Fly Fishing: Lesser Fish

As Winter closed out, our minds seemed steered toward BWO’s, March Browns, Stoneflies, Caddis and the march of pending Mayflies: PMD’s, PED’s, Green Drakes, Yellow Sallies, on and on into the Fall’s October Caddis. Of course, that is for rivers and streams. If you fish any lakes, as I do quite a bit, then there is a whole array of different morsels to consider…I won’t bother you with that here.

I am still experimenting with Sculpin, Dace, Shiner patterns. But, aside from seeing some Sculpins last Summer, I have not done enough research on them. So, I am going to continue my observations on the water; research watersheds and lakes that I fish throughout the year, and peruse the images for streamer patterns that would match the lesser fish species scurrying about the substrate and debris of rivers and lakes.

Below image: The fly’s color maybe confusing with the bluish hue. It is Hareline’s Ice Dub UV Grey & Brown blended. It turns a mottled brown in the water.

Wines: Serving Temps…No, Not Warm Room Temps

WINE SERVING TEMPERATURES…ENJOY

Sincere Memorial Day

Sweet Alyssum ~SwittersB~

In memory of all that have sacrificed for us: in service of our country, our liberty, our upbringing, our well being. Blessings, prayers, thanks and recognition in memory of your sacrifices.

 

A Bright Spot, A Retreat…

Bright Spot (SwittersB)

Why do we/you fly fish? A new challenge, like golf, like skiing? To be with special friend(s), who attaches great significance to the endeavor, so you do too? To fidget and fuss with gear; a love affair with process and preparation? To be near water, wind and the irregular edges of earth? “The moment”? The take, the pulse, the power, the holding on? The  catch/the kill? The catch/ the release? The reverence for a creature described as possessing but a pea brain, but that possesses your mind, heart, some would say your soul? The draw of the group, the associated bonding of the group and memories? Egocentrism, elitism, distinction? Goofball fish porn, bumism, machismo, rebel without a cause? Individuality and solitude?

After the preparation, anticipation, tinkering, tying, technical how to’s, talking, following the contemporary trends (as you may have since middle school)…..why, in your mind, do you fly fish? Strip away all the trappings and I hope you settle upon a renewing force beneath the trappings. It will be a bright spot in your life, drawing you back to rebuild, rejuvenate, re-gain your bearings. 

Birding: Standing Out

Backyard Birding (SwittersB)

If I considered anchored, vertical chironomid fishing a test of my patience, birding is far more a test of my ADD. I have had for the past few weeks these little, colorful gems in my back yard. Dozens flitting about from limb to limb. So, I thought where is that telephoto lens? 

I found myself on the back deck, leaning against a post for stability waiting for a shot at a momentary still bird. Lordy me! Every time I moved my camera the birds zipped away. I was in stealth mode and still they darted. But, this one shot was worth the effort for me. Then I could say….’Ok, enough of this’. And, no I have no idea what this little gem is. I do know they arrive every year and then move on. See comments by John Newbury..nice.

Recording Your Family Recipe Treasures

Recently, I received a piece about In Memory’s Kitchen
It is a poignant tome about a group of Jewish women housed in a concentration camp in Terezin, Cz. The women, starving, awaiting death pieced together recollections of family recipes. They wrote them down on propaganda leaflets and wrote them in a combination of languages.

Later the compilation found its way, decades later to a daughter, who had survived the camps. The book was released and as noted in many reviews is a testament to the courage and heart the women possessed. Most touching is they knew they were to die. They wrote there recipes down for what reason? In order to celebrate a past simple life…to offer a memory or record of what was? It is a touching book, not for the recipes, but for the courage and heart of women, who dined on scraps from the garbage heaps while recording their favorites.

So, from a personal point of view, I offer this also as an incentive to record any and all family recipes that are not already written on a note card or piece of paper tucked into a cookbook: my mom made the world’s best potato salad. I have never tasted a better potato salad. Yet, I never acquired the how to steps of preparing it. For, five months my mom laid in my home, in a hospice environment. I watched her slip away in a slow motion dance with death. Not once did it occur to me to ask her how she made that magnificent potato salad. It seemed inappropriate at the time. My daughter-in-law has come close in replicating it, but the recipe would have been nice….that secret combination of ingredients…that edge.

Ask your mom, dad, aunt, mother-in-law for the recipe for that special dish, sauce, rub or cooking technique. So many times it is up there in their head. It has been altered from the original many times over the years. That is ok, get the memory down and celebrate the sharing of a family treasure. Do it soon!

Fly Tying & Fishing: Mother’s Day (and beyond) Caddis

RICK HAFELE ON THE BRACHYCENTRUS OCCIDENTALIS CADDIS