barramundi (the alleged bad ass of ikan-fish…the culo malo pescado, the เลวลาปลา)

Barramundi

Barramundi Distribution

“…the  Barramundi justifiably commands respect from those who seek it out. Surprisingly, this, the gamest of all game fish is relatively unknown to many fly fishermen. Pound for pound the Barramundi will outrun, outstrip and outfight any salmonoid.”

“They are also protoandrous hermaphrodites: they start life as males, reaching maturity at 3 to 4 years old and later change gender to become females, usually at around 5 years old.”

How cool is this…a late morning start to fishing and the bite intensifies through the day, especially during that normal high sun, dead time on many waters. Not so with the Barramundi. 

“Generally, Thailand Barramundi commence daylight feeding during late morning, around 11 am. As the day progresses, so the Barramundi feeding becomes more intense. At the same time their metabolism increases, so as the day progresses, the Barramundi becomes stronger and a fiercer fight ensues. Also, rather strangely, the brighter and more intense the sunlight – the better the flyfishing !”

Baramundi Range

I didn’t find much in the way of pattern information, but all info suggested the fish would just as soon eat your boot as look at you, so I imagine baitfish and bigger streamers might be in order, but the suggested rod wts. were 6 or 7 to a 9 wt. So the patterns would have to match the rods you bring. The fish is reputed to be aerobatic and extremely tough to contain. I am certain this is true…I was shocked at the power of a 24″ bonefish…so I imagine these species we (U.S. types) are less familiar with are immensely satisfying to those living in the region. I offer this up not as an expert but to provide info on a species (and several others) that you might not be aware of…I had never really paid attention.. So, bringing a little fishing and geography info to your parochial brain…      

Rockin’ (You Love Nature….So A Cool Site!!)

OK, do you remember Twilight Zone? The opening music? Do a few bars with me…”do do do do do do do…….” not happening is it? OK, so forget that part. This is a cool phenomenon….not akin to those field imprints. And, I am not attaching it to aliens (illegals or from further afar). Nope, this is interesting and the site itself if great. 

One of the most interesting mysteries of Death Valley National Park is the sliding rocks at Racetrack Playa (a playa is a dry lake bed). These rocks can be found on the floor of the playa with long trails behind them. Somehow these rocks slide across the playa, cutting a furrow in the sediment as they move.

Some of these rocks weigh several hundred pounds. That makes the question: “How do they move?” a very challenging one.

The truth: No one knows for sure exactly how these rocks move – although a few people have come up with some pretty good explanations. The reason why their movement remains a mystery: No one has ever seen them in motion!

http://geology.com/articles/racetrack-playa-sliding-rocks.shtml

http://geology.com/

streamers in the box…have at least a few (Remember Big Fish Kill Little Fish)

Big Fish Eating Little Fish by Pieter Breugel the Elder

 

Spruce Fly, Muddler Minnow, Woolly Bugger, Zonkers, Clousers, Black Nosed Dace, The Mickey Finn………..have several patterns and know how to present them in the shallows of a lake for big, cruising browns or along the cut banks of a stream where the predator lurks. Not Eat, Not Cosume, Big Fish Slash, Engulf, Kill smaller fish. 

Mickey Finn..www.flytyer.wordpress.com

 At some point, have the few streamers in the box and think about the chase, the presentation, and how to excite the fish. Every season there are several points in which a streamer will entice that cruising thug in the shallows of a lake or waiting and what they are best suited for…

 

 

Mr. Brown Meets Little Bow

The Nymph’s (crosscountry roadtrip commences soon)

The Nymph's Shucking Along

China’s Fly Fishing (a warning for the under or is it over managed, “put and take” mentality)

Tilapia (Invasive in SE U.S.)

BLEAK ALERT! Habitat, Habitat, Habitat!

“Unfortunately, I found that most of streams in Guizhou Province were
hopelessly polluted and devoid of life. And even though I consulted some of
my more proficient fishing buddies and the websites of several fly shops, I
have yet to find a fly that will hook the elusive Chinese mudsucker that
inhabits the ponds around here. The few times I have ventured out all I
have managed to catch are small, curious Chinese children.”

“I realized that if I were ever to catch any Chinese fish I would have to
give up my high-fallutin’ fly fishing ways and resort to Chinese methods.”

“When the Chinese fish, they really don’t like to give the fish a fair
chance. Each person has four or five rods and they chum the water with
bait. Not to mention that the ponds are really small and people line up
shoulder to shoulder around them. I’m sure to the fish, it must seem like
swimming around in a jungle of hooks and bait.”

“The Chinese would like to fish with automatic weapons, explosives, anthrax spores, and weapons of mass
destruction. Unfortunately, the expense and the fear of bodily harm keeps
them from doing this. Instead, they mostly fish with long, collapsible rods
with a bit of monofilament, a bobber, hook, and bait attached. None of this
reel silliness. The bait is usually pellets of what looks like guinea pig
food or a powder that is mixed with water to make a bread dough-like
substance.”    

http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/02-07/stumbling-through-guizhou-2-fishing-china.html

http://www.fishfarming.com/tilapia.html

http://massbay.mit.edu/seafood/tilapia.pdf

Perhonsidonta (fly tying from Finland)

Some very unique and beautiful Finnish Flies by Ville. Such a variety of talent here. I also noticed a lot of Finnish sites highlighted quite exact imitations of insects and aquatic life. This is a little seen talent in the U.S. Not saying it does not exist because I saw three such tyers this past Saturday, but they are a rare tyer. Enjoy the Finnish tyers and use the Tranlating Link by Google to sort out the text if the pictures don’t help.  Look at that great pupa pattern below..looks to be a woven body. I didn’t see a pattern but believe if the correct material/colors or something close were used and the weaving direction I posted this past Sunday were used, a close copy could be had….  

http://picasaweb.google.com/ville.kauppila/Perhoja#

   http://translate.google.com/translate_t#

http://www.gajafliesitbugs.com

Brian O’Keefe (redux of impressions and wisdom)

I mentioned, in a recent post, that I had bumped into Brian O’Keefe and his lovely wife Judith at the Albany Expo. He had once responded to the SwittersB blog re the fly fishing industry and in particular his success within that industry. I wanted to once again post his response to me because it is indicative of the following: Brian is a nice man; he has seen all aspects of the industry and in light of his recent successes with Catch Magazine, it is timely to give an inside glimpse of the man and his down to earth persona.   

Brian O'Keefe

“Now, to the other side of the sport, once an angler gets some sort of notoriety. I am still embarrassed at club introductions. Some guys will go on and on when I would really like to be introduced as just a fishing bum with a camera. I have just as much respect for a local guy in Washington who has six lakes wired, who has several steelhead streams dialed in and can tie great flies and cast well. He may not get an invite to float a river in Argentina for free (nothing is free, more on that later) but he might be an excellent father, husband, dedicated nine to five worker, etc. That describes a lot of my local fishing buddies.”

http://swittersb.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/brian-okeefes-wisdom-positive-and-vital/

Parkour, PK, Free Running (check it out…have the ice ready)

“Parkour (PK) is about responding appropriately to the terrain through which a person is moving and is not about extraneous movements or tricks. Flipping and other stunts that do not contribute directly to getting from point a to point b as quickly and efficiently as possible are not part of Parkour, but a related discipline called “Free Running” that is a distinct activity according to the people who have been the most influential in creating this new form of movement and self expression.”

PK Parkour

 

It takes about 4 minutes to load the attachment and about 3 minutes to feel your lower back, ankels, and knees start to throb…I see this stuff and see how it has evolved from the Jackie Chan movements and marvel at the endurance, strength and tenates required…wow! Russian Climbing (or Parkour) is mind boggling. If we only did an extremely modified version, we would be in amazing shape. I have known I was not wired for bungee jumping, rock climbing, parachuting, downhill skiing, etc. I am not a thrill seeker in the sports tradition. I have had my adrenaline in other non-sporting pursuits in life. I like adrenaline. I just have a wierd inner ear, so odd movements send me off kilter. So, when I see these explosive athletes, I admire them. I am sure, if you take the time to load the video you will also. 

http://finding-my-own-way.blogspot.com/    http://www.sportmediaconcept.com/parkour/

http://thomadventures.blogspot.com/                      http://www.beastskills.com/

Emerging Caddis (Innovative and Inquisitive)

Tan Emerging Caddis~Ashley Artis

http://www.kossiedun.com.au/EmergingCaddis.htm

Hook: Kamasan B100 (or suitable pupa hook)
Size: 14
Inner body: Spirit River Diamond Brite, Olive dubbing
Outer body: Spirit River Body Flair, Dark Sand
Thorax/Head: Spirit River Fine & Dry dubbing colour Callibaetis
Wing: CDC puff Natural Mallard

.I have not seen the BodyFlair before. Spirit River is in many shops in the U.S. or the item could be ordered. I like the look of this pattern. The Body Flair would be nicer than messing around with Antron or Z-Lon.

Russian Train Travel to Chelyabinsk and beyond…………..

A humorous piece about a man with aerophobia, who has the Russian train system figured out..sort of:

“By the way, you will probably be waited on by a very young and good-looking waitress wearing a lot of cheap makeup. When not busy at the restaurant, she makes rounds of the train with a food trolley loaded with beer, peanuts and Snickers bars. She has to be good looking because it improves sales. With their caked-on makeup, dining car waitresses look like moderately expensive rural town call-girls. This adds a little subconscious eroticism to the restaurant visit.”

“Speaking of eroticism, I’ve encountered some really well-made Russian porn movies where all the action took place on a train. Since then, I have often fantasized about being accidentally put into the luxury compartment with a horny model. It’s never happened.”

http://readrussia.com/magazine/spring-2007/00020/

http://readrussia.com/blog/

http://www.russia-ukraine-travel.com/maps-of-russia.html