said Tom Baltz, past president of the Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

What a way to go...

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

DRBC Agrees to Protect Our Trout

A cool fog rises over the West Branch of the Delaware river near Deposit, NY following a cold water release from the Cannonsville Reservoir.
Today, July 22, 2008 – High summer temps. have led to Main Stem water temps. in the low 80’s at least twice already in 2008. NY, PA, DE, NJ and New York City all agreed to allow NYDEC to release up to a billion gallons of water under the FFMP.
This effort may help protect trout in the upper Delaware River from high temps. that result during hot weather and low water levels.
If water temps. rise, the NYDEC is permitted to release water from Cannonsville Reservoir between now and September 15, but not to exceed one billion gallons in total.
Experts predict that this volume of water should address the needs of the upper main stem of the Delaware River under extreme heat conditions.
Water can be released when the three day average of forecast high temperatures in Hancock, NY exceeds 90 deg. and the minimum exceeds 65 deg.
Air temperature forecasts will come from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation's meteorological staff working with the National Weather Service. The new plan temporarily modifies the flexible flow management plan already in place to control reservoir releases.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Johno's New Gat...

We all know that the 9 mm Parebellum is ~40% to 60% more potent than the .380 ACP out of the same barrel length, but the .380 can't be beat from a carry perspective, (both overall size and fully loaded weight.) Research conducted this evening indicates that the Kel-Tec P3AT and the Ruger LCP are the premier choices in this chambering. It appears that Kahr, Walther and Taurus have been relegated to a catch-up position.

The above photo shows the "new" Ruger LCP overlaid on a Kel-Tec P3AT.

The reverse is shown in this photo, Kel-Tec overlaid on the Ruger LCP.

Pros. + Cons.

The Ruger appears to have a slightly higher quality of finish.

The Kel-Tec's average price is $50 - $70 less than the Ruger.

The Ruger appears to be on back order at every outlet researched due to limited production.

The Kel-Tec is minimally lighter in weight.

The Ruger is slightly larger in overall size.

The Kel-Tec has greater availability of accessories.
The Ruger has a manual slide hold open device, while neither has last shot hold open.

Specialized high performance defense loads are available for both from Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore which bring these pocket pistols into the pocket cannon category.

It seems to be nearly a dead heat.
My thoughts: Ruger has some cachet over Kel-Tec but mostly due to its stellar performers in the wheelgun category. However, Kel-Tec was first to market in this new category and has had ample opportunity and actual follow through on consumer based quality and performance feedback.


My choice was, and will continue to be, the Kel-Tec P3AT!

Monday, July 21, 2008

The Wildlife of Glacier National Park

The wiley and elusive wildlife of Glacier National Park.
The Glacier Park Ground Squirrel is a very shy rodent.
The Hoary Marmot peeks out from its rocky hiding place.
The reclusive Mountain Goat heartily resists having its image captured by tourists.

Glacier's alpine dwelling Bighorn Sheep quickly vacate the area when people are close by.

We were able to capture this rare image of Nicole's people escaping from view along this precarious cliffside game trail.

This small herd was surprised by our appearance around a blind corner a short way further down the trail. Notice the white bonnets and black shoes common to this peculiar species.






Saturday, July 19, 2008

Missouri River Float Trip

A big river, is the Missouri...
Sizable brown and rainbow trout reside there...
Dry flies ruled this day...
Our guide Brian put us onto some good but somewhat difficult fish. Long casts and feeding the whole fly line into the drift was required. The windy conditions did not help matters either. All this casting did, of course, lead to me burying a caddis parachute past the barb into my loevely wife's upper arm. Brian saved the day with an expert hook extrication.
The browns were by far the larger fish, but the rainbows made up for their smaller stature with plenty of jumps, 2-3 feet out of the water.
Fished spent and CDC caddis pretty much all day. During the early afternoon doldrums we tried a San Juan Worm and a caddis pupae under a Thingamabobber. Didn't even get a bump subsurface.



Managed to land a few on my own on Saturday and Monday evenings. Finding spots suitable for wade fishing was rather difficult.






Losers!

Gone for a week and you losers can't post even one darned thing...
Let it be said, I am most disappointed.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

When fly fishing collides with another hobby..

Everyone needs a carving of a fly fishing scene on their alphorn.
See more of this fine workmanship at www.alphorn.ca

Monday, July 7, 2008

By popular request...

Stew models what happens when you hook up a trailer at night and are interrupted by the assembly of various minions.
Nice...

Friday, July 4, 2008

The Friday Bacon...

Mmmm, bacon flavored vodka!
Perhaps this delicious libation will replace our revered Basil Hayden?

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

"W" is alright...

He played rugby!

Mixing it up Stew style!




Why did the bear cross the road?

Yeah, I know, more stupid bear pictures. This is one of latest on 06/30/08
But why did the bear cross the road?