Happy St. Patrick’s Day….

I couldn't resist. She just seemed so festive and I love green.

Considered one of the more popular patron saints of Ireland, St. Patrick appears to have had a sacrificial life to say the least. Hardship and service. So, for all of you that find the occasion a celebratory excursion of pub crawls take a moment to study up on the more stoic life of Pádraig. And for goodness sakes be careful out there with the Jameson’s, Old Bushmills and the brews!!! Slán go fóill   LOTGK (a little freaky/sexist I would say; no offense to Pádraig and his devoted followers)

Yes, a more reverential, less sexist sort would have used this rendition of St. Patrick from St. Benin’s Church.

Fly Tying: Rhea Feathers for Spey Flies (A lighter version of ostrich)

The Seduction of the Rhea Feather

Paul Miller's Spey Hackle (Rhea Included)

LELAND FLY FISHING OUTFITTERS

“Rhea feather
To peel rhea, pinch the strands at the tip of the feather and carefully pull down. The membrane should separate from the stem with all its fibers intact.  This gets  easier with practice, but is well worth a few casualties to be able to have such a remarkable hackle, free of the bulky stem. When tying the peeled rhea onto a shank, wrap the membrane as though it were the stem of a regular feather.” Hatches Mag & FlyGal re Rhea

GO DO IT (offset Winter’s Inertia)

GO outside and survey the yard; now that you have done that put off starting the cleanup for another month…at least before Mother’s Day. Go get that pad and make a reasonable list of patterns you can start tying this Spring. Go take the wet waders and boots out of the trunk or back of the truck. They need to air out and dry for once. Go sort out the fly boxes and open them up to dry a bit. Go to the fly shop to get what you need, but don’t stand there in your best ExOfficio shirt seeking the opinion of the shop guys on what they think of the most recent article in Drake Magazine or comments in the Spey Pages. Go replace last seasons shortened butt sections and wind knotted leaders. Go finally figure out where that hole is in the left foot of your waders. Go empty out the wet match books, empty lighters and loose split shot from that dirty, stained pocket on the inside of your waders. Go wash your cold weather layers that by now have percolated to a disgusting manly smell. Go spring for the new vice, the new light, the new scissors or some feel good tool to initiate your Spring tying binge. Go research tube fly parts and experiment in a new direction. Go…

Ok, I have lost my train of thought. And, no I don’t have enough Go’s to travel the length of the Amazonian Beauty. She’d hurt you one way or another anyway. Enough to say, get off your ass and start muddling about. If you are a Winter steelheader then you have been busy, but I bet your stuff is a mess. A little clean up is in order…you’re the guy with the wet, mildewy waders in the back of your rig.

Perfection is reletive….but there is still some free choice.

Entomology v. Callipyginous

The Green Drake is courtesy of The Drake Magazine,  by germanbrown, bugporn

The other natural wonder is courtesy of russbutt3, Planck’s/Flickr. Interestingly, the pic was from a series of pics that dealt with ‘callipyginous’ (well shaped ass) and an in your face post to tweak Muslim fanatics. Well, Planck’s has been banned and removed due to pressures…mind your freedoms down the road if Sharia law gets a foot hold in this country. I do have to say, no offense to the pure and/or fanatics, that that is the most amazing ass I have seen in years…every curve…every crease….

Isn’t free choice wonderful?  I know it was a bit gratuitous to post the dun photo like that…such visual temptations can be harmful to your way of life and lead to self absorption.